NFL Week 12: Randy Moss and the Key Players in All 12 of Sunday's Games
Thanksgiving gave football fans little in the way of surprises, although the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys gave more of a scare to the favored New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints than might have been expected.
With 13 games left on the schedule for Week 12, though, there is plenty of time left for upsets that could change the landscape of the playoff outlook going forward into December.
In each of those contests, as in any football game, there will be one or two key players. The game will hinge on the efforts of these athletes, based upon the match ups between the two teams involved. If a team's secondary is vulnerable and the opposing quarterback has struggled all season, that signal-caller's role becomes crucial in the specific context of the game.
Who are the key players in each of Sunday's 12 games? Are Michael Vick, Aaron Rodgers or Philip Rivers the keys to their teams' victories? Read on.
Minnesota Vikings vs. Washington Redskins
1 of 12
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: FedEx Field, Washington, DC, FOX
Prediction: 24-19 Vikings
Key Player: Antoine Winfield
Winfield is the key to the Vikings' efforts to salvage some respectability in a season that saw their playoff hopes go by the wayside just after the mid-point. The Redskins are a more decent 5-5 and have the defense to slow down Minnesota, so it will fall to Winfield and the defense to stop Donovan McNabb and company from scoring enough to win.
McNabb's favorite target this season, far and away, has been Santana Moss. Moss has 57 catches for 738 yards this year, and could well make the Pro Bowl. He stands at 5'10" and emphasizes sharp route-running and good hands.
Winfield is Moss' counterpart, his opposite number. He has 12 seasons under his belt now, but his reputation as a lock-down corner is rather in jeopardy. For the Vikings to hold Moss and the Redskins in check, they need Winfield to shut down his side of the field, and perhaps even make a big play for a takeaway.
Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans
2 of 12
When: 1:00 PM ET
Where: Reliant Stadium, Houston, CBS
Prediction: 27-24 Titans
Key Player: Randy Moss
The Texans have a miserable pass defense. It is arguably the greatest chink in their armor this season, in a year when they continue to linger in contention for a playoff berth. The Titans will be able to run somewhat with superstar Chris Johnson, but to really light up the Texans to the greatest possible extent, they will need to find a way to pass the ball efficiently.
With rookie Rusty Smith under center, the best way for the Titans to do that is to have a solid and dangerous receiver in whom Smith can trust to throw one deep on third down or to simply toss a jump ball in the red zone. Only one Titan possibly fits that profile, and his name is Randy Moss.
Moss is unpopular, bipolar and often disappears for long stretches during games, jogging out fly patterns with no chance of being thrown to. He has to break that pattern for the Titans to break the game open in Houston Sunday.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New York Giants
3 of 12
When: 1:00 PM ET
Where: New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ, CBS
Prediction: 27-14 Giants
Key Player: Kevin Boss
Steve Smith was already shelved for the Giants, but after the team lost Hakeem Nicks during Week 11, Eli Manning is left with very few great weapons in the New York passing game. Boss is vital to the Giants' aerial attack Sunday, because the other choices for Manning when he drops back are inconsistent, explosive types. Boss brings steady yardage and rhythm to the passing game, helping the team move the chains consistently.
The Jaguars have been playing with fire for the majority of the season, and Sunday should be the last time they take the field as Division leaders. Boss has a chance to carve them up down the middle and help make that a reality.
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Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills
4 of 12
When: 1:00 PM ET
Where: Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, NY, CBS
Prediction: 28-20 Steelers
Key player: Steve Johnson
The Bills might as well issue a uniform number in the 80s to all their running backs this week, because their already-anemic running game has no chance of going anywhere against Pittsburgh's run defense, by far the best in the NFL.
To keep themselves in the game, then, Buffalo should turn to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and have him work hard to get the ball into the hands of Steve Johnson.
Johnson is having a superb breakout season and has 22 catches for 311 yards over the past three games. He can make every kind of play a wide receiver can make, and he will have a chance to take advantage of a Steelers secondary that specializes more in run-stopping than in pure pass coverage.
It will not be enough to earn a victory, but the Bills should be able to count on a big day from Johnson to compete with the mighty Steelers.
Carolina Panthers vs. Cleveland Browns
5 of 12
When: 1:00 PM ET
Where: Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, FOX
Prediction: 18-3 Browns
Key player: Alex Mack
Mack plays center for the Browns, whose emphasis of the hefty Peyton Hillis and rushing between the tackles makes their interior linemen even more important than they might be otherwise. The only thing the Panthers do well is defend the run, led by veteran linebacker Jon Beason. Mack's job will frequently be to get off the ball quickly, chip on one of the defensive tackles and try to find Beason before Beason moves through a crease and makes a play on Hillis.
The showdown between Mack and Beason will determine whether the Browns move the ball consistently or struggle to make progress on the ground.
Green Bay Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons
6 of 12
When: 1:00 PM ET
Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, FOX
Prediction: 31-30 Packers
Key Player: Andrew Quarless
The Packers have felt the sting of injury all over the field this season, but the most painful loss may be that of tight end Jermichael Finley. Finley was an almost sure-fire Pro Bowl selection, one of the elite tight ends in the league because of his size and speed.
