Bell Tolls: Antonio Brown's MVP case on display in showdown vs. Patriots

A quick glance at items of interest as Week 15 rolls on in the NFL: 

Who’s hot

Antonio Brown. Who says a wide receiver can’t be the NFL’s MVP? The wondrous Steelers wideout – leading the league with 99 catches and 1,503 yards – has generated that type of discussion. In stinging the Ravens for 213 yards on 11 catches last weekend, Brown notched his fourth consecutive 100-yard game (39 catches, 627 yards). But the numbers just scratch the surface of his impact. Brown’s clutch (and often acrobatic) grabs have been essential to Pittsburgh’s string of last-minute victories (four of their last five wins) – when everyone in the stadium knew he would be Ben Roethlisberger’s primary target. Brown can further his case for becoming the first receiver to win MVP honors in the showdown at Heinz Field on Sunday. Patriots coach Bill Belichick knows. It’s just like Belichick to take away an opponent’s best weapon – or at least prevent the weapon from dominating the game. In New England’s two-game sweep of Pittsburgh last season, including the AFC title game, Brown caught seven passes in each contest ... but never struck in the end zone.

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Pressure’s on

Jared Goff. The low point of this breakout season for the Rams quarterback came in a Week 5 loss the Seahawks when he threw a season-high 47 passes and had a season-worst 48.9 passer rating and season-low 46.8% completion rate, with two picks. Now comes the rematch, in Seattle at that, and with a division title to be won. No, it’s not the same Seattle defense that Goff saw in October, given the season-ending injuries to Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Cliff Avril. But that depleted Seattle defense handed it to Carson Wentz in Week 13, and with Russell Wilson on the other side, this is, well, Goff’s biggest game yet.

Key matchup

Sean Lee vs. Marshawn Lynch. The Cowboys middle linebacker returned last weekend after missing three games with a hamstring injury and collected 18 tackles (10 solo), plus an interception. That he’s back in form is crucial for a unit that will be without defensive tackle David Irving and cornerback Orlando Scandrick on Sunday night in Oakland. Lynch, meanwhile, has found a groove. He’s scored touchdowns in three consecutive games and averaged 6.8 yards per carry the past two weeks. Of course, if Derek Carr brings his A-game against a rookie-laden Dallas secondary, the Cowboys could have much bigger issues than containing Lynch, aka “Beastmode.”

Next man up

Nick Foles. Don’t blame Eagles fans for feeling snake-bitten by the torn ACL that ended Wentz’s season. Their magical season might have been too good to be true. But there’s still hope with Foles because the Eagles have been the most consistent team this season and his supporting cast includes a monster defense. Coach Doug Pederson insists he’ll stay aggressive with Foles, beginning with Sunday’s game against the Giants. It will be up to Foles to demonstrate whether that’s a good thing.

Rookie watch

Kareem Hunt. With 116 yards on 25 carries last weekend against Oakland, the Chiefs running back cracked 100 yards for the first time in eight games. Maybe he’s not done yet, as the Chargers come to Arrowhead for a Saturday night showdown that might ultimately settle the AFC West. When the Chiefs were the NFL’s last undefeated team at 5-0, Hunt rushed for triple digits in four of those wins. Now, with Hunt coming off a game in which he logged his most carries since the 5-0 start, Andy Reid & Co. might not stand a chance if they can’t exploit L.A.’s 29th-ranked run defense.

Stomach for an upset

Packers at Panthers. He’s baaack. Aaron Rodgers makes his much-anticipated return from a fractured collarbone on Sunday with Green Bay clinging to hopes that it can repeat history. In 2013, Rodgers also missed seven games due to a fractured collarbone and returned to spark a victory in the regular-season finale that clinched the division title. There will be no NFC North crown this time, but Green Bay (7-6) is in the wild-card mix and now it has the ultimate wild card. There’s no easing into this. Under new coordinator Steve Wilks, Carolina’s seventh-ranked defense has forged a new identity with heavy blitzing.

If the playoffs were today ...

The Jaguars (9-4) would win the AFC South and hold the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs. But this worst-to-first uprising could get even sweeter for Jacksonville if the Steelers topple the Patriots and the Jaguars win out – which would earn a No. 2 seed and a first-round bye. Sweeping the final three games won’t be easy. After hosting Houston on Sunday, the Jaguars close with back-to-back road games at San Francisco (and hot QB Jimmy Garoppolo) and at Tennessee, which could be a showdown to settle the division crown.

Did you notice?

Since that monster game in Week 10 against Dallas, when he dumped Dak Prescott for six sacks, Falcons defensive end Adrian Clayborn has tallied three tackles and one sack in four games.

Stat’s the fact

With 9 ½ sacks, Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers is in range to become just the fourth player in NFL history to produce 10 seasons with at least 10 sacks. Bruce Smith did it 13 times, while Reggie White (12) and Kevin Greene (10) round out the exclusive club.