In addition to our game previews below, be sure to keep an eye on our NFL injury report and the latest fantasy football news. For player usage updates and roster context, check out RotoWire's NFL Depth Charts, and don't miss the Weekly Projections to see how this week's matchups shape up.
EARLY SUNDAY
N.Y. Jets (+13.5) at Baltimore, o/u 44.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST
I get that the Jets' offense wasn't really working with Justin Fields under center, but how much of that is his fault? With Garrett Wilson sidelined, Breece Hall is arguably the team's most dangerous pass-catcher, as rookie tight end Mason Taylor has been hit or miss and the wideout room is now headlined by a pair of second-round castoffs from other teams, though to be fair to John Metchie, this might be the first chance he's had in the NFL to show why he was drafted that high. The offensive line is a bottom-10 unit, and OC Tanner Engstrom hasn't really shown anything to suggest he was a particularly vital part of the Lions' brain trust before following Aaron Glenn to New York. All that is a roundabout way of saying no, 36-year-old Tyrod Taylor isn't the answer, unless the question is, "How do the Jets improve their chances of landing the top pick in the 2026 pick?" Taylor might marginally raise the floor on the offense, but he doesn't have Fields' ceiling, and ceiling games are one of few ways this bunch is going to steal a win from anybody.
Like clockwork, the Ravens' defense has started to shine after a brutal start to the season. It's reminiscent of the later Bill Belichick years in New England, when the Patriots would use the first month or so of the season as essentially an extended preseason to figure out what would work for that year's roster, before nailing things down and making everyone who wrote "Is this the end for the Patriots?" articles in October look silly. Baltimore's held five consecutive opponents to less than 20 points while generating nine takeaways, and with Lamar Jackson reasonably close to healthy, the team's won four straight since its bye to sit just one game back of the Steelers for the AFC North lead. Jackson's various lower-body issues have kept him from running much — he has just 60 rushing yards in three games since returning from a hamstring strain, and now he's dealing with an ankle injury — but he's managed a 5:1 TD:INT, and the defense has made sure the offense doesn't have to work too hard to get the job done. Derrick Henry, on the other hand, has roared to life with 368 rushing yards, three TDs and a 4.7 YPC since the bye, and last week's 103 yards and a score against a tough Browns run defense is a good omen that he could be gearing up for one of his patented steamroller jobs during the stretch run.
Key Info
NYJ injury report: RB Braelon Allen (IR, knee), WR Garrett Wilson (IR, knee), WR Josh Reynolds (IR, hip), RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (IR, tricep), EDGE Will McDonald (questionable, quadricep), DT Harrison Phillips (questionable, foot), CB Azareye'h Thomas (questionable, concussion), S Andre Cisco (IR, pectoral)
BAL injury report: WR Rashod Bateman (questionable, ankle), TE Isaiah Likely (questionable, calf), LG Andrew Vorhees (questionable, foot), EDGE Nnamdi Madubuike (IR, neck), LB Roquan Smith (questionable, hamstring), S Kyle Hamilton (questionable, shoulder)
Slight lean: TE Mason Taylor (BAL 27th in DVOA vs. TE)
Strong lean: WR DeAndre Hopkins (NYJ 31st in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight fade: WR Tyler Johnson (BAL 10th in receptions per game allowed to WR3s)
Slight fade: WR Tylan Wallace (NYJ sixth in receptions per game allowed to WR3s)
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NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Hall strikes for 120 scrimmage yards and a TD. Taylor throws for less than 200 yards and runs in a touchdown of his own. Henry thunders for 130 yards and two scores. Jackson throws for less than 200 yards and a TD to Zay Flowers. Ravens 27-20
Pittsburgh (+2.5) at Chicago, o/u 45.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST
The Steelers took care of business against the Bengals last week to stay atop the AFC North, but they paid a price for the victory as both Aaron Rodgers and Jaylen Warren came out of the game nursing injuries. Warren's issue is the less serious one, as he's dealing with a minor ankle sprain, and the downgrade if Kenneth Gainwell starts in his place would be a small one anyway. Whoever gets carries will also face a Chicago defense missing its top three linebackers, which is always nice. Rodgers' however, suffered a fracture in left (non-throwing) wrist, which could give him issues gripping the football, and if there seems to be any chance of him making things worse by playing, Pittsburgh will have to weigh the short-term need to stay ahead of the Ravens against the long-term risk of perhaps losing him for an even longer stretch, and for more crucial games. Mason Rudolph at least knows the offensive scheme and he was efficient in relief last week, but drawing conclusions from a performance against Cincy would be ... let's just call it rash. Rudolph's career 29:20 TD:INT in 32 appearances and 85.5 QB rating offer a much better glimpse at his distinctly unremarkable skill set. The Steelers' pass rush sits third in the NFL in sacks, but their spot in takeaways (tied for second) is at least a little misleading, as 11 of the defense's 18 turnovers came in only two games. If Rudolph's under center, though, it will be mainly on T.J. Watt and company to keep the team competitive.
Ben Johnson's smoke and mirrors act has somehow carried the Bears to the top of the NFC North at 7-3. Chicago's actually in the red in point differential at minus-6 (the Packers are plus-44 but 6-3-1, while the Lions are plus-76 but only 6-4), but Caleb Williams and company have won seven of their last eight, with five of those last six victories coming by five points or fewer. That includes narrow escapes against the likes of the Raiders, Bengals and Giants, and even their 25-24 win over a Jayden Daniels-led Commanders squad in Week 6 looks less impressive in retrospect. The Bears' closing schedule gets a lot more daunting, and after this week they face the Eagles, 49ers and Lions plus the Packers twice, with only a Week 15 home tilt against the Browns offering some respite from the gauntlet. I'm still not entirely convinced this will be a 10-win team when it's all said and done, but every win the Bears bank gets them that much closer to a playoff spot. It would be a lot more reassuring if Chicago was winning because of Williams more often than not, rather than despite him. The second-year QB has thrown multiple TDs only once in the last seven games, and he's only completed 60-plus percent of his passes once during that stretch as well. Instead it's been a surprisingly opportunistic defense leading the way, as DC Dennis Allen's crew paces the league in takeaways with 22, while also sitting second in third-down efficiency allowed. It's also 30th in yards per play allowed and 26th in points per game allowed though, so if the Bears even stop snuffing out drives consistently, the whole house of cards would probably come tumbling down. If there's reason for optimism on that front, it's that the secondary figures to get healthier soon with corners Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon both back at practice.
