8:15 PM NEW YORK JETS (9-0) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (9-1)

Jets and Pats in "Game of the Year" Matchup!

   Just about every season in the PFL we get a game that pits two of the top teams in the league playing each other in a truly meanigful game. For the undefeated New York Jets and the second place New England Patriots, this duel is of major significance in so many ways. The winner will have the inside track to the AFC East but, more importantly, will also have a clear path to securing the conference's top seed and first round bye...

   New York has been unbeatable all season long tallying a dizzying 40+ points in a game some six times! QB Justin Fields trails only the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes in AFC QBR rating coming in with a sparkling 119.84 number. He is averaging 343 YPG passing while completing 72.69% (224/313) of his attempts. He has had three games this season where he has posted 4 touchdowns! The running game has been stellar as well led by HB Breece Hall. Hall enters this contest 7th in the PFL with 701 yards rushing and 8 touchdowns. Free agent acquisition WR Mecole Hardman has been everything as expected with a team leading 114.51 YPG statline and 8 touchdowns. New York has committed an AFC low 7 turnovers and the club has a +5 turnover margin as a result. The Jets, though, have also been deadly on defense. They are coming off a, 45-0, whitewashing of the Cleveland Browns.

   The Patriots have been playing outstanding ball as well. While not quite as offensively prolific as the Jets' top scoring unit (41.52 PPG), the attack is very good coming into the game averaging a PFL 8th best 34.33 PPG. Their red zone offense is the best in football with an eye popping 74.14% ratio.  QB Drake Maye is third in the PFL with 3519 yards passing and is tied with the Saints' Spencer Rattler with 30 TD passes! While the running game has not been as impressive, averaging 96.1 YPG, the Patriots are tops in the league with 17 rushing scores!

   The game could come down to the differences between the two franchises. The Jets, as noted, come in with a healthy +5 TO rate, but the Patriots are actually below water with a -1 margin due to 8 interceptions and 4 fumbles lost. On the other side of the coin, New England is second in the AFC with 49 sacks compared to the Jets' 31 and rank #2 in the conference in scoring defense allowing only 20.32 PPG. In a key stat, the Jets' passing game is churning out 307.11 YPG, while the Patriots' defense is the best in the AFC, and #2 overall, ceding only 194.3 YPG. But New England is giving up 112.4 YPG versus the run (20th ranked) and need to slow down a New York ground game that is averaging 140 YPG (5th ranked). In these types of games, offensive balance and the ability to control a game with the run can be a huge benefit. New York 27-23.

9:30 AM: WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (5-5) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-3)

Commanders/Dolphs in Game of Significance

    These two teams need wins badly. Washington has clawed its way to the #7 seed in the NFC, at the moment, by winning four straight and getting some help as a few competitors have slipped up a bit. Miami may have seen its aspirations of claiming the AFC East go up in smoke last week as the Dolphins were upended by the Buffalo Bills, 37-27, ending their five game winning streak.

   The Commanders have gotten into a bit of roll with the solid play of QB Jayden Daniels combining with the insurgence of rookie tailback Jacory Croskey-Merritt into the starting role over veteran back Austin Ekeler. JCM has responded with an 18 carry, 174 yard effort and followed that up with a 24 carry, 94 yard outing last week! The defense has not been very good much of the year, but did have a solid game last week in the win over Detroit limiting the Lions to just 225 total yards of offense. Miami stumbled against the revived Bills last week mostly due to the lack of a running game that led to QB Tua Tagovailoa dropping back too much and absorbing 10 sacks. The defense continued, though, to snipe the football picking off QB Josh Allen 4 times. Miami has now snagged an incredible 24 interceptions on the season, which is a stunning 9 more than the team with the second most (Giants) at 9! The D also has racked up a #2 rated 53 sacks on the season...

