The stakes are high in Week 14 with several scenarios set to play out.
The Arizona Cardinals can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Rams on Tuesday, while the Bucs can clinch also the NFC South title with a win and a Saints loss.
Green Bay, meanwhile, could lock up the NFC North with a win over the Bears on Monday, something that has felt like a foregone conclusion for the last month.
This is also a big week for teams fighting for a Wild Card spot, so be sure to find out who we’re backing in our NFL Week 14 Preview here!
This is basically a do-or-die scenario for the Vikings on Friday.
Minnesota’s shock loss to the previously winless Lions has made life tough in the Wild Card race, and it is a little surprising to find the Vikings favoured so heavily at home.
Pittsburgh holds similar aspirations after holding on for a crucial win over the rival Ravens last week.
Ben Roethlisberger wound back the clock a little in that game, but I think Najee Harris will prove the difference here based on Minnesota’s defensive troubles against the run.
This is an intriguing game to say the least.
Suddenly, Washington is back in the thick of things after rattling off four straight wins, three of which have come against respectable teams like Tampa Bay, Seattle, and Las Vegas.
The Washington defence has been the story over the last two weeks, holding both the Seahawks and the Raiders to exactly 15 points.
Running the ball against Washington has been extremely difficult this season, while the Cowboys, on the other hand, continue to rank towards the top of the league in turnovers after picking off Taysom Hill four times last week.
If those trends hold up, the Under looks a good bet.
This looks like another tough game for Jacksonville on the back of last week’s blowout loss to the Rams.
Trevor Lawrence’s struggles under center have only gotten worse, while the fact the Jags are averaging close to 30 points a game to opponents spells further bad news against a well-rested Titans team.
Tennessee has gone 5-1 after the bye since 2015, and I don’t imagine they’ll have any trouble running the ball against Jacksonville’s leaky defence.
The Seahawks kept their season alive last week with a crucial win over the Niners, and they now have another opportunity to improve on their record against the hapless Texans.
At 2-10, Houston was eliminated from playoff contention last week following a 31-0 shutout against the Colts, leaving the Texans with very little to play for.
Defensively, I don’t feel great about the Seahawks, and I still think the playoffs are a long shot, but this should be a game they win if Russell Wilson plays like he did in the second half last week.
The Seahawks also found some success running the ball for a change, a trend that should continue against the one of the league’s worst defensive teams when it comes to stopping the run.
At 6-6, the Raiders still have enough time to make the playoffs, but their remaining strength of schedule suggests it won’t be easy.
After losing a thriller last week against Washington, Vegas now takes a trip to Arrowhead to face the red-hot Chiefs – a team that has rattled off five in a row.
Kansas City suddenly looks like one of the top teams to beat in the AFC, and after holding their last four opponents to 14 points or less, it’s not hard to see why.
The Raiders were manhandled 41-14 by the Chiefs only three weeks ago, a game that saw Patrick Mahomes throw for over 400 yards and five touchdowns.
After a rough start to the season, Andy Reid’s offence is now firing on all cylinders, and with the Raiders giving up close to 26 points a game, this looks like a tough ask on the road.
The Saints take a trip to the Meadlowlands this week hoping to snap their five-game skid.
It’s crazy to think New Orleans was once one of the top seeds in the NFC, but there’s a strong chance the Saints grab a Wild Card spot with one of the easiest remaining schedules in the league.
The Jets have nothing left to play for at this point, but they will be looking to build on a spirited first half last week against the Eagles.
Zach Wilson’s accuracy issues ultimately cost the Jets in the end, but this might be a slightly easier matchup against a Saints secondary that has given up an average of 250 yards a game.
It’s difficult to back the Jets for a win, but with the Saints giving up points easily, the chances of New York making a game of this seem high.
Far from the most exciting game on the schedule, but it’s definitely an important one as far as the NFC Wild Card picture is concerned.
Both at 5-7, the Falcons and Panthers are still a chance at making the playoffs, even if their product on the field doesn’t resemble it.
Like the market suggests, there really isn’t much separating these two sides, particularly with both offences proving very inconsistent week to week.
Fortunately, these two sides met only a fortnight ago, a game the Panthers won 19-13.
Points proved hard to come by that day, which has become a common theme in this fixture with 13 of the last 17 games between Atlanta and Carolina falling Under the Total.
Another week, another key AFC North clash.
For the Browns, this might be a ‘season on the line’ type scenario after losing to this same Ravens team a fortnight ago.
Baltimore, meanwhile, can distance itself from Cincinnati atop the North and also secure the top seed in the AFC again following last week’s stunning loss to Pittsburgh.
Of all the markets, this is probably the most interesting one this week.
