Week 15 in the NFL is here and, the playoff race is getting serious. Last night, the Rams won at San Francisco and thus, Los Angeles is still in the race for the NFC West. I see the week 18 game vs. Seattle being flexed to Saturday afternoon or evening or Sunday night.
Speaking of Seattle, Sunday night’s game vs. Green Bay is looking like a preview of the NFC Wild Card playoffs. These two teams have had some memorable matchups in the regular season and postseason. The 2003 Wild Card where Matt Hasselbeck’s words came back to haunt him, Fail Mary in 2012, and that memorable comeback a few years later in the NFC Championship game. Sunday’s game will be no different. Don’t sleep on the NFC West.
The NFC South will once again have a 9-8 division winner. No matter who it is, their chances in the Wild Card playoffs don’t look good. Minnesota or Green Bay will finish with better records in a division dominated by Detroit.
CBS and FOX are sending their A-crews to Detroit and Philadelphia in week 15 to call what maybe a preview of the upcoming Super Bowl. I’m hoping it’s Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia in New Orleans on February 9 on FOX. It’ll be hard for me to pick that winner.
As much as I despise the social media algorithms and what they throw at me, Instagram has surprised me with a couple of NFL themed pages that I like. I get my information from NFL Round Table more than I do ESPN or The Sporting News. This page provides better insight too.
While possible Super Bowl matchups dominate this week 15, next week has a couple of great Saturday matchups. Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Houston all have three games in ten days. Out of the four teams listed, the Steelers have the toughest stretch. The schedule is living up to its preseason billing for Pittsburgh with all the tough games in the second half of the season.
Next Saturday will be interesting, and so will Christmas Day with Kansas City coming to Pittsburgh and Baltimore playing at Houston. In 2024, the NFL has given us many great games and story lines. Included has been a season for Pittsburgh where two quarterbacks have been getting it done in Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Also, the Steelers defense is playing lights out. Let’s see how these next three games go. Maybe Buffalo’s defensive meltdown was a wake up call for them or maybe a door opening for Pittsburgh. After Detroit, the Bills can feast on the weak Patriots and Jets. This postseason is looking to be really good too.
Finally, we’ll go back to last year and one of my favorite games during the 2023 season. The Steelers played host to the Cincinnati Bengals in week 16. Both teams with their season on the line. Pittsburgh had lost three straight including two at home to teams with 2-10 records. Kenny Pickett was injured and Mitch Trubisky was ineffective, so the Steelers had to turn to their third string quarterback, Mason Rudolph. It turned out to be one of the best offensive showings all year for the Steelers and I wish they’d have played like this all year. As it turned out, Rudolph saved Christmas for the Steelers (I loved how the play by play guy Noah Eagle said that at the end of the game). Pittsburgh played lights out and won, 34-11.
I followed the college game a little bit more in 2023 and NBC had some really good games. It was a memorable year for Michigan, winning their first national title since 1997. Jim Harbaugh won his elusive championship and went on to the NFL to coach the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024. The Steelers won out, beating Seattle the next week and the Ravens in week 18 (both on the road) and clinched the #7 seed in the AFC. The Steelers lost at Buffalo in the Wild Card round in a rescheduled game due to a snowstorm the day before. In the offseason, Pittsburgh completely restructured its quarterback room, parting ways with Pickett, Trubisky, and Rudolph. They picked up Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
It was skeptical how either QB would execute, but Pittsburgh has done well as they lead their division at 10-3. I’m hopeful they’ll go far in the AFC playoffs provided they get there. These next three games will be a barometer for the Steelers.
Stylish 🍒 