Another week is down at the playoff picture is beginning to take some shape. The Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos have established themselves as the class of the league and the Oakland Raiders are proving the opposite.
Week 9 kicked off with a New Orleans Saints win over the Carolina Panthers, which leads us to another big weekend, much like every from this point on. Here’s what you need to look for Week 9.
1. The Battle for NFC Supremacy
The Dallas Cowboys were flying high before their Week 8 loss to Colt McCoy and the Washington Redskins. Now, Tony Romo could be injured and the Cowboys are just a half game ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles for first place in the NFC East.
That leads us to the Cardinals, who have quietly put together the best record in the league behind three different quarterbacks. If the Cowboys thought the Redskins were tough, wait until they see the Cardinals defense.
2. Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots
You could pick and choose storylines from this game. Peyton Manning against Tom Brady, the top teams in the AFC, Wes Welker against his former team.
The reality is that this game could decide home field advantage throughout the playoffs and both teams are coming into it hot. Combined, the teams have won eight straight games and only one has been closer than two touchdowns.
3. Philadelphia Eagles vs. Houston Texans
Speaking of the Eagles, they stand at 5-2 going into a matchup with the 4-4 Texans in Houston. The Eagles struggled against the Cardinals last week, falling 24-20 and creating a more desperate attitude entering the game with the Texans.
However, J.J. Watt and his team need to keep pace with the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South. Here’s the bad news for Houston: It ranks 29th in the league in stopping the pass, which the Eagles rank sixth in.
4. Are the Kansas City Chiefs a viable threat in the AFC?
The Chiefs have won two consecutive games over the San Diego Chargers and St. Louis Rams en route to a 4-3 record. At this point in the season, they are still in contention for a wild card spot in a competitive AFC .
A matchup with the New York Jets will present a chance to move even further up the leaderboard. With wins over the Chargers, New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins, this Chiefs team could make some noise.
5. Will the Cincinnati Bengals get back to their dominant ways?
Just a few weeks ago, the Bengals were cruising past opponents and climbing the NFL Power Rankings. Then, an injury to A.J. Green ushered in a 1-2-1 stretch that left many questioning their power.
However, Green might be back for a matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the 27th-ranked pass defense in the NFL. Can Andy Dalton get his offense functioning smoothly again without Green and an injured Giovani Bernard?
6. Wild Card potential
The San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins are in the thick of the AFC Wild Card race, and they face off in Miami on Sunday. The Dolphins are coming off two straight wins, while the Chargers have regressed with two straight losses.
This matchup could decide a future Wild Card spot and it features two strong quarterbacks: Ryan Tannehill and Philip Rivers. Whichever quarterback can get off to a better start could decide this game.
7. Will it be Robert Griffin III for the Washington Redskins?
And so the Redskins quarterback situation continues. First it was Griffin injuring his ankle, then Kirk Cousins coming in and struggling, the Colt McCoy leading his team to a win over the Cowboys, now back to Griffin.
Heading to Minnesota to face the Vikings presents a good chance to pick up another win, but will Griffin be able to play at his full potential? Head Coach Jay Gruden seems to think so.
8. Can the San Francisco 49ers keep pace with the Arizona Cardinals?
The 49ers have had a frustrating season, but still sit at 4-3 with a chance at a division title or a Wild Card spot. Thus, a home game against the St. Louis Rams is a virtual must-win if they want to keep pace.
The 49ers struggling against the Denver Broncos’ defense, putting up just 17 points two weeks ago. Now, with a bye week behind them, Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers need to get a win Sunday.
9. Can the Seattle Seahawks continue winning?
The Seahawks 2014 campaign is certainly not going the way they expected, with drama on and off the field and the departure of Percy Harvin. However, a win at the Carolina Panthers helped ease the pain a little.
This week, the Seahawks get the league’s worst team at home. Pete Carroll knows that his team must win this game to keep hope alive for a repeat NFC West title.
10. Can the Indianapolis Colts avoid a losing streak?
The Colts were embarrassed by the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, despite Andrew Luck throwing for 400 yards and three touchdowns. The defense failed them against Ben Roethlisberger, leading to 51 points for the Steelers.
Going into a Monday night matchup with the New York Giants, the Colts defense will put emphasis on stopping the pass. Can the Colts maintain their lead in the AFC South?