THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

8:2O PM Buffalo Bills (3-10) at Los Angeles Chargers (5-8)

Still Hopeful Bolts Host Bills

   The Chargers are still holding out slim hopes of making the playoffs despite their, 38-36, heartbreaker of a loss to Denver last week. The Bills are in upset mode and played well versus Seattle last week before falling, 19-15.

   LA quarterback Justin Hebert threw for 463 yards and 4 touchdowns last week as his solid second half of the season continued. But, the defense was not quite up to the task of slowing down the Broncos and the Chargers simply got outscored. The loss really dampened their playoff parade, but it has not eliminated them just yet. They may still find their way in as long as they win their remaining 4 games,

   Final Analysis: Bolts playing pretty well and should ease past Buffalo this week. Los Angeles 27-20.

GAME OF THE WEKK

1:00 New England Patriots (13-0) at Kansas City Chiefs (12-1)

Fireworks in KC Baby! Top Teams Battle

   The schedule makers could not possibly have witten this one up any better. While the Patriots and Chiefs will do battle in the AFC, the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams will be in combat over in the NFC! Obviously, much has been written and anticipated about this matchup, and now the talking time is over. If New England wins they have a great shot at snagging the top seed. If KC wins, they will take a major step towards securing the coveted #1 seed. Let the games begin!

   One could write, ad nauseum, about the accolades these two teams have earned this season. They are ranked 1 and 2 in total offense and points scored. They are ranked #2 and #4 in sacks, #2 and #9 in points allowed, and #2 and #11 in turnover margins! The quarterback play of New England's Mac Jones and Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes has been stellar. The stats of tailback Isiah Pacheco are fantatstic, and maybe a bit padded, but so are the combined numbers of Patriots' backs Tyler Allgeier and Rhamondre Stevenson. Receivers ya ask? How about the Patriots' Tyquan Thornton and Curtis Samuel, who have both gone over 1000 yards and have 15 TD receptions each! Or, maybe the explosiveness of WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore on the KC side is more your taste!

  Defense? Sack city baby and big play defenses on both sides. The Chiefs have five players with double-digit sacks in Dorian Jones, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Aaron Donkor, George Karlaftis, and Leo Chenal! The Pats have four in the double-digit sack world led by stud rookie Laiutu Latu's unreal 23! Josh Uche, Matthew Judon, and Patrick Queen all have 10+ traps and Christian Barmore has chipped in 9 more just for good measure!

   Final Analysis: Epic in-season game that will likely have serious playoff seeding ramifications. The Pats handled the vaunted Chiefs in the playoffs last season and have the formula to upend them again. New England 35-31.

1:00 PM Cleveland Browns (7-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-8)

Browns Pushing Towards Playoffs, Bengals High After Rout of Pokes in Big D

   Both these Ohio Denizens have a lot to play for this weekend. Cleveland nipped the hated Steelers, 34-24, last week to take just one more step towards their playoff goal. Cinci entered their game against Dallas having lost four straight and promptly had their best game, by far, of the entire year crushing the 'Boys, 41-10! A win here in The Queen City would keep them right on the edge of the playoffs.

   The Browns have a solid 2-game lead in the playoff race and would, with a win, eliminate the Bengals from being able to catch them. QB DeShaun Watson's 9.77 average yards per attempt is fifth among all regulars. While his overall QBR is 10 points below a season ago, Watson still owns a healthy 110.64 QBR. He has thrown 11 interceptions this season (compared to just 6 last year), but he also already has 29 TD passes compared to 31 all of last year! The team has not been nearly as good running this season as expected. They are ranked 25th in rushing (97.77 YPG) and their 8 rushing scores is also 25th.

   Cinci had been struggling in nearly every aspect of the game, but Dallas seemed to be the perfect cure for what ailed them. QB Joe Burrow had, by light years, his best game in recent memory completing 80% of his passes for 273 yards, 5 touchdowns, and finishing with a near perfect QBR of 151.7! The maligned defense, which had given up 35 PPG during the four game skid, stuffed the Cowboys for a stunning 16 yards on 15 carries, sacked rookie QB Drake Maye 6 times, and held Dallas to just 289 total yards which was their lowest since back in week 6!

