NFL Czar: No need to miss this Sunday

Header image for Interrobang article
This has been a wacky season. Who would have thought the Kansas City Chiefs would be the last undefeated team in the National Football League? If you said you predicted this, you most certainly are lying.

Anyways, I'm sure the Chiefs will come down to earth, but in the meantime, week six offers a bunch of critical games. While none of my three games will have huge divisional implications, they all should be fairly enjoyable.

Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
This is a huge game in the AFC playoff race. The Patriots will be looking for retribution in this one, after being embarrassed in the first round of last year's playoffs. The Ravens come in looking to keep up their roll, and they bring their inconsistent passing attack into Foxborough to face the weak Patriots pass defence.

Key Matchup
Joe Flacco vs. Tom Brady: The quarterback duel will be fairly even in this one. Brady tends to struggle against stingier defences, and Flacco stepped up a few weeks ago in Pittsburgh. Honestly, this game could go either way and it is a matchup we could see again in January. I give the Patriots the edge at home, they win 24 — 17.

Miami Dolphins @ Green Bay Packers
This inter-conference battle will take place in the Great North, and it will be a battle of strength vs. strength. The Dolphins have played very well on defence this season, while the Packers have dominated on the offensive side. However, Dolphins QB Chad Henne has developed quite a bit this season, and has the Dolphins fighting.

Key Matchup
Brandon Marshall vs. Charles Woodson: If you shut down Marshall, you have a good chance of beating the Dolphins. Woodson has the talent to shut him down, but Marshall has a size advantage. He just finds ways to get open. If he does, the Packers will be in trouble. I think the Packers will still win, but it will be closer than you think. Packers win it 24 — 21 with a late field goal.

Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings
This is another playoff rematch, and both teams need this win. These are two of the more disappointing teams at this point of the year, and it will be interesting to see if either can turn it around and make a playoff run. If the Vikings fail to make the playoffs, it will mark one of the biggest failures in recent memory.

Key Matchup
DeMarcus Ware vs. Bryant McKinnie: With all the focus on Jared Allen and the Minnesota pass rush, some may forget about the man they call D-Ware. Hard to believe, I know, but Ware was a non-factor in the playoff game. McKinnie did a great job containing the All-Pro, and will have to again to keep the beast off his fossil quarterback. With the Vikings struggling the way they have been, I have to give the nod to the Cowboys. This one is the backbreaker in the Vikings season. Dallas takes it 35 — 17 in a blowout.

For next week, a pair of night games take centre stage.

For more from the NFL Czar, check out his blog at jvzsblog.blogspot.com