NFL Week 13: Playoffs Taking Shape
It’s a cliché that every game matters in the NFL, and not a very good one at that. At the end of a given season there are some teams for whom every game actually did matter, but every week there are games that don’t mean a damn thing. Plenty of them.
What is true is that for teams on the playoff bubble, this week is where the playoffs essentially start. 75% of the season is gone and if you’re neither out of the race nor comfortably in the lead, the margin for error basically drops to zero. Now is when things really start to get interesting.
Here’s my take on the AFC North scenario, team-by-team, in advance of today’s games and the Ravens‘ Monday night tilt in Green Bay.
1. Bengals
They’ve got Detroit at home this week and there’s really no way to imagine them losing. Not saying it’s impossible — it isn’t — but we’ll deal with that only if it happens. For now, it’s safe to assume they’ll advance to 9-3 and further strengthen their grip on the division title. They haven’t locked anything up but they’re close.
I was way wrong about this team in my preseason predictions.
2. Ravens
They are, like all the other teams hovering around the .500 mark, in “must win” mode from here on. Which is unfortunate, because I don’t see them winning on Monday. I know I’ll catch some hell for that but I have to play this one straight. I think they’ll have to take that lump, win out, and then hope 10-6 is good enough. Which it might be.
The schedule gets easier starting next week, including games against Detroit, Chicago, and Oakland. Then there’s that week 16 game against Pittsburgh…
3. Steelers
If they were to win out, they’d end up 11-5 and finish no worse than second in the division. Their schedule, however, is difficult. Oakland visits Heinz Field this week, followed by a game at Cleveland. Those are “should” wins, but after that they get Green Bay at home, the Ravens game, and then a game at Miami. 9-7 and a seat on the couch is every bit as within reach as the playoffs.
4. Browns
The only items left on their agenda involve finding a new coach and a new starting quarterback. No big deal.
As of this week I count 11 AFC teams in the mix for 5 playoff spots (excluding the Colts and their spot). I can see both the Ravens and Steelers making it, and I can just as easily see them both coming up short. It’s going to be a hell of a stretch run.
it’s kind of funny to think that the ravens and steelers will be fighting viciously for the right to (most likely) go on the road against the bengals, pats, then colts in the playoffs.
yay!
really though – i can think of no sweeter run than that for the ravens (unless it was pittsburgh instead of cincy).
I don’t think the Ravens will lose. 26 degrees and snowing at game start will hopefully hinder Mr. Rogers. If they run like they did against the Steelers it should be easy.
I’m taking the Packers, sorry to say. Unless Webb and Reed have highlight reel games, Rogers is going to light it up on the pass game, and Flacco’s ankle is definitely going to be something to watch for in such bad conditions.
wow the steelers didn’t just shit themselves they like, blew a hole out the ass of their pants.
how fucking brutal was this weekend for pittsburgh fans?
lol @ the fucking patriots forever
lol @ pittsburgh
as a ravens fan the best is yet to come. countdown to fans in pittsburgh calling for tomlin’s head (a huge mistake in my opinion).*
it’s aryans that should get the axe if anybody but we’ll see.
the ravens have to win tomorrow night. have to. tall mountain to climb.
*reading steeler blogs and messageboards is like reading a klan rally transcript. i don’t recommend it.
haha *arians
@Big Ben’s Motorcycle – Nobody’s going to be calling for Tomlin’s head. Maybe a few yahoos on messageboards or something like that, but nothing serious.
Gee, I thought the Stillers were going to “unleash hell” on the league after last week’s loss in Baltimore. Maybe it was some sort of convoluted metaphor.
Thank God they didn’t win that game yesterday on Ward’s bogus facemask grab. What a piece of garbage.
Wow. That was…wow.
posted this on another site but can’t summon up the energy to rephrase it:
the ravens won’t recover from their reputation until ray lewis retires. like, they’re undisciplined enough to fuck themselves i guess. but if i had a dime for every bullshit call they’ve gotten against the league’s “good guy” teams the last five years…
hope the league sends out another apology like after the last two new england games
also lol @ the steelers/ravens tandem this year. when was the last time they both missed the playoffs? the 90′s? it was 1999 as it turns out
Yes, the Ravens seem to get an inordinate number of calls against them, but that offensive performance last night was putrid. Definitely Flacco’s worst game that I’ve watched. The end zone interception was just awful.
They would have lost that game even with no penalties called against them. They were outplayed.
Alright so I mean the Ravens don’t even really deserve to be in the playoffs after that performance.
Please take Frank Walker out back and put an end to the misery he brings.
Worst crop of free agents signings in Ravens history? It would be hard to argue this.
In Flacco’s defense, NOBODY could get open last night. It was like our receivers were running through mud. And Flacco was getting pressured like crazy. Our O-line was garbage.
Hot Stove anyone? Them Millwood rumors are heating up!
Was there anything about last night that was good? The O-line was bad, Flacco was bad, the receivers were bad, Ray Rice had a critical fumble, the secondary was BAaaaaAAd, the penalties were absurd. Sigh. Argh.
On the hot stove, I have a quick question before the Orioles do anything: with the current roster, what do all you think their record will be in 2010? That is, absolutely no changes whatsoever to the organization. I think I have them at 75 wins (accounting for steps forward for Guts, Markakis, Jones, Reimold, and Wieters and steps back for Roberts and Scott), but I didn’t think about it too hard.
yeah i was in the fog of war last night.
ravens are a 6-6 team. by record and by talent.
also cam cameron is fucking tripping this year.