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A16 sports
Saturday 5 december 2020
Matchup of division leaders isn't quite what you'd expect

By BARRY WILNER for the first time this season, with slumping quarterback
AP Pro Football Writer but had receiver Will Fuller Carson Wentz, a sieve-like
In this strangest of NFL sea- and cornerback Brad- line and mediocre receiv-
sons in this weirdest of years, ley Roby suspended for ers, the defense has kept
here's a matchup of divi- six games each this week the Eagles competitive in
sion leaders you wouldn't for violating the league's three straight losses.
expect: Seattle hosting the policy on performance en- Things are much brighter
New York Giants. hancers drugs. The Colts in Titletown. Aaron Rodg-
Certainly the Seahawks on have won five of the past ers is playing at the highest
top of the tough NFC West seven in this series. Philip level and, despite no top-
is no stretch. They are 8-3, Rivers is expected to make line wideout to join him,
have a dynamic offense his 236th consecutive start, Davante Adams has 11 TD
and improving defense, breaking a tie with Charles receptions, behind only
and plenty of pedigree un- Woodson for ninth overall Kansas City's Tyreek Hill (13).
der coach Pete Carroll. It's starts in league history. Adams has the most touch-
their opponent that makes New York Giants quarterback Colt McCoy (12) looks to throw Denver (4-7) at Kansas City down catches by a Packer
little sense — except in during the second half of NFL football game against the (10-1) through 11 games since
2020. New York is 4-7, has Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020, in Cincinnati. Denver is expected to Billy Howton had 12 in 1956.
yet to beat a team with a Associated Press have all its quarterbacks af- "Aaron obviously has a
winning record, and enters Browns and the postseason with 2 seconds left against ter COVID-19 issues forced great command of the of-
the most difficult portion of together — the Titans are Buffalo. the Broncos to use rookie fense and everything runs
its schedule. Yet the Giants atop the AFC South. They Cincinnati (2-8-1) at Miami wideout Kendall Hinton at through him and how he
are tied atop the awful come off impressive away (7-4) QB last week against New controls things," says Eagles
NFC East with Washington, victories against Baltimore As bad as things have Orleans. Hinton was 1 of 9 coach Doug Pederson,
which it has beaten twice. and Indianapolis and can been for the Bengals, Bran- for 13 yards with two inter- "and that's kind of what you
"If you win your division, you establish themselves as true don Wilson returned a first- ceptions, and the Broncos see in games and on tape
win your division," Carroll contenders with another quarter kickoff 103 yards for gained 112 yards in the loss. — just how smooth things
says, and he knows: Seattle strong showing. a touchdown, the longest Kansas City clinches the are operating and Aaron
went 7-9 in 2010 and won The Browns have benefit- scoring play in team histo- AFC West with a win and really kind of thinking the
the NFC West, then beat ed like no one else from a ry, against the Giants. Wil- a Las Vegas defeat. The same way the play caller's
New Orleans in a playoff weak schedule. Teams they son is tied for first in the NFL Chiefs are trying to go 11-1 thinking."
game. "That's the way it have beaten are a com- with five kickoff returns of at for the second time in fran- New England (5-6) at Los
was then, that's the way bined 17-47-2 right now. least 40 yards. chise history (2003). Patrick Angeles Chargers (3-8)
it is now, and I don't think They should get back star Miami knocked off the Jets Mahomes has thrown for at Strangely, this is the Patri-
there's any problem with it. defensive end Myles Gar- with Ryan Fitzpatrick sub- least 300 yards seven times ots' first trip to Los Angeles
Whoever comes out of that rett after missing the past bing for Tua Tagovailoa this season and has 22 in 28 years, and it's a dou-
division, the division champ, two games with COVID-19. (thumb) and now FitzMagic straight games with at least bleheader. They are at SoFi
whoever plays them better Garrett is tied for second in gets a shot at another of his one TD passing. Stadium again on Thursday
look out. There's a lot go- the NFL with 9½ sacks. He many former teams. He got New Orleans (9-2) at Atlan- night to play the Rams.
