The NFL 2.0 Preview – Week 14, the cards reshuffled in AFC?

Pittsburgh facing a tough challenge, the defending champion facing a surprise team and New York looking for a division title, presentation of NFL Week 14 games.

Poster of the week

Pittsburgh Steelers [11-1] @ Buffalo Bills [9-3] : Night from Sunday to Monday, 2.20 am

Duel between division leaders in the next Sunday Night Football. Respectively leading the AFC East and AFC North, the Bills and Steelers will face each other on the New Era Field. If Pittsburgh has a better record, the momentum may well be in Buffalo’s camp. If the New York state franchise alternates between the excellent and the average, it remains on an impressive victory against the 49ers. The attack is in full swing, like Josh Allen voted offensive player of the week for the third time in AFC, and could pose many problems for the yet so solid defense of the Steelers.

If the Steelers could be in jeopardy, it’s largely because Mike Tomlin’s players have been experiencing some less well in recent weeks. If the level of the franchise is not worrying either, Pittsburgh no longer gives this impression of domination. To top it off, the Pennsylvania franchise just lose his first game of the season against Washington, a franchise of the NFC East which has a negative balance sheet. Simple misstep or negative spiral, we will quickly get to the bottom of it.

IT’S OFFICIALLY GAME DAY‼️@MaurkicePouncey | #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/iqZRsgDbgv

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 13, 2020

The choice of the Rédac ‘

Kansas City Chiefs [11-1] @ Miami Dolphins [8-4] : Sunday, 7:00 p.m.

The favorite in the face of surprise in the American Conference. Opening the Redzone, the Chiefs will travel to Miami to face the Dolphins in a top-of-the-table shock that few could have predicted before the start of the season. If on the one hand the defending champion was expected, the Floridians never cease to surprise and is gradually approaching a place in the playoffs. Behind a solid defense which collects few points (17.7 pts / game, 2^e of the league), Brian Flores’ men are defying the odds and will want to strike a blow by offering themselves one of the best franchises in the league.

Unfortunately for them, the task promises to be exceedingly difficult. Behind a Patrick Mahomes on his way to a second MVP title, the Chiefs’ attack unfolds and crushes everything in its path. Kansas City receivers torment pass defenses every week, and while Xavien Howard could limit the damage, it will be difficult to contain the Tyreek Hill / Travis Kelce duo. It will be a big challenge for Miami, but the Dolphins will also be one of the biggest events for the best offense in the league, especially since the residents of the Hard Rock Stadium have accustomed us to recovering many balloons. In addition, this meeting will also be an opportunity for the Chiefs to return to where they won Super Bowl LIV, which could give them a little extra soul.

It’s going to take everything we have to beat a good football team. pic.twitter.com/ztPwflkIgn

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 12, 2020

The team to follow: New York Giants

Arizona Cardinals [6-6] @ New York Giants [5-7] : Sunday, 7:00 p.m.

What if New York City continues to surprise and soars to the NFC East Division title? Unsettled at the start of the year with a catastrophic start to the season (1-7), the Giants remain on four consecutive victories, including one of the biggest upsets of the year a week ago with a success against the Seahawks at Lumen Field. Thanks to their defense, the G-Men show a whole different face and can legitimately believe in the playoffs in the weakest division in the league. With a Daniel Jones back under the center, New York will have the weapons to bring down the Cardinals on an opposite dynamic (three defeats in the last three games) and who will have to win to continue to believe in the playoffs.

Don’t underestimate this @Giants defense! ????

????: #AZvsNYG — Sunday 1pm ET on FOX
????: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app pic.twitter.com/nK6aFCE0XK

— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2020

The player to watch: Baker Mayfield

Baltimore Ravens [7-5] @ Cleveland Browns [9-3] : Night from Monday to Tuesday, 2:15 a.m.

For the first time since 2007, Cleveland will not end the season with a negative record. Better, the Browns have never been so close to find the playoffs eighteen years after their last participation. If this is possible, it is largely thanks to Baker Mayfield. First choice of the 2018 Draft, the former Oklahoma player was quite disappointing since the start of the season. However, he has been able to raise his level of play in recent matches and it is his entire franchise that benefits. With a fit Mayfield and one of the best racing games in the league, Cleveland has plenty of franchises to worry about. This will have to be confirmed on Monday night with the reception of the Ravens, a division rival. If the two franchises have already clashed at the beginning of the year (38-6 victory for the Ravens), the dynamics have changed and Cleveland will even be the favorite. If successful, the Ohio franchise would almost officially validate its ticket to the postseason.

