The Early and Late Games Week 14

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CGI_Ram

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CGI_Ram

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https://larrybrownsports.com/football/15-key-questions-nfl-week-14-2018/475936

15 key questions for NFL Week 14

It’s getting to be crunch time in the NFL, with Week 14 upon us. Some teams basically need to win out to make the playoffs now, so things are getting tense for certain teams. Others are probably in the playoffs either way, but they’re either playing well and want to keep it going or are playing a bit poorly and want to turn it around before it’s too late. Everyone has at least some incentive — even the league’s worst teams.

Here’s a look at 15 key questions that we’ll be keeping in mind during this week’s action.

1. Can Jared Goff avoid the pressure from Khalil Mack and the Bears?

On Sunday night, Jared Goff faces a pass rush comparable to his own team’s, as Khalil Mack leads the Bears against the 11-1 Rams. This will be a genuine test for Goff. Few teams have been able to successfully slow down the Rams’ passing offense, but if the Bears can create a lot of pressure, they might just have what it takes. They’re on the road, too, so this is a particularly dangerous game for the Rams in what is a potential playoff preview.


2. Are the Vikings firmly in must-win territory?

The answer is probably yes. They’d be 6-6-1 if they lose on the road to the Seattle Seahawks, who have been playing well of late and represent a formidable foe. While not impossible, the best Minnesota could do with a loss here would be 8-7-1, which may not end up being good enough for a playoff spot in the NFC. The Vikings have entered must-win territory, essentially, and it’s up to them to respond appropriately.

3. Does Lamar Jackson have any chance of keeping up with the Chiefs?

Lamar Jackson is 3-0 as Baltimore’s starter and has done a fairly steady job under center, but going up against the Kansas City Chiefs represents a very different challenge. As good as Baltimore’s defense is, they may well struggle a bit against the high-powered Kansas City offense. Jackson may be over his head if asked to pass the Ravens back into the contest. They have to find a way to keep this game close, be it by forcing turnovers or Jackson playing what would be the game of his career to date.

4. Can the Eagles show some of their Super Bowl mettle in a must-win game?

The Eagles’ struggles to this point have left them in a very tough spot. They’re on the road against the Dallas Cowboys, with just one home loss all season, in a game that is huge to their playoff hopes. The Eagles are in good shape with a win, but a loss to the Cowboys would leave them in real trouble. This is a team that overcame its fair share of adversity to win the Super Bowl last year, and it’s vital that they rediscover that toughness in what is essentially a must-win for them.

5. Could Cleveland deal a potentially fatal blow to Carolina’s playoff hopes?

This is the rare game that feels like the four-win team could justifiably be a favorite over the six-win one. The Browns are at home and have performed well on offense lately. The Panthers, on the other hand, appear to be in freefall with questions about their ability and Cam Newton’s health dogging them. A Browns win would drop Carolina to 6-7 and all but knock them out of the playoff picture, so this is a hugely dangerous game.

6. Will the Raiders be just what the stumbling Steelers need?

It’s been a forgettable two weeks for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who went from potential AFC bye to a real fight for the division after two straight losses. A road game may not be ideal for them, but on the bright side, they couldn’t ask for many better opponents than the Oakland Raiders, who shouldn’t pose much of a challenge if the Steelers play to their potential. If this can’t stop the slide, worries are going to reach a new high in Pittsburgh.

7. Do the injury-riddled Redskins have any shot of crawling to the finish line successfully?

The Redskins are down to Mark Sanchez at quarterback after a pair of devastating injuries to the two players ahead of him on the depth chart, which is probably the end of their playoff hopes. That said, they’re still at home to a beatable New York Giants team, though this is nowhere near the slam dunk it probably could have been. If Sanchez can come up with a competent game, they absolutely have a chance, though that’s a significant “if.”

8. Have the Colts blown it?

There are a lot of reasons last week’s 6-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars was so devastating for the Colts’ playoff hopes. The score was only 6-0, so they were very close to winning, and it was against a team that hasn’t performed like that at really any other point since Week 4. Now they’re on the road against the red-hot Houston Texans, and their margin for error is completely gone. That means they have to bring their best against one of the hottest teams in the entire league right now.

