SneakerReporter NFL Week 16: Preview and Predictions

SneakerReporter NFL Week 16: Preview and Predictions

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Green Bay Packers Vs Miami Dolphins

The (6-8) Green Bay Packers will be away from home this week and will be traveling to Miami to take on the (8-6) Miami Dolphins. 

The Packers are still fighting for a playoff spot despite having a rough year, but they’ll need to essentially win the rest of their games to reach the playoffs. The Offensive continues for the Packers as Aaron Jones is questionable with a knee injury and Aaron Rodgers isn’t 100% he’s been dealing with injuries all season. The Packers will have to rely on their defense to get the job done and stop a very high powered Dolphins offense, the Packers offense cannot make many mistakes they have to be nearly perfect all game. 

As for the Dolphins they were once the most promising team of the season but injuries and miscommunication have put them in second place in their AFC East division behind the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins offense will have to put up points as they’ve been struggling as of late, and the Dolphins defense will need to do better at defending the passing game. On the bright side of things, the Packers running game is pretty banged up with Aj Dillion and Jones both hurt. 

A win for the Dolphins would set them up nicely for playoffs and they’d have to win their remaining games, as for the packers if they lose their season is essentially over. 

Score Prediction: Dolphins win (28-10)


Denver Broncos Vs Los Angeles Rams 

The (4-10) Denver Broncos will be traveling on Christmas Day to SoFi Stadium to take on the (4-10) Los Angeles Rams.

The Broncos season is over and they look to build towards next year’s plans, this is not the season the Broncos anticipated they had high hopes only to be beaten by themselves. Offensive struggles continue for the Broncos and quarterback Russell Wilson is listed as probable to play after suffering a concussion. Their running back Javonte Williams will be out with a knee injury and Courtland Sutton is questionable to play. The Broncos defense will continue its dominant playing style as they’ve been one of the league’s best despite having a losing record.

The Rams also did not anticipate this season to be a bad one but here we are in week 16 and the Rams are out of the playoff picture. Injuries have held back the Rams this season with Cooper Kupp being injured and Matthew Stafford on offense. The Rams have Baker Mayfield under center and it’ll be interesting to see if he can play well to maybe find himself on a different team next season. The Rams defense has played great as well but their offense hasn’t been able to deliver. The Rams have decided to pull Aaron Donald from playing anymore games this season as the season for the Rams is over. 

A Christmas matchup between the Rams and Broncos could be an interesting one despite both being out of playoff contention. 

Score Prediction: Rams win (17-14)


Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vs Arizona Cardinals 

The (4-10) Arizona Cardinals will be hosting the (6-8) Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Christmas Day at 7:20 PM central daylight time. 

The Buccaneers need a win to stay atop of the NFC south division, if they lose they’ll be tied for first with the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers but the Falcons are 2 games behind first place and could very well still make the playoffs. The buccaneers blew a lead last week to the Cincinnati Bengals which has proved to be costly. Tom Brady and the buccaneers offense will need to be on the same page if they want to have a chance at winning this game. The defense will be going up against a struggling Cardinals offense so they could potentially use that to their advantage.

The Cardinals are eliminated from the playoffs and adding more bad news to that they’ve lost Kyler Murray for the season with an ACL injury and also lost Colt McCoy with a concussion. That mean’s quarterback Trace McSorley will be getting the start for the Cardinals. The Cardinals defense will be going up against a high powered offense on paper but on the field the buccaneers offense hasn’t been able to string together points so the Cardinals could possibly cause a headache for Tom Brady. With nothing much to play for this team will just look to build chemistry for next season and see what adjustments they need to make. 

Score Predictions: Buccaneers Win (17-3)

Dec 25, 2022 No Comments
Primetime Preview: Las Vegas Raiders Vs Pittsburgh Steelers (Saturday Night Football)

Primetime Preview: Las Vegas Raiders Vs Pittsburgh Steelers (Saturday Night Football)

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The (6-8) Pittsburgh Steelers will be hosting the (6-8) Las Vegas Raiders who have a lot of history between them. More specifically the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception by Franco Harris, Hall-of-Famer Harris passed away this week so this game could be an emotional one. 

