The NFL had an unusually front-loaded schedule for Thanksgiving week with the four best games already taking place before the weekend.
That leaves a thinner Sunday/Monday slate for Week 13 but still plenty of stakes with teams jockeying for playoff position and the margin for error getting slim.
Before we get into the predictions and previews, let’s hit on the big takeaways from the games that were already played.
Top Takeaways So Far
Chicago Bears 25, Philadelphia Eagles 15: OK, OK, maybe the Bears are for real. We admittedly had them too low at No. 13 in our latest NFL power rankings, but while they’ve now won nine of their last 10 games they didn’t have a true statement win until Friday. Going into Philadelphia and controlling the game against an Eagles team already coming off a big loss was eye-opening. First-year head coach Ben Johnson has transformed the franchise in his first season and has Chicago at 9-3 and charging toward the playoffs and maybe even a division title.
Green Bay Packers 31, Detroit Lions 24: The Lions just don’t look right. The loss of TE Sam LaPorta has had a clear impact on the offense, and having to play most of this Thanksgiving game without star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (sprained ankle) compounded the problems against a Packers defense looking like one of the best in football right now. Green Bay QB Jordan Love also played is best game of the season, passing for 234 yards and 4 TDs. The 7-5 Lions have lost three out of five games now.
Dallas Cowboys 31, Kansas City Chiefs 28: The Chiefs’ dynasty is running on fumes right now. Kansas City isn’t out of the playoff hunt yet. Even at 6-6, but it may have to run the table to make it into the postseason after another stinging loss as Dak Prescott threw for 320 yards and 2 TDs to humble the KC defense and revive Dallas’ own playoff hopes at 6-5-1 with back-to-back wins over the Eagles and Chiefs.
Cincinnati Bengals 32, Baltimore Ravens 14: The return of Joe Burrow made all the difference for Cincinnati, but the bigger takeaway was that the Ravens just aren’t right. The signs have been there for weeks, but putting up just 14 points against not only the NFL’s worst defense but the worst defense the league has seen in years (statistically) should have all the alarms sounding in Baltimore as the Ravens dropped to 6-6.
Best Sunday Games
(All game times are ET; all point spreads via ESPN Bet)
Houston Texans (6-5) at Indianapolis Colts (8-3)
1 p.m. on FOX
The Texans went 3-0 with backup QB Davis Mills to transform their season, but coach DeMeco Ryans made it clear there is no quarterback controversy in Houston. C.J. Stroud has been cleared from concussion protocol and reclaims the starting job Sunday. Houston’s NFL-best defense (264.3 yards per game allowed) has been the biggest factor in the team’s surge, though.
Meanwhile, it came out this week that Colts QB Daniel Jones is playing through a fractured fibula and will continue to remain active with Indianapolis pushing for a playoff spot. The Colts let one slip away last week at Kansas City and have lost two of three after an 8-1 start.
Star running back Jonathan Taylor, who was pushing into the MVP conversation and leads the NFL with 1,197 rushing yards (17 total TDs), has been held under 60 rushing yards in two of the last three games, but he had 244 rushing yards, 42 receiving yards and 3 TDs in the game in between.
Indianapolis is a 3-point favorite.
Prediction: Colts 27, Texans 23
Los Angeles Rams (9-2) at Carolina Panthers (6-6)
1 p.m. on FOX
Every team considered among the Super Bowl favorites has stumbled in recent weeks except the Rams, who have won six straight. Five of those have come by at least two touchdowns.
Which means Los Angeles is due to be the next top team to take a surprising loss, right?
MVP favorite Matthew Stafford will try to buck that trend as he comes into the day with 2,830 passing yards, 30 TDs and 2 INTs in what is shaping up as a career-best season for the 37-year-old. Stafford is making the most of having one of the NFL’s best WR tandems in Puka Nacua (80 catches for 947 yards and 4 TDs) and Davante Adams (48-631-12).
As for the Panthers, well, its a weekly crapshoot. They’ve alternated wins and losses the last six weeks, including an upset win over the Packers at Lambeau Field but also a lifeless loss to the lowly Saints at home. QB Bryce Young has been held under 200 passing yards in all but two games this year, but he also broke the team’s single-game passing record with 448 yards (and 3 TDs) two weeks ago against Atlanta.
Good luck trying to predict what this Carolina team looks like from week to week.
Los Angeles is a 10-point favorite.
Prediction: Rams 31, Panthers 28
Buffalo Bills (7-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)
4:25 p.m. on CBS
The Bills have both looked like a Super Bowl contender at times this season (beating the Chiefs and dominating the Buccaneers) and also like coach Sean McDermott needs to go at other times (losing to the Falcons and Dolphins).
