Week 16 NFL storylines: Raiders rooting for Patriots

Week 16 is upon us, and the NFL playoff pursuit is arsenic blurry arsenic ever. Which is simply a bully happening for the Raiders, arsenic the bunched-up AFC standings leaves them lone 1 crippled down successful the pursuit for some the 2nd and 3rd wild-card spots.

Needless to say, the 7-7 Raiders volition person a country of 1 oculus planted firmly connected immoderate different games this play arsenic they instrumentality connected the Denver Broncos connected Sunday astatine Allegiant Stadium.

Here are immoderate storylines to support an oculus on, with a dense accent connected Raiders-related games.

8-6 Bills at 9-5 Patriots

As overmuch arsenic it volition symptom Raiders fans to bash this, rooting for the New England Patriots is imperative connected Sunday. Losses by the Colts, Bills and Dolphins this weekend, coupled with the Raiders sweeping their past 3 games, enactment the Raiders successful the driver’s spot for a wild-card spot.

The Bills stubbed their toed successful aboriginal December erstwhile they mislaid to the Patriots successful unbelievably acold and windy conditions successful Buffalo. In that game, the Patriots ran the shot 46 times, and the Bills were helpless portion surrendering 222 yards connected the ground.

The conditions successful New England are not expected to beryllium arsenic severe, truthful expect an opening up of some offenses.

7-7 Dolphins at 7-7 Saints

The Raiders came backmost to bushed the Dolphins successful September, which gives them the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage. So a Miami loss, coupled with a Raiders win, gives the Raiders a decided advantage.

The Saints were near for dormant a fewer weeks agone upon losing 5 consecutive with an unsettled backmost situation. But they person rallied to get backmost to .500.

But with the quality that starter Trevor Siemian, who replaced the injured Jameis Winston arsenic the starter, and his backup, Taysom Hill, person landed connected the COVID-19 list, that puts things successful the hands of rookie backmost Ian Book, the erstwhile Notre Dame standout.

8-6 Ravens at 8-6 Bengals

The Bengals tin instrumentality a immense measurement toward the AFC North crown with a triumph implicit the Ravens, who person struggled playing without backmost Lamar Jackson, who remains day-to-day with an ankle injury.

With the Bengals already beating the Ravens this year, a triumph puts them successful presumption to instrumentality power of the division.

The best-case script for the Raiders is simply a nonaccomplishment by the Ravens, arsenic the Raiders ain the head-to-head tiebreaker borderline implicit Baltimore acknowledgment to their season-opening win.

For the Raiders, the Bengals winning the division, leaving Baltimore successful the wild-card race, is the champion result.

10-4 Rams at 7-7 Vikings

If the play were to extremity today, the Jekyll and Hyde Vikings would beryllium successful the playoffs. That seems inexplicable fixed however galore times they person stubbed their toe, yet that is the world of an NFL play that is thing abbreviated of bonkers.

Meanwhile, they invited a surging Rams squad that past played connected Tuesday and lone had 4 days to hole for what amounts to a immense game. That includes the question time from Los Angeles to Minneapolis.

A triumph implicit the Vikings coupled with a triumph by the Colts implicit the Cardinals connected Saturday puts QB Matthew Stafford and the Rams successful archetypal spot successful the NFC West.