Los Angeles Rams @ Minnesota Vikings headlines NFL Sunday on Sky Sports
Rams @ Vikings; Patriots @ Raiders; Eagles @ Cowboys
Monday 20 November 2017 02:27, UK
The playoff picture is becoming ever clearer, and six teams all still with post-season aspirations meet on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
Kicking us off on Sky Sports Action (407) from 5.30pm, the identical 7-2 Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings meet while, at 9.25pm, the in-form 7-2 New England Patriots have the chance to end the 4-5 Oakland Raiders' season in the final International Series game of the year, in Mexico.
Finally, at 1.20am, the owners of the NFL's best record, the 7-1 Philadelphia Eagles, go up against the 5-4 Dallas Cowboys in a crucial NFC East divisional clash.
Here's a look ahead to another super Sunday of NFL...
Los Angeles Rams @ Minnesota Vikings, Sky Sports Action (407), 5.30pm
In a tweet...
NFC success stories Rams and Vikings meet in Minnesota with identical 7-2 records in what has the potential to be a playoff match-up come January.
What's the latest?
Case Keenum gets the start again at quarterback for the Vikings, facing up against his old team, the Rams. Keenum had 14 starts with his former team, before being benched in favour of rookie Jared Goff ahead of Week 11 last year, having failed to score more than 10 points in three straight games. By contrast, in Minnesota, Keenum is at the helm of a top-10 offense, one coming off the back of a season-high 38 points registered in the Week 10 win over the Washington Redskins.
Stat attack
Rams QB Goff is putting together his own impressive campaign - he has passed for at least 300 yards with three touchdown passes and zero interceptions in back-to-back games, becoming the first player in franchise history to accomplish the feat. With another such effort on Sunday, he will join Tom Brady as the only ones to do it in three consecutive games.
Live NFL
Key battle
Rams' explosive offense versus the Vikings defense - third in the NFL overall versus fifth. No team has generated more big plays - 20+ yard pass, 10+ yard run - this season than the Rams offense (8.3 per game), while no team has allowed fewer big plays than the Vikings D (3.4). Minnesota must bottle things up on defense once again if they're to stand a chance.
Game-changer
Todd Gurley. The Rams running back leads the NFL with 1,160 scrimmage yards (754 rushing, 406 receiving) and 10 touchdowns (seven rushing, three receiving). He is on pace for 2,062 scrimmage yards and 18 total TDs this season which would take him close to Marshall Faulk's staggering effort as part of the 'greatest show on turf' offense in 2001 (2,147 scrimmage yards & 21 total TD). He goes up against a fearsome Vikings run defense though, who have yet to give up a 100-yard rusher all year.
New England Patriots @ Oakland Raiders, Sky Sports Action (407), 9.25pm
In a tweet...
The Patriots and Raiders meet in the final International Series game of the season, though with this one in Mexico and not the UK.
What's the latest?
The game at the Azteca Stadium is to be played at altitude, 7,200 feet above sea level. As a result, the Patriots spent the week in Colorado acclimatising, practising at the Air Force Academy, which is 6,621 feet above sea level. The Raiders, meanwhile, chose to stay at sea level in the lead-up to the game, as they did last year when they beat the Houston Texans 27-20.
Live NFL
Oakland will likely be without cornerback David Amerson when they play New England. The fifth-year veteran will travel to Mexico but is listed as doubtful on the team's injury report with a foot injury that has kept him out of the last two games. The Raiders have also placed fellow corner Gareon Conley on injured reserve.
Stat attack
Dating back to last season, the Patriots have won 12 consecutive road games. That is the second-longest streak in NFL history - only the San Francisco 49ers won more in a row on the road (18-straight from 1988-1990).
With a win on Sunday, New England will clinch a .500-or-better record for the 17th consecutive season, tying the 1957-73 Cleveland Browns for the second-longest streak in NFL history. The 1965-85 Cowboys had a .500-or-better record in 21 consecutive seasons, the longest such streak of all-time.
Key battle
Derek Carr and the Oakland offense go up against a much-improved New England D. The Patriots defense has flourished during its recent win streak, allowing fewer points over the course of their last three games combined (36) than they did in their Week One defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs (42). They were 31st in points allowed over their first four games, but third during their current five-game win streak. The Raiders will need their big names on form to get past them - the good news is Carr threw three touchdown passes in Oakland's win in Mexico last year. Can he lead the team to a crucial victory once again?
Game-changer
Marshawn Lynch. The Raiders running back was talked up all off-season as a player ready to set Oakland's backfield on fire, but it hasn't quite happened that way - the former Seattle beast has rushed for just 323 yards at 3.8 yards a carry so far this season.
But, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, sees nothing wrong with Lynch's ability, saying: "He's as good as any back in the league in terms of yards after contact. He's got great balance, great lower-body leg strength and looks good on every run: inside, outside, cutback, downhill. He can run everything." Lynch is also coming into this one off the back of one of his better displays of the season, against the Miami Dolphins in Week Nine, running in for two TDs.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys, Sky Sports Action (407), 1.20am
In a tweet...
This NFC East clash matches the NFL-best Eagles against the depleted Cowboys. Can Dallas earn a crucial win to stay in the race for the division?
What's the latest?
Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott has ended his legal fight with five games remaining on a six-game suspension over alleged domestic violence. He is eligible to return for the final two games of the regular season, from December 24.
The Cowboys will also be without linebacker Sean Lee, who has been ruled out because of a hamstring injury. Dallas have lost all three games where Lee has missed time this season. Left tackle Tyron Smith is also questionable to play with groin and back issues - he missed last week's loss to the Atlanta Falcons and his replacements allowed six of Atlanta's eight sacks.
Live NFL
As for the Eagles, they have signed former New York Giants offensive lineman Will Beatty to provide more depth at the position. Philadelphia lost nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters earlier in the season.
Beatty was a Super Bowl winner in 2012 with New York and is the second champion to join the Eagles in two days, the team having also signed linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, who was part of the Baltimore Ravens' Super Bowl-winning team in 2013.
Stat attack
This is the fifth time in franchise history the Eagles have started a season 8-1 or better (1949, 1960, 1980 and 2004) and the team advanced to the NFL Championship/Super Bowl in each of those previous four instances.
Philadelphia are one of only two teams scoring 30+ points per page and allowing fewer than 20, along with the Rams. They are also the only team to score 20+ points in every game this season and have beaten their last five opponents by a combined score of 180-87, with their last three by double digits.
Key battle
Can Dallas protect Dak Prescott? The Cowboys can ill avoid another horribly leaky display by their offensive line like the one from last week against the Falcons. Without Smith at left tackle, they gave up eight sacks, six of them to Adrian Clayborn. That's the most number of sacks taken in a game by a Cowboys QB since Troy Aikman took 11 against the Eagles in 1991. With Smith questionable to start, can the Eagles take advantage and bring similar pressure again?
Game-changer
Jay Ajayi. The recently-acquired Eagles running back scored his first touchdown of the season in their Week Nine blowout of the Denver Broncos. He had 152 touches without a TD in Miami but scored with just his fifth with Philadelphia. He will be licking his lips too at the prospect of facing a Lee-less Dallas defense, which has given up almost double the rush yards per game without the linebacker (153.3) than when he plays (80.3).
Week 11 continues on Sunday with three live games on Sky Sports Action, starting with Los Angeles Rams @ Minnesota Vikings, from 5.30pm.
Follow the 2017-18 NFL season with us on Sky Sports and through our website skysports.com/NFL also our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsNFL
