The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsThere are just two weeks left of the regular season in the NFL, and 12 teams are fighting for the remaining six playoff places. New England and Cincinnati have already secured their places in the AFC playoff race, while Carolina, Arizona, Green Bay and Seattle are all getting ready for football in January in the NFC. Wins this week will see Minnesota and Washington complete the NFC side of things.
As we come towards the end of the season, there are plenty of divisional games. The first is the Week 16 kickoff, as San Diego travel to Oakland, while Saturday night sees an NFC East clash between Philadelphia and Washington. Sunday sees Pittsburgh travel to Baltimore, Tennessee host Houston and the Rams travelling to play the Seahawks. New England also travel to New York to face the Jets in an AFC East encounter.
Thursday Night Football:
San Diego Chargers (4-10) @ Oakland Raiders (6-8)
The first game of the weekend has no influence on the playoffs, but there is divisional pride at stake. With victory, the Raiders will seal 3rd in the AFC West, while a win for San Diego can see them keep pace and have the chance to overtake Oakland into 3rd. The Raiders won the Week 8 match-up, and they will be looking to repeat that feat at the O.co Coliseum.
The Raiders will be favourites to take victory on home soil.
Saturday Night Football:
Washington Redskins (7-7) @ Philadelphia Eagles (6-8)
The biggest divisional match-up of the week sees the 7-7 Washington Redskins travel to Philadelphia to take on the 6-8 Eagles. A win for the Redskins could see them take the division title, and tat elusive 4th seed in the NFC, while a win for Philly would put them back in the hunt for the top spot in the NFC East. The Redskins won the Week 5 game by just three points, so expect another close encounter here.
In fact, the last three games have been within three points, so this one could go either way.
Sunday Evening Games:
Carolina Panthers (14-0) @ Atlanta Falcons (7-7)
Another divisional game, this time in the NFC South, sees the perfect Panthers travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons, who still have playoff ambitions. The Falcons know they have to win the game to stay in the hunt for a Wild Card spot in the NFC, but a defeat would complete the playoff picture. Carolina know they are just five games from making history. Five more wins and they will become only the second team to go perfect through a whole season.
The Panthers will be clear favourites to make it 15 straight in 2015.
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5) @ Baltimore Ravens (4-10)
After beating Denver last week, the Steelers moved into a playoff berth in the AFC. They know another win here could move them into the battle for the division title, depending on how the Bengals get on on Monday night. They travel to Baltimore to take on a side that have struggled this year, and even more so since they lost QB Joe Flacco to a season-ending injury.
Pittsburgh will be clear favourites for this one in the AFC North.
Dallas Cowboys (4-10) @ Buffalo Bills (6-8)
These two sides play each other once every four seasons, with Dallas having won the previous three meetings in the 21st Century. They meet on Sunday with neither side able to make the playoffs for the 2015 post-season. Both have had difficult seasons, with the Cowboys losing Tony Romo twice through injury, while the Bills have suffered defeats in the final quarter on several occasions.
The Bills will be favourite at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday evening.
San Francisco 49ers (4-10) @ Detroit Lions (5-9)
This all-NFC clash sees two teams which have had poor seasons in 2015. The Lions lost their first five matches, and have been attempting to play catch up since then, while the 49ers have been another side to suffer from a QB injury hit. Colin Kaepernick has not played in weeks, and while Blaine Gabbert has filled in well, it just isn’t the same for the West Coast side.
The Lions should just have the edge to take home victory in this one.
Cleveland Browns (3-11) @ Kansas City Chiefs (9-5)
Kansas City go into this one at the weekend knowing they have their best shot at playoff football in years. A win would see them move to 10-5 and retain the #5 seed in the AFC, but with other results going their way, they could event make top spot in the division. They host a struggling Cleveland side, that have had more changes of QB than any other side in recent history this season.
The Chiefs should take this one comfortably at Arrowhead on Sunday.
Indianapolis Colts (6-8) @ Miami Dolphins (5-9)
This game has major importance in the AFC South. Indianapolis have to win to keep their hopes of playoff football alive in 2015. The Colts know they have to win to keep up with the Houston Texans in the AFC South. Either of those could get the #4 seed in the AFC and reach the playoffs in the NFL this year. The Dolphins, on the other hand, have been struggling in the AFC’s East division.
The Colts will need the win, and they will be favourites because of it.
