THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

8:2O PM Carolina Panthers (6-8) at Chicago Bears (13-1)

Panthers Clinging to Playoff Hopes Head to Soldier Field to Meet Powerful Bears

   The Carolina Panthers are as close to making the playoffs, and even winning the NFC South, as they have been all season, but they are just as close to being eliminated from contention altogether. They really need a massive upset here at Soldier Field in order to give themselves a legitimate shot. The Bears swept aside the Los Angeles Rams last week, 38-27, and took control of the race for the top seed in the NFC as a result.

   The Panthers boast two of the game's brightest young stars in QB Bryce Young and rookie WR Brian Thomas. Young has had a stellar season throwing 32 TD passes while averaging an NFC best 334.7 YPG passing! The main recipient of Young's pyrotechnics has been Thomas. Thomas has hauled in an NFC leading 100 receptions and 15 touchdowns while averaging 15.15 YPC and 123.26 YPG! The downside for Carolina is a run defense that is dead last in the PFL allowing 176.43 YPG and that D is going up against a Chicago offense that is second in the league averaging 149.14 YPG rushing! In addition, Young has been sacked 71 times, which is the ninth most in the league, and the Bears come marching in with a league leading 111 traps!

   Chicago was able to deny the Rams any sacks in their win last week. QB Justin Fields threw for 366 yards and 3 touchdowns into the weaker Rams' secondary without being dropped once or throwing an interception. Chicago also utilized a bit of trickery as WR Darnell Moody would get the ball 3 times for 74 yards, a 61 yard scamper, and 2 touchdowns! 

   Final Analysis: This is not a good matchup, at all, for the Panthers. They likely will not stop the run and Young could end up under seige if he has to pass all game long. Chicago 32-17.

1:00 Tennessee Titans (11-3) at New York Jets (6-8)

Titans Have All But Clinched AFC South! Jets in Need of a Small Miracle

   The Tennessee Titans have played great football all season long with a unique style of play. They cruised to their 11th win of the season last week crushing the leaderless Jaguars, 40-13. They hold almost every possible tie-breaker with the second place Houston Texans and, barring a highly unlikely scenario, should clinch the division this week. The Jets are still, mathematically, in the playoff hunt, but would need an equally unlikely set of circumstances to occur in order for them to find a way to the post-season.

   Tennessee has force fed an offense in much the same way they did a season ago with TE Chigoziem Okonkwo. This season's darling is WR Treylon Burks who has been targeted to the tune of an astonishing 150 receptions for 1735 yards and 15 touchdowns! The West Coast styled attack has also pushed QB Ryan Tannehill to amazing numbers. The aged veteran has tossed 45 TD passes with a meager 3 interceptions for 4509 yards and an unreal 130.82 QBR!

   The Jets can win this game if they shut off the Tennessee short passing game and force the run. That, though, is much easier said than done. Still, recent big wins over the Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis Colts has boosted the mood in Jet-land these days. Gang Green has won four in a row scoring 29+ points in all four games while holding three teams to 17 or fewer points! They have figured out how to finally balance the passing of QB Aaron Rodgers with the running of Breece Hall and that has made a world of difference. The defense has picked it up, as well, recording 14 sacks over its last two games.

   Final Analysis: Tennessee plays a very specific style of ball that can furstrate teams. If New York can figure a way to slow it down, they have a very real shot at pulling off the upset here. Tennessee 26-22.

1:00 PM Philadelphia Eagles (7-7) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-10)

Blistering Birds Descend Upon Acrisure!

  To say the Philadelphia Eagles and QB Jalen Hurts are on fire these days would be an understatement! After posting 40+ points on the defending AFC Champion Baltimore Ravens last week, Philly has now won five straight and done so eclipsing the 40-point plateau in all five games! They now head to upstate Pennsylvania to meet a Steelers' team that has not been able to slow teams down on the defensive side of the football. Could the Eagles get 40 again?

   The Eagles and Ravens combined for over 1000 yards of offense and 91 total points! In the end, though, it would be the play of Hurts that pushed Philly over the finish line. Hurts threw for 410 yards and 3 touchdowns. He has now thrown 17 TD passes with just 1 interception during the winning streak. But, that was not all Hurts did. He ran for another 102 yards on 10 carries and was his team's top rusher for the game! Quite frankly, the Eagles' offense is tops in football at the moment and the momentum they have now should carry them to the playoffs.

