Week 15 is over and the excitement for the playoffs is beginning. The wild card race is getting extremely tight and these last 3 weeks are going to be unpredictable. This week was headlined by the Bills stomping the Cowboys and by the 49ers who scored 45 on Arizona in an offensive outburst. On Saturday though, Jake Browning lead the Bengals to another win in the afternoon while in primetime, Jared Goff’s dominant Detroit Lions halted Denver’s momentum in a blowout win. From OT’S to a mostly empty Panthers stadium in rainy Carolina, this week had everything.
America’s Game of the Week was the Cowboys vs the Bills and it was a lights out performance by Buffalo. I saw a complete Bills team and I’ve never seen them run the ball so much and this effectively. James Cook was spectacular and he racked up 221 yards total yards over 27 touches. Josh Allen only attempted 15 passes and he threw for a minimal 94 yards so it really shows how good the ground game was against a very strong Dallas defense. They haven’t been able run the ball in years past and that was holding them back but if they can make the playoffs this year, they will be a very dangerous team to play against. On the Cowboys side, it was a rough loss but the biggest thing for them is not letting it carry into the next two weeks. The play Miami and Detroit back to back so they’ll need to be on their A game for those tough playoff atmosphere like game. The offense struggled as a whole and no one really got going for them. The run game is still struggling and they have to do different things with their running backs. If they get can them going on outsides tosses, screens, and jet sweeps I think it’ll give Dallas more variety so it’s not just Ceedee doing everything. Going to Miami next week is going to be really challenging so Dak needs to have a bounce back game against the 10-4 Dolphins.
How good are the 49ers?! It’s one of the most explosive offenses in the league and it’s a nightmare to defend against. Brock Purdy is playing smoothly and playing so many mistake free games. Deebo Smauel is getting really hot and everything is clicking for San Francisco at the moment. The player leading them on offense is their ever present and can do everything running back Christian McCaffrey. As a fantasy football owner of CMC, I love him and he has taken my team to the playoffs. McCaffrey can do everything and his versatility is what sets him apart from the rest. I’ve seen so many 49ers games and he blocks rushers well, he’s great at catching passes, and he’s so powerful when he’s running the football. He’s a big asset to this offense and who knows where they would’ve been without him. Next week when they play a stout Baltimore defense, the 49ers have so many options like Aiyuk, McCaffrey, Kittle, and Samuel that they shouldn’t have any problems scoring tons of points. As of now, I see them as my Super Bowl favorite purely because the amount of quality on their team.
In the AFC, 4 teams have a 8-6 record fighting for 2 playoff spots (I’m not counting the Jags because they’re 1st in the division). The Colts keep pushing for a spot, the Bills are rising again, Jake Browning has brought life back in Cincy, and the C.J Stroud’s Texans are in the mix so I think no one can really predict what’s going to happen in that conference. The NFC’s playoff picture is a bit different with a couple 7-7 teams and Thursday’s Rams vs Saints game is going to be big for the playoffs. What will happen next Monday Night between NFL’S two best teams, the 49ers and the Ravens? On Sunday, will the Cowboys bounce back or will Tua’s Dolphins prevail.
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What a captivating and thorough analysis! I agree that the 49ers are a very formidable opponent, they will be tough to beat in the playoffs!