12:30 PM Chicago Bears (6-5) at Detroit Lions (2-9) 

Windy City Bears Roll Into Motown

   The Chicago Bears and interim HC Mike Knleinknecht have found their rhythm and are on their way to the NFC North title as long as they can hold serve the rest of the way. The offense is on fire and the defense is playing extremely well too. The Lions dropped their game with the Colts last week, but are showing signs of improving.

   Rookie QB Caleb Williams threw for 298 yards and 3 touchdowns as Chicago downed the Minnesota Vikings, 27-19. The running game with De'Andre Swift was lacking, but the Bears were still able to control the game. The game was likely decided by the two teams' pass rush totals. Minnesota was able to record just 3 sacks while the Chicago group bagged Viking rookie QB JJ McCarthy 9 times.

   Final Analysis: Chicago is in control in the division and should remain there. The O has kicked in and the D was never in doubt. Chicago 30-17.

4:30 PM New York Giants (6-5) at Dallas Cowboys (6-5)

Big Blue in Big D For Big Clash!

    The New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys will face off in a huge game at AT&T Stadium this Thanksgiving. The winner will take a major step towards securing a Wild Card berth while the loser could find themelevs on the outside looking in especially considering the schedules both teams have awaiting them the rest of the season.

   The Giants were drubbbed, 38-10, last week by a talented Tampa Bay Buccaneers' squad that stuffed New York's running game and also found plenty of room to run versus one of the top defenses in the PFL. The lauded backfield duo of Devin Singletary and Tyrone Tracy was shut down for a combined 90 yards on 27 carries (3.33 YPC) and QB Daniel Jones could only muster 147 yards through the air. At the same time, the Bucs got 169 yards on 29 carries out of tailback Rachaad White and 216 yards and 3 touchdowns from QB Baker Mayfield in the rout. Despite the result, New York enters this one still with the best defense in the league allowing only 247.4 YPG and the #3 running attack averaging 118.5 YPG. The ability to run the football could prove decisive in this one as Dallas comes in ranked 29th in the league giving up a hefty 105.5 YPG against the run. On the other hand, the Cowboys have piled up 13 takeaways on the year compared to New York's 7.

   Dallas took care of business last week against the rival Washington Commanders, 29-10, as they reverted back to their early season MO of passing the football. QB Dak Prescott threw for a season most 391 yards and 2 touchdowns on the day. The D did allow rookie QB Jayden Daniels to throw for over 300 yards, but the unit also sacked him 9 times and picked him off once.

   Final Analysis: Should be a tense one in Dallas. The Cowboys were embarrassed by the G-Men back in Jersey in week 4. 59-3, and will be seeking some payback for that one. The Giants had both Singletary (149) and Tracy (123) rush for over 100 yards as they dominated the LOS. New York 27-24.    

 Miami Dolphins (6-4-1) at Green Bay Packers (6-5)

Hi-Octane Fish Set to Dump Pack 

   The Miami Dolphins and Head Coach Mike Kleinknecht appear to have figured it out folks and that means bad times for their opponents going forward. The Dolphs have outscored their competition by a whopping 133 to 49 margin while going 3-0-1 over their last four games! The Packers, on the other hand, continue to struggle on offense and have not been able to get much going all season long. Yes, they did shutout the 49ers,17-0, last week, but the offense was, yet again, lopsided with the running game finally kicking in while the passing game went out the window. The lack of firepower will make it awfully hard to beat a Miami team utilizing tons of motion plays and superior speed at every position...

   Super quick tailback De'Von Achane raced for 139 yards on 20 carries and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa would throw three TD passes as the Dolphins routed the Patriots, 41-3, last week! Tagovailoa has plugged right into Kleinknecht's well known reputation for finding plays that work and has now thrown 2 or more touchdowns in five consecutive games! The defense has evolved as well and Miami now ranks 10th in the PFL allowing 297.9 YPG.

   Green Bay got their ground game going last week as HB Josh Jacobs ran for 118 yards on 24 carries. However, QB Jordan Love continued to miss targets, suffer from dropped balls, and even throw the ball into the grass on a consistent basis! He would finish with just 129 yards passing in last week's win.

