NFL Week 14 prime storylines: Kirk Cousins returns to Minnesota; one other Chiefs AFC West crown?

It’s do or die for a lot of NFL groups within the final full month of the common season. After the Dallas Cowboys host the Cincinnati Bengals on “Monday Night time Soccer,” solely 4 weeks of competitors stay.

The playoff image has began to return into focus. The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Buffalo Payments and Detroit Lions have already punched their ticket to the postseason. In the meantime, 4 groups (the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots) have already been eradicated.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles and Lions intention to increase their division leads. In the meantime, the NFC South and NFC West have neck-and-neck battles on their fingers. Wild-card races stay crowded, and margins for error are rising thinner and thinner by the week.

Listed below are 5 of essentially the most compelling storylines for Week 14 of the NFL season. (Discover the total schedule right here.)

1. Kirk Cousins’ return to Minnesota

After six seasons because the handsomely paid ($185 million totally assured) beginning quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings, Cousins left the North within the offseason to signal a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons. On Sunday, he returns to U.S. Financial institution Stadium, the place he’ll attempt to assist the Falcons snap a three-game dropping streak and stay within the working for the NFC South title.

Cousins, who garnered Professional Bowl honors thrice in Minnesota whereas serving to the Vikings to 2 playoff appearances, ranks sixth within the NFL with 3,052 passing yards this season. He has struggled, nonetheless, throughout this skid, throwing six interceptions and no touchdowns. He advised reporters that he and his crew intention to “get again up off the mat and get going” this week. The Falcons (6-6) want a victory to fend off the surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who’ve gained two straight, are additionally 6-6 and hope to win their fourth straight division title.

Beating the Vikings represents a tall job for Atlanta. Minnesota has gained 5 straight and boasts an aggressive protection that leads the NFL with 18 interceptions. The Vikings even have held foes to only 18.3 factors per recreation (fifth fewest) whereas racking up 39 sacks (fourth most) and 24 whole takeaways (tied for second). In the meantime, Cousins’ substitute, Sam Darnold, is directing an environment friendly offensive assault and has thrown six landing passes and no interceptions within the final three weeks. Catching Detroit for the NFC North lead will probably be powerful, however the Vikings and Inexperienced Bay Packers are in sizzling pursuit of second place within the division. (Falcons at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET Sunday.)

2. Browns-Steelers rematch

Two weeks in the past, the last-place Cleveland Browns surprised the AFC North-leading Steelers 24-19 in a blustery, snow-covered Thursday night time showdown. The Browns gained regardless of going 1 of 10 on third down and turning the ball over thrice. However Jameis Winston, who had already rushed for a landing early within the fourth quarter, directed a nine-play, 45-yard scoring drive capped by a Nick Chubb landing with 57 seconds left to raise his crew.

Now these two meet once more, this time in Pittsburgh, the place Mike Tomlin’s crew will look to precise revenge whereas including to its division lead. Pittsburgh is coming off an authoritative victory at Cincinnati. A win would give the Steelers their seventh victory within the final eight video games and supply some cushion between them and Baltimore, which is on a bye this week. Russell Wilson is coming off his greatest recreation as a Steeler, throwing for 414 yards and three touchdowns in opposition to the Bengals. It was the second-highest passing whole of Wilson’s profession and his third 400-yard day.

At this level, reaching the playoffs could also be inconceivable for 3-9 Cleveland. However the Browns would really like nothing greater than to comb the rival Steelers. Improved ball safety is probably going among the many keys to victory for Cleveland. The Browns have been lucky that dropping the turnover battle didn’t translate to defeat within the first recreation versus the Steelers. Nonetheless, three turnovers (together with two choose sixes) crippled them final week in a loss to the Denver Broncos. (Browns at Steelers, 1 p.m. ET Sunday.)

