The NFL Roundup 2022: Week 17 Preview

Written by John Edward Betancourt

​Hello again, football fans and welcome to another edition of the NFL Roundup. One that is filled to the brim with anticipation. Simply because we are in the home stretch of the regular season, where plenty of teams still have a shot at locking up a postseason berth and that means we are going to be treated to some ridiculously great football this weekend. The kind where a bevy of teams will leave it on the field and give it their all and with that in mind, let’s dive right in and look at all the fascinating games that await us this weekend and the top storylines hanging over Week 17 in the NFL.
 
The football world suffered a great loss with the passing of John Madden.
Football fans are quite blessed for certain, because not only is the sport beloved by so many but it is accessible in ways that other sports are not and a big reason that’s the case, is because of the late John Madden. For this brilliant coach, who wowed the sport by way of his innovative play with the Raiders, spent his post coaching career teaching everyone about the sport via his work in the commentator’s booth and through the revolutionary Madden video game franchise. Both of which made football palatable and accessible to the folks who wanted to learn more about the intricacies of the sport and his passing… is a huge loss to football. For few have done so much for the game and truly, he deserves every tribute he has coming tomorrow… and hopefully the league figures out how to integrate his namesake permanently into the fabric of the game that he helped to bring into the mainstream.
 
Will the Miami Dolphins make it eight wins in a row?
Truly no story has been more compelling than the Miami Dolphins journey this season. For this is a team that started off the year in a disastrous manner with 7 straight losses and a push to trade their ‘franchise’ QB. Only to follow it up with 7 straight wins and a shot at the playoffs and that does leave one to wonder, if Miami can string together their 8th win in a row against the Titans tomorrow and honestly, it’s possible. Because while the Titans have done a fine job of compensating the loss of Derrick Henry, they are still a one-dimensional team, offensively. So, if the Dolphins defense can rob Tennessee of the run and play press cover and force Ryan Tannehill to try and beat them with his arm, they can snag a huge win and bring this team one step closer to a storybook season. 
 
Will any head coaches lose their job after this weekend?
It is definitely safe to say that there has been greater scrutiny around head coaching moves this year, courtesy of the rule change that now exists. Which allows teams to start interviews earlier than usual if they either release their head coach or inform them of their impending release and to date, surprisingly, the majority of teams likely to fire their head coach, have yet to take advantage of this new rule. Which begs the question, will that change after this weekend? After all, there’s only one more week of football after tomorrow’s games, giving these teams the perfect opportunity to get started on the search and honestly, I’m not sure anyone will. For it really seems as though everyone is committed to the old school; ‘give them the year,’ approach. But this is of course a year full of surprises and one bad loss… might see a team or two indulge in this new opportunity.

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The Most Fascinating Games to Watch This Weekend

Kansas City Chiefs (11-4) at Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)
Paul Brown Stadium – Cincinnati, Ohio
Sunday, January 2, 2022 – 1:00 p.m. EST – CBS

​This is a game of note, simply because it features a pair of AFC teams with some wildly different goals. For instance, the Kansas City Chiefs are eager to pad their playoff standing by locking up the number one seed in the AFC and a win here will go a long way in helping that to happen. Whereas the Bengals are simply looking to assert dominance in the AFC North and a win here helps them there. Which means this should be an intense game through and through, one where both teams give us a heck of a show as they work toward their respective goals. But in the end, I’d wager that Kansas City is going to win this game, because they’re on fire right now and are hungry to get back to the postseason. 

Los Angeles Rams (11-4) at Baltimore Ravens (8-7)
M&T Bank Stadium – Baltimore, Maryland
Sunday, January 2, 2022 – 1:00 p.m. EST – FOX

​This is one of those games… where both teams have something to prove. For while the big moves that the Rams made at the Trade Deadline are starting to pay off, they need to keep winning to silence any and all doubt revolving around such bold roster decisions. As for the Ravens, well they are just trying to prove to the league that they are elite and deserve to be part of the championship conversation and those two elements will lead to an intense game. One where these teams try to assert dominance through epic play and once again, I have to give this one to the away team. Because Los Angeles just has weapons abound on both sides of the ball, and the Ravens are struggling, and their quarterback play is all over the place. So, expect the Rams to win big here as they work to lock up a home game or two in the postseason.

Arizona Cardinals (10-5) at Dallas Cowboys (11-4)
AT&T Stadium – Arlington, TX
Sunday, January 2, 2022 – 4:25 p.m. EST – FOX

​One would think that this game is of interest because of the record these two teams boast. Since 10-5 vs. 11-4 should bring forth an epic clash of the titans. But alas, this game is of note, because it is a litmus test for the Arizona Cardinals. Because this team, which was once the toast of the NFC… is struggling to win or put a quality product on the field right now, due to injury and just poor play calling. Which means they need to show the football world and their fans that next man up is a standard in Glendale, and that the moment is never too big for this team and sadly, I’m not sure they’ll be able to pull that off. Simply because they really are starting to crack under the pressure surrounding them, and they are facing a team that is playing lights out football right now.