14. Raiders vs Giants
New Frontier
The Raiders have fired their GM, head coach, and coordinator. Will this provide a spark to the Raiders, or will they look even worse?
The Giants are putting Daniel Jones back in the driver's seat. Interestingly, the team didn't look so hopeless when Jones was out. Daniel Jones needs to prove he can be part of the solution instead of the problem, or else the Giants may not wait til next year to replace him.
Prediction Raiders
13. Browns vs. Cardinals
The Return
The Browns have fielded a strong team in Deshaun Watson's absence, but now that he's back, their ceiling is much higher. If Deshaun is right, the Browns should torch the Cardinals.
The Cardinals haven't won a whole bunch of games, but they have been competitive and fun to watch. Now that Dobbs is gone, will the Cardinals still be entertaining?
Prediction Browns
12. Rams vs. Packers
Need a Spark
The Rams and Packers are both teams who came out of the gate and raised their season expectations. However, as the weeks have gone by, they are losing steam. Rams have had back-to-back losses, with their last being their worst. The Packers look like one of the worst teams in this league. Someone needs some momentum to get back on track.
Prediction Rams
11. Bears vs. Saints
Back To Back
The Saints are feeling the heat, too. The last time they won back-to-back games was week one to two. They are now 4-4, and they could take control of the division with a win here and stay above .500. But they can't lose to the Bears, who have not been good.
Tyler Bagent has got to be feeling the heat. Despite most of the media conspiring to present him as a hall of famer, he did not look good against the Charges, and now he's up against a tough Saints defense. Plus, Fields is practicing, which means he is getting close to returning. Tyler Bagent needs to have a good performance, but not just for him. Bagent will expose the coaching staff's weaknesses because they don't have Justin Fields to blame if they fail.
Prediction Saints
10. Bucs vs. Texans
Sliders
Baker and CJ Stroud are starting to fade in the background. Their jobs aren't in immediate jeopardy, but they both have talent on their teams, and they both are the key to unlocking their teams. Which team will turn? Will CJ Stroud step up, or will Baker maintain his position?
Prediction Bucs
9. Vikings vs. Falcons
I am the Captain Now
Backups will be taking over for both the Falcons and the Vikings. After signing Josh Dobbs, the Vikings should be able to compete for the rest of the season. However, Jaren Hall will get to start first for the Vikings. Hall has a limited time to show the Vikings staff that they don't need Dobbs as anything more than his backup. The best way to do that would be to go out and get a win.
On the other side, QB Taylor Hienicke is more seasoned and respected as a QB. Also, he has a little more job security because he got put in because the first-string QB lost the job, not because of injury. But as a backup, Taylor could just as easily end up right back on the bench if he doesn't play well. The Vikings are very beatable. A win here would loosen that qb one leash. Who will secure their job?
Prediction Falcons
8. Panthers vs. Colts
Revenge Game
The Colts fired Frank Reich as their head coach, and he is currently offensive coordinator for the Panthers. So far, the Panthers look worse. Even with their star QB in, they have only won one game. The odds are definitely on the Colts's side, but can the Panthers upset them and stick it to the Colts for firing Frank Reich?
Predictions Colts
7. Jets Vs. Chargers
Testing Grounds
The Chargers beat the Bears, which was about as predictable as the sun coming up. However, the Jets are better. The Jets are a good test for the Chargers because this defense will test Hebert. Can Herbert slice through this defense and win his team the game? Because, let's be real, the largest obstacle the Jets possess is the defense. Also, can the Chargers defense give Zach Wilson trouble?
On the Jets side, this is a good test as well. The Chargers have good players, but they are very beatable. Can the Jets get it done? What's their breaking point in terms of the talent of their opponents?
Prediction Jets
6. Commanders vs. Patriots
The Battle of 2023
The Patriots are a beatable team, but how bad will the Commanders look after their trades? The Patriots may be a bad team on paper, but they have been playing better lately. This is the perfect opportunity for the Patriots to get their third win. Can the Patriots steal another win? Whose team is worse off right now?
The Commanders started out the season as a frisky team, but now, as they have faced adversity, management has given up on the idea that the Commanders will contend in 2023. They have traded away two of their best defensive weapons, But does that mean the Commanders are rolling over and dying?
