Garceau: NFL's 3 Best Games This Sunday
No, the Ravens and 49ers didn't make the list, two 1-4 teams less than 3 years removed from Super Bowl XLVII are playing an elimination game not a marquee game. The Niners have lost 4 straight, the Ravens picked by some to get to the Super Bowl have played 5 close games and could easily be 4-1, but they're also a Steelers kick away from being 0-5.
Here are three games I like from this Sunday's schedule:
Cincinnati (5-0) at Buffalo (3-2)
The battle of 2 former Ravens defensive coordinators. Marvin Lewis's Bengals are 5-0 for the first time since they went to the Super Bowl in 1988. Andy Dalton is red-hot; he's second in the NFL with 1,518 yards passing, third in quarterback rating and he leads the AFC with 11 TD passes. WR A.J. Green is a big play waiting to happen and TE Tyler Eifert is second in the NFL with 5 TD catches. Rex Ryan is 3-1 against Marvin Lewis and the Bengals. A win Sunday would get the Bills to 4-2 and make them a legit playoff contender.
Arizona (4-1) at Pittsburgh (3-2)
Bruce Arians who was part of the Steelers staff from 2004-2011 brings the NFL's highest scoring team to Pittsburgh Sunday. The Cardinals are averaging 38 points a game and have scored 100 more points than their opponents. Carson Palmer has won 17 of his last 20 starts and is tied for the NFL lead with 13 TD passes. The Steelers got a nice win in San Diego Monday night and will continue to lean on star RB Le'Veon Bell until Ben Roethlisberger comes back from his knee injury.
Carolina (4-0) at Seattle (2-3)
A 2-3 team isn't often a heavy favorite over an undefeated team but that's what we have here with the Seahawks about a 7 point pick Sunday. The 12th man crowd in Seattle, Russell Wilson's 28-2 home record and his 4-0 record against the Panthers may have something to do with it. This is a rematch of last season's Division Playoff won by Seattle 31-17. Wilson better keep an eye on Panthers CB Josh Norman he leads NFL with 2 interceptions for touchdowns and was named the NFL's best corner this week by Pro Football Focus. The Panthers are 4-0 for just the second time in their history. Cam Newton has thrown for 4 touchdowns without an interception in the last 2 games; he'll need to be that good or better to get a road win in Seattle.
