SneakerReporter NFL Week 13: Preview and Predictions
FeaturedGreen Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears will be hosting NFC North rivals the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. This is the second matchup between the two teams, the Packers won the first matchup earlier in the season.
The Bears will try to defend their all time winning record as both the Packers and Bears are tied with 786 wins in the regular season. The Bears came off a 31-10 loss to the New York Jets which extended their losing streak to five. Justin Field’s absence took a toll on the Bears offense as nothing worked for them despite having a 10-7 lead at one point, Trevor Siemian took over against the Jets and had a touchdown and an interception. This week it is uncertain if the Bears will start Fields before their bye week. The Bears defense let Mike White play an amazing game, so it’ll be tough to stop future hall of fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. If Fields does play on Sunday against the Packers they’ll look to get the run game going as last week it was nearly non-existent with David Montgomery only having 79 rushing yards. Chicago also took a huge blow in losing Eddie Jackson and Darnell Mooney for the Season.
The Packers are coming off a 40-33 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles, a game where Aaron Rodgers got injured and Jordan Love had to step in. On a positive note whoever is under center for the Packers should have a field day, the Bears defense has been one of the league’s worst as they’ve allowed more than 28 points a game to opposing teams. Rogers plans to play on Sunday but there is still doubt on whether or not he will get the start. Wide receiver Christian Watson has been a bright spot for the Packers receiving core and it seems Rodgers has found his favorite target. The Packers defense allowed 500 total yards to an Eagles offense who dominated a struggling Packers defense. If Fields gets the start against the Packers the defense will have to limit the run game as Fields and Montgomery have been one of the league’s dynamic running attacks.
Both teams as it stands are out of playoff contention but a win for the Packers could get them closer to a wildcard spot. As for the Bears they’ll want to avoid last place in the division. An important game at hand as whoever wins takes the lead for most regular season wins of all time.
Score Prediction: Packers win (28-7)
Pittsburgh Steelers Vs Atlanta Falcons
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be traveling to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium to play against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Steelers (4-7) are coming off a 24-17 win last Monday against the Indianapolis Colts. Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett has been leading the way for the Steelers as of late he went 20 for 28 with 174 yards through the air, and the Steelers also had a total of 323 yards for the game. The rushing game nearly was as much as the passing game as they had 172 yards on the ground. The Steelers defense played well enough for them to escape with a victory and also forced a turnover.
The Falcons (5-7) are below .500 but the good news is they are still in contention for first place in their NFC south division as they are only half a game behind first place. They came off a 19-13 loss to the Washington Commanders despite the Falcons having more total yardage on the game. The Falcons rushing game has been dominant this season as they rank fourth best in the league. The Defense will be playing a rookie quarterback which is Pickett but could look to take advantage of that situation.
The Steelers are still in playoff contention but a spot in the playoffs for them is unlikely but they’ll look to try and win this game, and as for the Falcons a big game at hand to stay in reach of first place in the NFC south division.
Score prediction: Falcons win 21-17
Denver Broncos Vs Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens will be hosting the Denver Broncos, both teams are coming off a loss and will look to get back in the win column.
The Broncos currently sit at (3-8) after coming off a 23-10 loss against the Carolina Panthers. Despite having Russell Wilson under center the Broncos offense is one of the worst in the league. Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy is questionable heading into the game, so it may look like Wilson may be short handed at wide receiver. The Broncos defense has a lot of talent but just have been put in a hard situation with having to be on the field so much due to the Broncos offense. This week Wilson and company will be facing a Ravens defense that plays good in the first half but let up in the second.
The Ravens currently sit at (7-4) and they come off a loss to the Jaguars in which they lost 28-27 in the final seconds. The Ravens blew a lead in the final seconds of the game, the Ravens defense allowed a touchdown and a two point conversion. Justin Tucker attempted to win the game for the Ravens but missed a 67 yard field goal. Baltimore is Currently tied with the Cincinnati Bengals for first place in the NFC north division. Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson had a touchdown and 254 passing yards against Jacksonville and also added 89 rushing yards. Jackson will continue to lead his ravens offense to victory in a must win game, and for the defense they’ll need to play better against the broncos and help maintain the lead.
The Broncos with a loss could essentially be out of the playoff race, and as for the Ravens a win for them would potentially give them a one game lead over the Bengals for first place in the AFC North division.
