I’m going to be honest and say that there aren’t very many games to watch this week. Four teams are on a bye, and there are lots of cross-conference & non-divisional games going on. That said, there are two games in particular that are important, and one of them is in primetime. The other one really should be in primetime, as it’s a pivotal matchup between AFC contenders. Unfortunately, fans are stuck with watching the Broncos struggle on national TV once again. They play the Chargers on Monday night, while the Bears & Commanders face off on Thursday. NFL schedulemakers simply must do better to ensure that football fans have better games to watch in the future. Let’s dive in & take a closer look at the top matchups in the NFL this week.
Cowboys at Eagles on NBC (Sunday Night Football)
Two of the NFL’s most annoying fanbases will watch their teams face off on Sunday night. Talk about a pivotal game, the winner of this tilt could go on to later win the NFC East. Both teams are on serious hot streaks, as the Eagles (5-0) are the last undefeated team left while the Cowboys (4-1) are 4-0 since Cooper Rush took over for an injured Dak Prescott in Week 2. These teams are running the ball very well, and they have playmakers in the passing game too. Defense is a hallmark for both of these teams as well, as they both feature stellar defensive units. I’m going to come out & say that if you only watch one game this week it should be this one.
Bills at Chiefs on CBS (Sunday late afternoon)
How is this game not in primetime?! A rematch of last year’s AFC Divisional Round thriller that featured these teams, this week’s pivotal matchup is primed to be just as exciting. Simply put, these two contenders look like two of the best teams in the NFL near midseason. They also feature identical 4-1 records, and both of their tough losses were by just one score. Gabriel Davis is heating up for the Bills, with 3 catches for 171 yards & 3 touchdowns last week. This is important to note because in that playoff matchup against the Chiefs last year he went off for 201 yards & 4 touchdowns on just 8 receptions. Football fans can only hope that this game comes anywhere close to the excitement factor generated during their playoff contest last year.
Cardinals at Seahawks on FOX (Sunday late afternoon)
What’s this? A key divisional game during a week in which such games are truly rare? Yep, that’s what we’ve got here as the 2-3 Cardinals face off against the similarly 2-3 Seahawks. We’ve all debated it, but it sure looks like Geno Smith is the real deal as we approach midseason. Smith will surely be tested in this one as the winner of this game will suddenly have life, while the loser will probably sink to the bottom of the division. It’s a really important game for the Cardinals too, as they need as many wins as possible before Kyler Murray becomes distracted with the new Call of Duty release next month. Tune in to this one & watch the drama unfold.
Bengals at Saints on CBS (Sunday early afternoon)
I’m rooting for the Bengals to win this one as a biased Falcons fan, but to each their own. Joe Burrow really needs Tee Higgins to come back from injury, and for his offense to step it up. His unit looked abysmal last week against the Ravens, as they were lacking in explosive plays. I’ve got Ja’Marr Chase on my fantasy team, and I’m not exactly thrilled about that right now. Meanwhile, Taysom Hill carried the Saints offense last weekend with Andy Dalton under center. His final stat line was absurd: 9 carries for 112 yards & 3 touchdowns, 22 passing yards & 1 TD. He even recovered a fumble on special teams! Make sure to tune in & watch this key cross-conference tilt.
The Sports Beacon 