NFL Week 14, five bold predictions: Lions and Vikings dent the scoreboard, Cowboys set sack record

Week 14 of the 2022 NFL season already obtained off to an interesting begin, because the Baker Mayfield-led (!) Los Angeles Rams staged a comeback victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night time. 

We have got an interesting slate of video games forward on Sunday and Monday, and there’ll certainly be much more fascinating soccer performed. That is why we’re right here as soon as once more with our traditional listing of daring predictions. 

Lions and Vikings dent the scoreboard

There have been 11 video games to date this season the place the 2 groups have mixed for not less than 70 factors. The Lions have been concerned in two of these video games, together with the highest-scoring sport of the yr (a 48-45 loss to the Seahawks). Detroit ranks seventh in scoring offense and useless final in scoring protection, whereas Minnesota checks in tenth and twenty second, respectively. Given the relative strengths and weaknesses of every unit, this sport is about to go off — particularly since will probably be performed at Ford Area, which has change into the NFL‘s equal of Coors Area. Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Dalvin Cook, D’Andre Swift, Kirk Cousins, Jared Goff, the T.J. Hockenson revenge sport… there can be factors. Numerous them. 

Again in Week 9, the Payments had their worst offensive efficiency of the yr, totaling a season-low 317 yards, a season-low 19 first downs, and a season-low 17 factors in a loss to the Jets. Josh Allen averaged a season-low 3.38 adjusted yards per try and registered a season-low 46.8 quarterback ranking, and for the one time this season, didn’t throw a landing go. He additionally took a season-high 5 sacks for a season-high 22 misplaced yards. And he was intercepted twice. Jets quarterback Zach Wilson additionally performed arguably his greatest sport of the season, finishing 18 of 25 passes for 154 yards and a rating, with out being intercepted. Final yr on this matchup, although, the Mike White Present got here to an abrupt halt in opposition to Buffalo, as he went solely 24 of 44 for 251 yards and 4 picks. We’re not essentially predicting a repeat of White’s efficiency from final season, however we’re additionally positively not predicting a repeat of Allen’s efficiency from earlier this yr. The Payments are the higher crew, and even when the Jets protection is ready to maintain Allen largely in verify, Buffalo remains to be coming away with a victory right here. 

Cowboys rack up double-digit sacks vs. Texans

To date this season, the single-game excessive in sacks is 9. It was reached by the Patriots again in Week 9 in opposition to the Colts, and the Eagles all the best way again in Week 3 in opposition to the Commanders. The Cowboys are topping that this week in opposition to the Texans, and within the course of changing into the primary crew since 2019 (and solely 57th crew within the Super Bowl period) to document double-digit sacks in a sport. Dallas leads the NFL in sacks behind Dan Quinn’s ferocious go rush, and the Texans have yielded a sack on 7.5% of their dropbacks to date this season. With each Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins prone to miss this sport for Houston, Davis Mills will not have wherever to go along with the ball. Not that he’d essentially have sufficient time with Micah Parsons, Demarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler, Sam Williams, and extra bearing down on him anyway.

The Buccaneers might have secured a comeback win on Monday night time in opposition to the Saints, however they will don’t have any such luck in opposition to the 49ers. No, San Francisco is not going to have its beginning quarterback. And even its backup quarterback. Each Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo are now not capable of take the sector. Brock Purdy seemed fantastic in opposition to the Dolphins final week, and Kyle Shanahan will scheme him into success once more right here. However extra importantly, the Niners protection appears extremely prone to maintain this Bucs offense in verify. It simply shut down one of many league’s greatest items (the Dolphins — extra on them under) final week; and the Bucs offense is now not one of many league’s greatest items. The 49ers defensive position has an advantageous matchup up entrance, and the protection unit is well-equipped to remove the deep passes Tampa’s offense is constructed round. 

Dolphins win Take Bowl I

Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert will ceaselessly be linked due to the place they have been chosen in the identical draft. We’re into the third yr of their careers now, and there’s nothing that the speaking heads love greater than a great ole Tua vs. Herbert take. That is why this Chargers vs. Dolphins sport ought to be thought-about the Take Bowl. And the Dolphins are going to win it. 

Positive, the Dolphins obtained shut down by the Niners final week. However the Chargers protection shouldn’t be the 49ers protection. They do not have the identical caliber of go rush. They do not have the identical caliber of protection gamers. And so they particularly haven’t got the identical caliber of run protection. Miami’s offense will get again on observe in an enormous means on Sunday night time, with Tua Tagovailoa trying rather more just like the quarterback he has been for many of this season, and each Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert getting issues happening the bottom. Even with each Keenan Allen and Mike Williams within the lineup for a full sport for the primary time this season, the Chargers will not have sufficient to maintain up with Miami within the Tua vs. Herbert each TV and radio character is salivating over.