NFL WEEK 14: FOUR THINGS TO KEEP AN EYE ON

nfl week 14 four things to keep an eye on

By Tayyib Abu

The final five weeks of the NFL regular season are upon us. After 14 weeks of chaos and drama, only one team is categorically out of the playoff race. The wild race to lock up the 14 playoff places is now in its final furlongs, and the competition is incredibly intense.

Week 13 didn’t offer as many thrills, although we saw specific teams make significant strides towards the postseason. Others saw their playoff hopes take a massive hit. Week 14 sees teams wade into battle again for the most crucial present at this time of year, a win.

Here are four things to watch in Week 14 of the NFL season…

Is Matt Rhule On The Hot Seat?

It may feel odd to ask if a head coach is on the hot seat in the second year of a seven-year deal. However, Matt Rhule’s second year in Carolina is not going to plan. Rhule, a renowned program builder from his time at Temple and Baylor, won over Carolina owner David Tepper and landed the job.

A decent debut season in 2020 raised expectations heading into 2021. The Panthers are 5-7, second in the NFC South, and firmly in the hunt for the NFC’s seventh seed. Carolina is currently the ten seed in the NFC, and they’ve dropped down the order due to consecutive defeats. Rhule’s side lost to Washington and Miami in two ugly losses.

Last week, Carolina enjoyed the bye week, although enjoyed may not be the best word. The Panthers fired offensive coordinator Joe Brady. The firing surprised the NFL world, not least because it happened on a Sunday, but because many considered Brady a rising star in the coaching circles. Brady rose to prominence in 2019 as he helped guide the LSU Tigers to a national championship under head coach Ed Orgeron and alongside quarterback Joe Burrow.

The rumors suggested it was down to philosophical differences. Allegedly, Rhule wished to run the ball more, and Brady didn’t. How the Panthers do that without Christian McCaffrey is a mystery. Rhule opted to part ways, but it is worth assessing the situation.

The Panthers are a defective team, and it is unclear the direction that Rhule and GM Scott Fitterer want to take the team. Last year, they inked veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to a $62 million contract. The Panthers then chose to move on, and they traded for Sam Darnold. Darnold got hurt behind a turnstile-like offensive line, and the Panthers then re-signed Cam Newton. The Panthers spent more draft capital to trade for Stephon Gilmore, and they brought in veteran tackle Russel Okung.

Those are not moves of a rebuilding team or a team developing a new program. And that is why Rhule is now under pressure. The Panthers have a pivotal divisional game against the 5-7 Atlanta Falcons this week.. Atlanta is right in the mix for a wildcard spot, despite losing to the Buccaneers and Tom Brady last week. The Falcons defense isn’t a top unit, although they can cause Carolina problems. The Panthers’ offensive line is one of the worst units, and Atlanta could take advantage. Moreover, AJ Terrell is quietly experiencing a solid season in the defensive secondary.

Per Next Gen Stats, Terrell is only allowing 3.5 yards per target. Backing that up is his coverage rating of 1. Terrell is shutting his opponents down. In the reverse fixture, Carolina didn’t lean on the passing game. Instead, they gashed the Falcons on the ground. The Panthers amassed over 200 yards on 47 carries. If Rhule wants to run the ball more on offense, this game is a prime opportunity.

Rhule made a calculated decision to move on from Brady. With more input on the offense, he should see the team deploy the game plan he wants. A win against a divisional rival would vault the Panthers firmly into the mix. A defeat might leave Rhule having to answer more questions about the franchise’s direction.

The Dallas Cowboys Daren't Open The Door

In your typical Halloween slasher films, the central characters are always tempted by a hidden door. The viewers watch as the door lures the protagonists. Just like Adam and Eve needed to eat the forbidden fruit, the door always gets opened, and lurking behind the door is a bloodthirsty monster ready to let rip.

The Dallas Cowboys’ 2021 campaign brings them to the horror film door. Since their bye week, the Cowboys are 3-3, their overall record of 8-4 is still good enough to keep them on top of the NFC East, although this week they must tackle the beast lurking behind that door.

Ron Rivera’s Washington Football Team has ripped off four consecutive wins. Washington is 6-6, and they are in the mix for an NFC Wildcard spot. But, they’ll fix their eyes on a bigger prize, and this week offers Washington their first shot at Dallas. The key driver behind Washington’s surge is the defense. Last year, the unit shone, and many analysts felt that they would kick on in 2021. After a sluggish start and the loss of Chase Young, Washington has found something over the last four weeks.

Tom Brady could only muster 19 points against Washington. Russell Wilson and Derek Carr managed a meagre 15 against Rivera’s side. The 2020 Washington Football Team is back!. And this all spells bad news for the Cowboys.

Dallas’ recent defeats have provided hope for Washington. It is awfully dangerous to give hope to NFL teams, especially a rival. The Cowboys and Washington share a fierce rivalry. The game is always a big occasion, and the crowd will add more fuel to the fire.

Jerry Jones criticized Dallas’ receivers this week. It feels like the soap opera that always surrounds the Cowboys is starting again. A team perennially under pressure doesn’t want more pressure piled onto them by the man signing the paychecks. It plays into Washington’s hands.

The other thing that suits Washington is Dallas’ average run defense. Football Outsiders rank Dallas 14th in their adjusted line yards metric. More concerningly, the Cowboys are in the bottom ten at allowing runners into the second level. That bodes well for Washington running back Antonio Gibson. Since Week 10, Gibson has led the league in forcing missed tackles. He’s tied at the top with Jonathan Taylor.