New England Patriots (12-2) @ New York Jets (9-5)
A classic AFC East encounter. The Patriots travel to New York to face the Jets at MetLife Stadium. A win for the Patriots would move them to 13-2, and could guarantee them the #1 seed in the AFC, depending on the Bengals result on Monday night. The Jets are currently the #7 seed, knowing a win could put them into the Wild Card spaces in the AFC.
The Pats will be favourites, but the Jets know they can cause an upset at home here.
Chicago Bears (5-9) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8)
This all-NFC clash is one that bears no importance to the playoff picture, with both sides out of the running for post-season football in 2015. The Bucs loss last week meant they were knocked out of the running, while the Bears have not hit any real run of form at all this season. Both will be looking towards next season in an attempt to rebuild after a poor 2015.
The Bucs will be slight favourites in this one, but Chicago could pull of an upset.
Houston Texans (7-7) @ Tennessee Titans (3-11)
This all AFC South clash could see the #4 seed decided this weekend. If the Texans win, and the Colts lose, it will be Houston that will play in the post-season this year. For the Titans, it has been a miserable year. Despite scoring plenty of points, they have leaked too many on defence, and with Marcus Mariota, their star rookie QB now out for the season, they will struggle here.
Houston will be definite favourites for this gamer in Tennessee on Sunday.
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9) @ New Orleans Saints (5-9)
A battle of the 5-9 teams takes place at the Superdome in New Orleans. The Saints do not have a chance of reaching the playoffs having only won five games so far. Despite also only winning five games, the Jags still have a chance of winning the AFC South, with the Texans currently leading the division at 7-7. A loss for the Jags and they will be out of the running for another season.
They will be favourites as they still have something to play for, but the Saints are at home, and could surprise them here.
Green Bay Packers (10-4) @ Arizona Cardinals (12-2)
This is arguably the biggest game in the NFL on Sunday evening, especially in the NFC. Both of these teams have already qualified for the playoffs, but both sides know defeat could be disastrous. If the Cardinals lose, the Packers will have the chance of overtaking them into the #2 seed, meaning a week off. If Green Bay lose, and the Vikings win, then the Week 17 match-up between the two, will be a fight for the #3 seed.
Arizona will be favourites, but Green Bay always have a victory in them.
St Louis Rams (6-8) @ Seattle Seahawks (9-5)
The final divisional clash of the weekend sees the 9-5 Seahawks host the 6-8 St Louis Rams. The Seahawks have already secure playoff football, but they know they can only get as high as the #5 seed thanks to Arizona’s fantastic 2015. They are playing a Rams side which beat them in the first week of the season, but have since struggled. Another St Louis win could move Seattle down to #6.
The Seahawks will be favourites, but the Rams could easily cause an upset.
Sunday Night Football:
New York Giants (6-8) @ Minnesota Vikings (9-5)
Sunday Night Football will have a big player missing this week. After last week’s feud with Josh Norman, Odell Beckham Jr has been banned for this game. That will help the Vikings, who go in search of their 10th win this week. With victory, they will set up a Week 17 ‘winner-takes-all’ encounter with the Packers. If they lose, the Giants will take a step towards winning the NFC East against the Redskins and Eagles.
The Vikings will be favourites, but the Giants have it all to play for as well.
Monday Night Football:
Cincinnati Bengals (11-3) @ Denver Broncos (10-4)
The biggest game of the week is the last game. The 11-3 Bengals travel to Denver to take on the 10-4 Broncos. The #2 seed in the AFC lead the AFC North, but a defeat here could allow the Steelers in to take the division. The #3 seed Broncos lead the AFC West are in the same situation, but the Chiefs are only a game behind, meaning the Broncos have to win to stay in front.
Cincinnati will be favourites, but with both having back-up QBs playing, it could go either way.
Playoff Picture:
AFC
Divisional – Patriots (12-2), Bengals (11-3), Broncos (10-5), Texans (7-7)
Wild Card – Chiefs (9-5), Steelers (9-5)
In the Hunt – Jets (9-5), Colts (6-8), Jaguars (5-9)
NFC
Divisional – Panthers (14-0), Cardinals (12-2), Packers (10-4), Redskins (7-7)
Wild Card – Seahawks (9-5), Vikings (9-5)
In the Hunt – Falcons (7-7), Eagles (6-8), Giants (6-8)
There are six games on Sky Sports this weekend.
Fri 25, 01:25 – Chargers @ Raiders
Sun 27, 01:25 – Redskins @ Eagles
Sun 27, from 18:00 – Patriots @ Jets, Packers @ Cardinals
Mon 28, 01:00 – Giants @ Vikings
Tue 29, 01:15 – Bengals @ Broncos
