The NFL Roundup 2018: Week 14

Written by John Edward Betancourt

​Well, football fans, this is it. The final four weeks of the 2018 NFL Regular Season are upon us and the games are only going to get more intense from here on out. Because the playoffs are on the line, meaning every single team that is in the hunt is going to give us their all and hopefully wow us in the process with incredible play and stories that leave us talking, which means it is high time to dig into Week 14 in the NFL and look at what stories are brewing and which games will be utterly fascinating to watch this weekend.
 
Can the Denver Broncos continue their playoff push without their star receiver?
We all know that injuries are a way of life in the NFL, but some are more devastating than others and well, the Broncos are suddenly facing a host of ugly ones in their starting lineup as they make their playoff push and while Chris Harris Jr. is a big blow in the secondary, one also has to wonder if this team can make magic happen on offense without Emmanuel Sanders now that he is out for the season with an Achilles Tendon Tear and the answer to that question is yes, provided a few things happen. First and foremost, the young guys need to step it up, meaning that Courtland Sutton, DeSean Hamilton and Tim Patrick have to produce when they’re on the field, and honestly, Denver needs to rely on their red-hot run game more to set up the pass and if all of this comes together, they’ll be just fine without #10 in the lineup.
 
Will the Saints rebound from their tough loss?
Make no mistake about it, the Cowboys big win over New Orleans was quite the epic upset, one that left the Saints stunned to say the least and well, I think we are all wondering, can they rebound from that kind of embarrassing loss? I think the answer is yes, simply because, this team does want more out of their season, and that kind of loss humbles a squad and reminds them to get back to basics and when we take into account that New Orleans is facing off against a mediocre at best Tampa Bay squad this weekend, I have no doubt they’ll rebound with a big win and not take their opponents for granted from here on out.
 
Can Carolina snap their losing streak this weekend?
I would like to say that I don’t know what is causing Carolina to stink up the football world right now, but their problems are obvious in that, they are not a tough team and rely upon momentum instead of fundamentals and that’s why they’re in a free fall right now. But they have a chance to rebound with a win against Cleveland, provided a few things happen. First and foremost, they need to worry about executing their game plan and moving the ball, allowing for fundamentals to take hold and allowing for the team to get into a rhythm, something that helps Cam Newton’s confidence when he’s on the field and second, they cannot fold when the Browns step up to them. They have stay cool and collected and if they can accomplish that, they’re good. But in all honesty, don’t be surprised if Cleveland earns the win here. 

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The Most Fascinating Games to Watch This Weekend 

Baltimore Ravens (7-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (10-2)
Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City, MO
1:00 p.m. EST – CBS

​This is a game that’s fascinating on so many levels because so much is on the line for both teams. After all, Baltimore is in the playoff hunt and looking to take the division which means they are hungry to beat the best team in the AFC to get the win they so desperately need and to make a statement that they will be difficult to beat going forward. As for KC, well, their standing as the #1 seed in the playoffs is in jeopardy if they lose to Baltimore, which means that this particular game is likely going to be a knockdown, drag it out brawl and really, the winner of this game, are the fans since they’ll be treated to quite the matchup, one that quite frankly, I’m not sure I can call because there is a chance that this one could go either way.

Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4-1) at Oakland Raiders (2-10)
Oakland Coliseum – Oakland, CA
4:25 p.m. EST – FOX

So really, what makes this game so incredibly fascinating is that I am quite curious as to which Pittsburgh team is going to show up in this one. Because at times they have been a phenomenal squad, one that dominates on all sides of the ball. But as of late, they’ve straight up choked late in the game and that’s a big problem when it comes to this game since Oakland has been a feisty squad in the past few weeks. So, if the bad Steelers show up, the ones who make boneheaded decisions late in the game, expect Oakland to keep their losing streak alive. But if Big Ben and the offense play lights out football and that defense can shut down Derek Carr, expect Pittsburgh to snap out of their funk and walk away with an important win. 

Minnesota Vikings (6-5-1) at Seattle Seahawks (7-5)
CenturyLink Field – Seattle, WA
Monday Night Football – 8:15 p.m. EST – ESPN 

​There was a time, not that long ago in fact, that Minnesota was a dominant team and a genuine playoff contender. But it would seem that time is coming to an end since this team has been up and down all year long, to the point where a loss here would be downright devastating and well, this is going to be a tough one for the Purple People Eaters. Because Seattle is red hot right now, and they are simply playing inspired football and there is a good chance, that if the Seahawks score early and often on the Vikings, that Minnesota will once again fold in prime time. Which means that their defense needs to tighten up in this game and Kirk Cousins needs to play like the top tier quarterback he’s being paid as, and it should be interesting to see who wants it more come Monday Night.