   Final Analysis: Both teams played well last week. Cinci played extemely well, but the question is whether or not they can repeat the effort? Got a feeling the answer is No. Cleveland moves closer. Cleveland 31-22.   

1:00 PM Arizona Cardinals (6-7) at Carolina Panthers(5-8)

Gut Check Time in Charlottesville

   The Arizona Cardinals have teeter tottered back and forth almost the entire season. Now they are running out of time as the year winds down and windows begin to shut. That being said, the Cards have a great opportunity to fly through one of those windows and into the playoffs, but they need to win games starting with this one. Carolina is still in the playoff picture but, in all probability, will need to win out and get a small bit of good fortune in order to gain access to the post-season. Nonetheless, a win here would keep their hopes very much so alive.

   Arizona has a relatively clear path ahead of them. They have this game here against Carolina and then key games with San Francisco, Seattle, and the Jets remaining. The Niners' game could be epic, but they need to get to that game first before having it mean anything. The 'Zona D sacked Viking QB Kirk Cousins 8 times, picked him off twice, and got a pick six from S Budda Baker in their lopsided, 34-3, victory over the winless Purple. QB Kyler Murray has now strung together 5 consecutive games without an interception!

   The Panthers ended a four game losing streak two weeks ago as they destroyed the front running Atlanta Falcons, 52-37, and then headed off for their bye week. Atlanta was able to move the ball, but lost the turnover battle, 3-1, and QB Bryce Young had, arguably, his best game as a pro throwing 5 TD passes. MVP and ROY candidate Brian Thomas continued to shine with 11 receptions for 149 yards and 2 scores.

   Final Analysis: Intriguing game for sure. The Panthers have kinda force fed the passing game with Young and Thomas much of the year. Thomas has emerged as a possible double-award winner and could garner both MVP and ROY honors! The Cards and Murray have cut down their mistakes and that could be decisive here. See this one as being a high scoring affair, but kinda feel the Panthers might have just a shade more in their tank. Carolina 30-27.

1:00 PM New York Giants (4-9) at New Orleans Saints (5-8)

The Sound Ya Heard Was "THUD"!

   The defending NFC East Champion and #2 seed and the defending NFC South Champion and Super Bowl Winners from last season have both hit the ground with a resounding THUD! For much of the year folks kept waiting for signs that these two teams were going to return to their form of a season ago, but it simply never materialized. Big Blue is coming off a humbling, 66-9, waxing by the Houston Texans while the Saints endured a similar fate getting blasted by the surging Philadelphia Eagles, 52-28!

   QB Daniel Jones was 6 of 12 for 60 yards versus the Texans and had two picks, one of which was taken to the house. HB Saquon Barkley had 57 yards rushing. The defense, which was so good a season ago, was torn to shreds by Texan QB CJ Stroud who had 6 TD passes and threw for 388 yards. The 301.08 YPG allowed against the pass ranks 31st in the league.

   The Saints' offensive issues, that have plagued them all year long, were present again last week. QB Derek Carr had a miserable outing completing just 11 of 30 throws (36.67%) and he could not mesh with the running of Alvin Kamara (24-89) yet again. The two were so good last year complimenting each other, but just have not found that formula this campaign.

   Final Analysis: Hard to figure the mindset of the two teams heading into this one. And, not really sure eaither team has any edge over the other.   PICK 'EM!   

1:00 PM Baltimore Ravens (12-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)

Lincoln Financial Set to Rock as Soaring Eagles Welcome High Flying Ravens

    The City of Brotherly Love has been anything other than that to just about any team that ventures into the Philadelphia Eagles' Nest known as Lincoln Financial. This matchup between two cities that are about 100 miles apart has mammoth repercussions. With AFC Rivals, Kansas City and New England, set to confront each other this week, Baltimore stands a chance to gain the inside track to the #1 seed with win. To do that, however, they are going to have to go through a Philly team that is as hot as any team in the league and barrelling, full blast, towards an NFC playoff berth. The latest Rocky Balboa is alive and well in Philadelphia and it's time to strap 'em up!