Time is running out for this team to decide which of those it’s going to be, but time is really running out for the Steelers, who have lost four of their last six games and have a tough closing stretch of schedule that includes the Bills on Sunday, two games vs. the rivals Ravens and a road game vs. the Lions.
QB Aaron Rodgers returns from a one-game absence and will play through multiple fractures in his left non-throwing wrist with the Steelers’ playoff hopes in peril.
Buffalo is a 3-point favorite
Prediction: Bills 26, Steelers 20
Rounding Out The Schedule
Remaining Sunday 1 p.m. games …
San Francisco 49ers (8-4) at Cleveland Browns (3-8), 1 p.m. on CBS: QB Shedeur Sanders makes his second start for the Browns, but he doesn’t get to face the Raiders this time. San Francisco is an impressive 5-2 on the road this season and a 5.5-point favorite Sunday. Prediction: 49ers 22, Browns 10
Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4) at Tennessee Titans (1-10), 1 p.m. on CBS: On one hand, the Jaguars have won three out of four to get back in the playoff hunt. On the other, two of those wins were overtime games vs. the Raiders and Cardinals and the loss involved allowing 26 points in the fourth quarter to Houston. So, believe in the Jags at your own peril. This seems like a classic let-down game. Jacksonville is a 5.5-point favorite. Prediction: Titans 27, Jaguars 24
New Orleans Saints (2-9) at Miami Dolphins (4-7), 1 p.m. on FOX: The Dolphins have won three out of four games and will look to keep their season on life support vs. the struggling Saints and rookie QB Tyler Shough. Miami is a 5.5-point favorite. Prediction: Dolphins 24, Saints 19
Atlanta Falcons (4-7) at New York Jets (2-9), 1 p.m. on FOX: QB Kirk Cousins led Atlanta to a win over New Orleans last week in his return to the starting lineup and will look to keep the Falcons on the fringe of playoff contention vs. the Jets and backup QB Tyrod Taylor, who has taken over for the rest of the season with Justin Fields benched. Top WR Drake London (knee) remains out for the Falcons. Atlanta is a 3-point favorite. Prediction: Jets 17, Falcons 14
Arizona Cardinals (3-8) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5), 1 p.m. on FOX: After some question earlier in the week, QB Baker Mayfield is expected to play Sunday for Tampa Bay despite an injured left non-throwing shoulder. The Buccaneers’ playoff hopes have taken a dramatic dip after three straight losses. But the expected return of RB Bucky Irving (who hasn’t played since Week 4 due to shoulder and ankle injuries) should help. Tampa Bay is a 3.5-point favorite. Prediction: Buccaneers 27, Cardinals 20
Remaining Sunday 4:05/4:25 p.m. games
Minnesota Vikings (4-7) at Seattle Seahawks (8-3), 4:05 p.m. on FOX: The Vikings are giving undrafted rookie QB Max Brosmer his first start with embattled second-year QB J.J. McCarthy in the concussion protocol. Meanwhile, the Vikings will be reminded Sunday that they could have just re-signed QB Sam Darnold after a 14-win 2024 campaign. Instead, Darnold leads a playoff-bound Seahawks team now and will surely be highly motivated to face his former squad. Seattle is an 11.5-point favorite. Prediction: Seahawks 28, Vikings 9
Las Vegas Raiders (2-9) at Los Angeles Chargers (7-4), 4:25 p.m. on CBS: The Raiders fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly this week and will have interim OC Greg Olson calling plays. Olson is a longtime NFL OC (Lions, Rams, Jaguars, Buccaneers, two prior stints with the Raiders). The Chargers are coming off a bye and hoping they found some answers to their depleted offensive line with top tackle Joe Alt lost for the season (joining fellow starting tackle Rashawn Slater). Los Angeles is a 9.5-point favorite. Prediction: Chargers 28, Raiders 14
Sunday Night Football
Denver Broncos (9-2) at Washington Commanders (3-8), 8:20 p.m. on NBC/Peacock: QB Jayden Daniels won’t return until at least next week for Washington, so it’s Marcus Mariota vs. Denver’s fierce defense as the Broncos come off a bye and look to extend their eight-game winning streak. Denver is a 6.5-point favorite. Prediction: Broncos 24, Commanders 17
Monday Night Football
New England Patriots (10-2) at New York Giants (2-10), 8:15 p.m. on ESPN: The Patriots have won nine straight games, but they lost the left side of their offensive line last week with LT Will Campbell (sprained MCL, placed on injured reserve) and LG Jared Wilson (high ankle sprain) now sidelined. The Giants, meanwhile, get QB Jaxson Dart (concussion) back. New England is a 7-point favorite. Prediction: Patriots 27, Giants 24