   Final Analysis: Miami can score with anyone. Washington's pass defense has been so-so much of the year. The Dolphins' defense has all of those picks and sacks, but still is giving up over 300 YPG versus the pass. DC edge rusher Von Miller is having a renaissance campaign and has piled up 18.5 traps already! See Miami scoring too much for Washington to contend with, however if the Commanders can get after Tagovailoa and V. Miller shows up enough, an upset is possible. Miami 30-21.

  1:00 PM HOUSTON TEXANS (3-6) AT TENNESSEE TITANS (4-5)

HOUSTON IN NEAR MUST-WIN PICKLE. TITANS FEELING GOOD AFTER BIG WIN AND BYE WEEK

    Houston may have run out OF string on their season and really cannot afford a loss here. A defeat would leave them at 3-7 and two games behind the Titans and would have been swept in their series.. The Texans have been your classic yo-yo team winning one week and then laying an egg the next. Last week they were blasted by the Jaguars, 41-21, as QB CJ Stroud had another down game and threw three interceptions. He has now complted less than 60% of his pass attempts in five of his last six games and seven times overall! That, obviously, will not get it done. Tennessee is coming of its bye week after taking a key win over the Los Angeles Chargers, 37-24. The defense would intercept Charger QB Justin herbert three times and stuffed HB Omarion Hampton for 29 yards.

   Final Analysis: Tennessee won the first meeting between these two teams back in week 4, 48-38. Stroud did not play well in that one either. Just feel the Titans are playing the better overall ball right now and that Stroud has to play a whole lot better than he has. Tennessee 28-23.

 1:00 PM CINCINNATI BENGALS (5-4) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (5-4) 

First Place On the Line in NFC North

  As big a game as any this week as the Bengals and Steelers meet in a first place AFC North showdown. Cinci is coming off its bye week and ended a three game losing streak with a stirring, 41-20, upset rout of the Chicago Bears right before the break. QB Joe Burrow lit up th sky throwing 5 TD passes in the big win. The defense is still the top ranked (19.43 PPG) scoring unit in the AFC and #2 overall. The Steelers have been a bit of an up and down team over the past 5-6 weeks. Last week, they were soundly beaten by the LA Chargers, 44-32. Pittsburgh would cede 24 unanswered points to LA and found itself down, 31-14, heading into the final quarter. Tailback Jaylen Warren would finish with 118 yards rushing, but 55 of those came on the last play of the game. QB Aaron Rodgers would hurl the pigskin a season high 64 times for 342 yards, while WR Calvin Austin and TE Peter Freiermuth combined for 22 receptions and 194 yards.

   These two teams are about as evenly matched as can be. They are near identical in scoring and both defenses can take the ball away. Cinci has 18 takeways while Pittsburgh has 15 ranking #2 and #6 respectively in the PFL. The Bengals have a +6 turnover margin compared to the Steelers' +7. In that category, Pittsburgh is rated #4 and Cinci right there at #5! A very tough one to call for sure here. The Steelers won the first meeting between these two clubs, 21-13, but Burrow threw an uncharacteristic 4 interceptions in that one. Not expecting that type of effort again. Cincinnati 23-20.

1:00 PM: LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (5-5) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-5)

Crucial Contest Beween Playoff Hopefuls

  Both the LA Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars need this one badly. The Bolts have won three out of their last four games and are coming off a key, 44-32, win over the NFC North leading Pittsburgh Steelers last week. Jacksonville is trying to retain its title of AFC South Champions. The Jags have also won three of their last four games and just knocked off the Houston Texans, 41-21. They currently are sitting atop the division, but with a mediocre 4-5 record, and need to get more consistency out of quarterback Trevor Lawrence and HB Travis Etienne. Lawrence has tossed 11 interceptions on the season (5th most in the league), but has shown some improvement in that department of late with no picks in the last two games. The Chargers might be better served giving the ball to rookie tailback Omarion Hampton a bit more. The 6'0" 221 Lbs back is averaging a hefty 6.02 YPC, but has just one game on the season where he even attempted double digit carries!

