New Orleans Saints (2-10) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Buccaneers -8.5, Total 41.5
Series Rewind: The Bucs have won six of the [ast seven meetings, including a 23-3 win in the Big Easy in Week 8. New Orleans outgained Tampa Bay 275-212 yards but turned it over four times.
The Saints have scored fewer than 20 points in 10 of 12 games, while the Buccaneers have scored at least 20 in 10 of 12 games. New Orleans’ only road victory so far came at Carolina in Week 10. Tampa Bay’s two home losses were to division leaders Philadelphia by six points and New England by five. Saints running back Alvin Kamara needs 52 receiving yards to become the fifth player in NFL history with 5,000-plus rushing and 5,000-plus receiving yards. New Orleans rookie Tyler Shough has thrown two TD passes in each of his last two road starts. Counterpart Baker Mayfield tossed a career-high 41 touchdowns last season but still has not reached 20 (19). He got some good news this week with star wideout Mike Evans returning to practice, although his game return is up in the air. Bucky Irving has rushed for 170 yards and two TDs in two games against the Saints.
Indianapolis Colts (8-4) at Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Colts -1.5, Total 46.5
Series Rewind: The Colts snapped a three-game losing streak in the series with a 26-23 overtime victory in Week 18 last season. The teams will square off again in Indianapolis in Week 17.
The AFC South co-leaders are heading in opposite directions, with the Colts dropping three of their last four and the Jaguars on a three-game winning streak. Indianapolis has the NFL’s No. 2 scoring offense (29.8 points per game) but Jacksonville has kept two of its last three opponents (Titans, Chargers) out of the end zone. The marquee matchup pits the Jaguars’ top-ranked run defense (82.4 yards per game) against Colts star Jonathan Taylor, who leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,282) and touchdowns (15). Taylor set a career high with 253 rushing yards against Jacksonville in 2021. Indianapolis receiver Michael Pittman has TDs in five of his last six road games. Jags QB Trevor Lawrence owns a 5-2 record against the Colts but is only 3-10 as a starter for his career during the month of December. DE Josh Hines-Allen has collected a sack in each of his last three games against Indy.
Tennessee Titans (1-11) at Cleveland Browns (3-9)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Browns -3.5, Total 33.5
Series Rewind: This is just the third meeting between these AFC teams in the 21st century, with Cleveland winning 27-3 at home in 2023 and 41-35 in Nashville in 2020.
Browns star Myles Garrett’s pursuit of the NFL single-season sacks record continues against Titans rookie Cam Ward, who has been sacked more times (48) for a greater loss of yards (362) than any other quarterback in the league. With 19 sacks, Garrett needs four to break the mark shared by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt. Tennessee is on a seven-game losing streak and headed toward its second consecutive No. 1 overall draft pick (Ward in 2025), while Cleveland can eclipse last season’s win total with a victory on Sunday. Titans running back Tony Pollard has gained at least 50 yards from scrimmage in four of his five road games this season. Browns rookie Quinshon Judkins leads all first-year players with 758 rushing yards. Fellow NFL newbie Shedeur Sanders makes his third start and is looking for his first victory in front of the home fans in Cleveland, although he will likely be without right tackle Jack Conklin (concussion).
Seattle Seahawks (9-3) at Atlanta Falcons (4-8)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Seahawks -6.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: This marks the second straight year these teams will face off in Atlanta. Seattle won 34-14 last October and has won three of the past four to extend its series lead to 13-9.
