NFL Midweek Update Week 13: Key injuries, playoff race and offseason storylines
We are now deep into the second half of the 2021 regular season, with Week 12 in the books.
Whether it is going against the spread or putting together exotic parlay picks, you now have plenty of evidence to sift through when making your NFL betting predictions.
Our midweek update is intended to inform you with some intel to take on the bookmakers each weekend.
There are some cracking matchups to look forward to this week - including an AFC East blockbuster when red-hot New England visits Buffalo on Monday Night Football.
So without further ado, let’s get into it.
Injury Report
The phrase ‘next man up’ is one you’ll hear a lot from NFL coaches. It’s a brutal league and a brutal game, and here are some of the key injuries from last weekend:
Matthew Stafford (QB, Los Angeles Rams): Stafford will not miss any time right now, but that doesn’t mean he’s not hurting. The former #1 overall pick is battling an elbow injury, chronic back pain and a sore ankle according to reports this week as he looks to lead the Rams to a playoff berth. The signs right now are not good - he has struggled during a three-game losing streak which has dropped L.A. to 7-4. Is it a blip, or a more worrying trend? We’ll find out in the coming weeks.
Christian McCaffrey (RB, Carolina Panthers): A miserable 2021 is over for ‘Run CMC’ after an ankle injury in Sunday’s loss to Miami landed him on IR for the second time this season. He had earlier missed five games due to a hamstring problem and his loss severely impacts any lingering playoff hopes for the 5-7 Panthers. McCaffrey had also missed 13 games in 2020.
Donte Jackson (CB, Carolina Panthers): We might have seen the last of Jackson in a Panthers uniform after he injured his groin during that loss in Miami. Jackson - taken by Carolina in Round 2 of the 2018 draft - had started all 12 games this season but will now hit free agency in March. He has been put on IR and his 2021 season is now over.
Jack Conklin (RT, Cleveland Browns): A year of injury misery for the Browns took another turn for the worse on Sunday night when Conklin tore a patellar tendon during the error-strewn 16-10 loss to the Ravens in Baltimore. He is obviously done for the year, further weakening an offense in which QB Baker Mayfield (himself carrying a significant shoulder injury) has clearly regressed in 2021.
Daniel Jones (QB, New York Giants): The third-year quarterback suffered a strained neck as the Giants upset Philadelphia at Metlife on Sunday and is now a big doubt to face Miami this weekend. Definitely one to keep an eye on from a betting perspective - Mike Glennon is set to get the start in relief.
Deebo Samuel (WR, San Francisco 49ers): Samuel has been a beast as San Francisco won three straight to improve to 6-5 - starring in the backfield as well as out wide. Deebo though suffered a groin injury and will miss Sunday’s game against Seattle. The good news though is that it is not serious and he should return within a week or two.
Fred Warner (LB, San Francisco 49ers): A similar story to Samuel for the Niners here. Warner will miss the game vs Seattle after injuring a hamstring in the win over Minnesota. Again though he should return within a week or two.
Darren Waller (TE, Las Vegas Raiders): Waller suffered a knee injury early in the Thanksgiving win in Dallas and there were fears it could be serious. Mercifully for the Raiders though he is week-to-week rather than being done for 2021.
Dalvin Cook (RB, Minnesota Vikings): The Vikings didn’t just lose a crucial game to the 49ers in Santa Clara on Sunday, they also lost star back Cook with a dislocated shoulder. HC Mike Zimmer says though that Cook is ‘day-to-day’ and has not as yet been ruled out of Sunday’s game vs winless Detroit.
NFL Playoff Picture - Current Seedings
We are fast approaching the time of year when playoff talk ceases to become a dream and pretty quickly turns into reality.
If the post-season started now, these are the teams who would be playing deeper into January:
American Football Conference (AFC)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-3)
- New England Patriots (8-4)
- Tennessee Titans (8-4)
- Kansas City Chiefs (7-4)
- Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)
- Buffalo Bills (7-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (6-5)
On the bubble: Denver Broncos (6-5), Las Vegas Raiders (6-5), Indianapolis Colts (6-6), Cleveland Browns (6-6), Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5-1).
National Football Conference (NFC)
- Arizona Cardinals (9-2)
- Green Bay Packers (9-3)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-4)
- Los Angeles Rams (7-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (6-5)
- Washington Football Team (5-6)
On the bubble: Minnesota Vikings (5-6), Atlanta Falcons (5-6), New Orleans Saints (5-6).
Remember, the top four seeds in each conference go to the division winners. The next three go to the teams who are not top of their division but have the best records in the conference. They are the wild cards.
The top seed in each conference receives a first-round bye in the playoffs along with homefield advantage throughout the post-season.
Offseason storylines to watch
We are not even at the end of the 2021 regular season, but there are already some fascinating offseason narratives developing.
Here are just a few of the best:
Wilson’s last dance: Things are going very south in the Pacific Northwest for Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson, remember, even went as far as leaking a list of teams he’d be willing to be traded to during the last offseason. That after a promising season ended with playoff misery amid O-line issues. It seems things have gotten even worse in 2021, and Seattle is 3-7 with Wilson only just back after a finger injury. We expect those trade rumours to resurface in early 2022 with the Legion Of Boom now resembling the Legion Of Doom. Seattle of course does not have a first-round pick in 2022 courtesy of the trade for S Jamal Adams. They should be looking at getting maximum value for Russell to help start a new era.
Which way for Rodgers? Would a second Super Bowl ring be enough to persuade Aaron Rodgers that maybe the grass isn’t greener elsewhere? Conventional wisdom says this is the last year in Titletown for #12 after an acromonious offseason in 2021. His contract restructure means a trade is eminently possible after this year, even likely. Rodgers though is leading Green Bay towards what could be the #1 seed in the NFC and a possible Super Bowl run. We may find out in February whether another Lombardi trophy can cure all ills.
Nothing elementary with Watson: The charges currently hanging over Houston QB Deshaun Watson make any potential trade for the Texans signal caller even more complex. Miami looked at a deal before the mid-season deadline while the Panthers are likely to be players after the collapse of the Sam Darnold renovation plan. The price - despite the legal issues - is likely to be high for a player who when on the field is one of the top five QBs in the NFL.
Fly Eagles fly? When Philadelphia stank out Metlife Stadium last Sunday with a putrid offensive showing vs the New York Giants, you’d have been hard pressed to pick them out as a team to watch in 2022. But when you look under the hood there are a ton of reasons to be positive. Philly has cap space plus three first-round picks in 2022 - all currently in the top 20. That gives them the ability to either seriously upgrade young talent or package a deal to go after one of those franchise QBs we’ve already mentioned. The jury of course is still out on Jalen Hurts...
Game Of The Week
- New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills (Tuesday December 7, 0115 GMT)
The battle for the AFC East title takes centre stage on Monday Night Football as the red-hot Patriots travel into Buffalo to face the Bills.
A few short weeks ago Buffalo was a firm Super Bowl favourite while the Pats were threatening to fall out of playoff contention at 2-4.
Six straight wins later and New England now sits on top of the East at 8-4, while the Bills’ star has waned more than a little - they have gone 3-3 in their last six games.
To say this game is both fascinating and crucial would be an understatement - the first of two between these teams in the closing weeks of the season. There is every chance the division will be decided by a tiebreaker, putting even more on the line.
The Pats - massive odds to win Super Bowl LVI a month ago - are now prominent with all bookmakers with Mac Jones playing efficiently, the defense excelling and the coaching as ever elite.
It’s a big night meanwhile for Buffalo and a chance for Josh Allen to reinforce his MVP credentials on the biggest stage of all.
We cannot wait...