Saturday
Houston Texans (9-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (13-1), 1 p.m. ET, NBC
After the Texans clinched the AFC South division title for the second consecutive season last week, they can breathe a little easier about the rough road ahead. It’s the same schedule the Chiefs are on with a Saturday game before playing again Wednesday in the NFL’s Christmas Day spotlight games. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (ankle) was hobbled and Carson Wentz finished the 21-7 win at Cleveland last week, but he’ll answer the bell for Kansas City on Saturday. There’s some concern about the health and performance of the offensive line safeguarding Mahomes after he was hit 12 times last week. The Texans boast the only tandem of defenders with 10-plus sacks – Danielle Hunter with 12 and Will Anderson Jr. at 10.5 – and Houston’s secondary has playmaking chops starting with CB Derek Stingley Jr. With the AFC West title in hand plus a two-game lead over the Buffalo Bills in the race for the top seed in the conference, the Chiefs still are playing for something: a win couple with a Buffalo tie or loss vs. New England gives Kansas City a first-round playoff bye and homefield through the conference title game.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) at Baltimore Ravens (9-5), 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX
The Steelers clinched a playoff berth for the fourth time in the past five seasons but Saturday’s game will go a long way toward determining the AFC North champion, which will get a home game in the playoffs. The Ravens are coming off a 35-14 beatdown of the Giants, their league-leading sixth game with at least 35 points. There are some sweaty palms in Baltimore over the recent accuracy issues of PK Justin Tucker, who went 1-for-3 in the 18-16 loss at Pittsburgh last month. Two weeks later in a home loss against the Eagles (24-19), Tucker missed an extra point and two more FG attempts. QB Lamar Jackson has done his part, but still is searching for answers against the Steelers. He had his worst game of the season – 16 of 33, 207 yards, TD, INT – at Pittsburgh in a year he had otherwise dominated at every turn. He has nine games with two-plus TD passes and zero interceptions, a streak only Tom Brady (11, 2010) and Aaron Rodgers (three times) have pushed to 10 games in a single season. Pittsburgh is 5-2 all-time against Jackson, who has five TDs and eight INTs against the Steelers, forcing him to contend with edge pressure from T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.

Sunday
Detroit Lions (12-2) at Chicago Bears (4-10), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
The last undefeated team on the road this season, the Lions are 6-0 and driven to prove injuries and last week’s loss won’t derail their season. Having the NFL’s highest-scoring offense (32.8 points per game) helps their cause. The Lions have work to do with the Eagles riding a 10-game winning streak and the Vikings also tied with Detroit for the NFC’s best record. Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown is 0-2 since he replaced Matt Eberflus one day after Chicago’s bungled clock management in the final minute of a 23-20 loss at Detroit. Chicago returns home trying again to end a losing streak that stands at eight games. Brown says the Bears are still fighting. Lopsided losses at San Francisco, 38-13, and Minnesota, 30-12, aren’t helping Brown’s case. Chicago has been outscored 53-0 in the first half of its past three contests.

Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) at Washington Commanders (9-5), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Ground-and-pound Philly went to the air last week to hush concerns over the working relationship between QB Jalen Hurts and WR A.J. Brown. But the recipe for success this season for the Eagles has been an unstoppable ground game. With a single-season franchise-record 10 consecutive wins, the Eagles streak into Washington behind Hurts and NFL leading rusher Saquon Barkley. Barkley leads the NFL with a franchise-record 1,688 rushing yards and 1,964 total yards. He also owns Washington, averaging 136.2 yards per scrimmage against the franchise dating to his days with the Giants. But Barkley destroyed the Commanders in the first meeting this season, racking up 198 total yards and two rushing TDs. He has 1,362 total yards and 10 touchdowns (six rushing, four receiving) in 10 career games against Washington. The Commanders are in playoff position with three games to go. A loss to the Eagles would set up a critical matchup with the Falcons (7-7) next week. Washington’s Jayden Daniels is the fourth rookie quarterback in league history with at least 3,000 passing yards and 500 rushing yards.

Arizona Cardinals (7-7) at Carolina Panthers (3-11), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
The Cardinals are flirting with NFC playoff position after halting a three-game losing streak with a 30-17 victory over the visiting New England Patriots last weekend. But the margin is thin in an overcrowded wildcard race. The Panthers have lost four games in a row entering the home finale and closer to the top of the 2025 draft than the playoffs. There are signs of life from the Panthers despite growing pains. Carolina lost tight games to divisional leaders Kansas City, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia before dropping a 30-14 decision to the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday. Running backs are critical to the success of both teams. Cardinals RB James Conner has rushed for a team-high 973 rushing yards and had 110 yards to beat New England for his second-highest total of the season and his fifth 100-yard game this season. Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark earlier this month, but he was held to the second-lowest total of the season with 32 yards on the ground last week.

New York Giants (2-12) at Atlanta Falcons (7-7), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Quarterback changes are commonplace for the Giants this season and New York turns to Drew Lock for his third start in 2024 after Tim Boyle and Tommy DeVito split the chores in Week 15. There’s no split in Atlanta where rookie Michael Penix Jr. is ticketed for his debut. The Falcons made the move knowing time is short to find the passing lane with the playoffs still within reach but their offense skidding and erratic behind Kirk Cousins. Penix was a Heisman Trophy finalist and took Washington to the national championship game last season. The 24-year-old receives high marks from teammates for maturity and accuracy. But this week’s practices represented his first extended work with top targets, pointing to a plan of pounding Bijan Robinson and Tyson Allgeier against New York’s injury-riddled defense. The Giants are allowing 4.9 yards per carry and the Ravens gained 170 rushing yards last week.

Cleveland Browns (3-11) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-8), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Joe Burrow might be on the road to the greatest 9-8 – perhaps worse – season in league history and his top target is right there with him. Ja’Marr Chase, 43 yards shy of the franchise mark for single-season receiving yards, leads the NFL with 102 receptions, 1,413 receiving yards and 15 touchdown receptions and can become the third player in NFL history with at least 100 catches, 1,500 yards and 15 TD receptions in his first 15 games in a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Randy Moss (2003) and Jerry Rice (1995). Burrow had two TD passes in the Week 7 matchup with the Browns. He leads the NFL with 3,977 pass yards and 36 TD passes. Cleveland is turning to Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback. He makes his fourth career start with Jameis Winston benched and RB Nick Chubb (knee) placed on IR this week. WR Jerry Jeudy has been the best playmaker on the Browns’ roster since the last game against Cincinnati, ranking second in the NFL with 786 receiving yards since Week 8.