   Final Analysis: A huge game here. The Chargers will have no realistic shot at winning the AFC West with a loss here and will also see their playoff hopes diminshed dramatically. The Jags can afford a loss, but a win could go a long way towards securing a second consecutive AFC South crown. If LA can get the ball to Hampton more and be effective running the ball, it could open up the passing game for QB Justin Herbert. Tight game is probable. Los Angeles 24-21.

 1:00 PM: GREEN BAY PACKERS (8-1) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (4-6)

Pack on Prowl in NFC North. G-Men Might Rethink Strategy in Near Must-Win Deal

    This is a very dangerous game for the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants. The Packers are anticipating quite a few changes from the Giants' staff this week and that means film study could prove fruitless. The Giants, in the meantime, are in a dire situation and a loss would mean they could only win a max of 10 games, and that would be only if they ran the table the rest of the way. With the Packers, Bears, Niners, Eagles, Cardinals, Saints looking like near playoff locks and and an improved Washington team sitting at the 7 hole, the G-Men cannot afford to fall further behind. Last week they became embroiled in one of the most explosive games in PFL history as they lost, 66-48, to the Chicago Bears!  The Giants amassed a stunning 615 yards of offense, yet still came up short as Chicago would come up with two fumble recoveries for touchdowns!  They can still run the ball well with backs Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy powering the attack for 123.9 YPG on the ground (8th in the PFL) and rookie QB Jaxson Dart has played well overall, but the team has lost five of its last six games, and three in a row, with a defense that has slumped a bit of late. Overall, the New York D is giving up 388.2 YPG (20th rated) that includes some 313.5 YPG versus the pass (28th in the league). Those numbers are a bit lopsided as the run defense has been excellent allowing an NFC best 74.7 YPG! Green Bay is starting to slowly evolve as the season progresses along. Last week, the team rushed for 168 yards against a tremendous Philadelphia Eagles' squad that came into the game with a perfect 8-0 record. Still, the running game is averaging only 89.25 YPG (25th in the PFL) and might struggle to move the ball on the ground against the Giants. 

   Final Analysis:  A major factor in this one is the difference in turnover margins. The Giants come in with an NFC best +11 ratio, while the Packers are a dead even 0. One main reason for Green Bay's numbers is the fact the defense simply has not been able to take the ball away (6), while New York has been superior there (18)!  If the Giants can control the ball, not make mistakes, and score some points, they could pull off the mild upset. New York 26-22.

 1:00 PM: TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-7) AT BUFFALO BILLS (4-4-1) 

Surging Bills Look to Keep Herd Rolling. Bucs Running Out String?

    It gets harder and harder to get up for a game the further a team falls off the pace. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, their season may have already sailed and the team could be just playing out the year at this stage of the season. On the flip side of the coin, the Buffalo Bills are very much so alive for a Wild Card berth and they need to keep winning if they desire to reach their goal. They are presently sitting in the 10th spot in the AFC, but they are right on the heels of a host of playoff hopefuls, and could get in if they can ring up some more Ws. The team has won four in a row and has pulled off back-to-back upsets over the Kansas City Chiefs (41-38) and Miami Dolphins (37-27)! QB Josh Allen did throw 4 interceptions in the win last week, but tailback James Cook ran for 99 yards and the defense would record 10 sacks of Dolphin QB Tua Tagovailoa, while also holding the Miami running game to a mere 55 yards.

   Final Analysis: Two teams clearly going in opposite directions. Buffalo does need Allen to be better and the running of Cook to be there each week, though, if they wish to make a run.  Buffalo 30-19.

   1:00 PM: CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-8) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (1-8)

Have the Southern Bells Tolled For Panthers and Falcons?

    A combined 3-16 record does not bode well for the liklihood of having a sold out Mercedes-Benz Stadium this week. Carolina comes limping in on a 7-game losing disaster and the Falcons have lost every game since their season opening win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Atlanta comes in ranked 6th in the league in rushing (139.56 YPG), but are 19th in passing throwing for 279.67 YPG. Overall, the club is doing pretty well averaging a 7th best 419.22 YPG offensively, but they own a -4 turnover ratio, cede a 28th worst 125.78 YPG against the run, and have just 22 sacks on the seson (31st).

