For Bubble Teams, Playoffs Begin This Weekend

There isn’t a matchup on the schedule that features two teams with winning records. Still, several clubs are on the playoff bubble and need victories against lesser opponents. The Browns can clinch a postseason berth with a win in Cincinnati, and the Vikings and Redskins will face off in what could amount to a wild card play-in game.BROWNS (9–5) at BENGALS (5–9)Sunday, 1 p.m.Sixteen weeks ago, the Cincinnati Bengals were a popular pick to win the AFC North, and the Cleveland Browns were supposedly still a year away from competing for a division title. In the four months since, the two teams have reversed roles, and a win Sunday will guarantee the Browns a playoff berth for the first time since 2002.The Bengals, eliminated from the postseason two weeks ago, have only pride to play for. Last Thursday’s loss to the 49ers was a microcosm of the 2007 season for Cincinnati: An offense loaded with weapons inexplicably sputters while an overmatched defense struggles to get off the field.For the third consecutive season, quarterback Carson Palmer has put up gaudy numbers: 3,700 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and a 64.5 completion percentage. Unlike previous seasons, though, the Bengals’ offense has been unable to score at critical junctures. In four of the nine losses, the offense managed fewer than 14 points.On five occasions, the defense has allowed at least 30 points, including the memorable 51–45 loss to the Browns in Week 2. If the Bengals’ defense couldn’t contain the 49ers, a team that ranks last in the league in total offense (242.8 yards per game), there may not be much hope for an upset in the rematch against the Browns. Cleveland ranks 10th in total offense (348.7 yards per game); quarterback Derek Anderson is 10th in passing yards per game (241.7) and fifth in touchdown passes (26).Anderson’s favorite targets are among the AFC’s best: Wide receiver Braylon Edwards is a deep threat who just earned his first Pro Bowl invitation; tight end Kellen Winslow creates matchup problems for linebackers and safeties, and Joe Jurevicius is a sure-handed slot receiver who patrols the middle of the field unafraid.Running back Jamal Lewis’s resurgence means the Bengals must also defend the run. After three down seasons in Baltimore, Lewis has rediscovered his form in his first year in Cleveland. He has rushed for almost 1,100 yards — including 100-yard efforts in three of his last four games — and nine touchdowns.For the Bengals to have a chance, the offense will need to control the clock and keep Anderson and the Browns on the sidelines.REDSKINS (7–7) at VIKINGS (8–6)Sunday, 8:15 p.m.Five weeks ago, the Vikings were 3–6 and headed nowhere. After Monday night’s win over division rival Chicago — Minnesota’s fifth in a row — the team is now positioned to make a run at the sixth and final NFC playoff spot. Rookie running back Adrian Peterson has been the story of the season in Minnesota, and he is currently the NFL’s third-leading rusher (1,278 yards) behind Willie Parker and LaDainian Tomlinson. Although Peterson trails Parker by just 39 yards, he’s needed 102 fewer carries. But the running game doesn’t fully explain the Vikings’ recent change of fortune.The reasons for the turnaround are twofold: the mid-season emergence of quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, and a stifling run defense. Minnesota has led the league in rushing for most of the year, but it wasn’t until Jackson showed an ability to beat teams with his arm that the offense found its stride. Jackson will never be confused with Brett Favre, but in the four games prior to the Monday night affair, the second-year quarterback out of Alabama State completed 74% of his passes, including four touchdowns and two interceptions. Jackson regressed against Chicago (0 TD, 3 INTs), but the defense was able to hold the Bears to 209 total yards and just 32 yards on the ground. The Vikings won’t have the luxury of facing one of the NFC’s worst rushing teams this week: Redskins’ running back Clinton Portis torched the Giants for 126 yards on 25 carries (5.0 average) last Sunday night, and Washington ranks fifth in the NFC in rushing yards per game (98.0). Thirteen-year veteran quarterback Todd Collins made his first start in a decade against the Giants. He doesn’t have the mobility or arm strength of Jason Campbell, but Collins is very familiar with offensive coordinator Al Saunders’s scheme from their days together in Kansas City.This will be the biggest game of the season for the Vikings: A win will almost guarantee them a wild card spot, but the Redskins are also playing for their postseason lives.Mr. Wilson is a writer for FootballOutsiders.com.

For Bubble Teams, Playoffs Begin This Weekend

For Bubble Teams, Playoffs Begin This Weekend

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