If not for the setback they suffered in Philadelphia, the New Orleans Saints would have reached their duel against the Kansas City Chiefs in equal circumstances: with the first seed of their conference.
The reality is different. The Saints have the second-best record in the NFC by tiebreaker alone, but that doesn’t detract from the appeal of the game against the Chiefs, which both arrive with a combined record of 22-4 (.846), the fourth-most. high for a game scheduled for Week 15 or later in the Super Bowl era (1966).
In addition, Kansas City’s visit to New Orleans is the only duel in which this week will see the expensive teams with a winning record.
When two teams with the best records in their conferences meet at this point in the regular season, several like to call this duel an early Super Bowl. We’ll see if in seven weeks the Chiefs and Saints live up to that prediction.
NOTE: The picks of each expert are in capital letters and bold.
ALFONSO MANCILLA / Twitter: @poncho_mancilla
– HAVE THE PACKERS SHOWN ENOUGH TO CONSIDER THEM FAVORITES TO WIN THE NFC TITLE?
The coldness of the numbers supports this idea. Thanks to another great year from Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers enter Week 15 with the best offense in the league (31.5 average points per game). Looking at the defensive performance and experience that head coach Matt Lafleur has surely gained, the 2020 version of Green Bay is better than the one that stayed in the 2019 NFC Final.
The question that Green Bay must clear up in the postseason is its ability to beat teams that oppose it with a tough defensive strategy. It is no coincidence that their losses this season came to Tampa Bay, Minnesota and Indianapolis, teams that managed to neutralize Rodgers, Davante Adams and Aaron Jones.
Of course, the Packers’ chances of reaching the Super Bowl would rise in comparison to 2019, if they keep the first seed in the NFC and play the Playoffs at home.
FANTASY PREDITIONS
QB with the most yards through the air: Josh Allen (Buffalo), 390 yards
RB with the most rushing yards: Derrick Henry (Tennessee), 135 yardas
Defensive that will allow fewer points: Rams (6 points)
PICKS
BUFFALO vs. Denver
SAN FRANCISCO vs. Dallas
N. England vs. MIAMI
Philadelphia vs. ARIZONA
KANSAS CITY vs. N. Orleans
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TAMPA BAY vs. Atlanta
EDUARDO VARELA / Twitter: @LaloVarelaTV
– WILL THE STEELERS BE ABLE TO KEEP THE PACE TO WIN THE AFC NORTH TITLE?
The Steelers are still a good team and must win the division. By the postseason, Mike Tomlin should have fixed the situation on his offense and run more with the ball. Beyond the balance, it is the lack of forcefulness with his running backs and the excess of passing with Ben Roethlisberger that has affected his attack. The defense misses Devin Bush and Bud Dupree, but they can get by without them.
FANTASY PREDITIONS
QB with the most yards through the air: Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh), 360 yards
RB with the most rushing yards: Derrick Henry (Tennessee), 150 yardas
Defensive that will allow fewer points: Pittsburgh (9 points)
PICKS
BUFFALO vs. Denver
San Francisco vs. DALLAS
N. England vs. MIAMI
Philadelphia vs. ARIZONA
KANSAS CITY vs. N. Orleans
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Detroit vs. TENNESSEE
SEBASTIÁN M. CHRISTENSEN / Twitter: @SebastianMCESPN
– DOES THE SAINTS OFFENSIVE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO GET AN EXPLOSIVE DUEL WITH THE CHIEFS ATTACK?
I do not think so. The rest of the league seems to have adjusted to Taysom Hill in the past two weeks, with the Saints scoring just an average of 21 points in recent games. Drew Brees is getting closer to returning and New Orleans needs him.
That being said, if Hill is behind center, you have to allow him to use his legs more and not try to show the world that he can be a pure pocket quarterback. Likewise, these Saints are not a team that is going to score 37 points per game, rather, they are a balanced team that has an elite defense.
