We have made it to the second-to-last week of the NFL’s regular season, and we’re certainly not lacking in intrigue. Playoff spots are on the line and teams that expect to play into January will be clashing. A few teams are very much in need of a rebound performance after a bad Week 15, while others are facing trap games against weaker teams that will keep them vigilant.
Here are 16 key questions to keep in mind during Week 16.
1. Will a trip to Seattle rattle Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs?
The 12th Man can be quite the weapon for the Seattle Seahawks, and we’re two weeks removed from a trip to Seattle making the Minnesota Vikings look thoroughly inept. To be clear, Patrick Mahomes has the Kansas City offense performing way better than Minnesota’s, but this will be a real test for him, especially with playoff positioning on the line. It will be one of the more hostile environments he’s played in, and against a tough defense.
2. Will the Steelers take advantage of the recent shaky form from the New Orleans offense?
Drew Brees has thrown for no more than 203 yards in any of the last four weeks, twice being held below 200 and twice more only barely making it. The Saints are still 3-1 during that time period, but it’s fair to say they’re not finding the end zone with the same regularity they once did. Pittsburgh’s defense performed well against Tom Brady and the Patriots a week ago. A road win at New Orleans would do a lot toward moving them to where they want to be in the playoff race.
3. Are the Broncos still responding to Vance Joseph?
After a pair of fairly brutal losses to the 49ers and Browns, it’s rather abundantly clear that Vance Joseph is on the hot seat and perhaps already in deep trouble. It’s too late for Denver to save their playoff ambitions, but if they’re still behind Joseph, they can certainly show some fight against the Oakland Raiders. If the Broncos fall flat over these last two games and end their season with four consecutive losses, it’s hard to see how Joseph keeps his job.
4. How many more upsets does Nick Foles have in him?
After a Cinderella run to the Super Bowl last season, Foles came in and beat the Los Angeles Rams last week to spark dreams of a repeat performance. That heavy lift will continue at home against another playoff team in the Houston Texans, with the Eagles still unable to afford a defeat. The Texans have been one of the hottest teams all season since their 0-3 start, while the Eagles have to play desperately with their playoff hopes hanging in the balance. Foles will have to stay hot.
5. Will Minnesota take advantage of a beatable opponent?
The Vikings lost a winnable game against the Buffalo Bills and turned what should have been a win into a tie at Green Bay. They’d be in a much better position right now had they handled their business in those matchups, and that makes games like the one at the Detroit Lions all the more vital. The Lions haven’t had much of an offensive threat for weeks now and are simply playing out the string. Minnesota must win this game. If they don’t, it gets very difficult to argue that they have any business making the playoffs, though they still might do it. Any serious contender has to win a game like this one.
6. Will the Bills be what gets Tom Brady and the Patriots on track?
The Patriots looked a bit like a spent force against the Pittsburgh Steelers a week ago, raising new questions about their staying power. The Buffalo Bills should prove a nice antidote to those current issues and, if only for a week, allow New England to silence the doubters and get a victory. If the Patriots struggle here — or lose — the concerns raised by that loss to Pittsburgh would get even louder at the wrong time of year.
7. Can Jameis Winston make a statement against a likely playoff team?
A road game against the Dallas Cowboys isn’t really great news for anyone, but it may yet benefit Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston. Winston’s future with his team remains unclear, and he’s being closely evaluated over the last few weeks of the season. While the danger of him falling flat against a good team certainly exists, facing the Cowboys is also an opportunity for Winston to prove that he can still win games against quality opposition in this league, and that Tampa Bay would be wise to stick with him.
8. Can the Giants play spoiler?
The Indianapolis Colts have looked good lately, and they won’t be terribly upset to see the New York Giants, with little success and little to play for, coming up next on their schedule at home. It’s worth noting that the Giants are 4-2 in their last six games, and the Colts would be making a serious mistake if they underestimate Sunday’s opponents. This is a game they should be winning, but the Giants’ 30-27 win over the Bears on Dec. 2 should be considered a warning.
9. Will the Browns humiliate Hue Jackson again?
The last time the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals met, the Browns spent the afternoon humiliating their former coach. That first meeting might have had them more motivated than this one will, as the two sides have met and what is going to be said has already been said. That said, this game is in Cleveland. Some of these players may want to prove that that first meeting wasn’t a one-off fluke by piling on Jackson and the Bengals’ beleaguered defense once more.
10. Can the Bears avoid a trap game in San Francisco?
The 49ers proved what they are capable of by beating the Seattle Seahawks last week, a warning shot to other contenders that they are not to be taken lightly despite their 4-10 record. The Chicago Bears will do well to remember that, and they should know better than most, considering they’ve already lost confusingly to the New York Giants this season under somewhat similar circumstances. The Bears have clinched the division, so this is about seeding and keeping their momentum going.
11. Can Ryan Tannehill prove he deserves to have a future with the Dolphins?
Tannehill is another quarterback who is essentially showing what he can do down the stretch in the hope that it convinces his team to recommit to him in both the short and long-term. This should be a good week to do it, as judging from how they played last week, the Jacksonville Jaguars have essentially given up on trying this season. Tannehill is also coming off a bad game against Minnesota, and he’ll want to sort that out quickly. The question is how badly his shoulder and ankle are doing.
12. Will the Panthers strike gold in Taylor Heinicke?
Cam Newton is the Panthers’ quarterback of the present and future, but the opportunity to go to Taylor Heinicke is an intriguing one. The 25-year-old has only thrown five NFL passes, but he’ll get the opportunity to show what he can do when he faces the Atlanta Falcons. It’s entirely possible he’ll fall flat, but the Panthers certainly wouldn’t mind learning that they have another capable quarterback, especially if it opens up a trade possibility or two down the road.
13. Can the Packers avoid a winless record on the road?
Amazingly, if they can’t beat the New York Jets on Sunday, the Packers will finish off an 0-8 season on the road. It’s difficult to overstate just how bad they’ve been, losing a handful of close ones with the majority coming by one score. On paper, the Jets represent a beatable opponent, especially since a motivated Aaron Rodgers has shown no indication that he’s prepared to sit out these otherwise meaningless games. That hasn’t mattered before, though.
14. Is Steve Wilks coaching for his job?
If you believe the reports, Wilks may not even be able to do anything to salvage a second season as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. It can’t hurt for him to try, though, as his team hosts the Los Angeles Rams. On paper, this is a total mismatch and the Rams should win comfortably, but it will be up to Wilks to dig deep and help his team find something to at least keep this close. Perhaps ownership would reconsider his status if they deliver a surprisingly strong finish.
15. Can the Chargers stay hot against a real defensive test?
The Baltimore Ravens’ defense is so good that the Kansas City Chiefs, an offensive juggernaut, had to work very hard to squeak past them in a 27-24 win two weeks ago. The Chargers are at home and have been on a roll lately, so this will be a real test for both teams. Plus, they each have a lot to play for: the Chargers for a shot at the top overall seed in the AFC, and the Ravens for a potential division title. Philip Rivers is having an MVP-caliber season, so it will be fun to watch him test himself against one of the NFL’s better defenses.
16. Can the Titans find consistency against a reeling Redskins team?
The Tennessee Titans have been frustratingly inconsistent all season, but it’s hard to see them finding a more favorable matchup at this point than a Washington Redskins team on its fourth-string quarterback. Despite their win over Jacksonville last week, Washington hasn’t looked capable of offering much resistance to any competent, motivated team. That’s good news for the Titans, who still sit right in the playoff race and can go a long way towards qualifying as long as they win this game.
