NFL 2019-20 Week 15 Review
What a weekend in the NFL! Some teams lost realistic chances at the playoffs, while others solidified their status as playoff teams, or as solid contenders to earn a playoff bye. There were upsets, as well as more predictable outcomes. Four teams in each conference have clinched playoff berths, and only one Wildcard opening is left now per conference.
So who is rising fast, and who is falling?
In the AFC, New England and Buffalo made it official that they will be going to the playoffs, while the Texans took a huge step towards the playoffs and a division title by beating the Titans on the road in Tennessee. The Titans, Steelers, and Browns all took steps back by losing. For Cleveland, you can pretty much bet that this loss ended their season. The playoff picture keeps growing clearer with each passing weekend. We have teams seemingly rising just at the right moment, and we have teams failing, precisely at the wrong moment. This happens every season, but the teams and circumstances change, of course. That is what makes this so interesting.
As for the NFC, the Saints are the only team to have officially clinched a division title, while San Francisco, Seattle, and Green Bay have clinched playoff berths. The NFC East and NFC North will see huge showdowns that may outright decide who wins the division title, while the NFC West will be another week before a big showdown on the final weekend of regular season to see who comes out on top there.
Let’s take a closer look at each individual game:
N.Y. Giants 36, Miami 20 - It was like old times again for Giants fans like me, as Eli Manning put up a solid performance against the Dolphins and snapped the Giants franchise record tying nine-game losing streak, and getting that bad taste from the blown large lead against the Eagles just days prior. Manning threw two touchdown passes, and the G-Men looked like they had an explosive offense for a change, reaching 30 points or more for only the second time this season. With this result, the Giants earn their first win since September, and improve to 3-11 on the year, while the Dolphins fall to 3-11 this season. My prediction: Inaccurate
Tampa Bay 38, Detroit 17 – How far have the Lions fallen? Earlier this season, they appeared to be a serious contender for the playoffs, and even for the NFC North division title. Now they have dropped seven games in a row, which is the longest active losing streak in the league. Before their current losing streak began, the Lions were still 3-3-1, and fighting for the playoffs as the midseason point approached. Now, a blowout home loss to a not so great Bucs team, where Detroit hardly put up much of a fight. Same old futility for football fans in Michigan. A solid win for the Bucs, who reach 7-7, and are looking like they are building towards something better in the near future. My pick: Inaccurate
New England 34, Cincinnati 13 – The Pats clearly were struggling early in the game, and their offense still seems to have issues that make them an uncomfortable pick as the playoffs near. But they did win, in the end, and officially secured a playoff berth in the process. They also remain atop the AFC East, heading into a big showdown against Buffalo, which could determine the AFC East, as well as the race for the second seed, and the playoff bye. For New England, that bye feels especially important, as it feels like this team really could use that two week break, to rest up and reorganize mentally, as well as the extra time to prepare for whoever they would face. So, the Pats likely really need to win out. They will have two home games in their remaining regular season schedule, as the Bills come to town for the big showdown next Saturday, and then the Pats host the Dolphins on the final weekend of the regular season. My prediction: Accurate
Green Bay 21, Chicago 13 – Well, the Bears season is over. They just cannot ever seem to beat the Packers, at least not with any consistency. They had some chances on Sunday, but just could not get the job done. The result is a convincing win for Green Bay, who now move to 11-3, and have a big showdown to look to at Minnesota this coming weekend. Aaron Jones scored two rushing touchdowns against the Bears, who just did not look like the same team that had pulled off a decent winning streak to storm back into playoff relevancy, seemingly. A solid win for the Pack, who are playoff-bound, whether or not they win the division. My pick: Accurate
Kansas City 23, Denver 3 – The Chiefs did not explode on offense or anything. Yet, they completely dominated the Broncos in the snow at Arrowhead Stadium, this completing a season sweep of Denver, and staying hot with a fourth straight win to improve to 10-4 on the season. They remain a game behind New England in the race for a playoff bye, but they looked solid, and their defense looked elite! The now head to Chicago to take on Da Bears, in what could be a tough contest, before finishing the season back in KC to host the Chargers. As for the Broncos, they fall to 5-9, and are now officially out of the playoff picture. My pick: Accurate
Houston 24, Tennessee 21 – The Texans have been hard to predict, just too inconsistent to make much sense of this season. They can pull surprise wins that you do not expect, such as against the Chiefs and Pats, and then lose games that make you really scratch your head. Admittedly, I expected the Titans to win this one, but Houston suddenly showed up, and took a huge step towards finally clinching the AFC South with a huge win on the road in this divisional showdown. They are now 9-5, a full game ahead of the Titans, although these two teams will meet again in a couple of weekends. Meanwhile, the Texans will head down to Tampa to face the Buccaneers, while the Titans will host the New Orleans Saints, which will be a tough game. Simply a huge win for the Texans! My pick: Inaccurate