Tennessee Titans (3-11) at Indianapolis Colts (6-8), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Anthony Richardson survived the QB yoyo earlier in the season but the Titans still are trying to find the right fit behind center entering Week 16. Mason Rudolph was named the starter following another turnover-filled showing by Will Levis. Levis tossed three interceptions and coughed up a fumble in 2 1/2 quarters, getting the hook after giving up a pick-six that helped sink the Titans to a 3-11 mark. If the Titans don’t win this game and stack a few more losses, they should be in position to look for a new face of the franchise at QB should first-year coach Brian Callahan decide to start over. Turnovers hurt the Colts last week in a loss at Denver that erased playoff aspirations. Richardson has three consecutive home starts without an INT. Richardson has made just 14 NFL starts due to injuries that cost him most of last year, is completing only 47 percent of his passes for 1,683 yards with seven touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2024.

Los Angeles Rams (8-6) at New York Jets (4-10), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Rams rookie DE Kobie Turner and LB Jared Verse are helping turn the Los Angeles defensive into a surging strength. Turner had 2.0 sacks last week and Verse leads all rookies with 11 tackles for loss. Resurgent QB Aaron Rodgers and the Jets know all too well that protection has been a pain point. Rodgers and WR Davante Adams are fully reconnected. Adams had nine catches for 198 yards and two TDs in Week 15 and the Rams have allowed 23 TD passes. Rodgers gets another matchup with former division rival Matthew Stafford. Stafford was with the Lions and in the NFC North during most of Rodgers’ run with the Packers. His targets are big-play threats, too. Cooper Kupp was held without a reception last Thursday at San Francisco but Puka Nacua had seven grabs. If he gets 100 receiving yards Sunday, Nacua would join Justin Jefferson and Odell Beckham Jr. as the only players with 12 games of 100-plus receiving yards in their first two seasons.

New England Patriots (3-11) at Buffalo Bills (11-3), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Josh Allen appears to be on a one-way path to his first NFL MVP award, long removed from offseason worries the Bills would take a step back without a defined No. 1 receiver. By beating the Lions 48-42 last week, Buffalo became the fifth team to score 30 points in eight consecutive games in a single season and first since the 2013 Denver Broncos. Allen has 36 combined passing and rushing touchdowns (25 passing, 11 rushing) and can join Aaron Rodgers (six seasons) as the only players in NFL history with five career seasons with at least 40 combined passing and rushing touchdowns. All of those accomplishments are window dressing to Buffalo’s search for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, which requires two wins over the Patriots in the next three weeks and a little luck given Kansas City’s 13-1 record. Sunday marks the first game for Patriots QB Drake Maye in the AFC East rivalry. A win Sunday would be No. 75 in the regular season for Allen, tying Russell Wilson for the most in league history for a quarterback through his first seven seasons.

Minnesota Vikings (12-2) at Seattle Seahawks (8-6), 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX
A seven-game winning streak is the tailwind for the Vikings as they touch down in Seattle, but neither team is locked into playoff positioning. Minnesota clinched a postseason bid but shares the NFC’s best record with the Eagles and Lions. If the Vikings can survive the Seahawks, Packers and Lions unscathed and finish 15-2, they’ll have the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Vikings WR Justin Jefferson would become the third player in league history to start his career with five consecutive 1,300-yard seasons with just 57 yards in the next three weeks. The Seahawks are back in chase mode. Seattle had a four-game winning streak snapped by the Packers in Week 15 and coughed up the NFC West lead last week. The Seahawks fell behind the Rams (8-6) but can set up a meaningful Week 18 date with Los Angeles. Geno Smith (knee) is pushing through an injury and leading rusher Kenneth Walker III (calf) is expected to play after missing the past two games.

Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-12), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said the franchise is measuring effort and intensity in the final games of the 2024 season to determine which players are worth keeping around. Backup-turn-QB1 Mac Jones set season highs had 294 passing yards, 29 rushing yards, 31 completions and two TD passes last week. Leaning on rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr., who had 10-105-2 last week, Jones has found a rhythm the offense lacked in previous weeks. Not much has gone according to plan for either team and the Raiders are starting a third different quarterback in four games with former Jaguars starter Gardner Minshew out for the season and Desmond Ridder back to the bench with Aidan O’Connell returning from a knee bruise. The Raiders are down top talent elsewhere, too, placing DE Maxx Crosby on IR this week. Las Vegas is leaning into its own first-round receiver, TE Brock Bowers, to put up points. Bowers is tied for fourth in NFL with 90 catches and ranked No. 8 in the league with 968 receiving yards.

San Francisco 49ers (6-8) at Miami Dolphins (6-8), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
Brock Purdy doesn’t seem to mind hitting the road and has 23 touchdowns and two interceptions in his past 10 starts away from home. The 49ers beat Miami in 2022 in Purdy’s first career start on a run to the NFC Championship game but fortunes are down on both sides of this matchup. Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa looks to rebound from a rough outing against the Texans last week. He leads the NFL in completion percentage at 75.6 and is second in the NFL with 2,169 passing yards since Week 8. Injuries are a running theme for both teams. San Francisco likely is to be down to its fourth starting running back with rookie Isaac Guerendo out, leaving Patrick Taylor and Isreal Abanikanda to fill the role. Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill is dealing with multiple ailments but is expected to play.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6) at Dallas Cowboys (6-8), 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
Armed with a four-game winning streak and desperate to hold a one-game lead in the NFC South over the Atlanta Falcons, the Buccaneers enter playoff mode early. Dallas has three wins in the past four games, but the Cowboys are three games behind Washington. The Commanders (9-5) hold the final wild-card spot in the NFC entering Week 16 and the Cowboys are given a 1 percent chance of qualifying for the playoffs by NFL.com playoff predictor. Their last two wins came against teams long eliminated from the playoff picture, Carolina (3-11) and the New York Giants (2-12). Tampa Bay’s voluminous offense looms as troubling for a Dallas defense that has allowed 380 points to carry a worrisome minus-82 point differential. The Buccaneers lead the NFL with eight games of 400-plus total yards and four games with both 300-plus yards passing and more than 100 rushing. The Los Angeles Chargers were the NFL’s best scoring defense before the Bucs arrived last week and delivered a 40-17 thrashing led by QB Baker Mayfield tossing four TDs to add to his career-high 32.

–Field Level Media

Dallas Cowboys (5-8) at Carolina Panthers (3-10) 1 p.m. ET, FOX
What are the odds the Carolina Panthers are favorites in a game this season? This is the week. Oddsmakers for the first time since December 2022 are giving the Panthers the edge — they’re 2.5-point favorites as of Friday afternoon — over the Cowboys. Dallas rolls into Charlotte on a short turnaround from a 27-20 home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. Playoff prospects are dimming for Dallas after a botched blocked punt gave the ball back to the Bengals for their game-winning score. The Panthers are familiar with bum luck. Carolina lost its last three games but had chances to win each one late in setbacks to the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas has been in one-possession games for three consecutive weeks, winning the first two of those. Cooper Rush remains at quarterback with Dak Prescott out. He didn’t reach the 200-yard mark in passing the past two weeks with RB Rico Dowell providing a boost with back-to-back games 100-plus-yard games on the ground. One name and face the Panthers know from their 33-10 loss to Dallas last season is LB Micah Parsons. Parsons had six tackles, including 2.5 sacks, in the 2023 meeting. Panthers QB Bryce Young threw an interception for the first time in four games last week and head coach Dave Canales continues to celebrate his progress and competitive fire.