Key Info
PIT injury report: QB Aaron Rodgers (questionable, wrist), RB Jaylen Warren (questionable, ankle), LG Isaac Seumalo (questionable, pectoral), EDGE Alex Highsmith (questionable, pectoral), CB Darius Slay (questionable, concussion), S DeShon Elliott (IR, knee)
CHI injury report: LB Tremaine Edmunds (out, groin), LB T.J. Edwards (out, hand), LB Noah Sewell (out, elbow), CB Jaylon Johnson (IR, groin), CB Kyler Gordon (IR, calf), S Jaquan Brisker (questionable, shoulder)
Slight lean: RB Jaylen Warren / Kenneth Gainwell (CHI 28th in rushing DVOA, 29th in YPC allowed, 25th in rushing yards per game allowed, 27th in passing DVOA vs. RB)
Slight lean: WR Olamide Zaccheaus (PIT 25th in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight fade: WR DK Metcalf (CHI eighth in DVOA vs. WR1)
Strong fade: WR DJ Moore (PIT second in DVOA vs. WR2)
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NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Gainwell starts and gains 90 scrimmage yards and a score. Rudolph starts and throws for less than 200 yards while getting picked off twice, but he does find Darnell Washington for a touchdown. D'Andre Swift churns out 80 combined yards, while Kyle Monangai adds 60 yards and a TD. Williams throws for less than 200 yards and two scores, one each to Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland. Bears 27-17
New England at Cincinnati (+8), o/u 49.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST
The Patriots extended their winning streak to eight games last week against the Jets, and while that impressive run has contained only a couple credible opponents, they've risen to the challenge every time they've needed to. They only have a couple more such tests ahead — Weeks 15 and 16 against the Bills and Ravens — and given the New England already has a win over Buffalo and a superior divisional record, Mike Vrabel's squad controls its own destiny when it comes to winning the AFC East. Drake Maye looks like the big prize in the 2024 QB class, topping an 8.0 YPA in all eight games during the winning streak while posting a 71.5 percent completion rate, 9.6 YPA and 15:3 TD:INT, and chipping in a rushing TD as well. TreVeyon Henderson has also finally gotten his chance to thrive while Rhamondre Stevenson has dealt with a toe injury, and over the last two games the rookie RB has erupted for five total TDs and 243 scrimmage yards. Stevenson could be back this week, but it's hard to imagine Henderson ceding the starting gig in the backfield back to him. The defense is been generally stingy as well, and while DC Terrell Williams' unit hasn't stood out in any one particular area, the aggregate result has been a fifth-place showing in points per game allowed.
While they aren't mathematically eliminated from a postseason berth quite yet, last week's loss to the Steelers probably squelched whatever faint hopes the Bengals might have harbored about a miracle stretch run that got boosted by Joe Burrow's return. Burrow might be back this week — he took first-team reps in practice Thursday, while Joe Flacco nursed a sore back from carrying the team right shoulder — but whoever's under center won't have Ja'Marr Chase to throw to, after Jalen Ramsey goaded the wideout into getting himself suspended for a game. Cincy's pervasive lack of discipline is probably what gets Zac Taylor canned this offseason, and the team stares at a likely third consecutive year without a playoff game. Having the worst defense in the league won't help Taylor's case much either. The Bengals have a few winnable games at the end of the schedule if they want to hurt their draft position, but somewhere over the next four games — a brutal stretch that includes a trip to Buffalo and both tilts against Baltimore — their 2025 should officially get last rites.
Key Info
NE injury report: RB Rhamondre Stevenson (questionable, toe), DE Milton Williams (IR, ankle)
CIN injury report: QB Joe Burrow (IR, toe), RB Samaje Perine (doubtful, ankle), WR Ja'Marr Chase (out, suspension), RG Jalen Rivers (questionable, knee), EDGE Trey Hendrickson (out, hip), EDGE Shemar Stewart (IR, knee), CB Cam Taylor-Britt (IR, foot)
Strong lean: QB Drake Maye (CIN 32nd in passing DVOA, 31st in passing yards per game allowed, 32nd in passing TDs allowed)
Strong lean: RB TreVeyon Henderson / Rhamondre Stevenson (CIN 31st in rushing DVOA, 30th in YPC allowed, 32nd in rushing yards per game allowed, t-25th in rushing TDs allowed, 32nd in passing DVOA vs. RB)
Strong lean: TE Hunter Henry (CIN 31st in DVOA vs. TE, 32nd in receiving yards per game allowed, 32nd in TDs allowed to TEs)
Strong lean: WR Tee Higgins (NE 32nd in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight fade: WR Kayshon Boutte (CIN t-seventh in receptions per game allowed to WR2s)
Slight fade: TE Noah Fant (NE ninth in DVOA vs. TE)
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NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Henderson keeps rolling with 120 scrimmage yards and a touchdown, while Stevenson also gets into the end zone. Maye throws for 300 yards and two TDs, one each to Henry and Stefon Diggs. Chase Brown puts together 80 yards and a score. Burrow gets the start and throws for 240 yards and two touchdowns, finding Higgins and Andrei Iosivas. Patriots 34-27
N.Y. Giants (+10.5) at Detroit, o/u 50.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST
If a competent organization had their injured rookie running back show up on a wrestling show, you would assume the appearance had been cleared by the team's medical staff and that there was no chance he would be able to do any further damage to his surgically repaired ankle. So you can understand why Giants fans are upset. At 2-9 and losers of five straight, Big Blue has the worst record in the NFC and a real shot at the top pick in the 2026 draft, which will just make their open coaching job that much more appealing if anyone out there thinks they can make it work with the GM who helped create this mess in the first place. The pieces are already mostly in place on offense when it comes to skill players, even if none are on the field Sunday, and rebuilding (again) the offensive line has to be the top offseason priority after Jaxson Dart's concussion. The defense still has a talented front seven too, and whatever faint hope they have of an upset likely comes from them as the entire Lions offensive line is nursing some injury or other. This is still a roster that likely will have Jameis Winston under center though, with his top targets being Wan'Dale Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins, and occasionally Darius Slayton. Yikes.
