1:00 PM EST

Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers

 

It’s clear that the Green Bay Packers have used this season to run the offense through Aaron Jones. Of course, you still have that bad man Aaron Rodgers there as well but the way that Jones has been impressive. The Packers are 10-3 on the season and are riding the hot hand of Aaron Jones who’s coming off a 134-yard rushing game with a touchdown as well as 58 yards receiving. Aaron Rodgers has been special since the bye week as well and they will need to have all their offensive weapons clicking against the Bears. The Packers will need to get the ground game going and make sure they can get Davante Adams going in the passing game. This Packers team has been special on the offensive side and has shown moments on the defense as well. The Bears are coming into this game with a red hot Mitch Trubisky who torched the Dallas Cowboys for 3 touchdowns and 244 yards passing. If this Mitch Trubisky shows up in Green Bay it could be hard on the Packers defense. Trubisky has been able to grow a strong connection with Allen Robinson and that’s been on full display. Allen Robinson has 3 games in a row with touchdowns and had 2 last week against Cowboys. The Bears need to get back into establishing the run as they need to use David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen a lot more with the RPO. Enough about the Bears offense because this game will truly depend on the Bears defense. The Bears lost Roquan Smith for the season and it will be on Khalil Mack if this defense will make an impact in this game. Look for a tight division game in this one as both teams know each other inside and out.

Score Prediction: Green Bay Packers Win (27-17)

 

New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals

 

The Patriots are 10-3 on the season and they’re on a 2 game losing streak. This will be the second season in a row the Patriots have lost back to back games. Before last season the Patriots haven’t lost back to back games since 2002 which is crazy. The Patriots will be set up for a huge bounce-back game against the Cincinnati Bengals who have one win on the season. The craziness coming into this game was the Patriots staff members recording the Bengals sidelines last weekend. The Patriots are always in the center of controversy and that will never change but I doubt they would need help with the Bengals. Coming into this game against the Bengals the Patriots need to get back to finding their offense badly. The last two games the Patriots have looked human and Tom Brady has shown a lot of frustration with the way they’ve played. Tom Brady’s weapons have been very simple and obvious as he’s been looking for Julian Edleman/James Whiter pretty much every play. Sony Michel has been healthy but hasn’t played good enough to fit into the gameplan. The Patriots need to get back to the running game and having a balanced attack and that should happen against the Bengals. The Patriots defense has been leading this team all season long and will look to continue that against the Bengals who will look to get Joe Mixon going again. Joe Mixon finally went off last week against the Cleveland Browns and will look to capitalize on his 146-yard performance with a TD. The Bengals don’t have much that they can do offensively against the Patriots defense and it will be tough all day. Andy Dalton doesn’t have the weapons that can help him, especially with AJ Green still out so look for a lot of check downs to Mixon. The Bengals defense has been very bad all season and even with a Patriots team that’s struggling offensively, the defense will give them enough chances to score. Look for the Patriots to get their 11th win on the season as the Bengals stand no chance against a pissed off Tom Brady and Bill Belichick waiting for them after this videotaping foolishness.

Score Prediction: New England Patriots Win (38-7)

 

Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina Panthers

 

The MVP runner up right now on the NFL season has been Russell Wilson. If it wasn’t for the season that Lamar Jackson’s having Russell Wilson would be on every single station in the country. Russell Wilson and the Seahawks slipped up against the LA Rams last week but look to bounce back against the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers fired Ron Rivera and you could tell the team didn’t have any identity last week. The Seahawks have an identity and that’s to run the ball down your throat and get Russell Wilson out the pocket to make plays. The Seahawks lost Rashad Penny for the season last week and will look to feed Chris Carson the rock all day long. Chris Carson has improved his ball-handling the past couple of games and will look to pound the Panthers. When Carson’s running hard and beating down the opposing defense that softens them up for Russell Wilson to start his magic. On the season Russell Wilson has 3,422 passing yards with 26 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. The leadership that Wilson has shown this year has been amazing and he’s been able to get the ball to his wide receivers as well. Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, and Josh Gordon have been able to flourish under Wilson who’s been lights out all season. The Seahawk’s defense will need to hold up their end of the stick as they will need Bobby Wagner to slow down Christian McCaffrey. If the Panthers are going to do anything against the Seahawks they will need their MVP Christian McCaffrey to lead the way on the ground and in the passing game. Run CMC has been dominant all season for the Panthers and the fact that the whole defense will need to watch him can help. McCaffrey can be a great decoy on offense and his teammates can get open because of him. Look for Kyle Allen to try and get the ball to DJ Moore and Greg Olsen in the passing game. The Panthers have been very inconsistent on the season and it’s obvious that they’re looking to rebuild in the offseason with Cam Newton trade rumors. If the Panthers defense can try to hold the Seahawks to just passing and long downs they could have a tiny chance in this one.