Philadelphia 37, Washington 27 – This game almost seemed to sum up the way that the Eagles season has gone. They were facing a weak team, and everything was on the line for them. Yet, they struggled, and it looked for a while like they were heading towards a stunning loss. But then, right at the end, they somehow pull off the winning touchdown – and then get another touchdown just for extra insurance – and preserve a much needed win to stay alive. Not sure if Philly is better than their 7-7- record indicates or, frankly, worse. But they head into a big showdown against Dallas, in what is likely for the NFC East division title. Certainly not the way that I expected them to win, but they will take it. My pick: Accurate
Seattle 30, Carolina 24 – Like with Philly, I expected the Seahawks to win this one a lot more convincingly than they actually managed to do, as well. For a while, it was looking like they would blow the Panthers out. But then Carolina came roaring back, and it was all Seattle could do to hold them off. But they managed the win, and that on a weekend when the 49ers lost, meaning that the Seahawks, for the time being, regain first place in the NFC West. They will host the Cardinals next weekend, before hosting the 49ers in a huge game that will be for the NFC West title, and likely at least a playoff bye, and possibly even home field advantage. As for the Panthers, they will visit Indy next weekend, before hosting the Saints to close out the regular season. A solid win for Seattle! My pick: Accurate
Jacksonville 20, Oakland 16 – The Raiders were teasing people by suddenly looking like serious AFC West title contenders just a few weeks ago. Hard to believe that this is the same team, at least officially, because they have looked absolutely miserable in their last four games. They were winning this game most of the way, even dominating, owning a 16-3 lead by halftime. But the Jaguars shut them out in the second half, and scored two unanswered touchdowns to pull off a solid comeback on the road, handing the Raiders their fourth straight defeat. No playoffs for the Raiders before the move to Vegas, it appears. My pick: Accurate
Atlanta 29, San Francisco 22 – The Falcons are playing so much better in the second half of the season, that you cannot help but wonder if they would be heading to the playoffs had they been playing this way from the beginning of the season. But when you start off with a 1-7 record, you just are not going to be a serious contender. Still, they have played some solid football, and managed to stun the 49ers in San Fran, earning a huge win with a touchdown as time basically expired. But the loss was not that costly for the 49ers, who likely still control their own destiny, as they own tie-breakers against both Green Bay and New Orleans, and they will host the Rams next weekend before they have that big showdown at Seattle. As for the Falcons, they now will host the Jaguars, before finishing their season at Tampa Bay. My pick: Inaccurate
Minnesota 39, L.A. Chargers 10 – If the Vikings keep playing like this, they could prove to be a very dangerous team heading into the playoffs. They completed dominated every facet of this game, putting to bed any question of an upset or a spoiler kind of game by taking care of business exactly like they should. The Chargers have been remarkably inconsistent this season, but this was really no surprise. Minnesota would look like a scary team to have to face for any opponents right now. They have a huge divisional showdown game next weekend against Green Bay, before finishing against Chicago. Both of those games will be hosted by the Vikings, who are the only team left with an undefeated home record. As for the Chargers, they will host the Raiders next weekend, before closing out their season at Kansas City. My pick: Accurate
Arizona 38, Cleveland 24 – Well, the Browns were too inconsistent this season to be a serious playoff contender, right? They had a very difficult schedule through the first half, but then started to show real signs of life there for a while in the second half. But this loss to the Cardinals eliminated them from the playoffs officially, as well as ending any hopes they might have had at a winning record. And it is a game that they should have won, frankly, being the better overall team. But it just has been that kind of a season for Cleveland, who head quickly towards yet another offseason filled with questions and uncertainties. For the Cardinals, this was a solid win on the road in cold weather, as they continue to make significant improvements and head in what seems to be a positive direction. My pick: Inaccurate
Dallas 44, L.A. Rams 21 – The Rams were looking really solid there for a while. But they allowed the Cowboys to snap their losing streak in dominant fashion, taking over the game particularly in the second quarter, and taking a 28-7 lead into the locker room for halftime. The Rams scored some points in the fourth quarter to make it look more respectable, but this one was all Cowboys, basically. The Cowboys needed that win, and they head to that big divisional showdown at Philly next weekend with some serious confidence, before closing out their season hosting Washington. The Rams will go to S.F. next weekend, before ending their season by hosting the Cardinals. My pick: Inaccurate
Sunday Night Football - Buffalo 17, Pittsburgh 10 – It was a good, old-fashioned defensive struggle at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field in this contest. Not all that surprising, since both teams – especially the Bills – have good, solid defenses. This came down to a chess match, with the team committing the fewest costly mistakes and unforced errors eventually coming out on top. That wound up being the Bills, who committed less turnovers and capitalized nicely on the turnovers that the Steelers committed, including two INT’s very late in the game, when Pittsburgh was trying to rally to tie the game again. With the win, Buffalo improves to 10-4 and, more importantly, clinch a playoff spot. This also marks the first time since 1999 that Buffalo has managed to earn double digit wins in a single season. As for the Steelers, they drop to 8-6 on the season with this loss, and their momentum has been compromised. The playoffs no longer seem like a sure bet, although they still look like they have a decent chance to qualify. A good game to watch, reminiscent of a different era in the NFL, when the focus was not always on explosive offenses. My pick: Inaccurate
No comments:
Post a Comment