- USC @ UCLA – This college football season is unlike any other. Because we now go into each weekend with an eye on the college teams that can be eliminated from playoff contention. UCLA is one of the great test cases for this playoff system. If they beat USC, Stanford, and Oregon in the Pac 12 title game, they’d be into the playoffs. UCLA currently has the 2nd highest strength of schedule in the country, so if they can reach 11-2 they would be in with a conference championship.
- Missouri @ Tennessee – The SEC version of UCLA depends on this game. After beating Auburn last weekend, Georgia now plays Charleston Southern and ACC Coastal Champion – Georgia Tech to conclude their season. If they were to reach the SEC title game and beat Alabama, they’d be 11-2 with a top 3 strength of schedule. It might also be a nightmare scenario for the SEC not getting a team into the playoffs. But it doesn’t become possible unless Missouri loses one of their last two games. At Tennessee is their toughest remaining.
- Lions @ Patriots – In an NFC where there is a threat of a 10 win team or two missing the playoffs, the Lions are in good shape. Despite playing the Patriots on the road this Sunday, the Lions will play only one more game against teams that are .500 or better. (Green Bay plays 3 / Philly 3 / Dallas 3 / San Francisco 4 / Seattle 5)
- (.737) Cardinals @ Seahawks – How good is Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians? I don’t believe people can fully grasp what is going on with the Cardinals and Arians. After losing Carson Palmer, Arians has 8 year NFL veteran Drew Stanton playing the best football of his career. Until this season Stanton hadn’t started an NFL game since 2010. He’s currently 3-1 as a starter and led the Cardinals to victory over the Rams. If you take into account Arians season as the interim head coach in Indianapolis in 2012, Arians is 28-10. That’s a .737 win percentage. The only coaches in the modern NFL era with a better percentage are Vince Lombardi and John Madden.
- (105) Dallas @ New York Giants – Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is having the best season of his career. For him, it’s about having a team around him that’s asking him to do less with more. Consider this: Romo currently has the highest QB rating of his career. The 2nd highest yards per completion of his career and most since 2006. 2nd highest completion percentage. Romo is on pace is averaging 29 passing attempts per game. Last year he averaged 36, in 2012 he averaged 41 passes. In total, Romo is going to throw 105 fewer passes this year than last year, and 218 fewer passes than 2012.