   Baltimore has been the King of the AFC for the past two seasons. They marched to the Super Bowl last year only to fall to one of the great stories in PFL history, the New Orleans Saints' title run. They have unfinished business and have been driven to rectify that result and take that bad taste out of their mouths all year long. In an excellent display of coaching, the Ravens slowly re-established their power running game behind one of the best offensive lines in the game. J.K. Dobbins began the season averaging 65.33 YPG through three games and did not record a single rushing score until week 7! Since then, however, the 5'10" 212 Lbs back has posted 8 scores, seven 100+ yard rushing outings, and is second in the PFL with 1384 yards on the season! He trails the Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco by 176 yards, but Pacheco has been force fed all season long and has run some 86 more times than Dobbins! The result has been that the Ravens are atop the league, again, in rushing averaging a gaudy 161 YPG! Of course, it would be impossible to talk about the Ravens without mentioning the dynamic play of QB LaMar Jackson. Jackson has led his team to 11 straight wins and has not had a game, all season, where he averaged less than 9 yards per attempt. He has thrown 30 touchdowns with just 9 interceptions and lugs in an outstanding 120.45 QBR!

   As imposing as the Ravens clearly are, these feisty Eagles could very well be up to the task. After a week 9, 33-26, defeat to the arch-rival Dallas Cowboys, Philly was a woeful 2-7 and, for all intents and purposes, a total failure of a season considering they were the 5th seed in the playoffs the year before. But, that loss seemed to be a rallying point for the Eagles who, since then, have blasted their way to four consecutive extremely impressive wins and elevated themselves right back into the NFC playoff race! The city is re-energized and the boos have turned to rabid cheers once again. Philly has scored 40+ points in each of the four wins and just put a 52-burger on the defending PFL Champion Saints last week!  QB Jalen Hurts has done a virtual 180 degree turnaround on his season throwing 16 touchdowns over his last five games and has just 1 interception during the team's winning streak! And, as if that is not enough, consider that Hurts has also carried the pigskin 24 times for 163 yards rushing over the past four games and is actually the team's second leading runner with 557 yards!

   Final Analysis: Two of football's most exciting signal callers face off here. Jackson and Hurts can carry a team if needed and both can make dynamic plays that win games. But, if there has been a sore spot on the Philadelphia resume it has to be a run defense that ranks 25th in the league allowing 124 YPG. If the D cannot contain the Ravens' top rated rushing attack, then Baltimore will gain easy down and distance situations. This is probably the #1 key to this game. If Philly can at least contain the running game, then their pass rush and pursuit might be able to get after Jackson a bit. The Eagles have 63 sacks as a team. A terrific matchup with an Eagles' upset extremely possible! Baltimore 32-27.

1:00 PM Pittsburgh Steelers (4-9) at Washington Commanders (9-4)

Steelers Seeking Stability. Commanders Strive to Clinch Playoff Spot

  It has been a rough season, overall, for the Steelers who continue to try to find answers to a myriad of questions as they head into the off-season. Their modest 2-game winning streak was ended, 34-24, by the Cleveland Browns last week and the defeat all but ended any playoff aspirations. Washington, conversely, seems to have answered many of the questions that began to surface around mid-season and are poised to clinch at least a playoff berth with a win here in DC.

   Pittsburgh spent a ton of draft collateral bolstering up the defensive side of the football. They used their first three draft picks on CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, DE Chop Robinson, and Fellow DE Brandon Dorlus. McKinstry has played well with 3 interceptions, but Robinson and Dorlus have been able to garner only 9 combined sacks and 17 tackles between them. The run defense has been particularly disturbing giving up an AFC most 146.54 YPG! The general ineffectiveness of the defense has put too much pressure on an offense that is really built on the power running of HB Najee Harris and game management from QB Kenny Pickett. The team gives up over 30 PPG and that is not a scenerio that will play well with the offense. More work needs to be done on the defensive side come this off-season.