Kansas City Chiefs (12-1) at Cleveland Browns (3-10) 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Andy Reid has a 9-0 record against Cleveland and has two wins over Kevin Stefanski with the Browns, including a playoff victory in 2021. The Chiefs (12-1) clinched the division for the ninth straight season by edging the Los Angeles Chargers 19-17 last Sunday night. They could add PK Harrison Butker back to the roster from injured reserve, a weapon Kansas City would be glad to have given its penchant for close games this season. Pass rush is a constant talking point for both coaches, and in turn, pass protection. Breakdowns have led to turnovers — the starting quarterbacks have combined for 20 interceptions — and flipped momentum throughout the season. Browns QB Jameis Winston has 1,975 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has a 68.1 completion rate with 3,189 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Cleveland increased production on offense with Winston at quarterback. But a 27-14 setback against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week officially eliminated the Browns from playoff contention. The Chiefs are hoping to stockpile wins as they begin a stretch of three games in a 11 days sitting on a two-game lead in the AFC homefield race.

Miami Dolphins (6-7) at Houston Texans (8-5), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Slim and none are too harsh to describe Miami’s playoff chances, but those might be applicable tags if the Dolphins drop an eighth game of the season on Sunday at Houston. The Dolphins have won four of their past five games, but they remain a long shot to qualify for the AFC playoffs. The Dolphins went 1-3 and averaged 10 points per game while standout quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was sidelined due to a concussion and are still trying to climb out. They lost their first two games after Tagovailoa returned from IR and have topped 30 points in three of their past four games. Hope stayed alive last week. The Dolphins, who trailed by eight entering the fourth quarter, received a tying 52-yard field goal from Jason Sanders with seven seconds left to force overtime and beat the Jets. Off a bye last week, Houston could claim consecutive division titles on with a win Sunday and a loss by the Indianapolis Colts against the Denver Broncos. The Texans lead the Colts by two games and swept the two-game season series to hold the all-important tiebreaker. Because of a challenging closing schedule — Miami is the first of three opponents in a span of 11 days — head coach DeMeco Ryans wants all of Houston’s focus on Miami. The Texans visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 21 and then host the Baltimore Ravens four days later on Christmas Day, which falls on a Wednesday. The Texans are still trying to find firm footing with just two wins since a 5-1 start.

New York Jets (3-10) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-10), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
A matchup that feels quite draft-y, the Jaguars entered December in the race for the No. 1 overall pick for the third time in five years (2021, 2022). They’re even with the Jets with three wins meaning the losing team would have the draft order advantage in April. A dose of positive news would be welcome on either side. Jacksonville won for the first time since Oct. 20 snapping a five-game losing streak. The Jets last won on Halloween and extended their own losing streak to four games at Miami last week. The Jets have lost nine of their last 10 games, including four in a row. They are 2-7 in one-score games and have lost the last three games by a total of 12 points. QB Aaron Rodgers turned 41 this month but Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, a longtime Packers backup to Brett Favre, said he isn’t showing his age. Rodgers passed for 339 yards and a score in a 32-26 overtime loss at Miami. He 2,966 yards and 20 touchdowns. He’ll face Jaguars QB Mac Jones with Trevor Lawrence (concussion, shoulder) on IR.

Washington Commanders (8-5) at New Orleans Saints (5-8), 1 p.m., FOX
Saints fans, please welcome … Jake Haener? It’s possible New Orleans rolls out Haener for his first career start or turns to him early given the health of QB Derek Carr (hand). Maybe he’ll borrow from Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels, who is back in Louisiana where he starred as the Heisman Trophy winner at LSU last season. Daniels can become the fourth rookie QB with 3,000 passing yards (2,819) and 500 rushing (589). It also could be a homecoming for Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who was acquired by Washington in a trade with New Orleans on Nov. 5. The four-time Pro Bowler has missed the past five games because of a hamstring injury sustained while with the Saints, but he practiced in full on Wednesday and Thursday. If you need a little inspiration to squeeze in a holiday workout, consider the career of Commanders LB Bobby Wagner. He has 104 tackles in 2024 at age 34, giving him 100 tackles for the 13th consecutive season. Only London Fletcher has a streak that long since 2000. He gets a matchup with Saints RB Alvin Kamara worth watching. Kamara leads all backs with 64 receptions this season, ranks third in the NFL with 1,423 yards from scrimmage yards and is 62 yards shy of his first-ever 1,000-yard rushing season. Kamara also needs only 15 yards to hit 500 receiving yards for the season for his fifth time.

Baltimore Ravens (8-5) at New York Giants (2-11), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
It will be a marathon 11 days for the Ravens. Currently fifth seed in the conference playoff picture, there’s still time for Baltimore to make a jump in the standings. Just two games behind division-leading Pittsburgh with four games to go, the Ravens have a home date with the Steelers in Week 16 in the midst of a three-games-in-11-days gauntlet that includes a Christmas Day trip to Houston. One explicit focus for the Ravens is getting PK Justin Tucker fixed. He kicked outside in the rain this week while the Ravens were indoors working out in hopes of snapping a funk causing panic because of his existing legacy as one of the most reliable in the NFL. Tucker, who has a total of 10 missed kicks this season including two PATs, missed multiple kicks in the 24-19 loss to the Eagles in Week 13 before the Ravens’ bye week. It’s been an ultramarathon for the Giants already. With an eight-game losing streak, the Giants are making a QB change once more to start Tommy DeVito this week. DeVito was named starter after Daniel Jones was released last month. But he was battered by the Buccaneers in that game and Drew Lock started the Thanksgiving Day loss at Dallas. DeVito returns with the Giants still chasing their first win at home this season. First-round WR Malik Nabers wasn’t targeted in the first half of DeVito’s previous start. Still he’s been incredibly consistent — five-plus receptions in 10 of 11 games — while the QB carousel spins. Nabers has 80 receptions more than an NFL player in league history through their first 11 career games.