Score Prediction: Seattle Seahawks Win (31-13)

 

Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans

 

 

The surprise team this season has been the Tennessee Titans. Ryan Tannehill has taken over Nashville and the Titans organization believes that he’s done a great enough job to talk extensions. Ryan Tannehill has resurrected his career as he’s thrown for 1,993 yards and 15 touchdowns since taking over the starting job. The Titans come into this matchup against the Texans with an 8-5 record and are looking to take this division to make that splash in the playoffs. Ryan Tannehill should be in the comeback player of the year discussion as he’s made his receivers better every week. Tannehill has used his weapons and now has his new number one receiver AJ Brown looking unguardable against opposing defenses. This Titans team is complete on the offensive end and that comes from the monster play of Derrick Henry. The way that Derrick Henry’s playing no one on the opposing team wants to tackle him the way he finishes runs. This season Henry has been able to put the Titans on his back as he’s averaging two touchdowns per game easily with this line. Coming into this matchup with the Texans Derrick Henry has 1,243 yards rushing with 13 touchdowns on the ground. The defense has been able to shut down teams in the clutch with the play of Kevin Byard in that secondary. This Tennessee team is gritty and will look to get after Deshaun Watson all day. If the Titans can stop Watson and slow down DeAndre Hopkins in the passing game it could be a big win. The Texans have a lot of offense that can erupt at any moment and the last thing the Titans need is for Hopkins to get loose in that secondary with Will Fuller questionable. The Beauty of this Texans offense is the fact that Watson can run the ball or pass the ball with ease. The IQ that Watson has shown over the last year has been impressive and he will need to make some spectacular plays to get the win. Last week the Texans defense was embarrassed by the Denver Broncos and they will look to redeem themselves against Tennessee. Look for this to be a high scoring game in Tennessee as both teams battle it out for positioning in the playoff picture.

Score Prediction: Houston Texans Win (38-34)

 

Miami Dolphins @ New York Giants

 

Eli Manning came back last week against the Eagles and put up 203 yards with 2 touchdowns. Playing the Miami Dolphins look for Eli to go off in this one as he looked comfortable in the pocket. Eli Manning will look to go after the 3-10 Dolphins and their terrible secondary. This could be a monster game for Saquon Barkley as we have been waiting for his eruption. Saquon is a complete running back that can get it done inside the tackles and in the screenplays. He’s a generational player and the Miami Dolphins have the 6th worst run defense. Barkley should be able to shred these Dolphins and make his presence felt anywhere on the field. The Giants should be getting Evan Engram back this week and that should help them out in the passing game. The emergence of Darius Slayton has been a breath of fresh air in NYC as he went off last week against the Eagles for 154 yards with 2 touchdowns. He’s been able to be healthy and he’s been the player that the Giants have been looking for with targets. The Giants defense has been terrible as of late but will look to force Fitzpatrick to throw some interceptions. If the Giants can get to Fitzpatrick it could be a long day for the Dolphins as they don’t have a true running back. The Dolphins have 3 wins on the season and the bright spot for them has been the play of Devante Parker. Parker has been special the last couple of weeks and has emerged as the number one receiver in this offense. If Ryan Fitzpatrick can get the ball in the hands of his playmaker anything is possible against this Giants secondary. One person that has been stepping up for the Miami Dolphins has been Mike Gesicki as he’s become a great red zone threat for Fitzpatrick. This game is going to be back and forth on the day so look for sloppy play and some scoring as well.

Score Prediction: New York Giants Win (24-17)

 

Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins

 

The first-place Philadelphia Eagles are going into Washington DC trying to stay on top of the NFC East. This division hasn’t lived up to the hype but the Eagles will take it any way they can to get to the playoffs. The Eagles lost Alshon Jeffrey for the season and now will have to lean on Zach Ertz as their number one receiver on a team that looks for their tight ends. Ertz was able to catch two touchdowns last weekend against the New York Giants and will try to duplicate that against the Redskins. On the season Ertz has 850 yards receiving and 5 touchdowns but down this stretch look for those numbers to improve. The Redskins aren’t good defensively and Carson Wentz will be looking to exploit that defense in this one. Wentz has always been able to tough it out and make plays so look for him to do the same in this game. The Eagles have struggled in the passing game but one thing that came out of nowhere was the running game. Miles Sanders and Boston Scott both played amazing as a committee in New York. If the Eagles can continue to establish the run in this game against Washington they should be successful. The Redskins have been injured all season and lost Derrius Guice for the season last weekend. What this means is that the Eagles will need to get ready for the ageless Adrian Peterson. The Redskins love to get the running game going and will be looking for Peterson to set the tone against the 4th toughest defense to run on. Dwayne Haskins will be trying to find his college teammate Terry McLaurin as the Eagles secondary has been a little shaky. If Haskins can find the open people in the Eagles defense who gave up 2 touchdowns to Slayton from the Giants. The Redskins defense hasn’t been able to do much but if they can get to Wentz in this division matchup anything is possible.

