National Football League Preview

Week 16 in the NFL is upon us, and as always the pressure on teams to produce and perform is enormous. That's certainly the case this week, as there are several key games kicking off, each with post-season implications.

Jets QB Mark Sanchez will start today in Chicago
despite a sore throwing shoulder.
Photo courtesy of rotoworld.com

The most notable of these games in my mind is the looming Jets-Bears duel at 1:00pm. The Bears are 10-4 and control their own destiny in the NFC North after a powerful dismantiling of the rival Vikings-they got excellent play across the board from their offense (Jay Cutler delivered multiple scores and threw no picks), defense (that unit held the Vikes to 14 points), and special teams (Devin Hester exploded on a second-half punt return for a score). A similar effort will be needed if the Bears want to replicate results like that on Sunday. The Jets, on the other hand, are nearly as good as the Michael Vick-led Eagles that Chicago  knocked off so convincingly earlier this year, and they have the recent victories to prove it.

They're riding a decisive win last weekend over the Steelers, and staying on the road today shouldn't be that tough for a Rex Ryan team that's 11-4 under him in games away from the Meadowlands. A more important factor is the weather, and specifically, the wind conditions at Soldier Field. How accurately will Mark Sanchez be able to deliver the ball under pressure from Julius Peppers and strong wind gusts? We'll have to wait and see.

In the NFC West, things are still very tight, and the Rams and 49ers head into today's clash each needing to win to stay alive.  St. Louis and the Seahawks sit atop the NFL's worst division with six wins each, but San Fran can keep themselves in it if they knock off Sam Bradford and Co. today. The rookie has performed admirably this season, delivering 17 touchdowns and topping 3,000 yards. What's more, if he leads the Rams to victory today. they'll have surpassed their win total from the previous three years combined-if that's not motivating, I'm not sure what is. These two squads are nearly even in rushing, passing, and total yards per game, so the deciding factor could be special teams-the Rams average nearly 25 yards a kickoff return, while the 49ers bring it back just a shade over 21 yards on average. In a game of inches, that could make all the difference.


Despite their struggles this season, the Colts also have a shot at a nice finish to the year, in  a contest that should have the atmosphere of a playoff game. Peyton Manning leads the Colts into Oakland looking to wrestle away the AFC South from the Jaguars-if they win today, they do just that. The performance of Manning will clearly be key in that one, as he has a passer rating that's 20 points higher on the road than at home. On the opposite sideline, Oakland needs to ride Darren McFadden hard-his versatility in running for 100 yards while at the same time catching four passes was key in their win over the Broncos last week, and they desperately need standout play from him today. The former Arkansas star could easily hit those numbers though, as Indy's defense will be playing without anchors Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, and Gary Brackett. I wouldn't be altogether shocked to see Oakland take down the Colts, but as long as Manning is that the helm, I don't see that happening.

With every week, the pressure grows. With every game, playoff implications shift, and the entire season boils down to one thing: victories. Win and stay alive. Lose and see opportunities slip from your grasp. Most teams today have one shot at survival....who will seize it?

--Beau