   Pittsburgh had a first quarter nightmare versus the NFC East front running Commanders last week and fell behind 28-0! Virtually nothing went right for them while everything went right for DC. The defense has struggled much of the season and now has to contend with the hottest offense in all of football.

   Final Analysis: The Eagles are rolling and have found a way to get the most out of Hurts. The Steelers just have not been able to get ther D on the right path and QB Kenny Pickett just has not been good enough to overcome that. Philadelphia 35-21.

1:00 PM Minnesota Vikings (0-14) at Green Bay Packers (8-6)

Pack Closing in on Playoff Berth

     The Vikings are trying to avoid a place in PFL history by completing a winless campaign. The Packers just dumped the Detroit Lions, 16-13, in a big time NFC North showdown and are, now, on the precipice of claiming one of the three playoff berths.

   It has been a long season, to say the least, for the Purple. They have played a number of competitive games this year, but just have not been able to find that winning combination. Their 81.93 YPG rushing ranks 30th in the league and has put QB Kirk Cousins and the attack in jeopardy all too often.

  Green Bay can all but clinch a playoff berth with a 9th victory. A win would ensure them an above-.500 record and could ease them in should several other contenders have a single slip up the rest of the year. The passing game ranks #2 in the NFC averaging 289.57 YPG and the running game chips in 109.64 YPG making the offense one of the more potent and balanced units in football. Only the Houston Texans average more yards rushing and passing than the Packers! The run defense is top level ceding a sixth best 88.29 YPG versus the rush. However, if there is a soft spot, it might be a secondary that is giving up 285.14 YPG against the pass which rates 28th in the PFL.

   Final Analysis: Vikes have had it rough all season and get a tough customer in the Packers. Years ago, this would have been a classic matchup between two cold weather teams, but the Vikings are a dome team now and will need to face the elements at Lambeau Field. Green Bay 27-16.

1:00 PM Dallas Cowboys (7-7) at Indianapolis Colts (5-9)

Can Pokes Finally Get Above .500? Colts Look to Continue Progress

   The Dallas Cowboys finally beat a team with an above .500 record last week as they knocked off the Atlanta Falcons in a Must-Win over-time pressure cooker. They cannot afford to lose a single game the rest of the way so here they are in their next high intensity environment. Indianapolis has had numerous good outings this season, but their, 29-17, clunker of a loss to the surging New York Jets last week likely ended any playoff hopes.

   Dallas dominated the Time-of-Possession number in a massive way last week holding the ball for over 31 minutes compared to Atlanta's 8! However, two interceptions by rookie QB Drake Maye levelled the scoring columns and forced the OT session. Falcon CB Clark Phillips would take one pass back 70 yards for the pick 6. The defense was solid not allowing QB Malik Willis to have a completion beyond 25 yards while recording 5 sacks of the elusive signal caller. The D has slowly inched up the charts and now resides at #5 in the NFC (and 12th overall) allowing 354.36 YPG. The main worry has been a problem stopping the run, which is an Indianapolis' strong point. The Cowboys allow 125.5 YPG against the run which ranks 25th in the PFL.

   The Colts can run the football, albeit a bit more inconsistently since top back Jonathan Taylor went down with an injury. Veteran back Zeke Elliott has been up and down. He has had two solid games and three not so solid games to date. He was stuffed by a very good Jets' front seven last week rushing for only 21 yards on 11 carries. The magic number for the Colts is 30+ points. They have gone a perfect 5-0 in any game where they have tallied 30 points, but are 0-9 otherwise. The Cowboys have allowed 30+ points some five times this year going 0-5 in those contests so the numbers for success or failure for both teams are pretty evident.

   Final Analysis: Indy is unpredictable and Dallas has not shown it can step up and dominate solid teams. The Cowboys have had three chances already this year to get above .500 and have failed each time. If the Colts can run the football, they should win this one. Indianapolis 31-26.

1:00 PM Washington Commanders (10-4) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)

DC Bunch on Verge of NFC East Crown! Bengals One of Several Teams Barely Hanging in...

    The NFC East has a bit of a history of having a different team win it every year and rarely has a repeat champion. Washington has eliminated both Dallas and New York from the race and need only to hold off the Philadlephia Eagles with a magic number of 1. Cincinnati has had an odd season. They seem to like to bunch their wins and losses into little groupings. They have won two straight, after losing four in a row, and are playing good ball at the moment. Still, with 8 losses, they will need some serious good fortune in order to grab a playoff seat when the music stops.