   Final Analysis: The Dolphins are up to their old tricks and have got it going now. Green Bay either gets their O going now or this one could be a blowout. Miami 30-16.

Friday 3:00 PM Las Vegas Raiders (3-8) at Kansas City Chiefs (6-5)

Friday Fracas in Arrowhead

     A post-Thanksgiving repast will feature two legendary rivals going at it. The Silver and Black are in the midst of a woeful six game losing freefall and coming off a, 55-13, demolition at the hands of the Denver Broncos. Kansas City may be starting to round into form as HB Isiah Pacheco ran for over 100 yards (24-116) for the second game in a row. QB Patrick Mahomes did continue getting sacked, however, as the Carolina Panthers dropped him 11 times in last weeks, 24-3 Chiefs' victory.

   KC has been trying to get their vaunted running game going much of the season without success. But Pacheco's recent uptick has many in the organization cautiously optimistic as the final games of the year wind down. If they can get Pacheco rolling, then it is highly probable that the passing game is going to follow along. The pass rush will benefit as well if the team can play with a lead. As an example, consider that the club racked up Panther QB Andy Dalton a dozen times last week! The unit is now tied for 7th in the PFL with 74 sacks.

   Final Analysis: Obviously, the Raiders cannot let KC get its running game going nor fall behind. Vegas is 29th in the league versus the pass (338 YPG) and Kansas City storms in ranked 2nd in the PFL averaging 300 YPG through the air. The first meeting between these old rivals was a close, 34-31, KC win as Mahomes threw for 434 yards and 4 touchdowns. If the ground game comes along now lookout...Kansas City 34-22.

1:00 PM Los Angeles Chargers (1-10) at Atlanta Falcons (3-8)

Chargers Keep Fighting. Falcons Believe They Have Their Man in QB Willis

   While it has been a truly long season for the Chargers, the team keeps taking the field and playing hard each week. They lost another competitive game last week, this one to the powerful Baltimore Ravens, 27-18. However QB Justin Herbert did not throw an interception and power-back Gus Edwwards blasted his way for 106 yards on just 13 carries against one of the best defenses in football. Atlanta, meanwhile, is feeling more and more confident that they have found their franchise quarterback in Malik Willis. The 6'1" 219 Lbs Willis has thrown 4 touchdown passes over his last four games, but also has tossed 3 interceptions and been sacked 20 times during that same time frame.

   Final Analysis: The Chargers are last in the PFL averaging just 245 YPG and the Falcons have the #9 defense in the league ceding 296.6 YPG. In a bit of an oddity, LA and Herbert have thrown the most interceptions in the league (17), but Atlanta is dead last in defensive interceptions with only 3! If Herbert does not turn it over, this one could be closer than many may expect. Atlanta 26-21.

1:00 PM Pittsburgh Steelers (5-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-5)

Critical Matchup in Ohio

   This is one of several games this week that has serious playoff implications. The Steelers lost a huge game last week in Cleveland, 27-17, as the offense sputtered again and the defense just could not hold up. QB Russell Wilson had just 185 yards passing and HB Najee Harris ran for a rather pedestrian 62 yards on 20 carries. Cinci is coming off its bye week and should be set to go. QB Joe Burrow needs to cut down on his mistakes and the 26th ranked (234.2 YPG) pass defense must improve if this team is going to make one of its well-known late season runs.

   The Steelers' defense is still formidable, but the unit cannot withstand turnovers by the offense or a failure to score points.Their 18 PPG scoring number is last in the division while the Bengals 23 PPG is second. That's a pretty wide gap. On the other hand, Cinci is giving up 23 PPG and Pittsburgh is allowing only 18 PPG sooooo....

  Final Analysis: This is the first meeting between these two clubs this season. It shapes up as a close battle with the Steelers' defense hoping to get after Burrow and the Cincinnati D counting on continued futility out of the Pittsburgh offense. Cincinnati 20-18.