9. Can the Saints get back on track?

It’s been over a week since the Saints’ stunningly inept offensive performance against the Dallas Cowboys, so they’ve had plenty of time to evaluate what went wrong and stew on it. The good news is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are defensively vulnerable, so as long as those problems aren’t terminal, they should pretty easily be able to get back on track. The offense is worth watching to see if they come storming out of the gates or struggle some more; the latter could be a sign of confidence that is still trying to repair itself.

10. Can Denver take advantage of a soft schedule to remain in the AFC playoff race?

At 6-6, the Broncos don’t have the obvious profile of a playoff team, but it’s worth remembering that their next three games are against the 49ers, Browns, and Raiders, all of whom are theoretically beatable. That would put the Broncos at 9-6 ahead of a season-ending matchup with the Chargers. San Francisco is up first, and Denver must take care of business. The end of their season bears watching if they do.

11. How will the Packers respond after a tumultuous week?

The Packers were so bad last week against the Arizona Cardinals that coach Mike McCarthy paid for it with his job. Joe Philbin is in charge now, but the question is how Green Bay will respond to levels off off-field distraction that they’re not very used to. They actually have a chance, as the Atlanta Falcons are also in a messy situation, albeit not to Green Bay’s point. Any hopes of a late-season renaissance are probably over here, so it remains to be seen what their response will be.

12. Does the Cincinnati defense have any fight left?

The Bengals’ defensive resistance has been pretty much non-existent, and a Los Angeles Chargers team that’s clicking on all cylinders is probably not what they need to see right now. Marvin Lewis’ future is murky, especially as the Cincinnati defense continues to be overwhelmed in a stretch of six losses in seven games. At this point, it would probably come as a surprise if they find much success in this one.

13. Could home field be what the Dolphins need to pull off a surprise?

Perhaps surprisingly, the Dolphins are 5-1 at home, accounting for all but one of their victories this season. Of course, they haven’t played the New England Patriots there, but that changes Sunday. The playoffs are probably a bridge too far for Miami at this point, but they’ll be motivated to trip up the Patriots on Sunday. That home success could bolster their confidence heading into the contest.

14. Can Sam Darnold end his up-and-down rookie season on a high note?

Darnold returns to the starting role this weekend against the Buffalo Bills, his first action in about a month. He had been regressing prior to that foot injury, so this is actually an instance where the injury could inadvertently help him hit the reset button and perform a bit more like he did earlier in the season. The Bills aren’t awful defensively, but Darnold will want to go into his first full NFL offseason with a good taste in his mouth, and that starts here.

15. Do the Cardinals actually have some momentum?

Nobody really saw Arizona going into Green Bay and getting a road win, but that’s exactly what happened to them last week. Now they play at home against the Detroit Lions, another struggling group, and it’s not outside of the realm of possibility that they find a way to win this one, too. The Cardinals don’t have much to play for, but rookie quarterback Josh Rosen’s improvement is a nice incentive, and they have a real chance here to win a couple games in a row and feel good about themselves.
 

CGI_Ram

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Week 14 NFL injuries: Hilton, Stafford questionable while Gordon, Conner among running backs sidelined
Plus more on the final injury reports for Week 14

It's the Fantasy playoffs for most people, so Week 14 is the worst time to not have key players available. And while several running backs will take a seat due to injuries, there's a prominent name at quarterback and at wide receiver who is in danger of missing action this week.

Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton was unable to practice early in the week due to a shoulder injury, but he was able to earn a questionable tag on Friday after getting in a limited session. Eric Ebron (back, illness) is good to go, so Hilton is the only major part of the offense at the skill positions who could be unavailable. The Colts are also down Dontrelle Inman (shoulder) at receiver, so if Hilton can't go, the snaps at receiver would go to Chester Rogers, Ryan Grant, Zach Pascaland Daurice Fountain.

