The completion of Kansas City and San Diego on Thursday Night Football brings with it bittersweet news. We are now officially in the downswing, the playoff stretch, the nitty gritty of the 2012 NFL season.
We can separate contenders from pretenders, we know what the Tebow experiment entails and the Buffalo Bills have continued to disappoint their fan-base, this much we know so far.
However, with another slate of games comes another week of the utmost unpredictability that only the NFL can deliver.
So with a Sunday of week nine battles just around the corner, here are the key match-ups to optimise your NFL viewing.
1st round quarterbacks do battle
Four former first round quarterbacks will face each other this weekend.
Miami will be hoping Ryan Tannehill can shake off a knee injury as they travel to Indianapolis to face a resurgent Colts team led by 2012 first overall pick Andrew Luck.
Meanwhile, in Washington, in what could possibly be the most athletic match-up of opposing quarterbacks in NFL history, Cam Newton will attempt to re-establish his winning ways against the man who has reinvigorated a franchise, changed a culture, and been described by team mates as ‘Black Jesus’, Robert Griffin III.
The Tannehill/Luck match-up will pit the 2012 Drafts head-scratcher against no-brainer in a game that surprisingly will slide the winning team firmly in the drivers seat for the an AFC Wildcard appearance.
Newton/RG3 is must watch television as in his rookie campaign Newton revolutionised the expectations of first year quarterbacks meanwhile RG3 is looking like exceeding what Cam achieved, but with a selfless marketability that has made him a darling of the NFL.
Michael Vick vs New Orleans Defence
It hasnt been the best year for Mike Vick.
I’m sure he’s had worse (in fact I’m positive he’s had worse), but it hasnt been his best.
If there are rumours swirling about the possibility of being benched for a rookie quarterback that will give the Philadelphia Eagles “the best chance to win”, you know everything isnt going to plan.
However, a quarterback’s best remedy is that of the New Orleans defence that currently ranks dead last in the league.
If there was ever a week in which we would see the form that made Vick the only player in NFL history to sign two $100 million dollar contracts, it will be against the astonishingly bad Saints D.
On the other hand, if Vick continues his Jeff Goldblum in The Fly-like transformation into a human turnover the pressure will continue to mount and a change could be in the air in the city of brotherly love.
Atlanta wide receivers vs Dallas cornerbacks
Week one aside, the Cowboys season has not lived up to the pre-season expectations.
America’s Team were supposed to have one flaw to patch up coming out of last year, that being their defensive backs which they attended to by trading up and drafting Morris Claiborne sixth overall as well as acquiring free agent Brandon Carr from Kansas City.
So far, the cornerback play has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise underwhelming season but now with the season more or less on the line Carr and Claiborne face the best receiving duo in the NFL.
The combination of Roddy White and Julio Jones presents a challenge in that both players are polar opposites in regards to their skill sets, but perform both at an exceptionally high level.
White posseses some of the best hands in the league and as Matt Ryan’s security blanket has a unique ability to get open and move the chains.
Jones on the other hand is one of the marquee athletic specimens in the NFL, with the height (6’3) and speed (4.39sec 40-yard dash) to get behind the safeties and make big plays over top.
Also note that the Falcons like to use Jones on screen plays to allow him to hit full speed with ball in hand.
Both Carr and Claiborne will have to be on top of their game especially considering they are both predominantly man-coverage cornerbacks.
Super Mario returns
Much to the dismay of Bills fans, I don’t mean this in the way that “Mario Williams will return to form”.
I mean it purely in a geographical sense as he returns to face his former Houston Texans team mates for the first time since signing with Buffalo last off season.
Unfortunately for storyline purposes, the split between the Texans and Mario wasnt particularly juicy. There weren’t any parting shots between each other, it was purely based on financial logistics.
In saying that, one would like to hope that if there was any game to help get Mario Williams playing to the level that made him the $100 million dollar man, it would be against a former team who thought they would be better without him.
Will we see the return of Super Mario or will the Texans line get the one up on their former team mate?
Eli vs Big Ben
Whether these two like it or not, their legacies are intertwined.
Both drafted in the same year, blessed with the ability to make you revel in awe and pull your hair out simultaneously, and both are owners of multiple Superbowl rings.
In this week’s NFL marquee match-up, and given the attention on New York given the events of Hurricane Sandy, all eyes will be on the competition between these two.
Both secondaries have been affected by injury and are the equivalent of swiss cheese at the moment so the game will be decided by which quarterback can move the ball most effectively and minimise turnovers.
Must Watch: Philadelphia @ New Orleans
All eyes on Andy Reid and Mike Vick, heads will roll if they fall to the 2-5 Saints.
Snooze Fest: Detroit @ Jacksonville
A one sided game in a half-capacity stadium? No thanks.
Cheeky Viewing: Carolina @ Washington
Cam at RG3? ‘SuperCam’ at ‘Black Jesus’? Yes please.
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