Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
Both the Bills and the Dolphins lost tough games last week but they have little time to think about it. These two division foes face off on Thursday night and last week’s losses may have these teams playoff chances slipping away. The loser of the Thursday night game can pretty much kiss their playoff hopes goodbye.
Buffalo can score points. They have the weapons on offense to keep Miami’s defense busy all game. On defense the Bills have not yet showed that they can stop teams from scoring on them. The key for the Bills will be to score early and stop the Dolphins from gaining any kind of offensive momentum.
The Dolphins must get out of their own way. Turnovers killed the Phins last week and if they want to avoid another meltdown, they must win the turnover battle. The Bills have a potent rushing attack and the Dolphins have a normally stingy run defense, however last week they were chopped up by CJ2K for 126 rushing yards. With Fred Jackson out with a concussion, the key for the Dolphins will be to limit CJ Spiller on the ground. If Miami can avoid turnovers and control the clock they have a decent chance of winning.
Fantasy Outlook
Start Ryan Fitzpatrick and Steve Johnson, Miami gives up a lot of yards passing and I expect this trend to continue. Start CJ Spiller, with Fred Jackson out with a concussion, Spiller will get the bulk of the carries, and also Miami’s tough run defense has been exposed recently. For Miami start RB Reggie Bush. The match up is good for RBs plus Bush was benched last week because of a fumble, he will be playing with a chip on his shoulder. I also like WR Brian Hartline. He has developed into Ryan Tannehill’s favorite target and he should get plenty of targets on Thursday.
New York Jets at St. Louis Rams
The Jets travel to St. Louis Sunday to face off against the Rams. The Jets are struggling to win a game lately and have been the center of media scrutiny. Head coach Rex Ryan has not been able to steer his team in the right direction and may find himself headed to the unemployment line if he doesn’t fix Gang Green’s problems quickly.
The Rams on the other hand are one of the NFL’s surprise teams this year. Although their record may not show it, they have been playing good football all season. Including last week’s game against San Francisco in a game that culminated with a disappointing tie. Lead by quarterback Sam Bradford the Rams find themselves at the bottom of a tough NFC West division.
The Jets will need somebody to step up on offense, which has been their Achilles heel all season. Injuries have been a problem for the Jets and they will need their backups to play better if they plan on beating the Rams. Expect a low scoring game in this one as both teams have solid defenses and not a lot on offense. The Jets woes may last at least one more week, as it will be tough for them to sneak out a victory on the Rams home turf.
Fantasy Outlook
The Jets offense has been shaky at best in recent weeks. I would be very cautious starting anybody on the Jets team. The Rams do not have any Fantasy studs now that RB Steven Jackson is getting older and splitting carries, however I do like WR Danny Amendola as a WR3 or a flex. He is Sam Bradford’s favorite target and should get a lot of passes thrown his way.
Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots
In a possible playoff preview this game pits two high-octane offenses against each other this Sunday. The prolific Tom Brady leads his team at home against Rookie of the Year candidate Andrew Luck and an inspired Colts team. If you are of the gambling persuasion, the “over” will be a safe bet here. These two teams have the cards stacked on offense and may end up scoring more than 90 points combined. No matter the score, NFL fans will see a great game.
The Colts are right in the middle of a playoff race and are fighting to prove they belong with the NFL elite teams. They can take a huge step toward that goal by beating Brady and the Pats on Sunday. Beating New England at home is not an easy task. The Patriots are averaging a ridiculous 430 yards of total offense. Luck will need to out duel Brady if the Colts are to have a chance at winning. The Patriots must find a way to stop the Colts offense. As explosive as the Pat’s offense is, the defense is very vulnerable. The Pats must find a way to slow down Luck. I expect a shoot out Sunday with the edge going to New England playing at home.
Fantasy Outlook
I will simplify this game for you: Start everyone! This game should be an offensive atomic bomb. QB’s Tom Brady and Andrew Luck will have at least 300 yards and 2 touchdowns each. TE Rob Gronkowski will have at least 60 yards and a touchdown. WR Reggie Wayne will have 100+ yards receiving. I expect even the running backs for both teams to put up solid numbers.