Week 14 Approaches, Playoff Picture Narrows.
Week 14 is a decisive point in the season for several NFL teams as the regular season is approaching its final phases. Some are hanging playoff hopes by a thread, and others by winning seeds or divisional leads. Victories this week might turn fringe candidates into wild-cards in no time or plunge hopefuls further out of the postseason.
Early Highlights: Thursday Night Lions vs. Cowboys Game.
Thursday Night Football starts the week with the high-profile match: the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Detroit Lions. This game has added weight to it since both franchises are struggling to attain consistency and seeding. A victory would create a swing to one or the other side and would rearrange the positions of the contenders in the playoff contest by the end of the week.
Divisional Rivalries and Conference Impact Sunday Crucial Matchups.
A full menu of games appears on Sunday; however, there are some that are considered pivotal. Among them: a battle of old-time competitors who may switch the division positions, and AFC matches when the victory of the wild-card is on the line. These are life-or-death situations to teams that are still hoping to qualify for the postseason.
Sunday Night and Monday Night Add Drama to an Already Full Schedule.
The drama of week 14 does not finish on Sunday afternoon. The Chiefs-Texans Sunday night game can potentially reestablish the pecking order of the AFC, and the Monday Night Football can bring the week to its culminating moment with a game that can potentially roil end-of-season NFC seedings. These primetime games are a final opportunity for these teams that are on the edge of making it or are just on the edge of being disappointed.
What This Means to Teams, Fans, and the Future.
Week 14 means everything to the playoff hopefuls in the regular season. A win may have a momentum effect, better seeding, or boost a poor season. To the fans, it is a roller-coaster of hope, tension, and what-ifs. And to the league, this run serves as a reminder to all what every Sunday counts, as at times, all can change in one game.
