Let’s continue our list of the highlights of the games from Week 13, (Part 1 Here) and some notes for the teams going into Week 14
MIA 15, BAL 13
At the end we had a taste of talent from Devante Parker, and this could be a glimpse of what he can deliver in the future. He is a physical, tall, strong and fast receiver that has everything to be a true # 1. We will see as his development continues. With all and the disastrous season they have had, there are several salvageable things: First, remember that many of the lost matches were tough, and lost by a few points. Also, there is young talent for the future in the roster, like Williams, Mosley, Aiken, Yanda or Allen. The future looks much better.
CIN 37, CLE 3
The Bengals are maintaining their momentum before the playoffs, and are stacking up to win the # 1, take a bye week, in addition to home advantage throughout the playoffs. No doubt there are some things that are very different in them this year, and some of it is playing more as a team. We’ll see if this is the year that they manage to transcend. Manziel returns to be the starter for the Browns, and this will give him opportunity to show what he’s got for the rest of the regular season. What is certain is that it will be a long way to convince the team that he deserves to be their quarterback of the future. My bet is that he will end up in another team and the Browns will choose a quarterback in the first draft picks next year.
TEN 42, JAX 39
In a duel of young quarterbacks, both showed they have a lot of talent and desire to succeed. On the side of the Titans, Mariota has proven to be very accurate with his passes, and finally showed his amazing ability to run with a touchdown of over 80 yards. Bortles was not far behind, and he knows how to use his weapons as his productive receiver Allen Robinson, who is a key player. Bortles also has a big arm and good feet to slide in the pocket. As development continues, he will be one of the most interesting quarterbacks in the future.
PIT 45, IND 10
We know that when Big Ben is healthy, his offense will be explosive and unstoppable. The combination of Williams, Brown, Bryant and Wheaton is deadly to any defense, and that’s how they win games. No one will want to face them in the playoffs if they manage to reach. The Colts ran into reality: they will not get very far this year; they just don’t have the talent. Their defense is weak, the offensive line is porous and Matt Hasselbeck just will not be able to resume into the games.
CAR 41, NO 38
The Panthers have two of the most impressive league leaders: in the offensive end with Cam Newton, and across with Luke Kuechly. This has catapulted the team on the road to success, and these difficult victories speak of resilience and willingness of the team. The future is cloudy for the Saints: Brees is already a veteran with little remaining time in the league, the defensive players they have cannot anchor a restructuring, and it is likely that Sean Payton will be out of the franchise. It will take several years for this team to get back into greatness.
DAL 19, WAS 16
The Cowboys took this game with pure pride, tooth and claw. In one of the oldest rivalries in the NFL, the team that did not stop fighting until the end, won. That said, I see no chance they get to playoffs with Matt Cassel, he is not a good quarterback. The Redskins lost a tough game, but still are at the head of the division. It is time for Gruden to motivate his players, into putting this defeat behind them to put them on track to the playoffs.
DEN 17, SD 3
If Manning comes back should he get the starting position? There are many opinions, but they must continue what is giving them results. Osweiler has played well, and gives another dimension to this offensive, while Manning has been beaten and has not played well since last year. The Chargers are finished, we already knew that, but one point that stands out is the poor performance of rookie Melvin Gordon. not even able to get a touchdown this season, averaging 3.6 yards per mediocre carry.
SF 26, CHI 20 (OT)
Cutler was out of sync, and much less effective than in other games this year. It seems that the absence of Marquise Wilson has affected him, as it has coincided with his bad performances. The team remains in competition for a wildcard spot, so they have to shake off this defeat and win their remaining matches. the team’s major players have to step forward and excel. Blaine Gabbert made two plays that nobody thought he could do. First a long run where he scored, and a long pass to Torrey Smith that sealed the game in overtime. Will he continue to silence the mouths of those who do not believe in him?
KC 34, OAK 20
The Chiefs pace has been impressive and we have seen this over the years, again and again, as a team starts gaining momentum and ultimately wins the championship. The offensive has grown, with Maclin, Smith and the two runners playing at a very high level, and the defense is strengthened each week. It will be an awkward opponent in the playoffs if he can qualify. The Raiders have lowered their level and now Carr is making rookie mistakes, something he had avoided doing earlier in the year. The future is bright, but Del Rio has to do everything to limit these mistakes and keep feeding motivation to the team.
PHI 35, NE 28
27. The Patriots managed to disappoint many with their performance on Sunday. Losing against a team that has failed to work, it is unacceptable, even with so many injuries. That defeat made them lose, for now, his position as No. 1 seed in the AFC, and that could prove very costly. The good news is that some players will be returning from injuries as time goes on, and the team would go back to contending status. The Eagles can only win with a great performance from special teams and fringe performances from the defensive and offensive. Otherwise, they can not be victorious. It is not a compact, complete or motivated team.
