PITTSBURGH AT CINCINNATI

        This game feels like a trap game to me.  If you look at the records, it should be an easy win for the Steelers.  However, if you know anything about this AFC North division, the underdog often upsets the better team.  Look at what happened when the Browns played Pittsburgh, sure inclement weather played a part, but a terrible Cleveland team that had won just two games upset an eight-win team.  How about when Cleveland beat the dominant Baltimore Ravens team a few weeks before that game?  Did you see that one?  Once again you can quote the NFL saying, any given Sunday.  Any team can beat any other team, regardless of the stakes.

 

STEELERS-

            Pittsburgh cannot falter at this point in the season.  They need to keep playing their brand of football, which is tough, stifling defense.  Defensive Coordinator, Teryl Austin has been with Pittsburgh since 2019 when he was first brought in as senior defensive assistant and secondary coach.  He held that position until 2022 when he was promoted to DC, and they’ve been an elite defensive unit ever since.  The Steelers have already beaten their top competitors in the North, the Ravens.  Losing last week in Primetime was already problematic enough, knowing they could have separated themselves by going up two games in front of Baltimore.  Then the Ravens won on Monday Night thus setting up another huge game between those two teams for week 16.  Pittsburgh must play hard-nosed defense and limit Cincy’s passing game with their two outstanding targets on the outside.

 

DEFENSIVE RANKINGS-

Rush yards per game- 90.3 (4^th)

Pass yards per game- 214.9 (17^th)

Total yards per game- 305.2 (7^th)

Points per game- 16.9 (3^rd)

Sacks per game- 2.3 (22^nd)

           

            Offensively, the best strategy Arthur Smith (OC) can cook up is running the ball.  Najee Harris has looked much better this year, so they need to keep feeding him the rock.  The Bengals struggle against both the run and pass but Pittsburgh has been much better at producing on the ground this season.  Russell Wilson has looked pretty good at times as well this season.  Though I think they tend to struggle a little bit when they try to focus on airing it out too much, stick to the ground game, then when you get them biting on the run and stacking the box start tossing it downfield to Pickens, Williams, Muth, Austin, and company.  They should also reincorporate Jaylon Warren by getting him more involved on passing downs.  I know Arthur Smith wasn’t there last year when Warren was more of a threat out of the backfield, but he did have a running back with similar skillsets in Bijan Robinson.  

 

OFFENSIVE RANKINGS-

Rush yards per game- 135.2 (8^th)

Pass yards per game- 192.8 (26^th)

Total yards per game- 328 (19^th)

Points per game- 22.9 (14^th)

Sacks allowed per game- 2.9 (23^rd)

 

BENGALS-

            Cincinnati has fallen and seemingly can’t get up.  They had high hopes coming into this season along with explosive talent offensively.  Nothing worked for Burrow’s Bengals this year.  Cincy had countless injuries on both sides of the ball this, including starting wideout Tee Higgins who could’ve helped mask some of their issues, seeing how they lost seven games by only one possession.  To make matters even worse four of their losses came by five or fewer points, two of which were by one point.  It has been all hard-fought losses for the Bengals while only losing by more than ten points just once this season to the Philadelphia Eagles.  Joe Burrow has had the best season of his young career and would certainly be this year's unquestioned MVP if they were a playoff team.  To play spoil against the Steelers in this home game they will need to do what they are best at and air it out.  The Bengals are the league's leading passing attack which is truly the best way to hurt the Steelers as they are weaker against the pass than the run game.  

