It's time for another round of bold predictions from the Around The NFL team. Remember, these predictions are not for the faint of heart.
AJ McCarron will beat the league's best defense
He's played fewer than two games, but we've been impressed by the Bengals' backup's willingness to go down the field. He can make enough plays to take down the best defense in the league because he doesn't need to carry his entire team. Between the Bengals' offensive line, skill position talent and underrated defense, Cincinnati has the most complete team in the AFC. Look for the Bengals to win a tight game in Denver, thereby setting up the worst possible scenario for Andy Dalton. Imagine a world where McCarron goes undefeated as a starter, but Dalton returns to start a divisional round loss. Nothing would be more depressing. * -- Gregg Rosenthal *
Broncos will sack McCarron eight times
The Broncos' defense will do the heavy lifting in a game that might have more postseason repercussions than any other this season. More specifically, Denver's swarming pass rush will sack McCarron at least eight times -- more times than they have sacked any quarterback this season -- in a dominant performance. It's one thing for a veteran of Ben Roethlisberger's prowess to pick apart the Broncos' stingy secondary. It's quite another for McCarron to pull it off in his second career start. Now that DeMarcus Ware is healthy again, Wade Phillips is ready to dial up the blitzes in preparation for a January playoff run. It's going to be a long night for McCarron. *-- Chris Wesseling *
Redskins rout of Eagles sets Kelly's master plan in motion
Chip Kelly's awkward season will come crashing down in the form of a nationally televised debacle on Saturday night against the Redskins. Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins will throw four touchdowns against a floundering Philly defense that has allowed 40-plus points in three of their past five games. DeMarco Murray will rush for 11 yards on 19 carries, while the cowed Sam Bradford will pay the price for an offense bereft of difference makers through the air. Doubling down, Kelly will storm out of his postgame news conference and refuse to speak with reporters the rest of the year before materializing again in March to announce a blockbuster trade that sends Murray, Fletcher Cox and Jason Kelce to the Jaguars for Joplo Bartu, Tyler Shatley and the rights to Justin Blackmon. "This is about finding players that fit the system," Kelly sneers, before announcing that he's also been swapped to Tennessee in exchange for recently named Titans coach Matt Patricia.
If this doesn't occur, Gregg Rosenthal will spend January penning his long-awaited three-act play, "The Winds of Edgartown: A Case-Study of the Martha's Vineyard Political Scene, circa 1922-1924" (as seen through the eyes of Billingsly Xavier Rosenthal IV) -- Marc Sessler
Antonio Brown earns 250 yards receiving and scores 4 TDs
The last time the Steelers and Ravens met, Antonio Brown snapped his NFL-record streak of 35-straight games with five-plus receptions and 50 receiving yards (he earned 42 yards, his second fewest in a game this season). This week, Brown makes up for the loss, by putting a walloping on the Ravens' secondary. The big day will set Brown up to potentially smash the single-season receiving yards record and broach the 2,000-yard mark in Week 17. -- Kevin Patra
