Week 12 of the 2021 NFL season has officially come to a close and most teams are shaping up to the eventual playoffs and wildcard rounds. Notable teams are experiencing unfortunate injuries with their key players and the bye weeks are also fast approaching. 

The usual top teams in the league like the Cardinals and Buccaneers are winning effortlessly against lowly teams while games played by the Washington against the visiting Seahawks came down to the wire. 

However, there are still a few more weeks to go to better prepare against the loaded teams that are coming out of their respective divisions. 

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Broncos take charge of the Chargers 

The Broncos’ impressive 28-13 and lopsided win in Week 12’s matchup against the Chargers helped them match up against the AFC West’s teams where the disparity of wins and losses aren’t large by any means. 

A win by the Broncos will edge them closer to the division title to compete in the playoffs. Furthermore, they are also battling against all their AFC competitors where the Chargers already lost last Week. On December 27, they’ll be squaring off against the Raiders who are a game above them in the standings right now. 

There is a lot of promise from this team, and it’s only a matter of time on whether or not we’ll see Denver in the upcoming playoffs next year. For the Chargers, they are also clawing their way to becoming the top seeded AFC West team in January when they will again meet the Chargers in California. 

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Washington escapes narrow victory against the Seahawks

Washington’s record currently presented in the standings may be nothing to marvel at, but they are currently the second seed in the NFC East next to the Cowboys. With Washington escaping the Seahawks’ comeback, they are now positioned to succeed in the coming weeks but are barred by the top loaded teams in the league when they face off against division rivals the Dallas Cowboys and the up-and-coming Raiders the next games. 

The Seahawks, on the other hand, have a lot to figure out with their offence since the defence is already very formidable, forcing opponents to score less than 16 points a game. Russell Wilson has always been a great quarterback, but the biggest problem the Seahawks are facing is the lack of rushing plays that are incredibly effective. 

Instead, Pete Carroll still relies on Russell Wilson’s incredible passing game that most star quarterbacks predicate their offensive games. The likes of Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers are all skilled passing quarterbacks who will forever be the staple of quality football offence. 

It’s a shame that the Seahawks’ running backs, Alex Collins and Chris Carson, are too talented not to get utilised as much because of Russell Wilson’s offence. Seattle ranks only 19th in the league for rushing plays percentage, drawing 40.84% rushing plays in a single game. 

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Packers packing up the matchup against the Rams

The Packers continue to win games which they normally do in the regular season. Most of that success comes from Aaron Rodgers’ herculean efforts as a pass-first quarterback after lifting the team past the Rams who are on a losing slump as of late. While the Rams have lost three in a row, they are still the second seed of NFC West next to the formidable Cardinals who only lost two games so far. 

During the Rams’ three-game losing streak, Stafford hasn’t really been himself which contributed to frequent interceptions and fumbles when throwing the yard passes for the 1st downs and touchdowns. The Rams have lost solely because Matthew Stafford got outplayed by Rodgers as he suffers from elbow pains that affected his throwing arm significantly. 

It’s impressive how Green Bay continues to pick up steam after recent player injuries which everyone thought will be detrimental. But after two games, they are 1-1 and still trending positively as their bye week approaches, giving them significant rest for their upcoming games. 

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Brady continues to be in his prime!

It’s amazing how after many years in the league, Tom Brady remains as one of the greatest players alongside young quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. Tom Brady is currently 44 years old and somehow he is leading the Bucs to the first seed of the NFC South. 

However, the biggest contributor to the Buc’s victory is Leonard Fournette who scored 4 touchdowns to rally Tampa Bay past the soaring Colts. While the score is 38-31 in favour of the Buccaneers, Tampa Bay is actually known for their defence this year, proven by their win against the hot-streaking Indianapolis who just won three games in a row before getting defeated. 

While the game went to Tampa Bay, the first quarter seems like it’s going to be a lopsided victory for the Colts when the defensive lineup held Tom Brady and company to zero points and not one third-down conversion. They were forcing turnovers and fumbles where the Bucs were starting to look old again with Brady getting sacked every chance the Colts were nearing on him. 

But when the second quarter started, Brady proved that passing quarterbacks are never going out of style. After making the first touchdown pass, it was an avalanche of the Bucs’ offence from there where the Colts simply had no answer for. 

There’s no shame in getting beaten by Brady and friends. The biggest silver lining to this match for the Colts is how promising their defence is currently drawn up, and everyone’s excited about what they can do in these following games. 

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Words: Vonn Consul

Image: PA