 

OFFENSIVE RANKING-

Rush yards per game- 91.5 (27^th)

Pass yards per game- 262.7 (1^st)

Total yards per game- 354.3 (9^th)

Points per game- 27.0 (6^th)

Sacks allowed per game- 2.4 (15^th)

 

            Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s game plans haven’t come close to looking the way he had this defense playing last season.  This defense has looked more like swiss cheese opposed to the solid mozzarella form; they showed last year.  They’ve given opposing teams way too much rushing room and even more passing yards per game than the New England Patriots.  Now that’s bad.  Though, to an extent, I do understand.  I know they were banged up, plus they played some powerful offensive teams like Baltimore twice, Philly, not necessarily KC, but Mahomes.  Then there were also the surprisingly polished rookie Jayden Daniels’s Commanders, they came in and smacked their defense in the mouth.  The one that sort of shocked me was the Chargers, I know they have Justin Herbert and correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t LA score more points along with putting up more yards against Cincinnati than they had in a single game all year long?  Isn’t that a dang shame, not to pile on but the Chargers didn’t put that many yards up against the Panthers in week 2.   Lou, you need to do something here man, bring more pressure, stack the box, and try different looks.  Their best chance for success in this game will be to limit Arthur Smiths' run game, forcing them to beat you in the air while bringing more added pressure.

 

DEFENSIVE RANKINGS-

Rush yards per game- 129.8 (20^th)

Pass yards per game- 225.6 (23^rd)

Total yards per game- 355.5 (23^rd)

Points per game- 26.9 (28^th)

Sacks per game- 1.7 (30^th)

 

LAST ANALYSIS-

            In conclusion, this is very much a must-win game for both teams.  Yes, the Steelers are more or less likely to be a playoff team this year, it is to determine if they will keep their top position in the AFC North or potentially fall into a tie with Baltimore again.  They don’t want their next game with the Ravens to be what kicks them back to the 5^th, 6^th, or even 7^th spot.  Cincinnati on the other hand, would need a whole lot to happen to make a magical appearance in the postseason this NFL season.  The Bengals need to start with an upset win at home in this one, followed by literally winning every game they have left.  Furthermore, they need the Chargers to lose 4 of their next six games.  They could also get in if the Steelers or Ravens lose four of their remaining six games.  However, their easiest path would seemingly be if the Denver Broncos were to lose 3 of their last 5 games, plus the Bengals have the luxury of going head-to-head with Denver in week 17 at home.  However, if the Bengals don’t win all their upcoming games this would be all for naught.  Lastly, in case I forgot to mention the Dolphins are also tied with the Bengals, meaning they would also need Miami to end the season with a worse record than them.  Good Luck Cincy!

CROWDED NFC WEST

 

Without a doubt, this has been the tightest division, top to bottom all season long.  Through 12 weeks not a single team has yet to pull away from the pack partly because two of these NFC West squads have been riddled with injuries that have taken their top game-changing playmakers out of the equation.  I know coaches will always tell you it's the next-man-up mentality, but sometimes too many injuries will ruin your season and may change the whole trajectory of your team going forward for seasons to come.  The main two NFC West teams affected by this the most this year are the Rams and the 49ers.  Arizona was starting to look like it would be the one to leave the rest of the West in their tumbleweeds, however Seattle halted them in unique form.

 

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS-

First, let’s take an in-depth look at last year’s NFC Champs, the San Francisco 49ers.  They started off the season without one of the best linebackers in the NFL, Dre Greenlaw who was injured in the Super Bowl last year and has yet to take the field this season.  Another starter lost before the year began was the Niners' starting strong safety, Talanoa Hufanga.  San Fran has possessed one of the best defenses leaguewide for the past handful of years now.  Though, when you are missing half your starting lineup it's easier for teams to exploit you, having a large weakness due to less experienced players lacking cohesiveness.  Last week the Niners were also down their top edge rusher Nick Bosa, starting cornerback Charvarius Ward, a rotational piece in their front seven in Curtis Robinson, plus their top defensive tackle Javon Hargrave.  After sustaining a partial triceps tear in week three Hargrave was placed on IR (injured reserve).  Offensively they were also without quarterback Brock Purdy this past week and lost their best pass catcher Brandon Aiyuk many weeks ago.  Then on top of all that they just recently got Christian McCaffrey back 2-3 weeks ago after having missed the first three-quarters of this season.  I know this whole division is only separated by one game, but I think the Niners are cooked and should rest up for next year.