The Raiders won in the most insane way last week in the final seconds of the game when defensive end Chandler Jones caught a lateral pass that lead to a touchdown with no time remaining on the clock. The Raiders hope for a playoff spot is still alive and they’ll need a victory to keep that playoff hope alive. Josh Jacobs running ability has been a bright spot for this Raiders team, along with Derek Carr and Davante Adams. The offense will need to be clicking on all cylinders and get a much needed victory. 

As stated earlier this will be an emotional game for the Steelers as former Steelers running back Franco Harris passed away and the Steelers will be playing this game in honor of Harris. The Steelers were able to win 24-16 last week against the Carolina Panthers. Backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky managed the game last week for the Steelers as he was able to lead the Steelers offense to victory and had himself a rushing touchdown. Kenny Pickett is in concussion protocol and is questionable to play against the Raiders. The offense will have to string together some scoring opportunities and the defense will have to continue their great play and force three and outs. 

Score Prediction: Steelers win (20-14)

Dec 24, 2022 No Comments
Saturday NFL Week 16: Preview and Predictions

Saturday NFL Week 16: Preview and Predictions

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New York Giants Vs Minnesota Vikings 

The (11-3) Minnesota Vikings will be hosting the (8-5-1) New York Giants in Minneapolis on Christmas Eve at 12:00 PM eastern time. 

The Giants came off a 20-12 win against the Washington Commanders, they are looking to win two in a row and clinch a playoff spot this week. The Giants were consistent against the commanders as Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley lead the offense. The Giants defense is the key to victory tomorrow as they’ll need to apply pressure to Kirk Cousins and force him to make mistakes. The Giants defense will have to keep Justin Jefferson on lockdown as he is a game changer for that Vikings offense.

The Vikings pulled off a major comeback in a game which they won 39-36 against the Indianapolis Colts in overtime. Cousins passed for 460 yards and four touchdowns in the comeback victory and will have to have another great performance against the giants if they want to clinch the NFC North Division and a high seed in the NFC. The Vikings defense only allowed 3 points in the second half which allowed for the remarkable comeback. The Vikings will have to continue their great playing on both sides of the ball if they want to win this game.

A very Important NFC matchup with each team fighting to get a playoff spot.

Score prediction: Vikings win (20-17)


New Orleans Saints Vs Cleveland Browns 

The (6-8) Cleveland Browns will be hosting the (5-9) New Orleans Saints on Christmas Eve on CBS at 12:00 central daylight time. 

The Saints are still in contention to make the playoffs as they won their last game 21-18 against the Atlanta Falcons. The saints are in a win out situation still in reach within winning the NFC south division only one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Saints were able to pull off a victory in a tough fought battle against the Falcons but are still having issues on offense and getting into rhythm. The defense will have to put on a performance against the Browns to win this game. 

The Browns were able to upset the Baltimore Ravens last week to keep their playoff hopes alive. Deshaun Watson has been delivering and finding his rhythm with the Browns offense. The Run game will be very important for this Browns team heading into the game with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt leading the way. The Browns defense has no doubt been the bright spot for this team and they’ll need to be at their best despite playing a struggling Saints team. 

With both Teams fighting for a spot this could be a physical battle between the Saints and Browns. 

Score Prediction: Browns win (12-9)


Atlanta Falcons Vs Baltimore Ravens 

Battle of the Birds it’s the (5-9) Atlanta Falcons vs the (9-5) Baltimore Ravens. This matchup is something we don’t see often which is a cross conference matchup between an AFC team and NFC team. 

The Falcons have struggled lately on offense with Marcus Mariota on injured reserve they’ve turned to Desmond Ridder. The Falcons will have to be efficient against a good Ravens defense. The running game with Cordarrelle Patterson and Tyler Allgaier will need to be at its best if they want to win this game. The defense has surrendered many points to opposing teams so they’ll have to limit scoring opportunities for their opponents.

The Ravens will be without Lamar Jackson this week and are currently second in the AFC north division. They come off a loss to the Cleveland Browns which was an important divisional game that they lost and are looking to bounce back. The Ravens are going up against a struggling Falcons Secondary so the Ravens offense will have to be on the same page if they want to win this game. Tyler Huntley will be getting the start yet again, as for the defense they’ve done their best and only allowed 13 points in last week’s loss. 

