The AFC East is experiencing what appears to be an altering of the guard. The Buffalo Bills lead the department at 8-3, complied with very closely by the startup Miami Dolphins at 7-4. Both teams have reputable playoff ambitions as well as get on a collision course for a Week 17 match that could determine the AFC East title.
On the other hand, the New England Patriots, department victors 11 years running, sit at 5-6. Were the season to finish today, they would not make the playoffs. The very same goes with the 0-11 New York Jets, certainly, though they likely passed that milestone weeks back.
CBS Miami sporting activities support Mike Cugno checks out matchups in the AFC East for Week 13.
Las Vegas Raiders @ New York Jets, Sunday, December 6 @ 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
The Jets are still seeking that ever-elusive very first win of the season. They’ve come close a couple of times, including 2 weeks ago versus the Los Angeles Chargers. As well as every remaining video game supplies one more opportunity. Will they get it this week against the Raiders?
” No, there’s no possibility they do,” claims Cugno. “Look, the Raiders [are] eight-point favorites coming into this game, also if Josh Jacobs is abused with that injured ankle joint. I just do not see the Jets being able to score enough factors. And, you recognize, honestly, if they’re tanking for tanking or real inadvertently, they’re doing a great task of the storage tank. And I believe that proceeds. I assume they truly want to obtain an individual like Trevor Lawrence following year.”
Sam Darnold as well as his backup and also Joe Flacco have actually just passed for 200 yards in a game for times this season. For the Jets, quarterback isn’t their only trouble area. No running back has gone beyond 100 rushing yards in a game up until now. And also the offensive line is a mess. Everything amounts to a league-worst of 267.8 backyards and also 13.8 factors per video game.
The 6-5 Raiders will not catch the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, yet they could do some damage if they make it to the playoffs. Las Vegas is coming off an awkward 43-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, however they virtually beat the Chiefs the week prior. Inconsistency has actually been an issue for the Raiders, as a team, all season, yet they often tend to recover.
” Derek Carr had a poor game recently against Atlanta,” Cugno explains. “I do not believe we see two in a row. He’s been playing quite constant this year. As well as the Jets, at the end of the day, truly can not rack up on any person, and that’s their greatest concern to be sincere with you, I’m speaking about tanking or not. Their crime is really inept. I like the Las Vegas Raiders to win this.”
New England Patriots @ Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, December 6 @ 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
The Patriots technically live in the playoff search. However any kind of practical chance at the postseason probably needs them to triumph as well as get a little help. The Chargers, at 3-8, are generally done.
New England has actually had a hard time to get on track much of the season, especially on crime. According to Cugno, “when I look at the Patriots team, once more, comparable to the Jets, where they do not set up a lot of infraction. They’ve obtained a lot of question marks in the obtaining core, a lot of enigma in their operating game also. And Afterwards Cam Newton absolutely not been MVP Cam Newton we’ve understood.”
The protection conserved them recently versus the Arizona Cardinals, creating a late interception. Can they do it once again against Justin Herbert, that is having a solid novice season, currently tossing for 3,015 lawns and 23 goals. As Cugno mentions, “… the Chargers, they can put up points with the crime they have. They’ve got Justin Herbert, of course, Keenan Allen one of the leading pass receivers in the NFL. Yet, for one reason or another, they’re just not placing everything with each other.”
6 of the Chargers’ losses have actually come over a goal or much less. The very same can be claimed for 4 of the Patriots’ losses. “Right now, this is a really close video game,” claims Cugno. “I’m often tending to lean in the direction of the Chargers. I believe they finally burst out of this strange funk, where they’re shedding close video games. As well as I think they win a close one versus the Patriots.”
Buffalo Bills @ San Francisco 49ers, Monday, December 7 @ 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)
The 5-6 49ers have actually had a harsh season, filled with injuries and also turmoil from the COVID pandemic. Most recently they’ve been required to decamp to Arizona for the month of December as a result of regional pandemic constraints. The team will practice where the Arizona Cardinals held training camp and play games, including this week’s, at close-by State Farm Stadium.
As Cugno points out, “you look at what’s truly been happening with the 49ers, not also just this last week, yet dating completely back to weeks one as well as 2 of the season, where they have actually simply been squashed by injuries, week in as well as week out. Debt this team, though, for being affordable each week. They beat the Rams last week.”
The Bills have actually come out from the Patriots’ darkness this period. “The Bills have actually truly been type of the course, one of the most regular team in the AFC East this year,” states Cugno. “The introduction of Josh Allen as a star in the NFL is really for real.”
Allen has actually turned into one of the league’s leading passers, with 3,028 passing lawns and 22 goal passes to date. The addition of pass receiver Stefon Diggs has actually certainly aided a passing video game that standards 268.1 backyards per video game. They need to have plenty of firepower to surpass a sidetracked 49ers team.
As Cugno sees it, “I think the Bills have the ability to deal with a group that’s depleted with injuries as well as, honestly, has a lot of diversions around due to those COVID restrictions on where they can and also can not play. I believe the Bills do win this. I think it’s a competitive video game, perhaps more so than people believe.”
Cincinnati Bengals @ Miami Dolphins, Sunday, December 6 @ 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
The Dolphins are significantly in the playoff quest, sitting just a video game behind the Bills. As well as they discover themselves dealing with a Bengals team, which isn’t almost as unsafe as it was a couple of weeks ago. Newbie quarterback Joe Burrow tore his ACL as well as MCL in their loss to the Washington Football group and also is done for the period. The anticipated Tua-Burrow matchup will certainly have to wait. It could’ve needed to wait anyhow, with Ryan Fitzpatrick starting for the Dolphins while Tua recoups from a thumb injury.
In either case, the Fins are rolling, having actually won 6 of their last 7 video games. As well as a great deal of the credit rating must go to the protection and also the method they’re playing. Brandon Allen, the Bengals backup QB, is in for an obstacle. “I don’t envy the placement he remains in,” claims Cugno. “He’s going up against one of the best defensive back teams in the entire NFL. You take a look at Byron Jones, Xavien Howard. Looks like Howard obtains a pick every video game. Currently, he’s up to 7 on the period, he leads the NFL. To me, when those edges are closing down opposing offenses, then you see those quarterbacks begin to take hits. And also you see the opposing run games become much less reliable, because that group ends up being one-dimensional.”
The Dolphins are 11.5-point favorites. “For all the problems of Bengals have this year and with the injuries, especially at the quarterback placement, I do not see there’s an opportunity for them to win this video game,” says Cugno. “I believe the Dolphins win this at home. They’re finally back at home. They’re mosting likely to win this by double-digits.”