 

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS-

        Seattle surprised me this past week; I didn’t expect them to continue their win streak against the Cardinals, I doubt many thought they would.  They played their tails off on defense, holding the Cards to only six points.  The Seahawks only allowed Arizona to get into the red zone twice, allowing no points, stopping Drew Petzing’s (Cardinals OC) offense on a 4^th down attempt plus picking off Kyler late in the 4^th quarter.  It was an impressive all-around performance for Seattle, whose stock has now risen, hoisting them to the top spot in the NFC West.  By no means should they feel comfortable where they are, having a 2-2 record in divisional play, however, the two division wins just came in back-to-back weeks.  Going forward, Ryan Grubb (Seahawks OC) needs to create better game plans to give Seattle more red-zone opportunities to translate into more points.  Seattle is currently the 15^th-ranked scoring offense, averaging only 16.5 points over their last four games.  This season they have only scored over 20 points five times, and only three of those games resulted in wins.  If Seattle hopes to make the playoffs, they need to figure that out or they will be bounced out quickly.  They will have a rematch with the Cards in two weeks at Arizona plus another game with the Rams in week 18 which could determine who wins this hard-fought division.

 

LOS ANGELES RAMS-

        I wish I could speak as highly about this Sean McVay-coached team as I had been before this past Sunday Night’s game.  Though facts are facts, Los Angeles was routed in a home game that showed not only how terrible their defense is, but also in fairness to Philly, just how truly dominant their offensive line is.  The Rams allowed Barry Sanders to run all over them, whoops I mean Saquon Barkley, though he looked like the former as he rushed for 255 yards on 26 carries while averaging 9.81 ypc.  Los Angeles has had one problem after another this season and luckily for them they still have a shot at winning this division.  In the past few weeks, they seemingly got their offense back on track, they just ran into a complete buzzsaw at the hands of the Philadelphia defense.  Better days lie ahead for LA with three divisional games left on the docket plus an intriguing matchup against a lesser opponent on their horizon this week when they meet the Saints.  They only have one grueling challenge left in two weeks against Josh Allen and the Bills, so if they can win 4 of their next 6, they have a strong possibility of winning the West or possibly a wild card spot if the 6^th or 7^th seed starts to falter down the stretch.

 

ARIZONA CARDINALS-

        I have been very vocal in advocating for this Arizona team not just this season but for the past few years now.  I firmly believe in Kyer Murray, alongside James Connor and Trey McBride.  I love how this offense plays, losing one game coming off their bye will not turn me away from this team.  This offense just had a bad game, it happens, especially on the road in a rainy type of atmosphere in Seattle.  It was a fluke game, and I want to go as far as to say the Cardinals will come back strongly against Minnesota this week.  Even if they were to take a second straight loss, which I don’t believe will be the case, they will have a big opportunity to reel off three consecutive wins after this upcoming week.  The Cardinals remaining schedule has them playing at Minnesota, followed by a two-game home stand against Seattle and New England, and then at Carolina.  Their last two games will be most pertinent towards unveiling the NFC West Champions this season when they head to Los Angeles in week 17 and then end the season at home against an unraveling San Francisco team.

TOP 10 RECEIVERS THROUGH WEEK 12

 

        THESE RANKINGS ARE NOT YOUR TYPICAL TOP TEN LIST.  IT IS A BIT UNCONVENTIONAL, THOUGH STILL SHINES LIGHT ON MOST OF THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES WE ARE ALL ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING.  IT ALSO SHOWS HOW IMPRESSIVE SOME OTHER PLAYERS HAVE BEEN THUS FAR.

 

10) KHALIL SHAKIR-

        SHAKIR HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THE BUFFALO BILLS OFFENSE ALL YEAR LONG, JOSH ALLEN’S GO-TO GUY AND FRANKLY HIS MOST RELIABLE TARGET.  SHAKIR LEADS THE NFL IN CATCH PERCENTAGE 56 OF 66 RECEPTIONS-TARGETS (84.85%).  HE IS ALSO 2^ND TO ONLY JA’MARR CHASE IN YARDS AFTER THE CATCH (460 YARDS).  WITH THE BILLS ACQUIRING AMARI COOPER IT HAS ADDED TO HIS PRODUCTION EVEN MORE SO.