Score Prediction: Philadelphia Eagles Win (27-13)

 

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs

 

The Kansas City Chiefs are coming into this game after a big win in Foxboro against the Patriots. Patrick Mahomes had 283 yards with 1 touchdown against the best defense in the NFL. This week he will be facing the Denver Broncos and Von Miller who will be trying to take him down. Mahomes hasn’t been himself this season especially since going down with the dislocated kneecap but has managed to do enough to keep getting wins. This past week he hurt his hand and still finished the game against the Patriots. It seems like nothing can stop him from getting on the field and being a true leader for his teammates. Mahomes has been able to burn teams with his arm and with his legs since coming back from his injury. The Broncos defense has been tough in the past and they will have their hands full especially if you give Mahomes some time in the pocket to execute. The Broncos will have Chris Harris Jr on Tyreke Hill and will try to take him out the game but with Mahomes having so many weapons that seem like something that will be a tough task for Denver. This Chiefs offense has playmakers everywhere from Travis Kelce to Tyreke Hill so look for them to be open especially if the run game is working. This Chiefs team is explosive on the offensive end and can put up some monster numbers in a quick span of time. The Chiefs defense has been able to step up as well in recent weeks as they have been forcing turnovers and getting to the quarterback. If Dee Ford and Tyrann Mathieu can get to Drew Lock it can be a long day for the rookie quarterback. The Chiefs will have to contain Phillip Lindsey and make sure that he doesn’t get outside the tackles because he’s impossible to catch in open space. Lindsey has taken a step back this season but he’s a highlight waiting to happen if you miss your assignment. Another player on the Broncos that has been a huge bright spot for them this season has been Courtland Sutton. Once the Broncos gave away Emmanuel Sanders they did it knowing they had Sutton as the future. The play of Courtland Sutton has helped this Lock out big time and the fact that he can create space in the red zone is impressive. Look for the Broncos to rely on their defense and the play of Lindsey/Sutton if they want to get out of Arrowhead with a victory.

Score Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs Win (30-13)

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Detroit Lions

 

Both teams are coming into this game with significant injuries to their offense. On the Detroit Lions side, they put Marvin Jones Jr. on the IR with an ankle injury. Marvin has been a superior piece to the offense and losing him will give Kenny Golladay more targets. David Blough has been playing well at quarterback in the absence of Matthew Stafford. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost Mike Evans this past weekend to a serious hamstring injury that will have him sidelined for the remainder of the 2019 season. This is a huge blow to the Buccaneers offense as both teams have high powered offenses that are banged up. The bright side for the Bucs is the fact that Chris Godwin has emerged as a pro bowl caliber wide receiver this season. Godwin on the season has a total of 81 catches for 1,212 yards with 9 touchdowns. Godwin has been the main target for Jameis Winston in this offense and will look to continue that against the Lions. Jameis is coming into this game with a minor hand injury (Hairline Fracture – Thumb) and he’s expected to play through it. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense is better than the Lions defense but Jameis is known for a couple of turnovers to make a game interesting. The Lions defense has been banged up all season and they will be tested in this game with the Buccaneers coming into town. Both teams have running games that haven’t been that strong throughout the season so expect the scoring to come from the air all Sunday in Detroit.

Score Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Win (38-24)

 

4:05 PM EST

Cleveland Browns @ Arizona Cardinals

 

