Tampa Bay – While Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell battle off the field, there should be plenty of good battles on the field this week, including the New Orleans Saints, winners of six in a row, traveling to Buffalo to face the surprising Bills.
Will the winless 49ers finally win a game, facing the equally as bad New York Giants? How will the Cowboys fair traveling to Atlanta without suspended tailback Zeke Elliott.
Here is a preview of all of Sunday’s NFL games:
New Orleans Saints (6-2) at Buffalo Bills (5-3)
The Saints have won six in a row, and Bills are 4-0 at home, setting up a fun match-up in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills have the 30th-ranked passing offense, so it’s best for them to avoid an aerial shootout with New Orleans QB Drew Brees, and the Saints’ 4th-ranked passing offense.
This game is too close to call.
Green Bay Packers (4-4) at Chicago Bears (3-5)
Don’t expect a lot of scoring in this game.
Starting rookie QB Mitch Trubisky, the Bears are ranked 32nd in passing, and are averaging just 16.8 points a game. The Packers’ passing game went by the wayside In Week Six when star QB Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone. Rodgers replacement, Brett Hundley, needs to improve his pocket presence.
The Bears, at home, led by their defense and running game, should prevail.
Dallas Cowboys (5-3) at Atlanta Falcons (4-4)
The Cowboys have the NFL’s #2 rushing offense, and the Falcons struggle stopping the run.
However, Dallas will be without star tailback Zeke Elliott, who might have run out of judges to overturn his six-game NFL suspension. Maybe he can find one in Hawaii.
This shouldn’t be much of a home-field advantage for Atlanta with myriad Cowboys fans buying up tickets. Without Elliott, and with the Falcons needing this game more, expect an Atlanta win.
Cleveland Browns (0-8) at Detroit Lions (4-4)
The Lions are poised to have a great second-half of the season against a week schedule, and with their franchise left tackle, Taylor Decker, returning from the injury list. The Lions struggled running the ball over the first half of the season, but Decker should help them improve.
The Browns are playing solidly on defense, but get very little help from their offense, being run by a rookie second-round QB.
Detroit should win this game.
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) at Indianapolis Colts (3-6)
This is a bad match-up for the Colts. First off, they have the 31st-ranked defense in the NFL, giving up 28.9 points per game, and the Steelers are loaded with offensive weaponry. Also, the Colts’ offensive line is struggling in pass protection, and the Steelers have 26 sacks.
It’s hard seeing Pittsburgh losing this game.
Los Angeles Chargers (3-5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3)
The Jaguars have the NFL’s most talented defense, leading the league in pass defense and sacks.
The Chargers are coming off a bye-week, so they have had two weeks to put together this game-plan. Remember.
Jaguars former head coach Gus Bradley runs the Chargers’ defense, so he has a good feel for Jacksonville QB Blake Bortles, and some of their other personnel.
This game is a toss-up.
New York Jets (4-5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-6)
With quarterback Jameis Winston out with a shoulder injury, Tampa Bay starts Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Jets’ quarterback in 2015-16.
Fitzpatrick has a good feel for the Jets’ defensive playbook, having practiced against them every day for two years.
Tampa Bay’s defense, ranked 28th, has been a major disappointment this year, and could be without both starting defensive ends.
Expect the Jets, led by veteran QB Josh McCown, who is playing at a high level, to win this game.
Cincinnati Bengals (3-5) at Tennessee Titans (5-3)
The Titans have won three in a row spearheaded by their defense. This trend could continue against the NFL’s lowest-rated offense.
T
he Bengals will be without running back Jeremy Hill and right tackle Jake Fisher.
Tennessee should win this game.
Minnesota Vikings (6-2) at Washington Redskins (4-4)
The Vikings have won four games in a row, and are healthy and well-rested coming off a bye-week. The Redskins aren’t coming off a bye-week, but they could have used one with their lengthy injury list; all five of their offensive line starters are questionable.
But the Redskins are at home, and have the better QB, Kirk Cousins, and showed a lot of moxie beating the Seahawks in Seattle last week.
This game could go either way.
Houston Texans (3-5) at Los Angeles Rams (6-2)
The Rams’ offense is averaging 32.9 point per game, and Houston has major QB issues with their prized rookie Deshaun Watson now on injured reserve.
The Rams are coming off a 51-point performance in a convincing win over the New York Giants. The Texans had trouble moving the ball last week in a loss to Indianapolis. The Colts don’t have a good defense.
The Rams, the healthier team, playing at home, should win this game.
New England Patriots (6-2) at Denver Broncos (3-5)
The wheels have come off the Broncos, losers of four straight, mainly due to quarterback issues.
The Patriots have no QB issues with 40-year-old Tom Brady still at the top of his game.
New England is coming off a bye-week, so will have great game-plans on both sides of the ball, and should win in the Mile-High City.
New York Giants (1-7) at San Francisco 49ers (0-9)
Giants coach Ben McAdoo could be in trouble in just his second year, with two unnamed players telling ESPN he’s lost the team. Not helping his cause are myriad injuries including five linebackers “questionable” for this game.
But even with all their problems, they should be able to beat San Francisco, a team that seems more focused on activism than winning.
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