   Washington has won five of its last six and earned the divisional title with solid play. While they technically have not clinched yet, the odds are slim to none they will not win it. They have scored 30+ points in four of their last five games and QB Sam Howell is coming off, easily, his best game of the season. Howell had been a worry spot due to his turnover habit, but he completed 81.82% of his throws in last week's, 38-14, romp over the Pittsburgh Steelers for a season high 364 yards and 2 touchdowns while not having a turnover! His success is especially important as the Commanders like to run the football and need him to be effective. Washington ranks sixth in the PFL running the ball and average 127.43 YPG while leading the league in rushing touchdowns with 26!

   To be honest, the Bengals are a near mirror image of the Commanders! The two teams have about the same number of yards per game, about the same number of sacks per game, are both rugged versus the run on defense, and average about the same amount of points per game!  If, though, there might be one separation point it would have to be in the turnover margins. Cinci has a -7 ratio with 14 giveaways and just 7 takeaways while the Commanders are an even 0 on the season with 20 giveaways (4th most in the league) and takeaways (also 4th most in the PFL)!

   Final Analysis: Hard to figure this one as so much is dependent upon turnovers and how each team plays to their strength. Washington seems to be on a better roll so...Washington 30-24.

1:00 PM New York Giants (5-9) at Baltimore Ravens (12-2)

Stunned Ravens May Have Let Top Seed Slip Away. G-Men Want to Finish Strong

    The Giants dumped the defending Champion Saints last week, 24-10, and in the process probably ended any playoff aspirations New Orleans may have had. While the win certainly had to feel good, as it snapped a three game losing skid, the play of QB Daniel Jones has remained an area of concern. The Ravens, meanwhile, may have blown their opportunity to claim the #1 seed in the AFC and will likely have to face the reality that they will need to go through the Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots in order to get back to the Super Bowl.

   New York got their formula for success going last week. HB Saquon Barkley rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns, the defense played well, and QB Jones did not have to shoulder the attack. However, New Orleans appears to have packed up their camp for the season. The Saints started QB Spencer Rattler and inserted Kendre Walker into the HB spot over Alvin Kamara! They may have some success running the ball on the Baltimore defensive front, but Jones almost certainly will need to take on a larger portion of the offense versus the Ravens.

   Baltimore got outscored by a white hot Philadelphia Eagles' team last week. They saw QB Jalen Hurts run all over the field for 102 yards and also rip their secondary for another 410 yards and 3 touchdowns passing! The Giants and Daniel Jones simply are not that type of a threat, but there has been a season long worrisome trend for the Ravens and that is trying to stop the run. Both teams have shown some vulnerability against the run. The Ravens, though, lead the league in rushing (153.57 YPG) while the Giants rank 10th averaging 122.43 YPG.

   Final Analysis: Feel Baltimore will have more success running than New York. The Ravens have the superior quarterback in LaMar Jackson and his 35 TD passes. Baltimore 29-22.

1:00 PM Buffalo Bills (4-10) at New England Patriots (14-0)

Improving Bills Try to Deny Pats' Place in History

    The Buffalo Bills have made positive strides this year as the season has unfolded. They just stopped a Los Angeles Chargers' team, that had made quite a few improvements of their own this year, and could be a sticky opponent for the undefeated, top dog, Patriots. Still, this may be a tall order for Buffalo as they trudge to chilly New England to face, arguably, the best team in football especially since the Pats just dumped the Kansas City Chiefs, yet again, last week...

   The story line on Buffalo is well documented. They have made serious changes as the season has progressed and the more they protect QB Josh Allen the better they get. The offensive success allows the defense to not be on the field as much and, obviously, if the attack is better the D is better. They will have to be near perfect, though, to upend a New England team trying to finish out an undefeated regular season, In addition, a win at home would secure no worse than the #2 seed for the Patriots.

   The Patriots just seem to have the Chiefs' number. Once again, they were able to get after KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes sacking him 7 times, picking him off once, and utterly stuffing the Kansas City running game. They face these Bills twice over their final three games and their ferocious pass rush is likely going to be the difference if the Bills cannot get him protected in some fashion. New England enters the game with 91 sacks (Third most in football) while Buffalo has given up 93 sacks (second most allowed in the league).

   Final Analysis: Buffalo has clearly gotten better, but this seems an awfully big hill, indeed mountain, to climb. New England 32-18.