The Browns are slight favourites in betting, which comes as a surprise when you consider they’ve won only two from their last five games.
That said, the favourite is 4-0 against the spread in the last four meetings between these two teams, so I’m not about to argue.
You only have to look at recent scores to realise points have proven hard to come by for both sides, so instead, I’ll be riding the fence by backing the Under.
Justin Herbert was phenomenal last week in the Chargers’ win over the Bengals, and he should have no problem putting up similar numbers against a Giants defence that ranks Top 10 in yards allowed.
A win for Los Angeles is crucial this week if they hope to keep pace with the Chiefs in the AFC West, while the Wild Card race is also on with LA, Cincinnati and Buffalo all sitting at 7-5.
This isn’t a matchup we see very often, but it’s worth noting the Chargers have won all three of their previous meetings with the Giants dating back to 2009.
Although Herbert can win the game on his arm, I think this one might be decided on the ground.
Stopping the run has proven a problem for both sides this year, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Saquon Barkley and Austin Ekeler find the scoreboard.
Tough to know what to make of the Lions on the back of last week’s emotional win over Minnesota.
On one hand, the monkey is finally off Dan Campbell’s back, but it’s hard to know if Detroit has much left to give heading into a difficult road environment like Mile High.
The Broncos, meanwhile, are coming off a loss to the red-hot Chiefs – a result that put a slight dent in Denver’s Wild Card chances.
Still, that hasn’t been enough to sway bookmakers away from the Broncos, and I think that’s largely due to Detroit’s defence.
Through the air, the Lions have held their own, but they’ve still allowed an average of 110 yards per game on the ground.
Broncos rookie running back Javonte Williams had a big day at the office last week against the Chiefs, so he might just be the difference-maker here.
It wouldn’t be surprising if this turns out to be one of the most exciting games of the week.
The Niners currently occupy the third Wild Card seed in the NFC, but at 6-6, there’s still plenty of work to be done on the back of last week’s thriller against Seattle.
Likewise, the Bengals are eager to bounce back from a sloppy second half that cost them a big loss to the Chargers at home.
Trends-wise, Cincinnati has been a strong bet on the back of a loss, going 3-1 straight-up and against the spread.
Joe Burrow was no match for Justin Herbert last week, but I think he can bounce back from his four-interception game.
The 49ers defence has been tough to throw against, but the Niners aren’t a team that creates turnovers.
If the Bengals can keep Burrow clean and limit George Kittle on the other end, I think they win a tight one.
The Bills suffered another loss at the hands of Bill Belichick last week, and they’ll now square off against their second biggest rival, Tom Brady, on Monday.
Tampa Bay’s two-game losing streak feels like a distant memory on the back of three straight wins over the Giants, Colts, and Falcons, but it’s fair to say this is also a big test for Tampa Bay against a genuine Super Bowl contender.
The Bucs have opened -3.5 favourites at home, but I’m happy to take them on given Buffalo’s strong 3-1 record against the spread on the back of a loss.
While Sean McDermott was outsmarted by Belichick last week, I don’t think you can read too much into that game given the weather, and Buffalo’s turnover troubles.
Overall, this should be a fascinating battle between two of the stingiest defences in the NFL, but if the Bills can hold on to the ball and shut down Brady through the air, they’ll go close.
Aaron Rodgers proclaimed he “owned” the Bears back in Week 6, and based on his career numbers against Chicago, it’s extremely tough to argue.
Rodgers has recorded 21 from 26 games against the Bears to go along with over 6,000 passing yards and 57 touchdowns.
Those numbers alone are enough to strike fear into the hearts of Chicago fans, although it’s fair to say expectations aren’t exactly high on the back of last week’s turnover-filled loss to the Cardinals.
Justin Fields has been cleared to start for this game after suffering a rib injury, but based on his struggles earlier in the year, it’s hard to get on board with the Bears causing any kind of upset.
To make matters worse, the Packers are fresh from a bye and playing with home-field advantage, while the potential inclusion of star corner Jaire Alexander will only make life harder for the young rookie.
The NFC West is the most exciting division in the league right now and it could easily be decided this week between the Rams and Cardinals.
LA snapped a three-game skid last week with a 37-7 demolition of the Jaguars, but the jury remains out on the defence after giving up 30+ points to the Niners and Packers in the two games prior.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise to find the Cardinals as the favourite following a convincing win over the Bears.
Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins were back to their best, a combination the Rams are plenty familiar with after the pair hooked up for 67 yards when they met back in Week 4.
The status of running back Chase Edmonds could be crucial to Arizona’s chances, though.
If he plays, the Cardinals should prove very tough to beat, but I still think James Conner has shown enough in recent weeks to suggest he’s capable of carrying the load.