Here are 10 things from NFL Week 14 that intrigue me:
1. Aaron Rodgers against the Seahawks defense: The Seahawks will face a tougher challenge without Earl Thomas in the deep middle. Steven Terrell takes over and faces a big task of playing the deep middle against Rodgers. Having Michael Bennett back for a second week up front will help.
2. Can Matthew Stafford stay hot against the Bears as the Lions shoot for a division title? Stafford is a borderline MVP candidate for leading the Lions to the top of NFC North at 8-4. They have a two-game lead with four to go, and Stafford is a big reason why. He should be able to have success this week, even against an improved Bears defense.
3. Von Miller against Titans tackles Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin: The Tennessee tackles have been as good a pair as any in the league this season. But facing Miller is always a handful, no matter how good you are playing. If the Titans can run it, that will help a lot.
4. Tom Brady against the Ravens defense: The Ravens have the top-ranked defense in the league. But facing Brady is always the ultimate challenge, even without Rob Gronkowski. I would expect the Patriots to attack through the air with the Ravens being so good against the run.
5. Can the Broncos' troubled run defense slow down the Titans' power run attack? The Broncos rank 28th against the run and 20th in yards per rush. That's not a good thing against a Tennessee team that wants to pound the football.
6. Can Tampa Bay keep rolling? The Bucs have won three straight to move into the sixth playoff spot in the NFC. They've beaten some good teams in the Chiefs and Seahawks to get to that spot. Now come the reeling Saints.
7. Can the Giants slow Ezekiel Elliott? That's a big challenge for any defense, but the Giants are fifth against the run and third in yards per rush. They won't have Jason Pierre-Paul, who has been good from his end spot. Elliott leads the league in rushing and plays behind the best line in the NFL. This will be fun.
8. Is this week the Browns' best chance to win a game? They face in-state rival Cincinnati at home, so there's a chance. Robert Griffin III will start at quarterback for the Browns, but the Bengals blew out the Browns earlier this season.
9. Do the Colts make a statement against the Texans? The Colts, Titans and Texans are all tied atop the AFC South, so this game is enormous. The Colts looked good Monday night against the Jets, but this will be a much tougher game.
10. The Cardinals' David Johnson against the Dolphins defense: The Dolphins are 30th against the run, which means Johnson, who is having a great season, should find room to run. Can the Dolphins slow him down?
