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Las Vegas Raiders (6-7) at Cleveland Browns (7-6)
(moved to Monday)
This was what I originally wrote (and did not finish) leading up to the Browns-Raiders game before learning that it had been moved to early Monday afternoon/evening.
First of all, the weather is supposed to be a factor in this game. Potentially, it could be a hue factor. That is not altogether surprising. After all, this game is being played in Cleveland, which is known for harsh and extreme winter weather.
The good news for the Browns is that, traditionally, the foul weather should benefit them. That seems especially true with a Raiders team that not only plays in warm weather Las Vegas, but plays under a dome, to boot. The bad news for Cleveland, however, is that Kareem Hunt is out for this game, which obviously impacts their running game. If the winds are whipping nearly as strongly as they are expected to, than passing the ball is not a safe prospect, which means that the two teams need to rely more heavily on their running game. But the Browns will have question marks with their starting running back out for this one.
New England Patriots (9-4) at Indianapolis Colts (7-6)
Unlike the earlier game in Cleveland, the weather will most certainly not be a factor here for either team. That is because it will be played under the dome in Indianapolis.
Both teams come into this game quite hot, although it seems clear that the Patriots are the hotter of the two teams. They are riding a seven game winning streak, currently tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the longest such active streak. Meanwhile, the Colts have won four of their last five games and six of their last eight games. They are coming off their most dominant win, a shutout on the road against their admittedly weak division rivals, the Houston Texans. A few weeks ago, they did the Patriots a favor by crushed the Bills, a division rival for New England, and they did that in Buffalo. So this team is certainly dangerous.
New England has the toughest defense to score on in the NFL, having allowed a total of 200 points this season. The Broncos are next with 228, then the Bills with 229. No other teams are even really close. So the Pats are tough themselves, and Belichick should have his defense prepared with all sorts of different looks and schemes to confuse the opposing team. Also, don't forget that the Patriots are one of only two teams in the league who can boast a perfect record on the road so far this season (the other team would be the Cardinals).
There is a lot at stake for both teams in this game, and even for other teams in the league, or at least in the AFC playoff race. First of all, for the Patriots, they need to win in order to keep pace with the Chiefs for the top seed in he AFC, as well as to maintain that comfort margin over the Bills for the AFC East division title, especially since the two teams are set to meet next weekend. But the Bills also will take interest in wat happens to the Colts, who are presently one notch above the Bills, as the current holders of the sixth seed. Buffalo should paradoxically both benefit and get hurt no matter who wins and loses this game, in some way, although they need to focus on getting a win this weekend against the Panthers in order to improve their position in the playoffs and maintain control of their own destiny. Other teams will be watching this game with interest, as well. Obviously the Chiefs and their fans, as already mentioned, but also the other teams still pursuing that top seed, particularly the Titans, who are also pursuing the Pats and the Chiefs for the Top spot in the AFC playoffs. Tennessee, like the Bills, will both benefit and be hurt by the results in this game, although a win by them and a loss by the Colts would clinch the AFC South division title. The Ravens, Browns, Bengals, Broncos and Steelers, and even the Raiders and Dolphins, will also be watching this game with interest, as they all are also pursuing those final elusive playoff spots.
Is it me, or are there more teams with legitimate playoff hopes entering these final weeks in December in both conferences than I can ever remember before?
So, there you have it. A game with huge playoff ramifications not just for the two teams playing, but for a number of other teams and their fans, who will be watching this game with great interest, as well. It should be fun to watch!
Look for the Pats to hang in this one and, I believe, they will snatch this thing towards the end, probably even going right down to the wire, even perhaps to the final minutes, or even the final play, in this game. It just feels like everything is going right with this team right now, and that they are gaining momentum with each game. They will be tough to beat, and my suspicion is that the Colts will not be able to do it tonight.
My pick: New England
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