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For a lot of the Raiders–Rams matchup, it appeared like yet one more Thursday evening stinker. Each groups had been struggling, however Las Vegas was doing simply sufficient to maintain the punchless L.A. offense at bay.
Then got here the ultimate three minutes and 19 seconds.
Baker Mayfield — yep, you heard that proper — engineered not one, however two lengthy landing drives, the second culminating in a 23-yard strike to Van Jefferson for the go-ahead landing with 10 seconds remaining, because the Rams pulled out a staggering 17-16 victory.
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The Rams improved to 4-9, whereas the Raiders fell to a disappointing 5-8 as first-year coach Josh McDaniels’ seat appears to be warming up considerably.
However wait — there’s extra of Week 14 nonetheless to come back. Can the Jets get again into the AFC playoff race with a win in Buffalo? How will Brock Purdy and the 49ers fare towards Tom Brady and the Bucs? And who has the sting as Deshaun Watson and Joe Burrow sq. off in Cincinnati? The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain, Mike Jones, and Mike Sando dish on what they’ll be watching Sunday and Monday.
Coming off a slender loss in Minnesota, the Jets (7-5) head to Buffalo on Sunday for a troublesome divisional matchup towards the first-place Payments (9-3). Do Mike White and firm stand an opportunity?
Fishbain: Positive, it got here towards a woeful and undermanned Bears protection, however White actually impressed me in his Week 12 begin. He put up absurd effectivity numbers in dangerous circumstances. He’ll want that type of accuracy and decision-making towards Buffalo’s protection. One would assume that to beat the Payments, the Jets have to attain, what, no less than 24 factors? That’s one thing they’ve carried out solely 5 occasions in 12 video games. The Jets protection has 12 interceptions this season, tied for fourth most within the NFL. Their greatest probability is to get one or two, and Payments quarterback Josh Allen has been a little bit careless with the soccer this season.
Jones: It is a enormous take a look at for White. He definitely has received over the locker room, and he has the belief of the teaching employees, however he wants to indicate he can bounce again from final week’s loss to the Vikings. Primarily based on talks I’ve had, the Jets’ decision-makers like White’s make-up and what they’ve seen from him each late in that recreation towards Minnesota and within the days which have adopted. And so they imagine that he’ll play properly and provides them an opportunity to beat the Payments.
The Jets beat Buffalo of their first assembly with Zach Wilson, who made some key throws late. Can White do the identical? I count on to see a extremely motivated Payments workforce, however Buffalo has had some extra accidents pop up since that assembly, Von Miller’s loss being the largest of them. So it’ll be attention-grabbing to see what sort of stress the Payments can generate on White. Allen’s play will even be vital. He threw two interceptions final trip. It looks like he’s working his manner out of that midseason hunch, and he’s doing a greater job of taking good care of the soccer. I count on him to have a robust outing this week and lead Buffalo to a revenge win.
Sando: I’m taking the Jets and the 9.5 factors. They haven’t misplaced by greater than seven in any recreation since Week 3. They beat the Payments extra lately than that. I’m in search of a aggressive recreation between division rivals. Buffalo ought to win, however the Jets ought to maintain it shut.
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There’s one other good divisional matchup within the NFC, the place the Eagles (11-1) face the Giants (7-4-1) at MetLife Stadium. Can New York maintain it shut towards MVP candidate Jalen Hurts and the highly effective Philadelphia offense?
Fishbain: This must be a Brian Daboll-Mike Kafka masterpiece to tug it off. The Giants must make this a grind-it-out, low-scoring recreation. Meaning Saquon Barkley needs to be dominant, Daniel Jones has to play sensible and make performs together with his legs, and the protection has to place Jalen Hurts in tough spots. The Eagles are a locomotive proper now. I’m unsure the Giants have sufficient firepower to maintain them down all recreation. Possibly they’ll maintain it shut for a half.
Jones: I don’t see the Giants posing a lot of a risk. They’ve come again right down to earth after their 6-1 begin, shedding three of their final 5, with the lone win coming towards hapless Houston and a tie coming final week towards Washington. Groups are doing a greater job of containing Barkley and forcing Jones to shoulder a heavy load, and he’s simply not constructed for that proper now.
Sando: Philly by 10 or extra appears seemingly should you have a look at the Giants of their previous three video games towards groups with succesful offenses. In these video games, the Giants misplaced by 14 to Seattle, 13 to Detroit and eight to Dallas. This recreation towards the Eagles seems related.
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Deshaun Watson struggled in his return to the sector final week, however the Browns (5-7) beat the Texans behind a punt return for a landing and two defensive scores. What are you anticipating from Watson as he faces Joe Burrow and the Bengals (8-4), winners of 4 straight?