1:00 PM Indianapolis Colts (6-6) at New England Patriots (5-7)

Ecstatic Ponies Envision Post-Season Entry! Pats Clinging to Narrowing Playoff Aspirations

   The Mood in Indianapolis these days can only be decribed as pure unbridled excitement! They have now won four in a row and are on the very cusp of an unexpected playoff berth after starting the season going 0-5! QB Anthony Richardson threw 4 touchdown passes in his team's, 35-21, win over the Lions last week giving him 9 TD passes during the four game run! The Patriots could not stop Coach Mike Kleinknecht's motion offense attack and were throttled by the surging Miami Dolphins, 41-3, last week.

   Neither team's offense ranks in the upper half of the league. But the Colts' defense ranks 11th in the league allowing 298 YPG while the Patriots are sitting last in the league giving up some 348.4 YPG. Another factor favoring Indy is the fact the Colts are a +5 in turnover margin while New England is a +2.

   Final Analysis: Indy is on a roll for sure and getting more and more confident with each subsequent win. They need HB Jonathan Taylor (208-814-3.9-5) to get going ASAP. He might have a bit of a challenge there, though, as the Patriots, despite their defensive woes, are 7th against the run (76/9 YPG). Expect Richardson to have another big game. Indianapolis 30-23.

1:00 PM Seattle Seahawks (9-2) at New York Jets  (5-6)

Disruptive Seahawks Visit Gang Green

   Few teams can match the ability to wreck a play more than the Seahawks can. The team is the only club in the NFC with eight different players with at least 10 TFLs and one of just two teams in the PFL (Kansas City is the other) with three players with 30+ TFLs! The disruptive nature of the defense constantly upsets team's down and distance clock and sets up their pass rush and secondary to have success. Seattle has recorded 5 defensive scores on the season giving the team a +5 turnover ratio! The Jets only have 38 sacks all year (31st) and the offense is ranked 26th (280.6 YPG). Veteran QB Aaron Rodgers has thrown only 13 touchdown passes all year with 9 interceptions.

   Seattle's defense affords the team the luxury of offensive game management. The punishing running of Kenneth Walker takes its toll on teams and QB Geno Smith can be cautious with his passing. Smith has just 5 interceptions on the season compared to 16 TDs giving him a 107.6 QBR.

   Final Analysis: The Seahawk defense is a rugged bunch and the Jets have not shown they have the offesive firepower to get Seattle out of its comfort zone. Seattle 24-18.

1:00 PM Tennessee Titans (6-5) at Washington Commanders (1-11)

Suddenly Slumping Titans Need to Regroup. Will DC Be Perfect Cure for What Ails Them?

   The Titans were sitting pretty just a few short weeks ago, but now are embroiled in a battle to stay relevant in the AFC Playoff discussions. They were beaten, 48-36, by the Houston Texans in a key game last week as they could not slow down the league's top runner, Joe Mixon. Mixon ran through them for 111 yards on 23 carries and crossed the goal line 4 times!  Washington could not run the ball, yet again, spoiling another solid effort from rookie QB Jayden Daniels. The rook threw for 303 yards and a touchdown marking the fourth 300+ yard game he has had in his inaugural campaign. However, the ground game was virtually invisible with Austin Ekeler the top back with 37 yards on 17 carries (2.18 YPC) as the DC Gang lost, 29-10, to the rival Dallas Cowboys.

   Final Analysis: Tennessee has to have this one. They are presently outside the playoffs looking in and cannot fall much further behind going forward. The dilemma here is the fact both teams do not run the ball well at all. The Commanders are 30th averaging 54.5 YPG while Tennessee is 31st chiming in at 53.9 YPG! That means whichever team can pass the ball better should win. Have a hunch the Commanders and Daniels get a much needed W. Washington 22-20.

1:00 PM Houston Texans (7-4-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (9-2)

Can Texans Make Statement and Jump Back Into AFC South Race With Upset in Panhandle?

