Shout it from the top of Mount Washington: It’s the Game of the Year!Perhaps the : 0xbt
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Shout it from the top of Mount Washington: It’s the Game of the Year!Perhaps the

    liny
    By liny
    Game of the Decade!! Maybe the Game of the Millennium!!!Or White Jeremy Kerley Jerseys , very possibly, a big dud.Until their flop in Miami on Monday night, the way the New England Patriots were performing was the way so many predicted they would heading into the season: a powerhouse. And how the Pittsburgh Steelers were squeezing past inferior foes brought into question whether they could slow down the Foxborough freight train.Then the Dolphins did so one day after the Steelers needed another late rally to edge archrival Baltimore and clinch the AFC North.So while Sunday’s contest at Heinz Field will almost certainly decide the top seed in the AFC, it’s not exactly Ali-Frazier, two undefeated heavyweights facing off.“It’s good to be in big games than be in ones nobody’s watching,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says. “We better be appreciative of this spot and not resist it in any way. This is what we’ve been fighting for since March. Why would you fight that? It’s an awesome thing.”Forget their `A’ game, which the Steelers (11-2) seem to have misplaced for much of the past two months despite winning eight straight, with a half-dozen of them close (decided by one, three, three, three, five and six points.They will need their `AAA game’ against New England (10-3), which knows a loss eliminates it from topping the conference heading into the postseason.“It’s all about us being prepared to play Pittsburgh,” Patriots safety Devin McCourty says, mimicking his coach. “All the extra stuff comes with it, but it’s just if we worry about the playoffs, we’ll go down there and we’ll get killed, honestly.”The action got started Thursday night in a game with no playoff implications, the Denver Broncos’ 25-13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Brock Osweiler threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in relief of the injured Trevor Siemian, and C.J. Anderson rushed for 158 yards on 30 carries as Denver (5-9) won its second straight and handed the Colts (3-11) their fifth consecutive loss. Siemian injured his left shoulder in the first quarter and did not return.Los Angeles Chargers (7-6) at Kansas City (7-6), Saturday nightWin this and you have the inside track to the AFC West title. That would have seemed very impressive in the summer, when this was thought to be the NFL’s best sector. Instead, it’s so mediocre that the winner probably will be a No. 4 seed in the playoffs.Kansas City had a 24-20 win in September, when it was starting off 5-0. It broke a four-game slide with a big victory over Oakland last week.The Bolts have been, well, charging Jeremy Kerley Jerseys 2019 , winning four straight and seven of nine, their best nine-game stretch since 2010. But they’ve dropped seven in a row to the Chiefs.Dallas (7-6) at Oakland (6-7)Oakland might need to win out for any shot at the postseason. Same for Dallas, chasing a wild card in the much-stronger NFC.With star RB Zeke Elliott suspended for one more game, the combination of Dak Prescott throwing to Jason Witten and Dez Bryant has been the focal point on offense. Prescott’s coming off his first 300-yard passing game of the season with a career-high 332 against the woeful Giants.After fizzling in KC, Oakland needs to rediscover its offense and get pressure on Prescott from Bruce Irvin and Khalil Mack.Los Angeles Rams (9-4) at Seattle (8-5)The Rams lost two of four in the midst of a very difficult stretch. Now, the key division matchup with the banged-up, penalty-prone Seahawks.Seattle, whose air of invincibility at home has been punctured with two losses in the past three, won the first meeting and would have the tiebreaker with a repeat. This easily could come down to Russell Wilson , making a late run for league MVP, lighting up the skies against Rams QB Jared Goff, one of the NFL’s most-improved players in 2017.LA is 3-0 after a loss; the Eagles beat the Rams last Sunday.Green Bay (7-6) at Carolina (9-4)Huge one for both sides, and this time the Packers head into it with Aaron Rodgers back at quarterback.Recovered from his broken collarbone — Green Bay stayed relevant without him, going 3-4 — Rodgers might have some rust. Still, was there ever any doubt he would replace Brett Hundley when his wing was healed?