NFL Week 9: Analyzing the Social Buzz Ahead of Top Matchups

Week 9 of the 2014 NFL season is upon us, and there's plenty of social media buzz about the upcoming matchups. 

It all starts with the Denver Mannings vs. the New England Bradys.

That doesn't seem right.

Frankly, it's hard to talk about anything else when these two AFC powerhouses duel at 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday on CBS. Both lead their respective divisions, with the Broncos at an impressive 6-1 mark and the Patriots rounding into form at 6-2.

Both quarterbacks stand to go down as two of the best the game has ever seen. The two have combined for eight Super Bowl appearances in their lucrative careers―Brady with three wins, Manning one.

ESPN.com tweeted a great rundown of both quarterbacks' accomplishments.

So, who holds the advantage in this matchup? Well, based on dance moves alone, or lack thereof, looks like Brady might be in line for a special afternoon. 

All flavor aside, Brady has dominated the series, winning 10 of the 15 games between the two.

It's always a treat to see two future Hall of Famers go at it. It makes it even better when they are playing at the top of their games. After an absolutely dismal start to the season, Brady has roared back in October, accumulating 14 touchdowns and a 4-0 record. This comes after he threw just four touchdowns with four turnovers to start the season. 

"

This is why Tom Brady is better than Manning https://t.co/OjO3Ia45LB

— You'reFromBoston (@UrFromBoston) October 23, 2014"

Not to be outdone, Manning also has notched 14 touchdowns with a perfect record in October. Of course, we would be remiss if we didn't mention Manning's record-breaking 509th touchdown pass of his career in a 42-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers, surpassing Brett Favre in the history books.

One thing that people are pointing to on social media as a huge factor in this game is the weather forecast.

There's a myth going around that Manning suffers in cold weather, giving Brady a huge advantage on Sunday.

Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com did a great piece before last year's Super Bowl detailing how Manning's performance doesn't suffer any more than any other quarterback in the league when the weather turns colder.

As Wilson pointed out, Manning's teams have scored more points than they have allowed when temperatures are around 30 degrees. Over the years, Manning's completion percentage, TD/INT ratio and QB rating have improved in colder climates.

The biggest factor in this matchup is the one often overlooked in Manning vs. Brady―defense.

Here's where, statistically at least, the Broncos have the advantage. Though the Patriots carry the second-best pass defense in the league, surrendering 210 yards per game, Denver's 20.3 points allowed per game tops New England's 22.1 mark. 

Combine that with the top-ranked offense in the league at 32 points a game, and the Broncos appear to be in better shape heading into the contest.

Games aren't won by history or what's on the stat sheet. This game will be decided by what quarterback makes the least amount of mistakes. The winner of this game will be in the driver's seat for the No. 1 seed in the AFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

With big stakes on the line, that's where Brady ultimately shines. Take the Patriots at home over the Broncos.

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

The other huge game this weekend is an old-fashioned slobberknocker in the AFC North. The Baltimore Ravens (5-3) make their way to Heinz Field to battle with their archnemesis the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) at 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday Night Football.

Pittsburgh is fresh off a 51-34 outburst over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8. It was a game that saw quarterback Ben Roethlisberger go 40-of-49 passing with a franchise-record six touchdowns and 522 yards.

The motto for every Steelers fans in the coming weeks should be #FreeBigBen.

The key for the Steelers offensive eruption against the Colts was a changed focus in the passing game, specifically attacking the middle of the field with intermediate routes of 10 to 15 yards and long routes. Roethlisberger went 8-of-11 on passes that went 10 or more yards in the middle of the field, racking up two touchdowns in the process.

As reported by Dejan Kovacevic at DK on Pittsburgh Sports, in the seven games entering the Indy game, only 30 of the team's 252 attempted passes had been aimed at the middle of the field and 10 yards or farther in the air.

If the Steelers tackles can hold up against a maturing Ravens defense, this is the approach the Steelers should take. 

Part of that maturing defense is linebacker C.J. Mosley, who was named the AFC Defensive Rookie of the Month for October.

The Ravens are coming off of a rough loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week, 27-24. Part of Baltimore's recent woes have been caused by turnovers. The team has turned the ball over five times in the last two games. To make matters worse, they lost their top corner, Jimmy Smith, for the next few weeks.

In a rivalry like this, both teams will take every extra advantage they can. Pittsburgh will get an added ounce of adrenaline for this game when it retires No. 75 of defensive legend "Mean" Joe Greene.

With the Steelers offense on the rise, look for them to take the home game in prime time. The winner of this contest should have the inside track to the AFC North. With Pittsburgh having two games left against the Bengals, a split with the Ravens would put the Steelers in control of their own destiny.

On the flipside, a sweep of Pittsburgh would likely shake Baltimore out of its recent slump, giving them a big edge in the division.

It's going to be a good one.

All statistics courtesy of NFL.com