The Dallas Cowboys got Week 13 started off with a big win over NFC East rival Washington. They broke out of their offensive slump and poured it on with 38 points against Washington to improve to 6-6 and get back in the playoff hunt. Many other teams are on the border looking to stay in the playoff hunt or cement their postseason chances. Can anyone else put together a turnaround in Week 13 the way the Cowboys did? We shall soon find out.
Here are 15 key questions for the NFL Week 13 games.
1. Is this the week the Case Keenum magic runs out?
Keenum was named the NFC Offensive player of the month for November, yet Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer continues to say he is taking his quarterback situation week-to-week. It’s almost as if everyone expects Keenum to fall off at some point — including his own team. This week, Minnesota has a tough road test against a Falcons team that has looked better by the week. Keenum was outstanding in a 30-23 win over the Lions on Thanksgiving, but playing consecutive road games is no easy task. Despite his rock-solid play during the Vikings’ seven-game win streak, it feels like we’re one bad Keenum outing away from seeing Teddy Bridgewater’s 2017 debut.
2. Can the Bengals fight their way into the playoffs?
The Bengals lost their first three games of the season, and it looked like this would finally be the year that Marvin Lewis would lose his job. Since then, the team has gone 5-3 and is somehow still in the hunt for the playoffs. A soft schedule has had a lot to do with that. But things won’t be easy for Cincinnati with a game against the Steelers on Monday, and games remaining against the Vikings, Lions and Ravens.
Still, Andy Dalton and the gang are only one game out of a wild card spot in the AFC. If they can somehow steal a win vs. Pittsburgh, anything can happen down the stretch.
3. Are the Giants really better off without Eli Manning?
Benching Manning likely is more about moving on from a 36-year-old quarterback than trying to see what Geno Smith is made of. Unless the Giants think third-round rookie Davis Webb can be a franchise quarterback, they are almost certainly setting themselves up to tank. With a 2-9 record, New York has as good a chance as anyone to be in position to draft either Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen next year, or whichever top quarterbacks come out.
Smith’s first task will be a tough one on the road against the Raiders. The truth of the matter is the Giants probably won’t be better with Smith under center, and they likely don’t want to be.
4. Do the Raiders have enough playmakers to save their season?
Amari Cooper missed practice on Thursday with a concussion and has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Giants. Michael Crabtree will also miss the game because he will be serving a one-game suspension. That leaves a Raiders offense that has been disappointing in 2017 facing a major challenge. Fortunately, Oakland is going up against Geno Smith. This is the perfect week to be missing key players, but the Raiders cannot afford to slip up if they want to remain in the playoff hunt. Derek Carr might have to get creative to put points on the board. Watch out for a big week from Seth Roberts.
5. Will Marcus Mariota’s mistakes doom the Titans?
Many expected Mariota to take a big leap forward in his third NFL season, but that has not happened. While injuries have played a role, Mariota has appeared in all but one game this season and has a passer rating of just 79.1. The Titans have managed to win three of their last four games despite Mariota throwing eight interceptions during that span. On the season, he has 12 interceptions against nine touchdown passes, with the picks being more than he had thrown in either of his first two seasons. The Texans aren’t expected to present a huge challenge at home, but they have an opportunistic defense. If Mariota continues to turn the ball over, bad things are going to happen in Tennessee.
6. Can Carson Wentz keep his hot streak going in Seattle?
Wentz has looked like a legitimate MVP candidate in his second NFL season, but he will face on of his toughest tests to date on Sunday night. While the Seahawks have been inconsistent and have a lot of injuries on the defensive side of the ball, there is no tougher place to play in the NFL than Seattle. Wentz hasn’t thrown an interception in Philly’s last three games, but it will be tough to keep that streak going even without Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor on the field. If the Eagles find a way to win their 10th straight game, there may be nothing that can stand in the way between them and an NFC championship.
7. Which team will seize control of the NFC South?
The Panthers and Saints are squaring off Sunday in a matchup that could very easily determine who wins the NFC South. Both teams are 8-3 and have put together great seasons, though it feels like New Orleans is the better team. Alvin Kamara has emerged as one of the most explosive playmakers in football and has given the Saints a two-headed monster in the backfield with Mark Ingram. Drew Brees is still making the throws he needs to make at age 38, and New Orleans has shown vast improvement on the defensive side of the ball.
While Cam Newton has the ability to take over any game, he may find it tough with tight end Greg Olsen banged up. Carolina is in a tough spot traveling to the Superdome.
8. Will the Seahawks establish themselves as a legitimate title contender?
Just as the Eagles have an opportunity to cement themselves as the best team in the NFC, the Seahawks will have a chance to prove they can still contend for a Super Bowl if they beat Philadelphia at home. Winning these types of games is going to be a major challenge for Seattle without Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor, and you have to wonder how far Russell Wilson can carry the team. No matter what the scenario, the Seahawks are always tough to beat at home. The problem for them could be that they’ll likely have to play on the road in the postseason.