Baker Mayfield 2019: 22 TD 21 INT

Baker Mayfield 2020 (4 games left): 21 TD 7 INT

The improvement Baker Mayfield has made this year is major. He and Stefanski has worked perfectly together pic.twitter.com/AzthSjlnEV

— Baker Report (@BakerReport) December 7, 2020

The rest of the matches

Redzone, 1^time Party: Sunday 7 p.m.

Houston Texans [4-8] @ Chicago Bears [5-7]

Denver Broncos [4-8] @ Carolina Panthers [4-8]

Dallas Cowboys [3-9] @ Cincinnati Bengals [2-9-1]

Duel of struggling franchises between the Texans and the Bears. If Houston is going through difficult times, its quarterback Deshaun Watson serves as a ray of sunshine in the Texas fog. Conversely, Chicago is going through a nebula (six defeats in a row) and can not count on its captain in attack. A complicated situation that could prolong their black series. For their part, the Broncos will travel to North Carolina to face the Panthers. A remake of the Super Bowl L with franchises far from the level that was theirs at the time but which should be just as undecided. Finally, Dallas will face Cincinnati and hope to deliver a better performance than last Wednesday against Baltimore.

Tennessee Titans [8-4] @ Jacksonville Jaguars [1-11]

Minnesota Vikings [6-6] @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers [7-5]

Defeated last weekend against the Browns, the Titans must recover as quickly as possible. Joined by the Colts at the head of the AFC South, they have no room for error and must win to keep the reins of their division. Luckily, this Sunday they will face the Jaguars who have nothing to play and who would even have every interest in losing with a view to the next draft. Operation redemption also for the Buccaneers who will want to get out of their negative spiral (three defeats in the last four games). Tom Brady’s teammates must go forward to compete in the playoffs but will have a lot to do against the Vikings in full flurry (five wins in six games) who believe more than ever in a place in postseason.

Redzone, 2^e Game: Sunday, 10:05 p.m. / 10:25 p.m.

Indianapolis Colts [8-4] @ Las Vegas Raiders [7-5]

Atlanta Falcons [4-8] @ Los Angeles Chargers [3-9]

Nhe York Jets [0-12] @ Seattle Seahawks [8-4]

Frontal shock between two contenders for the playoffs in the American Conference. Shoulder to shoulder for a Wild Card, the Colts and the Raiders will meet in an already expensive game. Advantage Indianapolis which will be able to count on a Philip Rivers accustomed to deliver big performances against Oakland (today Las Vegas). Much less stakes between the Falcons and the Chargers, two franchises at the bottom of the table in their respective conference. Los Angeles will try to wash away the affront suffered last week against the Patriots, and should take advantage of Atlanta’s defensive largesse to score at least a few points. Finally, Seattle will receive past Jets very close to a success last Sunday but who will have a lot more difficulty affording the Seahawks in search of a new dynamic.

Green Bay Packers [9-3] @ Detroit Lions [5-7]

New Orleans Saints [10-2] @ Philadelphia Eagles [3-8-1]

Washington Football Team [5-7] @ San Francisco 49ers [5-7]

In the NFC North, Green Bay is asserting itself more than ever as the boss. Against the last Lions of this same division, the Packers will be widely favored and will have to win to stay in contact with the Saints in the National Conference. The Saints, in fact, will travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles in bad shape. If Drew Brees will still be preserved, Taysom Hill will have the cards in hand to win a new game as a starter, while Jalen Hurts will debut in the same role with Philly. To conclude this Redzone, San Francisco will receive Washington in its adopted stadium. The Football Team must win to continue to believe in the NFC East Division title, but the 49ers will also be forced to win to keep any playoff hope.

Rendezvous at 19:00 for the start of NFL Week 14. A fourteenth week of competition which will end with two big posters in primetime opposing serious candidates to the playoffs.

Featured Image Credits: Justin K. Aller / Getty Images