Blog

It’s a huge weekend for so many teams this week. The Patriots will clinch the top seed in the AFC with a win at the Jets. It’s a divisional game, but Brady and Gronk can enjoy a bit of down time between Christmas and the second week of Jan if they topple New York. Crucially for New England, the win means the AFC title game will go through Foxborough if they win this and their divisional play-off.

Hoping the Patriots slip up will be the Broncos. They travel to Cincinnati for the Monday night game. The Bengals shut out Johnny Football last week and they’re clinging onto top spot of the AFC North. A win will keep the Bengals there ahead of their showdown in Pittsburgh in Week 17.

The Steelers entertain play-off hopefuls Kansas City in Sunday evening’s Sky game. They’ve got a great offense in Pennsylvania, but their D is suspect, so it’ll be interesting to see how they handle Jamaal Charles.

Elsewhere in the AFC North, the Ravens are in fine form and they’re on the road to Houston. The Browns are all but out of the hunt for play-off places. Johnny Manziel will be looking to right his wrongs down in Charlotte against a Panthers team that can still win the NFC South despite their losing record.

There are three teams in the NFC South with losing records who can still gain home advantage in the post season. The Saints top the division and are the only team who can end the campaign without negative season. They’re at home to Atlanta this week. New Orleans have lost their last four at home, but this has the potential to be an entertaining shoot-out.

A key divisional game that’s far from likely to be a shoot-out is the NFC West match-up between the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals. These two don’t score many TDs and the winner of this one stands a very good chance of claiming the number one spot in the NFC. There won’t be many teams who’ll want to go through Seattle en route to the Super Bowl.

It’s just as tight in the NFC North. Green Bay’s defeat to Buffalo last week meant Detroit took over the top spot in the division. The Packers are at struggling Tampa Bay this week, whilst the Lions take on the Bears at Soldier Field. It’s a Chicago team that has dropped its franchise QB.

The chase is on for the NFC East. Dallas hold top spot after their win in Philly last week. The Cowboys’ defense has to stop Andrew Luck in the AT&T Stadium this time out. The Eagles make the short trip to DC on Saturday evening.

The other Saturday night game sees the 49ers, who are out of the play-off race, at home to San Diego. The Chargers have faint hopes making it to January. Their quarterback is going to have to play through the pain barrier. Meanwhile, San Francisco look like they’ll have to rush it without their two leading running backs.

Bills fans must be pinching themselves. They’ve got a realistic chance of making it to the post season for the first time in fifteen years. They’re on the road this week in Oakland and they end the season in Boston. Should the Patriots win this week, they might be a little less formidable in Week 17.

Christmas has come early for football fans. We’ve got even more live games to enjoy in Week 16! So we thought we’d point you in the right direction:

Saturday 9:30pm – Philadelphia Eagles vs Washington Redskins (Sky Sports 4)

Sunday 1:25am – San Diego Chargers vs San Francisco 49ers (Sky Sports 4)

Sunday 6pm – Kansas City Chiefs vs Pittsburgh Steelers (Sky Sports 2)

Sunday 9:25pm – Indianapolis Colts vs Dallas Cowboys (Sky Sports 2)

Monday 1:30am – Seattle Seahawks vs Arizona Cardinals (C4)

Tuesday 1:30am – Denver Broncos vs Cincinnati Bengals (Eurosport 2)

Congratulations to the Jags for their primetime win over their division rivals last night. A special mention also goes to Sen’Derrick Marks who earned himself a nice Christmas bonus by reaching 8.5 sacks. He took down Charlie Whitehurst as time expired, pocketing a cool $600,000 in the process. When asked what he’ll do with it, he cooly replied “I’ll probably give it to my momma”.

There were plenty jokes being made about last night’s game. Tennessee Titans vs Jacksonville Jaguars isn’t quite Green Bay Packers vs Denver Broncos, but we in the UK have a lot to thank the Jags for. They are the team that committed four home games to Wembley. If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have seen the Cowboys this year, or the 49ers in 2013. Let’s face it, Jacksonville didn’t have to come over.

The Jags have embraced the UK. They’re not the most attractive team to watch, but they’ve got an exciting coach and they are a young team with some promising players. We’ve got an opportunity to see this team grow and, you never know, they just might become our very own franchise.

So let’s hear it for Jacksonville. Thank them for the all they’ve done for football on our shores and here’s hoping we can finally see them win in October 2015.