NCAA College Football fans have been treated with great Heisman Trophy Winners in the NFL for years. Today we will get the chance to see the last two Heisman winners from Norman, OK go at it in Arizona. It will be Baker Mayfield vs Kyler Murray for the first time and this game should be exciting. The Arizona Cardinals are coming into this game knowing that they won’t be in the playoffs but they still can spoil the Cleveland Browns chances. Kyler Murray has been good throughout the season and you can tell he’s picking up the NFL game very well. Look for Murray to use his arm and legs to create for his teammates at home today. On the season Kyler has thrown for 3,060 yards with 16 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Murray has been making it happen no matter who’s in the lineup to help him out. Coming into this season the Cardinals planned on the David Johnson helping out Kyler Murray by giving him an elite running back for him so they can execute the RPO. With David Johnson being banged up all season Murray has taken the running into this own hands and will try to do the same against the Cleveland Browns. Kyler Murray has Kenyan Drake in the backfield and that will help open up the play-action for him. Kenyan Drake has been great for the Cardinals since coming over from Miami and will be trying to help carry the load in this one. The Cleveland Browns offense has been all over the place this year as certain games they look like playoff contenders and then the next minute they look like pretenders. It’s clear that Baker Mayfield has struggled this season with 3,109 passing yards on the year but 16 interceptions to his 15 touchdowns. This is a clear sophomore slump but he can make it up down the stretch if he can string together some wins. Baker will need to be patient in the pocket against the Cardinals and look for his playmakers to get open. Anytime you have Odell Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry on the field at the same time this team can easily strike ASAP. The thing is Baker needs to get the ball to them and this will be that day. The Browns have great receivers and they have a great running back tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. If the Browns can get the running game going that will propel them to the victory in Arizona easily. The Browns defense will be in a good spot to get to Kyler Murray and make it tough on him this afternoon.

Score Prediction: Cleveland Browns Win (17-10)

 

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Oakland Raiders

 

This will be the last game in Oakland for the Raiders and they will want to close the stadium with a bang. The Raiders got some good news as they found out that Josh Jacobs will be suiting up for this game. Jacobs didn’t play last week but he’s been the heart and soul of this offense as he’s rushed them to the 6 wins they have on the season. Jacobs has been an outstanding rookie and he will definitely be in the conversation for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Having Jacobs back is huge for this team as it gives Derek Carr some more weapons to look for against this Jaguars defense. Carr will be looking to get Waller and Williams going in this game as they’ve been his reliable receivers on the season. Carr has been toughing it out all season and he’s won over Raider Nation for now. Derek Carr will have the Jaguars coming after him on Sunday and it’s not the same Jaguars team they’ve played against in the past. This Jaguars defense has been giving up a lot of yards and touchdowns to opposing teams in the past couple of games. Look for the Raiders to set the tone early in this one with the running game and put it to the Jaguars. One thing that the Jacksonville Jaguars have working for them is the fact that Gardner Minshew is back under center and he’s going to try to make some plays even with pressure. Minshew will be without his number one receiver DJ Chark for this one but he will be leaning on Leonard Fournette to rush them to victory. Fournette was forced out of the gameplan in last week’s game against the Chargers but they will be looking to feed their all-pro today in Oakland. Both defenses have been leaky all season and we should expect this game to go back and forth with some toughness.

Score Prediction: Oakland Raiders Win (22-10)

 

Minnesota Vikings @ Los Angeles Chargers 

 

The Minnesota Vikings will be with all their star playmakers for this game in Los Angeles as Adam Thielen will return. This Vikings team has been very lethal since Stefon Diggs requested to be traded earlier in the season. Kirk Cousins has been a big part of the success for this team as he’s been able to find his receivers in stride. Cousins and Diggs have gained a lot of confidence in the absence of Thielen as they connected for 5 touchdowns on the season. The Vikings MVP has been Dalvin Cook though and there would be no preview without talking about this beast. Dalvin Cook has carried the ball and this team all season long as he’s piled up 1,108 rushing yards with 13 rushing touchdowns. What makes Cook so special is that he can get it done on the ground and in the passing game as he has totaled 50 catches for 503 yards receiving. It’s clear that this team moves in the direction that Dalvin Cook brings them and the Chargers will have a tough day on defense trying to slow him down. The Vikings offense has been well balanced and with both teams going in the opposite directions it will be tough for fans to keep it on the channel. The Vikings have a tough defense and will be trying to make it tough on Rivers, Ekler, Gordon, and Allen. The Vikings will have Xavier Rhodes shadowing Keenan Allen all day trying to slow him down. The Vikings defense is one of the best in the NFL and will try to force Phillip Rivers into turnovers. The LA Chargers defense has been iffy all season and will have their hands full trying to stop this loaded Vikings offense. Joey Bosa will be trying to stop Dalvin Cook in the backfield all day and he will need help from that secondary as well. The LA Chargers have a motivated Phillip Rivers playing some of his best ball but the Chargers get left out to dry with losing close games. The Chargers have a great two-headed monster in Ekler-Gordon but they will need to make some plays in order for them to get this win in front of the faithful in LA. Hunter Henry could be the one mismatch for the Chargers and they will need to find him if they want to prevent a blowout early. Overall both teams are good on offense but the game will be decided by the defense and special teams.

