The New England Patriots now have a fairly comfortable lead in the AFC East at three games with only four weeks remaining in the regular season. It’s do or die time, and both the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are slipping in the playoff picture. Each matchup is even more important than the last from here on out. Here’s a look at how the AFC East will fare this week.
Cleveland Browns at Buffalo Bills, Sunday 1:05p.m. EST
The Browns have been a surprise team this year at 7-4 and seeking a playoff appearance. Unfortunately for Cleveland, they are in a very tough division in the AFC North, where each team has seven wins.
Last week, the Browns defeated the Atlanta Falcons on the road 26-24 as Billy Cundiff hit a 37-yard field goal with five seconds remaining for the win. Quarterback Brian Hoyer had a few hiccups with three interceptions, but was able to shake it off and lead his offense down field to set up Cundiff’s field goal attempt. Josh Gordon also returned after his suspension and finished the game with eight receptions for 120 yards.
The Bills are coming off a 38-3 victory over the New York Jets. Bills players were unable to practice for days leading up to the game due to poor weather conditions, and the game had to be moved to Detroit’s Ford Field, but the Bills were able to take advantage of a struggling Jets team. Quarterback Kyle Orton had two touchdown passes as the offense was able to score often. Wide receiver Robert Woods also had a few impressive catches with nine receptions for 118 yards. Buffalo entered Week 12 with an NFL-best 39 sacks and significantly added to that total as they sacked Jets quarterbacks seven times.
Both teams enter this matchup with playoff hopes, and this is a must win for both teams. The Bills are happy to return home after crazy weather conditions, but do so on the outside looking in when it comes to the current playoff picture. Both teams will need help to make the playoffs and both need to continue winning. This should be a close game with a lot on the line.
Final Prediction
Browns 24 Bills 20
New England Patriots at Green Bay Packers, Sunday 4:25p.m. EST
The Pats lead the East by three games with their 9-2 record and have won seven in a row. They beat the Lions 34-9 last week behind yet another terrific performance by Tom Brady. The QB threw two touchdown passes for 349 yards. New England’s pass heavy offense has been dominant over the team’s seven consecutive victories to earn the current top seed in the AFC. The Pats have also won six games by 22 points or more so far this season.
As for the Packers, they lead the NFC North by half a game with an 8-3 record and are on a three game winning streak. They are coming off a close 24-21 victory over the Minnesota Vikings and will return home to play a tough Patriots team.
Runningback Eddie Lacy rushed for a season-high 125 yards on 25 carries to help lift the Packers over the Vikings. Aaron Rodgers was consistent and accurate as usual, but Lacy provided the offense a big boost in this one.
Sunday’s matchup will be a fun one. Two of the league’s best quarterbacks in Rodgers and Brady battling it out at Lambeau makes for an intriguing game as both offenses are top-10 in passing; Patriots ranked seventh, Packers 10th. It will also be the first time these two have faced each other in their career.
These two teams struggled early on, but rebounded to be first in their respective divisions and this could potentially be a Super Bowl preview. Both are highly ranked in their conferences and have explosive offenses with surrounding talent. The Pats are basically unstoppable at home, so it will be interesting to see how Brady and company handle the Frozen Tundra on Sunday afternoon as they seek their eighth win in a row.
Final Prediction
Patriots 28 Packers 24
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets, Monday 5:30p.m. EST
The Dolphins are coming off a tough 36-39 loss to the Denver Broncos. They had been leading the game for awhile, but the Broncos 22-point fourth quarter sealed the game.
Ryan Tannehill had another good game with three touchdown passes, but committed a costly turnover as he was picked off by T.J. Ward, which set up the Broncos insurance touchdown in the fourth. They played well against one of the best teams in the AFC with playoff hopes in sight, but just weren’t able to stop the fast-paced Denver offense.This week, they have an easier opponent in the Jets who have struggled in every aspect of the game this year.
Last week the Jets were routed by the Bills 38-3. Michael Vick was pulled for Geno Smith in the third quarter, which has happened quite a few times this season. The Jets greatly struggled against a team that hadn’t even practiced a few days leading up to the game.
This definitely a one-sided matchup, and with the Dolphins three games out of the East and now falling from the playoff picture, they need to dominate this game. From here on out, every week is vital for teams in the playoff hunt, and Miami has to win these winnable matchups in order to continue a playoff hunt in the final weeks of the season.
Final Prediction
Dolphins 41 Jets 10