ave a lot of pride and character, so I think they’ll be ready for the challenge,” coach Mike Zimmer said, “and it will be a great challenge. We’ll obviously need the home fans there and nice and loud for us, but I feel go

Shout it from the top of Mount Washington: It’s the Game of the Year!Perhaps the Game of the Decade!! Maybe the Game of the Millennium!!!Or Miles Boykin Jersey , very possibly, a big dud.Until their flop in Miami on Monday night, the way the New England Patriots were performing was the way so many predicted they would heading into the season: a powerhouse. And how the Pittsburgh Steelers were squeezing past inferior foes brought into question whether they could slow down the Foxborough freight train.Then the Dolphins did so one day after the Steelers needed another late rally to edge archrival Baltimore and clinch the AFC North.So while Sunday’s contest at Heinz Field will almost certainly decide the top seed in the AFC, it’s not exactly Ali-Frazier, two undefeated heavyweights facing off.“It’s good to be in big games than be in ones nobody’s watching,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says. “We better be appreciative of this spot and not resist it in any way. This is what we’ve been fighting for since March. Why would you fight that? It’s an awesome thing.”Forget their `A’ game, which the Steelers (11-2) seem to have misplaced for much of the past two months despite winning eight straight, with a half-dozen of them close (decided by one, three, three, three, five and six points.They will need their `AAA game’ against New England (10-3), which knows a loss eliminates it from topping the conference heading into the postseason.“It’s all about us being prepared to play Pittsburgh,” Patriots safety Devin McCourty says, mimicking his coach. “All the extra stuff comes with it, but it’s just if we worry about the playoffs, we’ll go down there and we’ll get killed, honestly.”The action got started Thursday night in a game with no playoff implications, the Denver Broncos’ 25-13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Brock Osweiler threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in relief of the injured Trevor Siemian, and C.J. Anderson rushed for 158 yards on 30 carries as Denver (5-9) won its second straight and handed the Colts (3-11) their fifth consecutive loss. Siemian injured his left shoulder in the first quarter and did not return.Los Angeles Chargers (7-6) at Kansas City (7-6), Saturday nightWin this and you have the inside track to the AFC West title. That would have seemed very impressive in the summer, when this was thought to be the NFL’s best sector. Instead Deandre Baker Jersey , it’s so mediocre that the winner probably will be a No. 4 seed in the playoffs.Kansas City had a 24-20 win in September, when it was starting off 5-0. It broke a four-game slide with a big victory over Oakland last week.The Bolts have been, well, charging, winning four straight and seven of nine, their best nine-game stretch since 2010. But they’ve dropped seven in a row to the Chiefs.Dallas (7-6) at Oakland (6-7)Oakland might need to win out for any shot at the postseason. Same for Dallas, chasing a wild card in the much-stronger NFC.With star RB Zeke Elliott suspended for one more game, the combination of Dak Prescott throwing to Jason Witten and Dez Bryant has been the focal point on offense. Prescott’s coming off his first 300-yard passing game of the season with a career-high 332 against the woeful Giants.After fizzling in KC, Oakland needs to rediscover its offense and get pressure on Prescott from Bruce Irvin and Khalil Mack.Los Angeles Rams (9-4) at Seattle (8-5)The Rams lost two of four in the midst of a very difficult stretch. Now, the key division matchup with the banged-up, penalty-prone Seahawks.Seattle, whose air of invincibility at home has been punctured with two losses in the past three, won the first meeting and would have the tiebreaker with a repeat. This easily could come down to Russell Wilson , making a late run for league MVP, lighting up the skies against Rams QB Jared Goff, one of the NFL’s most-improved players in 2017.LA is 3-0 after a loss; the Eagles beat the Rams last Sunday.Green Bay (7-6) at Carolina (9-4)Huge one for both sides, and this time the Packers head into it with Aaron Rodgers back at quarterback.Recovered from his broken collarbone — Green Bay stayed relevant without him, going 3-4 — Rodgers might have some rust. Still, was there ever any doubt he would replace Brett Hundley when his wing was healed?