Score Prediction: Minnesota Vikings Win (28-24)

 

4:25 PM EST

Los Angeles Rams @ Dallas Cowboys

 

The Cowboys are coming into this game tied with the Philadelphia Eagles at 6-7 on the season for the division lead. Every game from here on out is a must-win for the Dallas Cowboys. This Cowboys team has been up and down all season because of the injuries they’ve sustained. One person that hasn’t been up and down all season has been Dak Prescott. Dak has put together a campaign that has everyone in the NFL saying pay that man. Here are Dak’s numbers this season 4,122 passing yards with 24 passing touchdowns. Dak has down everything that the Cowboys have asked him and he’s delivered in a big way. Look for Dak to try and deliver against the LA Rams who will be coming into town with Aaron Donald looking to sack and disrupt the Cowboys. Ezekiel Elliott has been playing good this season but it hasn’t been his usual breakout numbers that we expect. This will be the game that Elliot can go off in especially since Carson was able to almost breakthrough for 100 yards against this same defense. The combination of Dak and Zeke is going to get the Cowboys into the playoffs and it starts today in Dallas. Dak can run the ball and throw the ball which makes it tough for any defense. Another player that will be a key piece to the Cowboys down the stretch and in his game will be Amari Cooper. On the season Amari has been a beast at home and he will be guarded by Jalen Ramsey which proves to be a great matchup. If Cooper can find the endzone that can help the Cowboys chances even more. The Cowboys defense will have their hands full with Jared Goff who’s been going off the last couple of weeks for the Rams. Goff has all his weapons back and healthy so it’s been a lot easier for him to find the right person in the passing game. Jared Goff has played a lot better this second half of the season and will be leaning on Todd Gurley to help take the load off of him as well. When Gurley gets a huge workload like he’s been able to get as of late anything is possible. Todd Gurley is a beast and he’s the type of player that can be lined up as a wide receiver, in the backfield for screens, and run through the tackles. If the Rams can get the Todd Gurley from last season for this playoff push starting in Dallas the Cowboys will be in trouble. Look for Goff to get the ball to his playmakers Gurley, Kupp, Woods, Cooks, and Higbee. This is going to be a great game with playoff implications on the line and it will have some NFC playoff vibes in this one. If Aaron Donald can get to Jared Goff and continue his dominance it could be a long day for the Cowboys in this one.

Score Prediction: Los Angeles Rams Win (38-31)

 

Atlanta Falcons @ San Francisco 49ers

 

The 11-2 San Francisco 49ers will be at home trying to get their 12th win against the Atlanta Falcons. This 49ers team has been special all season and they’re well balanced. On the offensive side, Jimmy Garoppolo has been showing people that he could hold his own in this league. Jimmy G has put together an impressive year that shows that John Lynch made the right move by getting him away from the Patriots. This season Jimmy G has thrown for 3,245 yards and 25 touchdowns which are really good for him. Jimmy has been able to put the 49ers offense on his back and the weapons around him have helped big time as well. Jimmy Garoppolo has been able to find his favorite receivers George Kittle and Emmanuel Sanders all season long. It seems when the game is on the line Jimmy G goes to one of those two to seal the game. The Falcons will have their hands full completely in this game on the defensive end because of this 49ers offense. This season the 49ers can beat you in the air with Jimmy Garoppolo’s arm and then you have a three-headed running back committee with Tevin Coleman, Matt Brieda, and Raheem Mostert. The 49ers have built an offense that’s equipped to play a rugged game or play a finesse game. This is the first time in a while that the 49ers have the potential to make the Super Bowl. The Falcons defense has been banged up all season and it’s going to be tough to ask them to contain an offense as powerful as the 49ers have this season. We’ve been talking about the 49ers offense but the defense has been unreal. The play of Nick Bosa and that front line has been able to get after any quarterbacks this season. The fact that Matt Ryan isn’t as mobile in the pocket could be a problem for him on Sunday. The 49ers will be without Richard Sherman which could be a good thing for Julio Jones. The way that this defense has been able to use the next man up motto has been impressive. The Falcons offense took a huge hit as they lost Calvin Ridley for the remainder of the season. That means that the offense will be depending on Julio Jones and Austin Hooper in this game. The Falcons have been up and down all season as they try to try to gain respect in the conference. Matt Ryan will need to lean on his studs in the passing game and also look for a lot of check downs to Devonte Freeman. This could be a great game or it could be a total blowout from the 49ers but only time will tell which Atlanta Falcons team shows up. The Falcons defense will be in for a long day in the Bay area and it will be interesting to see the outcome.

Score Prediction: San Francisco 49ers Win (41-24)