   Final Analysis: The two teams have not been able to generate any pressure on defense much of the season. Carolina is dead last in the PFL with a woeful 16 sacks and the Falcons, as mentioned, have just 22. Falcon QB Michael Penix has actually played pretty well this season, whereas Panther QB Bryce Young has struggled again much of this year. Atlanta 28-20.

1:00 PM: CHICAGO BEARS (7-2) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-8)

Raging Bears Seek to Sweep Series VS Vikes

    After cruising through the first eight games of their season, the Chicago Bears were gaining more and more confidence in leaps and bounds. They were put on alert, though, two weeks ago when they were shocked by the Cincinnati Bengals, 41-20, as the running game could not get untracked. The Bears needed to respond quickly, and did so emphatically, as they put on a dazzling offensive barrage of the New York Giants last week while piling up 66 points enroute to a, 66-48, victory!  The 114 combined points was the highest total in many a season in the PFL with the Giants posting a remarkable 615 yards of offense and the Bears adding another 519 yards! Chitown would get two touchdowns off fumble recoveries to supply the margin of victory. Minnesota dropped its seventh game in a row, 40-19, to the resurgent Baltimore Ravens last week. QB JJ McCarthy has now thrown at least one interception in eight straight games and comes in with a below average 94.56 QBR for the season.

   Final Analysis: Chicago came roaring back off their loss to the Bengals and should keep on making noise this week too. Chicago 35-17.

4:05 PM: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (7-3) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (8-1)

The Moment of Truth in the Desert Has Arrived

    The San Francisco 49ers have been quietly working towards this matchup. They lost the first meeting with the Cardinals, 21-19, despite winning the turnover battle 2-0. A win here could set them up to make a run at the division, while a loss will all but wrap up a second straight NFC West crown for Arizona. San Fran is hot having won five in a row powered by a defense that has held each foe during the streak to 21 or fewer points. At the same time, the offense has gotten slightly better each week and dumped a 45 spot on the Rams last week in a, 45-19, romp. QB Brock Purdy has tossed 8 TD passes over his last three games and HB Christian McCaffrey has found the endzone in five consecutive games. The Cardinals have not lost since week 1 and are on fire right now. They are scoring at a 34.79 PPG clip and are the top NFC rushing club averaging 147.67 YPG. QB Kyler Murray has been extremely efficient and his 27 TD passes are tied for the fourth most in football. The team is #1 in scoring defense (18.67 PPG) , fourth in sacks (52), 5th in run defense (88.33 YPG), #1 in pass defense (168.89 YPG), and #1 in yards allowed per game (257.22 YPG)!

   Final Analysis: Both teams playing solid defense and do not give up many points (San Fran allowing 5th best 21.61 PPG). The first encounter was a real war and one can expect the same here. San Francisco must find a way to stop the Cards from running the ball effectively and setting up Murray for easy down and distance scenarios. A tight one is probable, but if the Cards get a lkead and force the Niners to the air too much, it could also get ugly. Arizona 26-20? 

 4:05 PM: SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (0-9) AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (2-7) 

Aaaaagghh!  My Kingdom For a Win!

   It has been a long and dreadful campaign for both of these proud franchises. Seattle had become accustomed to being a perennial playoff entrant and a team that many feared facing in the post season, but they remain the lone winless team in the PFL and just cannot seem to find a way to win a game. The Rams, at the same time, have fallen apart and have now lost five straight since their upset of the 49ers back in week 5. Both teams really find scoring a difficult task with Seattle last in the league averaging 16.94 PPG and LA sitting at 29th clocking in with a dreary 21.38 PPG log. 

