Focus on five Week 15 NFL story lines

December 13, 2014 at 5:11AM
Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson (22) runs past Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston (50) in the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) ORG XMIT: MONH127
Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson (22) runs past Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston (50) in the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) ORG XMIT: MONH127 (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

FOCUS ON FIVE STORY LINES

1 Tiebreaker in the East Cowboys at Eagles

Philadelphia has a chance to sweep the season series and take a one-game lead in the NFC East with a victory, but Dallas has some extra rest after playing a Thursday night game.

2 West Coast wipeout? 49ers at Seahawks

San Francisco is in free fall, and this "rematch" of last year's NFC title game has all the makings of a rout by Seattle. Does that seal Jim Harbaugh's fate?

3 Giving Peyton a rest Broncos at Chargers

Denver has been winning behind the running attack, led by C.J. Anderson (pictured), which takes pressure off Peyton Manning. The Ponies have a pretty good run defense as well. San Diego is eager to make a statement, or will it be a last testament?

4 Will lightning strike twice? Dolphins at Patriots

New England can clinch the AFC East with a victory, but the Dolphins are a desperate team that has already handed the Pats a loss.

5 Johnny Football's big chance Bengals at Browns

Cleveland has rookie Johnny Manziel starting in its last-gasp chance to get back in the playoff hunt. The fans are ready, and members of the Cincy defense better be as well … to make the "money" sign when they sack him.

about the writer

about the writer

Mark Craig

Sports reporter

Mark Craig has covered the NFL nearly every year since Brett Favre was a rookie back in 1991. A sports writer since 1987, he is covering his 30th NFL season out of 37 years with the Canton (Ohio) Repository (1987-99) and the Star Tribune (1999-present).

See Moreicon

More from No Section

See More
FILE -- A rent deposit slot at an apartment complex in Tucker, Ga., on July 21, 2020. As an eviction crisis has seemed increasingly likely this summer, everyone in the housing market has made the same plea to Washington: Send money — lots of it — that would keep renters in their homes and landlords afloat. (Melissa Golden/The New York Times) ORG XMIT: XNYT58
Melissa Golden/The New York Times

It’s too soon to tell how much the immigration crackdown is to blame.