10 things to watch in NFL Week 16: Ravens vs. Steelers, Luck vs. Carr
Also, can the Browns get a win? Here are the biggest storylines to watch with playoff positioning at stake
By
Pete Prisco
•
2 min read
Here are 10 things from NFL Week 16 that intrigue me:
The Steelers offense vs. the Ravens defense: The Steelers have the seventh-ranked offense, but they face a tough challenge in the Baltimore defense, which is ranked fifth. The Steelers are 11th in rushing, but they are much better lately with Le'Veon Bell rolling up numbers. Baltimore is second against the run. Something has to give.
How will Texans quarterback Tom Savage play in his first NFL start? The Texans decided to bench Brock Osweiler last week and play Savage. He responded with 260 yards passing -- and zero picks -- to rally the Texans to a victory over the Jaguars. But now he's the guy starting and there is tape on him. How does he handle the pressure this week against the Bengals?
Andrew Luck vs. Derek Carr: I know they don't go against each other, but this will be a game where the best quarterback wins. Luck won at Minnesota last week against a tough Vikings defense and the Raiders struggle some on defense. Can Luck outduel Carr, who should have success against the Colts defense?
Can the Browns get a win against the Chargers? The Browns have looked awful and have the look of an 0-16 team. But with the Chargers out of it, plus playing in the cold, will they be focused? Can the Browns steal one? Probably not, but this may be their best chance.
Can Lions quarterback Matt Stafford upset the Cowboys in his hometown? Stafford is from Dallas, so this is big for the Lions QB on Monday night. It's also big because the Lions are trying to hang on to first place in the division. The Cowboys are playing for the top seed. This will be fun.
Von Miller and Justin Houston in the same game: This matchup between the Broncos and Chiefs features two of the NFL's elite edge rushers. In a battle that is expected to be close, the difference might be a sack-fumble-game-over play from one of these two. Who makes it?
Julio Jones vs. the Panthers secondary: Jones missed the past two weeks with a toe injury, but he is expected to play this week against the Panthers. In the first meeting between the teams, he had 12 catches for 300 yards and a touchdown. Fantasy owners have to hope he's a go.
Will Aaron Rodgers stay hot against the Vikings? Remember all that talk about how Rodgers wasn't the same and couldn't be elite anymore? It was stupid talk then, and now even more so. He has 32 touchdown passes and is back in the MVP conversation. Since Week 7, he has 22 touchdown passes even though he didn't get one last week. The Vikings limited him to 213 yards and a touchdown pass when they beat the Packers in Week 2. This is a different Rodgers.
Who runs it better: Miami or Buffalo? The Bills lead the league in rushing and LeSean McCoy is having an outstanding season. But the last time these teams played back in October, it was the Dolphins who ran all over the Buffalo defense. Jay Ajayi ran for 214 yards. The Bills are 27th against the run, so there should be chances for Ajayi to rack up big numbers again.
Will interim coach Doug Marrone give the Jaguars a boost against the Titans? The Jaguars will still be bad on offense and still be solid on defense. I think they will be feisty against the Titans, their hated rival. They would love to knock the Titans out of the playoff chase. I just don't think it will happen.