9. What type of impact will Josh Gordon make?
Gordon is ready to make his season debut on Sunday against the Chargers. This will also be his first NFL game action since 2014, so no one really knows what to expect. Toss in the fact that Gordon will be catching passes from rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer, and you could really see the star receiver’s first game back going a number of different ways.
Whatever the case, Gordon’s return should give Browns fans something to be excited for. If he’s anywhere near the caliber of player he was three years ago, he should make life extremely difficult on defensive backs over the last five weeks of the season.
10. Can Matthew Stafford get the best of Baltimore’s elite defense?
The Ravens are 6-5 and in great shape to contend for a playoff spot down the stretch, and that mostly has to do with the level of play they have gotten from their defense. Baltimore ranks second in the NFL behind only the Jaguars with 189.9 passing yards allowed per game, so it goes without saying that Stafford and the Lions will be facing a huge challenge on Sunday. To make matters worse, Stafford suffered a sprained ankle in Detroit’s loss to the Vikings on Thanksgiving, so he may be playing at less than 100 percent.
The Lions, also 6-5, could really use a win if they want to keep pace in the NFC. With the Ravens’ defense consistently locking down opponents and allowing just 17 points per game, Stafford may have to lean heavily on his own defense to come away with a win in Baltimore.
11. How healthy is Jameis Winston?
Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter announced Thursday that Winston will start in Green Bay this weekend. The quarterback injured his shoulder earlier in the season and aggravated it again on Nov. 5 against the Saints, and he has not played since. While Winston suffered no structural damage, he has been in a considerable amount of pain and reportedly underwent platelet-rich plasma therapy in an attempt to heal quicker.
The Bucs are 4-7 and have virtually no shot at making the playoffs, so it wouldn’t make sense for them to push Winston. He must be feeling at or close to 100 percent, but it will be interesting to see if he can make it through a full game without experiencing any discomfort.
12. Should Chiefs fans be hitting the panic button?
The Chiefs tried to get back on track with a home game against the Bills in Week 12, but their offensive struggles continued and they managed just 10 points in the game. After looking like an MVP candidate through the first eight weeks of the season, Alex Smith has been terrible over the past month and can’t seem to stop turning the ball over. If you want to know how frustrated the Chiefs are, look no further than the way Travis Kelce reacted when Smith threw a late-game interception last weekend.
Kansas City has been very fortunate that the AFC West has been so weak this year, but they are suddenly 6-5 after losing five of their last six games. Both the Raiders and Chargers are just a game behind them at 5-6. Los Angeles has looked great the last two weeks and gets a home date with the Browns on Sunday. If the Chiefs can’t take care of the Jets, it may be time to hit the panic button.
13. Does Tyrod Taylor give the Bills a chance against New England?
Despite Sean McDermott’s historically bad decision to start rookie Nathan Peterman two weeks ago, the Bills are 6-5 and very much in the postseason hunt after their impressive road win over the Chiefs in Week 13. They’ll have an even tougher test on Sunday when the Patriots come to town, but Taylor has the ability to create some problems for Bill Belichick’s defense.
While New England’s defense has been vastly improved improved since its laughably bad start, traveling to Buffalo is never easy. The Bills would have to overcome long odds to beat the Patriots, but doing so would practically clinch a playoff spot for them. Motivation won’t be an issue, especially for Taylor in the wake of his Week 11 benching.
14. Would John Elway fire Vance Joseph after one season?
The Broncos really have nothing to salvage for their 2017 season, especially with Paxton Lynch now injured and Trevor Siemian starting again. As such, the biggest storyline to follow in Denver down the stretch could be whether Vance Joseph is coaching for his job.
While it’s rare for an NFL coach to get the axe after just one season, Joseph’s first year in Denver has been a disaster. The Broncos have won just three games and have been horrendous on offense no matter who is under center. As if that weren’t discouraging enough, discipline has also been an issue. Aqib Talib will miss Sunday’s game while he serves a suspension for an ugly fight with Michael Crabtree last week. Poor results on the field are one thing, but Elway won’t hesitate to show Joseph the door if he feels like the coach is losing the locker room.
15. Is help on the way for the Packers?
Aaron Rodgers is less than two months removed from suffering a collarbone injury that reportedly required multiple screws and metal plates to repair, but he is already back to throwing passes. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky witnessed the former MVP throwing a ball 50 yards in the air before Green Bay’s game against the Steelers last week, so Rodgers has to be feeling pretty good.
The 5-6 Packers are two games behind in the NFC wild card race, so they probably need to beat both the Buccaneers at home this weekend and the Browns on the road next week in order to have a shot at making the playoffs. Even with Brett Hundley starting, that doesn’t sound like a very daunting task. Rodgers will be eligible to return from IR in Week 15. If Green Bay is 7-6 and doctors clear the former MVP, Packers fans may have a lot to be excited about.