1:00 PM Atlanta Falcons (7-7) at Cleveland Browns (7-7)

Same Records, But Very Different Situations, in the Dog Pound

    The Atlanta Falcons are probably going to end up on top of the NFC South once the dust settles. However, they have now lost five in a row and are having an end to their season that is, eerily, reminiscent of last year's collapse down the stretch. They now hold a narrow one-game lead over the Carolina Panthers and play the Panthers in two weeks! In addition, Atlanta presently has a 2-2 divisional record while Carolina is at 3-1 and it could get down to a tie breaker situation. A win here in Cleveland sure would help matters. The Browns lost a key game to the Bengals last week and now have to check their rear view mirror where they can see the hard charging New York Jets and Bengals! They need a win as badly as Atlanta does...

   Atlanta suffered an upset loss at home last week to Dallas in over-time, 30-24. They had a 21-14 lead following a pick six by CB Clark Phillips, but the offense was held in check much of the day and the normally solid defense could not keep the Cowboys out of the endzone. QB Malik Willis would have a perfect 11 for 11 game throwing the ball, but much of the offense was RPO oriented and the longest pass completion was for just 25 yards. HB Bijan Robinson had a big day rushing for 145 yards on 23 carries. The D did get two interceptions, but it also saw rookie QB Drake Maye connect for 423 yards and 3 touchdowns.

   Final Analysis: The Browns slipped against their in-state rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, and now need a W in a big way to hold off the gaggle of teams right behind them. They have the New York Giants (5-9) and the Las Vegas Raiders (3-11) left on their schedule and are in good shape. Still, this has been a topsy turvy season and nothing is guaranteed. Cleveland 28-26?

4:05 PM Seattle Seahawks (6-8) at Arizona Cardinals (6-8)

Can You Say Pressure? Loser About Cooked, Winner Still Has Short Odds

   This is one of those late season encounters that is filled with enormous stress. The loser is almost certainly going to miss the playoffs while the victor stays alive, albeit barely, in the playoff hunt. For Seattle, this has been a year of ups and downs with a ton of frustration and doubt. They resisted the urge to pack up their season and go with rookie Bo Nix at quarterback and, instead, got tailback Kenneth Walker back, stuck with veteran Geno Smith as their guy under center, and have won two straight to stay alive in the playoff race. Arizona did a 180 from their normal MO last week and paid the price in a disappointing, 31-19, loss to the Carolina Panthers. The Cards went to a running game posture with rookie HB Raheim Sanders rushing for season highs in attempts (29) and yards (186), but quarterback Kyler Murray would throw for a season low 101 yards and have his string of games without throwing a pick ended. Murray did have one game where he threw for fewer yards, but he left that one with an injury. 

   Now, as far as the playoff picture goes, we have some serious murky waters to navigate here. The Seahawks' major dilemma is their conference record. Currently, they have 7 conference losses and can do no better than 5-7. That could cost them in most multi-team tie-breaker scenarios. The Dallas Cowboys have already won 6 conference games and the Philadlphia Eagles beat Seattle back in week 5. Seattle does hold a win over the Detroit Lions and that could be their saving grace when the proverbial dust settles. The Cards, meanwhile, could finish 6-6 in conference play and also hold a win over the Lions and have a loss to the Cowboys. 

   Final Analysis: Hard to pick a winner here and Arizona's change to a running style last week has muddied the pond water. Seattle has a very good secondary and the return of Walker is huge. Walker rushed for 148 yards on 35 rugged carries, but, more significantly, powered the ball into the endzone a staggering 5 times!  Arizona has a tough time stopping the run so expect more Seattle power football. Seattle 27-20.

4:05 PM Houston Texans (8-6) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-10)

Texans Charging to Playoffs as Jags Lament Lost Campaign

    Houston took one more step towards securing a playoff spot last week as they nipped the hard luck Miami Dolphins, 30-27. The Jags were blasted by the Tennessee Titans, 40-13, and played lifeless ball. Their season is done and the off-season hunt for a steady coaching staff is underway.

   The Texans slipped past Miami as QB CJ Stroud had a solid game throwing for 462 yards. The yardage was a season high for Stroud, but it came against the most porous pass D in the PFL. A worrisome trend has been Stroud's propensity for giving the ball away. He has now thrown at least 1 interception in each of his last six games and that will not get it done come playoff time. WR Nico Collins has emerged down the stretch. The solidly built 6'4" 215 Lbs Collins has now posted three straight 100+ yardage games and has five TD receptions over his lasy six games. 