The Chiefs haven’t won any of their last five games by more than six points, and while they appear to have room for error, they aren’t as fine as they were at this point last year. I don’t think it is an explosive attacking duel but a close game with fewer points than expected, as happened in the duel between Kansas City and Denver.
FANTASY PREDITIONS
QB with the most yards through the air: Jared Goff (Rams), 412 yardas
RB with the most rushing yards: Jonathan Taylor (Indianapolis), 171 yardas
Defensive that will allow fewer points: Rams (9 points)
PICKS
BUFFALO vs. Denver
SAN FRANCISCO vs. Dallas
N. England vs. MIAMI
PHILADELPHIA vs. Arizona
KANSAS CITY vs. N. Orleans
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Chicago vs. MINNESOTA
CARLOS NAVA / Twitter: @TapaNava
Of course, Derrick Henry must be considered in the race for the MVP nomination. He is the undisputed leader of his offensive. Without him, the Titans wouldn’t be close to winning their first divisional championship since 2008.
Henry has more yards and touchdowns per run than anyone else in the league, has seven games of 100 or more yards, a couple of games of at least 200 yards, and always raises his helmet on the toughest games and against big-ticket opponents. For example, he scored three times and surpassed 100 yards in the first half of the win against the Colts in Week 10, a performance that lifted Inidianapolis to first place in the AFC South, where they have remained ever since.
FANTASY PREDITIONS
QB with the most yards through the air: Tom Brady (Tampa Bay), 412 yards
RB with the most rushing yards: Derrick Henry (Tennessee), 189 yardas
Defensive that will allow fewer points: Pittsburgh (10 points)
PICKS
BUFFALO vs. Denver
SAN FRANCISCO vs. Dallas
N. England vs. MIAMI
Philadelphia vs. ARIZONA
KANSAS CITY vs. N. Orleans
======================
Houston vs. INDIANAPOLIS
IVIS ABURTO / Twitter: @IvisAburto
– WILL THE DEFENSIVE BE ABLE TO CHARGE THE WASHINGTON TEAM IN THE DUEL AGAINST THE SEAHAWKS?
You’d think that a trip from the West Coast to the East Coast to play at 1 p.m. ET, a time that on the tripper’s biological clock is 10 a.m., and to play against a defense that has dominated in recent weeks is reason enough to consider that the Seattle Seahawks come as victims to the duel against Washington.
However, the Seahawks have the best winning percentage (.846, 11-2 mark) when playing at 1pm on the East Coast of the United States since 2015 and another incentive they have is that a win puts them into the Playoffs. .
Washington’s defense has put the most pressure on opposing quarterbacks in the last four weeks (58 pressures) and they tend to penetrate the pocket of protection and make opposing passers uncomfortable. The duel will not be easy for Russell Wilson and his offense, but the experience will have a specific weight against a Washington team that is in the process of learning how to win important games.
FANTASY PREDITIONS
QB with the most yards through the air: Tom Brady (Tampa Bay), 390 yards
RB with the most rushing yards: Derrick Henry (Tennessee), 150 yardas
Defensive which will allow fewer points: Rams (7 points)
PICKS
BUFFALO vs. Denver
SAN FRANCISCO vs. Dallas
N. ENGLAND vs. Miami
PHILADELPHIA vs. Arizona
KANSAS CITY vs. N. Orleans
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CLEVELAND vs. Giants
PABLO VIRUEGA / Twitter: @PabloViruega
– DOES IT AFFECT THE NFL IN ANY WAY THAT THE DALLAS COWBOYS ARE NOT TRANSCENDENT?
* * * * PENDING * * *
FANTASY PREDITIONS
QB with the most yards through the air:
RB with the most rushing yards:
Defensive that will allow fewer points:
PICKS
Buffalo vs. Denver
San Francisco vs. Dallas
N. England vs. Miami
Philadelphia vs. Arizona
Kansas City vs. N. Orleans
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Seattle vs. Washington
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