With just four weeks remaining in the NFL regular season, a fairly established pecking order has emerged, with the playoff picture seeming less prone to late-season surprises than in previous years. But that doesn’t mean that all of the action this Sunday will be straightforward.
The schedule lends itself to plenty of thrills, with the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions clashing in a matchup of teams vying for a No. 1 seed in the postseason. Other potential meetings of playoff-bound teams include the Pittsburgh Steelers taking on the Philadelphia Eagles, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers facing the Los Angeles Chargers and the Green Bay Packers wrapping things up Sunday night at the Seattle Seahawks.
Here are our bold predictions for NFL Week 14:
Micah Parsons will collect three sacks for the first time in his career
Although the Dallas Cowboys (5-8) are essentially erased from the playoff picture, they’ve been playing hard for pride. And Micah Parsons can certainly represent that vibe better than most. The All-Pro linebacker is due for an inspired rebound game after getting virtually shut out on the scoresheet – no tackles, no assists, no sacks, no pass deflections, and just two quarterback hits – during the Monday night loss against the Bengals. It was just the second time in Parsons’ career that he was shut out without as much as a tackle in a game. The only other time it occurred was in November 2023 against the Giants. The next week, Parsons produced a career-high 2 ½ sacks at Carolina.
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Now the Cowboys happen to be headed back to Carolina – as underdogs, mind you – with Parsons undoubtedly eager to take out some frustration on Bryce Young and Co. If you saw Parsons’ reaction to the special teams gaffe that set up Cincinnati’s last-minute, game-winning TD drive, or saw his emotional postgame interview reflection on teammate DeMarvion Overshown’s gruesome knee injury, it’s easy to sense the passion he’s bringing while leading a defense that has played well in the five games since his return from the high ankle sprain that sidelined him for more than a month. Bottom line: Look for Parsons to make a big statement with a big game while playing for pride.
— Jarrett Bell
The late afternoon window will be this season’s most entertaining timeslot of the 2024 season
If Sunday requires you to divide your attention, make sure any tasks are completed and events are attended by the time 4:25 p.m. ET rolls around. Simultaneously, the Detroit Lions will host the Buffalo Bills while the Philadelphia Eagles welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers. If neither of those matchups do it for you, the Indianapolis Colts will try to keep their postseason chances alive on the road against the Denver Broncos. (Sidenote: That the NFL handicapped itself with future Christmas-week scheduling so that none of these games could be flexed into the place of Falcons vs. Vikings on “Monday Night Football” is a significant error.)
Bills-Lions will feature a ton of points; Steelers-Eagles could turn into a defensive battle. And I’m not sleeping on the other matchups. Patriots vs. Cardinals and Buccaneers vs. Chargers could all very well come down to the wire. I expect the Colts-Broncos contest to contain an air of desperation, considering any chance of the Colts making the playoffs begins with a victory, while Denver hangs onto the perilous No. 7 seed in the AFC.
It’s rare to get a five-game late-window these days, and even rarer that they are all somewhat exciting matchups. By the time they’re all over, we are going to call it the most fun few hours of the entire season.
— Chris Bumbaca
Saquon Barkley will surpass 2,000 yards from scrimmage in Week 15
Barkley will lead the Eagles to victory in the battle of Pennsylvania. I predict the Eagles running back will register 100-plus yards and two touchdowns in the win over the Steelers. In doing so, Barkley will surpass 2,000 yards from scrimmage this season. He’ll become just the fourth non-rookie in NFL history to produce 2,000 scrimmage yards in his first year with a team. Additionally, he’ll also become the fourth player in NFL history to record 2,000 scrimmage yards in a season with two franchises (he achieved the mark as a rookie with the New York Giants in 2018).
Sunday’s performance will bolster Barkley’s candidacy for NFL MVP. A running back hasn’t won league MVP since Adrian Peterson in 2012. It’s long overdue.
— Tyler Dragon
Josh Allen has five touchdowns … in another losing effort
Maybe that prediction needs to be rephrased. There was nothing ‘losing’ about the effort that Allen put forth in the Bills’ 44-42 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams, as the NFL MVP front-runner became the first player in league history to record three passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns in a single regular-season game. An injury-ravaged Detroit defense – 13 players from that side of the ball are on injured reserve – likely will have trouble slowing Allen and the league’s No. 2 scoring offense. But the Lions are the only team more prolific in putting up points, and their attack might not face much resistance either after the Bills allowed the Rams to convert 11 of 15 third-down attempts. While Buffalo might be able to limit explosive plays with their extensive two-high looks, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is comfortable chipping away at defenses and staying on schedule. Expect more brilliance from Allen – but it might not be enough.
— Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz