NFL’s Week 14 NFL action will get off to a rip-roaring star with the Chicago Bears hosting the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night. It’s the NFL’s version of “The Hunger Games” with the loser falling further back in the NFC Playoff race.
Then, on Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers will head to the Bayou to take on the New Orleans Saints in a battle between two 10-2 teams.
Sunday’s action also includes Tom Brady and the New England Patriots hosting the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship Game.
These are among the six must-watch games on the NFL Week 14 schedule.
Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears (Thursday night)
Both of these teams sit at 6-6 on the season after taking part in Thanksgiving Day action. Though, they are each in vastly different situations heads into this midweek game.
Dallas remains in first place in the NFC East by virtue of the Philadelphia Eagles’ ugly loss to the Miami Dolphins last week. The Bears? Well, they are two games out of the final wild card spot in the NFC.
Needless to say, this is as close as each team has to a must win. Can Dallas rebound after losing six of its past nine games? Can Chicago put pressure on the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North? “Thursday Night Football” in Week 14 is certainly a must watch.
Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills (Sunday, 1:00 PM ET)
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens earned their eighth consecutive victory last week, a hard fought win home win over the previously 10-1 San Francisco 49ers. By virtue of the Patriots’ loss this past Sunday, Baltimore currently sits as the top seed in the AFC.
Baltimore is now slated to head to Western New York to take on a surprising 9-3 Bills team. Buffalo is coming off a blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys and is just one game out in the AFC East.
In what could be a potential playoff preview, we’re highly intrigued to see how Jackson performs against another elite defense after being held largely in check by the 49ers last week.
San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints (Sunday, 1:00 PM ET)
No rest for the weary. San Francisco will conclude the toughest three-game slate in NFL history when it takes on the fellow 10-2 Saints team in New Orleans Sunday afternoon. Kyle Shanahan’s squad will do so with the Saints being rested after most recently playing on Thanksgiving.
So many storylines. So many playoff implications. As of right now New Orleans and San Francisco are tied with Seattle for the best record in the NFC. The 49ers are actually in second place in the NFC West after having already dropped a game against the Seahawks in Santa Clara earlier this season.
We’re talking about two legit Super Bowl contenders with potential home-field throughout the NFC Playoffs on the line. Who could ask for more in the Bayou?
Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots (Sunday, 4:25 PM ET)
Despite last week’s loss to Houston, Tom Brady and the Patriots can pretty much lock up a first-round bye in the playoffs with a win over Kansas City Sunday afternoon. New England currently sits two games ahead of both the Chiefs and Texans for the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
Sure the Bills might have something to say about this in the AFC East, but odds have to be on New England playing at least one home game in the playoffs should it come out on top Sunday.
On the other end of the spectrum, Kansas City is sitting pretty with a two-game lead in the AFC West following last week’s blowout win over the Raiders. Can Patrick Mahomes and Co. put pressure on New England for that No. 2 seed with a win at Gillette? Either way, it’s going to be a blast to see these two teams go up against one another in a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship Game.
Tennessee Titans at Oakland Raiders (Sunday, 4:25 PM ET)
It was just a couple weeks ago that the Raiders were sitting pretty at 6-4 following a three-game winning streak. It’s been completely downhill since with the Raiders losing their past two games by the combined score of 74-12 against the Jets and Chiefs.
If Oakland has any real hopes of turning this around and remaining alive in the wild card race, it will have ot take out the 7-5 Titans on Sunday in Northern California.
Tennessee has been on quite the roll since Ryan Tannehill took over for Marcus Mariota as the team’s starter. It has won five of six with the veteran under center and is tied with Pittsburgh for the second wild card spot in the AFC. Needless to say, this is a huge game for both squads.
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams (Monday night)
Whew. The Los Angeles Rams made a huge statement in last week’s blowout win over the Arizona Cardinals. It’s a game that saw Jared Goff toss the ball around the desert to the tune of 400-plus passing yards. It also enabled Los Angeles to remain somewhat alive in the NFC Playoff race.
The Rams head into Week 14 and 7-5 and just one game behind the Minnesota Vikings in the wild card race. For their part, the Seahawks are red hot at 10-2 on the season and looking every bit the part of a Super Bowl contender.
Can Russell Wilson and Co. go into Southern California and pretty much end Los Angeles’ playoff aspirations? It would also enable the Seahawks to remain in first place in the NFC West while moving to 11-2. Talk about a big game.