NFL Week 14: What's at Stake for Teams, Players This Weekend?

There’s just one more month of regular season NFL football. The holiday season is stressful for contending teams; one game can significantly alter the playoff picture. The stakes are rising for teams as the games dwindle down to a handful before the postseason commences.

This has been a crazy season thus far. While 11 franchises have a winning record, another 11 are either .500 or just one game below. That level of parity has created a playoff picture with almost every team still alive in some fashion.

Several head-to-head matchups this week will have a significant effect on the playoff race. We’re going to highlight six key games and which team or player has the most at stake in Week 14. Although there is still time to recover from mistakes, the window is rapidly closing.

Let’s take a look at the six players and teams with the most on the line this week. Don’t forget to leave your playoff predictions in the comments section below.

Tom Brady: Overcome a Limited Supporting Cast

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As great as Hall of Famer quarterbacks are, they still need help around them. If you need proof, look at how Tom Brady struggled in 2014 without Rob Gronkowski, and his play this season with a depleted offensive line and missing Julian Edelman. Brady’s decreased production is still good for most quarterbacks, but it’s clear he doesn’t trust his surrounding cast the same way.

For the Patriots to bounce back from two straight losses, Brady must help elevate those around him. His completion percentage the last three games is just 54 percent, in large part of Brady being uncomfortable in the pocket. His completion percentage has dropped 14 points and he’s throwing for an average of 49 yards less per game.

It’s a team game, and it’s easy to see why Brady has struggled without as much help around him. But for the Patriots to be a top seed at the end of the regular season, he must play better for his team to win. It’ll also help if New England’s special teams don’t allow two touchdowns this week.

Pittsburgh Steelers: The Defense Must Prove Their Worth

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have dropped out of the final Wild Card despite having a 7-5 record and winning three of their last four games. This can certainly change with four games left, but the situation is reaching a boiling point. Pittsburgh’s bend-don’t-break defense must step up against two excellent teams in the next two weeks.

Against struggling offenses like Cleveland and Indianapolis, the Steelers’ defense looks great. But playoff contenders have been hit and miss with their success against this defense. Most notably, their two most recent games against the Seahawks and Raiders were very poor defensive games.

The last time the Steelers faced the Bengals, this defense shut down a powerful offense. They must do it again, and everything is on the line. It will be much easier to buy into this team’s playoff chances if their defense can throttle the Bengals and Broncos over the next two weeks.  

DeMarco Murray: Show You’re Worth Playing

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DeMarco Murray’s struggles in 2015 cannot be attributed to just one cause. His workload in 2014 predicted a drop off, as does his age. At 27, most running backs see a decline in athleticism and ability to handle the rock consistently.

With just 569 yards and a 3.5-yard per carry average, Murray hasn’t earned the starting job in Philadelphia. Murray may feel slanted because he isn’t playing in the role he was promised in the offense, but why would the Eagles continue to play Murray when he’s not as effective as he was last season?

Here’s what it comes down to for Murray: play better than Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles, or you won’t play the most snaps. Meetings with the owner shouldn’t change a thing. Ineffective players shouldn’t see the field if other options are available.

Blaine Gabbert: Can He Sustain This Success?

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At 26 years old, maybe Blaine Gabbert was written off too quickly. Don’t get me wrong, the former No. 1 draft pick was a colossal disappointment in Jacksonville with the weight of the world on his shoulders. With less pressure to be a franchise quarterback, Gabbert’s actually been a good low-end quarterback for San Francisco.

Gabbert is not able to carry an offense that will overcome a bad defense, but he looks usable in the way that Kirk Cousins and Brian Hoyer are. In a limited responsibility role, he can function and help the team win by executing simpler tasks and moving the chains. What is on the line for him in this last month especially is to prove he can continue to grow past this phase.

According to Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News, Gabbert has support from a 49ers legend. Quarterback Joe Montana said the team must keep him around, as he’s been impressed with Gabbert’s ability to spark a fire into the team. His 71-yard touchdown pass against the Bears was a major moment in the 49ers’ season, showing this team still has fight left in them.

If Gabbert continues to play like he is, the 49ers may not feel forced into a quarterback in the 2016 draft. He’s not a potentially elite guy, but maybe someone that the team log wins. We’ll see if Gabbert can prove Montana right.

Tom Coughlin: Prove You’re the Right Man for This Job

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Things are getting hairy for the New York Giants. After a massive contract extension given to Eli Manning and the Giants bringing Tom Coughlin back, they’re stuck in a three-way tie for first place in the worst division in football. Unless their competitors slip up, the Giants don’t control their own destiny, and Coughlin could lose his job.

Firing Coughlin would be justifiable after the horrible decisions he’s made this year. The Giants have blown three straight games after massive coaching gaffes made in late-game situations. His Super Bowl victories have earned him deserved clout, but this has been a sinking ship for years.

The last month of the season must bear better results for Coughlin and the Giants. They have a tough schedule, but the team has been in position to win against similar teams, and fallen flat. Coughlin must win this division, and a victory on Monday Night Football is a proper start.

Cincinnati Bengals: The No. 1 Seed

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We mentioned the Steelers earlier on this list and we have to point out the great stakes for the Bengals this week, as well.  Cincinnati is currently sitting atop the AFC playoff picture as the No. 1 seed. But even one loss could throw off their efforts because of the quality competition.

This week is a difficult divisional game, and next week will be a road game at Denver. Cincinnati must view these two games as must-wins for the top seed to stay in southern Ohio. In past years, this franchise has wilted in these big games.

Marvin Jones has built one of the most impressive teams in the NFL through his ability to develop talent and maintain an excellent staff. Winning crunch-time matchups is what will elevate his status in the NFL. We’ll all be watching as his team takes on the challenge.