 

9) GARRETT WILSON-

        WILSON HAS BEEN BALLING OUT ALL YEAR LONG FOR THE JETS.  HE WAS RODGERS' NUMBER-ONE TARGET BEFORE THEY BROUGHT IN ADAMS AND HAS REMAINED AS SUCH.  HE IS A RISING SUPERSTAR IN THE MAKING AND ONLY BENEFITS FURTHER FROM TWO FUTURE HALL OF FAMERS HELPING HIM GROW.  GARRETT HAS GARNERED THE 2^ND MOST TARGETS AT THE POSITION THIS SEASON (108), WHILE ALSO RECORDING THE 4^TH MOST RECEPTIONS (69).

8) CHRIS GODWIN-

        I KNOW, I KNOW, WHY THE HECK DO I HAVE GODWIN ON ANY ACTIVE LIST WHEN HE’S BEEN ON IR FOR WEEKS NOW?  I'LL TELL YOU WHY, THE MAN MAY BE GONE FOR THE YEAR BUT HIS STATS HAVE SURE STAYED PUT.  GODWIN’S PRODUCTION IS SOMEHOW HOLDING TOP-FIVE NUMBERS IN FOUR RECEIVING CATEGORIES.  HIS YARDS AFTER THE CATCH ARE STILL HANGING AT 5^TH (350 YARDS), YARDS PER GAME ALSO RANKS 5^TH BEST (82.3), HE’S TIED FOR 5^TH MOST IN TDS (5), PLUS HIS CATCH PERCENTAGE HASN’T BEEN SURPASSED FOR A 3^RD BEST 80.65%.  THIS IS PURELY A TRUE TESTAMENT TO WHAT GODWIN AND MAYFIELD WERE BAKING UP BEFORE HIS SEASON WAS CUT SHORT.

 

7) TERRY MCLAURIN-

        MCLAURIN CERTAINLY STARTED THIS SEASON SLOW WITH THE ROOKIE QB JAYDEN DANIELS.  AFTER THE FIRST MONTH OR SO THEY STARTED CLICKING THUS SCARY TERRY IS BACK AND SEEMINGLY BETTER THAN EVER.  MCLAURIN HAS ALREADY RECORDED 7 TOUCHDOWNS THIS SEASON (3^RD-BEST) WITH ANOTHER FIVE GAMES (WASHINGTON HAS A WEEK 14 BYE) TO GO.  HE ALSO RANKS TOP FIVE IN RECEIVING YARDS (823 YARDS- 4^TH BEST).  THE CHEMISTRY HE AND DANIELS HAVE SHOWN IN THEIR SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME HAS COMMANDER’S FANS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE TEAM'S FUTURE.

 

6) ZAY FLOWERS-

        BALTIMORE RAVENS POSSESS ONE OF THE MOST POTENT OFFENSES IN THE NFL THIS YEAR.  THOUGH THE RUN GAME HAS MOSTLY BEEN THE STORY FOR THE RAVENS WITH DERRICK HENRY, WHAT ZAY FLOWERS HAS DONE CAN NOT GO UNNOTICED.  FLOWERS IS BY FAR HAVING HIS BEST SEASON AS A PRO WHILE ON PACE FOR CLOSE TO 1200 YARDS.  ZAY IS 5^TH IN RECEIVING (789 YARDS), 3^RD IN YARDS AFTER THE CATCH (389) AND IS TIED FOR 6^TH IN TDS (4).

