Every weekend in the NFL, elements attract our attention regarding the forces present, the records that are within reach or in relation to certain historical marks. Here, for the 14th week of activities, are 5 elements to watch out for.
• Also read: NFL Week 14 Predictions: Bears fans, my apologies!
• Also read: Summary of the week in the NFL: They are tiring, these Panthers!
• Also read: A first in more than 25 years for the Patriots
1. A fierce competition
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The home stretch of the season is upon us and the competition for division titles as well as playoff spots is extremely tight. For just the fifth time since the divisions were realigned in 2002 in Week 14, at least five of the eight divisions are led by teams with a game lead or less. In the American Conference, in the South, the Jaguars (8-4), the Colts (8-4) and the Texans (7-5) battle fiercely. Same thing in the North with the Ravens (6-6) and the Steelers (6-6). In the National Conference, three of the four divisions are in this state. In the North, the Bears (9-3) and Packers (8-3-1) are battling it out, as are the Buccaneers (7-5) and Panthers (7-6) in the South, as well as the Rams (9-3), Seahawks (9-3) and 49ers (9-4) in the West. It’s also the fifth time since 2002 that four divisions each involve three teams above .500. It promises!
2. The Northern War
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Among all the divisional rivalries of the week, it’s hard to find more spicy than the one between the Ravens and the Steelers to determine who will be the sole leader of the North division. This will be the first of two duels in five weeks between the two rivals. In the last shock last season in the playoffs, the Ravens won with 186 yards rushing from Derrick Henry. However, the Steelers have won eight of the last 10 regular season meetings. Nine of those 10 matches were decided by seven points or less.
3. Matt LaFleur’s revenge?
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When Ben Johnson took part in his first press conference as head coach of the Bears, he made comments that may have left their mark. Commenting on the level of competition in the division, he praised Vikings drivers Kevin O’Connell and Lions drivers Dan Campbell. When it came time to talk about the Packers, Johnson allowed himself a point. “I have to admit that I enjoy beating Matt LaFleur twice a year,” he said, all smiles. As offensive coordinator, he beat the Packers five times in six games. LaFleur will have the opportunity to make him eat his words on Sunday.
4. The Broncos win, but…
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At 10-2, no one is going to say the Broncos aren’t having a good season. However, there is no team that plays so much with fire. The proof is that they became the first since the 1986 Giants to win four games in a row by three points or less. The good news for the Broncos? The 1986 Giants finished with a 14-2 record and won the Super Bowl. The Broncos face the Raiders, who they beat by three points earlier this season. They could become the third team in history, after the 2003 Panthers and the 1998 Cardinals, to win seven games by three points or less. The 2003 Panthers were runners-up in the Super Bowl and the 1998 Cardinals were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.
5. Beautiful Sunday evening
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The Sunday night game pits the Texans against the Chiefs in Kansas City. Both teams are in a precarious position and a defeat could seriously jeopardize their chances of qualifying for the playoffs. The Texans lead the league defensively, both in points allowed (16.5 per game) and yards allowed (265.7 per game). The Chiefs have won just one of their four games in November and no team in the conference has held a lead as short as them, for 30 minutes and 16 seconds during that month. Luckily for them, they are 22-4 in December since Patrick Mahomes was their starting quarterback.
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