NFL Sunday: Beltway Battle as Baltimore Travels South, and Dallas Travels to Cincinnati With Heavy Hearts

There are really ten games in the 1 p.m. time slot today, which means that you won’t be able to follow allof the action. One of the late games is Seattle-Arizona, and New Orleans at New York Giants is the showcase late afternoon game. Would it have been so hard to balance that schedule out a bit. Multiple early games have big draws and as compelling a matchup as Saints-Giants.

The first is in the nation’s capital, where Baltimore and Washington face off in a local derby. Back in the old days of the NFL, when the Colts were still in Baltimore and the NFL’s Western Division, the Redskins and Colts played yearly. Now, it is Robert Griffin III looking to continue his roll against the Ravens’ defense. Baltimore has played better defense in recent weeks (it has been the offense that has been mediocre), but will now also be without Terrell Suggs for this game. Just as important is the other side of the ball. Washington gave up yards, but limited touchdowns last week to the Giants. Joe Flacco needs to play well in the short distance road trip for the Ravens to have a chance.

Baltimore hasn’t quite wrapped up a playoff spot, though a win today should practically do it. Washington, meanwhile, now finds itself in the middle of a race. A win to get to 7-6 would put pressure on the Giants.

The other game with playoff meaning for both teams is in Cincinnati, where Dallas is also a game back in the NFC East, and the Bengals are just on the outside right now based on the head to head tiebreaker with Pittsburgh. Dallas comes into the game with heavy hearts, learning during the team’s flight to this game of the death of one teammate and the arrest of the other. Key matchup here? Dallas getting time against interior pressure from Geno Atkins on offense, and on the other side, A.J. Green against the Dallas corner duo.

Other 1 PM Games:

St. Louis at Buffalo

Atlanta at Carolina

Kansas City at Cleveland

NY Jets at Jacksonville

Tennessee at Indianapolis

Chicago at Minnesota

San Diego at Pittsburgh

Philadelphia at Tampa Bay

[photo via USA Today Sports Images]