   A Battle Royale is on tap in Florida folks! The Jaguars have been unchallenged much of the season with a comfortable lead on the rest of the division. But a recent upset loss by the Jags combined with a three game winning streak by the Texans has tightened things up just enough to make this meeting extremely interesting. A Houston win would bring them to within 2 games of J-ville and set up a white knuckled last few games of the year for both squads.

   The Jaguars manhandled the Texans back in week 4 as HB Travis Etienne barrelled through the Houston defense for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns. The defense held Joe Mixon to 73 yards rushing on 14 carries (both numbers the second lowest of the season for him) as the Jags rocked the Texans, 34-14. Mixon, though, has been on fire of late with three straight 100 yard games averaging 139.67 YPG over that stretch while finding the endzone 8 times!  He had 4 rushing scores last week inthea, 48-36, victory over the Tennessee Titans!

   Jacksonville's Etienne is healthy but still on IR. In his absence, Tank Bigsby will continue to get the nod. Bigsby, though, has not performed nearly as well as Etienne although he is averaging 4.4 YPC. QB Trevor Lawrence's string of 100+ QBR outings came to an end two weeks ago at 10 games as he finished with an 81 QBR in a stunning, 20-14, upset to the Detroit Lions. He will need to carry the load for the rest of the season it seems. Lawrence could find room to throw versus a Texan secondary that is ranked 23rd in the league (230.5 YPG), but he will have to contend with a ferocious pass rush that has piled up 87 traps. 

   Final Analysis: Speaking of sacks, the Jags lead the league with 91. Both teams protect their quarterback pretty well. Lawrence has been sacked 42 times (5th fewest) while Houston's CJ Stroud has been dropped only 39 times (4th fewest)! It should get down to the Texans' ability to run the ball with Mixon or the Jags ability to get Lawrence and the passing game going. Jacksonville 26-24.

 1:00 PM Arizona Cardinals (5-6) at Minnesota Vikings (4-6-1)

Loser Could be Without a Playoff Seat When the Music Stops

  Let's be honest here people: The loser of this game is going to have one heckuva uphill battle to make the playoffs. The winner stays in the picture, but mostly due to having won the tie -breaker between each other! The Cards played a spirited game against the Seattle Seahawks last week before coming up a shade short, 30-27. Minnesota also played hard in their, 27-19, loss to the Bears last week, but the defense could not get enough prssure on QB Caleb Williams and paid the price in the end.

   Cardinals' QB Kyler Murray has thrown a TD pass in every game this season. However, he is also averaging just 203.5 YPG passing which is 23rd in the league. The lack of passing yardage has, then, put a ton of pressure on a running game that, quite frankly, lacks the speed to get to the edge with HB James Conner. Conner has a long run of just 28 yards this season and is rushing at a 3.8 YPC clip. Obviously, those numbers hurt and get compounded by a defense that has not been able to exert any pressure up front. Arizona has just 40 sacks on the year which is tied for 29th in the league.

   Minnesota has 64 sacks on the season, but are allowing a 28th rated 335.8 YPG on defense and that just is not good enough to consistently win games. The offense has problems running the football averaging just 69.4 YPG (27th) and the team's 17.4 PPG scoring stat is 27th.

   Final Analysis: Both teams have had deficiencies in one category or another that has held them back at times.  Arizona has the better overall defensive stats and might have some success running the ball versus a Viking front that is allowing 101.8 YPG versus the run. Arizona 22-20.

 4:05 PM Los Angeles Rams (6-4-1) at New Orleans Saints (7-4)

Rams Hope to End Slide in Big Easy. Is Saints' Close Game Habit a Winning Ticket?

   To say that the Rams need to hit the panic button might be an understatement. Nothing has gone right for them of late after starting the season 6-1 and the team has now gone 0-3-1 over its last four! The defense was shredded by the Eagles' Jalen Hurts last week as Philadlephia cruised, 33-18. Hurts would throw for 396 yards and 4 touchdowns in the game. In addition, LA could not get rookie tailback Kyren Williams going as he finished with his lowest output (66 yards) in his last six games. The Saints have played one close game after another this season and, so far, it has resulted in a successful campaign. However, they have now been involved in five consecutive games where the margin of victory was 10 points or less and all seven of their wins this season have been by seven or fewer points!