The Lions have several injury concerns for Week 14, the biggest being the status of quarterback Matthew Stafford. After a week of limited practices due to a back injury, Stafford was listed as questionable on the team's final injury report. Matt Cassel would start at quarterback if Stafford can't go. That's not the only injury concern for the Lions, as Kerryon Johnson (knee) remains out and three pass-catchers join Stafford and Darius Slay (ankle) as questionable to play.

You can stream both the Colts and Lions this Sunday on fuboTV (Try for free) along with the rest of the Sunday action.

Several key players have already been ruled out for Week 14, including Melvin Gordon, James Conner, DeSean Jackson, Denzel Ward and Xavien Howard. We'll break down those injuries and the rest you need to know about for Week 14 as the final injury reports come out. Check back with us throughout the day as we react to all the injury news around the NFL.

Listen as R.J. and Pete Prisco join Will Brinson to pick every Week 14 game on the Pick Six Podcast:

Ravens at Chiefs (-6.5)
Flacco might be cleared in time to back up Lamar Jackson in this matchup, though with the offensive line potentially shorthanded as Hurst and Lewis battle injuries, it might not be worth the risk to have him active. The secondary could be an issue with Jefferson out and two corners questionable, and that's not a good state to be in heading into a matchup with the Chiefs. Berry was limited all week and has a shot at making his season debut in this matchup after being listed as questionable. Watkins should be sidelined for this game and maybe longer as he rests his injured foot.

What NFL picks can you make with confidence in Week 14? And which Super Bowl contender gets a huge scare? Visit SportsLine now to see which NFL teams are winning more than 50 percent of simulations, all from the model that has beaten 98 percent of experts over the past two years.

Colts at Texans (-4.5)
The Colts added Daurice Fountain to the active roster with Inman out. Hilton didn't practice on Wednesday and Thursday before getting a limited session in Friday, improving his chances of playing. Eric Ebron (back, illness) was back practicing in full on Friday after sitting Wednesday and Thursday, and it was enough for him to avoid a final injury tag. While the Texans had seven players limited in practice all week, only three drew questionable tags for this game. That includes Coutee, who had five catches for 77 yards in his first game back from injury in Week 11 but managed just two catches the following game and was ruled out last week.

Panthers (-1.5) at Browns
Gano went from a full practice on Wednesday to limited on Thursday to not practicing on Friday and being ruled out. With Gano out, the Panthers signed Chandler Catanzaro to fill in at kicker. Cam Newton (shoulder) was upgraded to a full practice Friday and is good to go. Ward is a big loss for the Browns pass defense as he's been Cleveland's top cover corner. Tretter and Ogunjobi were limited on Thursday and Friday after sitting out Wednesday, and having both would certainly improve the Browns' outlook against a desperate Carolina team.

Falcons at Packers (-5)
Bryant popped back up on the injury report for the first time this week on Friday as limited, throwing his status for Sunday in doubt. Julio Jones (foot) was upgraded to a full practice and is good to go, as is Calvin Ridley (hand, elbow), who was limited all week. The Packers are likely down their right tackle and possibly their left guard too after Taylor was limited all week. Randall Cobb(hamstring), Jimmy Graham (knee, thumb) and Clay Matthews (ankle) were all upgraded to full practice on Friday and are all good to go.

Saints (-9.5) at Buccaneers
Armstead is the only player in danger of missing the game for the Saints, as all four of the other players practiced in full on Friday and avoided final tags. That includes Michael Thomas (ankle), who didn't practice Wednesday but was back as a full participant on Thursday and Friday. Jackson remains sidelined for the Bucs, which could lead to another big game for Chris Godwin at receiver. Grimes practiced in full all week but still drew a questionable tag, so he joins the walking wounded in the Tampa Bay secondary.

Jets at Bills (-3.5)
Crowell was upgraded to a limited practice on Friday after being a DNP the previous two days, so he has a chance to suit up for the Jets here. Sam Darnold(foot) is good to go after a week of full practices, and Josh McCown (back) is clear to back him up after being upgraded to a full practice on Friday. McKenzie, who has made his impact as a gadget player and return man in his few weeks with the Bills, was a late add to the injury report on Thursday and has been limited the last two weeks. Guard John Miller (oblique) was limited to start the week but is good to go.