It’s finally here! Week 15 is the week we get to see Johnny Football start an NFL game. It looks very unlikely that Cleveland will clinch a play-off spot, last week’s last minute defeat to the Colts shattered any realistic hopes for Browns fans. They can, however, put a dent in their AFC North rivals’ play-off chances if they beat the Bengals at the Dog Pound. Manziel is an unknown quantity so it’ll be interesting to see how Cincinnati handle him. He might make a decent point scorer for fantasy teams entering their postseasons.

Waiting for the Bengals to falter are the Steelers and Ravens. Baltimore will be feeling confident after their impressive win in Miami last week. They’re hosting the Jags whilst Pittsburgh travel to Atlanta. The Falcons are a different kettle of fish in the Georgia Dome, but Big Ben, Bell and Brown might be too strong for their offence.

The Colts will clinch the AFC South title and a play-off berth with a home win against division rivals Houston. The Texans and JJ Watt will put up a fight. Watt’s battle with Luck will be fun to watch.

The 49ers’ hopes of a play-off spot will end with defeat in Seattle. Kaepernick hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in the final quarter of a game all season. He needs to improve his game substantially if he’s to win in the Pacific North West for the first time in his career. Don’t expect many touchdowns in this dog fight. Pete Carroll will probably kill the Jim Harbaugh era in San Francisco with victory on Sunday night.

Another intriguing NFC divisional battle is in the east. Like the 49ers and Seahawks, the Cowboys and Eagles last played each other two weeks ago. Philadelphia came out on top in that contest and a win on Sunday night will pretty much clinch them the division. The Cowboys face a battle for one of the wild card spots, so victory is vital for them at Lincoln Field. This might be a shoot-out.

Despite being 4-8-1 the Panthers are still in the hunt for the NFC South. That division is a peculiar one this year because each team has been poor! Carolina host the Bucs today, but they do so without Cam Newton. Everyone wishes him a speedy recovery after his shocking car accident this week. The Panthers will miss him in their run-in, but they don’t want to rush him back.

The Saints are struggling but they’re still very much in the mix for the NFC South. They’re heading north to a frozen Soldier Field for Monday Night Football. This game might be pounded out on the solid turf, so it should play into Forte’s hands. Mark Ingram has been an impressive back this year and both of these defenses have been poor so we could be treated to another high scoring contest.

The Broncos and Patriots could both secure their bye weeks on Sunday night. There have been question marks over Manning’s throwing arm in recent weeks. He’s heading to warmer climes on Sunday for a divisional encounter in San Diego. Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates are solid performers at home so this will be a tough test for Denver.

Over on the Atlantic conditions will be the antithesis to those in Southern California. Miami tackle the Patriots at Gillette and it’ll be a big ask of Tannehill and Co to topple Brady.

The battle for the NFC North is red hot. It doesn’t look like anyone can stop the Packers at the minute, but Rodgers face a stern test against a strong Bills defense in Buffalo. The game at the Ralph Wilson stadium might be tighter than you’d expect.

Detroit are hot on the heels of Green Bay and they host Minnesota on Sunday night. Calvin Johnson has found some form and the Lions are very tough at home. Their solid defense could be too much for Teddy Bridgewater on his first visit to Ford Field.

It’s the battle for the NFC East’s wooden spoon when the Redskins travel to New York. RGIII might start, but Washington are leaving it until the last minute before making a decision whether to play Colt McCoy – oh how the mighty fall!

One of the league’s form teams travels to the midwest to take on AFC West rivals, Kansas. Derek Carr was impressive in last week’s Battle of the Bay victory, throwing three touchdowns. The Chiefs are running everything through Jamaal Charles, but their leading RB took a few knocks last week. Oakland’s first win of the year was in the reverse fixture so we’ll see if KC get revenge.

The highlights reel might not be long in Nashville. The Jets are travelling to the Titans and these are two of the worst teams in the league. Rex Ryan’s team appear to still be fighting for him and New York have a bit more flair than Tennessee. Don’t expect a classic.

Just what is going on in San Francisco? One of the great franchises is crumbling from the ground up. Yes, you can argue that things were worse at the start of this decade, but the rumblings that we’re hearing from the franchise isn’t the norm for this once classy organisation.

Rumours about Jim Harbaugh’s future have engulfed The Bay all year and now we’re witnessing the effects. The team lacks leadership. It needs direction and it’s desperate for solidarity. Defeat to their archrivals, the Seattle Seahawks, this weekend will end their season. The team that has reached the NFC Championship game three years running under Harbaugh just might finish bottom of their division later this month.