3. Strain rising in NFC West

Two weeks after the Seattle Seahawks pulled off a hard-fought, 16-6 victory over the Arizona Cardinals to drag forward within the race for the NFC West title, the groups meet once more. This time, the Cardinals host the Seahawks with the aim of snapping a two-game dropping streak after that Seattle loss and a 23-22 defeat at Minnesota. Seattle has gained three straight to enhance to 7-5 whereas perched alone atop the division. A Cardinals victory, nonetheless, would give each groups 7-6 information and arrange a vital four-game homestretch of the season.

The end result of this recreation might go a great distance towards figuring out the result of this division race and, finally, playoff seeding. For now, the Seahawks have a 42 % probability of reaching the postseason, in accordance with The Athletic’s playoff projections. A win over Arizona would improve their probabilities to 73 %, whereas a loss would scale back their probabilities to 17 %. An Arizona victory would give the Cardinals a 59 % probability of reaching the playoffs, however a loss would scale back their possibilities of successful the division to eight %. (Seahawks at Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. ET Sunday.)

4. One other crown for the Chiefs?

The Chiefs (11-1) have dominated the AFC West, successful the division for eight straight seasons. They enter Sunday night time’s assembly in opposition to the Chargers with a playoff berth already in hand and a chance to clinch the division as soon as once more with a victory.

That is the second assembly of the season between these groups. Kansas Metropolis rallied from a 10-point deficit and gained 17-10 in Week 4 due to a Samaje Perine landing run with 6:04 left. Shut outcomes and late-game heroics have turn out to be a typical prevalence for the Chiefs this season. 9 of their 11 victories have been determined by one rating. So, one other such victory would come as no shock.

This recreation represents an awesome check for the Chargers, who’ve gained 5 of their final six video games — dropping solely to Baltimore in Week 12 earlier than rebounding in opposition to Atlanta final week. The Chargers have misplaced six straight video games versus the Chiefs, and after getting blown out by one other projected AFC contender within the Ravens, Los Angeles might achieve a big diploma of validation if it wins Sunday.

The Chargers have been lacking defensive stars Derwin James Jr. and move rusher Joey Bosa, in addition to offensive tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, within the final recreation in opposition to the Chiefs. LA had a 10-0 first-quarter lead earlier than going chilly and getting outscored 17-0 the remainder of the way in which. Can improved well being and classes from the earlier assembly assist this 8-4 crew recover from the hump this time round? (Chargers at Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET Sunday.)

5. Bears’ response, 49ers’ struggle

Moderately than delay the inevitable, the Chicago Bears fired head coach Matt Eberflus following the last-second meltdown of their Thanksgiving Day loss to the Lions. Horrible clock administration and path by the coach helped prolong Chicago’s dropping streak to 6 video games, with the final three defeats coming by a mixed seven factors.

Now the 4-8 Bears flip to interim head coach Thomas Brown, who had taken over as interim offensive coordinator following the firing of Shane Waldron after 9 video games. Underneath Brown’s path, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has displayed improved decision-making and effectiveness. Now Brown, the 38-year-old former working again, will attempt to show he could make the Bears extra aggressive whereas additionally additional growing Williams into the star basic supervisor Ryan Poles drafted him to be.

Chicago’s opponent this week: the walking-wounded San Francisco 49ers, who’ve dropped to 5-7 whereas on a three-game dropping streak. The most recent defeat proved expensive, because the Niners misplaced working backs Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason to injured reserve. The 35-10 loss to Buffalo additionally appeared to nudge Kyle Shanahan’s crew one large step additional away from its aim of returning to the Tremendous Bowl to resolve unfinished enterprise. Mathematically, the 49ers aren’t eradicated, however they’ve solely a 6 % probability of creating the playoffs and path the Seahawks by two video games within the NFC West. They are going to doubtless want an undefeated stretch run to earn a playoff ticket.

Can Shanahan punch all the proper buttons and work out easy methods to masks all the deficiencies of this battered squad? Or are issues too far gone? Will the Bears obtain a spark underneath new management and roll to victory, or will they expertise extra of the identical? (Bears at 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday.)

(High photograph: Todd Kirkland / Getty Photographs)