The NFL Roundup 2017 - Week 16

Written by John Edward Betancourt

​It’s been quite the long and wild journey when it comes to the NFL regular season and at last, the end is in sight. The playoffs are right around the corner, the playoff picture is taking shape and because the season is winding down, we are going to do something a little different with the NFL Roundup this week, and combine our look at the top storylines and the most fascinating games for the weekend into one great big article. So, with that in mind, let’s not waste any more time and dig right into all things Week 16, staring with the stories to keep an eye upon this weekend.
 
Is this the weekend the Browns finally win a game?
It’s been an ugly season for the Cleveland Browns…again, and unfortunately for this struggling team, there is really only one solid opportunity left for them to win a game this season and not go 0-16, and that game in question, arrives on Sunday. Because Cleveland will be facing off against an awful Chicago Bears squad and if they can’t pull off a win here, there’s no chance they’ll get one when they travel to Pittsburgh in Week 17. So, they’ll need to bring their A game to this matchup, and if they can confuse Mitch Trubisky and if the offense can score some points, the Browns will finally snag their first win of 2017. But in all honestly, one cannot forget that they are the worst team in the NFL, and no one wants to lose to Cleveland, so while the Bears may be bad, I expect them to put forth some solid effort in this one so they don’t have to deal with the pain of being the team that lost to the Browns.  
 
Sunday is a critical game for the Denver Broncos Quarterbacking Corps.
Normally when a team’s season comes to an end early, and the franchise moves into evaluation mode, they are in many ways quietly forgotten as they get a head start on preparing for the offseason. But in the city of Denver, that calm doesn’t exist this year. Sure, the Broncos are done, but everyone is dying to know if the quarterback of the future is currently sitting on the roster and come Sunday, all eyes will be on whomever the franchise chooses to start under center. After all, Brock Osweiler is still trying to prove to the league that he can play at a high level and he would also like to prove that last week’s performance in Indy wasn’t a mere fluke and if he can once again lead this team to victory, the Broncos and other QB needy teams will have to ponder upon signing him in 2018. As for Paxton Lynch, well, the organization needs to know they didn’t waste a draft pick in bringing him to the Mile High City, and need to see some serious progress in his overall quality of play. Either way, it should be fascinating to see how either Quarterback performs when the Broncos take the field Sunday and in all honestly, regardless of which player Denver names as the starter, I have a funny feeling we may see both of them play as the Broncos try and figure out their next steps at this critical position.
 
Will the Seahawks rebound this weekend?
I suppose it was only a matter of time before the ailing Seahawks secondary and all of its weaknesses were going to be exposed to the football world and unfortunately for Seattle, that all happened last week by way of a massive blowout against one of the league’s finest teams, the Los Angeles Rams. It was a loss that may signal the end of any playoffs hopes for the Seahawks which means that if they want to remotely keep those hopes alive, they have to rebound big time this weekend and the question is, can they? Well, the answer to that question is a big fat maybe unfortunately. After all, they’re facing off against a Dallas team that is whole again since Ezekiel Elliott is returning from his suspension and when you take that into consideration, along with how well Dallas is suddenly playing, you start to see how Seattle could lose this game. However, the Cowboys are not a tough team mentally, so if the ‘Hawks can stun them and get into their heads, I think there’s a chance they can pull off the win. So really, it comes down to which Seattle team takes the field, the one that folded against L.A., or the one that knows how to dig deep and make big plays happen. 

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THE MOST FASCINATING GAMES TO WATCH ON SUNDAY

Atlanta Falcons (9-5) at New Orleans Saints (10-4)
Mercedes-Benz Superdome – New Orleans, LA
1:00 p.m. EST – FOX

The NFC South is still up for grabs right now and two teams that are right in the middle of the hunt square off in this one and really, what has me excited to watch this one, is the sheer possibility that this could become a shootout for the ages. Because every football fan out there knows that Matt Ryan and Drew Brees can ball, and they each have wonderful weapons at their disposal when it comes to their receiving corps, so don’t be shocked to see touchdown after touchdown in this particular matchup. As for who wins this one, well I think the Saints have the upper hand here. Because their ‘bend but don’t break’ mentality on defense has served them well, and they know exactly when to step up to either slow down or shut down an elite quarterback. But you never know, Atlanta could play some lights out football as well and secure the win, but regardless of how this one ends, it’s going to be a fun game to watch through and through. 

Los Angeles Rams (10-4) at Tennessee Titans (8-6)
Nissan Stadium – Nashville, TN
1:00 p.m. EST – FOX

There’s a lot at stake when it comes to this particular game and that’s why it’s on my personal radar. After all, the Titans are fighting for their playoffs lives in this one and need a win to keep their postseason hopes alive and as for the Rams…well, all they have to do is win and they’re in, and they’ll get the added bonus of being the NFC West Division Champions. So, with so much on the line in this matchup, I’m expecting it to be quite the hard-fought affair. Because the Titans are no slouch this year, and they don’t back down easy, but at the same time, the Rams love a good challenge and are hungry to win the division. However, while both of these teams are clearly talented, only one can walk out of this one the winner, and honestly…I think Los Angeles will be the victor in this one. They’re playing perfect in every single phase of the game right now, and that gives them quite the advantage. 

Miami Dolphins (6-8) at Kansas City Chiefs (8-6)
Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City, MO
1:00 p.m. EST – CBS

​Now, I know what you’re thinking when it comes to me even remotely suggesting that a game featuring the incredibly uneven Miami Dolphins can play out as fascinating, but hear me out here. For starters, Miami has a lot to prove. Their head coach wants to prove to everyone that he’s truly a leader of men and not just a coordinator who is in way over his head, and he would like everyone to view the Dolphins as an elite team, something they actually have resembled from time to time. On the other side of the coin, they face off against a Chiefs squad that is desperate to regain control of their season and they want the Division Title they so rightly believe they deserve and those components should make for one interesting and intense game as both of these teams try to accomplish their goals and in all honesty, I expect Kansas City to emerge from this game as the victor, simply because of the fact that they’ve proven to be the better team when their backs are against the wall.