   The Jags are in complete disarray without a steady staff in place. QB Trevor Lawrence has played well, but the running game never materialized. Travis Etienne leads the club in rushing with only 699 yards on 118 carries. The team has a -5 turnover ratio and the defense has been able to get just 6 take-aways all year long.

   Final Analysis: Texans playing well and should ease to a win here. Houston should win all their remaining games and have some momentum going when the post-season begins. Houston 31-18.   

4:05 PM Las Vegas Raiders (3-11) at Los Angeles Chargers (5-9)

AFC West Fizzle Game...

      This could have been a seminal moment for the improved Chargers, but an upset loss to the Buffalo Bills all but halted their playoff dreams in its tracks. The Raiders have had a heckuva time protecting scrambling rookie QB Caleb Williams. Williams has been dropped a league most 113 times, but he has not been allowed to use his legs much, if at all, rushing just 16 times for 61 yards.

   LA has definitely been one of the nicer stories of the season as they rose from the dead and made a run at the playoffs. QB Justin Herbert has played well much of the back half of the season, but he seems to have reverted back to his early season habits with negative results. His 13 interceptions is the second most in the AFC trailing only, well, Vegas' Williams!

   Final Analysis: The season is over for both of these teams, but each club would like to end on a positive note and see what they have for next year. Vegas has a talented rookie in Williams, but the team has to figure out a way to use his legs more and get him better protection and weapons. The Chargers know Herbert can play, but, like Williams, he has been inconsistent. The Bolts just seem on a better trajectory. Los Angeles 27-22.

4:05 PM Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-9) at Denver Broncos (8-6)

Two Teams, With Season Kinda Frozen, Meet

   The Tampa Bay Buccaneers really have little to play for, but certainly would like QB Shedeur Sanders to finihs strong. Denver could not get off the field and gave up one big play after another to the San Francisco 49ers last week leading to a, 59-36, shellacking.

   The Bucs have to see what Sanders can do before entering next season. The club has won three of its last four games with Sanders recording a 100+ QBR in each of the wins. In last week's convincing, 30-17, win over the Minnesota Vikings he ended with a season best 134 QBR! The recent upswing has to be extremely encouraging for the Bucs, but they would want him to finish up on a positive note.

   Denver just could not stop the 49ers' last week. All types of big plays occurred with QB Brock Purdy throwing for over 400 yards and 4 TDs and HB Christian McCaffrey rushing for 126 yards on 17 carries. While the loss was stunning, it really did not impact the liklihood of the Broncos making the playoffs. QB Russell Wilson would throw two picks and HB Javonte Williams never got going finishing with a paltry 46 yards on 20 carries.

   Final Analysis: The 59 points allowed was a bit unsettling for a team that had been playing well on defense. Still, the Broncos are in a great spot for making the post season. The Bucs are dangerous here as they have been playing well of late. Denver 37-22.   

4:15 PM New Orleans Saints (5-9) at Detroit Lions (7-7)

Fallen Saints...Lions in Tight Spot!

    The New Orleans Saints will not, barring a miracle, be able to defend their title this season. A five game losing streak, enhanced by a first place schedule, has likely doomed their effort to qualify for the post-season. In fact, all indications are the Saints' ownership and staff feel the same way as the team benched both QB Derek Carr and HB Alvin Kamara in last week's, 24-10, loss to the New York Giants. Detroit dropped their big game with the Green Bay Packers, 16-13, and now find themselves fighting for their playoff lives. They finish with games against the Chicago Bears and at the Houston Texans and cannot have any slips now.

   The Saints started rookie 5th round pick Spencer Rattler at quarterback last week along with tailback Kendre Miller. It may have signalled a white flag on the season for the Halos and may have also represented the end of the road for QB Derek Carr in the Big Easy. Obviously, if they opt to continue seeing what Rattler can do, the outcome of their remaining games becomes blurry at best.

  Detroit suffered a huge loss to Green Bay last week. The loss evened their record at 7-7, but more significantly, it leaves them with those two tough games on the horizon and they will be underdogs in both. An 8th loss would probably push them back into a quagmire of teams for the final playoff berths. RB Jahmyr Gibbs remains a main factor for Detroit. He rushed for 130 yards on 26 carries last week marking the first time he exceeded the century mark in his last five games. QB Jared Goff suffered one of his worst outings of the season finishing with a 67.7 QBR. 