“Hopefully it gives a lift to some of the guys but I’m not coming back to save this team,” Rodgers said. “I’m coming back to play quarterback the way I know how to play it.”Rodgers will face a formidable defense that includes end Julius Peppers, who left Green Bay for a return to Carolina this season and has 5 sacks in the past four games against his former team, and LB Luke Kuechly (100 tackles in six straight seasons.)New York Jets (5-8) at New Orleans (9-4)New Orleans owns the tiebreaker over Carolina thanks to a season sweep, and gets fortunate here. Josh McCown, having the best season of his lengthy, vagabond pro career, has a broken hand, so untested Bryce Petty gets the start.The Saints lost two of their past three, against top-level opponents, so they aren’t likely to fall into any traps. Their well-balanced and top-ranked offense could go wild against the inconsistent Jets, and no team has improved more on D than Nawlins.Atlanta (8-5) at Tampa Bay (4-9) White Micah Hyde Jerseys , Monday nightWhile the Buccaneers spiral enough to put coach Dirk Koetter’s job security in question, it’s the defending NFC champ Falcons who have been maddeningly up and down. Get this: Atlanta is 4-3 in its new, billion dollar palace.That means the Monday night spotlight should be fine, especially for WR Julio Jones. He had a season-best 12 receptions for 253 yards and two TDs against the Bucs three weeks ago — his NFL-record third game with 250-plus yards receiving. No other receiver in league history has more than one.Cincinnati (5-8) at Minnesota (10-3)Vikings will secure NFC North crown for second time in three seasons by winning, and the Bengals have never won in five trips to Minnesota. Cincinnati didn’t even show up at home last Sunday in being routed by the Bears. Yes, the Bears.Minnesota’s defense had an off day at Carolina, but is formidable enough to win big. The combined record of teams the Vikings have lost to is 27-12. Combined record of teams the Bengals have beaten, counting the Browns twice, is 14-51.Vikings coach Mike Zimmer was the defensive coordinator for the Bengals under current coach Marvin Lewis from 2008-2013. And here’s a strange stat: Lewis has never lost to any former assistant, going 6-0-1.Philadelphia (11-2) at New York Giants (2-11)An Eagles victory and a Vikings loss makes Philly the place to go through in the NFC playoffs. Of course, Eagles fans mostly are looking at the bleak side: Carson Wentz, the superb young quarterback who has engineered much of this year’s turnaround, tore his left ACL at the Rams and is done for the season.Then again, Philly probably could suit up Ron Jaworski instead of Nick Foles and win this by letting its top-notch defense loose against the beleaguered Giants. The Eagles have won six of seven and 15 of the past 19 against the Giants.Houston (4-9) at Jacksonville (9-4)OK, take a deep breath and listen: Jacksonville clinches a playoff berth with a win. It can even get in with help in other cities despite a loss.Not only that, the Jaguars, with their terrific pass rush and strong ground game, have a shot at a first-round playoff bye.“To be at the bottom and to finally fight our way, work our way and get back up, just to be in the position that we’re at now, it’s great and it shows you that we’ve finally started to earn the right to win,” linebacker Paul Posluszny says. “Now we want more.”Houston might have been in position for more in 2017 had the injury bug not ravaged the roster. The Texans, already minus brilliant DE J.J. Watt and excellent LB Whitney Mercilus, are down to their third quarterback, T.J. Yates.Tennessee (8-5) at San Francisco (3-10)The Titans can’t afford a stumble against the suddenly competitive Niners.San Francisco lost its first nine, but now has won three of four. Jimmy Garoppolo is playing like he will fill that franchise QB role the Niners hoped he would when they dealt with New England to get him.Tennessee has a showdown in Music City in Week 17 with the Jaguars. The Titans can make that a winner-take-the-division matchup if they beat San Francisco and then the Rams in Nashville next week.Miami (6-7) at Buffalo (7-6)After stunning New England Micah Hyde Jerseys 2019 , the Dolphins go to a place they don’t much like, particularly in December. RB Kenyan Drake has emerged and receiver Jarvis Landry remains steady. The defense befuddled Brady last Monday night, and expected starter Tyrod Taylor is no Brady.Bills star LeSean McCoy probably has been doing a snow dance all week. He was dominant in last weekend’s 13-7 overtime win a blizzard against Indianapolis, the second time in his career the running back has dashed through the snow like that.Baltimore (7-6) at Cleveland (0-13)A sputtering offense came to life for the Ravens at Pittsburgh, where they should have won to make them a solid leader for a wild card. Even if that attack goes back to its previous ways, seeing Baltimore destroy much of its postseason chances in this one is unlikely. A 3-0 finish gets the Ravens in.A 3-0 finish would be miraculous for the Browns, the first team in NFL history to start 0-13 in consecutive seasons.Chicago (4-9) at Detroit (7-6), SaturdayAlthough the Lions are