Quarless, a rookie, has begun to heal that wound, and his 6'4", 252-pound frame suggests he has the same sort of ceiling as Finley. He will be needed to make the team more versatile and tougher to defend in the red zone against Atlanta, especially if Donald Lee is needed for his blocking prowess at the other tight end position.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Seattle Seahawks
7 of 12
When: 4:05 PM ET
Where: Qwest Field, Seattle, CBS
Prediction: 17-16 Chiefs
Key Player: Earl Thomas
The Chiefs' running game is the best in football, and the Seahawks will have to get creative to slow that group down. The front seven is strong, but it needs help to be good enough to battle the Kansas City two-pronged attack of Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones.
Earl Thomas has been a rookie safety non pareil this season, both in the passing game (five interceptions and seven pass deflections in his first 10 NFL games) and the running game (55 total tackles). He flies to the football with great speed and raw anger, and he has learned a lot from veteran Lawyer Milloy, who plays opposite him and has always helped out in the run game. Thomas could help the Seahawks contain the Chiefs with a solid game and would continue a good contest with Ndamukong Suh for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Miami Dolphins vs. Oakland Raiders
8 of 12
When: 4:05 PM ET
Where: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA, CBS
Prediction: 19-17 Dolphins
Key player: Karlos Dansby
The Raiders can rush the ball, as evidenced by the fact that only the Chiefs rush for more yards per game. Darren McFadden ran for only 14 yards against the vaunted Steelers defense last week, and still has 5.2 yards per carry for the year.
Yeremiah Bell will come up from his safety position to help stuff the Raiders runners, but the primary onus for run prevention falls on the linebacking corps. Karlos Dansby leads that group brilliantly, and his ability to make plays from sideline to sideline in the running game is consistently impressive.
Dansby will help the Dolphins slow down the running game, and if the Fins can find a way to attack the Raiders' defense despite the absence of Brandon Marshall, that should be enough to get Miami their sixth win.
St. Louis Rams vs. Denver Broncos
9 of 12
When: 4:15 PM ET
Where: Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium, Denver, FOX
Prediction: 23-13 Rams
Key player: Oshiomogho Atogwe
The Broncos are not exactly a balanced offensive attack, ranking fourth in passing offense but dead last in running the ball. Therefore, the Rams will win if they can put the stopper to Kyle Orton and the Broncos.
The Broncos' receiving corps is nothing superb, but they will overwhelm the St. Louis corners and nickel backs easily. The last line of defense for the Rams is free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe, who fortunately defends the pass very well.
If Atogwe can make a play, or even firmly discourage the vertical passing game, the Rams can beat the Broncos.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Chicago Bears
10 of 12
When: 4:15 PM ET
Where: Soldier Field, Chicago, FOX
Prediction: 20-17 Eagles
Key player: Julius Peppers
Of all the NFL's offensive playmakers, Michael Vick is the single player for whom the most carefully tailored game plan is required. Vick has dominated all year when he has been on the field, although the Giants did finally slow him down in Week 11.
The Bears have a defensive force not so unlike Vick, though, in Julius Peppers. Peppers' sack numbers have not been great this season, but his impact has been sky-high. He and the Bears will try everything they can to keep Vick inside the pocket and minimize the value of his feet.
Peppers has five sacks in four career games against Vick, but the Bears will need an even more high-impact performance to beat Philadelphia Sunday, since sacks do not really reflect a team's ability to contain Vick.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Baltimore Ravens
11 of 12
When: 4:15 PM ET
Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD, FOX
Prediction: 20-12 Ravens
Key player: Josh Freeman
The Bucs continue to take the world by storm, somehow standing at 7-3 and threatening the playoff lives of much more usual suspects like Green Bay, New York and New Orleans. To beat the Ravens Sunday, they will need to uphold what has been a very consistent pattern of closely guarding their possession of the football.
Josh Freeman has thrown only five interceptions this season, preferring to pull the ball down and take off rather than risk a turnover. That is often a tough mentality to maintain in the face of the Ravens' hyper-aggressive defense, but if he can do it, Freeman will put his team in position to win what would be a huge statement game.
San Diego Chargers vs. Indianapolis Colts
12 of 12
When: 8:20 PM ET
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN, NBC
Prediction: 35-31 Colts
Key player: Ryan Diem
The Colts have allowed fewer sacks than any other team in the NFL this year; the Chargers defense has recorded more sacks than any other squad. Something has got to give.
Ryan Diem plays right tackle for Indianapolis. Right tackle is generally the less important, less heralded of the two tackle spots, since most elite pass rushers (Clay Matthews of Green Bay, DeMarcus Ware of Dallas, Julius Peppers of Chicago, etc.) come from the left side of the offensive line.
For the Chargers, though, that is not so. Shaun Phillips has nine sacks on the season, and is far and away the team's best pass rusher. Diem, therefore, will be charged with the task of stopping Phillips from wreaking havoc in the Indianapolis backfield. If he can do so, Peyton Manning can continue to run an effective and high-octane offense despite the absence of several key Colts weapons.
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