The Lions somehow head into Week 12 on the outside of the NFC playoff picture despite a 6-4 record, after last week's grinding 16-9 loss to the Eagles. Jared Goff has his worst game since early in his Rams days, completing just 37.8 percent of his passes, but it should be a blip after he posted a 74.2 percent completion rate, 8.6 YPA and 11:1 TD:INT in his prior five games. That loss was also just the third time all year that neither Jahmyr Gibbs nor David Montgomery got into the end zone, and Detroit is 0-3 in those games, scoring just 39 total points across three — also the only times the Lions have been held below 24 points in 2025. The defense is sixth in yards per play allowed and total sacks, and it still feels like Dan Campbell's crew has another gear it can shift into when the time comes. They probably won't need it here, though.
Key Info
NYG injury report: QB Jaxson Dart (out, concussion), RB Cam Skattebo (IR, ankle), WR Malik Nabers (IR, knee), K Graham Gano (IR, neck), EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux (out, shoulder), LB Micah McFadden (IR, foot), CB Paulson Adebo (out, knee), CB Deonte Banks (questionable, hip), S Tyler Nubin (questionable, neck)
DET injury report: TE Sam LaPorta (IR, back), LT Taylor Decker (questionable, shoulder), LG Christian Mahogany (IR, leg), C Graham Glasgow (questionable, knee), RG Tate Ratledge (questionable, knee), RT Penei Seewell (questionable, ankle), CB Terrion Arnold (questionable, concussion), CB D.J. Reed (IR, hamstring), S Kerby Joseph (questionable, knee), S Brian Branch (questionable, toe)
Slight lean: WR Wan'Dale Robinson (DET 25th in DVOA vs. WR1)
Strong lean: RB Jahmyr Gibbs / David Montgomery (NYG 32nd in rushing DVOA, 32nd in YPC allowed, 30th in rushing yards per game allowed, t-30th in rushing TDs allowed)
Slight fade: WR Darius Slayton (DET ninth in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight fade: TE Brock Wright (NYG eighth in DVOA vs. TE)
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NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: Devin Singletary leads the NYG backfield with 60 yards and a touchdown. Winston throws for less than 200 yards and a TD to Robinson. Gibbs zips for 120 scrimmage yards and a score, while Montgomery also gets into the end zone. Goff throws for 230 yards and a touchdown to Amon-Ra St. Brown. Lions 27-17
Minnesota (+6.5) at Green Bay, o/u 41.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST
Losers of four of their last five, the Vikings find themselves in the NFC North basement at 4-6 and in serious danger of missing the playoffs. The main culprit has been J.J. McCarthy's lack of development due to his injuries, and while you don't want to judge a first-round QB too harshly five games into his NFL career, Minnesota may just have to chalk 2025 up as a learning experience for the kid. In three games since returning from a high-ankle sprain, McCarthy's posted a woeful 50.5 percent completion rate, a 5.5 YPA and a 4:5 TD:INT. He's been so bad, even Justin Jefferson has looked pedestrian. A healthy offseason and more tutelage from Kevin O'Connell should get McCarthy on track for 2026, and the roster around him still seems capable of contending — the defense is in the top 10 in yards per play allowed and total sacks, for instance — but even a cushy three-game slate against the also-rans in the NFC East to kick of December won't be enough to salvage the Vikes' current campaign.
The Packers are still in the hunt for the NFC North crown, or at least a wild-card spot, but so far this season feels like it's been less than the sum of the team's parts. Jordan Love has been more efficient, as he's on pace for career numbers in completion rate and INT rate, but his actual production hasn't kept pace. Josh Jacobs has 11 TDs in 10 games but just a 3.8 YPC, while the WR room is still looking for someone to step up and lead the pack, or in the case of this week, maybe just someone who can stay healthy. The defense has been stingy, sitting in the top seven in points per game allowed and yards per play allowed, but splash plays have been missing despite the presence of Micah Parsons, who's held up his end with 8.0 sacks in 10 games. There are no easy fixtures left on Green Bay's schedule, as their only non-divisional games left are against the Broncos and Ravens, and missed opportunities in the first half — they dropped winnable games against the Browns and Panthers by a total of six points, not to mention that tie with the Cowboys — could very well cost the Packers in the end.