Cincinnati Bengals (5-8) at Tennessee Titans (3-10), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Titans head coach Brian Callahan might be one of the few professionals who could pitch a believable plan to stop Joe Burrow’s flame-throwing run through the NFL this season. Callahan became Titans head coach in January after serving as offensive coordinator of the Bengals and a direct tutor of Burrow. The student is glad to show his work on Sunday. Burrow leads the NFL with 3,706 pass yards & 33 TD passes in 2024. At Dallas on Monday, he posted his seventh game this season with three-plus TD passes, his sixth game with at least 300 yards passing and if Burrow overcomes a sore knee to do both Sunday in Nashville, he’ll join former 49ers QB Steve Young (1998) as the only players with 300-3 in five consecutive games. There’s another probable All-Pro on Callahan’s mind this week: WR Ja’Marr Chase. While Titans leading receiver Calvin Ridley has 738 yards in 13 games, here’s what Chase has done the past four games: 602 yards (150.5 per game), 8 TDs. Chase leads the NFL with 93 catches, 1,319 yards and 15 TDs. The Titans could soon be on the clock looking for their Burrow clone. Will Levis was thought to be a potential franchise quarterback but results in 2024 are uneven to date. There has been improvement from Levis taking care of the ball after struggling in that area to start the season. He’s INT-free for the past two games.

New England Patriots (3-10) at Arizona Cardinals (6-7), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
First-time general manager Eliot Wolf was on the clock with the No. 3 pick in the draft and two marquee players stood out: North Carolina QB Drake Maye and Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Wolf and the Patriots took the passer, and Maye is making strides. He hit 24 of 30 passes and one TD and rushed for 59 yards in Week 13 before New England’s bye week. During the time off Wolf & Company had a chance to take a look at Harrison Jr., who went one spot after Maye in the draft to the Cardinals. He leads all rookies with seven TD catches in 2024. Harrison is not the lead option for Arizona. TE Trey McBride is in the midst of an unstoppable stretch with seven-plus receptions (31 total) in the past three games. His 80 catches are tops on the Cardinals by a wide margin. The Patriots and Maye want to avoid playmaking S Budda Baker, who had 18 tackles last week and is second in the NFL with 132 tackles in 2024. Arizona is two games out of both the NFC West lead and the last wild-card spot, giving them two options to chase. While they would need to jump three teams to land a wild-card berth, they have to slip past two teams — the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams — to take the division.

Indianapolis Colts (6-7) at Denver Broncos (8-5), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
The Broncos hold a two-game lead over the Miami Dolphins (6-7) and Colts in the wild-card race, and they meet Sunday after a December bye week that opened additional time to prepare for what Colts head coach Shane Steichen is framing as a must-win in his own locker room. That’s because the Colts are two games behind the Texans in the AFC South and Houston holds the tiebreaker. Colts RB Jonathan Taylor could hold the key to keeping his team from folding in a feisty road environment. He has six 100-yard games this season, but the Broncos are among the league’s best at penetrating to disrupt timing in the backfield. That often means sending LB Nik Bonitto (11.0 sacks this season) and causing interior linemen to communicate protections to also account for DE Zach Allen (12 tackles for loss in 2024). Denver steps into the final four games of the season after a bye last week and the Broncos are riding a three-game winning streak. Not many projected the Broncos’ Bo Nix-to-Courtland Sutton combination to be one of the best in the league this season, but here they are on the doorstep of the playoffs and five consecutive games with at least six connections and 70 yards. That’s more than any QB-WR combo in the NFL this season.

Buffalo Bills (10-3) at Detroit Lions (12-1), 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX
A clash of conference frontrunners at Ford Field might point to a possible preview of the Super Bowl, but more imminently signals a lot of points. The Lions are the NFL’s top-scoring team at 32.5 points per game and the Bills are first in the AFC with 30.5 ppg. Already safely in the postseason, neither team wants to drop a game at this juncture because of the likely ramifications on home-field advantage through the conference title games. Playing outside of their comfortable home environment, Buffalo already has three losses this season. The Bills lost on the road to the Rams in one of Josh Allen’s top career performances — 424 yards (342 passing, 82 rushing), career-high six TDs (three pass, three rush) — and are trying to avoid back-to-back road defeats for the second time this season. Detroit is withstanding the gravity of losing several key defensive players to date. Explosive with depth on the offensive side of the ball, the Lions are already in playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 1993-95. QB Jared Goff has 25 touchdown passes to seven receivers and one to himself (no, seriously) and Detroit can grind with the best of them behind a powerful offensive line and RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. The Lions compiled 1,964 rushing yards and averaged 4.6 as a team in 2024. The NFC homefield fight could be decided Jan. 5 at Ford Field when the Minnesota Vikings visit.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6) at Los Angeles Chargers (8-5), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
In the playoff field as of final play of Week 14, there’s no ground to give for either team with four games remaining on the regular-season schedule. Up next for the Chargers is division rival Denver, which has a matching 8-5 record. Before the Chargers can get there, they’ll need to deal with Tampa Bay’s improved running game and QB Baker Mayfield. With Chargers leading receiver Ladd McConkey sidelined last week, WR Quentin Johnston seemed to awaken from a rough patch at Kansas City last week and has become a primary read for QB Justin Herbert again. Herbert rarely has put the ball in harm’s way with a run of 11 consecutive games and an NFL-record 335 consecutive attempts without an interception. Tight margins are customary to the Chargers. Los Angeles leads the NFL in points allowed (15.9 per game) but half of its eight wins were decided by seven points or fewer. Tampa Bay is back on track with three wins in a row, but the Buccaneers built that streak against the Raiders, Giants and Panthers. Those teams own a combined 7-32 record. Often overlooked in the NFC playoff picture because the South is anchored by three sub-.500 teams, the Buccaneers have wins over the Lions, Eagles and Commanders — two division leaders and one of the current wild-card spot holders. Tampa Bay has games with the Cowboys, Panthers and Saints left on the schedule.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (11-2), 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX
It’s feasible that Eagles WR A.J. Brown snuck a peek ahead at the schedule to see the Steelers coming and wanted a public decree to remind peers of his run of dominance against Pittsburgh. He had six catches for 153 yards and a career-high three TDs the last time he saw the Steelers and has consecutive games with at least 6-150-1 in the matchup. While “passing” has been backburnered, there’s a good and epically productive reason Philadelphia is last in the NFL in pass attempts: Saquon Barkley. He leads NFL and already set a franchise-record with 1,623 rushing yards this season. That’s the second-most all-time by a player in the first 13 games of season since 2000. Barkley leads the NFL with 1,890 scrimmage yards. The Eagles might appreciate the existing trend in this series with the home team winning nine of the past 10 meetings. But the Steelers are 6-1 with Russell Wilson at quarterback this season. Wilson is 5-0 in his career against the Eagles. He’s down his top wideout in George Pickens on Sunday. Pittsburgh does have familiar defensive stalwarts back together. LB Alex Highsmith was back in the lineup last week and record a sack. He’s the sidekick to T.J. Watt, who needs 0.5 sacks to hit 10 in a season for the sixth time in his career.