   Washington keeps winning, but there are some troubling trends that could cost them come playoff time. QB Sam Howell can be explosive, unfortunately, in both a positive and negative manner. While Howell has had multiple touchdown games in seven of his last eight games, the second year pro out of North Carolina has also thrown 13 picks over his past seven performances and that type of turnover ratio can spell doom in a playoff environment. Tailback Brian Robinson has been a steady force much of the season. He only has five 100-yard efforts on the year, but has been consistent. Robinson has slowly compiled a solid 1546 yards rushing with a tremendous nose for the endzone with 19 rushing touchdowns!

   Final Analysis: Washington has had a lot of success versus teams like the Steelers, The DC front 7 can handle the run and get after the quarterback pretty well. That group faces a somewhat shaky Steeler Oline and should stymie Harris and then get to Pickett. Washington keeps rolling.  Washington 31-23.   

1:00 PM Indianapolis Colts (5-8) at New York Jets (5-8)

Colts Feeling Giddy. Jets Showing Life

    The Indianapolis Colts have been one of the league's most unpredictable teams this season. With wins over the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears and competitive losses to the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans, the Colts feel they have had a successful season. The Jets have shown some life of late coming off a, 38-10, whacking of the Los Angeles Rams extending their winning streak to three games.

   Success can be measured in more ways than just wins. Indy feels they can play with anyone now and that feeling equates to success. While they have some obvious big wins, the team also has a history of not playing above the level of competition they are facing and then dropping games they should win. The absence of HB Jonathan Taylor has been a downer, but veteran Zeke Elliott has played adequately enough. Rookie WR Rome Odunz has had an excellent freshman season with 91 receptions for 1521 yards and 7 touchdowns. The defense can be disruptive at times, but the run D could be better. The Colts allow 115.31 YPG versus the run.

   The Jets are playing well, but probably too little too late. Still, they have won three in a row and would like to keep the momentum going. QB Aaron Rodgers is, finally, playing up to expectations. The long time Green Bay Packer has thrown 15 touchdowns over his past five games and has tossed 4 TD passes in back-to-back games. His passing has opened the door for tailback Breece Hall to have success. Hall has rushed for 100+ yards in thre of his last four games and carried it 32 and 33 times in the past two outings.

   Final Analysis: Rodgers playing well has complimented the running of Hall. If Indy focuses too much on stopping one or the other, it could lead to a big day for eiither of them. The Colts do struggle a bit to stop the run and have a feeling Hall might prove to be the difference maker here. New York 27-23.   

1:00 PM Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-9) at Minnesota Vikings (0-13)

Two Teams That Need to Evaluate What They Have

   A game that has little meaning can, at times, be more meanigful than it appears. Tampa Bay has their quarterback in rookie Shedeur Sanders, but they need to find out what they need to put around him next season in order for this team to make strides. The Vikings have endured one torturous season and need to decide what they are going to do this off-season. With the likely first pick in the draft, will they elect to jettison QB Kirk Cousins and get the best signal caller in the draft or do they opt for another direction?

   Final Analysis: Tampa seems to be the better team and could use this one to get Sanders ramped up a bit. The Vikes have quite a few holes to address this off-season, but they should have the resources to get the ship sailing in the right direction. Tampa Bay 28-18.

4:05 PM Houston Texans (7-6) at Miami Dolphins (5-8)

Texans Riding into Playoff Sunset as Dolphs May Be Beached

    The Texans have a clear trail to follow if they wish to be a playoff team this season. They should be favored in every one of their remaining 4 games including this one. Miami may have run out of water to swim in following their tough, 36-29, loss to New England last week. Their playoff hopes are not dashed completely, but the window is just about closed.

   Houston has played a very rugged schedule this year. They come in averaging 417.92 YPG which ranks third in the league. They can both run and pass the ball effectively. The defense ranks third in the league, as well, ceding just 305.62 YPG with 73 sacks! And their +7 turnover margin ranks fifth. In short, the record does not even come close to doing justice when it comes to the true evaluation of this club. They should win out the rest of their slate and finish 11-6 and on a five game winning streak. That will make them one of the scariest first round games for some division winner out there.