“Hopefully it gives a lift to some of the guys but I’m not coming back to save this team,” Rodgers said. “I’m coming back to play quarterback the way I know how to play it.”Rodgers will face a formidable defense that includes end Julius Peppers, who left Green Bay for a return to Carolina this season and has 5 sacks in the past four games against his former team, and LB Luke Kuechly (100 tackles in six straight seasons.)New York Jets (5-8) at New Orleans (9-4)New Orleans owns the tiebreaker over Carolina thanks to a season sweep http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-oshane-ximines-jersey , and gets fortunate here. Josh McCown, having the best season of his lengthy, vagabond pro career, has a broken hand, so untested Bryce Petty gets the start.The Saints lost two of their past three, against top-level opponents, so they aren’t likely to fall into any traps. Their well-balanced and top-ranked offense could go wild against the inconsistent Jets, and no team has improved more on D than Nawlins.Atlanta (8-5) at Tampa Bay (4-9), Monday nightWhile the Buccaneers spiral enough to put coach Dirk Koetter’s job security in question, it’s the defending NFC champ Falcons who have been maddeningly up and down. Get this: Atlanta is 4-3 in its new, billion dollar palace.That means the Monday night spotlight should be fine, especially for WR Julio Jones. He had a season-best 12 receptions for 253 yards and two TDs against the Bucs three weeks ago — his NFL-record third game with 250-plus yards receiving. No other receiver in league history has more than one.Cincinnati (5-8) at Minnesota (10-3)Vikings will secure NFC North crown for second time in three seasons by winning, and the Bengals have never won in five trips to Minnesota. Cincinnati didn’t even show up at home last Sunday in being routed by the Bears. Yes, the Bears.Minnesota’s defense had an off day at Carolina, but is formidable enough to win big. The combined record of teams the Vikings have lost to is 27-12. Combined record of teams the Bengals have beaten, counting the Browns twice, is 14-51.Vikings coach Mike Zimmer was the defensive coordinator for the Bengals under current coach Marvin Lewis from 2008-2013. And here’s a strange stat: Lewis has never lost to any former assistant, going 6-0-1.Philadelphia (11-2) at New York Giants (2-11)An Eagles victory and a Vikings loss makes Philly the place to go through in the NFC playoffs. Of course, Eagles fans mostly are looking at the bleak side: Carson Wentz, the superb young quarterback who has engineered much of this year’s turnaround, tore his left ACL at the Rams and is done for the season.Then again, Philly probably could suit up Ron Jaworski instead of Nick Foles and win this by letting its top-notch defense loose against the beleaguered Giants. The Eagles have won six of seven and 15 of the past 19 against the Giants.Houston (4-9) at Jacksonville (9-4)OK Julian Love Jersey , take a deep breath and listen: Jacksonville clinches a playoff berth with a win. It can even get in with help in other cities despite a loss.Not only that, the Jaguars, with their terrific pass rush and strong ground game, have a shot at a first-round playoff bye.“To be at the bottom and to finally fight our way, work our way and get back up, just to be in the position that we’re at now, it’s great and it shows you that we’ve finally started to earn the right to win,” linebacker Paul Posluszny says. “Now we want more.”Houston might have been in position for more in 2017 had the injury bug not ravaged the roster. The Texans, already minus brilliant DE J.J. Watt and excellent LB Whitney Mercilus, are down to their third quarterback, T.J. Yates.Tennessee (8-5) at San Francisco (3-10)The Titans can’t afford a stumble against the suddenly competitive Niners.San Francisco lost its first nine, but now has won three of four. Jimmy Garoppolo is playing like he will fill that franchise QB role the Niners hoped he would when they dealt with New England to get him.Tennessee has a showdown in Music City in Week 17 with the Jaguars. The Titans can make that a winner-take-the-division matchup if they beat San Francisco and then the Rams in Nashville next week.Miami (6-7) at Buffalo (7-6)After stunning New England, the Dolphins go to a place they don’t much like, particularly in December. RB Kenyan Drake has emerged and receiver Jarvis Landry remains steady. The defense befuddled Brady last Monday night, and expected starter Tyrod Taylor is no Brady.Bills star LeSean McCoy probably has been doing a snow dance all week. He was dominant in last weekend’s 13-7 overtime win a blizzard against Indianapolis, the second time in his career the running back has dashed through the snow like that.Baltimore (7-6) at Cleveland (0-13)A sputtering offense came to life for the Ravens at Pittsburgh, where they should have won to make them a solid leader for a wild card. Even if that attack goes back to its previous ways, seeing Baltimore destroy much of