The Seahawks have won six of their past seven games heading into Atlanta. They’re one win away from matching last year’s win total and on track for the playoffs in Mike Macdonald’s second season as head coach. However, that hasn’t afforded them any sort of cushion in the NFC West. The Seahawks are tied atop the division with the Los Angeles Rams (actually behind on head-to-head tiebreaker) and only a half-game up on San Francisco at 9-4. Sam Darnold has largely carried over the success he found a season ago in Minnesota. He threw for a season-low 128 yards last week. The defense rose to the occasion, pitching its first shutout since 2015 in a 26-0 win over the Vikings. The defense will get another boost in the near future with Pro Bowl S Julian Love and DT Jarran Reed returning to practice this week after stints on IR. The Falcons are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the eighth straight year after last week’s loss to the Jets. Atlanta is the inverse of Seattle, losing six of its last seven games since a 3-2 start. Kirk Cousins will make his third consecutive start in place of Michael Penix Jr., who is out for the season with a partially torn ACL. Cousins has thrown for 433 total yards, three touchdowns and an interception in his first two starts. It appears he’ll be without star receiver Drake London (knee) for the third time in as many starts, as he hasn’t been practicing this week.
Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) at Buffalo Bills (8-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bills -5.5, Total 53.5
Series Rewind: This will be the first time these teams have faced off in Buffalo since the Bengals won an AFC Divisional Round playoff game 27-10 in January 2023. Cincinnati has won the past two in the series to level it at 17-all.
While the Bengals’ playoff chances remain fairly low, don’t tell that to quarterback Joe Burrow. He returned from turf toe surgery last Thursday, anchoring a 32-14 win at Baltimore as he threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Now Burrow enters the portion of the season where he thrives, boasting a 13-3 career NFL record in December/January games. With five games left to play, Cincinnati is two games back of Pittsburgh and Baltimore, tied atop the division at 6-6. Receiver Ja’Marr Chase benefited greatly from getting his quarterback back, recording his fourth 100-yard game in the last seven with 110 yards on seven catches. The Bengals may also get No. 2 receiver Tee Higgins back this week. He missed last week with a concussion but practiced fully on Thursday as he looks to clear concussion protocol. The Bills’ top-ranked pass defense (163.2 yards per game) will challenge Cincinnati’s star-laden passing attack. Buffalo has been hard to get a read on the last few weeks, alternating between wins over division-leading teams and losses to teams at or below .500 at the time of the game over the last four games. Last time out, Buffalo outscored Pittsburgh 23-0 in the second half to come away with a 26-7 road win to remain two games back of the New England Patriots in the AFC East. Bills QB Josh Allen also has a claim to being Mr. December. He’s 12-1 in the month over the last three years. But it’s Buffalo’s run game (league-leading 155.7 yards per game) that has been sparking the offense this season. James Cook III had 177 scrimmage yards last week and ranks second in the NFL in rushing yards (1,228).
Washington Commanders (3-9) at Minnesota Vikings (4-8)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Vikings -1.5, Total 42.5
Series Rewind: Minnesota has won the last three games in this series — the last of which was played in 2022 — to claim a 15-13 all-time lead over Washington.
While the Vikings haven’t gotten what they wanted out of second-year QB J.J. McCarthy this season, they were shown he’s the best option at the moment last week when rookie Max Brosmer threw four interceptions in a 26-0 loss to Seattle while McCarthy was in concussion protocol. McCarthy cleared the protocol Thursday and is set to return after a one-game absence this weekend. With Minnesota clinging to very slim playoff chances, the rest of the season is likely about building McCarthy’s confidence entering 2026 after he’s thrown six touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his first six career starts this season. A Washington defense that ranks 30th in the league in passing yards allowed (254.9 per game) and 28th in scoring defense (26.9 points per game) could be just what McCarthy needs. The Commanders, losers of seven straight games since a 3-2 start, are even closer to the brink of playoff elimination after overtime losses their last two times out vs. Miami and Denver. Washington coach Dan Quinn is not being as upfront about Jayden Daniels’ status this week. He said at the start of the week that he had not been cleared for contact after missing the past three games with a dislocated left elbow, although he was listed as a full practice participant Thursday. A decision on whether Daniels will be able to return was delayed until the end of the week. If he’s out, Marcus Mariota will make his seventh start of the season. He had a season-high 294 passing yards last week and has nine touchdowns to six interceptions this season.
