1. More backup quarterbacks continue to play: Last week 11 backup quarterbacks had to play and, as a group, they went 3-5 with 11 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and were sacked 18 times. It’s more of the same this week:
- Case Keenum suits up again for the Rams.
- Kellen Moore gets his first start for the Cowboys.
- Matt Hasselbeck should start again for the Colts, but how long before he gives way to backup Charlie Whitehurst?
- Brandon Weeden has the weight of the division title on his shoulders for the Texans.
- Zach Mettenberger replaces Marcus Mariota in Tennessee.
- The Ravens could send out any one of their three backup signal callers -- and it may even be Ryan Mallett.
- Blaine Gabbert is trying to convince the 49ers he’s good enough to stick around in 2016.
- AJ McCarron leads the Bengals into Denver.
On top of all that, will Drew Brees be able to play or finish the game in New Orleans? And is Brock Osweiler the future in Denver?
2. Is the Panthers defense beginning to crack? The Panthers are undefeated and Cam Newton is having an MVP-like season, but are there questions about the Panthers defense? Last week Carolina gave up 21 points in the fourth quarter to the Giants. In recent games, the Panthers gave up 15 points in the fourth quarter to the Packers and 14 points to the Saints in the final quarter.
The Panthers have given up the most second-half points (164) of the 12 teams currently qualifying for the playoffs. When they get into games against the likes of teams like Arizona, Green Bay and Seattle, late comebacks by great quarterbacks are factors.
3. Yes, sacks do matter: The top seven defenses when it comes to sacks are all playoff qualifiers at this point. The 12 teams that are currently in average 38 sacks and non-playoff teams average 29 sacks. The top teams with the most sacks are New England and Denver with 47. The worst postseason qualifier is Arizona with 26.
Keep this mind come postseason time: the Patriots sacked Russell Wilson three times in their Super Bowl win over the Seahawks last year. I doubt any team is winning the big game this year that can’t get the opposing QB a few times during the game.
4. Get the air raid sirens ready: There are two games this weekend that I would characterize as air shows.
New England's Tom Brady faces off against Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets, and then Aaron Rodgers takes the field in Arizona against Carson Palmer. The two quarterbacks in each game have combined for 61 touchdown passes between them: Brady has 35, Fitzpatrick 26, Palmer 32, and Rodgers 29.
That means, at a minimum, there should be about 75 passes and close to five touchdown passes in the game. My suspicion is with playoff implications in both games, we should expect more like 85 pass plays and more than six touchdown passes in both games.
As soon as Palmer or Brady start filling the air with footballs, expect Rodgers and Fitzpatrick to counter. Earlier this year the Patriots beat the Jets 30-23 and there were 98 pass plays called in that one.
5. The battles for No. 2 heat up: You've got to love the schedule makers. Way back in the spring they hit a home run when they put the Bengals in Denver and the Packers in Arizona for Week 16.
As luck would have it, both games play a major role in which team will be the No. 2 seed and also get a first-round bye. The outcomes should also factor into which team gets the No. 3 seed and has to host a wild-card game.
Cincinnati is currently the No. 2 seed, but must go to Denver with a backup quarterback (AJ McCarron) and face the top run defense in the NFL -- oh, and the Broncos are tied for the lead in sacks.
The Packers, sitting in the No. 3 spot, head to Arizona where Carson Palmer is 15-3 and averages 28 points a game. I like both home teams to win these battles -- and the two seeds.
For the latest playoff picture, including tiebreaker explanations and rules, visit here.
6. Other factors to keep in mind during Week 16: Antonio Brown needs 100 receiving yards to surpass 5,000 receiving yards for the past three seasons. He already averages 104.2 yards per game for his last 47 games.
- A number of people now believe the NFL competition committee should put a rule in that would make a third personal foul during a game an automatic ejection. That would have taken the decision out of the officials' hands in the Odell Beckham case.
- Last year Matt Ryan threw a touchdown once every 22 passes. This year it is one every 30.
- The Falcons have a chance at revenge for the 39-0 beating they suffered against the Panthers two weeks ago. But, unless Ryan goes no huddle with an up-tempo offense he used to run, it is highly unlikely.
- Hotter than hot is the only way to describe Russell Wilson with 19 touchdown passes and zero interceptions in his last five games, but right behind him is Cam Newton with 18 touchdown passes and one interception in his last five games.
- In the last two weeks, Brock Osweiler is averaging 51 pass plays a game -- and losing. That's after three weeks of winning and averaging 32 pass plays a game.
- AJ McCarron might have thrown three touchdowns in his first start, but he was also sacked once every nine pass plays and now he faces the Broncos in Denver, where they average more than three sacks a game.