   The play of QB Matt Stafford has been a key for the Rams' success. In the team's first six games he threw 14 TD passes with just 3 interceptions. But, during the club's recent downturn, he has thrown just 5 touchdown passes with 3 more picks along with three sub-100 QBR games and a game high QBR of 109. Stafford had a QBR of 107 or better in each of his first six games.

  Of course, the play of Saints' QB Derek Carr has been well documented. He has thrown more picks (14) than touchdowns (13) and his 87.4 QBR is just too low. The running of Alvin Kamara remains a constant and the defense has been pretty good, but the team has a -6 turnover ratio that ranks as the 29th worst in football.

   Final Analysis: Both team have serious flaws at the moment that must get corrected ASAP. The Saints have a nasty routine of playing in close games and this one seems destined to be another. New Orleans must get the ground game going to avoid the turnover. LA is a +3 in the turnover department and that could prove the difference here. Los Angeles 26-21.   

   4:05 PM Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3) at Carolina Panthers (4-7)

Bucs in Charlotte Seeking to Hold Grip on NFC South

   The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have quietly put together a very good season thus far. They hold a 1-game edge over New Orleans and beat the Saints in NOLA earlier this year, 45-7. This is the first meeting this year between these two teams. Carolina has been an up and down team much of the year and come in with continued offensive worries. They have scored just 3 points in their last two games, while all but abandoning the passing game with second year QB Bryce Young. It is becoming more and more evident that the Pantehrs' ownership has lost confidence in Young and could be seeking another beginning come draft time.

   Tampa Bay seems to have their guy in Baker Mayfield though. Mayfield has thrown a TD pass in every game this season and has had five games where he has tossed at least 3 TDs! At the same time, HB Rachaad White has rushed for over 100 yards in two of his last three games and is averaging a healthy 4.5 YPC. The defense has not been too shabby either recording 76 sacks, which is 2nd in the NFC trailing only the Green Bay Packers, and has 17 takeaways on the year!

   Final Analysis: It remains to be seen what direction the Panthers go with their young quarterback. Eschewing the passing game completely against a good Bucs' defense will likely lead to few scoring opportunities. Tampa Bay 28-13.

GAME OF THE WEEK

 4:25 PM Philadelphia Eagles (9-2) at Baltimore Ravens (9-2) 

Clash of the Titans?

   One of the biggest intra-conference games of the season has arrived. The Eagles are seen as one of just a few NFC teams as a true contender, while the Ravens have been a media darling all season long.

   Philly is averaging 26.2 PPG while Baltimore enters scoring 25.9 PPG.  Baltimore is 4th best against the pass (176.9 YPG) and have rolled up 84 sacks. Philadelphia is allowing a 5th best 73.8 YPG versus the run with 67 sacks. Overall, the Ravens sit 5th in the league (272 YPG) with the Eagles right behind at #8 (292.8 YPG) so the defenses are pretty evenly matched. 

   Neither team has been overly reliant upon a running game despite big time off-season acquisitons at the running back position. Philly brought in stud back Saquon Barkley from the Giants, while Baltimore signed power back Derrick Henry from the Titans. So far, though, the two runners have not produced anywhere near the anticipated levels. Barkley has not had a single 100+ yard game all year long and, in fact, has just 280 more rushing yards than QB Jalen Hurts has! Henry has had similar results with a lone 100+ yard effort and only 4 rushing touchdowns. That means the offenses have been leaning quite a bit on the play of their two quarterbacks. Hurts has been solid with a 103.6 QBR and has used his legs quite a bit. He has run for 314 yards on 64 carries with 5 touchdowns. The Ravens' Lamar Jackson has compiled an excellent 113.3 QBR on the season with 24 TD passes and 8 picks. He has also run for 113 yards and 5 touchdowns.