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) at Baltimore Ravens (6-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -5.5, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: The Steelers have won eight of the past 10 regular-season meetings but the Ravens posted a 28-14 victory in last season’s AFC divisional round when Derrick Henry rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns.
The two teams share the AFC North lead after traveling much different paths. Pittsburgh was fast out of the gates with a 4-1 start before losing five of their past seven games. Baltimore started 1-5 and rattled off five straight wins (four after Lamar Jackson’s return from injury) before being soundly beaten 32-14 by the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving. Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP, threw one interception and lost two fumbles as the Ravens uncharacteristically committed five turnovers. Henry is 69 yards away from becoming the fourth player in NFL history with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in seven different seasons. LaDainian Tomlinson did it a record eight times while Emmitt Smith and Adrian Peterson each did it seven times. Meanwhile, the Steelers were roughed up 26-7 at home by the Buffalo Bills last Sunday. Pittsburgh gained a season-low 166 yards and allowed a season-worst 249 rushing yards. Four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers is hindered by a broken left wrist and had his worst day of the season against the Bills — 10-of-21 passing for a season-low 117 yards. Longtime coach Mike Tomlin is beginning to feel some heat, and Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger suggested it might be time for the coach and team to part ways after the season.
Miami Dolphins (5-7) at New York Jets (3-9)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Dolphins -3, Total 40.5
Series Rewind: The Jets have lost five of the past six meetings with the Dolphins, but New York won two of the last three in the series at home by a combined 35 points.
The Dolphins bust out their cold-weather gear for what is forecast to be a frigid Sunday afternoon on the plastic grass at MetLife Stadium. Given Miami’s history in freezing temperatures and below, the strategy shift to place the offensive plan in the hands of RB De’Von Achane (1,404 yards, 10 total TDs) might help the Dolphins break through. He’s averaging 5.6 yards per carry and has five-plus receptions in four of the past five games. The Jets are not likely thrilled to see the Achane train roll into the station. He went over 100 yards from scrimmage in each of their past three games. Weather is less likely to modify the conservative offense of the Jets. New York has shuffled the deck since a Week 4 loss to the Dolphins, inserting Tyrod Taylor as the starting quarterback and trading away defensive anchors Quinnen Williams (to Dallas) and Sauce Gardner (to the Colts). Adonai Mitchell led the team with eight receptions for 102 yards last week, and Taylor accounted for two TDs while leading the Jets to a 27-24 win over the Falcons.
Denver Broncos (10-2) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Broncos -7.5, Total 40.5
Series Rewind: The Raiders are 0-10 in AFC West games the past two seasons (0-4 this season). The last division victory for the Raiders was the 27-14 win over Denver in Las Vegas to end the 2023 regular season.
The Raiders are out of playoff contention already, while Denver is fighting with New England for the top seed in the AFC. Even so, the Broncos were only three points better than Las Vegas in the first meeting this season last month. The Broncos’ win in Week 10 was their seventh in a row, and they’ve won their past two games to stretch the streak to nine. The Raiders, who entered that matchup with consecutive losses, have since lost three more games in succession and are planning January vacations. After going to overtime with the Commanders on Monday, the Broncos know they can take nothing for granted, coach Sean Payton said in a terse reminder. He certainly knows as well as anyone how scrappy Maxx Crosby and the Raiders defense can get. In their first meeting in Denver last month, the Raiders’ defense had Broncos quarterback Bo Nix under pressure all day and allowed just 10 points. Offensively-challenged Las Vegas has only one game with over 20 points since September. Offensive line issues are a chronic concern. Raiders rookie RB Ashton Jeanty was preparing for the Heisman Trophy ceremony at this time last year. He leads rookies with 886 yards from scrimmage and was heavily involved in the passing game in the Raiders’ first game since firing offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Jeanty caught six passes last week. He scored the Raiders’ only touchdown in the Week 10 loss at Denver. The Broncos last had a winning streak longer than the current run when they posted 11 in a row in 2012 with Payton Manning at quarterback.