its postseason chances in this one is unlikely. A 3-0 finish gets the Ravens in.A 3-0 finish would be miraculous for the Browns, the first team in NFL history to start 0-13 in consecutive seasons.Chicago (4-9) at Detroit (7-6), SaturdayAlthough the Lions are mathematically in the NFC playoff chase, they sure don’t look much like a threat. Except, perhaps http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-darius-slayton-jersey , to the Bears: Detroit has won eight of nine vs. Chicago.Bears running back Jordan Howard is the first in franchise history to rush for 1,000-plus yards in each of his first two seasons.Arizona (6-7) at Washington (5-8)Of interest here — wait, we’ll find something — is Cardinals RB Adrian Peterson, who needs one rushing TD to reach 100 and 37 yards to pass the great Jim Brown (12,312) on the career rushing list. But Peterson is battling a neck problem that could sideline him for the final three games. EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings have reached the final week of the regular season with a spot in the playoffs still unsecured and a surging division rival boasting one of the NFL’s best defenses on the schedule.This is the type of game, then, for Kirk Cousins to make good on that $84 million in guaranteed money. The NFC North champion Chicago Bears will pose a stiff challenge, as the Vikings are well aware from their previous matchup last month.More Vikings coveragePhotos of the Week: 7/21/19 – 7/27/19Rookie Bradbury is central figure to Vikings’ overhauled offensive lineVikings depth at cornerback being tested, Hughes still not clearedPlayers to watch at Minnesota Vikings 2019 training campTop Tweets: Vikings WR Diggs makes push for All-NFL Style Team“There will always be excitement, nerves, anxiety, butterflies, whatever you want to call it. That will always be there. This matters to me,” Cousins said when asked about his ability to manage his emotions in high-stakes games. “I joke with people that when the math teacher junior year of high school said, ‘Hey, we’ve got a pop quiz,’ you start to feel the butterflies. Because you want to do well. It matters to you. Frankly, I think when I have butterflies, I play a little better because it heightens your awareness and your attention to detail and your sense of urgency.”With Khalil Mack bringing a relentless pass rush from the edge, Akiem Hicks blowing up running plays in the middle, and Kyle Fuller leading the clampdown in the secondary Quinnen Williams Jersey , the Bears made the first three quarters of that game on Nov. 18 miserable for Cousins and the offense . The Vikings had only 77 total yards in the first half, lost a fumble and didn’t score until the last play of the third quarter. Cousins took two 8-yard sacks and threw two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown.The Vikings rallied late in the 25-20 loss.“This is not a defense that we’re going against that teams are putting 50 points up against, or having 500 yards of offense, and that may not be the game that’s required to win,” Cousins said. “If our defense and special teams play really well, who knows? Offensively, if we don’t have the most dynamic day but we come out with a win, then that’s what we do.”9<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:PHOTOS: Vikings at LionsAP | Copyright The Associated Press. All rights reserved.The Bears (11-4) are assured of at least the No. 3 seed, with the chance to move up and get a first-round bye with a victory over the Vikings (8-6-1) and a loss by the Los Angeles Rams at home to the San Francisco 49ers. With a win, the Vikings will return to the playoffs and set up a likely rematch with the Bears next week in the wild-card round. If they lose, they would need the Philadelphia Eagles to lose at Washington to keep their postseason spot.“We’ve got a lot of guys who have a lot of pride and character, so I think they’ll be ready for the challenge,” coach Mike Zimmer said, “and it will be a great challenge. We’ll obviously need the home fans there and nice and loud for us, but I feel good about it.”Cousins has had his share of shaky performances in his first year in Minnesota, where he’s signed through 2020. The Bears prompted one of those, but he bounced back the following week to beat the Packers with one of his best games of the season. That’s the kind of resilience Cousins has relied on throughout his career and that the Vikings have exhibited in five years under Zimmer.“It’s not just necessarily with the quarterback,” Zimmer said. “It’s with your whole football team, that you have that kind of mentality that we’re going to fight through this little bit of struggle that we’re having right now and get back to work and good things are going to happen if we keep fighting.”