A matchup with two teams that aren’t in the same conference or division with a lot at stake could be an interesting matchup on Christmas Eve. 

Score Prediction: Ravens win (17-14)


Seattle Seahawks Vs Kansas City Chiefs 

The (11-3) Kansas City Chiefs will be hosting the (7-7) Seattle Seahawks, two teams that have such a huge fan base and loudest fans could be a treat on Christmas Eve. 

The Seahawks came off a divisional 21-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks are still in playoff contention and could very well get a spot but it’ll be tough for them and they’ll have to win the rest of their games essentially. The Seahawks are second in their division with a (7-7) record. The Seahawks struggles don’t come through the air, it’s the running game that they can’t find a rhythm. With many Offensive weapons at Geno Smith’s disposal the Seahawks could be set up for success against a good Chiefs defense. The Defense will no doubt have a tough time limiting Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce but they’ll have to try their best to slow them down to have a chance to win this game. 

The Chiefs won a 30-24 thriller in overtime against the Houston Texans. The Chiefs didn’t look like themselves against the Texans. As for the Chiefs the offense has been the bright spot for this team and the defense has struggled to stop opposing offenses. Mahomes and the Chiefs offense last week had a total of 502 offensive yards and two turnovers which they barely escaped with a victory. The Defense allowed the Texans to put up points and nearly won the game in what was supposed to be a great display all around for the chiefs. It’ll be interesting how the Chiefs walk into this game and what their strategy will be against a good Seahawks team. 

Score prediction: Chiefs win (24-14)


Houston Texans Vs Tennessee Titans 

The (1-12-1) Houston Texans will be traveling down to Nashville to play the (7-7) Tennessee Titans, a AFC south divisional matchup on Christmas Eve. 

The Texans have the worst record in the league and currently hold the first overall draft pick in 2023. With nothing to play for but building chemistry for next season they’ll definitely want to spoil their division rivals chances at winning the division. The Texans defense has allowed many points to opposing offenses but with a rookie quarterback leading the way for the titans maybe the Texans can escape with a victory. 

The Titans currently are the first seed in the AFC south but are only a loss away from becoming tied for first with the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is a must win game for the titans to boost their chances of winning their division and securing a playoff spot. Quarterback Malik Willis will get the start after Ryan Tannehill has been injured. It will be interesting to see if the Titans can win the Division with a rookie quarterback. Derrick Henry will be heavily relied on as the rushing attack depends on him. 

Score Prediction: (18-12)


Buffalo Bills Vs Chicago Bears 

The (3-11) Chicago Bears will be hosting the (11-3) Buffalo Bills, this matchup is going to be a cold one with negative degree weather in Chicago. But both teams are use to the cold so it could be interesting to see if both teams will lead towards the run game or passing game. 

The Bills last matchup they won 32-29 against their division rivals the Miami Dolphins. The Bills have been finding themselves on the struggling side of the ball on offense as they aren’t putting up the points they use to or chemistry they once had but towards the end of the game that’s when Josh Allen and the offense know it’s time to string together a game winning drive. The Bills defense is without Von Miller but they’ve been able to hold their ground and limit opponents big playmaking abilities. They’ll be playing a struggling bears team which could result in a big victory for the Bills.

The Bears find themselves filled with injuries on offense with Chase Claypool dealing with a knee injury, Darnell Mooney out for the season, Their Offensive Linemen Cody Whitehair and Teven Jenkins both doubtful, and Equanimeous St. Brown listed as doubtful as well. With the Bears just looking to improve on Justin Fields getting better each week for next season this game in the short run does not mean anything for them but in the long run this game is important for Fields development. The rushing attack as usual will be important for the Bears as Fields, David Montgomery, and Khalil Herbert will be leading the way. The Defense will have a tough task at hand guarding Josh Allen and Stephon Diggs as they have become one of the league’s worst defenses. 

The Bills will look to boost their chances at the first seed in the playoffs with a victory over the Bears.

