Week 13 (December 5):
- Tentative game: San Francisco @ Seattle
- Prospects: 5-5 v. 3-7. These teams have officially started moving in opposite directions, and while the Seahawks have played good teams since getting Russell Wilson back, there’s some sense that the most recent loss represented the door shutting on their playoff chances.
- Likely protections: Ravens-Steelers (CBS) and Cardinals-Bears, Bucs-Falcons, or nothing (FOX).
- Other possible games mentioned on last week’s Watch and their records: Chargers (6-4)-Bengals (6-4), Broncos (5-5)-Chiefs (7-4), Bucs (6-3)-Falcons (4-6).
- Impact of Monday Night Football: None.
- Analysis: There’s less of a sense that these are the wrong two teams in the NFC West than there was before, but only because the Niners are starting to make the game look lopsided. Against a better opponent the tentative game bias might favor the Niners, but as it stands Chargers-Bengals has a pair of pretty good records and a decent storyline with two hot young QBs squaring off. I wouldn’t be too surprised if Broncos-Chiefs was picked or even if the game kept its spot, but there’s a clear favorite for me here.
- Final prediction: Los Angeles Chargers @ Cincinnati Bengals.
Week 15 (December 18):
- Tentative game: None (2 games to be moved to Saturday).
- Possible games: Jets (2-8)-Dolphins (4-7), RedHogs (4-6)-Eagles (5-6), Raiders (5-5)-Browns (6-5), Panthers (5-6)-Bills (6-4), Patriots (7-4)-Colts (6-5).
- Impact of Monday Night Football: None.
- Analysis: Two of the 5-5 teams won to create two matchups of teams at or above .500, and they were the games I had thought had the most name value. The Panthers are not a terrible team and the quality of their game might be close to on par with Raiders-Browns, but I’m not sure how compelling they’ll be for the league.
- Final prediction: New England Patriots @ Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders @ Cleveland Browns.