Archives: Previews

Propelled by clutch overtime wins, the Cincinnati Bengals host the streaking Indianapolis Colts in a matchup of surprise playoff contenders. The Colts (7-5) won their fourth straight last week, beating the Titans on the road by responding to an overtime field goal with a touchdown for a 31-28 win. Quarterback Gardner Minshew found Michael Pittman in the back of the end zone with 2:31 left in overtime to lift the Colts into the AFC South

From the back of the pack in the NFC West, the Los Angeles Rams performed like a different team since a bye week, winning three straight games to climb back into the playoff picture. The Rams try to stay the course when they visit the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, but it won’t be easy against one of the most well-rounded teams in the NFL. And now it’s the Ravens who are rested. Baltimore is coming

The Los Angeles Chargers have everything that an NFL team needs to win a football game. Their quarterback has franchise player stamped all over him. They also have one of the league’s best receivers, solid pass rushers and special teams performers. Yet they find themselves on the outside looking in prior to Sunday’s home game with the Denver Broncos. At 5-7, Los Angeles has no less than five teams to jump over in the season’s

Ever the optimist, Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll still believes he has a playoff team. But the Seahawks reside below the postseason cutoff line after absorbing three consecutive losses and four in the past five games heading into Sunday’s showdown against the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers (9-3) in Santa Clara, Calif. “I just believe we’re of that caliber,” Carroll said. “We have to find our way through it and get there. I don’t know

The Minnesota Vikings welcome back their best offensive player when they visit the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon. All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson was a full participant in practice Wednesday and likely will return for Minnesota (6-6). Jefferson missed the past seven games because of a hamstring injury that he sustained Oct. 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The 24-year-old was off to a terrific start to the season before it was interrupted by

The Buffalo Bills are making their fifth visit to Kansas City in 34-plus months but it certainly doesn’t feel like a welcoming second home. The Bills are back in the Midwest on Sunday to face the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, and the contest has a must-win feel for a Buffalo squad that has lost four of its past six games. The Bills (6-6) are fresh off a bye but sit on the outside of

Now that they’ve prevailed in the “Hughes Bowl,” it’s back to business for the New Jersey Devils. After defeating Vancouver 6-5 Tuesday in a game featuring three Hughes brothers, the Devils will continue their four-game western swing Thursday night in Seattle against the sputtering Kraken. The Devils have won four of their past five games, the lone loss in that span a stunning 6-3 home defeat to the lowly San Jose Sharks. On Tuesday, Jesper

The Minnesota Wild will try to continue their impressive turnaround under new coach John Hynes when they visit the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night. The Wild had lost seven straight when Dean Evason was fired on Nov. 27 and replaced by Hynes. They’re 4-0-0 since, outscoring their opponents 18-5. The 4-0-0 debut ties John Torchetti (2016) for the best start by a Minnesota coach in team history. “It’s a kick in the butt when you

It is the first meeting of the year between the banged-up Colorado Avalanche and the visiting Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night. The Avalanche enter the game dealing with a rash of injuries that got worse Tuesday night in Denver during a 3-2 victory over Anaheim. Defenseman Bowen Byram left the game in the second period and did not return with an upper-body injury after being leveled by Ducks forward Max Jones. Byram is the next

With an 0-2 record this season against teams that currently have winning records, the Dallas Cowboys still have a lot to prove, starting with their Sunday night showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in Arlington, Texas. It will be the 130th meeting in the 63-year rivalry and the stakes could not be higher. Dallas is flying high on a four-game winning streak, while Philadelphia comes to Texas trying to shake off an ugly 23-point home loss