The NFL Roundup 2022: Week 13 Preview

Written by John Edward Betancourt

One thing that we can all agree upon, is that this has been… a supremely weird football season. One where parity has brought forth some shocking moments, and where a lot of drama has taken place. Simply because we’ve seen legends go full diva this year and we’ve watched some teams outright implode and embarrass themselves along the way and well, it would seem the drama is only going to continue this weekend. Amid the playoff push no less, thanks to the return of one controversial player and well… let’s take a moment and discuss all that drama and spotlight some important games as well before Week 13 in the NFL gets underway.
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The Cleveland Browns most embarrassing mistake to date (which is saying a lot) takes the field on Sunday.
We haven’t spoken much about the whole Deshaun Watson debacle in this weekly article and with good reason. Because Watson has been suspended and working to get his way back to the field. But Sunday will mark his return to the league after facing some hideous allegations and settling them behind the scenes and well, this is of note because… this is going to bring forth a lot of ugliness this Sunday and rightfully so. Since many if not all of Watson’s accusers will be in the stands to remind him that there are a lot of unanswered questions surround him and of course… this is going to serve as a fine reminder that the league continues to handle such matters in a terrible fashion. Because once again, a man that has abuse allegations surrounding him, has been rewarded. This time with a new team, and a new contract and this is just embarrassing and hopefully some lessons come out of this. In that, the league has to stop putting profits over people and properly punish those that break the league’s rules and laws, and above all… stop rewarding this bad behavior with mountains of money and silence.
 
Will a loss at Baltimore finally bring about change in Denver?
Let’s be honest, the Broncos aren’t walking out of M&T Bank Stadium with a win. They stink on offense; their defense is overworked. So, barring a miracle, they’ll go 3-9 on Sunday and continue to wound Broncos Country in the process. Which then begs the question. Will this be the last straw at Dove Valley and finally prompt GM George Paton and CEO Greg Penner to make a coaching change and end the Nathaniel Hackett experiment? Honestly… who knows? Because at this point, we’ve heard little from Paton or Penner on the matter outside of votes of confidence in London. Which is troubling, because we simply don’t know what the new ownership group stands for, and their actions determine that, and thus far, there’s been no action. So most likely, it will be more wait and see from Denver, as the football world tries to figure out if the new ownership group is committed to excellence, or the same mediocrity that the Bowlen Trust stood for.
 
With Aaron Rodgers banged up, will the Bears finally beat the Packers?
Aaron Rodgers has stated before that he owns the Chicago Bears and well, there’s some truth to that. Because he is 23-5 against the team and always finds a way to make their life hell when they play. But he’s pretty beat up this weekend, and suffering from a bevy of rough injuries, which does lead one to wonder if by chance the Bears might sneak out a big win here against a battered and bruised #12 and the answer is… not likely. Because this is hands down, a better team than the Bears, and when a rivalry game is on the line, you know the defense and the offense are going to rally behind their beat up QB to help him to the win. So, expect this one to be ugly for the Bears as the Packers renew their ownership of the Chicago Bears.

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The Most Fascinating Games to Watch This Weekend

Thursday Night Football
Buffalo Bills (8-3) at New England Patriots (6-5)
Gillette Stadium – Foxboro, Massachusetts
8:15 p.m. EST – Prime Video

This is a game of note, simply because the Pats have a chance at winning this one. Which is something I don’t think anyone would have believed possible earlier in the season. But the year is long, and things change as it continues along… as evidenced by where Buffalo is at. Because despite having a record that teams would give draft picks up for, there’s a lot wrong with the Bills. Their defense is porous and unable to generate a pass rush at the moment, and the offense is shaky at best and that’s led to some close games and ugly losses. So, if the Pats can exploit the Bills’ weaknesses, they’ll walk out of this game with a big win. One that will keep them alive in the playoff race.

Washington Commanders (7-5) at New York Giants (7-4)
MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey
Sunday, December 4, 2022 – 1:00 p.m. EST – FOX

​Truly one of the biggest surprises of the season, has been the Washington Commanders. Because this team was forgotten and left for dead not that long ago. But a quarterback change and some downright effort has made them a potential playoff contender and they are facing… a similar team. For no one thought much of the Giants this year either and they too, have pleasantly surprised with a wonderful turnaround season. Which means that this is going to be one hell of a game. Since both squads are closely matched and play hard. As to which team wins this one, I think it will be the Giants. Because they are on a mission right now and do boast a slightly better roster than the Commanders.

Kansas City Chiefs (9-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)
Paycor Stadium – Cincinnati, Ohio
Sunday, December 4, 2022 – 2:25 p.m. EST – CBS

​One would think that the Kansas City Chiefs have the edge in this game. Because they’ve only lost twice this year, they have a roaring offense and the Bengals have had to fight for every win this season after a rough start. But this is in fact, a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game, which the Bengals won in overtime, and they are coming into this game hungry and motivated and ready to win. That means, we are going to be in for an intense matchup. One that could be another shootout between these two teams as two top-tier quarterbacks sling for the win and honestly… it’s up in the air in my mind as to who is the clear winner in this one. Because both of these teams are hungry for a victory. So really, in the end, it’s the fans that win here. Since they get to be treated to a quality game.