Green Bay Packers (9-4) at Seattle Seahawks (8-5), 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
The “12s” raise the flag on Sunday night encouraged to know the home team has won four straight in the often-dramatic Packers-Seahawks rivalry. The potential playoff preview brings added significance to possible tiebreaking — and homefield — scenarios in January. To ensure a home game in the playoffs, Seattle would like to stay a game ahead of the pack of NFC West teams in close pursuit following the Rams (8-6) win over the 49ers on Thursday. The Seahawks might have unintentionally unearthed an unstoppable backfield pairing with starter Kenneth Walker III idle last week. Zach Charbonnet set career highs in catches (seven), total yards (193), rushing yards (134) and two rushing TDs in a critical victory over Arizona. His emergence coincides with the rapid rise of WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba in a corps of receivers that also includes DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Given the newfound playmaking, it’s a good time for Green Bay to have top corner Jaire Alexander (knee) healthy for the first time in a month and rookie LB Edgerrin Cooper expecting to play after a long absence. The Packers continue to push RB Josh Jacobs toward peak production. He has eight rushing touchdowns in the past four games. And in Jacobs’ only career game against the Seahawks while he wore a Raiders’ uniform, Jacobs delivered a career-high 229 rushing yards, 74 receiving and two TD runs. Seattle DT Leonard Williams plopped himself in the NFL Defensive Player of the Year conversation with a run of highlight reel games the past month.

–Field Level Media

Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) at Atlanta Falcons (6-5), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Atlanta holds a one-game lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South but lost the last two games. The Falcons are seeking their first winning season and playoff appearance since 2017. Prior to the bye last week, Atlanta lost 38-6 on the road to the Denver Broncos. The offense managed just 226 total yards, while producing its lowest point total of the season. The Falcons’ defense didn’t fare much better, as the unit was gashed by rookie quarterback Bo Nix, who threw four touchdowns. QB Kirk Cousins has thrown for 2,807 yards — good for fifth in the NFL — and would become the first Falcons quarterback since Matt Ryan in 2008 to lead the team to the playoffs in his first year. Chargers first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh has his team in the second AFC wild-card spot, sandwiched between the 8-4 Baltimore Ravens and 7-5 Broncos and gained more breathing room with Miami’s loss at Green Bay on Thanksgiving night. After starting the year 3-3, the Chargers won four games in a row before dropping their home game Monday to the Ravens, 30-23. In a battle between Jim and his brother John, Los Angeles squandered a 10-0, second-quarter lead. Making matters worse, starting running back J.K. Dobbins suffered an MCL sprain in his left knee in the loss, and is expected to be out this week. He is considered week-to-week beyond that. Chargers backup running backs Gus Edwards and Hassan Haskins will try to account for the absence of Dobbins, who’s rushed for 766 yards and eight touchdowns this season.

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-7), 1 p.m., CBS
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin heaped praise upon Bengals QB Joe Burrow for his MVP-level play in 2024 and warned his troops this road trip isn’t one to take lightly. Pittsburgh isn’t panicked after a surprising Thursday night loss at Cleveland last week and with 10 days between games, Tomlin expects an effort representative of a division leader on Sunday. All three of the Steelers’ losses this season have come against teams that currently have a losing record. Pittsburgh also fell to the Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts. The Bengals have been in a rut — with three losses in their past four games — and were on the wrong end of a 34-27 decision against the Chargers on Nov. 17. Like Pittsburgh, Cincinnati came back from a sizable deficit only to lose the last time out. Joe Burrow threw three second-half touchdown passes against Los Angeles as the Bengals climbed out of a 27-6 hole, but Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins found the end zone from 29 yards out with 18 seconds left in regulation to break a 27-27 tie. Burrow went 28-for-50 passing for 356 yards and the three TDs. Making things harder for the Steelers could be the absence of linebacker Alex Highsmith, who did not practice on Wednesday because of an ankle injury that has forced him to miss two games.

Houston Texans (7-5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9), 1 p.m., FOX
A week after a demoralizing loss to the Tennessee Titans, the AFC South-leading Texans visit Jacksonville with the Jaguars rested following a bye week. The week prior, Jacksonville was overwhelmed in a humiliating 52-6 loss to the Detroit Lions. It marked the fourth straight setback for the Jaguars, who had dropped their previous three games by a combined 13 points. Jaguars coach Doug Pederson noted that changes are coming, although he opted not to show his cards. QB Trevor Lawrence, who has not played since Nov. 3 due to a left shoulder injury, is eager to play and compete against Texans QB C.J. Stroud, who has run into some struggles during his sophomore season. Stroud has thrown nine interceptions in 12 games (all starts) after throwing only five as a rookie. He was picked off twice in the 32-27 setback against Tennessee, also throwing for 247 yards and two touchdowns on 20-for-33 passing. The Texans have lost three of their past four games and four of their past six as defenses continue to solve Stroud. The Texans topped Jacksonville 24-20 back on Sept. 29.

Arizona Cardinals (6-5) at Minnesota Vikings (9-2), 1 p.m., FOX
Add the Minnesota Vikings to the observers who were urging the Bears to use a time out in the final 25 seconds of their Thanksgiving Day loss to the Lions, who maintained a one-game lead in the NFC North by hanging on for a 23-20 win. With their focus back on the field, the Vikings are targeting a second five-game winning streak this season when the Cardinals come to town. Minnesota claimed a 30-27 overtime win on the road against the Bears last Sunday. The Vikings have won each of their past three games on the road, and they return home for the first time since beating the Indianapolis Colts 21-13 four weeks ago. Arizona is trying to return to winning after a 16-6 defeat on the road against the Seattle Seahawks last week. The defeat snapped a four-game winning streak for the Cardinals, who started the season 2-4 but have gone 4-1 since then. But Sunday’s game and a rematch against Seattle could prove pivotal for his team’s postseason hopes. Two wins would put Arizona at 8-5; two losses put the team below .500. Kyler Murray owns a 98.0 passer rating, throwing for 2,343 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also has 380 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. James Conner is Arizona’s top backfield threat with 705 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Tight end Trey McBride has a team-high 61 catches for 685 yards.

Indianapolis Colts (5-7) at New England Patriots (3-9), 1 p.m., CBS
Penalties crippled the Colts’ offense and erased multiple big plays by QB Anthony Richardson in Week 12, a loss to the Lions that left the locker room frustrated. But all is not lost for the Colts as they hit the road for another AFC East opponent. Richardson and Co. collected only 11 first downs in a 24-6 loss to the Detroit Lions. Richardson completed 11 of 28 passes for 172 yards. He was also the Colts’ leading rusher (10 carries, 61 yards). Star running back Jonathan Taylor was held to 35 yards on 11 carries against Detroit, but Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen is hopeful that he will do more damage against the Patriots. Getting the run going could become even more important if wide receivers Josh Downs, Alec Pierce and Ashton Dulin aren’t able to take the field. All three wouldn’t have practiced on Wednesday had the Colts not opted to simply do a walkthrough. Downs’ absence could end up hurting Indianapolis the most. The second-year man has a team-leading 53 catches for 594 yards and four TDs. Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye said he’s not worried about the so-called wall first-year players often encounter with the longer NFL season. Maye makes his ninth appearance (eighth start) of the campaign. He didn’t excel in the Patriots’ 34-15 loss to the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. He finished with 222 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 22-of-37 passing.

