Some days working in the content mines take a longer time than usual. This morning was one of those days. Let’s head off to the races, shall we?

To The Games!

Bucs/Falcons:

“Steady as you could possibly want” Mike Evans might have a splash day because Atlanta cb’s Terrell and Okudah are banged up. I know it’s the NFC South but this is big for the participants. A Tampa win gives them a 39% chance to win the division and an L drops them to 3%. The attendant figures for Atlanta are 81% and 34%.

Colts/Bengals:

There was plenty of talk about Cincy’s triumvirate of wr’s being the league’s best but that hasn’t quite shaken out. Something’s wrong with Higgins and during his absence Boyd hasn’t done anything. Jake “The Poet” Browning came up big last week with 26 fantasy points and should do the same again vs an Indy D that has given up the 6th-most points to opposing qb’s.

Jags/Browns:

The rumor mongers of the sports world are telling me that P. Girlfriend is going to gut it out today on an ankle that was in a boot Monday. I don’t think that boot was made for walking all over that Browns D though. I guess the thought of playing Beat Hard for an entire game sent shivers up the spine of everyone in the organization.

Texans/Jets:

How does the Jets OC still have a job? Does the guy get a pass (snorts) because the front office has so badly botched the qb position? (trading for Dobbs or signing Flacco were options back when Wilson was benched back in the fall yet again) Rook phenom Stroud is completing 60% of his 20+ yard downfield passes-the question is, “Do I throw Noah Brown into the mix in the wake of Dell’s injury?”

Rams/Ravens:

Lamar! hasn’t had a rush TD since week 7 but that may be remedied against a Rams club that has given up 5 to qb’s so far this year. Though unlikely, were Los Angles to win this tilt their playoff aspirations would rise to (aw, crap!) 69%. I’m curious to see what Kupp and Nacua can do vs the league’s best scoring defense.

Lions/Bears:

Detroit’s run game since week 9 (when Gibbs got a solid footing) is the best in the league at expected points added per rush. That’s a handy stat to have in your back pocket given the roller coaster that is the Lions D-keeping them off the field is paramount. The Bears are a sneaky 4-4 in their last eight but the moaning and whining about Eberflus continues unabated.

Panthers/Saints:

We hear way too much about him but Taysom Hill’s 6 combined TD’s are sorely needed on this points-hungry team. The O has badly sputtered and I’d venture that Shaheed would be a star on a functioning offense like the Fins, Niners or Cowboys.

Have at it.