Score prediction: Bills win (35-10)


Cincinnati Bengals Vs New England Patriots 

The (7-7) New England Patriots are hosting the (10-4) Cincinnati Bengals in a AFC conference showdown. 

The Bengals were able to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34-23, in which the Bengals were down 17-0 at one point. The Bengals are Currently division leaders and a victory against the Patriots would be very important as they try to secure a playoff spot by winning the division. Joe Burrow had himself a good game with 200 passing yards and four touchdowns. Running back Joe Mixon will need to step up and lead the run game to take some attention away from Burrow, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase. 

The Patriots came off a shocking 30-24 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson has been the Patriots bright spot recent, Mac Jones has been struggling as of late will the Patriots turn to another quarterback before the season is over or stick with Mac Jones will be interesting to see. The Patriots defense will have a lot on their hands with guarding Chase, Higgins, and Burrow. The Patriots are still fighting for a playoff spot and with a victory they could very well find themselves in a wildcard spot but it’s not guaranteed if they make it this year with other opponents already sneaking up behind the Patriots to make the playoffs. 

Score Prediction: Patriots win (28-25)  


Detroit Lions Vs Carolina Panthers 

The (5-9) Panthers will host the (7-7) Detroit Lions on Christmas Eve in what could be an intense matchup.

The Lions have roared back and are finding themselves fighting for a playoff spot despite having a lot of people write them off this season. The Lions come off a 20-17 win against the New York Jets, the Lions have really found their stride lately and fight every week to claim a victory. With a favorable matchup against the Panthers the Lions will need to be at their best to snatch a victory and inch closer to a playoff spot. 

The Panthers still find themselves having issues at the quarterback position but Sam Darnold led the way and had a touchdown pass in the 24-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Offensive line will have to do a much better job at pass protection but the run game has been there for them when they needed it. The Panthers defense has been struggling as well lately but they’ll look to shut down a Lions offense. 

Score Prediction: Panthers win (17-10)


Washington Commanders Vs San Francisco 49ers 

The (7-6-1) Washington Commanders will be traveling down to Levi’s stadium to take on the (10-4) San Francisco 49ers on Christmas Eve. 

The Commanders are currently fighting for a playoff spot but at one point in the season they looked like playoffs weren’t going to be an option this year. It’s safe to say the Commanders really turned it around this season when quarterback Taylor Heinicke took over for the Commanders. The defense has been keeping this team alive for a playoff spot as they’ve been playing tough football and Chase Young is scheduled to return against the 49ers.

The 49ers came off a 21-13 victory against their division rivals the Seattle Seahawks which ultimately the 49ers won the NFC west division. Quarterback Brock Purdy will yet again be starting and he’s done a good job since taking over and has led the 49ers to victory. Running back Christian McCaffrey is questionable to play, he’s been a great offensive weapon this season. The 49ers defense has been one of the leagues best and look to continue their dominant play. 

Score Prediction: Commanders win (28-21)


Philadelphia Eagles Vs Dallas Cowboys

An NFC East Showdown on Christmas Eve could very well be an amazing matchup between the (13-1) Philadelphia Eagles and the (10-4) Dallas Cowboys. This game will kickoff at 3:25 pm Eastern time.

The big news coming out of Philadelphia is that Quarterback Gardner Minshew will get the start due to Jalen Hurts getting a minor injury and would rather sit him since clinching a playoff spot and basically have the number one seed in the NFC conference. The Eagles escaped with a victory and beat the Chicago Bears 25-20. The Run game will take a minor hit as Hurts won’t be playing but they’ll still have their running backs carrying the workload. Minshew will have plenty of offensive help to try and win this game. As for the defense they’ve been playing well against opposing offenses. 

The Cowboys lost 40-34 in overtime to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week when Dak Prescott threw an interception for a pick 6. Despite Prescott throwing a pick six he had three touchdowns and two interceptions. The Cowboys defense was one of the leagues best earlier on in the season but have slowed down in recent weeks. With Hurts out for the Eagles the Cowboys could take advantage and try to win this game by pressuring Minshew into uncomfortable situations. If the Cowboys manage to win they’d still be within reach of the NFC east title if the Eagles lose the remainder of their games.

Score Predictions: Cowboys Win (35-28)

 

Dec 24, 2022 No Comments
Tatum & Brown Combine For 66 Points To Propel Boston To Victory (121-109)

Tatum & Brown Combine For 66 Points To Propel Boston To Victory (121-109)

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The Timberwolves and Celtics came into this game tonight to get back in the win column. The Celtics lost to the Indiana Pacers and Minnesota to the Dallas Mavericks. The Timberwolves who are still without Karl-Anthony Towns went into Boston looking for their 17 win of the season. Tonight was one of those games where it was neck and neck to start off and then the Celtics pulled away. The Celtics came into this game with a game plan to make things tough on Rudy Gobert. The Celtics even had Jayson Tatum playing defense on him in the paint to disrupt. The Celtics were able to crowd the paint with defenders of all sizes as they were able to swipe at the ball and took away his easy buckets. Jayson Tatum was getting it going early in this game as he was able to get to the paint and his step back with ease.

 

Tatum has his offensive game going and the matchup between him and Anthony Edwards was special. When Tatum gets into that offensive mode he makes it tough on any defense trying to guard him. Tatum finished with 30 points, 5 assists, and 8 rebounds on the night against Minnesota. His counterpart Jaylen Brown finished with 36 points, 3 assists, and 8 rebounds as he took over the 2nd half. When Brown gets it going he’s as good as Tatum when it comes to scoring/defending. When both Tatum/Brown have it going they’re a tough duo to handle because they both can do it all.

 

The Timberwolves were led by Anthony Edwards who had 30 points as he was the lone star for the Wolves that kept them in the game. Edwards was making some tough shots to keep them close in this one but it wasn’t enough. The Celtics were living with Edwards getting him but it looked as though they wanted everyone else to get theirs but him. D’Angelo Russell added 21 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds tonight as he only scored 3 points in the second half after an 18-point outburst. When Russell has it going on the offensive end it makes things so much easier for the team. DLo is the facilitator and he’s the bucket maker when the Timberwolves need it but tonight the Celtics just had too much firepower for them.

 

Overall it was a great effort but the Timberwolves but just making an effort doesn’t get the job done. Granted they played the best team in the East but they will need to clean things up and get KAT back if they want to make these runs against dominant teams in the NBA. Up next the Timberwolves will be in Miami trying to get back in the win column as they’re on a true road trip that will test them.

 

 

 

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Dec 24, 2022 No Comments
Primetime Preview: Jacksonville Jaguars Vs New York Jets (TNF Week 16)

Primetime Preview: Jacksonville Jaguars Vs New York Jets (TNF Week 16)

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Jacksonville Jaguars Vs New York Jets

NFL Week 16 kicks off with The (6-8) Jacksonville Jaguars heading down to MetLife Stadium to take on the (7-7) New York Jets on Thursday night football exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. Kickoff will be at 7:15 PM central daylight time. 

The Jaguars pulled off a 40-34 upset victory against the Dallas Cowboys in overtime thanks to the Jaguars defense making an interception into a Pick 6. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been on a mission in recent weeks against Dallas he had a little over 300 yards passing and four touchdown passes which three of them were to Zay Jones. The Jaguars defense has been somewhat struggling allowing a lot of yards through the passing game and allowing opponents to stay in the game, they’ll need to do a better job at forcing three and outs. The Jaguars defense should have no problem stopping whoever is under center for the Jets, the Jets haven’t been able to get anything going consistently on offense. 

The Jets came off a 20-17 loss to the Detroit Lions in a game in which Zach Wilson returned to the starting quarterback role. In Wilson’s return he had 317 passing yards along with two passing touchdowns. The offensive struggles continue for the Jets as they cannot find a recipe for success in the run game but the passing game seems to be getting better against the lions and hope to improve upon that against the Jaguars. As for the Jets defense they’ve done their job all season long and are the main reason they are in playoff contention, it’s unfortunate they’ve been on the field for too much of the game and surrendered points due to fatigue. If the Jets want to win this one, they’ll have to figure out how to score and win time of possession on offense.

An AFC conference matchup should be interesting as both the Jets and Jaguars are trying to fight for a playoff spot.

Dec 21, 2022 No Comments