Week 16 full of big interconference match-ups
For i nterconference matchups in the next-tolast week of the season, the NFL couldn’t have done much better. Pittsburgh at New Orleans, Houston at Philadelphia, Kansas City at Seattle, and Washington at Tennessee all have significant playoff implications.
Not a bad way to head into the final two weekends.
“I think the message for the whole team is we’re not satisfied with where we’re at,” says Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Kansas City can clinch the top seed in the AFC and win the AFC West under certain circumstances.
“We wanted to put ourselves in this position, but at the same time, we know we still have a long way to go. We’re going to keep in that mentality the rest of this season and into the playoffs (of) not being satisfied with just being here. We want to make sure we can go and win the big games whenever we need to.
Well, there are a lot of big games on Saturday and Sunday.
Pittsburgh (8-5-1) at New Orleans (12-2)
10 straight games, an NFL record. Jones has 14 for the season.
The Seahawks must win and have some other things occur to secure an NFC wild- card spot.
Houston (10-4) at Philadelphia (7-7)
The defending Super Bowl champ Eagles must win out and it still might not be enough to get to January. Then again, 9-7 also could win the NFC East. That’s how jumbled things are.
“We’re fighting for our lives right now. It’s a little different for us, different feel,” says coach Doug Pederson, whose team had the NFC’s best record in 2017.
Houston has the AFC’s second seed behind Kansas City and will have a wildcard bye if it wins out. But the Texans don’t own the AFC South title yet, though it comes by beating Philly. Making the playoffs is very likely after a 0-3 start.
“It really doesn’t matter how you win, you just have to win,” says star DE J. J. Watt, in the midst of a sensational comeback season. “We’ve kind of heard it all year: ‘ This. That. They didn’t.’ We won. I don’t care how we win, I just want to win. I don’t care if people think it’s pretty, I don’t care if they like it, if they don’t like it, I just want to win.”
New York Giants (5-9) at Indianapolis (8-6)
FILE - In this Dec. 18, 2018, file photo, Carolina Panthers’ Cam Newton speaks to the media after an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, in Charlotte, N.C.
2000.
—Bill Belichick has an 8630 (.741) all-time regularseason record against the AFC East as Patriots coach.
—Tom Brady owns a 29-3 record against the Bills. Brady’s 29 wins against Buffalo are the most by a quarterback against any single opponent.
—New England is 6- 0 at home.
Los Angeles Rams (113) at Arizona (3-11)
Things have turned sour for the Rams, who for the first time under second-year coach Sean McVay have lost two in a row. Of course, their gaudy record already has earned them the NFC West championship and they get a wild- card round bye with two victories.
In what appears a mismatch, the Rams have gone 3- 0 and outscored Arizona 99-16 under McVay. Still, in the past three games, Jared Goff has one TD pass and six interceptions.
Los Angeles DT Aaron Donald leads the NFL with 16½ sacks.
The Cardinals have lost eight games by 10 or more points and four by at least 20.
Chicago (10-4) at San Francisco (4-10) Tampa Bay (5-9) at Dallas (8-6)
A win gives Dallas the NFC East. The Cowboys come off a shutout loss at Indy that ended a five-game winning streak. They are 9-1 at home in the regular season against Tampa.
Dallas has a 20- game streak of not allowing 30 or more points, its longest since a 26-game run in 1993- 94. The key here might be slowing WR Mike Evans, who was overlooked for the Pro Bowl despite being second in the NFL to Julio Jones with 1,328 yards receiving. Evans needs 95 yards to break Mark Carrier’s club record of 1,422 from 1989.
Minnesota (7-6-1) at Detroit (5-9)
Matthew Stafford 10 times in their previous meeting, and had nine against Miami last week.
Atlanta (5-9) at Carolina (6-8)
No Cam Newton here thanks to a bad shoulder that has hampered his throwing; Taylor Heinicke makes his first career start.
The Panthers have dropped six in a row, but Atlanta is 1- 5 on the road even though Matt Ryan has 12 TD passes and three interceptions in the past five away games.
Carolina RB Christian McCaffrey set the singleseason franchise record last week for total yards from scrimmage. McCaffrey needs 21 yards rushing and 132 yards receiving to become the third NFL running back with 1,000 yards in both categories. McCaffrey needs six receptions for 100.
Cincinnati (6-8) at Cleveland (6-7-1)
Browns will go from 0-16 to a winning record. The tide along Lake Erie certainly seems to have turned.
The Browns haven’t swept the Ohio season series since 2002. Former Browns coach Hue Jackson returns for the first time since being fired Oct. 29 and can expect anything but open arms from Cleveland fans.
Running back Joe Mixon needs 5 yards to become the first Bengal to rush for 1,000 in a season since Jeremy Hill in 2014. Mixon leads the AFC with 995 yards rushing and 207 carries.
Jacksonville (4-10) at Miami (7-7)
Miami’s first game at home since the miracle play to beat New England . The inconsistent Dolphins probably need that kind of stuff to sneak into the postseason.
A year ago, the Jaguars were a Super Bowl contender. In 2018, they made the league’s biggest collapse. Look for a new QB and possible replacement for Doug Marrone as coach.