RANT SPORTS – Saturday there will be an NFL Network tripleheader with playoff implications and there will be plenty of interest as each game is meaningful. Many cable and satellite pay services offer the NFL Network as part of their sports packages but if you don’t have access then you might want to do a seven-day free trial of Sling or Fubo and NFL+ is good option
Chargers at the Patriots at 1 p.m.
The Chargers make a cross-country trip with a 9-6 record and the post season withing reach while New England at 3-12 just playing out the season. After leaving the NFL to spend nine years as the head coach at Michigan Jim Harbaugh’s return to the pro’s has been a success.
He has the Bolts at 9-6 just one win away from the AFC Playoff and would mark Harbaugh’s fourth postseason trip in five years as an NFL head coach,
But playing in New England in December is no easy task with the weather always a concern. Add to that rookie quarterback Drake Maye is showing improvement week by week and, despite a lopsided record, he has done a lot of things well for this Patriots team.
The Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who is having a great season has 20,466 career passing yards, needs 153 yards to surpass Peyton Manning for the most in a player’s first five seasons in league history. So, game one of the Saturday tripleheader should be a good one.
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Broncos at the Bengals 4:30 p.m.
The Bengals with their 7-8 record are mathematically still in the AFC Playoff hunt but Cincinnati needs a great deal of help beginning win a must win Saturday. The Broncos enter the game at 9-6 with a far better chance at a spot in the postseason but they will also need to win in what amounts to a “Playoff Survivor game.”
Denver has been the AFC surprise team this season with rookie quarterback Bo Nix having solid season in Sean Payton’s offense. For Cincinnati this another late season charge to the playoffs but this it looks like too little to late for the Bengals.
The Broncos lost to the AFC West-rival Chargers in Week 16, reducing their playoff chances, though Denver is certainly still in the hunt. They need a contingency win here before playing the AFC top seeded Chiefs in Week 18.
The Cardinals at the Rams 8 p.m.
The Cardinals are headed to Los Angeles to play the role of spoiler since they are not going to the postseason this year. The Seahawks dreadful 6-3 win over the Bears on Thursday put them in the driver’s seat in the NFC West. This one is simple the Rams need to win at home to set up a week 18 showdown with Seattle with a spot in the NFC Playoffs on the line.
Conclusion
This is a big Saturday for the NFL Network with all three games having playoff spots on the line. The network will have plenty to cover with Chris Rose and Ross Tucker calling the game in New England. In Cincinnati they will have Kevin Harlan and Trent Green doing the honors and closing out the night it will be Rich Eisen and Curt Warner in Los Angeles.