   Baltimore's 284.4 YPG passing compared to Philly's 229.7 YPG is a significant difference. Their 4th ranked pass defense and sack totals are also noticeably better than the Eagles' numbers and that could be the slight edge the Ravens need to pull this one off. Hurts has had three games this year where he completed less than 60% of his throws and the team lost two of those three. Jackson has had three games where he completed 60% or less of his attempts and the Ravens dropped two of those three...Soooo, ya kinda get the picture here.

   Final Analysis: The winner gets bragging rights, but the truth is the two teams will remain among the favorites to get to the Super Bowl regardless of the outcome. Baltimore appears to have an edge in a few critical categories. Baltimore 26-23. 

8;20 PM San Francisco 49ers (5-6) at Buffalo Bills (4-7)

Desperate Niners Face Dangerous Bills in Orchard Park

   Desperate times call for desperate measures so the saying goes. For the 49ers, that desperate moment seems to be upon them, as they are currently trailing no fewer than 5 teams in the NFC Wild Card race and can ill-afford to fall further behind than their present 1-game deficit. They have to travel to upstate Western New York to play a Bills' team that has proven to be a pesky foe indeed. The Bills have signature wins over the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, and Tennessee Titans on their resume and can no longer be seen as a pushover franchise. 

   San Fran was shut out, 17-0, last week by the Packers as QB Brock Purdy would be intercepted a season high 3 times. Purdy has now thrown at least 2 picks in four straight games as the team has opted to throw the ball excesssively. He has thrown the ball 40+ times in eight games this season with the team going 2-6. The team leads the PFL averaging 300.2 PPG, but the club is scoring 22 PPG while giving up 26 PPG. The 26 PPG allowed is the second most in the NFC bettering only the Detroit Lions.

   Buffalo is coming off a huge confidence building win over Kansas City as they put a, 52-26, hurting on the Chiefs! QB Josh Allen and HB James Cook each had big days. Allen would throw for 342 yards and 4 touchdowns and Cook would rush for 143 yards and a pair of scores in the win. Cook has now run for over 100 yards in three of his last five games. Allen, meanwhile, now has an impressive 104.9 QBR. The sack totals are always the telling sign for him. He had been planted 30 times in his three games before last week resulting in three defeats. If the Bills can give him time, he is very good and Buffalo can be hard to beat.

   Final Analysis: Both teams can pass the ball. For the Niners, though, it has led to turnovers by Purdy and losses. In the case of the Bills, it is pass protection that matters. However, Buffalo runs the ball much more effectively than San Fran does and that could be the difference. Buffalo 26-24.

8:15 PM Cleveland Browns (7-4) at Denver Broncos (4-8)

Browns Hope to Stay Hot and In Playoff Hunt

    The Cleveland Browns are in the hunt and intend to stay there! Their recent 2-game winning streak gives them the conference's third best overall record and a win here in Denver would really solidify their chances for a playoff berth! They have done it with a punishing running game featuring 5'11" 227 Lbs monster Nick Chubb and a surprisingly good season out of QB Deshaun Watson. Watson has a 103.3 QBR and has thrown just 4 interceptions all season long as he has managed games extremely well. That has worked well with a top 10 pass defense that has accumulated 15 takeaways. The impact of Watson's ability to protect the football combined with the defense has led to an outstanding +8 turnover margin.

   Denver remains without a full time staff, but still has managed to win its last two games including a, 55-13, thumping of the Chargers last week. The future looks solid with the play of rookie QB Bo Nix energizing the franchise. Nix has a 108.1 QBR which is tops among all other rookie signal callers. He is coming off new career highs of 475 yards passing and 5 touchdowns in the victory over the Chargers. Still, the Broncos will likely need some running from tailback Javonte Williams if they hope to pull off the upset. Williams, though, has not had a 100+ yard game all year long and has not scored a touchdown in any of his last seven games.

   Final Analysis: Cleveland will more than likely be able to play their style of ball in this one successfully. Expect Watson to keep managing the game, Chubb to keep powering the pigskin, and the Browns to keep marching toward the playoffs. Cleveland 26-18.