Patriots (-7.5) at Dolphins
The Patriots are in good health heading into their yearly trip to Miami, with Tom Brady (knee) and Rob Gronkowski (ankle, back) both off the injury report after being limited on Wednesday. Gilmore was added to the injury report on Friday as a limited participant, so he's the one key player in danger of missing this game. Howard is out as expected after missing Dolphins practice all week, and that means Miami is losing their best playmaker on defense. The Dolphins' depth chart is pretty untested behind Bobby McCain, so Tom Brady might be able to take advantage of some favorable matchups in this game. Kenyan Drake(shoulder) and DeVante Parker (shoulder) were limited all week but avoided a final injury tag.

Rams (-3) at Bears
The Rams are relatively healthy for this matchup with Marcus Peters (ankle) practicing in full all week and avoiding a final injury tag. Mitchell Trubisky(shoulder) is good to go after practicing in full all week after the team was forced to start Chase Daniel at quarterback the last two weeks. Jackson was added to the injury report as a DNP on Friday, which isn't a good sign for his availability on Sunday night, though Matt Nagy called the injury "nothing major" on Friday.

Giants (-3.5) at Redskins
The Giants could be without one of their starting inside linebackers after Goodson was limited all week, but Evan Engram (hamstring) and Sterling Shepard (rib) are good to go after practicing in full on Thursday and Friday. Odell Beckham (quad) also popped up on the injury report as limited Friday but initially didn't receive a final injury tag. However, the Giants downgraded him to out on Saturday. Doctson appeared on the injury report for the first time Friday as limited, which puts his status for Sunday in flux. If he can't go, the team would need to lean more on Jamison Crowder, Maurice Harris and Brian Quickat receiver. Brown practiced in full on Friday, improving his chances of playing, but Ioannidis didn't practice at all this week.

Broncos (-3.5) at 49ers
  • Broncos: OLB Shaquil Barrett (hip), CB Chris Harris (leg), CB Tramaine Brock(ribs) OUT; ILB Brandon Marshall (knee) QUESTIONABLE
  • 49ers: RB Matt Breida (ankle), WR Pierre Garcon (knee), S Jaquiski Tartt (shoulder) OUT; CB K'Waun Williams (shoulder) QUESTIONABLE
The Broncos remain shorthanded on defense with Barrett and especially Harris out, but there's a chance Marshall could play for the first time since Week 8 after being limited in practice all week. The only Broncos offensive player on the injury report is Courtland Sutton (ankle), who practiced on full all week and is good to go. He should be the team's new No. 1 receiver after losing Emmanuel Sanders to a torn Achilles in practice. Jeff Wilson will start at running back with Breida sidelined, and Garcon's absence ensures Dante Pettis should still play a large part in the passing game, even with Marquise Goodwin (personal) back this week.

Bengals at Chargers (-14)
The Bengals are without several key players with Glenn, Burfict and Kirkpatrick sidelined, making it harder to go into Los Angeles and pull off an upset. They will have Joe Mixon (foot) though, as the running back avoided a final injury tag after being upgraded to a full practice on Friday. Gordon remains sidelined for the second straight week, though Austin Ekeler (ankle) is good to go after a week of full practices. He'll split time at running back with Justin Jackson. Mebane isn't dealing with an injury but still might not play for the Chargers this week.

Lions (-3) at Cardinals
Stafford was limited in practice all week before being tagged as questionable for this matchup. If the Lions don't want to risk playing him in this game, Matt Cassel would start at quarterback. Johnson remains sidelined at running back, leaving LeGarrette Blount and Zach Zenner to shoulder the load. All of the Lions' questionable players were limited participants on Friday, but that list doesn't include Kenny Golladay (quad), who was upgraded to a full practice on Friday and is good to go. The Cardinals sent the left side of their offensive line to injured reserve this week along with receiver Christian Kirk, so they're more short-handed than the light injury report above would lead you to believe. Williams was added to the injury report on Saturday, and if he can't go, the Cards would be down to J.J. Nelson and Trent Sherfield behind Larry Fitzgerald.