   The Dolphins have been pretty competitive much of the season, but have had some bad luck in a number of close games.The offense played well again last week with QB Tua Tagovailoa throwing for 343 yards and 3 touchdowns, but the defense failed again allowing Patriot QB Mac Jones to flip 5 TD passes while throwing for 420 yards. Miami's pass D remains at the bottom of the league, ranked 32nd,  giving up 314.77 YPG against the pass.

   Final Analysis: Texan QB CJ Stroud and Co. will almost certainly have a big day throwing the ball on Miami. The Houston pass rush and defense should stall the Dolphins' attack enough to put this one in the win column. Houston 32-22.

4:05 PM Chicago Bears (12-1) at Los Angeles Rams (11-2)

Clash of Titans Softened by Recent Humblings

  This is a big game, obviously, but many fans anticipated a seismic event and, quite, frankly, that simply did not meterialize. That would be due to the recent losses these two teams suffered that made them both appear, well, far more vulnerable than invincible. The Bears did thump the San Francisco 49ers, 41-3, last week and looked alot like the team that has played much of the season, but the Indianapolis Colts shattered the image of invincibility just the week prior in an eye opening, 44-38, upset. The Rams, meanwhile, seemed on their way to an NFC title, if not an outright run to the Super Bowl, game until they were totally dismantled by the New York Jets last week, 38-10! But, let's be clear here, in a season where the NFC has ebbbed and flowed like the tide, it would be folly to dismiss these two teams as anything other than the top duo in the conference. They will finish as the #1 and #2 seeds come playoff time and everyone will need to go through the Windy City of Chicago or Tinsel Town.

   By now, everyone knows the Chicago MO: Pass rushing defense and efficient offense. But, just knowing what the Bears are bringing to the table does not mean that the opponent will not end up on that table as the latest Chicago meal to feast upon. The defense is still paced by LB David Mayo (33 sacks). The offense features Ex-Cowboy Tony Pollard's running (256-1304-12) and elusive QB Justin Fields. Fields has not been asked to carry the team very often and that has enabled some of his weaknesses to remain in the dark. He has thrown for only 2684 yards and is averaging just 193.67 yards per game, yet he still has 24 TD passes on the season! He may, however, be compelled to take on a more than usual load in this one, expecially if the Rams can get their passing game and scoring routine going.

   LA was drubbed last week by the Jets and some flaws were revealed in the process. QB Desmond Ridder was not able to have many of his bread and butter plays work and that led to 8 sacks, 1 pick, and most significantly, the fact he did not have a touchdown pass for the first time since he took over as the starting quarterback! The team could not get much help out of their running game, either, as rookie Blake Corum was stifled for just 56 yards on 17 carries (3.29 YPC). The athletic mobility of Jets' QB Aaron Rodgers to avoid the sack, either by scrambling or throwing the ball away, also checked the Rams' pass rush as the unit totalled just 2 traps.

   Final Analysis: This one really just gets down to which team, if at all, can force their will upon the other and get the opponent out of its comfort zone. The Bears will need to stop the passing game of LA and limit the running of Corum. The Rams will need to figure out the Chicago defense, score points, and force Fields to the air and into predictable down and distance plays so the pass rush can come into play. Feel the Chicago D will at least limit the Rams and keep the game more in line with where the Bears like to play. Chicago 26-23.  

4:05 PM San Francisco 49ers (6-7) at Denver Broncos (8-5)

Critical Game for Niners. Broncos Kicking Down Stretch to Post-Season Berth

    This is one of those subtle games that actually could have major playoff implications. San Francisco has battled all year long trying to secure a rare playoff appearance. Denver can clinch at least a tie for a playoff berth with a win here today!