The 49ers have the players to win their next three games and gatecrash the postseason, but what they need is faith in their leadership. You live and die as a team, but are they prepared to die on their sword for their coach? It doesn’t look like it.

The Jim Harbaugh effect has worn off on this group. The youngsters in the squad appear to buy into his college-style leadership, but the others have heard it all before. It’s time for a fresh start. When, not if, Harbaugh goes, the coach who takes over this franchise will have an impressive roster to take over.

How do you solve a problem like Kaepernick?

The offense needs sorting. The receivers look like they’re out of sorts. Their strong run game has gone and the quarterback looks lost.

When Kaepernick burst onto the scene two years ago he had a few of the top pundits predicting that he would be the best signal-caller of his generation. His superb athleticism and strong arm would strike fear into all who faced him. But, look at footage of that raw QB and then play the tape of this campaign and you’ll see that he hasn’t improved. He’s made the occasional big play, but he’s consistently been poor. Sack after sack, pick after pick, missed pass after missed pass. He was supposed to have been working hard on his game in the off season, but what was he doing? His O-line hasn’t helped, but you get the feeling that 2015 will be make or break for him.

Week 15 is also make or break for this franchise. There’s nothing Pete Carroll would like more than to end Jim Harbaugh’s time in San Francisco. The 49ers are capable of beating Seattle, but it depends on whether they’re prepared to fight for the man who appears to be leaving them anyway.

Friday 1:25am – Arizona Cardinals vs St Louis Rams (Sky Sports 1)

Sunday 6pm – Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns (Sky Sports 2)

Sunday 9:05pm – Denver Broncos vs San Diego Chargers (Sky Sports 2)

Monday 1:30am – Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles (Channel 4)

Tuesday 1:30am – New Orleans Saints vs Chicago Bears (Eurosport 2)

Did your team do enough to get you into your fantasy league’s play-offs? Here are this week’s top 5 point scorers.

TV Listing

Sunday 6pm – Indianapolis Colts vs Cleveland Browns (Sky Sports 2)

Sunday 9:25pm – Seattle Seahawks vs Philadelphia Eagles (Sky Sports 2)

Monday 1:30am – New England Patriots vs San Diego Chargers (Channel 4)

Tuesday 1:30am – Atlanta Falcons vs Green Bay Packers (Eurosport 2)

We’ve got a high pressure game on Sky Sports at 9:25pm. Dallas’ win on Thursday night keeps the heat on Philly and they face the defending Super Bowl champions at Lincoln Financial Field. Seattle’s defense has found its groove again. They’re racing up the NFC West and have Arizona in their sights. As good as the Eagles’ offence is, it’s struggled against solid defences this year and this might be too stern a test. But, they’re at home and it’s going to be below freezing and that might play into their hand.

As the Seahawks look to make a move in their division, struggling Arizona host the stuttering Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have made it clear that they intend to utilise Jamaal Charles as much as possible in December. Alex Smith knows all about the Cardinals and using Charles might be the best way to come out on top against Arizona’s solid D.

Should the Cardinals fail again then San Francisco’s hopes of making the post season looks more achievable. It’s simple for the 49ers, win every game between now and January and you’re most likely to make it into the play-offs. Kaepernick is struggling, make no doubt about that. He was given so many weapons this season, but he can’t seem to see the field once he’s outside the pocket. He’s got great athleticism and a strong arm, but he hasn’t developed since breaking onto the scene in 2012. The 49ers should brush aside the Raiders this week, their defence is too strong for Oakland’s feeble offense. But, The Battle of the Bay is always a brutal encounter.

With the Falcons travelling to Fortress Lambeau the Saints must beat the Panthers in the Superdome if they want to take control of the NFC South. Only top spot will take a team from this division into the post season. Both Carolina and New Orleans are shadows of their 2013 selves, but the Saints have more about them and should top the division by the time we’ve had our tea.

Another tight division is the AFC North. Two of them go head-to-head at the Paul Brown Stadium in one of the early kick offs. Andy Dalton and the Bengals take on Big Ben and his Steelers. Cincinnati are on a three-game winning streak, but Ben and his offence pose a threat to everyone. This will be an intriguing contest.

Should the Bengals slip up then Baltimore will be hoping to move level with them, if they win in Miami. The Dolphins are still in the play-off hunt as well so that means Cleveland could stir things up in the North if they beat the Colts in freezing conditions in Ohio. We won’t be seeing Johnny Football at the start of this one. Brian Hoyer has got the Browns this far and he deserves the chance to carry them into the post season.