Eagles at Cowboys (-3.5)
  • Eagles: LB Jordan Hicks (calf), CB Jalen Mills (foot) OUT; DE Michael Bennett(foot), DT Timmy Jernigan (back), CB Avonte Maddox (ankle, knee) QUESTIONABLE
  • Cowboys: WR Tavon Austin (groin), TE Geoff Swaim (wrist), DT David Irving (ankle), LB Sean Lee (hamstring) OUT; WR Michael Gallup (illness), OT Tyron Smith (neck) QUESTIONABLE
The Eagles are down two key defenders with Hicks and Mills sidelined, and it could be more after Jernigan and Maddox didn't practice all week. Bennett was upgraded to a full practice on Friday but still earned a questionable tag. Jason Peters (foot) didn't practice all week but avoided a final injury tag. Lee remains sidelined for the Cowboys, leaving Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch to keep playing the lion's share of the snaps at linebacker. Gallup popped up on the injury report for the first time Friday as missing practice. Smith was limited all week after missing the team's win over the Saints, but he seems like a good bet to play here.

Steelers (-10) at Raiders
Conner is out as expected, leaving the running game in the hands of Jaylen Samuels and Stevan Ridley. Gilbert has been out for much of the season, leaving Matt Feiler to man the right tackle spot. Burnett was a full participant in practice all week but is no lock to suit up for the Steelers, while Chickillo was upgraded to a full practice on Friday. Martin was a full participant in practice all week but still drew the questionable tag. Roberts was upgraded to a full participant on Friday, so he figures to get cleared from his concussion before game day. Osemele was downgraded to a DNP on Friday, hurting his chances of suiting up.

Vikings at Seahawks (-3)
  • Vikings: WR Chad Beebe (hamstring), TE David Morgan (knee), CB Trae Waynes (concussion) OUT; LB Eric Kendricks (rib) QUESTIONABLE
  • Seahawks: LB K.J. Wright (knee) OUT; G D.J. Fluker (hamstring) DOUBTFUL; RB Rashaad Penny (ankle), RB Tre Madden (chest), WR Doug Baldwin (hip) QUESTIONABLE
The Vikings are down a key player on defense with Waynes sidelined and could be missing another after Kendricks couldn't practice earlier in the week. On a positive note, Stefon Diggs (knee) is good to go after being limited earlier in the week. Three players were unable to practice all week for the Seahawks, and while Wright has been ruled out and Fluker figures to follow, Baldwin will remain a gametime decision. If he can't go, the Seahawks would feed more targets to Tyler Lockett, David Moore and Jaron Brown.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...-gordon-conner-among-running-backs-sidelined/
 

Mikey Ram

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Rams will have their hands full today IMO...If the Saints were to go down to the Bucs via HUGE upset (I think that's really unlikely), I'd be really stoked...Either way, if the Rams win today the #1 seed is really there for them to take...Today's game and the Eagles (to a much lesser degree) are the 2 that I have some concern about...This really is a huge, huge game...
 

OldSchool

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For those wondering we obviously are a nationally televised but here's the rest according to 506.

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14-FOX-L-V3.png

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Personally disappointed in that late game fox! Why would you give me that shit show Raiders and Steelers instead of the chance to watch the Eagles lose again.
 

Q729

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Screenshot_2018-12-09 506 Sports - NFL Maps Week 14, 2018.png

I'm guessing the first map is the CBS game. Here's what those colors mean.
 

Psycho_X

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It has been down right pouring in Tampa. Hopefully that benefits the Bucs all though it looks like it won't be once the game is starting. Field is pretty drenched though.
 

PhillyRam

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Saints will likely win this game, but they are not the same team on grass. Defensive speed is minimized.

It really comes down to this for the Rams. Assuming they stay healthy, if they can stop the run in the playoffs, they will go to the SB.

My biggest fear is they get gashed in the playoffs and a key turnover here or there and they lose just like last year to Atlanta. Turnovers put them in a hole and they could not stop the run to get themselves back on the field.

So stopping the run = Super Bowl
 

CGI_Ram

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The Bucs / Saints is a good game.

Feels like, however, Tampa better score more. They might be holding NO for now, but I don’t see that lasting all game.