NFL Week 15 gets underway on Thursday with a game of great importance when the Cardinals travel back to their previous home port to challenge the renascent Rams. Arizona roughed up the Rams in the desert in NFL Week 10.
This is a Rams team coming off back-to-back shutouts, something that hasn't been done in the NFL since 1945. Amazing. Not the Seahawks of last year, nor the Millennial Ravens, nor the 1985 Bears, nor the Steel Curtain teams of the 1970s; neither Lombardi's Packers nor Bednarik's Eagles.
That's why the current Vegas line has St. Louis by 4 points regardless of Arizona's top-seed status in the NFC.
Jeff Fisher has never impressed me. Even though I am predisposed to see Arizona lose the remaining three games -- St. Louis, Seattle, San Francisco -- it would not surprise me to see Bruce Arians outfox the Rams yet again.
Nonetheless, I think St. Louis comes out on top. Drew Stanton alone in the dome is not enough to master the Rams defense. Derek Carr is a much better QB, and he couldn't put any points on the board.
A loss by the Cardinals pleases me because, assuming the Seahawks continue their winning ways, this drops Arizona into a tie for first place in the NFC West, setting up a Battle Royale for the division next Sunday night.
If Seattle triumphs in the desert then regardless of the outcome of the last game of season, the Seahawks would be division champs.
I'm getting too far ahead of myself. I know. But to take it to the limit, imagine the improbable: Green Bay loses at Buffalo and Seattle runs the table of remaining regular-season games. That means home field for the 12th Man throughout the playoffs.
Showing posts with label NFL Week 15. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL Week 15. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Thursday, December 12, 2013
NFL Week 15: 49ers on a Roll
The Week 14 showdown at Hunters Point turned out to be a nailbiter as anticipated. San Francisco, regardless of Earl Thomas misplaying Frank Gore's 51-yard fourth-quarter run that set up the winning field, was moving the ball with six minutes to go; Phil Dawson, kicking well, likely would have won the game anyway.
The Seahawks were penalized too much. One in particular, when Michael Robinson was called for a facemask, negated a long run by Marshawn Lynch in the second half. Instead of a first down in San Francisco territory, Seattle ended up punting the ball back to the 49ers. Critical mistake.
But all in all I see a silver lining in the Seahawks 17-19 loss to the 49ers. It will focus the team going into New Jersey to play a potentially dangerous playoff-eliminated Giants football team. That game had all the makings for an upset if Seattle had been tipsy from sewing up the division title by beating the 49ers at Candlestick. Now they are sure to be hungry. I am therefore picking the Seahawks over the Giants.
Other big Week 15 games are the 49ers at Tampa. The Buccaneers are not the same team that lost its first eight games. But San Francisco is peaking. Kaeppernick is playing with confidence. A Tampa upset is a possibility, but pick the 49ers.
Another game with the potential to be good is New England at Miami. The Patriots have run an insane string of comebacks together. Winning games consistently by overcoming large margins in the second half builds character. Tom Brady's Patriots could be a team to watch in the playoffs. Gronkowski's season-ending torn ACL and MCL injury does not bode well though. The 2013 New England could be a one and done. We'll see who shows up on Sunday. I would prefer Miami, but I think the Patriots win.
The Seahawks were penalized too much. One in particular, when Michael Robinson was called for a facemask, negated a long run by Marshawn Lynch in the second half. Instead of a first down in San Francisco territory, Seattle ended up punting the ball back to the 49ers. Critical mistake.
But all in all I see a silver lining in the Seahawks 17-19 loss to the 49ers. It will focus the team going into New Jersey to play a potentially dangerous playoff-eliminated Giants football team. That game had all the makings for an upset if Seattle had been tipsy from sewing up the division title by beating the 49ers at Candlestick. Now they are sure to be hungry. I am therefore picking the Seahawks over the Giants.
Other big Week 15 games are the 49ers at Tampa. The Buccaneers are not the same team that lost its first eight games. But San Francisco is peaking. Kaeppernick is playing with confidence. A Tampa upset is a possibility, but pick the 49ers.
Another game with the potential to be good is New England at Miami. The Patriots have run an insane string of comebacks together. Winning games consistently by overcoming large margins in the second half builds character. Tom Brady's Patriots could be a team to watch in the playoffs. Gronkowski's season-ending torn ACL and MCL injury does not bode well though. The 2013 New England could be a one and done. We'll see who shows up on Sunday. I would prefer Miami, but I think the Patriots win.
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