Fishbain: This isn’t matchup for Watson and the Browns. They’ll be on the highway towards one of many hottest groups in soccer, one which must be motivated to get its in-state rival again after one of many extra beautiful outcomes of the season — Cleveland’s 32-13 win on Halloween night. The Bengals have scored no less than 27 factors in seven of their previous 10 video games. I don’t assume Watson, in his second recreation again, can muster the offense wanted to go shot for shot with Burrow.
Jones: I count on extra struggles. Watson mentioned after the Texans recreation that he anticipated to show vital enchancment now that he has a recreation beneath his belt (and what else was he imagined to say?), but it surely’s unrealistic to count on him to have the ability to have interaction Burrow in a shootout whereas enjoying in simply his second recreation in practically two years.
Sando: All indicators level to modest outcomes at greatest for Watson towards a Cincinnati protection that has allowed eight landing passes and 6.8 yards per try and beginning quarterbacks this season whereas choosing them off six occasions. This game is interesting, although, as a result of Jacoby Brissett accomplished 17 of twenty-two passes for 278 yards towards the Bengals earlier within the season. He fared higher than some other quarterback Cincy has confronted this season.
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Maybe essentially the most attention-grabbing recreation of the late-afternoon window Sunday pits the Buccaneers (6-6), contemporary off their surprising comeback win over the Saints on Monday evening, towards the red-hot 49ers (8-4). The quarterback matchup — Tom Brady versus Brock Purdy — appears to favor Tampa Bay. How do you see this one enjoying out?
Fishbain: The Buccaneers must be feeling good after that comeback victory, however how good can you’re feeling needing heroics from Brady to beat the 4-9 Saints? I’ve numerous confidence in the kind of offense Kyle Shanahan can draw as much as assist Purdy, and the Bucs must fly cross-country on a brief week. It appears wild to assume Purdy might topple Brady, however these aren’t the Bucs of the previous two seasons. The 49ers are on a roll, and assuming Purdy doesn’t flip it over, he has sufficient stars round him to get the job carried out.
Jones: The 49ers protection is going through numerous stress. It has to harass Brady and the Bucs offense to maintain the sport shut. The 49ers imagine that Purdy can do a stable job of operating the offense, however it can nonetheless take rather a lot for him to outdo Brady. I really feel like it is a Buccaneers victory coming.
Sando: It is a robust recreation for the Buccaneers, who journey throughout the nation to face one of many league’s higher defenses. I’m a little bit apprehensive about Purdy over the course of a full recreation, however I’ll belief Shanahan’s play calling and the 49ers protection to regulate the sport and win.
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In the event you needed to decide one upset this week, who would you’re taking?
Fishbain: I is likely to be the final one left with religion within the Chargers, however I’m going with them. I’m certain there will probably be numerous Dolphins followers in L.A. to counter any home-field edge, however that’s nonetheless a protracted journey for Miami after a late-afternoon kick towards the bodily 49ers. Khalil Mack has had some nice performances in prime time. Right here’s pondering he places one collectively, and Justin Herbert outduels Tua Tagovailoa.
Jones: We simply talked about it, however I’ll take the Bucs over the Niners. I do know he appeared fairly respectable final week towards Miami, however I don’t assume Brock Purdy has an opportunity towards the GOAT.
Sando: You’d must take 10-2 Minnesota as a highway underdog towards the Lions. I additionally give Carolina an opportunity towards Seattle coming off a bye. Seattle’s operating recreation is dinged up, and its personal run protection has been inconsistent. Seattle has made some changes to cease the run at occasions and should accomplish that successfully Sunday.
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What’s the most attention-grabbing storyline of Week 14 that we haven’t but mentioned? What are you most excited to see?
Fishbain: Possibly it’s the NFC North author in me, however I’m fascinated by the Vikings-Lions matchup. Vegas has picked up on the truth that Minnesota’s workforce, analytically talking, isn’t pretty much as good as its file, making them underdogs towards a assured Lions workforce that’s enjoying its greatest soccer in years. Do Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson and the Vikings show they’re legit, or will Dan Campbell’s Lions put themselves within the NFC wild-card race with their fifth win in six video games?
Jones: The Baltimore-Pittsburgh game is intriguing to me. No Lamar Jackson means Tyler Huntley will get the beginning reverse Kenny Pickett, and that doesn’t sound too thrilling. However the Ravens want this win as a result of the Bengals are respiration down their necks and have an opportunity to leapfrog them for the division lead. Pickett is steadily enhancing, and the Steelers protection has held foes to 17 or fewer factors in three of the final 4 video games. Pittsburgh owns a 3-1 file throughout that span. That is no slam dunk for a Ravens offense that has struggled to place factors on the board even with Jackson beneath middle.
Sando: The Dolphins-Chargers recreation options 2020 draft classmates Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, the second time their groups have confronted each other and the primary time since they had been rookies.
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(Illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic; images: Isaiah Vazquez, Al Bello, Bob Kupbens / Icon Sportswire / Getty Photos)
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