The running game develops a decent passing game for quarterback Taylor Heinicke. The former Panther is incredibly raw. However, his physical tools are enticing. Couple that with Terry McLaurin, and Washington own weapons on offense that can hurt Dallas. The primary test for Heinicke is not turning the ball over. The Cowboys will punish Washington if they get presented with short-field situations.

For Dallas, Dak Prescott must manage and navigate this game. Prescott did it brilliantly in his rookie season, and while he’s developed as an all-around passer, game management skills are vital, particularly in a big game like this.

The Cowboys are the more talented team. Nevertheless, they are fragile. Washington is the street fighter. They hang in and claw their way through games. No one should underestimate their resilience. If the game becomes a feisty, bitty divisional affair, it should suit Washington. Conversely, Dallas should win if they can quickly get their offense moving.

A Cowboys victory will ice the division. A loss leaves the door ajar for a hungry Washington Football Team. The Cowboys’ Super Bowl drought gets used by other fans to mock them. The path to Los Angeles may look more difficult if Riverboat Ron’s team pulls off the upset.

The Packers and Aaron Rodgers

The Green Bay Packers are the best team in the NFC. They’ve been the best team in the NFC in the last two years. The Packers are 35-9 since Matt LaFleur took the helm in Titletown. As usual, Green Bay is running away with the NFC North. The Vikings have a losing record, the Lions have a solitary win over those same Vikings, and the Bears continue to enrage their fanbase.

This week, the Packers take on the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football, and the Packers could ice the division with a win over their biggest rivals. Green Bay enjoyed the bye last week, so they should be ready to attack the Bears.

Green Bay already owns one win over the Bears this season. Aaron Rodgers guided his team to a victory in Soldier Field and preceded to trash talk the Bears fans. For all of the talk about how Rodgers hates the Packers hierarchy and wants to leave, he’s certainly not playing like a man miserable at his workplace, and the Packers are still thriving on the field.

And the worrying part for the rest of the NFC, one could argue that the Packers haven’t hit top gear yet. They’ve shown flashes here and there; the game against the Rams, the second half against the Lions, and the win in Arizona are the standout highlights. Green Bay has won, playing ugly at various points in the 2021 season.

As for this game, the Bears are a woeful team. Justin Fields makes his debut under the Sunday night lights, and hopefully, he is fully fit to play. Sadly, the Bears are not good enough in any facet to trouble the Packers, specifically at Lambeau Field. Matt LaFleur’s team just know how to get to the 12-13 win mark, and they don’t lose to the Chicago Bears. Rodgers will enjoy his annual beatdown of the Bears, and the NFL world gets to watch in primetime. It could be the game that announces Rodgers’ MVP candidacy.

Who Is The Best In The West?

At 10-2, the Arizona Cardinals are flying into the NFL playoffs. Arizona boasts the best record in the NFC, and they could take a massive step forward in the race for the number one seed as they host the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football. The Rams lost the reverse game in Los Angeles, and they head to the desert under pressure.

Last week, the Rams got back to winning ways as they routed the troubled Jacksonville Jaguars. Although questions still linger, it was a timely reminder of the Rams’ class and quality. The Rams are 2-3 against teams with winning records. They are flawed, starting with the quarterback.

Sean McVay is wasting Matthew Stafford. Despite 12 years of wear, tear, and injuries, Stafford’s arm can still fire the ball with elite velocity. Sean McVay is holding Stafford back by trying to force the gunslinger to become an efficient game manager in the mold of Jimmy Garoppolo. Stafford’s percentage of big-time throws is lower than Aaron Rodgers, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, and Derek Carr. Stafford’s strength is the big throw; McVay is asking a lot of a quarterback to change his DNA, and it is confusing Stafford against the better teams.

The Cardinals’ pass defense is one of the best in the NFL. Football Outsiders ranks Arizona’s secondary third overall. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has done an outstanding job creating a versatile secondary that confuses teams. In the reverse game, the Cardinals contained Stafford for less than 300 yards, and they caused an interception.

Stafford can’t afford to endure another game like that. Big divisional games are what Stafford wanted, and Monday is the biggest of the season. The Rams should protect Stafford reasonably well. Their offensive line sits second in pass-blocking success, and the Cardinals edge rushers are nowhere near the top end of the pressure charts.

On the other side of the ball, star defender and former Super Bowl MVP Von Miller is high up in the pressure-generated metric, which is vital. Miller, Donald, and the rest of the Rams defense must blow up the Arizona game plan.

Kliff Kingsbury loves to call a screen pass. The Cardinals call screen plays 18.2% of the time. They thrive on getting the ball out of Murray’s hands and into their speedy playmakers’ hands. Donald and A’Shawn Robinson must win their gap assignments and pierce the Arizona backfield.

Aaron Donald, in particular, will need to play well. The Cardinals can run the ball inside and outside the tackle box. If Donald can dominate the line of scrimmage, it may force Arizona to change tack. The Rams signed the stars for big nights, and their A-List squad is more than capable of picking up a road win in the arid Arizona desert. The issue? The Arizona Cardinals are more than capable of winning and putting the Rams out of the divisional title race.

Tayyib is an avid NFL fan and, as a follower of the detroit lions, is a permanent resident in the honolulu blue heartbreak hotel. writing football articles since 2019, tayyib loves everything about the sport except that wins are not a qb stat. follow him on twitter @TayyibABU1

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NFL WEEK 14: FOUR THINGS TO KEEP AN EYE ON