The NFL Roundup 2021: Week 16 Preview

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Hello again, football fans and welcome back to another edition of the NFL Roundup. One that is going to be a little different format wise today. Because this week, we’re going to condense our preview of Week 16 with a quick recap of Week 15, something necessitated by the up and down nature of last week’s wild schedule. So, with that in mind, let’s not waste any time and get down to looking at the week that was… and the week ahead.

Week 15 Recap

The Arizona Cardinals are falling apart at the seams.
Last week, this writer declared the Cardinals to be a resilient team that knew how to stand tall against adversity. Well, it turns out I was wrong about that. Because they lost… to the Lions. The Lions. The WORST team in football, and what is more painful about this, they were blown out by Detroit. Which speaks to a team that is starting to let the pressure seep in and rattle their minds and if they cannot get their heads straight and get back to their fundamentals soon… this storybook season will come to a quick and embarrassing end.
 
The NFC Playoff Picture is now as messy as the AFC’s.
For a brief moment there, it seemed as though the NFC playoff picture was going to be crystal clear heading into Week 16. But then… the Cardinals lost and so did Tampa Bay, shaking the whole thing up and leaving all of us to wonder who might dominate the conference. Which it appears might be Green Bay, provided of course the bizarro nature of the NFL doesn’t find them either. But while it is wild to see so many good teams delay clinching a berth because of their messy play, the plus side is that this might lead to some intense games in Week 16 as these reeling teams work toward clinching a spot in the coveted postseason.

Week 16 Preview

Will Covid interrupt the schedule again?
Make no mistake about it, last week was a strange flashback for footballs fans. Since Covid once again, forced the schedule into disarray and put several starters out while they recovered and that does leave one to wonder… if the schedule is going to get shaken up again this week courtesy of Covid and there is a real possibility that might happen. Since a great deal of players are heading to the Covid Reserve list and it will be quite interesting to see if more Tuesday Night Football matchups await us, or if the league can get a handle on a fresh surge.
 
Who will lock up a playoff spot this weekend?
Normally, I don’t like talking about the same topic twice in a single piece but let’s be honest, the playoffs are looming large over this season. Because we are three weeks out, only one team is in, and the seeding is all over the place. But worrying about the seeding is me getting ahead of myself, so in this instance let's ponder upon who might get in. For there are a bevy of scenarios at play here and hopefully we do get some teams to lock up a spot, so the playoff picture can finally come into shape and if I had to guess… it will likely be Kansas City, the Rams, Tampa Bay and Dallas getting in. Since they’re facing off against some subpar opponents.

The Most Fascinating Games to Watch This Weekend

Baltimore Ravens (8-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)
Paul Brown Stadium – Cincinnati, Ohio
Sunday, December 26, 2021 – 1:00 p.m. EST – CBS

December really is a special time of year. For not only is the thrilling chill of winter upon us, but holiday cheer is in the air and there are always two teams preparing to beat the living tar out of one another in the NFL because a division title is on the line and well, we definitely get the latter in this game. Because the Ravens and the Bengals are 8-6 and the North is up for grabs and that means we should be treated to an epic matchup, one that will undoubtedly help shape the playoff picture for the AFC. As to who wins this one, who knows? Because both of these teams are all over the place in 2021.

Buffalo Bills (8-6) at New England Patriots (9-5)
Gillette Stadium – Foxboro, Massachusetts
Sunday, December 26, 2021 – 1:00 p.m. EST – CBS

​Speaking of divisional battles, here is another epic one of note. Because Buffalo is eager to snag back-to-back divisional titles for the first time in forever and New England wants it back after letting it slip away last year. Which means that this should be a hard fought, ugly game, one where the players leave everything on the field and that’s honestly how it should be. Because that’s what good AFC East football looks like. But while effort and desire do make for an engaging game, only one team can walk away the winner in this one and more than likely it will be the Pats, because they’re on a tear right now and jelling at the right time.

Denver Broncos (7-7) at Oakland Raiders (7-7)
Allegiant Stadium – Las Vegas, Nevada
Sunday, December 26, 2021 – 4:25 p.m. EST – CBS

​This is another divisional game of note, for different reasons than the other two. More so because this is a huge game for the Denver Broncos. For the heat is on for Vic Fangio and his entire coaching staff and they have to prove to General Manager George Paton they’re the right guys for this job since George has made it clear he’s willing to make the tough calls to improve the team. Plus, this is also a big game for Drew Lock, since this might be his last chance to show the brass he could be the guy the team drafted him to be. So, keep an eye on this one, because this will inform us of whether or not the 2022 Denver Broncos will resemble this year’s team or if a complete rebuild is on the way.