  Final Analysis: Depends upon what Saints do. If Rattler and Miller start again, this one is clearly leaning towards the Lions' side of the ledger. Even wih Carr and Kamara, Detroit should win. detroit 28-21.

GAME OF THE WEEK

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

8:20 PM Los Angeles Rams (11-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (12-2)

Humbled Heaveyweights Tussle in Arrowhead

   This game had the very real potential of featuring the top two teams from each conference meeting in a true Battle Royale. While the two clubs are clearly among the best in the business, both are entering this game on a sour note and one of them is going to leave the stadium feeling very blue indeed.

   The Rams had been rolling along all season winning some close games and putting up 30+ points every week. Then they got steam rolled by the New York Jets and followed that loss up with a depressing defeat in their showdown with the Bears last week. Their normal MO was in play versus Chicago, but they fell prey to some well timed trick plays by Chicago and watched WR Darnell Moody have quite the day. A little more disconcerting, however, is the fact the Rams failed to score 30+ points for the second consecutive game after exceeding that number in each of their first 12 games of the year! QB Desmond Ridder did throw for 330 yards and 3 touchdowns and HB Blake Corum ran for 107 yards on 23 carries, but it still was not enough. The pass rush could not get to Chicago QB Justin Fields at all and that is a factor they may need in this matchup with Patrick Mahomes and the KC aerial attack. LA will need some running out of Corum as KC is one of the better pass defending teams in the league allowing just 221.5 YPG with an AFC best 97 sacks.

   The Chiefs were beaten, again, by their nemesis the New England Patriots last week, 26-21. The run defense was fantastic holding New England to just 51 yards on the ground, but the pass D saw Patriot QB Mac Jones carve them up for 313 yards and 3 touchdowns. KC could not get an interception of Jones and the 4 sacks was not decisive enough. At the same time, the Kansas City vaunted running game was stuffed for a meager 31 yards with tailback Isiah Pacheco having a dreadful 9 carries for, ya ready folks????  36 inches! To make matters even worse, Pacheco would depart with a season ending dislocated elbow and his loss could severely hamper the Chiefs' ambitions.

   Final Analysis: This one will probably be a shoot out. However, the loss of Pacheco means rookie Trey Benson will probably have to carry the load. Benson is capable, but he is nowhere near the bulldozing speedster Pacheco is. If the Chiefs become one-dimensional it could be a long day, although the Rams' secondary can be vulnerable if the pass rush cannot get home. Los Angeles 32-25.

 MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

8:30 PM Miami Dolphins (5-9) at San Francisco 49ers (7-7)

Tough Losses Continueto Haunt Dolphins. Niners Poised for Playoff Run

    The Miami Dolphins may very well look back upon this season and rue the many close games where they have come up a shade short. For the fourth times this year, Miami lost by 7 points or less. This time, it would be a likely season ending, 30-27, defeat to the Houston Texans. Conversely, San Francisco exploded for a season hogh 59 points as they ripped the Denver Broncos. 59-36 and put themselves right in the middle of a wild and crazy NFC playoff race.

   The Dolphins' weak pass defense reared its ugly head again last week. Texan QB CJ Stroud would throw for 462 yards as Houston just outscored the Dolphins. HB De'Von Achane had a nice game rushing for 110 yards and QB Tua Tagovailoa threw for 308 yards and 2 TDs, but the attack , yet again, could not overcome the defense's short-comings. 

   The Niners desperately needed a big win in Denver last week and got it. QB Brock Purdy lit up the crisp cold Denver air for 454 yards and 4 touchdowns. HB Christian McCaffrey rolled for his first 100+ yard game as hw gashed the Denver D for 126 yards on 17 carries. WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk each had over 100 yards of receptions and consistently beat the Broncos' man-to-man pressing tactics. McCaffrey's production was a particularly encouraging showing. San Fran ranks 32nd in the league in rushing averaging a woefully low 65.36 YPG.

   Final Analysis: Miami is all but done after last week;s loss and really just playing for pride here. San Francisco has the slumping Cardinals and then a week 18 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams yet. If they can win 2 of their final three games, they will finish up at 9-8. The main problem is they would also likely end up with a 5-7 conference record and that could have them losing out on several tie-breaker scenarios. San Francisco loves to throw the ball  and face the weakes pass D in football. San Francisco 32-23.