Score Prediction: Ravens Win (21-10)
Jacksonville Jaguars Vs Detroit Lions
The Jacksonville Jaguars will be traveling to Ford Field to face off against the Detroit Lions.
The Jaguars (4-7) come off a shocking win against the Baltimore ravens in which they won 28-27, they have all the momentum heading into this game. In the final minutes of the game the Jaguars took the lead against the Ravens by scoring a touchdown and going for a two point conversion in which they converted. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been consistent in recent weeks and has led his team in crucial moments. The Jaguars have allowed an average of 25 points a game to opposing offenses and will look to limit the lions.
The Lions (4-7) have fought their way back this season winning 3 straight games until thanksgiving came around and they lost to the Buffalo Bills 28-25. The Lions may not have a lot of star players but they do have ambition and they’ve been on a roll, their defense has been improving week by week and have been getting to opposing quarterbacks. The secondary for the Lions has also improved racking up 7 interceptions in the last month, Jared Goff and the Lions offense will have to be at their best to grab a victory and try to make a playoff run.
Both the lions and jaguars are tied with the same record but both are fighting for a win for different reasons, the Lions will look to get back in the win column and the Jaguars want to keep the momentum going after taking down the Ravens.
Score prediction: Lions win (21-20)
Cleveland Browns Vs Houston Texans
The Cleveland Browns (4-7) will be taking on the Houston Texans (1-9-1) Sunday Afternoon at NRG Stadium.
The Browns come off an impressive 23-17 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Browns defense was impressive as they frustrated Tom Brady all game and didn’t let the Buccaneers offense get anything going offensively, the defense will have to play like that again in order to get a crucial victory. The Browns are still in contention for a playoff spot and currently sit in third place in their AFC north division. The Browns offense will be something to look out for as Deshaun Watson is active and can play against his former team, it hasn’t been confirmed if Jacoby Brissett Or Deshaun Watson will get the start. Nick Chubb will look to carry the workload on offense and get things going no matter who is under center for the game .
The Texans come off a 30-15 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Houston is currently in last place in the AFC south division and currently have the worst record in the league. Kyle Allen will get the start for Houston his second this season, Last week he had 2 interceptions and a touchdown. Brandon Cooks and Dameon Pierce will look to lead a struggling Texans offense. As for the defense they also haven’t been playing that well allowing opposing offenses to run all over them and haven’t been able to stop the passing game. This season hasn’t been what the Texans have wanted and they will look forward to next season as their hopes for a playoff spot has disappeared.
Score prediction: Browns win (28-10)
New York Jets vs Minnesota Vikings
The (9-2) Minnesota Vikings will be hosting the (7-4) New York Jets at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
The Jets came off a 31-10 home victory against the Chicago Bears, Mike White got the start against the Bears and had himself a game. In a tight race for first place in the AFC east division the Jets find themselves one game behind first place but do have a playoff spot if the season ended today. White had 315 passing yards and three touchdowns in last week’s victory which was quite impressive but also against a weak Bears defense. This Week the jets offense will be facing a tough Vikings defense, the jets are indeed having injury issues at the running back position as Rookie Zonovan White will likely get the start as both Jets running backs are injured. The Jets defense has been stepping up every week and doing their job.
The Vikings last played the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving, winning that game 33-26. The Vikings look to lockdown first place in the NFC north division as they are four games ahead from second place. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has been playing dominant football this season as he has 17 touchdown passes this season. Dalvin Cook struggled against the patriots and couldn’t get anything going on the ground, he will look to bounce back against the Jets who have a strong defensive front. Justin Jefferson will be a threat to the Jets secondary and he has been a problem for almost every NFL defense he has played against this far. The Vikings defense is in the middle of the pack playing good enough so their offense can put up points, they aren’t the best defense in the league but also aren’t the worst so they’ll need to be at the top of their game against the Jets and not underestimate a young Jets team.
The Jets will need to win this game in a right AFC east division and not lose sight of first place, and the Vikings are looking to run away with the NFC north division.
Score prediction: Vikings win (28-25)
Washington Commanders Vs New York Giants
The (7-4) New York Giants will be hosting their Division Rivals the Washington Commanders (7-5) on Sunday afternoon. A NFC east matchup that could shakeup the whole division.
