Page 19 - aruba-today-20171202

A19
SPORTS Saturday 2 december 2017
Looking for the best NFL matchups this week? Look South.

By BARRY WILNER These teams went at it in Pittsburgh (9-2) at Cincin-
AP Pro Football Writer London in October, a 33-0 nati (5-6), Monday night
The place to focus on this Rams win that was Ari- The Bengals haven't been
week is Down South, as in zona's worst performance bungling much lately, but
NFC South. and cost it QB Carson this isn't a matchup in their
All three contenders in the Palmer (broken left arm). favor. Pittsburgh's all-time
NFL's best division have dif- Los Angeles has displayed edge in this series is 61-35,
ficult matchups Sunday, balance on both sides of including two playoff wins
two of them facing off the ball and was especially at Paul Brown Stadium.
when top dogs Carolina hard on Adrian Peterson, The Steelers have won five
and New Orleans go at who rushed for 21 yards on straight and eight of nine
it in the Big Easy. Atlanta, 11 carries in London. in the rivalry. They also are
meanwhile, hosts NFC An LA win would even the 6-3 on Monday night vs.
North leader Minnesota. series, which now is 38-37-2 Cincinnati and have won
The Panthers and Saints for the Cardinals. 10 straight prime-time
are 8-3, and New Orleans games. q
has a win in Charlotte. So
a season's sweep by Drew
Brees and company would
make for a tidy tiebreaker.
"The fact is we play in a
really tough division and
there are a lot tough teams
sitting at the top fighting
for that spot, and we are
all within a game of each
other," Brees says. "This is a
tough stretch, the toughest
stretch as we could possi-
bly have, but it is good for
us. We need this. Hopefully
it brings out our best foot-
ball."
Maybe a comforting
thought for the three teams In this Sept. 28, 2014, file photo, Minnesota Vikings cornerback
involved is they all could Xavier Rhodes, left, breaks up a pass intended for Atlanta Fal-
be playing in January. cons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) during the second half of
"It's really crazy. You look at an NFL football game, in Minneapolis.
the NFC South, and there's Associated Press
a chance that three teams of having confidence go- The Seahawks uncharac-
actually make the playoffs, ing against him." teristically need to win with
which is absolutely crazy The week's action began offense as the Legion of
to me," Panthers veteran Thursday night with Dallas' Boom has been ravaged
linebacker Thomas Davis 38-14 home victory over by injuries and penalties
says. "I think it's just the NFC Washington. keep mounting.
South and the way we've Dak Prescott threw two Yet they can win that way
been playing this year." touchdown passes, includ- thanks to Russell Wilson,
At 7-4, the Falcons trail by a ing a franchise record- who deserves consider-
game in the NFL's toughest breaker to Dez Bryant, and ation in the MVP race, and
division. They go outside of Dallas (66) finally won with- re-emerging tight end Jim-
it Sunday, but hardly get a out suspended star running my Graham.
relief: Minnesota (9-2) can back Ezekiel Elliott. "I have to find ways to get
beat you every which way Prescot shook off a hand him the football. It's not just
and has won seven in a injury and found Bryant on him, it's everybody, but I
row. a 13-yard leaping grab in think that he really stands
The matchup of the Vi- the end zone for the 2014 out. He can do some spe-
kings' powerful defense All-Pro's first score in six cial things," Wilson says.
and the Falcons' revital- games and 72nd of his ca- Philly has won nine in a row,
ized offense is a spicy one. reer, one more than Hall of four straight by at least 20
Nowhere is that more true Famer Bob Hayes. Wash- points. Only the 1999 St.
than Atlanta's brilliant re- ington dropped to 5-7. Louis Rams did it five times.
ceiver Julio Jones against Philadelphia (10-1) at Se- They won the Super Bowl.
Minnesota's shutdown cor- attle (7-4) Los Angeles Rams (8-3) at
nerback Xavier Rhodes. With the Eagles soaring to- Arizona (5-6)
"Don't believe in the hype, ward the postseason be- A nice bounce back by
don't be afraid of the hind the sensational work the Rams with a 26-20 win
name, just believe in the of second-year quarter- over New Orleans that fol-
game," Rhodes says. "I back Carson Wentz and a lowed a loss at Minnesota.
know he's one of the best dynamic defense that no This one can be tricky —
receivers in the league, one can run on, much at- witness what the under-
and I've just got to go out tention will be centered on manned Cardinals did to
and play with the mindset the hosts. Jacksonville last Sunday.