mathematically in the NFC playoff chase, they sure don’t look much like a threat. Except, perhaps, to the Bears: Detroit has won eight of nine vs. Chicago.Bears running back Jordan Howard is the first in franchise history to rush for 1,000-plus yards in each of his first two seasons.Arizona (6-7) at Washington (5-8)Of interest here — wait, we’ll find something — is Cardinals RB Adrian Peterson, who needs one rushing TD to reach 100 and 37 yards to pass the great Jim Brown (12,312) on the career rushing list. But Peterson is battling a neck problem that could sideline him for the final three games.43<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:PHOTOS: 2017 Dallas Cowboys CheerleadersMatthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports | Matthew Emmons ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Bills safety Micah Hyde did his best Wednesday to mask whatever bitterness he once had toward the Green Bay Packers in preparing to face his former team for the first time since his departure.“I’ve got nothing but love for the organization,” Hyde said following practice as the Bills (1-2) prepare to travel to play Green Bay (1-1-1) on Sunday. “I wouldn’t say it was a wound. I wouldn’t say I was cut open.”And yet, that’s exactly the opposite of what the sixth-year player told two reporters in November, some 10 months after signing a five-year contract with the Bills in free agency.Hyde was so upset upon learning the Packers weren’t going to make an offer to re-sign him with six games left in the 2016 season, he said: “It was like someone stabbed me in the back.”Standing alone at his locker Wednesday, after insisting he bore no ill will toward the Packers, Hyde broke into a laugh upon being reminded of his previous comments.“Do you have proof?” he asked, before acknowledging what he said.“Maybe,” Hyde told The Associated Press, “I put a Band-Aid on it and it’s healed up since then.”As a team leader, Hyde is in no position to stir up bad blood or create bulletin-board material in preparing to face an Aaron Rodgers-led offense at a time Buffalo’s defense is beginning to show signs of jelling.After allowing 75 points and 653 yards through the first six quarters of the season White Patrick DiMarco Jerseys , the Bills have bounced back by allowing nine points and 375 yards over the past six quarters.It’s a stretch capped by a 27-6 win at Minnesota on Sunday, in which Buffalo forced three takeaways and limited the Vikings to 14 yards rushing — matching the second-fewest allowed in team history.“I feel like the last six quarters was our brand of football,” Hyde said. “The first six quarters, I can’t answer for that. But it’s good to see we’re making strides, getting better.”And he understands the progress can be easily derailed by Rodgers, even if the quarterback might be limited by a left knee injury.“I’ll take Aaron Rodgers hobbling over most of the quarterbacks in the league,” Hyde said. “He still has the intelligence, has the arm. He’s going to get it done regardless.”Rodgers hasn’t forgotten what Hyde can do either.“Look at the time he spent with us. He played corner for us and made big plays. He played safety and made big plays, returned punts,” Rodgers said. “You hate to see a guy like that go.”Packers coach Mike McCarthy called Hyde “a stud,” while saying there was “a business aspect” to why Green Bay didn’t re-sign him.Hyde played a jack-of-all-trades role during his four seasons in Green Bay after being selected in the fifth round of the 2013 draft. He played safety and cornerback and also returned three punts for touchdowns.That wasn’t enough for the Packers to keep him, which led to the Bills making Hyde an offer on the first day of the free-agency signing period.Hyde immediately formed a bond with safety Jordan Poyer, another free-agent addition, and rookie first-round pick cornerback Tre’Davious White.The three combined for 14 of Buffalo’s 18 interceptions, tied for the sixth-most in the NFL last season. Hyde had a career-best five interceptions to earn his first All-Pro selection by being named to the second team.He credited his success to being able to focus on playing just one role, while also fueled by how his tenure ended in Green Bay.“When a team doesn’t want you, and basically tells you straight up they don’t want you, it’s kind of like motivation to keep getting better,” Hyde said.The secondary has struggled this season by having already given up seven touchdowns passing, after allowing just 14 last year.Hyde hopes the Bills can build off how they played against Minnesota.What he doesn’t care for is having the focus placed on his return to Lambeau Field.“We’re 1-2, coming off a big win. We’re trying to get this thing rolling,” Hyde said. “It’s not about Micah Hyde going back to Lambeau. It’s about the Buffalo Bills playing the Green Bay Packers for a win.”