 

5) JUSTIN JEFFERSON-

        I BET EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS GUY.  IF YOU BY CHANCE ARE NOT YOU MUST NOT WATCH THE NFL OR HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK AS JEFFERSON HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN THE BEST OR AN OBVIOUS TOP-THREE WIDEOUT EVER SINCE HE CAME INTO THE LEAGUE.  I KNOW WHAT I SAID, BUT RIGHT NOW AFTER 12 WEEKS, HE IS LISTED AS 5^TH IN MY RANKINGS FOR THIS SEASON.  TEAMS HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE BETTER AT CONTAINING HIM PLUS DARNOLD HASN’T EXACTLY HAD THE SAME KIND OF RAPPORT WITH HIM THAT COUSINS DID.  JEFFERSON PRESENTLY RANKS 2^ND IN YARDS (939), ONLY JA’MARR CHASE HAS OUTPRODUCED HIM SO FAR.  HE IS LISTED AS THE 4^TH-BEST RECEIVER IN YARDS PER GAME (85.4), TIES 5^TH IN TDS (5), AND HAS BEEN TARGETED SEVENTH MOST AT THE POSITION (92).

 

4) JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA-

        A LOT OF NFL ANALYSTS PROJECTED HE WOULD BLOWUP, WELL MUCH TO THEIR CREDENCE JAXON HAS DONE JUST THAT IN ONLY HIS SECOND YEAR AS A SEAHAWK.  IT IS ALSO VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE THE LEAGUE-LEADING QUARTERBACK IN YARDS PER GAME.  SMITH-NJIGBA IS NOT TOP 5 IN ANY GIVEN STATISTIC, THOUGH RANKS 6^TH IN YARDS AFTER CATCH (338), RECEPTIONS (66), TARGETS (93), PLUS TOUCHDOWNS (4).  JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA IS ASCENDING QUICKLY WHILE LOOKING TO EARN HIMSELF A PRO-BOWL NOD AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

 

3) AMON-RA ST. BROWN-

         I HAD PREVIOUSLY WRITTEN A FANTASY FOOTBALL ARTICLE, ADVOCATING FOR ST. BROWN WITH CONVICTION AFTER WHAT HE MANAGED TO DO IN HIS ROOKIE SEASON.  THIS YEAR AMON-RA HAS BEEN EMINENTLY PRODUCING AS THE TOP THREAT IN THE LIONS' PASSING ATTACK. THROUGH THE FIRST 12 WEEKS HE FINDS HIMSELF 3^RD IN RECEPTIONS (71), WHILE RANKING 2^ND IN BOTH CATCH PERCENTAGE (83.53%), PLUS RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS (9).

 

2) CEEDEE LAMB-

        THIS MAY HAVE BEEN AN UNDERACHIEVING SEASON FOR THE DALLAS COWBOYS OVERALL.  YET, AS THE COWBOYS' TOP WIDEOUT IT’S BEEN A FRUITFUL YEAR FOR LAMB.  WITH OR WITHOUT DAK HIS NUMBERS HAVEN’T DIPPED ALL THAT MUCH.  LAMB MAY ONLY HAVE 4 TDS (6^TH) SO FAR BUT HE RANKS 3^RD IN TOTAL YARDS (841), AND 4^TH IN YARDS AFTER CATCH (353).  HE IS A PASS-CATCHING CHEAT CODE AS HE CURRENTLY PACES THE LEAGUE IN TARGETS (118) & CATCHES (77).

 

