For as much as we all love the on-field action of the NFL, to act like the league doesn’t bring with it a WWE, soap opera quality would be foolish. Sports media foments beefs and slights between players and franchises, overhypes backhanded comments that should easily be cast aside, and offers a dump truck full of hot takes to whet the palate during the offseason and in between games to keep the interest in the sport at a fever pitch. And to a degree, we're all susceptible to it.
That is why the return of Julio Jones and Josh Norman. Jones has been getting crazy busy this season, leading the league in receiving yards and compiling a 103.04 Reception NEP, good for fourth in the league. Norman, on the other hand, grades out as Pro Football Focus's highest-ranked cornerback and anchors a Panthers' passing defense that ranks second in the league, per our numbers.
If the Falcons are to stand a chance, they have to get Julio going, which will require Matt Ryan, whose 0.23 Passing NEP per drop back after Week 7 has dropped precipitously to a 0.17 Passing NEP per drop back currently, to play better. This will be a very tough test for a team whose playoff hopes rest with coming away with a win.
How Will Week 14 Shape the Playoff Picture?
The NFL's quest for parity often begets the kind of drama that make every week in the last quarter of the season fascinating. That process begins this weekend.
In the AFC, the Jets and Chiefs hold the two Wild Card slots with each team have 7-5 records. But the Steelers are on a roll right now, too, and also sport a 7-5 record despite having played four games earlier this season without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who may literally be on fire right now, having thrown for 300-plus yards in each of his last four starts. The Steelers may have the toughest test of these three teams, though, squaring up against their division rival Cincinnati Bengals, whose 10-2 record has them sitting atop the AFC playoff standings.
Other AFC teams remaining in the hunt include the 6-6 Buffalo Bills and the 6-6 Houston Texans, of which our power rankings give the Texans the best shot at sneaking into the playoffs with a 43.8% chance due to their weak division, in which the 6-6 Matt Hasselbeck-led Indianapolis Colts hold a tenuous lead.
Looking at the NFC, the 8-5 Vikings and the 7-5 Seahawks hold the two Wild Card spots, and barring a surprising loss on the Seahawks' part to the injury-plagued Baltimore Ravens, they figure to remain in those slots after Week 14 concludes.
The real drama resides in the NFC East, where the Redskins hold the 4 seed, despite their 5-7 record, with the 5-7 Philadelphia Eagles, and the 5-7 New York Giants nipping at their heels. The Eagles figure to have the toughest matchup of these three teams, squaring up against the Bills, whereas the Giants head to Miami to face the 29th-ranked Dolphins, and the Redskins get to face the 26th-ranked Bears according to our power rankings.
While the NFC playoff picture is (for now) a bit clearer than the AFC, wins by the 6-6 Buccaneers against the Saints, or the 6-6 Falcons against the Panthers could really scramble the importance levels of next week's matchups. Get ready for a wild ride these last four weeks.