Los Angeles Rams (9-3) at Arizona Cardinals (3-9)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Rams -8.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind:
Arizona draws an angry Matthew Stafford, whose streak of 28 consecutive TD passes without a pick ended in a 31-28 loss to the Panthers that included an INT return for a touchdown and nudged the Rams out of the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Stafford and the Rams have two looks at the Cardinals coming in the final five weeks of the regular season. Arizona’s desire to control the ball and keep Stafford on the sideline could see a boost if RB Trey Benson can get back in the lineup. He’s been on IR since Sept. 25, one week before the Cardinals lost Kyler Murray. Murray won’t return until at least Week 15. Jacoby Brissett makes his eighth consecutive start for the Cardinals. He threw for 301 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in last Sunday’s 20-17 road loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The margin for error is slim if Stafford doesn’t cough up the ball because of his arsenal of playmakers. WR Davante Adams leads the NFL with 14 TD catches and Puka Nacua caught 10 passes for 129 yards in the last meeting. Kyren Williams has 1,052 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns. He scored in both games against Arizona last season.
Chicago Bears (9-3) at Green Bay Packers (8-3-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Packers -6.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: Green Bay’s only loss to the Bears in the past six years (12 games) was a 24-22 defeat in January to end the 2024 regular season. Cairo Santos answered a 55-yard Brandon McManus field goal with 54 seconds left with a 51-yarder as time expired.
This is the first of two meetings in the next 13 days between NFC North rivals and the frontrunners for the division title with five weeks left in the regular season. Green Bay has owned the rivalry and is 11-1 against Chicago since Matt LaFleur was named head coach. New Bears coach Ben Johnson has reversed fortunes for the Bears in his first season and called out LaFleur in his introductory press conference, stating he enjoyed “beating Matt LaFleur twice a year” while coordinating the Lions’ offense. With two division losses, the Bears chances of winning the NFC North shrink with a loss at Lambeau Field. The Packers are still perfect (3-0) in the division and present challenges to the Chicago secondary after three wide receivers — Dontayvion Wicks, Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson — hauled in Jordan Love TD passes last week. And Green Bay’s No. 1 receiver last season, Jayden Reed, could rejoin the offense for the first time since September. But the Bears are leading the league in takeaways (26) and turnover margin (17) with the No. 2-ranked rushing offense (153.8 yards per game) to help protect a defense allowing 6.09 yards per play (30th in the NFL). The sum of their parts has been a slew of tight games and a scoring differential of just six points.
Houston Texans (7-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (6-6)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -3.5, Total 41.5
Series Rewind: Kansas City has won five straight meetings, including two in the postseason. Last season, the Chiefs eliminated the Texans 23-14 in the AFC divisional round.
Kansas City’s playoff hopes hinge on the wild-card race, and Houston is one of the AFC teams with a better record entering the home stretch of the season. The Chiefs are 5-1 at home so that helps, but they have lost three of their past four overall games and stand just 1-6 in one-score games after the 31-28 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Winning close games was a Kansas City specialty just last season. Patrick Mahomes isn’t giving up on the Chiefs stretching their playoff streak to 11 seasons but he threw four touchdown passes against the Cowboys and still couldn’t deliver a victory. Also of concern to Mahomes is Houston’s top-ranked defense that leads in both scoring defense (16.5 points per game) and total defense (265.7 yards per game). The Texans have won four consecutive games and they made reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen (sacked eight times) feel miserable two games ago while beating the Buffalo Bills and have allowed 20 or fewer points on 10 occasions. Pass rushers Danielle Hunter (11 sacks) and Will Anderson Jr. (10.5) are both among the NFL sack leaders and S Calen Bullock has four interceptions and one forced fumble. C.J. Stroud passed for 276 yards in last Sunday’s 20-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts after missing three games due to a concussion.
