Week 14 is a special time of the year in the fantasy world because it means the start of the playoff round to settle who has bragging rights for a year. These games in the virtual world are decided by teams looking to cement their place as a top seed, grab the division lead, or stay in the hunt for a playoff spot. The football world will especially have its eyes cast upon two games in week 14. Josh Allen and the Bills travel to Kansas City to exorcise the demons at Arrowhead Stadium, and Dak Prescott will seek to deliver a clutch performance against the bitter rivals, the Eagles in the home building. Those are two of the five games we will preview and predict as we discuss the five hottest games in week 14.
Last week: 4-1
Overall: 40-25
1. Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens-Sunday, 1 p.m. ET Fox
Odell Beckham started Super Bowl LVI in dominating fashion with two catches, 52 yards, and a touchdown to give the Rams a slender lead over the Cincinnati Bengals. However, it turned into a nightmare in the second quarter when the star Wide Receiver collapsed to the ground with a knee injury. The Rams went on to lift the Lombardi, but OBJ lost the war because it turned out to be an ACL injury that caused him to miss the entire 2022 season. The Rams decided the risk of resigning was too much, and Beckham signed a lucrative 1-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens. This weekend, OBJ will look for revenge on the team that counted him out after the injury. The Rams are on a three-game winning streak with Matthew Stafford healthy and still have a chance to win a wild card spot. I think the Ravens will win this game coming off a bye and are the better team looking to lock up the number-one seed in the conference. I think Beckham and Lamar Jackson will win comfortably in the end.
Ravens 28-Rams 17
2. Indianapolis Colts at Cincinnati Bengals-Sunday, 1 p.m. ET CBS
Not dead yet! This game is a surprise featured in our slate for this week because both teams have been counted out as dead at some point this season. The Colts had a 3-5 record and are now riding a four-game winning streak while the Bengals season looked over after a season-ending injury to Joe Burrow. Gardner Minshew is like a renaissance man because everywhere he goes he excels in a backup quarterback role. Minshew can throw the deep ball which has complemented the power running game of Zack Moss. The Bengals stunned the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night to keep their playoff hopes alive. Backup quarterback Jake Browning was nearly flawless in completing 32 of 37 for 354 yards and a touchdown. I don’t think he will play that well again, but I think he will play well enough to sneak a close victory at home.
Bengals 24-Colts 20
3. Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns-Sunday, 1 p.m. ET CBS
The previous game will feature backup quarterbacks trying to keep their teams in the playoff hunt, and it’s the same theme in this matchup. The Jaguars lost Trevor Lawrence to a scary high ankle injury in a loss to the Bengals. It means that C.J. Beathard will get the start for the trip to Lake Eerie to face the Browns. Joe Flacco will be under center for the Browns, and last week played a decent game for a player coming in from the cold. Flacco completed 23 of 44 passes for 254 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. However, the Browns’ defense had an uncharacteristic meltdown on the West Coast giving up 399 yards and 36 points. I think the defense will return to form and produce their usual output, with Myles Garrett leading the charge. It will be a low-scoring game, but the Browns stay alive in the race.
Browns 17-Jaguars 13
4. Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs-Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET CBS
The Bills’ playoff hopes are on a thin edge, and they enter a must-win game after their bye week. The trip to Arrowhead is always a reminder of the Bills core players of what could have been. In 2021, it is the venue where the team lost the NFC Championship Game, and in 2022, they lost a game when they failed defensively to prevent a field goal drive with only 13 seconds remaining. The 2023 version of the Bills are hot and cold team with Josh Allen playing better at home than on the road. Allen did play well last time in Philadelphia, but the injury-riddled defense let them down. On the other hand, Kansas City is coming off a tough loss at Lambeau Field, and questions still linger about their offense and whether the wide receivers will deliver when Patrick Mahomes needs it. I think Kansas City will get creative and be desperate for a home win to keep their hopes of the number-one seed alive. I have a high-scoring game, but the Chiefs will win by one score.
Chiefs 30-Bills 23
5. Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys-Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET NBC
If there is a game to watch this week, then this is the one to find a spot on your couch. The Eagles have gone through a gauntlet of tough opponents in the past month, and their letdown against the 49ers was startling. The defense which has been suspect all season, struggled to stop the 49ers by giving up six straight touchdown drives. Jaylen Hurts looked tired and scampered for his life against a ferocious 49ers defense. The Cowboys are riding a four-game winning streak with Dak Prescott in the MVP conversation. Interestingly, the question surrounding the team is their defense that gave up 35 points to the Seattle Seahawks last week. I think this will be a shootout because both defenses will have a tough time slowing down the opposition. However, I think the Cowboys will see this as a real opportunity to win at home, go into a tie for the division lead, and possibly put themselves in pole position for the number one seed.
Cowboys 33-Eagles 30