Seattle Seahawks (6-5) at New York Jets (3-8), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Most of the focus for the Jets, who have lost six of their past seven games, already points to next season. That’s part of the reason they might not risk a hobbled Breece Hall, who has 632 yards rushing along with 46 catches for 401 yards and six total touchdowns this season but began the week with a knee injury coming out of the bye week. QB Aaron Rodgers, who turns 41 Monday, wasn’t among those listed on the injury report for the first time since September. The streaky Seahawks are back to their winning ways and are tied with the Cardinals atop the NFC West. After opening the season by going 3-0, Seattle lost five of its next six games before winning its past two against division rivals. Coach Mike Macdonald’s defense has been much improved since a bye in Week 10, as the Seahawks defeated the host San Francisco 49ers 20-17 and visiting Arizona 16-6 over the past two weeks. Coby Bryant returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown and Leonard Williams had 2.5 sacks against the Cardinals.

Tennessee Titans (3-8) at Washington Commanders (7-5), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Trade deadline acquisition Marshon Lattimore, a physical cornerback picked up from the Saints, could debut for the Commanders. They could use a jolt. Having lost three straight after a 7-2 start, the Commanders last won Nov. 3 on Hail Mary touchdown from rookie QB Jayden Daniels. Tennessee is coming off a 33-27 upset of the Houston Texans that featured one of Will Levis’ best starts of the season. Washington has lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys the past three weeks and enters Week 13 two games behind the NFC East-leading Eagles. After sputtering for three quarters against Dallas, Washington scored 17 fourth-quarter points in a wild 34-26 loss last week. Daniels completed 25 of 38 passes for 274 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, but 86 of those yards came on a late catch-and-run score by Terry McLaurin. In the three recent losses, Daniels has a 61.5 completion percentage, three touchdowns, three interceptions and a 77.7 passer rating while being sacked 10 times. Daniels did have his best rushing day since Week 1 when he gained 74 yards against Dallas. Improvement might not come easy. The Titans’ defense that ranks second in the NFL behind the Eagles, giving up just 276.4 yards per game. Levis returned from his right shoulder injury and the Titans have averaged 224.3 passing yards per game, with nine touchdown passes and six interceptions in the past six outings. RB Tony Pollard had his best game of the season against Houston, rushing 24 times for 119 yards and a touchdown.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6) at Carolina Panthers (3-8), 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX
Few introductions are needed on Sunday, as first-year Panthers coach Dave Canales came to Carolina after serving as Buccaneers offensive coordinator a season ago. Canales’ prized pupil last season, Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield was with the Panthers for part of the 2022 campaign. The Buccaneers (5-6) playing a division opponent for the first time since an Oct. 27 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The goal will be notching back-to-back wins for the first time since the first two weeks of the season. Four different ball-carriers, including Mayfield, found the end zone on the ground during a 30-7 drubbing of the New York Giants last Sunday. Mayfield also completed 24 of 30 passes for 294 yards. Star wideout Mike Evans was back in action for Tampa Bay following a three-game absence due to a hamstring injury. He finished with five receptions for 68 yards against the Giants and now gets a crack at a Carolina team allowing a league-high 30.9 points per game this season. However, the Panthers have tightened up their play as of late, winning two games in a row before hanging with the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in a 30-27 setback last Sunday. The outing against Kansas City may have been the most efficient performance of Panthers quarterback Bryce Young’s two-year career. Young completed 21 of 35 passes for 263 yards and one score without throwing a pick. Carolina and Tampa Bay might as well get used to each other, as the two teams will collide again in four weeks.

Los Angeles Rams (5-6) at New Orleans Saints (4-7), 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX
The Saints won both games they have played since interim head coach Darren Rizzi was promoted from special teams coordinator to replace Dennis Allen, who was fired Nov. 4 after a seven-game losing streak. New Orleans comes out of its bye sitting in third place in the NFC South, two games behind the Falcons and one game behind the Buccaneers. The Rams’ visit will be the third straight home game for Rizzi as interim head coach. The Saints beat the Falcons 20-17 in his debut and followed that with a 35-14 victory over Cleveland in which they outscored the Browns 21-0 in the fourth quarter. A series of significant injuries contributed to the losing streak, but New Orleans has gotten progressively healthier in recent weeks. Quarterback Derek Carr improved in each of the last three contests after returning from a three-game absence caused by an oblique strain. The return of center Erik McCoy from groin surgery after a seven-game absence was a boost against the Browns. The Saints’ signing of veteran receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on Oct. 22 with top receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed injured has given Carr a much-needed big-play threat. In the past two games, Valdes-Scantling has three touchdown receptions and has averaged 39.2 yards on five catches. The Rams are coming off a 37-20 home loss against the Eagles on Sunday night, their second defeat in three games after a three-game winning streak. They are tied with the San Francisco 49ers for last place in the NFC West, but they’re just one game behind the first-place Seahawks and Cardinals and have one game remaining against each of the three rivals. Coach Sean McVay called the loss to the Eagles “a humbling night” after his team struggled on both sides of the ball. The defense allowed Saquon Barkley to rush for a career-high and franchise-record 255 yards as well as two touchdowns, and Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford was sacked five times.

Philadelphia Eagles (9-2) at Baltimore Ravens (8-4), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
The Eagles have won seven in a row and play four of their final six games in Philadelphia, traveling only about 125 miles to visit the Ravens this weekend and the Commanders in Week 16. Sunday’s game features the NFL’s two leading rushers. Saquon Barkley (1,392 yards) and Derrick Henry (1,325) are far ahead of Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs (944) in third place. Henry leads the league with 13 rushing touchdowns. Barkley (10) is tied for fourth and Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts (11) tied for second. The matchup also features two of the top candidates for Most Valuable Player honors entering Week 13 in Barkley and Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, who won his second MVP award last season. Their competition includes quarterbacks Josh Allen of Buffalo and Jared Goff of Detroit, with Allen widely considered the favorite. The showdown at M&T Bank Stadium also pits Baltimore’s No. 1 offense (426.7 yards per game) and No. 2 scoring offense (30.3 points per game) against Philadelphia’s No. 1 defense (274.6) and No. 6 scoring defense (18.1). The Eagles have held seven consecutive opponents to under 300 total yards, while the Ravens have gained at least 329 yards of offense in all 11 games. Philadelphia is coming off a 37-20 road win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night in which Barkley smashed the franchise record with 255 rushing yards. Baltimore also earned a prime-time win in Los Angeles last week, defeating the Chargers 30-23 in the “Harbaugh Bowl” on Monday night behind Jackson’s three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing). Philadelphia is 5-1 away from home this season — 6-1 if you count their season-opening “home” victory against the Packers in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Baltimore is 4-1 at home.

