PITY THE ATLANTA Falcons.
The last remaining undefeated team are ranked as low as fifth in some NFL power-rankings because of what is perceived as an easy schedule. Ranked ahead of them, in various orders, are the Denver Broncos (5-3), San Francisco 49ers (6-2), Chicago Bears (7-1) and Houston Texans (7-1).
I have the Falcons third in my own rankings right now but they could move up to second on Monday morning after the Bears and Texans face off in Chicago in Sunday’s late game. After some uninspired scheduling in recent weeks saw the best of the action take place in the early games, this one is definitely worth staying awake for.
Houston Texans @ Chicago Bears
These two teams have a lot in common. Both rely heavily on dominant defences, both are 7-1 this season and both lost their only game to the Green Bay Packers. Indeed, there is so little to separate the two, we could well see them face off again on 3 February 2013 in Super Bowl XLVIII.
One thing I know for sure about this game is that I would not like to be Jay Cutler. The Bears quarterback has been sacked 28 times this season (3rd most in the NFL) and, this Sunday when he peers across the trenches, he must look into the eyes of JJ Watt.
Watt, as you’ll know from The Redzone’s mid-season awards, has already downed opposition quarterbacks 10.5 times this season and will hope to significantly add to that number in this game.
The Texans offence will also be relishing the encounter. While Arian Foster has never faced the Bears, quarterback Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson combined for 148 yards and two touchdowns the last time these two squared -off. With Charles Tillman possibly missing the game to attend the birth of his child, the pair could have a similar night on Sunday.
The Bears, however, are hungry and looking to win seven games in a row for the first time since 2006. They’ll need both Matt Forte and Brandon Marshall to play as well as they have done in recent weeks and find some way to keep Cutler on his feet.
That said, their season is a tale of two halves and some questions remain about the legitimacy of their Super Bowl credentials. While only one of their wins up to now has come against a team with a winning record, seven of the Bears’ next eight opponents are currently at .500 or better. It’s definitely business time in the Windy City.
Verdict: The Bears are 4-0 at home. The Texans are 3-0 on the road. This is such a close one to call. However, the Texans offence has only turned the ball over a league-leading six times this season and, given that turnovers have been the lifeblood of the Chicago defence, that could well be where this game is won and lost. Texans by 3.
San Diego Chargers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Remember how I said last week a team usually emerges as improbable playoff contenders around this time of year? Well Tampa Bay ticked an awful lot of boxes on the way to being that team with their comprehensive win over an improving Raiders outfit last weekend, with rookie running back Doug Martin putting up video game numbers.
The Buccaneers remain just outside the playoff picture at the moment but a win over the San Diego Chargers would be their fourth in five games and put them in a great position to pick up one of the NFC’s two wildcard spots.
However, they face a Chargers team also in the hunt for a playoff place and who ranked fourth in run defence giving up just 87.4yards a game. On offence, Philip Rivers is having a mixed season with 12 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. However, he is coming off the back of one of his best games of the season where he completed 18 of 20 passes for two touchdowns. That was, however, against the woeful Kansas City Chiefs.
Verdict: The Chargers are 8-1 against the Buccaneers and have won five out of five in Tampa. I expect the home side to put that right this weekend. Buccaneers by 6+.
Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings
This is the only other NFL game this weekend where neither team has a losing record. It also represents a chance for the Detroit Lions to show they are not merely one season wonders and revive their playoff hopes which seemed extinguished when they slipped to 2-4 with a loss to the Bears in week seven.
Detroit have scored 59 points in their last two games, both wins, while Minnesota have conceded 66 in their losses to the Buccaneers and Seahawks, results which have seen them slip from 5-2 and the darlings of the NFL to 5-4 and, with four divisional games to come in as many weeks, in real danger of finishing bottom of the NFC North.
Despite a sore knee, Calvin Johnson caught seven passes for 129 yards against the Jaguars last week, going over the century mark for just the fourth time this season. Megatron will no doubt be looking to add to his solitary touchdown this year against the Vikings though, the fact that Minnesota have allowed 117.3 yards rushing per game this season, could see the Lions revert to their ground game for scores as they did last week.
Verdict: With both having to face the Packers twice and Houston in coming weeks, it is unlikely either of these teams will make the playoffs. However, the Lions especially will not want to finish bottom of the division after last year’s playoff heroics. Detroit by 5+.
All fixtures and predictions
- Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars – Colts
- Oakland Raiders @ Baltimore Ravens – Ravens
- Denver Broncos @ Carolina Panthers – Broncos
- New York Giants @ Cincinnati Bengals – Giants
- Tennessee Titans @ Miami Dolphins – Dolphins
- Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots – Patriots
- Atlanta Flacons @ New Orleans Saints – Falcons
- New York Jets @ Seattle Seahawks – Seahawks
- Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles – Cowboys
- St Louis Rams @ San Francisco 49ers – 49ers
- Kansas City Chiefs @ Pittsburgh Steelers – Steelers
