Nov 18, 2012; Foxboro, Massachusetts, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) makes a call at the line of scrimmage during the second quarter against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m trading in my orange-and-black stripes for a big blue Hoosier horseshoe this Sunday.

A win by the Indianapolis Colts over Houston would very likely drop the Texans to third place in the AFC, and then then set the stage for a Houston-Cincinnati matchup in the opening round of the playoffs the first weekend in January. As things stand now, the Texans and Denver hold first round byes, with the Bengals forced to travel to New England to try and pull off the upset.

And that, my friends, ain’t happening. The Patriots looked a bit sluggish last week against Jacksonville, which came on the heels of a loss to San Francisco. I don’t care about any of that. New England has (arguably) the best team in the AFC, (arguably) the best quarterback in the NFL, and (unarguably) the most postseason success of any team in the league over the past decade. The Patriots wrap up the season Sunday against 7-8 Miami, and are double digit favorites at home.

However, a win there for New England, coupled with an Indianapolis victory over Houston, would push the Patriots into the second seed in the AFC. That would make all the difference for the Bengals. Winning at Reliant Stadium would still be a tall task, but nothing like winning in Foxboro. The Texans looked awful in losing to the Vikings last week, and were crushed by the aforementioned Patriots 42-14 December 10. Prior to that Houston had to squeak out consecutive overtime victories against those noted powers Detroit and Jacksonville.

Oct 9, 2011; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Cincinnati Bengals fullback Chris Pressley (36) reacts during warm up drills before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Fernando Medina-USA TODAY Sports

If you’re looking for a single reason why the Bengals are now riding a four-game winning streak after suffering a four-game losing streak prior to that, you won’t find one, as the entire team has drastically improved it’s play over that span, leading the Bengals to go from 3-5 to 7-5 and right back in the thick of the NFL playoff race.

However, their is one thing that has helped directly contribute to the improved running game, defense, and overall offense efficiency. During yesterday’s 20-13 win over the Chargers, starting fullback Chris Pressley was in for 13 snaps (17%), and over the past four weeks, the former Wisconsin Badger has received double-digit snaps in every game after getting just four snaps (5%) in the Bengals’ last loss to the Denver Broncos.

While a lot of praise needs to go around this team for their resent play in the midst of a four-game winning streak, it’s becoming evident the getting Pressley in more to lead block for BenJarvus Green-Ellis is opening up the run game more, providing a more balanced offense, taking less pressure of second-year QB Andy Dalton, and allowing the offense to eat up clock while the Bengals defense stays fresh on the sidelines. It’s no secret the fullback position has become nearly extinct in today’s NFL, but as long as Pressley can keep helping improve the running game, it will live on in Cincinnati.

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Dec 2, 2012; Baltimore, MD, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham (center) is congratulated by holder Drew Butler (left) and tight end Health Miller (right) after kicking the game winning field goal with time running out against the Baltimore Ravens at M

Pittsburgh 23, Baltimore 20

Shaun Suisham kicked a 42 yard field goal as time expired, and the Steelers and Charlie Batch pulled off the upset at Baltimore. Despite throwing two interceptions and missing an easy touchdown pass to Mike Wallace, Batch led Pittsburgh 61 yards in the final two minutes to set up the game winning kick.
Ray Rice had only 12 carries for Baltimore, including a 34 yard touchdown run. This was a huge win for the Steelers, who gained a game on the Ravens in the AFC North and maintained their edge for the conference’s final wild card spot.

Cleveland 20, Oakland 17

Both Brandon Weeden and Carson Palmer passed for over 350 yards, but in the end it was the Browns who were able to hang on for the road win. Josh Gordon had 116 receiving yards and touchdown for Cleveland, while Brandon Myers caught 14 Palmer throws for 130 yards and a score, though the touchdown came with just one second remaining in the game. The Browns have now won two straight.

Denver 31, Tampa Bay 23

The Broncos keep chugging along, this time erasing a 10-7 halftime deficit with three touchdowns in a 5:21 span in the third quarter. Two of those scores came on touchdown passes to Demariyus Thomas from Peyton Manning, which was then followed by an interception returned to pay dirt by Von Miller. The victory clinches the AFC West title for Denver as it moves to 9-3 on the year. Tampa Bay falls back to .500 at 6-6, and for the moment is on the outside looking in in the NFC playoff picture.

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