Key Info
MIN injury report: C Ryan Kelly (IR, concussion), EDGE Jonathan Greenard (questionable, shoulder)
GB injury report: RB Josh Jacobs (questionable, knee), RB MarShawn Lloyd (IR, hamstring), WR Jayden Reed (IR, collarbone), WR Romeo Doubs (questionable, wrist), WR Christian Watson (questionable, knee), WR Dontayvion Wicks (questionable, calf), WR Matthew Golden (questionable, shoulder), TE Tucker Kraft (IR, knee), C Elgton Jenkins (IR, lower leg), RT Zach Tom (questionable, back), EDGE Micah Parsons (questionable, pectoral), LB Edgerrin Cooper (questionable, foot), LB Quay Walker (questionable, neck), CB Keisean Nixon (questionable, illness), CB Javon Bullard (questionable, ankle)
Slight lean: TE T.J. Hockenson (GB t-27th in receptions per game allowed to TEs)
Slight lean: WR Romeo Doubs (MIN 29th in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight fade: WR Jalen Nailor (GB ninth in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight fade: RB Josh Jacobs / Chris Brooks (MIN second in passing DVOA vs. RB)
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NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain
Head-to-head record, last five years: 6-4 MIN, average score 28-24 GB, average margin of victory 13 points. MIN has won two straight games at Lambeau Field and hasn't been swept in a season series against Green Bay since 2019
The Scoop: Aaron Jones leads the MIN backfield with 70 yards and a TD. McCarthy throws for less than 200 yards and a score to Jefferson. Jacobs plays and picks up 80 yards and a touchdown. Love throws for 200 yards and two TDs, finding Christian Watson and Luke Musgrave. Packers 27-20
Indianapolis (+3.5) at Kansas City, o/u 50.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST
The Colts come out of their bye a half-game back of the Patriots and Broncos in the battle for the best record in the AFC, a statement that would have gotten you laughed at back in August. The offense has shown little sign of slowing down, and coming into Week 12, Indy was the only team in the league averaging more than 30 points a game, and OC Jim Bob Cooter's crew is just short of being the only team averaging 400 yards a game. Of course, it helps when you have a potentially record-setting RB. LaDainian Tomlinson is the only back in history with five three-TD performances in the same season, but Jonathan Taylor already has four in 10 games, not to mention an NFL-high 139.9 scrimmage yards a contest. With defenses scrambling to figure out how to contain JT, Daniel Jones has dazzled in his first season free of the Giants' malaise. He's produced 20 total touchdowns (15 through the air, five on the ground) in those 10 games — his career high in 26, set as a rookie in 2019 — and he's on pace for his first 4,000-yard passing campaign while completing 69.9 percent of his passes with an 8.3 YPA, both career highs. Jones did turn back into the Giants' version of Danny Dimes a couple weeks ago against the Steelers, throwing three of his seven INTs on the season, but the Pittsburgh defense just has that affect on people sometimes. The Colts' run defense does have a DeForest Buckner-shaped hole in it at the moment, and Sauce Gardner's impact on the secondary is still up in the air, but if Jones and Taylor stay healthy this is a team that can out-score anyone, but which may not have to down the stretch.
It's officially panic time in Kansas City. Last week's loss in Denver may have ended any realistic chance the perennial AFC West champs had of defending their title, and the team hasn't been .500 this late in the season since 2017, the year before Patrick Mahomes took the reins of the offense. All five of KC's losses have been by a single score, and for the most part to credible opponents (the Jags are iffy), but it's still five losses — a total Mahomes has only seen twice before in his seven regular seasons as the starter. The issues seem to be more on the defensive side of the ball, however. In four of the five losses, DC Steve Spagnuolo's bunch failed to generate a single takeaway, and while KC is fourth in points per game allowed, that ranking is buoyed by squashes of dysfunctional opponents like the Raiders and Giants, as their in the bottom half of the league in yards per play allowed, takeaways, total sacks and third-down efficiency allowed. The unit has some depth pieces on the shelf, but for the most part there's no reinforcements arriving from IR. Kansas City hasn't missed the playoffs since 2014, and a wild-card spot is still feasible given their closing schedule, but they'll need to start winning against good teams, not simply setting for competitive losses.
Key Info
IND injury report: K Spencer Shrader (IR, knee), DT DeForest Buckner (IR, neck), CB Charvarius Ward (IR, concussion)
KC injury report: RB Isiah Pacheco (out, knee), WR Xavier Worthy (questionable, ankle), LG Kingsley Suamataia (questionable, concussion)
Slight lean: RB Jonathan Taylor (KC 22nd in passing DVOA vs. RB)
Slight lean: WR Xavier Worthy (IND 27th in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight fade: WR Alec Pierce (KC 10th in receiving yards per game allowed to WR2s)
Slight fade: WR Rashee Rice (IND fourth in DVOA vs. WR1)
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NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Taylor erupts for another 150 scrimmage yards and two scores. Jones throws for 240 yards and two touchdowns, hitting Tyler Warren and Michael Pittman. Kareem Hunt leads the KC backfield with 70 combined yards and a TD. Mahomes throws for 250 yards and scores to Worthy and Travis Kelce while running in a touchdown of his own, but the defense can't stop Jones' late drive to set up the game-winning FG. Colts 34-31
Seattle at Tennessee (+13.5), o/u 40.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST
Last week's 21-19 loss to the Rams could well end up costing the Seahawks the NFC West title, but at 7-3 they would need a total collapse down the stretch to miss the playoffs. In what may have come as little surprise to Vikings fans, Sam Darnold came up small in that crucial tilt, tossing four picks against the Rams without a touchdown. The 28-year-old reclamation project still has excellent numbers on the season, but until he actually wins a big game, it'll be fair to question if he's anything more than a stopgap for a Super Bowl contender. Seattle otherwise seems very much like the latter, as the team's defense might be the best in the conference and Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been all but uncoverable all year. The Seahawks also haven't been a team that plays down to its opposition in 2025, steamrolling teams like the Saints and injury-wracked Commanders by an average score of about 41-14.
The Titans don't have the top pick in the 2026 draft locked up quite yet, as they'll have to avoid upsets or stumbling into wins against the Browns and Saints as they close out their schedule, but fans rooting for an elite talent, or a draft haul to trade down, wouldn't seem to have too much to worry about. Cam Ward's numbers are bad and haven't gotten appreciably better since Brian Callahan was sacked, but he's working with a dreadful group of skill players and behind a shaky offensive line, so it's hard to say he's failing to meet expectations. It's wild to think this was a 12-win team under Mike Vrabel as recently as 2021 — Tennessee's become an object lesson in how to mess up a rebuild by half-assing it.
Key Info
SEA injury report: WR Tory Horton (questionable, shin), LG Grey Zabel (questionable, knee), C Jalen Sundell (IR, knee), DE Jarran Reed (IR, thumb), LB Ernest Jones (questionable, knee), S Julian Love (IR, hamstring)
TEN injury report: WR Calvin Ridley (IR, lower leg), WR Elic Ayomanor (out, hamstring), TE Chig Okonkwo (questionable, foot), RG Kevin Zeitler (questionable, back), EDGE Jeffery Simmons (questionable, hamstring), CB L'Jarius Sneed (IR, quadricep), CB Darrell Baker (questionable, knee), S Xavier Woods (out, hamstring)
Strong lean: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (TEN 31st in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight lean: TE Chig Okonkwo / Gunnar Helm (SEA 29th in DVOA vs. TE)
Slight fade: TE AJ Barner / Elijah Arroyo (TEN seventh in DVOA vs. TE)
Strong fade: RB Tony Pollard / Tyjae Spears (SEA second in rushing DVOA, second in YPC allowed, t-fourth in rushing TDs allowed to RBs)
Strong fade: WR Chimere Dike (SEA first in DVOA vs. WR1)
Watch: Stream NFL games on Sling
NFL weather report: 10-20 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Kenneth Walker leads the SEA backfield with 80 yards and a TD, while Zach Charbonnet also gets into the end zone. Darnold throws for 280 yards and two scores, hitting JSN (who tops 100 yards) and Rashid Shaheed for his first Seahawks touchdown. Pollard leads the TEN backfield with 40 yards. Ward throws for less than 200 yards, but he does find Helm for a TD. Seahawks 28-10
LATE SUNDAY
Jacksonville at Arizona (+2.5), o/u 47.5 – Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST
The Jaguars might be the least predictable team in the league this season. Trevor Lawrence seems like he's regressed, the wideouts can't stay healthy and Brian Thomas can't hang onto a ball when he is, the pass rush has collapsed ... and they're 6-4, with wins over the Bolts, Texans and even Kansas City in their pocket that could come in awfully handy if it comes down to tiebreakers for a wild-card spot. Travis Etienne at least is thriving in Liam Coen's scheme, and DC Anthony Campanile's unit is opportunistic if nothing else. It's hard to see the Jags as a serious threat to make the Super Bowl, but it's also not hard to see them putting a scare into someone in the wild-card round. A closing schedule that includes two games against the Titans and a meeting with the Jets gives Jacksonville a very good shot at its first double-digit win campaign since 2017.
The Cards have publicly announced that they've packed it in for the season, but I feel like Marvin Harrison needing multiple weeks to recover from an appendectomy is a pretty clear sign they aren't exactly going out of their way to put their best roster on the field. (Keep that in mind as you decide how much you can rely on Trey Benson returning from IR this week.) Jacoby Brissett is taking full advantage of what could be his last chance to start in the NFL, as the 32-year-old got his name into the record books in a Week 11 loss to the Niners with a stunning 47 completions, breaking the prior mark of 45 held by Jared Goff and Drew Bledsoe. Brissett has a 66.7 percent completion rate, 7.4 YPA and 10:3 TD:INT in his seven appearances (five starts) this year, and on second thought, if he continues to play well in a lost season for Arizona, I can easily see someone handing him a short deal to come in as a stopgap QB for a franchise looking for some stability under center. Michael Wilson had a career day as part of Brissett's spree, and Greg Dortch was brought out of mothballs, but Trey McBride remains the only real threat the Cards have now, topping 100 yards in back-to-back games as he cruises toward his second straight 1,00-yard campaign. The fourth-year tight end's seven TDs have more than doubled his career total. If only DC Nick Rallis' mediocre unit offered the same wisp of upside.
Key Info
JAC injury report: RB Travis Etienne (questionable, shoulder), RB Bhayshul Tuten (questionable, ankle), WR Brian Thomas (questionable, ankle), WR Travis Hunter (IR, knee), TE Brenton Strange (IR, hip), TE Hunter Long (questionable, hip), RG Patrick Mekari (questionable, knee), RT Anton Harrison (questionable, knee), EDGE Travon Walker (questionable, knee), CB Jarrian Jones (questionable, quadricep), CB Greg Newsome (questionable, ankle), CB Jourdan Lewis (questionable, neck), S Eric Murray (IR, neck)
ARI injury report: QB Kyler Murray (IR, foot), RB Trey Benson (IR, knee), RB James Conner (IR, foot), RB Bam Knight (questionable, ankle), RB Emari Demercado (out, ankle), WR Marvin Harrison (out, appendix), WR Zay Jones (IR, Achilles), RG Will Hernandez (questionable, knee), RT Jonah Williams (IR, shoulder), RT Christian Jones (IR, knee), LB Mack Wilson (IR, ribs), CB Will Johnson (questionable, back), CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (NFI, knee), CB Starling Thomas (IR. knee), CB Garrett Williams (questionable, ankle)
Slight lean: WR Parker Washington (ARI 26th in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight lean: TE Trey McBride (JAC 25th in DVOA vs. TE)
Slight fade: WR Jakobi Meyers (ARI seventh in DVOA vs. WR2)
Strong fade: WR Greg Dortch (JAC first in DVOA vs. WR3)
Watch: Stream NFL games on Sling
NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: Etienne starts and gains 90 yards and a touchdown. Lawrence throws for less than 200 yards but does hit Washington and Dyami Brown for scores. Michael Carter leads the ARI backfield with 80 scrimmage yards and a TD. Brissett throws for 220 yards and a touchdown to McBride, and leads a late FG drive to produce a comeback win. Cardinals 23-21
Cleveland (+3.5) at Las Vegas, o/u 36.5 – Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST
Shedeur Sanders did not look at all ready for prime time (sorry, I had to) in his NFL debut last week, but the Browns have absolutely nothing to lose this week by giving him a start while Dillon Gabriel works his way through the concussion protocol. As the standings lay heading into Week 12, Cleveland would pick third in the 2026 draft, but it wouldn't be a surprise if any of the bottom six teams (including the Titans, Giants, Saints, Jets and, yes, the Raiders) found themselves on the clock when the regular season is in the books, so this game actually matters a lot to both franchises. Of course, Myles Garrett and the defense aren't going to let up, and Quinshon Judkins will probably be looking to prove himself in a head-to-head clash with the only RB taken ahead of him in this year's draft, so it could be tough for the Browns to find a way to lose this one, even on the road. Plus, if you had to pick any defense to throw Sanders out there against ... well, you'd pick the Bengals. The Raiders aren't exactly the '85 Bears, though.
