3 must-see games in Week 14
If you've been disappointed by the quality of prime-time games this season, Week 14 is here to make it up to you.
After the Raiders and Chiefs faced off in maybe the most important game of the year so far, which was played on a Thursday (?!), this week's must-see games pretty much picked themselves.
Cancel any plans you had for Sunday or Monday night, including funerals and your kids' birthdays, so you don't miss these mouthwatering prime-time matchups.
Seahawks at Packers
Just three weeks ago, this would have been a radically different matchup. The Packers were in free fall after being manhandled by the Redskins in prime time. It looked like their season - and maybe the McCarthy/Rodgers era as we knew it - was over. Meanwhile, Seattle appeared to be on course for at least an NFC championship showdown with Dallas.
Fast forward to Week 14, however, and this game looks too close to call. The Seahawks seemed vulnerable in a loss to the Bucs in which they only put up five points. They regained some of their swagger by demolishing the Panthers, but Carolina is coming apart at the seams, and the win came at a brutal cost.
All-Pro safety Earl Thomas was lost for the rest of the season due to a broken bone in his leg, and it's near-impossible to know how Seattle will play without him because he's only missed one game in five seasons (Week 12 versus the Bucs).
Thomas is part of a small group of players - including the likes of Von Miller, Rob Gronkowski, and J.J. Watt - whose impact rivals that of a starting quarterback. Facing a red-hot Aaron Rodgers could be too much for the Legion of Boom without maybe their most important member.
Cowboys at Giants
Normally we'd complain about any team getting four straight prime-time games, but the Cowboys are just so much fun to watch. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott can wrap up the NFC East with three games remaining, as well as avenge their sole loss on the season - inflicted by New York in Week 1 - if they take down the Giants in what should be a standout Sunday night matchup.
For the Giants to keep their chances of winning the division alive, Eli Manning and the offense will have to find a rhythm that's been missing in recent weeks. New York ranks 23rd in scoring, 26th in total offense, 16th in passing offense, and 31st in rushing offense.
The running game was always going to be a weakness, but the passing game, led by Manning and Odell Beckham, was expected to among the best in the league. Instead, Manning hasn't looked as sharp as usual, missing several big plays to Beckham over the last few games.
The loss of Jason Pierre-Paul could negate the strides the Giants have taken on defense recently, making the already difficult task of stopping both Prescott and Elliott close to impossible.
Ravens at Patriots
Over the past decade, Patriots-Ravens has been one of the most entertaining non-divisional rivalries. Sunday marks the 10th time the two teams have faced off since the start of the 2007 season, with four games coming in the playoffs.
Battles between New England and Baltimore rarely disappoint, from the Patriots' come-from-behind win (with the help of trick plays in which they declared eligible receivers ineligible) in the 2014 playoffs to the combination of a Lee Evans drop and a shanked Billy Cundiff 32-yard, game-tying field goal that sunk the Ravens in the most dramatic of finishes three seasons earlier.
And we get this game on a Monday night. NFL, you're spoiling us.
Like Seattle, New England will be attempting to show it can contend despite losing a star player. With Baltimore boasting one of the league's best defenses, the Patriots can prove they don't need Gronkowski to dominate top units.
The Ravens still have questions on the offensive side of the ball, but hanging 38 on the Dolphins in relatively straightforward fashion should have Joe Flacco and Co. full of confidence.