Will we see J.J. Watt line up at Tight End against the Jags? He’s been a delight for fantasy owners and is a true legend of the game. If you haven’t heard the audio of him when he was mic’d up last week then make sure you do – there’s no surprise he’s so good.

If you’ve got Lions players in your fantasy team then line them up this week because Tampa Bay fly into Ford Field.

We love this time of year because every game means so much. Good luck if you’re chasing those fantasy play-off spots.

Have you digested that Thanksgiving feast of football yet?

The NFC served up three fascinating encounters on Thursday night and this weekend two of the league’s elite quarter backs go throw-for-throw at Lambeau. Surprisingly Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have never played against each other as starting QBs. Both men come from California, they each wear number 12 and they’re amongst the top three signal callers in the league. This game will be tight. How will Green Bay handle Gronk? Will Eddie Lacy pound through the heart of New England’s front seven? This just might be the season’s Super Bowl dress rehearsal.

The Packers will be hoping for home advantage when January comes. Number One in the NFC right now are the Arizona Cardinals. They enter Week 13 on 9&2 for the season. They only managed a field goal in Seattle last time out, but they were missing their number one receiver Larry Fitzgerald. He’s questionable this week for their trip to the NFC South’s leaders, Atlanta. The Falcons are 4&7, so it’s surprising that they’re topping a division that includes the Saints and Panthers. Atlanta are a better team at home and defeat for Arizona will open up the NFC.

They say Peyton Manning doesn’t like the cold. He’s heading to freezing conditions in the Mid West for the Sunday Night Football match-up at division rivals Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs came close to an upset the last time these teams met in Week 2 and they’re still smarting after their surprise defeat to Oakland last time out. Victory against Denver will put Kansas level with the Broncos, and who knows what will happen over the four games that follow?

All eyes will be on Colt McCoy now that he’s taken over the signal calling in DC. Jay Gruden has had enough of RGIII so he’s decided to give McCoy a go. He’s won the two games he’s played this year and he’ll certainly make a statement if he manages to beat Indianapolis in the Lucas Oil Stadium. He’s got decent weapons to throw to, he just needs to do what Griffin didn’t – find them!

Ryan Tannehill will come in handy for some fantasy owners. The Dolphins travel to the New York Jets, a divisional match-up we’ll experience at Wembley next year.

The Saints will be happy to leave home this weekend. Three weeks ago they faced the 49ers with an unbeaten home record that went back eleven games. They’ve lost their last three games – all at home. They can still make the play-offs, so too can today’s opponents Pittburgh. The AFC North is one of the tightest divisions in the league so a home win will be crucial for them, but it won’t be the end of their season if they lose.

It’s Thanksgiving Day in America and we’ve got a lot to be thankful for this side of the pond. Last night the NFL thanked UK fans for our continued support, but we should show our gratitude to them for bringing us this sport.

We should also be thankful for the three amazing games they’ve scheduled for today! It’s wide open in the NFC and we’ve got three crackers to look forward to.

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving Day without a Lions game on the box. They get our evening of football underway, playing host to division rivals Chicago. The Lions will want to halt their two-game losing streak against a talented Bears team that has failed to live up to expectations this season. The Bears have won their last two games, but they’re 1&2 in the division. Detroit need this to stay in the play-off positions. Defeat will eliminate the Bears.

The second game of the evening is another Thanksgiving tradition. The Cowboys have hosted a Thanksgiving Day game since the 60s and this year’s match-up has everything at stake. The NFC East is up for grabs in this one. Philly travel to Texas sitting at the top of the division. Both teams have winning records in the East, but with so many top teams battling for just two wild card places, each side will want the guarantee of a top spot. The winner of this one can cement their place in the post season in two weeks time when the Eagles play the Cowboys again.

The headline act this Thanksgiving Day will be a bruising encounter for us all. There’s no love lost between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. History tells us that it’s normally the home side who wins when these two play each other. The 49ers are in their new home, but they’ve won the last five at home in this series. Both offences have struggled to impress, but both of their defences have been amongst the best in the league in recent weeks. This game might be low scoring, but we’re guaranteed an exciting encounter. There’s so much play for here. The 49ers and Seahawks are both 7&4; each side are two games behind the Cardinals. The loser will be left outside the play-off spots looking in and it’s unlikely that the Cardinals will lose four of their next five. Like in the East, this fixture is reversed in just two weeks time.

So, sit back, enjoy the football and be thankful for the drama that will unfold in front of your eyes.