The Commanders escaped with a 19-13 victory against the Atlanta Falcons. The Commanders defense controlled the game as they were playing lights out and stopped the run game and passing game against the Falcons. Taylor Heinicke will start for Washington as they really haven’t been able to get anything going through the air and have struggled as of late. Terry McLaurin will look to make an impact on this game as he only has two receiving touchdowns. The Commanders will lean on their rushing game as stated earlier the passing game hasn’t been efficient. Winning their last game they’ll need to play elite defense against the Giants.
The Giants come off a 28-20 loss to the Cowboys on thanksgiving. The Giants currently sit in third place in the NFC east division. The Giants in recent weeks have struggled to throw the ball with Daniel Jones leading the way, but on the bright side Saquon Barkley has been leading the running game as well as carrying the offense. With no true wide receiver one Darius Slayton will need to have an impact on the game for the Giants to succeed. The Giants defense has been playing well and their secondary has been able to slow down opposing opponents’ passing game, they’ve been able to stay on their feet and hold it down for the Giants team. Against the run the Giants have struggled at slowing down opposing offenses rushing attacks.
An important game between division Rivals this could very well be one of the most anticipated matchups of the week. The Giants will look to inch closer to a playoff spot and second place in the division and the Commanders will look to tie the giants in the standings.
Score prediction: Giants win (20-17)
Tennessee Titans Vs Philadelphia Eagles
The (7-4) Tennessee Titans will be traveling to Philadelphia to matchup against the (10-1) Philadelphia Eagles.
The Titans come into this game fresh off a 20-16 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals, but luckily for the Titans they are sitting atop of the AFC South division. Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill has had a quiet season playing some decent football he is nearing 2,000 passing yards on the season, the passing game will have to get things going against a tough Eagles secondary. Star Running back Derrick Henry hasn’t been as effective in recent weeks as he normally is but he is the league’s rushing leader with 1,048 yards. The Titans defense has been playing effectively and will look to limit the Eagles scoring opportunities.
The Eagles came off a bye week and last they played they pulled off a thrilling 17-16 victory against the Indianapolis Colts. The Eagles are currently the leaders in their division with a two game advantage. Jalen Hurts is having himself a MVP caliber year as he has 2,560 passing yards and 17 passing touchdowns, he ultimately scored the game winning touchdown with his leg’s against the Colts two weeks ago. The Hurts and A.J Brown connection will look to continue to dominate. As for the Eagles defense they’ve struggled in recent weeks they were once the best in the league and the hottest defense out there but things have slowed down, the rush defense has been struggling but the secondary has done its job.
A matchup between the Titans and Eagles could turn into an interesting matchup. The Eagles will try to pull away with first place in the division and the Titans will also try to maintain first place in their respective division.
Eagles win (38-35)
Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Rams
The (6-5) Seattle Seahawks will be traveling to SoFi Stadium to matchup against their (3-8) division rivals the Los Angeles Rams.
The Seahawks come off a loss to the Oakland Raiders 40-34 in overtime, they’ll look to bounce back this week against the rams who as of late have struggled. A must win game for the Seahawks as they are only one game behind the San Francisco 49ers as it stands. The Seahawks had their chances to win in last week’s loss, but the offense played efficiently last week as Geno Smith connected with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. As for the defense the they allowed a staggering 576 yards in total and the raiders were able to run the ball effectively against the Seahawks defense. The Seahawks will have to play much better this week against the Rams.
The Rams lost to the chiefs 26-10 and have lost five straight games, the defending champions haven’t had the season they had hoped for and things don’t get better for them. Matthew Stafford was placed on injured reserve and will be without him heading into Sunday’s game, also adding insult to injury Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson are expected to be out as well. John Wolford will most likely get the start at quarterback, the offense will have to try and do its best with many key players out with injuries. As for the defense they’ve struggled as well to stop opposing offenses from scoring. On a positive note the Rams still have Aaron Donald intimidating opponents. The Rams look like they have lost all hope this season and look forward to next season as many of their star players have been injured.
An NFC West showdown on Sunday afternoon will be interesting, can the Rams pull off a victory and spoil the Seahawks chances of catching up with the 49ers or can the Seahawks get a win and tie for first place.
