Sport of the week
Inexperienced Bay Packers (11-4) v Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
The scheduling gods have flexed their muscular tissues and pushed one other potential warm-up for the postseason into the selection late-afternoon slot. We now have a late festive feast in Inexperienced Bay heading to Minnesota, in favor of a moist squib between Philadelphia and Dallas, for what might become the NFC Championship Sport. The Packers are recent from locking their playoff place with a thrashing of the Saints whereas the Vikings are gunning for an unimaginable ninth win in succession. Sadly for Matt LaFleur’s group they can not attain any larger than third within the NFC North because the Lions additionally sit on 13-2, however this presents an ideal probability to observe taking part in on the street in opposition to a high-caliber rival. Minnesota in the meantime are neck and neck with Detroit for the No 1 seed and will likely be aiming for a vital victory – ane that might arrange a shoot-out for the first-round bye subsequent week in opposition to the Lions.
What the Packers must do to win: Inexperienced Bay’s offensive line has to win within the trenches to maintain Josh Jacobs rumbling. After a sluggish begin to the season, the working again has grown right into a key pillar of the assault with 12 touchdowns in his previous 10 video games. But it surely might want to come from the massive males dominating as Jacobs alone won’t be able to beat a Vikings protection that has given up solely seven dashing touchdowns all season – the fewest within the NFL – and the second-fewest whole yards at 1,306. Thankfully his linemen ought to be pumped as much as maintain lanes open after Jacobs, fourth within the NFL in whole dashing yards with 1,216, gave all of them customized diamond chains for Christmas. One good flip deserves one other.
What the Vikings must do to win: Brian Flores’ move rush has to strain Jordan Love. The Packers have struggled in opposition to the perfect the league has to supply, with their solely defeats in opposition to the Eagles, Vikings and Lions house and away. And they’ll want a classic show from their quarterback to keep away from getting swept away by Minnesota’s imply protection. The Vikings, who’ve the fifth-most sacks within the NFL with 44, have the move rush to pressure the second-year quarterback into expensive errors. Andrew Van Ginkel received the NFC’s finest defensive participant award final week as he sacked Geno Smith twice. Beneath defensive coordinator Flores, Minnesota are one of the vital aggressive models in soccer. The protection leads the league in blitzing at 36.1%, is fifth in quarterback hits with 99 and third in hurry share at 9.3%. If the Vikings can knock Love off his spot with regularity then his reverse quantity, Sam Darnold, ought to have sufficient probabilities to run up the rating with the NFL’s second-best receiver in Justin Jefferson to destroy the Packers secondary.
Rising: Jayden Daniels
Washington’s season reached a brand new excessive in toppling the harm hit Philadelphia Eagles final week. The younger quarterback’s Commanders have been down two scores with 5 minutes to play as he dragged them from 27-14 all the way down to an exciting 36-33 victory. Daniels managed to beat a sloppy defensive efficiency and 5 turnovers, two of which have been interceptions as a part of his personal struggles within the first half. The results of such a mammoth effort will likely be a strengthening of perception from Dan Quinn and the Commanders at massive that this group, in the event that they clear up the psychological errors, can maintain beating the percentages and make a mark within the playoffs.
The NFC East title can nonetheless be claimed if Philadelphia lose out and Washington win out, whereas another win for the Commanders seals their place within the postseason regardless. Because it stands they’d have a pulse-racing collection decider in opposition to the Eagles within the first spherical, a match they’d certainly fancy their probabilities in after Daniels’ heroics, however not earlier than the protection faces a critical check in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr will likely be set on following up his spectacular debut with one other sturdy exhibiting, so it’s as much as Washington’s head coach to encourage his males in opposition to the rookie. No group will need to face Washington if Quinn can get the group taking part in like they did within the last 5 in opposition to the Eagles for the complete recreation on Sunday.
Falling: Pittsburgh Steelers
The concept that the Pittsburgh offense could be revived by George Pickens coming back from harm can formally be canned. The Steelers wanted a quick begin in opposition to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs however as a substitute slammed into reverse on the opening three drives. A porous offensive line put Russell Wilson beneath fixed strain as he refused to throw away the ball, main to 2 drive-ending sacks. Then so as to add insult to harm, when 13-0 down, Wilson threw a horrible choose with the Steelers within the crimson zone. You can’t make such primary errors, because the group and extra particularly Wilson has completed in every of their three successive defeats, and anticipate to get better irrespective of the manufacturing from Mike Tomlin’s stellar protection. The Ravens now solely must knock over the limp Cleveland Browns to win the AFC North. A sixth playoff recreation in succession with no win beckons on the street, until Tomlin provides Justin Fields one other probability at quarterback.
Race for No 1 draft choose
The two-13 New York Giants have streaked right into a solo share for 2025’s prime draft choose with two video games remaining in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts and Eagles. The previous nonetheless have a slim shot on the playoffs and the latter, even with out Jalen Hurts and any rested starters, ought to nonetheless cruise, so it feels protected to say the bumbling Giants have a franchise-resetting quarterback incoming for subsequent season.
Elsewhere the runners and riders for the second general choose are New England, Tennessee, Cleveland, Jacksonville and Las Vegas, however who will keep within the race for second-bottom? One positively rises as Tennessee and Jacksonville face off, then the Raiders could be quietly assured of incomes a primary win in succession since Christmas Day final 12 months in opposition to the bereft New Orleans Saints. Cleveland ought to reside to lose one other day as they face a Miami group nonetheless with a faint probability of creating the postseason, whereas the Los Angeles Chargers will likely be hungry to construct some momentum for the playoffs with a dominant win over the New England Patriots.