So what exactly is wrong with Geno Smith? It's easy to come up with theories — "he's trying too hard to make up for the lack of talent he has to work with" and/or "Chip Kelly should never have returned to the NFL" are the two I tend to lean toward — but he just hasn't looked like the same guy who revived his career with Pete Carroll in Seattle. The Raiders do have a little more talent on offense than the Browns, as even if you judge Judkins to be a notch ahead of Ashton Jeanty based on what they've shown so far and justifiably give a Jerry Jeudy-led WR corps the edge, Cleveland's tight ends simply don't match up to Brock Bowers. Vegas' defense is average at best though, and while Garrett has some running mates like rookie LB Carson Schwesinger or Denzel Ward, Maxx Crosby is fighting for his life on an island most afternoons. Plus, I'm not sure you can give either team credit for a coaching advantage per se, but if anyone gives their side a distinct disadvantage, it's Kelly.
Key Info
CLE injury report: QB Dillon Gabriel (out, concussion), LT Cam Robinson (questionable, knee), LT Dawand Jones (IR, knee), RT Jack Conklin (questionable, knee), LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (PUP, neck), CB Martin Emerson (IR, Achilles)
LV injury report: LT Kolton Miller (IR, ankle), RG Jackson Powers-Johnson (IR, ankle), EDGE Maxx Crosby (questionable, knee)
Slight lean: WR Cedric Tillman (LV 28th in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight lean: WR Dont'e Thornton (CLE 29th in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight fade: WR Isaiah Bond (LV fifth in DVOA vs. WR3)
Strong fade: RB Ashton Jeanty (CLE first in rushing DVOA, eighth in YPC allowed, t-fourth in rushing TDs allowed to RBs, first in passing DVOA allowed to RBs)
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NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: Judkins churns out 90 yards and a TD. Sanders throws for less than 200 yards and does very little. Jeanty gets held to 40 yards. Smith throws for less than 200 yards as well, and while he does hit Tre Tucker for a touchdown, he also coughs up a fumble on a Garrett strip sack that Maliek Collins falls on for the decisive score. Browns 14-10
Philadelphia at Dallas (+3.5), o/u 48.0 – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST
A win here by the Eagles effectively clinches the NFC East title, as even if Dallas somehow wins out and gets to 10 wins while Philly goes 1-5 down the stretch, Nick Sirianni's squad would still hold the tiebreaker. The Eagles have won four consecutive, and while the issues on the offensive side have returned with a vengeance since a Week 9 bye, the defense has given up a measly 16 total points the last two weeks in wins over the Packers and Lions. The team insists it still has faith in offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, but this is a team that hasn't had the same guy as OC two years running since Shane Steichen split for Indy, so color me skeptical that he'll be back in 2026. It may not be Patullo's fault entirely, however. The foundation of the Eagles' attack, that formidable offensive line, is showing serious signs of erosion this season, and both Cam Jurgens and Lane Johnson could be out in Dallas. Saquon Barkley's already been held to a 3.0 YPC in those two games post-bye, and that won't help. It may be entirely in Jalen Hurt's hands to make something happen on offense this week.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, continue to act like they expect to make the playoffs. Hey, fake it 'til you make it, right Jerry? The defense certainly looked better last week with both trade deadline additions and IR reinforcements helping at all three levels, but the Raiders were hardly a real test. Dak Prescott also had one of his usual world-beater performances against a defense just about anybody in the world can beat, and he does have a habit of coming up big against Philly, or at least he did until the season opener in 2025. In his previous five meetings with the Cowboys' NFC East rival, he had a 15:1 TD:INT. Dallas' closing schedule makes a playoff push seem all but impossible, as their next four games after this one features KC, Detroit, Minnesota and the Chargers, but they do seem capable of at least making their inevitable doom entertaining.
Key Info
PHI injury report: C Cam Jurgens (questionable, concussion), RT Lane Johnson (doubtful, foot)
DAL injury report: EDGE Dante Fowler (questionable, shoulder), EDGE Jadeveon Clowney (questionable, shoulder), CB Trevon Diggs (IR, concussion), S Malik Hooker (toe), S Juanyeh Thomas (NFI, migraines)
Strong lean: WR DeVonta Smith (DAL 32nd in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight lean: RB Javonte Williams (PHI 30th in passing DVOA vs. RB)
No PHI fades. The DAL defense has a long way to go to prove it's good at something
Strong fade: TE Jake Ferguson (PHI first in DVOA vs. TE)
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NFL weather report: indoors
Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 6-5 PHI, average score 26-26 (26.1-25.8 PHI), average margin of victory 17 points. The Eagles have won three straight meetings by an average score of 33-11, and last season's win at Jerryworld was their first since 2017
The Scoop: Barkley pops for 100 yards and a TD. Hurts throws for 200 yards and two scores, one each to A.J. Brown and Smith. Williams responds with 110 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Prescott throws for 260 yards and two more TDs, both to George Pickens. Cowboys 31-24
Atlanta (+2) at New Orleans, o/u 39.0 – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST
It's the battle of the NFC South basement, as the 3-7 Falcons head to New Orleans to face the 2-8 Saints. Feel the excitement! Atlanta's going to have enough trouble mustering much enthusiasm with Michael Penix now done for rest of this year and likely the beginning of 2026 due to an ACL tear. In his place, Kirk Cousins will try to show he has anything left in the tank, something he completely failed to do in Week 8 against the Dolphins. Cousins still has Bijan Robinson in the backfield, but he won't have Drake London to throw to, putting a damper on the upside of the entire passing game given how much Darnell Mooney has struggled this season and how Kyle Pitts hasn't topped 70 receiving yards in a game since Week 8 of 2024. There will be volume available for both guys if they prove they deserve it, and if Cousins can get the ball to them, which are both very big ifs. The Falcons' defense had some moments earlier in the year, but during the team's five-game losing streak it's allowed an average of 27.8 points and 399.6 yards, though those yardage numbers are inflated a little by back-to-back OT losses to the Colts and Panthers.
The Saints, meanwhile, are coming out of their bye still basking in the glow of a win over those same mighty 6-5 Panthers. Tyler Shough is showing glimmers of potentially being the answer under center, posting a 3:1 TD:INT, 66.7 percent completion rate and 9.0 YPA in his first two NFL starts, but New Orleans still scored a total of just 27 points in those games. In fact, the Saints haven't managed 20 points in a game since Week 5, and they're done it just twice in 2025, giving the defense basically no margin for error. Alvin Kamara is still nursing an ankle injury even after the bye, but he topped 100 scrimmage yards in the win over Carolina, so he might be able to take advantage of a very favorable closing schedule after all.
