![]() Despite being much-improved from previous incarnations, Kansas City’s defense is still not entirely a known entity. What the Chiefs need to do to win: The Chiefs defense must put together a clinic. The Patriots essentially folded against them last week and the Chiefs will do no such thing. They clearly don’t need any notes from a gameplay perspective but maybe the best advice they should heed is not to get too cocky after pitching a perfect game. What the Bills need to do to win: Score a touchdown on every drive again? In last week’s thorough humiliation of the New England Patriots, the Bills did just that if you don’t count the game-ending kneel down. ![]() Predictions: Buccaneers over Rams Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday 6.00pm EST/11.00pm GMT) The preseason favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year every year, he’s exactly the guy to disrupt Brady’s flow and stop Tampa Bay’s attempt at winning back-to-back Super Bowls. What Rodgers is to offense, Aaron Donald is to defense. Key player: Aaron Donald, defensive tackle, Rams. He’s also missing most of his reliable targets, not counting Rob Gronkowski, so he might need an extra second or two to get the ball out of his hands. As great as Brady is, he’s still 44 years old and was never the most mobile quarterback in the league. If the offensive line doesn’t do its job, the Rams could stifle the mighty Tampa Bay offense. What the Buccaneers need to do to win: Keep Tom Brady upright. If Stafford can do his best to throw it to the players wearing Rams uniforms, not exactly his greatest attribute as a QB, he could put his team in line for a road victory. Opposing quarterbacks have averaged a 65% completion rate against the Bucs this season. The Buccaneers have a great run defense but not the best luck in limiting the pass. What the Rams need to do to win: Get a big game from quarterback Matthew Stafford. Prediction: Packers over 49ers Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, 3.00pm EST/8.00pm GMT) If this weekend’s heavyweight matchup is Josh Allen v Patrick Mahomes, then Adams v Deebo Samuel will make one hell of an undercard. Adams is a huge reason for Rodgers’ success, having put up 2,927 yards and scored 29 touchdowns combined over the past two seasons. Aaron Rodgers is going to be the league MVP for the second straight season, but let’s give some credit to his top receiver. Key player: Davante Adams, wide receiver, Green Bay Packers. That is unless, as noted above, the Packers expose San Francisco’s weakness at the most important position in the entire sport. The Packers should be able to score with ease – that’s not going to be the issue – but the 49ers are a great, well-rounded team that could very well keep pace. What the Packers need to do to win: With Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback, the trick will be for the Green Bay defense to force the ailing Garoppolo into a throwing contest. The 49ers got away with their blunders last week because the Cowboys were even sloppier, but the Green Bay Packers won’t be as forgiving. During the win, he threw one potentially game-changing pick in the fourth quarter and was inches away from throwing a second. What the 49ers need to do to win: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who is dealing with a strained shoulder, simply cannot afford to make the mistakes that nearly doomed his team against the Cowboys. ![]() Prediction: Bengals over Titans San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers (Saturday, 8.15pm EST/Sunday 1.15am GMT) Tennessee have proved they can win without him, going 6-3 in his absence, but the playoffs are a different beast and the Titans are at their most dangerous when Henry is barreling through hapless defenses. The question is how good he will be after his injury. While Henry has been out with a fractured foot since Week 8, he is one of the best players in the league when healthy. Key player: Derrick Henry, running back, Titans. ![]() Plus, the Bengals’ defense has allowed a not-ideal 4.4 yards per rush this season, making it a crucial weakness for the Titans’ running back corps to exploit. Tennessee quarterback Ryan Tannehill has had a fine year, but the passing game is not their true strength. What the Titans need to do to win: Rely heavily on their running game. If Burrow can have another performance like the one against the Raiders last week, where he threw for two touchdowns (albeit one with an assist from an erroneous whistle) and amassed 244 yards, the Bengals could pull off something nearly unthinkable for them: a playoff winning streak. What the Bengals need to do to win: At the risk of repeating ourselves, the Bengals’ hope of success lies in Joe Burrow. ![]()
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