Prediction Patriots
5. Steelers vs Titans
Reaction
The Steelers played very well. I think we saw exactly what we were hoping to see. The Steelers were able to play complimentary football. When the defense needed one, the offense was able to go get the points. When the offense couldn't finish the game, the defense went off a sealed the game. Picken's reaction after the game was really troubling. He failed to stay in bounds on a touchdown catch, and it was completely his fault. He didn't do much all game, but it was fine because Johnson was going off, and Robinson was productive. But he had the nerve to complain about not getting the ball enough, and he unfollowed all his coaches. This was a very bad look. It's a slap in the face to his teammates, and it shows that he doesn't care about winning.
The Titans lost a close one, and it was on rookie Will Levis. However, the entire team looks better with Levis in the game. He is really poised in the pocket, and he has a great arm. I think even though Titans fans are upset with the loss, they should be excited about Will's future.
Winner Steelers
4. Seahawks vs. Ravens
Going Steady
Both of these teams have Super Bowl coaches leading them. Both teams have been steady and found ways to win. But in the big games like this, who has more dawg in them? Which team has the stamina to go the distance?
Prediction Ravens
3. Chiefs Vs. Dolphins
Is It Still Funny?
Back when Tyreek left the Chiefs, everyone wondered how Mahomes would recover. Could he still be great without the Cheetah? All Patrick did was win a Super Bowl and win MVP. But at the beginning of that season, Tyreek said that Tua was more accurate than Mahomes.
Back then, most laughed and assumed Tyreek was just trying to hype up his guy. Many people dogged Tua without realizing he was an extremely talented QB who maintained a winning record despite coming off a catastrophic injury that put his entire career into question and having very little protection or weapons in Miami. But Tua proved all the haters wrong when he balled out in 2022, but injury would prevent the Dolphins from a possible showdown with the Chiefs in the playoffs.
But now we get to see it. Mahomes is having a rough year, and his weapons are thinner than ever. So foolishly, we find ourselves asking if Patrick Mahomes can get it done regardless of the status of his weapons. Now leading candidate for MVP Tyreek Hill gets a revenge game with the QB he said was more accurate than Mahomes. Will that still be a funny claim when this game is over?
Prediction Dolphins
2. Bengals vs. Bills
Passed By
The Bills looked to be the one true challenger to the Chiefs in the AFC, but the Bills kept failing, and while that was happening, the Bengals arose and actually beat the Chiefs multiple times. The Bills and Bengals never really got to play, so we could only compare them based on how they played the Chiefs. But we had to wonder, what if the Bills match up well against the Bengals?
Well, In their first game, the Demar Hamlin injury got that game canceled, but before it ended, the Bengals were slicing through the Bills. When the Bengals did get to play the Bills in the bright lights of the playoffs, the Bengals embarrassed them. The Bengals went to the Bill's stadium in the snow and walked right through the Bills like they weren't even there. So, it was safe to say the Bills were left behind in the AFC race.
But is that still true? The Bengals have had a rocky year due to Burrow's injury, but he's fully back. The Bills have struggled because they are a hot and cold team. But who will come out on top? Will the Bengals win and continue their arc of playing well late in the season and making a playoff push like last year? Or will the Bills prove that they are still relevant contenders?
Prediction Bengals
1. Eagles vs. Cowboys
Years in the Making
This is one of the biggest stories ever featured on The Greatest Story on Turf. 2021 Back When Jalen Hurts was on the come up and Dak and the Cowboys were the big dogs of the NFC East; the Eagles were no match for the Cowboys. Some people wrongly concluded Jalen wasn't good, but others wondered what would happen if the teams were on equal footing
Fast forward to 2022, and the Eagles and Cowboys are both powerhouses. Dak gets hurt, but the Cowboys are too big to fail, and they go undefeated until they play Philly, where the then-undefeated Eagles utterly defeat them. But fans had to wonder, what if Dak had played? But Dak did return later in the season for a match-up that would be really important to the seeding of the playoffs, but this time, Hurts was injured. The Cowboys got their win back, but fans were forced to wonder what would have happened if Hurts had been there.
the Super Bowl and have ultimate bragging rights. The Eagles beat the Giants, who were trying to make another improbable run to the Super Bowl. Having secured the one seed, the Eagles were waiting for the Cowboys in the conference title game. The Cowboys beat Tom Brady and the Bucs, but they never made it to the conference title game; instead, their season was cut short by the 49ers…again. Even though the games technically happened, it felt like two teams who have to play each other twice a year had gone a full season without ever really playing each other.
Now, here we are in 2023, and Hurts is here, and Dak is here. We finally get to see who's who at full strength. The Eagles have the better record but are actually the underdogs because Dallas is playing better at this very moment. These fanbases and the entire nation have debated this game for two years, and on Sunday, the time for talk is finally over. We will definitely find out who's better.
Prediction Eagles