The NFL Roundup 2017 - Week 13

Written by John Edward Betancourt

(Patrick Semansky/Associated Press)

​There’s a special sense of anticipation that comes with NFL Football this time of year, one that is related to the sheer fact that the final stretch of the regular season has arrived, and the playoffs are just around the corner. Now every game has added weight as fans wonder what role their favorite team will play on Sunday, will they be the spoiler, or the spoiled? Either way, the intensity that comes with the playoff push makes for some fascinating storylines for certain, and here are the top ones we will be keeping an eye upon this weekend.
 
Expect the New York Giants to quickly regret their decision to bench QB Eli Manning.
You know, I rarely get hot under the collar over decisions that teams make because I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt since they have far greater knowledge when it comes to their team and their players. But once in a great while, you see a franchise do something so boneheaded and so stupid that it gives you pause and that’s where I am with the Giants benching Eli Manning. I mean come on, you’re not winning and you mean to tell me a quarterback that’s completed 62% of his passes, and has 14 touchdowns and 7 interceptions on the season is your glaring problem? This decision is an outright joke, and even more insulting to Eli by supplanting him with one of the league’s worst quarterbacks. You don’t need to see what you have in Geno Smith; the league was witness to his sub-par play for years. So, expect the Giants to regret this decision, and quickly, because it’s the dumbest one I’ve seen in years and if costs Ben McAdoo his job, oh well. That’s what you get for benching a two-time Super Bowl Champion and replacing him with a joke of a quarterback.
 
Will Brett Hundley find continued success, or was his last game just a fluke?
After weeks of causing Packers fans to groan in great pain, QB Brett Hundley finally delivered an incredible performance on Sunday Night Football and while the Packers ultimately lost, it was wonderful to see Hundley turn in that kind of performance, but is it something that he can repeat this weekend? Well, absolutely if he’s in the right mindset. Because on Sunday Night, Hundley looked cool and confident under center, and he trusted his receivers every time he tossed up the ball. So, if he can keep that kind of attitude when he’s on the field, and command the offense in similar fashion, there’s a fair chance the Packers will win another game and give Green Bay a sense of hope that maybe their season won’t end in utter heartbreak.
 
Will Buffalo play the spoiler this week against the Patriots?
On several occasions this season, Buffalo has found a way to destroy the pride of teams that on paper, were far better than them and one has to wonder if they’ll be able to surprise the New England Patriots and upset them on Sunday and honestly, I’d say their chances are fifty/fifty when it comes this. Because their defense hasn’t quite been the same since they sent DT Marcell Dareus packing and the offense is in flux since they can’t quite decide on who to start at quarterback. But…if they follow the basic formula that so many teams fail to execute against the Pats, which consists of pressuring Brady, pressing his receivers and scoring some points, then they can pull off the upset, and they’ve done it before, so really, all that stands in their way here is execution.
 
Will the Kansas City Chiefs get back on track this weekend?
At this point, the Chiefs are in free fall mode, having dropped their last three in a row and the Chargers are nipping at their heels for a shot at the AFC West title. Which means this team needs a big rebound win and will they be able to get just that against the New York Jets this weekend? Well, the answer to that question is a big fat maybe. Because the Chiefs just look lost right now, they’re playing poorly in all phases of the game and it almost seems as though their mounting losses are impacting them mentally and to complicate matters further for them, they’re squaring off against a plucky New York squad that doesn’t go down without a fight. So, if the Chiefs can clear their heads and focus on football fundamentals, they’ve got this, but if the mistakes start rolling in, expect the Jets to take full advantage of their follies.
 
The Carolina/New Orleans matchup is shaping up to be the best game of the week.
What do you get when you take two high powered and prideful offenses and let them play in the playoff race? Incredible football, that’s what and that’s what fans everywhere are going to be treated to when the Panthers and the Saints take the field on Sunday. Because these two teams love to score and score big and I think we can fully expect touchdown after touchdown in this one. As for which team is going to walk out of this game the victor? Well that should be the team that keeps their turnovers to a minimum, but either way, this one is going to be quite the treat to watch.

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