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NFL Week 16: Trends which will decide each game

By Russell S. Baxter

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 20: Running back Derrick Henry #22 of the Tennessee Titans caries the football against the defense of the Detroit Lions during the first quarter of the game at Nissan Stadium on December 20, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 20: Running back Derrick Henry #22 of the Tennessee Titans caries the football against the defense of the Detroit Lions during the first quarter of the game at Nissan Stadium on December 20, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 20: Devin White #45 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates sacking Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons for a loss of 7 yards on 3rd down during the fourth quarter in the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 20, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 20: Devin White #45 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates sacking Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons for a loss of 7 yards on 3rd down during the fourth quarter in the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 20, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Saturday, Dec. 26

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-5) at Detroit Lions (5-9), 1:00 pm

Buccaneers: A win puts the team in the playoffs for the first time since 2007. But Tampa’s defense, most notably the secondary, has to up its game a bit. Last week, Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan riddled the Bucs for 356 yards and three scores. Todd Bowles’ group is 25th in the NFL in aerial yards allowed and has allowed 27 TD tosses.

Lions: No team in the league has allowed more points (435) than the Men from Motown, who have surrendered a whopping 53 offensive touchdowns – almost equally divided by rushing (24) and passing (29) TDs. The Lions have given up 30 or more points in four consecutive games – 41-plus points in recent setbacks to the Texans and Titans.

San Francisco 49ers (5-9) at Arizona Cardinals (8-6), 4:30 pm

49ers: Due to a number of factors, a team that finished 13-3 in 2019 and reached Super Bowl LIV has already lost three times as many games as it did a season ago. Regardless of who’s been behind center this year, the offense has been problem-plagued. And only the Denver Broncos (30) have committed more turnovers than the 49ers (29).

Cardinals: Arizona can sweep this series for the fifth time in six seasons dating back to 2015. The Cardinals’ offense game has gotten back on track after a very rough stretch. After being limited to fewer than 300 total yards in two straight games, Kliff Kingsbury’s team rolled up 390 and 526 yards, respectively, in beating the Giants and Eagles.

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