NFL Primetime Previews: Week 9, 2015

The Browns have upset me to the point where I’m just in complete nihilism.

This week’s Primetime Previews look at Philadelphia at Dallas and Chicago at San Diego.

The NFC East is brutal this year. Each team prides in beating each other up, so there hasn’t been a clear runaway with the division lead.

The Cowboys have 2 games left before the return of Tony Romo. The odds of them winning tonight would be slim if not for the incompetence of the Eagles. Philadelphia’s offense has been a massive disappointment, with Sam Bradford, Jordan Matthews, DeMarco Murray, Zach Ertz, amongst others, struggling. With Romo out, they have a shot to bury Dallas deep at 2-6.

The Cowboys OL has really missed Romo’s mobility, because Matt Cassel/Brandon Weeden have been terrible. I can’t trust Darren McFadden as the starter, but can give him the benefit of the doubt. PHI is high up in takeaways, so expect a feast in the turnover battle.

If Dallas wants to win this game, they need a combination of luck and help from the defense. As (rightfully) loathed as Greg Hardy is, he’s instrumental in DAL staying in this game. Bradford and his receivers have really struggled to create a rhythm, so anything of that sort will favor the Cowboys.

There’s really not much else to say about this game, as I’ve talked about both teams plentifully in the past. The Eagles should take this one, though. The only question is if they can do it convincingly. Time is running out for Dallas.

Back in the Noughties, Philip Rivers and Jay Cutler played in the AFC West, and the faces and don’t care attitude entertained the masses for a lifetime. In 2008, Cutler’s Broncos had a heavy division lead entering December, but Rivers’ Chargers stormed (sorry) back, and when combining that with Denver’s late collapse, gave San Diego the division title.

The next year, Cutler was traded to the Bears for local drunk Kyle Orton, and the rest is history. The two QBs meet again in California. Cutler has been ranger from above average to average for his career, and it’s clear Rivers has been the better QB.

What’s surprising is both teams have 2 wins. I didn’t expect both teams to make the playoffs, but with the AFC competition being weaker than usual (which doesn’t say much), you’d think they’d be a bit better. Hell, the Bears should be at least 3-4 if not for an OT loss to the Lions, and the Chargers lost at the buzzer to the Steelers.

This matchup is really all about who’s less likely to miss the playoffs. Mike McCoy’s conservative play calling is killing the Chargers, so San Diego must get hot early. Cutler has played well to start this season, so he’ll need to have the hot hand in addition to Matt Forte sustaining balance in the offense. Alshon Jeffery looks like his 2013 self again, so he’ll need some favorable matchups to create margin for error on the 50/50 ball.

Philip Rivers is on pace for monster yardage with a dink and dunk offense. At home we should expect more passing yards than TV references to Antonio Gates’ college basketball career, but Chargers fans hope Rivers has the same amount of turnovers as the amount of condoms he uses. And with the run game being non existent, in addition to the pass protection providing limited options and shifts in players, that will be a challenge.

Sorry, Chicago, but I’ve got the Chargers winning in a close one. You know who’s gonna be happy about that then. Da Queers.