ing on that side of it in what certainly will be tested by top wideout DeVante Park- ta (4-7) New England has won the
you want to prove and how the league's leading rusher, er going again: Parker had Simply put, a win for the past five meetings, includ-
you want to go about it." Derrick Henry. a season-high 119 yards Saints and a loss by the ing a 2018 divisional playoff
The Giants' defense has Los Angeles Rams (7-4) at receiving against the Jets, Bears clinches a playoff game. The Patriots are get-
played well during a three- Arizona (6-5) more than in Tagovailoa's berth for New Orleans. ting a boost from place-
game win streak, but start- Think the Rams like play- four starts combined. There are other scenarios kicker Nick Folk. With his 50-
ing quarterback Daniel ing the Cardinals? LA has Las Vegas (6-5) at New York involving ties. yard, game-winning kick
Jones has a hamstring is- won six straight in the series Jets (0-11) New Orleans has won five as time expired last week
sue and might sit in favor and five straight in Arizona. The Raiders need a re- of the past six in this heat- against Arizona, Folk be-
of Colt McCoy. "Just being Rams coach Sean McVay bound after that fiasco in ed rivalry, getting to Matt came the first kicker in one
prepared, that's the name is 6-0 against the Cards; LA Atlanta, and the Jets might Ryan often. The Saints have NFL season to convert mul-
of the game," McCoy has outscored Arizona 195- be just the tonic. Sure, the sacked Ryan a total of tiple such field goals of 50-
says. "That's why the Giants 56 in McVay's tenure. Raiders tend to struggle 17 times in their past two plus yards as time expired.
brought me here. I think "What's occurred in the in the East, but the Jets, meetings, and Cameron Chargers WR Keenan Allen
that's the expectation. past has nothing to do with as their record indicates, Jordan has 21 career sacks leads the NFL with 85 recep-
If your number is called, this game," McVay predict- struggle everywhere. of Ryan, an NFL record by tions and has a TD catch in
whether it's quarterback, ably says. "There is continu- Still, Las Vegas has lost one defender against a five straight games.
receiver, on the other side ity at the coordinator spots, six straight road games single QB. Jacksonville (1-10) at Min-
of the ball on defense, but these guys are playing against the Jets since a 34- Though Atlanta's defense nesota (5-6)
when you have to step up, really well. They have great 13 win in 1996. The Jets' 11- is susceptible to the pass, Over the past five games,
you have to step up. I just playmakers in all three game losing streak is their there is danger lurking. four of them wins, Vikings
have to be mentally pre- phases." longest in a single season. Linebacker Deion Jones QB Kirk Cousins leads the
pared for whatever hap- The Rams are tops in the Another loss would tie the has returned five intercep- NFL with a 124.3 passer rat-
pens." Off this week with the league with 17 points al- team mark for longest over- tions for touchdowns, the ing and is third with 12 pass-
final byes for the season, lowed per game, and sec- all skid, which spanned the most by any player since ing touchdowns.
are Tampa Bay (7-5) and ond with 297 yards allowed 1995 and '96 seasons under Jones entered the league The Jaguars have lost 10
Carolina (4-8). a game, with an NFL-low Rich Kotite. in 2016, and the most by straight, the longest single-
Cleveland (8-3) at Tennes- 11 touchdown passes al- Indianapolis (7-4) at Hous- any linebacker since 2006. season streak in team histo-
see (8-3) lowed. ton (4-7) His latest was a 67-yard ry, and fired general man-
While Cleveland is chas- Arizona has lost three of its Indy has not lost consecu- pick-6 against the Raiders. ager Dave Caldwell. They
ing a wild-card playoff past four games, the only tive games this season, but Philadelphia (3-7-1) at lost 13 consecutive games
berth thanks to Pittsburgh's win coming on the des- was routed at home by Ten- Green Bay (8-3) from Dec. 2, 2012, through
dominance — and it is very peration heave from Kyler nessee last week. The Tex- While Philadelphia's offense Oct. 27, 2013, for the lon-
odd to be mentioning the Murray to DeAndre Hopkins ans have won two straight has become dysfunctional gest overall slide.q