1) JA’MARR CHASE-

WHAT JA’MARR CHASE IS DOING THIS YEAR HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING.  HE IS HAVING THE BEST SEASON OF HIS CAREER.  WHAT HE THOUGHT WOULD’VE BEEN THE FIRST YEAR OF A NEW DEAL, IS THE SECOND TO LAST YEAR ON HIS ROOKIE CONTRACT.  A MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN HIS CAMP AND THE TEAM HAD HIM HOLDING OUT THE ENTIRE OFFSEASON, BUT THE BENGALS HAD PICKED UP THE 5^TH YEAR OPTION.  THIS MEANS HE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO WAIT TWO MORE YEARS IF NOT LONGER (PENDING A POSSIBLE FRANCHISE TAG YEAR, OR TWO) NOT AN IDEAL SITUATION FOR CHASE, ESPECIALLY ON A TEAM THAT HAS BEEN LOSING WAY MORE THAN THEY’RE WINNING.  CHASE IS PRESENTLY LEADING ALL RECEIVERS IN YARDS (1,056), YARDS AFTER CATCH (481), ALONG WITH TOUCHDOWNS (12).  HIS STRONG CHEMISTRY WITH QUARTERBACK JOE BURROW SHOWS THAT THEY ARE THE BEST QB-WR DUO IN THE LEAGUE.  UNFORTUNATELY, THE BENGALS' DEFENSE HAS STRUGGLED TREMENDOUSLY THIS SEASON, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS WHY THEY WON’T BE IN THE POSTSEASON.  THEY MAY ALSO WIND UP LOSING THEIR OTHER STARTING WIDEOUT, TEE HIGGINS AS HIS CONTRACT EXPIRES AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.  IN ANY MATTER THEY DO STILL HAVE THE BEST RECEIVER JA’MARR CHASE AND WILL SEEMINGLY HAVE HIM UNDER CONTRACT FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL SEASONS.

TOP 10 RECEIVERS THROUGH STATS

 

MIAMI @ GREEN BAY – THANKSGIVING NIGHT

 

            Don’t look now but it seems like the Miami Dolphins have crept back into the playoff conversation.  Thanksgiving Day is when we tend to reminisce about all that we are thankful for, such as our families, friends, successes & riches in life.  Everyone indulges in whatever their traditional feasts may be.  These banquets usually feature turkey, maybe stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, cranberry sauce, plus an additional magnitude of other side dishes.  This is the annual tradition for an immense population of the U.S.  Also, per tradition the NFL broadcasts two games you can always count on being able to watch.  This has been a staple of the November North American holiday since 1934 when the Detroit Lions began this folklore when they hosted the Chicago Bears. (The NFL has been playing games on Thanksgiving since they were established in 1920, though the Lions were not featured until 1934).  The Dallas Cowboys became added to this holiday's football heritage over thirty years later in 1966.  Later, in a surprising twist, the league again decided to put an additional game on the Thanksgiving Day slate (2006).  The third game, which airs in the Primetime slot, is unlike the two-afternoon fixtures, featuring two different teams every year.

 

MIAMI DOLPHINS- 

            After an execrable start to the season for the Miami Dolphins, starting 1-3 due to Tua’s fourth concussion, then they had lost two straight even after Tua’s return; thus, finding themselves all but out of the mix for postseason play holding a 2-6 record.  However, this season is far from over, and the Dolphins are not quite yet eliminated from playoff contention.  Most people are not focusing on this Miami team, whether because of how awful they looked without Tua or because most of us thought he should/would call it a career.  Either way, they are quietly on a roll, winners of their last three consecutive games which makes this Thanksgiving Day primetime game an intriguing one, thus yet another reason for NFL fans to be thankful.  Upon looking over the Dolphins' remaining list of games, I wouldn’t exactly say they have an easy path to making the playoffs, although the Ravens beating the Chargers on Monday Night paired with the Chargers' gauntlet of challenges ahead certainly ameliorates Miami’s chances of reaching the postseason.  Now I don’t want to get ahead of myself, they still must beat the Packers first.  After that, they will play host to Aaron Rodgers and the Jets, then a game at NRG Stadium for a contest against the Houston Texans.  If they can find a way to beat both the Packers and Texans, I think they can go on a minimum of a six-game winning streak while taking down the Jets in between.  In my opinion, I’m planning on the Dolphins' last three games of the season to be what determines if they will be playing football after January 5^th (week 18).

