NFL Week 14 Preview: The Key To Victory For Every Team This Weekend

We’re ready to head into Week 14 of the NFL season. Here’s the key to victory for every team this weekend.

Week 14 will be a pivotal one as we head down the stretch. Here’s

Green Bay Packers: Stop The Run

Opponent: @ Lions

The Lions are both an elite running team and a play-action passing team. But, if you can stop the run and make Jared Goff be a dropback passer, their offense is much easier to stop.

Detroit Lions: Force Jordan Love Into Bad Decisions

Opponent: Vs. Packers

Jordan Love is one of the most interception-prone quarterback in the league. The easiest way to slow down the Packers is to force Love into making poor decisions.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Get Mac Jones Into A Rhythm

Opponent: @ Titans

Mac Jones has not been good so far this year filling in for Trevor Lawrence. But, with Lawrence on IR now, it’s Mac’s team for the rest of the season. They need to get him in a rhythm early and build confidence.

Tennessee Titans: Dominate The Line Of Scrimmage

Opponent: Vs. Jaguars

The Jaguars are weak on both lines of scrimmage. The Titans want physical football to be the identity of their team, and this is a great opportunity to take a step towards that.

New York Jets: Handle Adversity Better

Opponent: @ Dolphins

When things get tough, the New York Jets have folded time after time this year. They can’t let a bad play or two spiral like it did against the Seahawks last week.

Miami Dolphins: Get Off To A Fast Start

Opponent: Vs. Jets

The Jets don’t particularly want to be playing football still this season, as they quit on the season weeks ago. Just get out to a fast start and the Jets will fold.

Atlanta Falcons: Win The Turnover Battle

Opponent: @ Vikings

The Atlanta Falcons have one of the worst turnover margins in the NFL, and Kirk Cousins threw four interceptions last week. That can’t continue, and they need to start winning the turnover battle more frequently.

Minnesota Vikings: Shut Down Bijan Robinson

Opponent: Vs. Falcons

After a four-interception performance, there’s no way that Kirk Cousins is going to come into this game particularly confident. So, turn the Falcons into a one-dimensional team, and things will go well.

New Orleans Saints: Attack Through The Air

Opponent: @ Giants

There are a lot of ways to attack the Giants, as they’re awful. One of their biggest weaknesses is a terrible pass defense that has the fewest amount of interceptions in the league. Derek Carr should be able to throw down the field with impunity.

New York Giants: Start Thinking About the NFL Draft

Opponent: Vs. Saints

The Giants are a disaster. With Dexter Lawrence out and a team that has pretty clearly quit on its head coach, it’s hard to find any path to victory. It’s one of the worst football teams in recent memory.

Carolina Panthers: Slow Down Saquon Barkley

Opponent: @ Eagles

On paper, Saquon Barkley, on pace for the best rushing season in NFL history, and Carolina’s league-worst rushing defense should be a huge mismatch. If the improving Panthers want any hope in this game, they can’t let Saquon Barkley run wild.

Philadelphia Eagles: Give It To Saquon Barkley Early And Often

Opponent; Vs. Panthers

On the flip-side, the path to victory for the Eagles is clear. Just give it to the best player in the National Football League this season, Saquon Barkley. Carolina’s run defense is atrocious.

Cleveland Browns: Protect Jameis Winston

Opponent: @ Steelers

TJ Watt has a habit of wrecking games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, especially at home. Jameis Winston can be effective when given time in the pocket, but they’ve got to give him that time.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Avoid A Letdown

Opponent: Vs. Browns

Two weeks ago, the Steelers lost the Browns after a big win against the Ravens. They’re the much better team, and they can’t let a great win against the Bengals cause a letdown this week.

Las Vegas Raiders: Get Brock Bowers Involved

Opponent: @ Buccaneers

On paper, Brock Bowers should be able to take advantage of a subpar Buccaneers linebacker unit. Unless Tampa Bay decides to use safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to cover Bowers on a huge chunk of plays, Bowers should be open early and often.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Keep The Running Game Going

Opponent: Vs. Raiders

Bucky Irving has been a revelation the last few weeks running the ball for the Buccaneers. He’s added another dimension to this offense, and they need to keep that going against the Raiders.

Seattle Seahawks: Limit Turnovers

Opponent: @ Cardinals

Like Jordan Love, Geno Smith can move the ball, but is turnover-prone. When he plays a clean game, the Seahawks are tough to beat.

Arizona Cardinals: Finish Strong

Opponent: Vs. Seahawks

The Cardinals have let a few games slip away this year late, last week’s lost to the Vikings being one of them. They can’t let that happen this week in the biggest game of their season.

Buffalo Bills: Get Pressure On Matthew Stafford

Opponent: @ Rams

If you let Matthew Stafford sit back in the pocket comfortably, he will pick you apart. The Bills have to get pressure on Stafford.

Los Angeles Rams: Make The Bills Play From Behind

Opponent: Vs. Bills

When Buffalo is playing with a lead, they’re nearly impossible to chase down. The offense is simply too good in those situations. But, if you can get an early lead on Buffalo and make them more one-dimensional, you’ve got a chance.

Chicago Bears: Make The Winning Play, Not the Losing Play

Opponent: @ 49ers

The Bears have so frequently been one play or decision away from winning, only to find a way to lose. This week, with a new interim head coach in Thomas Brown, it’s time for them to find a way to win.

San Francisco 49ers: Establish The Run

Opponent: Vs. Bears

Every year, Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers want to be one of the league’s best teams on the ground. They’ve seemingly lost that identity in recent weeks. If they want to salvage this season, they have to get back to that.

Los Angeles Chargers: Stay Balanced

Opponent: @ Chiefs

The Chargers have not typically been able to get both the run and pass game working on offense in the same week this year. If they want a shot at upsetting the Chiefs, they need both facets to be working on Sunday night.

Kansas City Chiefs: Separate From The Pack

Opponent: Vs. Chargers

Yes, they’re 11-1, which means they’re winning the vast majority of these close games they find themselves in. But, data shows that regression is almost certainly coming. The Chiefs need to start blowing teams out that they’re clearly better than. This week would be a good start.

Cincinnati Bengals: Find Some Way To Get Stops

Opponent: @ Cowboys

The Cincinnati defense has been an embarrassment all year. Thankfully, they’re up against a weak unit this week. They need to get stops against one of the league’s worst offenses, considering that Cooper Rush is under center and the Cowboys can’t run the ball.

Dallas Cowboys: Keep The Momentum Going

Opponent: Vs. Bengals

The Cowboys have won two straight games all of a sudden. It’s not completely unrealistic that they could play some important games down the stretch towards an unlikely playoff berth at 5-7. But, to do that, they need to get off to a fast start at home, something they haven’t done in an entire calendar year.