Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the time with your family and of course watching football.
Last Week: 10-4 Season: 116-59
Thanksgiving 12:30 Chicago at Detroit: Both teams are struggling through difficult seasons with Matt Nagy and Matt Patricia receiving their fair share of criticism. The Bears defense controls the game in an ugly affair. Eating and drinking will be necessary to get through a titanic struggle. CHI 20 DET 13
Thanksgiving 4:30 Buffalo at Dallas: The Bills sit atop of the wild card race with only five games remaining. Their defense has played very well while 2nd-year QB Josh Allen has progressed nicely. The Cowboys have once again underachieved. Given their salary cap situation, if they don’t turn it around Jason Garrett will likely be given his pink slip. This is a big game for both teams. In a dandy, Ezekiel Elliott is the difference. DAL 24 BUF 20
Thanksgiving 8:20 New Orleans at Atlanta: The Falcons won two games in a row prior to a defeat last week to the Buccaneers. The writing is on the wall for Dan Quinn and his staff. The Saints are showing some weaknesses but are still in good shape regarding a first-round bye. Atlanta upset New Orleans in Week 10 – the Saints get their revenge. NO 31 ATL 23
San Francisco at Baltimore: The Niners lead the NFC with an impressive 10-1 record. They throttled the Packers on Sunday night with another dominant performance from their d-line. Jimmy Garoppolo is getting more comfortable. At this juncture, they are the favorites in the NFC. The Ravens have played at a similar level as the Niners. Baltimore, 9-2, laid the lumber to the Rams on Monday night. These two teams are old school squads that feature rugged defenses and focus on the run game. They met in Super Bowl XLVII in a classic which could be a preview for another Super Bowl meeting. In the game of the week, Lamar Jackson leads his team to their 10th victory. BALT 27 SF 23
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville: Two Florida squads will square off in a game that is about transition. The Buccaneers will likely be moving on from Jameis Winston this offseason. The Jaguars may do the same with Nick Foles and most likely their coaching staff as well. Jacksonville forces Winston into key interceptions. JAX 27 TB 24
Tennessee at Indianapolis: A key AFC South tilt with both divisional and wild card implications will take place at Lucas Oil Field. The Titans have ground their way to a 6-5 record. They are playing much better on the offensive side of the ball with Ryan Tannehill under center. The Colts have lost three of their last four games including a tough loss last Thursday night at Houston. Injuries have stymied their offense. Tight end Eric Ebron is gone for the season, Marlon Mack will be out on Sunday and TY Hilton will likely be limited. In a tight game, the Titans running game is the difference. TEN 23 IND 16
Washington at Carolina: The Redskins defeated the Lions last weekend with rookie Dwayne Haskins under center. Selfie notwithstanding, Haskins showed promise. The Panthers lost a heartbreaker in New Orleans. The loss all but ended their playoff chances. Expect big performances by Kyle Allen and Christian McCaffrey. CAR 31 WASH 13
Philadelphia at Miami: Carson Wentz and the Eagles offense has struggled – in large part due to a rash of injuries. They are all but eliminated in the wild card chase but sit only one game behind Dallas in the NFC East. The Dolphins have suffered through a miserable season. Despite the growing pains, coach Brian Flores has remained even-keeled which speaks well for his and Miami’s future. Philly gets a much-needed victory. PHI 24 MIA 20
New York Jets at Cincinnati: The Jets have won three games in a row with Sam Darnold showing promise. They hammered the Raiders last weekend. The Bengals remain winless following a close loss to Pittsburgh. Andy Dalton will be the starter on Sunday. Dalton’s reinsertion into the lineup should improve their play on the offensive side of the ball. In a tight game, the Jets continue their winning streak. NYJ 31 CIN 24
Green Bay at New York Giants: The Packers were embarrassed on Sunday night at San Francisco. The loss drops them 8-3 in a tie with the Vikings in the NFC South. The G-Men continue to suffer through a miserable season. Rookie Daniel Jones has shown glimmers of hope but Saquon Barkley’s injuries have hampered the offense. Aaron Rodgers should find the pocket much more comfortable this week. GB 34 NYG 23
Cleveland at Pittsburgh: Much has been said and written regarding the last battle between these old bitter rivals – none of that will matter when they square off on Sunday in Pittsburgh. The game itself will have plenty of storylines but the main topic is playoff ramifications. The Browns have won three in a row behind a resurgent offense. Baker Mayfield has played well while the combination of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt has been a difficult matchup for opposing defenses. The Steelers ground out a victory last weekend in Cincinnati after benching Mason Rudolph in favor of Devlin Hodges. In another physical contest, the Browns remain in the playoff hunt. CLE 24 PIT 20
Los Angeles Rams at Arizona: The Super Bowl hangover has been in full effect this season for the Rams. They have underperformed all season, especially last Monday night in a 45-6 loss. Their playoff hopes are likely squelched. The Cardinals return from their bye week with a 3-7-1 record. Kyler Murray makes enough plays to give the Cards the home victory. ARI 27 LAR 24
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver: Two AFC West foes will square off in a game with the only significance in relation to the NFL Draft. The 4-7 Chargers will likely clean house this offseason. The same could be true for the 3-8 Broncos. Denver rookie Drew Lock could see the field this week. Phillip Rivers and the Bolts get the road victory. LAC 23 DEN 19
Oakland at Kansas City: The Raiders were on a high with fans in a playoff fervor – then the cross country trip to face the Jets quelled the enthusiasm. The 34-3 loss has the Silver & Black on the outside looking in with respect to the wild card chase. In the AFC West, they sit one game behind the first-place Chiefs which sets up a big game between the old foes. Kansas City returns from their bye still holding championship aspirations. Patrick Mahomes returns to form with a huge game in front of the Arrowhead faithful. KC 33 OAK 23
SNF New England at Houston: Tom Brady and his mates have not played to their expectations this season which has led to some frustration. Regardless, they are fifth in the league in PPG and first in the AFC with a 10-1. Bill Belichick has created a culture of leaders who understand the big picture even with unmatched success. The Texans sit in first place in the AFC South with a 7-4 record. They have shown glimpses of a championship-level team but have been inconsistent. Both Brady and Deshaun Watson play well but the New England defense is too much for the Texans to overcome. NE 27 HOU 20
MNF Minnesota at Seattle: The Vikings return from their bye week with an 8-3 record which has them tied with Green Bay atop the NFC North. They have enough talent to be a factor in the NFC playoffs. The Seahawks won a tough road contest in Philadelphia. Despite an impressive 9-2 record, they are one game behind the Niners in the NFC West. A shame a game of this quality is on ESPN; it deserves better. Kirk Cousins has the label of faltering on the prime time stage, but here he plays well with Dalvin Cook having a monster game. MIN 31 SEA 27