NFL Week 14 reaction: Top 5 storylines
Taking a look at some NFL Week 14 reaction, we have five storylines which will dominate the conversation going into Monday.
5. We know nothing about the AFC’s wild card race
Which three teams are going to be the wild cards in the AFC when the playoff picture is finally settled. You might be better off stating the team which definitely won’t be. Barring a miracle, the Tennessee Titans are winning their division. After that, we know the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans and New York Jets have been officially eliminated from contention. Then there’s the Las Vegas Raiders and Miami Dolphins, who at 6-7, are alive but barely. The other 10 teams? They could all end up as a wild card. Insane.
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4. Who is going to win the AFC North?
Staying in the AFC, who is going to be crowned champion of the North after Week 18? The Baltimore Ravens are leading the way at 8-5 but quarterback Lamar Jackson has a sprained ankle and their schedule is absolutely brutal. Behind them, the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, who all have six weeks. We’ll find out a bit more this weekend, with the Browns hosting the Raiders on Saturday, before the Ravens welcome in the Green Bay Packers, the Bengals visit the Denver Broncos and the Steelers try to defeat the Titans at Heinz Field.
3. The 49ers are moving closer to the playoffs
By beating the Bengals in overtime, 26-23, the San Francisco 49ers moved to 7-6 and the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoff picture. San Francisco is now a game clear of the five-team cluster below them, and the 49ers get a chance to move another step forward this coming weekend with a home game against the Atlanta Falcons. San Francisco also has a date with the two-win Houston Texans, giving the Niners a great chance to reach nine wins. If that happens, it’s impossible to think San Francisco doesn’t get to the playoffs.
Read: NFL Week 14 Reaction – Notes And Observations
2. Urban Meyer and his nonsense is crushing Trevor Lawrence
Watch the Jaguars and you’ll see a team that looks completely lost offensively. On Sunday, Lawrence threw four more interceptions, giving him 14 picks on the season against nine touchdown passes. It’s a mess. If Jacksonville can’t utilize Lawrence better than this, owner Shad Khan must consider if keeping Meyer is worth the damage being done to his franchise quarterback.
1. Prepare for the Buccaneers to be at home
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Buffalo Bills in overtime on Sunday, 33-27. At 10-3, Tampa Bay is ready to clinch the NFC South next weekend and could run the table, with the remaining schedule featuring the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers (twice) and New York Jets. If the Bucs go 14-3 — which seems like a formality — there’s a very good chance they earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
