Week 14 of the 2024 NFL season is underway after a thriller on “Thursday Night Football” during which the Detroit Lions held on to defeat the Green Bay Packers 34-31 with a buzzer-beating area aim.
Could the remainder of Week 14 be simply as thrilling? Here is how the remaining Week 14 slate might unfold with elevated ranges of beautiful outcomes in our newest iteration of our CBS Sports daring predictions.
1. Chargers snap six-game shedding streak vs. Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs have been the bogeyman of the AFC West since they’re on the precipice of clinching their ninth consecutive division title for the second-longest division title profitable streak in NFL historical past. Only the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick New England Patriots dynasty groups (11 in a row from 2009-2019) have an extended such streak.
However, the Los Angeles Chargers will deny the Chiefs a celebration at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday night time by snapping a six-game shedding streak in opposition to the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. Patrick Mahomes and Co. have been begging to lose week in and week out regardless of beginning 11-1 in 2024. They have the worst level differential (+54) by a staff beginning 11-1 or higher in NFL historical past, per CBS Sports Research, they usually have received 75% of their video games (9 of 12) by seven or fewer factors. That’s essentially the most of any staff in NFL historical past by means of 12 video games.
Playing like that in opposition to the Chargers No. 1 scoring protection, which is permitting an NFL-low 15.7 factors per recreation, and quarterback Justin Herbert, who leads the NFL in landing to interception ratio (13 to 1) is asking for bother. Having a quarterback who has gone over 300 consecutive move makes an attempt with out an interception, 305 to be precise, and the league’s prime scoring protection is a profitable method. It’s additionally a method that can knock off a Chiefs staff daring one other squad, outdoors of the Buffalo Bills, to beat them.
2. Rams stun Bills to snap Buffalo’s seven-game profitable streak
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford discovered his groove. He threw 9 touchdowns to seven interceptions within the Rams first 9 video games of the yr, however the final three weeks, two of which have resulted in Los Angeles victories, Stafford has thrown for eight touchdowns and no picks.
On the opposite facet of this Week 14 matchup in Los Angeles, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is taking part in essentially the most environment friendly soccer of his profession in 2024 with career-lows in turnover charge (1.8%) and sack charge (3.5%) to go together with his shortest common move size (7.6) and quickest time to throw (2.83 seconds) of his profession. However, he’ll get heated up by Rams rookie edge rusher Jared Verse, whose 55 quarterback pressures rank because the fourth-most within the NFL, and the remainder of the youth alongside Los Angeles first or second-year move rush in Byron Young (six sacks), Braden Fiske (six sacks) and Kobie Turner (5 sacks).
Stafford and the Rams youthful move rush mix to snap the Bills seven-game profitable streak in Week 14.
3. Cardinals snap six-game shedding streak vs. Seahawks
Seattle has received six in a row in opposition to the Cardinals, together with three straight in Arizona, however that streak ends on Sunday when the Cardinals safe an important dwelling win to reclaim first place within the NFC West.
Entering their Week 11 bye, the Cardinals have been hovering and on a four-game profitable streak. That had them out to a 6-4 report and sole possession of first place out within the NFC West. They have since misplaced their final two video games with a 16-6 defeat on the Seattle Seahawks in Week 12 and a deflating 23-22 street loss on the Minnesota Vikings, a recreation during which they led 19-6 late within the third quarter.
Quarterback Kyler Murray’s ball safety has slipped in the course of the slide with three interceptions prior to now two video games after solely throwing three within the staff’s first 10 video games in 2024. Arizona wants the environment friendly model Murray to return along with his explosive twin risk means: the Cardinals are 5-0 when he has no less than two complete touchdowns in a recreation, and they’re 1-6 when he has one complete landing or much less.
Murray has began to search out the staff’s fourth total choose Marvin Harrison Jr. increasingly of late: he is caught three touchdowns in his final 5 video games whereas averaging 61.2 receiving yards per recreation after catching 4 within the staff’s first seven video games whereas averaging 42.9 receiving yards per recreation. Arizona tight finish Trey McBride is at present producing at a clip not beforehand seen by a good finish within the trendy NFL: he’s the one tight finish because the 1970 AFL/NFL merger with consecutive video games with no less than 12 catches. Oddly sufficient, he has but to catch a landing this season regardless of having the third-most receptions by a good finish this season (73) and the second-most receiving yards by a good finish this season (781).
Yes, the Seahawks protection has began to cook dinner the final three weeks, however Murray and Co. will overcome Mike Macdonald’s coalescing unit to win their first recreation in opposition to Seattle in Seven tries.
Seahawks protection, final three video games
|
PPG Allowed |
14.7 |
2nd |
|
Plays of 25+ Yards Allowed |
1 |
1st |
|
Yards/Play Allowed |
4.8 |
4th |
4. Saints WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling catches receiving TD of 25 or extra yards in fourth consecutive recreation at Giants
Since getting into the New Orleans Saints beginning lineup in Week 9 after being launched by the Buffalo Bills, broad receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been electrifying. He is the second participant in Saints historical past with 4 receiving touchdowns in his first 4 video games with the staff, becoming a member of Donte’ Stallworth per CBS Sports Research. MVS can also be one in every of solely three gamers with a receiving landing of 25 or extra yards in three consecutive video games this season together with Bengals broad receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Tennessee Titans broad receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.
Despite going through a Giants protection that has surrendered solely two receiving touchdowns of 25 or extra air yards this season, tied for the Tenth-fewest within the NFL, Valdes-Scantling will run his streak to 5 video games in a row on Sunday in MetLife Stadium.
Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro edge rusher T.J. Watt is without doubt one of the finest move rushers in NFL historical past. He is first all-time in sacks per recreation, averaging slightly below one a recreation (0.91). However, he’ll go sackless within the rematch in opposition to Jameis Winston identical to he did two weeks in the past in Week 12, a daring prediction given Watt’s historic move rush manufacturing.
Winston performs to the beat of his personal drum: he’s the one participant in NFL historical past with a number of video games of 400 or extra passing yards, 4 or extra passing touchdowns and three or extra interceptions in his profession along with his newest one coming final week in a 41-32 loss on the Denver Broncos. His unorthodox actions will enable him to stunningly evade Watt’s clutches for the second time this season.
