By Travers Cummings
Bears over Steelers (Sunday noon): After having a pretty comfortable lead in the AFC North, all of a sudden the Steelers find themselves only one game up on the Baltimore Ravens for the division lead. Last week’s victory didn’t come without a loss as Aaron Rodgers fractured his non-throwing wrist. He won’t need surgery, but his status for this game is up in the air. If he can’t play, journeyman QB Mason Rudolph will get the start. Pittsburgh really can’t afford to lose this one, but going on the road to Chicago will be a tough task.
The Bears pulled off another win in the dying seconds of the game last week against the Vikings. It’s the third or fourth time they’ve done it this season, and that’s why they find themselves atop the standings in the NFC North. It’s hard to believe if this team is for real or not, just due to the fact they’ve had multiple games that could have gone the other way, but when you’re the Bears—who have been one of the league’s punching bags for years—you’ll take any win you can get.
Chiefs over Colts (Sunday noon): I feel like most of the football world is happy to see when the Chiefs are not having a good season. Kansas City fell to third in the AFC West after losing to division rivals, the Denver Broncos. In what could be called a defensive battle, the Chiefs just couldn’t hold on for one last drive, and Will Lutz kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired. It seems like they’re ripe for the picking right now, especially with a juggernaut like the Colts coming to town, but I just can’t bring myself to pick against Mahomes at home in this one. They’ll definitely need to figure out a way to slow down Jonathan Taylor, who’s having an MVP-type year, but it might be a little chilly out there at Arrowhead Stadium, and the Colts are an indoor team who might not like to play in the elements. If Mahomes and the Chiefs want to continue their 11-year streak of making the postseason, they have to win these big games.
Niners over Panthers (Monday night): Boy oh boy, was I ever excited to see Brock Purdy back in action last week. He hasn’t played a game since Week Four due to a nagging turf toe injury, but last week he was finally healthy enough to return. Mac Jones did a fine job filling in for him, but the offence just looks like a well-oiled machine when Purdy is behind centre. George Kittle caught two touchdown passes and Christian McCaffrey contributed with three touchdowns of his own. As happy as I am to see the offence clicking, the defence is a different story. Despite winning the game 41–22, the defence allowed Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett to complete 47 passes on them, which broke an NFL record previously held by former Patriot and Cowboy Drew Bledsoe. If San Fran is going to stay competitive, they can’t allow things like that to happen again, even with the absurd number of injuries they’ve suffered.
Last week: 3–0
Season overall: 21–12