Key Info
ATL injury report: QB Michael Penix (IR, knee), WR Drake London (out, knee), LG Matthew Bergeron (questionable, ankle), RG Chris Lindstrom (questionable, foot), RT Kaleb McGary (IR, leg), EDGE Zach Harrison (out, knee), EDGE Leonard Floyd (questionable, hamstring), CB Billy Bowman (out, Achilles)
NO injury report: RB Alvin Kamara (questionable, ankle), C Erik McCoy (IR, bicep), RT Taliese Fuaga (questionable, ankle)
Slight lean: TE Kyle Pitts (NO 23rd in DVOA vs. TE)
Slight lean: WR Chris Olave (ATL 26th in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight fade: WR Darnell Mooney (NO t-fifth in receptions per game allowed to WR1s)
Slight fade: TE Juwan Johnson (ATL sixth in DVOA vs. TE)
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NFL weather report: indoors
Head-to-head record, last five years: 7-3 NO, average score 26-20 NO, average margin of victory eight points. The Falcons have lost three straight games at the Superdome, two by a field goal and one a 48-17 rout in Week 18 of the 2023 season, when Derek Carr threw four TDs but the Saints still missed the playoffs on tiebreakers
The Scoop: Robinson gains 70 yards and a touchdown. Cousins throws for less than 200 yards but does find Pitts for a TD. Kamara manages 60 yards. Shough throws for less than 200 yards as well with a score to Olave. Falcons 17-10
SUNDAY NIGHT
Tampa Bay (+6.5) at L.A. Rams, o/u 49.5 – Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST
Consecutive losses have allowed the Panthers to close within half a game of the Buccaneers atop the NFC South, but folks in Tampa probably shouldn't be too worried. For one thing, the Bucs have Baker Mayfield, and Carolina has Bryce Young. For another, the schedule massively favors the four-time defending division champs. After this admittedly tough opponents, here's who Todd Bowles' crew gets to face down the stretch — the Cards, Saints, Falcons, Dolphins and the Panthers twice in the last three weeks. Barring the unthinkable, i.e. getting swept by the Panthers, the Bucs should be in good shape. The MVP talk has cooled for Mayfield, but he's still having a remarkable season given the circumstances, posting a 17:3 TD:INT despite a revolving door to the WR room. Chris Godwin appears on track to finally return for good this week, but the offense will still be missing Bucky Irving, though Sean Tucker looked pretty good against a vulnerable Bills run defense last week. The defense is getting by on takeaways and gumption, but if the offense returns to its early-season form as the roster gets healthier, that should be enough.
Sean McVey does like to stick with what works, doesn't he? At the moment, the thing that's working is Davante Adams as a red-zone target, and he's just going to keep jamming that down the throats of defenses until they figure out how to stop it. The Rams have won five straight and are in the driver's seat in the NFC West, but it's not just the connection between Adams and Matthew Stafford that's clicking. The defense has produced multiple takeaways in four of those five wins, while Jared Verse and the pass rush are in the top 10 in pressure rate and total sacks. Kyren Williams is becoming a TD fiend again, visiting the end zone four times in the last three games, and while Puka Nacua hasn't had a 100-yard game since returning from a minor ankle sprain, but it seems like it's only a matter of time. No NFC team has really put it all together yet this year, but the Rams seem closest, though a Week 3 loss to the Eagles could present an obstacle to claiming that first-round bye.
Key Info
TB injury report: RB Bucky Irving (out, shoulder), WR Emeka Egbuka (questionable, illness), WR Mike Evans (IR, collarbone), WR Jalen McMillan (IR, neck), LT Tristan Wirfs (questionable, shoulder), LG Ben Bredeson (out, hamstring), RG Cody Mauch (IR, knee), EDGE Calijah Kancey (IR, pectoral), CB Jamel Dean (out, hip)
LAR injury report: TE Tyler Higbee (IR, ankle), LB Nate Landman (questionable, back), CB Ahkello Witherspoon (IR, collarbone), CB Quentin Lake (IR, elbow)
No TB leans. The LAR defense has been stingy across the board
Slight lean: WR Jordan Whittington (TB 28th in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight fade: RB Sean Tucker (LAR fourth in rushing DVOA, third in YPC allowed, t-first in rushing TDs allowed to RBs, fifth in passing DVOA vs. RB)
Slight fade: WR Davante Adams (TB third in DVOA vs. WR2)
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NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: Tucker puts together 70 scrimmage yards. Mayfield throws for less than 200 yards and a score to Emeka Egbuka while running in a TD himself. Williams romps for 150 combined yards and two touchdowns. Stafford throws for 260 yards and two scores, hitting Nacua (who tops 100 yards) and Whittington. Rams 31-20
MONDAY NIGHT
Carolina (+6.5) at San Francisco, o/u 48.5
Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST
The Panthers have been lurching from win to loss and back again over the last month, but a .500-ish record has been good enough to stay competitive in the NFC South, and for the final wild-card spot. Bryce Young erupted for a career day against a Falcons defense that looked like it was just going through the motions, and maybe it was after Michael Penix suffered what proved to be a season-ending injury midway through the game. Young somehow has three three-TD performances this season, but he has just five passing touchdowns total in his other seven starts, which is probably a better reflection of where the 2023 first overall pick is in his development. The Panthers should probably move on in the offseason, but Young might be teasing just enough to justify keeping him around for one more year, or two if you count the seemingly inevitable fifth-year option getting locked in. While $23 million for 2027 seems like a lot based on his numbers, it's a pittance compared to looking on the free-agent market for a replacement. Rico Dowdle got to 100 scrimmage yards last week, barely, but we may have already seen his peak. Instead, it was Tetairoa McMillan's turn to post massive numbers, as he had his second 100-yard game and second two-TD outing of the year. He's been nothing but productive in a tough environment as a rookie, and if Carolina gets better QB next year — whether from the light bulb suddenly going off for Young, or a veteran being brought in — he could really break out. Xavier Legette even showed a little something last week, although he has a lot more to prove. The pieces seem to be falling into place on offense. Now, if only DC Ejiro Evero had a pass rush to work with. Or much of a secondary.