   San Fran is tied, at the moment, with three other NFC teams (Dallas, Arizona, and Philadelphia) for the final Wild Card spot. They have a tough few games left, but a big win here could make life much easier for them, whereas dropping the game, and leaving Colorado with 8 losses, would truly reduce their odds. Denver can get to 9 wins, and thus no worse than 8 losses, and assure at least a tie for the Wild Card. The Niners have been in a bit of yo-yo mode of late going 3-3 over their last six games. The problem has been a running game that does not feature any regular back averaging more than 3.91 YPC and a quarterback in Brock Purdy who has been unable to consistently pass the ball to the level of expectations or need. Purdy has thrown the ball 40+ times in a game some nine times this season with a high of 63 attempts back in a week 2 loss to Washingon! Despite his prolific throwing numbers, Purdy has not come close to last season's production when he tossed 40 touchdowns. In fact, as of this game, he only has 17 TD passes with 8 interceptions and has a low 89.55 QBR.

   Denver has played pretty well much of the year and is coming off a big, 38-36, win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The defense was not great, but QB Russell Wilson played well enough to pull out the win. Wilson threw for 336 yards and 3 touchdowns without turning it over. The Broncos' pass D has been middle of the road with 50 sacks and might have to play better versus the pass driven Niners to take home the victory.  San Francisco has had a long history of not being good on defense, but this season they have improved dramatically across the board and are no longer a team to pile up stats against. Their run D, in particular, has really picked it up and is allowing a respectable 118.62 YPG and the pass rush has put up 62 traps on the season. The 24.57 PPG allowed is 12th in the PFL.

    Final Analysis: San Fran really needs this win, but they are probaly just a head behind the Ponies running in Denver these days. Wilson is superior to Purdy and the running of tailback Javonte Williams is far better than what San Fran rolls out. Denver 29-22.

4:05 PM Seattle Seahawks (5-8) at Las Vegas Raiders (3-10)

Seattle Fans Want Answers: Is Bo Ever Gonna Gets his Shot? Vegas Out of Chips

     Seattle edged the Buffalo Bills last week, 19-15, and did not give Oregon Duck rookie Bo Nix his long awaited chance to hit the field. Instead, they strolled out Geno Smith, yet again, apparently clinging to diminishing, but still possible, playoff hopes. Smith would complete the game with a woeful 75.1 QBR marking his fifth straight sub-100 QBR outing and back-to-back sub-80 QBR games. Vegas, meanwhile, hit rock bottom and then went even deeper as rookie QB Caleb Williams was sacked, as far as is known, a PFL record 17 times in a, 31-3, smashing by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers! The game signalled the first time Williams and Bucs' rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, clashed in a game. 

   If Seattle can somehow find their way to a 9-8 record, they might sneak into the playoffs. It would mean they will have finished the year with a 5-7 conference record, which could work out if almost all the other teams come back to them in some way. It seems the Seahawk braintrust has elected to go with Smith until the team is in or eliminated, so any premature word on Bo Nix strapping up his chin strap will have to be put on the back burner for now. Smith still needs HB Kenneth Walker Jr. to take some pressure off and the defense will need to play at least as well as it did last week versus Buffalo..

   The Raiders, obviously, have had major issues protecting Williams. He has not been set free to run with the ball and attack teams with his legs and ability to make plays downfield after escaping the pass rush and finding open players. If he can begin to use his multiple gifts, he should start to have success.

  Final Analysis: Vegas has not figured out how to get the most out of Williams yet. Seattle is going to fight  tooth and nail to make the playoffs and should stay in the race with a win here. Seattle 26-16.

4:15 PM Dallas Cowboys (6-7) at Atlanta Falcons (7-6)

For Whom the Bell Tools? It Tolls for Dallas

   The Dallas Cowboys are out time and rope following their embarrassing, 41-10, loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week. They are now confronted with the daunting task of having to win the final four games of their schedule in order to have a decent chance at making the playoffs. Atlanta has not played well for some time now, but are still easily in control of the AFC South as no team below them was able to make any headway when the Falcons opened the door.