San Francisco 49ers (5-6) at Buffalo Bills (9-2), 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
Buffalo can clinch the AFC East before the calendar flips to December while the 49ers are staggered and stumble into New York bracing for snow with a good chance of backups in the forecast. QB Brock Purdy (shoulder) missed the Week 12 loss at Green Bay and San Francisco was also without All-Pro DE Nick Bosa (oblique, hip), with LT Trent Williams (ankle) motoring through the locker room this week on a knee scooter. Buffalo is not the ideal place to try to get healthy. The Bills dealt the Chiefs their only loss this season and Buffalo has scored at least 30 points in five consecutive games. QB Josh Allen has passed for 18 touchdowns against five interceptions this season after throwing a career-worst 18 picks last season. San Francisco got walloped last week without Purdy, falling 38-10 to the host Packers. Brandon Allen started at quarterback and completed 17 of 29 passes for 199 yards with one touchdown pass, one interception and one lost fumble. Allen is 2-8 as an NFL starter. He is again getting heavy work in practice in case Purdy’s shoulder doesn’t significantly improve. The 49ers could use a big performance from running back Christian McCaffrey, who had just 31 yards on 11 carries and caught three passes for 37 yards against Green Bay.

–Field Level Media

Green Bay Packers (6-3) at Chicago Bears (4-5), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Green Bay hopes to roar out of the bye week and keep its dominance of the Bears on trend. Head coach Matt LaFleur is 10-0 against the Bears and counterpart Matt Eberflus is 0-4 in his career against the Packers. Since their bye week, the Bears played three games and dipped from 4-2 and contender conversation to hot water, dropping all three games with a total of 27 points. Eberflus made a change at offensive coordinator and promoted Thomas Brown to the play-caller role. While a yo-yo of personnel contributed, Chicago hasn’t been committed to running the ball — 43 attempts in the past two games — compared to the Packers, who have games with 53, 37, 38 and 39 rushes. In turn, No. 1 pick Caleb Williams has been sacked 15 times with zero TDs the past two games. The Bears will know where they stand in the NFC North division by the end of the month. Sunday is the first division game for the Bears. They host the Vikings (7-2) next week and spend Thanksgiving with the Lions (8-1).

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-8) at Detroit Lions (8-1), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Aaron Glenn has been masterful in helping Detroit rack up nothing but wins since Week 2. One prized pupil is hybrid defensive back Brian Branch, a playmaker and the heartbeat of the group since Aidan Hutchinson (knee) was lost for the season. Branch is the only player in the league with 25-plus passes defensed and 10 tackles for loss since the start of 2023. He’ll get in on the assignments of slowing a two-headed monster at running back with Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby, while also trying to prevent rookie WR Brian Thomas from getting behind the defense. Backup QB Mac Jones makes another start with Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) banged up. Jones passed for 111 yards last week. The Lions found a way to win with Jared Goff at his season’s worst — five interceptions — in Week 10. He passed for 340 yards and two TDs in his last game against the Jaguars. No. 1 WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is going for his eighth consecutive game with a TD catch.

Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) at Miami Dolphins (3-6), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
With one tackle for loss, Raiders DE Maxx Crosby would become the third player in since 2000 with 100 TFLs, and he notched a sack in the last go-round with Miami. He’s the menace in the trenches that worries Miami the most, even as the Dolphins are finding success with the short passing game and explosive RB De’Von Achane. The Raiders are searching for answers that didn’t come from Luke Getsy, the offensive coordinator fired before Las Vegas took a bye in Week 10 to get new play-caller Scott Turner and his more prominent dad, Norv Turner, comfortable with existing personnel. QB Gardner Minshew received a soft endorsement from head coach Antonio Pierce — “what do we have to lose, we’re 2-7” — and starts again after being replaced by Desmond Ridder in a blowout loss at Cincinnati before the bye.

Los Angeles Rams (4-5) at New England Patriots (3-7), 1 p.m., FOX
Rookie QB Drake Maye awakened Demario Douglas and Ja’Lynn Polk, who were nonfactors during Jacoby Brissett’s run as the Patriots’ starter to begin the season. But the Patriots aren’t fully weaponized relative to their opposition Sunday. Matt Stafford has 25-plus completions in three games in a row because of the dynamic route-runners outside, Puka Nacua (9-98 last week vs. Miami) and Cooper Kupp (7-80). Bell-cow RB Kyren Williams is tied for third in the NFL with 10 total touchdowns to maintain offensive balance. Blocking in front of Stafford might have coach Sean McVay perspiring. New England’s DE Deatrich Wise and LB Anfernee Jennings both had two sacks at Chicago last week and DE Keion White is among the league leaders in snap-to-pressure time based on advanced metrics analysis. New England had nine total sacks in Week 10, when Stafford went down four times.

Cleveland Browns (2-7) at New Orleans Saints (3-7), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Jameis Winston knows his way around New Orleans, and the former Saints quarterback who previously started for division rival Tampa Bay comes to town trying to keep Cleveland out of the NFL cellar. The Browns are one of four AFC teams with two wins. Injuries on the offensive line and the switches at QB and wide receiver have made for a disjointed outfit in Cleveland. The Saints ended a seven-game losing streak in their first game under interim head coach Darren Rizzi last week, a 20-17 surprise takedown of NFC South-leading Atlanta. QB Derek Carr connected for two touchdowns with WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling. New Orleans allowed more than 400 yards for the fourth time this season, including 181 rushing yards, which is sure to catch the attention of Browns play-caller Ken Dorsey. Dorsey doesn’t mind close games and wants to distribute the weight of the offense away from Winston’s shoulders to RB Nick Chubb.

Indianapolis Colts (4-6) at New York Jets (3-7), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Playoffs? The Colts are still thinking postseason and reversed their decision at quarterback as coach Shane Steichen pushed the reset button on second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. Steichen sat Richardson days after a 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans on Oct. 27. Richardson not only struggled with accuracy in that game (10-of-32 passing), he tapped out in exhaustion before a key third-down play in the second half. The wake-up call the Colts desired didn’t come from Joe Flacco, who helped steer the Browns to the playoffs after signing in November. Flacco threw a combined four interceptions in losses to Minnesota and Buffalo, including a pick-six in last week’s 30-20 setback to the Bills on Indianapolis’ first play of the game. The Jets’ defense can make life difficult for Richardson, who has completed only 44.4 percent of his 133 passes for 958 yards with four touchdowns and seven interceptions. He’s rushed for 242 yards, second on the team, but has fumbled six times in six games. Which Jets team will show up Sunday afternoon is the mystery. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich summarized the defensive effort at Arizona last week saying he saw a “criminal, egregious amount” of missed tackles. Aaron Rodgers continues as the New York quarterback but the 31-6 loss at Arizona was a dud. Rodgers had 151 yards on 22-of-35 passing but lost 23 yards while taking three sacks.