 

GREEN BAY PACKERS-

        Green Bay should feel pretty good about themselves sitting at 8-3, currently placed as the number 6 seed in the NFC playoff picture.  The Packers presently hold a 91% probability of making the postseason barring anything wild happens over their last six games this season.  Mike LaFleur’s team comes into this classic holiday finale producing the 5^th most yards per game (381.9).  Jordan Love has taken a step back this season though they are only one spot outside the top ten in passing (230.3 ypg).  This offense has been relying more on the run game this season after striking gold in the offseason with the signing of veteran running back Josh Jacobs.  Jacobs is 3^rd in rushing (944 yards) only trailing Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry putting him in great company.  That is only half the story for this team as they are also playing very well on defense.  They aren’t exactly a top-tier defensive unit but as of late, they have been coming along nicely on that side of the ball.  They rank 11^th against the pass (206.5 ypg), 12^th in run defense (112.7 ypg), while only allowing 319.3 total yards per game (11^th).  Along with the recent improvements they’ve made in terms of the yardage they’re allowing.   They have also been getting better in scoring defense, permitting a 10th-best 20.3 points a week.  Safe to say that the Packers will hold their fates for their playoff hopes.  Sure, they can move up or down in the ceding, but this team should certainly be a key team in the postseason.  After this game with the Dolphins, their last five will come against three tougher teams such as their rival teams, the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.  They will also meet the Seahawks, which could be a bit tougher than expected after Seattle’s recent two-game win streak.  Two of their last three should be wins as they will host the Saints in week 16 plus another home game in week 18 in their last division game of the regular season against the Chicago Bears.

                       

            Lastly, as forementioned, the Dolphins' situation is still a bit of a tricky one going forward for them to get into the playoffs.  They will need to continue winning by any means possible but at the same time will need some help.  The only team that could seemingly lose enough games purely by strength of schedule, looks to be the Los Angeles Chargers.  I don’t foresee either the Baltimore Ravens or Denver Broncos falling apart down the stretch with easier games left on their schedules.  The only other team that could factor into this scenario would be the Pittsburgh Steelers still having to play four divisional opponents, plus the Eagles in week 15 along with a brutal game slated for Christmas Day against the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs.  I think the underdog (+3.5) Dolphins may come away with a victory in Green Bay to keep their playoff aspirations alive for at least one more week.

RAVENS @ CHARGERS MNF – HARBOWL II

 

Imagine that you are one of the best head coaches in the National Football League and have a brother who aspires to become an NFL head coach as well. Maybe you’ll even get to coach against him once or twice in your coaching career. This is the exact reality for the Harbaugh brothers, John and his brother Jim, who have already been on opposite sidelines twice in their NFL coaching careers. It has been a long time since this happened, mainly because of Jim Harbaugh’s firing, followed by the Niners' 8-8 record at the end of the 2014 season. The last time the Harbaughs met, millions watched as John beat his younger brother Jim in Super Bowl XLVII, or as it became widely known as the “HarBowl.” John is going into Monday Night Football holding a 2-0 record over his younger brother, but what Jim has managed to do with this Chargers team in a matter of months is possibly the most impressive coaching I’ve seen.

 

Jim Harbaugh found his way back into the NFL when the Los Angeles Chargers hired him on January 24th, fresh off his National Championship win as the University of Michigan’s head coach. Jim had coached the Michigan Wolverines for the previous nine seasons, and deep down, I believe it was his every hope to turn the Wolverines (his alma mater) around and bring them another National Championship title. Upon completing what he set out to do in Michigan, no one was too sure of what he wanted to do next. However, one thing was certain: wherever he ended up, he was going to improve them dramatically. From the middle to the end of the 2023 college football season, there was a lot of speculation that Harbaugh might end up as the next coach of the Las Vegas Raiders or Los Angeles Chargers. Jim decided to return to the state where he grew up and to one of the franchises that had once offered him an opportunity to play quarterback for the Chargers. One reason he chose the Chargers was, of course to no one's surprise, Justin Herbert, their quarterback who is arguably one of the best and possibly the most underrated passers in the NFL today. Jim and General Manager Joe Hortiz swung some family deals with his brother to obtain both Ravens’ best running backs of the past several years, Gus “the Bus” Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. Others who had made the trip over to LA are center Bradley Bozeman, tight end Hayden Hurst (a Raven from 2018-2019), and even coordinator Greg Roman (Baltimore’s OC from 2019-2022) who found new life with the Chargers after spending four seasons as part of John Harbaugh’s staff.