   The Cowboys were destroyed last week as they could not slow down the plethora of RPOs and Inside Zone Run the Bengals dominated with. To make matters worse, Dallas could not run the ball at all, finishing with a season low 16 yards on the ground! Rookie QB Drake Maye did throw for 316 yards and a TD, but he also completed less than 60% of his throws for the second consecutive week after completing 63% or better in his prior seven games.  The run defense has been playing like a sieve with teams running the ball for 137, 167, 139, and 158 yards over the past four games.

   The Falcons have really stumbled coming in on a four game losing skid. Despite the downfall, Atlanta has not felt any pressure from either the New Orleans Saints or Carolina Panthers as those two teams have gone a combined 1-8 during the same time frame! However, the recent trend in Atlanta was still on display in last week's, 37-15, loss to Kansas City as QB Malik Willis threw a season high 34 times and the running game was virtually abandoned for the entire game as HB Bijan Robinson ran just two times!  Dallas can expect a return to the normal Falcons' attack this week where the running game is paramount mixed in with some judicious passing from Willis and his running at times too. 

   Final Analysis: Dallas is not anticpating the Falcons to continue their recent MO of passing the ball with less emphasis on the running game. Still, the Cowboys have not been able to stop the run and this will likely give Atlanta the room they need to win. Atlanta 31-18   

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

8:20 PM Detroit Lions (7-6) at Green Bay Packers (7-6)

Historic Lambeau Waiting to Greet Lions in Major NFC North Battle

    Lambeau Field has seen its share of late season big games. This one is another huge matchup with serious playoff implications involved. The winner of this game is a near lock for the playoffs, while the loser will be scrambling the rest of the way to find a route to the post-season.

   Detroit has gone 6-2 over its prior eight games. They were able to nudge past the Jacksonville Jaguars, 28-24, last week to set this game up. The Lions won the first meeting between these two teams, 31-29, in a heated contest. They had 23 first downs compared to Green Bay's 14 as QB Jared Goff threw a season high 44 times for 366 yards and 3 touchdowns. The team likes a balanced approach offensively with a mix between Goff's passing and HB Jahmyr Gibbs' running.

   Green Bay has one of the top run defenses in the PFL allowing just 84.15 YPG versus the rush which is #6 in the league. If they can shut down Detroit's ground game, they might be able to get after Goff a bit, but even then the Lions can move the football. Both teams are good at taking the ball away with the Packers coming in 17 takeaways compared to Detroit's 19 and, indeed, when the two met earlier this season there were a combined 4 turnovers. 

   Final Analysis: Cannot stress enough how important this game is. The game will likely get down to takeways and turnovers. How well Packer QB Jordan Love performs could be the difference here. In the Packers' six losses, the opposing team has scored 30+ points and have gone 2-6, overall, when the other team eclipses that plateau. Detroit has gone 5-1 in games where they have put up 30+ points and 1-5 when they have not. So, the math is kinda simple... Green Bay 28-26

 MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

8:30 PM Tennessee Titans (10-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9)

Titans Close in on AFC South Crown. Jags Trying to Assess Future

    The Tennessee Titans have quietly gone about their business and now are on the vergs of claiming an unexpected AFC South title. While others may have doubted the success Tennessee has displayed, head coach Glen was quite adamant, at the start of the year, that his club would compete for the division! And, honestly he has been spot on! The Jags saw their staff resign and have never recovered from the turnover. They have dropped eight of their last nine games and are, basically, done for the season, yet again, as some doubts have begun to sneak in about QB Trevor Lawrence and his ability to lift the franchise to a higher level.

   Coach Glen has elevated the play of veteran QB Ryan Tannehill with a brilliant system that has enabled the 36 year old to throw for a stunning 39 touchdowns, with a mere 3 interceptions, for an amazing 129.23 QBR! Halfback Cam Akers, while not spectacular, has been very steady. WR Treylon Burks has been incredible with 139 receptions for 1586 yards and 14 touchdowns!

  Final Analysis: Jags still without a steady staff means more pain for the Panhandle Pack. Titans' well oiled offensive scheme will likely not be stopped. Tennessee 32-16