The AFC West will be affected big time in Week 13 as the Denver Broncos take on the Kansas City Chiefs, and the San Diego Chargers have a tough game against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Denver Broncos were one of the most dominant teams in the NFL a season ago, and they're not far removed from that this time around. They've been excellent, sporting an 8-3 record and in control of the AFC West, but their spot atop the division isn't guaranteed and is even in danger in Week 13.
Both the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers are pushing the Broncos for the division lead. The Chiefs are 7-4 and have to be kicking themselves after falling to the Oakland Raiders in Week 12 -- it was a solid opportunity to tie things up, and they blew it. But the Chiefs will get another chance in Week 13, as they will play host to Peyton Manning and the Broncos on Sunday Night Football.
That game could very well decide the fate of the AFC West, but the Chargers are still in the discussion. San Diego has a tough matchup as they'll be facing off against the Baltimore Ravens, who are also 7-4 and fighting for a division lead. The AFC West is certainly one of the most interesting divisions in the league, and Week 13 could go in many different directions.
Here's how the rest of the divisions are shaping up around the league:
AFC North
If the AFC West isn't the most competitive division in football, then it's definitely the AFC North. The Cincinnati Bengals are currently on top with a 7-3-1 record, with that lone tie being the deciding factor between them and the rest of the division. The Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Ravens all sit at 7-4 with as good a chance as any to take the division lead this week. The Bengals have an easy game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, however, while the other three teams have tougher matchups.
AFC South
The Indianapolis Colts may have slipped up a couple times, but they're still 7-4 and there's not much threatening them from within the NFC South. The Houston Texans, the worst team in the league last season, aren't far behind at 5-6, but this division likely belongs to the Colts, who will take on a bad Washington team on Sunday. Both the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars are non-factors.
AFC East
The New England Patriots are getting pushed for the AFC East more than usual this year, but they're still three games up on both the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. New England is 9-2 and has to be eying a No. 1 seed in the playoffs, but they do have a tough game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Miami has an easy game against the New York Jets on on Monday Night Football, while the Bills have a tough game against the Browns on Sunday.
NFC West
This division has been a wild one. The Arizona Cardinals are 9-2 after dropping a Week 12 game to the Seattle Seahawks, who are now 8-4 after beating the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday. Arizona has a winnable game against the Atlanta Falcons, where they can increase their lead in the division.
NFC North
The Packers are ahead in the NFC North, but with a tough game against the Patriots, they could soon be tied with the 8-4 Detroit Lions. The Lions beat the Chicago Bears on Thursday and will have to wait for Green Bay's game to know if they'll share the lead in the division going into Week 14. Both Chicago and the Minnesota Vikings are non-factors.
NFC South
This is the worst division in football by far. While the New Orleans Saints and Falcons are dangerous teams, they've both been bad a lot more than they've been good this year. They share the division lead at just 4-7 on the season, while the Carolina Panthers are also sadly in the discussion at 3-7-1. Even the 2-9 Buccaneers are in it, which says plenty about the NFC South.
NFC East
This division was impacted big time on Thursday, as the Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Dallas Cowboys, 33-10. The two teams were tied at 8-3 going into that game, but the Eagles now have sole possession of first place at 9-3. The Cowboys are obviously still in the running, and they are one of the first in line for a wild card berth if they can't bring home the division. Both the New York Giants and Washington are non-factors.
from SBNation.com - All Posts http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2014/11/30/7307603/nfl-standings-2014-playoff-picture-week-13-afc-west
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment