Welcome to the winter.
For the first time this season, we have multiple National Football League venues that will experience weather that could affect play. It will snow in both Cleveland and Buffalo when the Browns host the Tennessee Titans, and the Bills entertain the Cincinnati Bengals.
There is no precipitation in Green Bay, but Lambeau Field will be frigid with temperatures at game time forecasted to be 18 degrees. In New Jersey, where the Jets host the Miami Dolphins, there is little chance of rain or snow, but the temperatures will be at near 40 degrees … the Dolphins have a horrible history when playing in cold weather.
Talk this week is of the chance the Cincinnati Bengals can climb back into the playoff hunt now that Joe Burrow is back behind center and neither the Baltimore Ravens nor Pittsburgh Steelers are running away with the AFC North Division. The Bengals lopsided win over the Ravens on Thanksgiving, 32-14, marked the successful return of Burrow.
The Bengals had won their first two games this season, ones that Burrow had started, but in his absence while he rehabilitated a toe injury, the Bengals managed only one win in nine decisions. The decline in the Bengals was not only attributed to the loss of Burrow, in fact backup Joe Flacco put up decent numbers, but a Cincinnati defense that couldn’t stop anybody.
I heard on the radio this week a claim that Burrow makes the defense better.