Seahawks win (27-12)
Miami Dolphins Vs San Francisco 49ers
The (8-3) Miami Dolphins will be visiting the (7-4) San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s stadium. This could very well be an early preview to a potential Super Bowl matchup.
The Dolphins come off a 30-15 victory against the Houston Texans, the Dolphins have been impressive this season and have stayed at the top of their AFC east division for most of the season despite losing Tua Tagovailoa early on in the season. But Tua and Tyreek Hill have both been listed as probable ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the 49ers. The Dolphins are on a five game winning streak and find themselves competing against the Buffalo Bills for first place in the AFC east division. A loss to the 49ers would be critical and set them back from taking over the first. The Dolphins will look to move the ball through the air with Jaylen Waddle and Hill catching the ball as the running game hasn’t been effective. As for the defense they’ll have their hands full with George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, and Deebo Samuel.
The 49ers were off to a shaky start in the beginning of the season but have turned things around, they’ve added McCaffrey to their roster and it’s turned out to be a great thing for them. The 49ers come off a 13-0 win against the New Orleans Saints, defense played lights out against the saints and will look to remain dominant against a tough Dolphins offense. The secondary for the 49ers will have their hands filled with Hill and Waddle on the field. Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a minor knee injury and is probably heading into the game, Samuel and McCaffrey are listed as questionable for Sunday’s games as well. The Defense will yet again have to do their thing and potentially guide this team to victory with the possibility of a few of their star players missing action on offense for Sunday’s matchup. A loss for the 49ers could end up costly as the Seahawks are only a game behind.
A very important game for both the 49ers and Dolphins, one team will look to walk away with a victory and this could possibly be a preview for what’s to come in February.
Score Prediction: Dolphins Win (21-9)
Kansas City Chiefs Vs Cincinnati Bengals
The (7-4) Cincinnati Bengals will be hosting the (9-2) Kansas City Chiefs Sunday afternoon in a rematch from last year’s AFC championship game.
Never count the chiefs out, as many people had already counted them out this season and had some concerns before the start of the season. It’s safe to say that the Chiefs are doing good as they currently are the number one seed in the AFC. The Chiefs come off a 26-10 win against the Los Angeles Rams, the chiefs have the league’s best offense and that’s all thanks to Patrick Mahomes and the receiving core. Travis Kelce and Mahomes have always had a great connection and there’s no doubt they’ll look to continue that connection ahead of Sunday’s game. And as for the defense they’ve done their job at limiting opponents.
The Bengals struggled early on in the season but found their legs and found themselves competing at a high level like they did last season. Joe Burrow could potentially be getting back teammate Ja’Marr Chase after missing some time with a hip injury, and great timing it would be for the bengals as they play a tough chiefs team. Tee Higgins has stepped up on offense and found himself to be Wide receiver one for Burrow. As for the bengals defense they’ll need to be playing their best football against Mahomes and company, they’ll need to bring the pressure on mahomes. The secondary will also have to play its best football they played all season as Mahomes can always find his receivers open with bus playmaking ability.
A rematch between the Bengals and Chiefs will have the whole NFL world tuning in and seeing who gets the last laugh.
Score prediction: (38-35)
Los Angeles Chargers Vs Las Vegas Raiders
The (4-7) Raiders will be going up against their (6-5) division rivals the Los Angeles Chargers. An AFC west showdown that could prove to be critical down the line.
The Chargers are playing in a must win game to keep their playoff hopes alive and maintain second place in their division. The Chargers escaped with a 25-24 victory against the Arizona Cardinals. Justin Herbert and Austin Ekeler will look to lead this Chargers offense to victory. As for the Chargers defense it has not been able to stop the run and have allowed most opposing offenses to run wild against them. The Chargers find themselves needing a victory and look forward to going on a two game winning streak if they beat the Raiders.
The Raiders have bounced back despite having a shaky start, they are very much still in contention for a playoff spot but it’ll be a difficult task to get a wildcard spot. Derek Care and Davante Adams have finally started building chemistry and will look to lead this offense to a victory and keep their playoff hopes alive. Josh Jacobs will also look forward to running the ball as the Chargers have been struggling against the run and he was able to win the game for the Raiders 40-34 last week in overtime against the Seattle Seahawks. As for the Raiders defense they’ll need to pressure Herbert and force him into difficult throwing situations and limit his play making ability.
Score Prediction: Chargers win (24-23)