Since a season-opening three-game winning streak, the 49ers have also been alternating wins and losses, but the clock seems to be ticking on their competitiveness. The defense just has too many injuries in the front seven to keep up. Jacoby Brissett — Jacoby Brissett! — is setting records against DC Robert Saleh's crew, and since they escaped L.A. with an overtime win over the Rams in Week 5, the Niners' victories have all come against also-rans, while teams like the Rams (in the rematch), Bucs and even the Texans have had little trouble putting them away. The return of Brock Purdy should put a bit of wind in the team's sails, and they do have a couple of gimmes left on their schedule around a Week 14 bye, so the Niners should get to least 10 wins, which will keep them in wild-card contention if nothing else. A closing stretch of Colts-Bears-Seahawks could expose them though. Of course, if Christian McCaffrey just goes out and scores three TDs every week, the Niners will have a lot less to worry about.
Key Info
CAR injury report: RG Robert Hunt (IR, bicep), DE Tershawn Wharton (questionable, knee), LB Christian Rozeboom (doubtful, hip), LB Trevin Wallace (questionable, shoulder)
SF injury report: WR Brandon Aiyuk (PUP, knee), K Eddy Pineiro (questionable, hamstring), EDGE Nick Bosa (IR, knee), LB Fred Warner (IR, ankle), LB Tatum Bethune (doubtful, ankle)
Slight lean: QB Bryce Young (SF 25th in passing DVOA, 27th in passing yards per game allowed, t-27th in passing TDs allowed)
Strong lean: TE George Kittle (CAR 32nd in DVOA vs. TE)
No CAR fades, as all the injuries finally catch up to the SF defense
Strong fade: WR Ricky Pearsall (CAR first in DVOA vs. WR2)
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NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Dowdle collects 90 yards and a TD. Young throws for less than 200 yards and a touchdown to McMillan. McCaffrey also racks up 90 scrimmage yards and a score. Purdy throws for 250 yards and two TDs, hitting Kittle and Jauan Jennings, while Skyy Moore adds a punt return touchdown for good measure. 49ers 28-20
THURSDAY NIGHT
Buffalo at Houston (+5.5), o/u 43.5 – Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EST
At 7-3, the Bills are comfortably headed for a playoff spot, but they continue to look up at the 9-2 Patriots in the AFC East and may be running out of time to flip the switch and start playing up to their potential. Last week's 44-32 win over the Buccaneers was a good sign on the surface, but Buffalo committed three turnovers and needed a truly heroic effort from Josh Allen (six TDs, three through the air and three on the ground) to pull it off. It was the first time all year the Bills won a game while giving the ball away multiple times, and they're 1-3 in those games while going 6-0 in games with one turnover or fewer. The run defense also remains a big problem thanks to big injuries in the front seven, and it was Sean Tucker's turn last week to steamroll the Bills, one week after De'Von Achane did it. On the bright side, the secondary is playing at a near-elite level now that 2025 first-round pick Maxwell Hairston is healthy, and in four games with the Kentucky product in that lineup, the unit has held QBs (a list that includes Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield) to 192.8 passing yards a game with a 3:5 TD:INT and a 57.9 percent completion rate.
It would have been easy for the Texans to fold up their tent when C.J. Stroud went down with a concussion, but instead the team's won consecutive games with Davis Mills under center to get back to .500, staying in the wild-card hunt in the AFC and at least remaining within striking distance of the Colts if they collapse down the stretch. DeMeco Ryans' defense has arguably been the best in the NFL this season, holding the opposition to 20 points or fewer in eight of 10 games and leading the league in points per game allowed and QB rating against while sitting in the top 5 in yards per play allowed, takeaways and third-down efficiency against. The pass rush could also finally be coming to life, as Houston's racked up eight sacks in the last two games, five by Danielle Hunter, while Will Anderson has a five-game sack streak going. Mills has a 3:1 TD:INT, 60.3 percent completion rate and 6.1 YPA in two-plus contests since Stroud went down, and surprisingly Nico Collins hasn't skipped a beat, posting a 16-228-1 line on 25 targets in Mills' two starts. This game lines up for Woody Marks to have a breakout performance, however. The rookie is coming off a season-high 18 carries in Week 11 against the Titans, and while he's topped 100 scrimmage yards in a game twice already in 2025, the Bills' vulnerable run defense should allow him to blow past his career high in rushing yards of a mere 69.
Key Info
BUF injury report: TE Dalton Kincaid (out, hamstring), K Tyler Bass (IR, hip), DE Michael Hoecht (IR, Achilles), DT Ed Oliver (IR, bicep), S Taylor Rapp (IR, knee)
HOU injury report: QB C.J. Stroud (out, concussion), RB Joe Mixon (NFI, foot), WR Tank Dell (PUP, knee), CB Jalen Pitre (out, concussion)
No BUF leans. The HOU defense has been stingy across the board
Strong lean: RB Woody Marks (BUF 30th in rushing DVOA, 31st in YPC allowed, 31st in rushing yards per game allowed, 32nd in rushing TDs allowed)
Strong fade: QB Josh Allen (HOU first in passing DVOA, third in passing yards per game allowed, t-fourth in passing TDs allowed, t-first in rushing TDs allowed to QBs)
Slight fade: WR Christian Kirk (BUF fourth in receiving yards per game allowed to WR3s)
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NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: James Cook puts together 100 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Allen throws for 210 yards and a TD to Khalil Shakir. Marks also gains 100 combined yards and a score, while Nick Chubb also punches in a short touchdown. Mills throws for less than 200 yards and a TD to Collins, but Hairston takes a fourth-quarter INT to the house for what proves to be the winning score. Bills 24-21
Last week's record: 8-7, 4-9-2 ATS, 7-8 o/u
2025 record: 105-58-1 (.644), 81-78-5 ATS (.509), 78-85-1 o/u (.479)
