NFL Week 15: Four of the Top Matchups that Contribute to the Playoff Picture
With only three weeks left in the regular season, the 2020 NFL playoff hunt has started to heat up. The final wild card berths in both the NFC and AFC have been far from decided, while top teams in each conference are still fighting for playoff seeding. The AFC has turned into a six-team affair for three playoff spots. The NFC has all been decided barring the complicated status of the NFC East and playoff seeding. Here are the top matchups to take a look at for Week 15.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Arizona Cardinals
The Eagles looked like runaways for the NFC East, but the team’s dysfunctions on offense finally caught up to them. Although the Eagles’ playoff hopes looked all but over when they faced the then top-seeded Saints in Week 14, rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts, in his first start, was able to breathe new life into the offense. The Eagles dominated the run game, thanks in part to Hurt’s impressive scrambling ability, rushing for over 200 rushing yards against the top rushing defense in the league (the New Orleans Saints gave up under 80 yards per game entering the matchup). They will need a similar performance to take down the Cardinals.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, the Cardinals’ multidimensional offense will be a massive roadblock in their path to the playoffs. Along with possessing one of the best rushing attacks in the league, the Cardinals sports one of the best receivers in the league: DeAndre Hopkins. The Eagles enter the game not only without Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay but several key starters in the secondary. Things could get ugly for the Eagles in the passing game, as their lack of health comes at the most crucial stretch of the season. The Cardinals should get a much-needed breather this week.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Washington Football Team
After starting the first half of the season with 28 touchdown passes, Seahawks QB Russell Wilson cooled off in the next quarter, throwing for only four in four weeks. That led to two losses against the Giants and the Rams, but, more importantly, playoff seeding. The Rams obtained the head to head tiebreaker over Seattle and now sit in the driver’s seat for the NFC West.
Washington, as of late, has developed a winning atmosphere. They have won four straight games for the first time since 2016 and are looking for their first five-win streak since 2012. Their defensive front has come up big and may perhaps be the biggest test to the Seahawks’ offense all season.
While Seattle came away with a big win in Week 15 in which the offense put up 40 points, their victory over the winless New York Jets did not impress many. As the Rams gear up to face the Jets this week, a Seahawks victory would set up a Week 16 epic between the Rams and the Seahawks for control of the NFC West.
As for Washington, a loss would not matter so long as the Cleveland Browns take care of business with the New York Giants (who are without starting QB Daniel Jones). A victory, however, would forge a clearer path for them to punch their ticket to the playoffs. A likely Giants loss this week would mean Washington could set themselves up for a win-and-in scenario in Week 16.
Chicago Bears (6-7) vs. Minnesota Vikings (6-7)
This is a must-win for both teams to keep their playoff hopes alive. With likely only one spot remaining in the NFC, both teams fall one game behind the Cardinals.
A win for the Vikings and a Cardinals loss would propel them back in the seventh seed and in control of their own destiny. A loss for the Bears would all but end their playoff hopes, as not only would the Vikings pull ahead by a game, but the Vikings would also then hold (or tie in) all three tiebreakers over the Bears.
The key for the Bears is their defensive unit. After two pathetic performances against the Packers and Lions, the Bears returned to form in Week 15 against the Houston Texans. The defense only gave up seven points and overwhelmed the Texans for seven sacks. A similar performance is necessary against an underrated Vikings offense, led by running back Dalvin Cook (15 touchdowns) and wide receivers Adam Thielen (12 touchdowns) and Justin Jefferson (1078 yards).
Either team winning will put further pressure on the Cardinals moving forward.
MATCHUP OF THE WEEK:
Kansas City Chiefs (12-1) vs. New Orleans Saints (10-3)
This game is the only matchup of the week between two teams with winning records. Not to mention that this game could potentially give a Super Bowl preview, as it features two teams that have reigned near the top of their respective conferences all season.
The Saints feature the second-ranked defense in the league, led by the ever-reliable Cameron Jordan and the emerging Trey Hendrickson. Safety Malcolm Jenkins and cornerback Marshon Lattimore lead a capable Saints secondary looking to bounce back after a tough loss against the Philadelphia Eagles last week.
This game is a must-win for the Saints to stay in the competition for the first seed in the NFC, as losing would provide the Green Bay Packers (who hold the tiebreaker over the Saints) a one-game lead that will be tough to make up this late in the season. The return of QB Drew Brees will help, who despite no longer possessing a consistent deep ball at this stage of his career, is still one of the most accurate passers in the league. The loss of Michael Thomas, Brees’ favorite target, will hurt the Saints’ passing attack.
The Saints’ ambitions will not be easy to achieve against the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl Champions. In a tumultuous year, the Chiefs have fired on all cylinders, with the offense clicking at all levels, and the defense, although suspect at times, doing enough to help the offense week after week. The Chiefs possess the first-ranked offense in the league, which will set up a battle between an unstoppable force and an immovable object.
While both teams possess stellar units on opposite sides of the ball, both units showed signs of mortality last week. The Chiefs’ committed four uncharacteristic turnovers against the Dolphins, and although they ended up pulling away for the victory, they might not be able to do the same against the Saints.
The Saints’ defense, on the other hand, not only allowed the Eagles to rush for over 200 yards but also allowed a rookie quarterback making his very first start to outwit them. Against someone like 2018 MVP Patrick Mahomes and a potent Chiefs arsenal with speedster Tyreek Hill and league receiving leader Travis Kelce, the Saints must return to their dominant ways to win the game.
Article by Corrigan Peters and Kevin Zhang of Richard Montgomery High School
Photo courtesy of Juan Salamanca via Pexels