Baltimore Ravens (7-3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
For the first time this season the Steelers are staring across the line at an AFC North division opponent and first place is up for grabs when the Ravens come calling. Two new faces make their introduction in the storied rivalry. The Steelers roll out QB Russell Wilson and the Ravens yank the curtain to shine the spotlight on RB Derrick Henry, the NFL’s No. 2 rusher (1,120 yards, 12 TDs) who has a league-leading TD streak of 11 games. The Ravens lead the NFL in total offense (440.2 yards per game). Baltimore is the third team ever with 20-plus points and 375-plus total yards in each of its first 10 games of season. The full story there is the Ravens can’t afford to take their foot off the accelerator because their defense has been user-friendly. The Steelers are giving up only 16.2 points per game, second in the NFL, and have had the number of Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, 1-3 all-time as a starting quarterback against the Steelers.

Minnesota Vikings (7-2) at Tennessee Titans (2-7), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Why is Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell on the defensive about his quarterback? Sam Darnold is three TDs shy of his first NFL season with 20 touchdowns, but he’s already at 10 interceptions after tossing three last week in a palm-sweat performance against the Jaguars. The Vikings won (12-7), and O’Connell said the focus should be on the result. Darnold does have multiple TD passes in three of four starts on the road for the Vikings and the Titans have proven capable of playing the role of easy prey. They’ve lost four of the past five games and are 1-3 in Nashville this season. Sunday provides another chance for the Titans to determine whether Will Levis can be the long-term solution at quarterback. He has seven touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2024 but unlike Darnold, there’s no Justin Jefferson to turn to when times are tough. Tony Pollard leads the Titans with 666 rushing yards and three touchdowns but has been hindered by a foot injury. Calvin Ridley is the team’s No. 1 wide receiver with 32 catches for 483 yards and three scores. Jefferson leads the Vikings with 53 receptions for 831 yards and five TDs.

Atlanta Falcons (6-4) at Denver Broncos (5-5), 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS
If Broncos rookie RB Audric Estime can hold onto the football, he’s likely to assume a leading role in Denver’s youth movement. Estime had a career-high 53 rushing yards last week and Javonte Williams has yet to leave the runway in what some projected to be a breakout season. The Falcons are doing just fine with a timeshare between Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier behind Kirk Cousins in the backfield. Robinson is one of three NFC backs with 1,000 yards from scrimmage already in 2024 and can challenge the Broncos’ underappreciated front seven. Denver’s offense needs more of a spark. The Broncos mustered only 260 total yards in last week’s 16-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, when Will Lutz’s 35-yard field goal attempt was blocked as time expired. The week prior, Denver managed only 10 points against a Baltimore defense that had been torched all season.

Seattle Seahawks (4-5) at San Francisco 49ers (5-4), 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX
QB Brock Purdy had a season-high 353 passing yards last week in Christian McCaffrey’s first game of the season. McCaffrey returns to Levi’s Stadium on Sunday for the first time since January as the 49ers attempt to break up the logjam in the NFC West. McCaffrey has seven touchdowns and an average of 168.4 yards from scrimmage in seven career games against the Seahawks and WR Deebo Samuel averages a TD per game against Seattle. WR DK Metcalf plans to return from a knee injury this week with Seattle coming out of its bye week. The Seahawks have lost five of six games since a 3-0 start. Sagging defensive numbers are not encouraging with McCaffrey in the 49ers’ lineup. In the 12-point defeat by San Francisco on Oct. 10, the Seahawks allowed a season-worst 228 rushing yards and 6.9 yards per carry to a 49ers’ attack powered by Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo.

Kansas City Chiefs (9-0) at Buffalo Bills (8-2), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
At Highmark Stadium for a matchup of AFC frontrunners and division leaders, the Chiefs put their highwire act on display and go for a 10-0 start and 16th consecutive win dating to last season. QB Patrick Mahomes is 4-3 against Josh Allen and the Bills, averaging 289.1 passing yards per game with 16 total touchdowns in seven career starts including the playoffs. Mahomes might have his best detail of skill players yet this season with JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring) pegged to play alongside De’Andre Hopkins for the first time. With seven of nine wins coming in one-possession games this season, the Chiefs do have one cause for concern with the third-most reliable kicker in NFL history, Harrison Butker, landing on IR with a knee injury. Untested 25-year-old rookie Spencer Shrader could be called upon in a tight game Sunday in his K.C. debut. Buffalo claimed the past three regular-season games in the series, all of which were played in Kansas City. And the Bills can still tap into a revenge factor. The eventual repeat Super Bowl champion Chiefs eliminated the Bills in the AFC divisional playoffs 27-24 at Buffalo in January. The Bills rank third in points per game (29) — the Chiefs average 24.3 — and Allen didn’t throw two picks in a game until a win over the Indianapolis Colts last week. Buffalo leads the NFL in turnover margin at plus-13. And the Bills bring a respectable defense of their own. The group is allowing just 19.3 points per game and has 19 takeaways, the latter figure ranking second in the league.

Cincinnati Bengals (4-6) at Los Angeles Chargers (6-3), 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
The Chargers have won the past three meetings in the series with Cincinnati and put their league-leading defense (13.1 points per game allowed) on display against Joe Burrow. The Bengals QB is putting up MVP-caliber numbers and pumping the ball to WR Ja’Marr Chase, who put on a memorable show last week: 11 receptions, 264 yards, three TDs. Los Angeles has held opponents under 18 points the past six consecutive games and only one team — the Steelers in September — has put up 20. The Chargers are not a flashy offensive outfit and operate behind a physical offensive line that sets the tone in the running game to soften defenses to play-action threats from QB Justin Herbert. The Bengals are familiar with the Los Angeles RB duo of Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, offseason imports from the Ravens’ scrap heap who had a few stories to tell in scouting meetings this week. They’ve combined for 838 rushing yards and Dobbins has six touchdown runs.

–MONDAY
Houston Texans (6-4) at Dallas Cowboys (3-6), 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
Edge rusher Micah Parsons returned from injured reserve to post two sacks last week and could be the key to collapsing the Texans’ offensive line to make C.J. Stroud uncomfortable. Stroud hasn’t thrown an interception in three of the past four games and Houston has benefited from a vintage Joe Mixon. He has six games with 90-plus yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, tied for the most in the NFL this season. Stroud has WR Nico Collins back from a hamstring injury to threaten Dallas over the top. The same can’t be said for the Cowboys and CeeDee Lamb after backup QB Cooper Rush had just one pass completion of 10 yards in his first start of the season last week. Rush gets the call again and shares the backfield with Rico Dowdle, the decided No. 1 back for Dallas. Lamb has been up to the task in primetime games with Dak Prescott, catching 25 passes for 306 yards and three TDs.

–Field Level Media