 

When it comes to John Harbaugh and his Baltimore Ravens, it is simple: win, and you are once again tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers, setting up a significant rematch with said team in Week 16. First, let’s get back to the task at hand, which is a huge game tonight. Monday Night Football, Brother vs. Brother, Baltimore vs. LA in a game where the number 5 spot in the AFC playoff picture is on the line. Tonight, in a primetime game with the bright lights shining on them, while millions of NFL fans are watching, Baltimore must follow the Eagles' footsteps from last night, meaning they need to focus on the task at hand and not have their minds on next week's opponents (Eagles play Ravens next week). Though the Ravens had a bad loss last week at the hands of their division rival Steelers, they can turn things around quickly tonight if they get back to what has been the main game plan this season. Todd Monken (Ravens OC) needs to dial up a heavy dose of runs for “King” Henry, who was the league’s leading rusher up until Saquon Barkley went off last night (26 CAR, 255 YDS, 2 TDS, 9.81 YPC). It is never fun for any defense to have to match up with these Ravens attempting to contain both Henry and Lamar on the ground. Lamar played his worst game of the season last week and will look to bounce back hugely tonight as they take on a Jesse Minter-coached defense (LA’s DC) ranking 10th in total yardage allowed (317.1 YPG). The Ravens are undefeated this season when Derrick Henry rushes for at least 90 yards.

 

            This Chargers defense is the real deal this season. They are currently holding opposing offenses to just 110.5 yards rushing (10th) while allowing only 206.6 yards passing (11th). They are also the number-one ranked scoring defense, ceding a league-low 14.5 points on average, making it difficult for anyone to find themselves in a position to beat them. Last Sunday night, the Bengals gave it everything they had, and although they were able to put up 27 points on this defense, the Chargers were able to seal a victory due to the bad defensive play of the Bengals. I already outlined the blueprint for the Ravens to have success against the Chargers' defense. To no one’s surprise, the best way for Los Angeles to beat the Ravens is to pose a heavy air attack (Baltimore allows 284.5 YPG) with them ranked dead last against the pass. I think there could be something to be said about the Chargers wanting to give both Dobbins and Edwards some carries, attempting to show Baltimore that they both still have a lot left in the tank; however, this would be a very bad approach as Baltimore is giving up the second-least rushing yards per game (77.5). A notable injury to watch for is Roquan Smith, who is likely out tonight.

 

            Lastly, I expect John Harbaugh to stay perfect against younger brother Jim tonight in a game that could potentially contribute towards one team sliding down in the rankings over the next couple of weeks. Going forward, the Ravens' schedule has them playing a dominant Philadelphia Eagles team before their bye week. Then a game in NJ against the Giants with new starting QB Tommy DeVito, followed by their crucial rematch at home where they play host to Pittsburgh. After that, they head to Houston for a Christmas Day matchup and then end the season at home to play the Browns. The Ravens need to keep their heads on a swivel with 5 tough games remaining, including tonight in Los Angeles. The Chargers' remaining schedule will also have some difficult challenges ahead starting this evening. Next week, LA will fly out to Atlanta to play the Falcons, who are looking for vengeance after the beatdown they took from an ascending Denver team. Then another road game is slated for the Chargers when they play their division opponent Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football in Week 14, followed by a home game against the Buccaneers. Week 16 will probably be their last difficult task in the regular season as they will host their other rivals, the Denver Broncos, just four days after their game with Tampa Bay. The NFL recently announced that they will be flexing this divisional game into the Thursday Night slot on Amazon Prime. The Chargers will play their final two games on the road, taking on the Patriots and the Raiders, and should be able to add two wins to their record to end the season. I look forward to tonight’s game. I haven’t been great with my recent picks. Hopefully, that changes this evening as I will take the Ravens, who are favored (-2.5) on the road.