Every Sunday morning Sportsnet’s NFL experts will serve up a playbook containing the 10 things you need to know as of a few hours before kickoff. Whether you play fantasy football, like to wager or just want to sound smart at your local watering hole, we’ve got you covered.
Game Of The Week
Why even bother with the other ones: As you’re watching whatever 1 p.m. games you happen to be watching today, count how many times the broadcast crew refers to the Packers-Patriots game coming up later as a Super Bowl preview. The NFL has been blessed this season–amidst all the off-field controversy, mishandled suspensions, a DEA investigation and the NFC South–with at least one game per week that can legitimately be called a potential Super Bowl preview. This week it’s Brady-Rodgers and a game with one of the highest over/under totals in history. You know what that means, right? 17-14 in bad weather. Or, more likely, because it’s difficult to imagine both these quarterbacks struggling, a blowout. The Patriots, on paper, have the better secondary and the better offensive line–two facets that can swing a game like this. But Rodgers has been so adept at finding tiny windows in coverage lately that it’s tough to imagine a pass defence completely shutting him down.
All things considered, the easiest way to get a sense of who will control this game is to watch New England’s first couple of possessions. If the Packers linebackers and safeties can contain Rob Gronkowski, the rest of the game sets up well for them. Containing Rob Gronkowski, however, is the literal definition of “easier said than done”. The superhuman tight end makes everything else happen for the Patriots. It’s not like Brandon LaFell and Julian Edelman are getting open that easily without defenders watching from the corner of their eye to see if the entire team will be needed to bring down the hulking tight end. And it’s tough for linebackers to join the pass rush or commit to the run stop when they know that the safety covering Gronk simply won’t be able to wrap him up if it becomes a one-on-one situation. The team that finds a solution to this mismatch is the team, that can take New England apart. It might not be the Packers, however–and the real fear of the rest of the football world is that there might not be a solution.
Three Fantasy Sleepers
Jarvis Landry, WR, and Ryan Tannehill, QB, MIA: A report in the Palm Beach Post this week pointed out that Landry has replaced Mike Wallace as Ryan Tannehill’s most important receiver, with six more targets over the past three games. Tannehill, for his part, has been moving the football extremely well on short to intermediate throws and gets a terrible Jets pass defence on Monday night.
Shane Vereen, RB, NE: The Patriots have not been kind to anyone trying to predict their running back usage this season—and no doubt there’s a danger they will try to go with their bigger backs and grind the Packers to death. The problem with that is that Aaron Rodgers is going to score points and force you to move the ball, and the Patriots only have one back capable of playing the passing role in a shootout—Vereen.
Justin Hunter, WR, TEN: Hunter has been a major disappointment this season after looking in the preseason as though he’d learned to use his immense physical gifts. Last week, however, he turned 10 targets into 64 yards and a touchdown. He only caught four of those 10 balls, so it’s not like he’s the most reliable weapon–but for owners in need of a big play this weekend, he’s a guy with talent and opportunity.
The Three Plotlines
1 p.m.
Washington at Indianapolis: This should be an all-time game in terms of sideline shots. No matter what happens it’s going to be awkward as all hell watching quick cuts to Robert Griffin III after every good or bad play by McCoy. High drama. Oh–the game? No. Let’s choose another one for actual competitive football…
1 p.m.
Saints at Steelers: It’s going to happen to some of us–it always does. The idea of the Saints offence, which seems to have awoken in the past couple of week, dazzling us once again can be intoxicating. Jimmy Graham is fully healthy. Kenny Stills responded very well to more opportunity. Maybe this is finally th–just stop. The Saints are 4-7 and they’re on the road. They are a poor football team with a mess on defence, a quarter back who is inconsistent week to week and are, in general, still relying on their reputation even 12 weeks into the season. The Steelers are just as desperate as the Saints in terms of the playoff race–the difference being that every team in their division is above .500. If the NFC South is going to be relevant at all this season, New Orleans or Atlanta needs to win a game like this. Hasn’t happened yet–but the Saints will be playing today for the honour of their football cesspool.
4:05 p.m.
Cardinals at Falcons: The only other 4 p.m. game after Green Bay-New England, this game is the football equivalent of a tree falling in a forest with nobody except fantasy junkies and gamblers there to hear it. But it does have an interesting thread to unravel. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians has said his team can win a Super Bowl with Drew Stanton at quarterback. The Seahawks made that notion seem ridiculous last week. Atlanta, meanwhile, is generous to opposing QBs. This is an ideal situation for Stanton, who’s done little to inspire confidence thus far, to pick up the pace and prove that the NFC West leaders aren’t sitting ducks come January.
Sunday Night
Broncos at Chiefs Before the Broncos roared to life last week and dismantled the Dolphins excellent defence, a lot of people were legitimately concerned about Peyton and company. That’s been quelled, but only as long as the offence keeps rolling–and a Chiefs team that comes in having let an opportunity to tie Denver atop the division slip through their hands might be in the mood to do it. Sure, the loss to the Raiders was beyond embarrassing, but part of that might have been because the team was looking past Oakland to this game, and Andy Reid has had ten days to get his charges ready. This sets up as a clear statement game for one of these teams. And, well, if you’re not backing Peyton Manning in a regular season prime time statement game, you’ve not learned much in your years of watching the NFL.