   Final Analysis: The Seahawks do run the ball well with HB Kenneth Walker coming in ranked #3 in football at 141.89 YPG. LA is 9th at stopping the run (93.56 YPG). If the Rams can check Walker and run the ball themselves, they should win. Seattle is 30th against the run (137.22 YPG). Gotta figure Seattle finds that needle in the haystack at some point. Seattle 22-20.

    4:25 PM: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (5-4) AT DENVER BRONCOS (2-8)

Hurting Chiefs Fighting For Playoff Lives and Divisional Prominance. Broncos Barely Kicking

    The Kansas City Chiefs, quite frankly, cannot lose this one. They have stumbled the past two weeks losing to the Washington Commanders and Buffalo Bills in a disturbing manner. The Chiefs gave up 44 points to Washington and another 41 to Buffalo and were not, as a result, able to just outscore their opponent. Yes, the offense has been as potent as in past seasons, averaging a 38.78 PPG, but the team has also lost four games this year when they registered 38 or more points! The defense, obviously, needs to be just a bit better. It does not need to be great, as much as it just needs to be average, and this team will threaten to win another championship. Denver has fallen into a long term funk that has them on a six game losing plunge into the AFC West cellar.They have scored 24 or fewer points in seven of their ten games to date, and just cannot seem to put enough up on the scoreboard to help out, what is, a decent to good defense.Their running game has not been good enough to give the team, and QB Bo Nix, many favorable down and distance situations. That, in turn, has led to a very low third down conversion rate that is killing drives and limiting scoring.

   Final Analysis: The Chiefs can flat out light up the scoreboard and almost certainly will put up enough points to outrun the scoring deficient Broncos. Kansas City 32-17.

BALTIMORE RAVENS (4-4-1) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-5-1)

Have Ravens Finally Righted their Flight Pattern? Are Depressed Browns in Desparation Mode?

   Much has been written about the down, up, down, and up again Ravens this season. They are coming off a convincing, 40-19, rout of the Minnesota Vikings that snapped a mini two-game losing slide. The long awaited combination of QB Lamar Jackson and bulldozing back Derrick Henry finally merged giving hope to a campaign that has, until now, been inconsistent at best. Jackson threw for 312 yards and 2 touchdowns, and was sacked just once and did not throw a pick, while Henry blasted his way for his first 100+ yard game finishing with 145 and running a season high 28 times! He had not run the ball more than 19 times in any game prior to last week. This does not bode well for a Cleveland team that has dumped three games in a row and was just lambasted by the New York Jets, 45-0. Rookie QB Shedeur Sanders was dreadful going 5 for 17 with 2 picks and 13 sacks!

   Final Analysis: Baltimore has a great chance to position themselves for another crack at the divisional crown. They were beaten by the Browns, 45-32, back in week as Cleveland had a rare game in which rookie QB Shedeur Sanders and fellow freshman tailback Quinshon Judkins excelled. Judkins' has not dupliuctaed his 125 yard game this season nor has Sanders! Baltimore 33-22. 

8:20 PM: DETROIT LIONS (3-5-1) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8-1) 

Grounded Eagles Set to Fly Again?

DALLAS COWBOYS (2-7) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (6-3) 

Defending AFC West Champion Vegas Betting on Another Win to Stay Atop Division

   Some may have felt the Raiders were paper tigers after their resounding week 7, 45-31, defeat at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs. But the Silver and Black have responded with back-to-back victories, have won four of their last five games, and reclaimed the top spot within the division as the Chiefs fumbled away a golden opportunity and have dropped two in a row since that meeting! The play of rookie back Ashton Jeanty has been well documented. He has now strung together 100+ yard performances in four of his last five games and leads the PFL with 1153 yards and is averaging a staggering 122.46 YPG. He could use some help from the passing game though. Veteran QB Geno Smith has been a solid game manager (as he was with the Seattle Seahawks for several seasons under Head Coach Steve Dillon), but his 173.16 YPG passing is, perhaps, a shade too low to expect wins against elite offenses. The club's 171.67 YPG rushing is the best in football. while the 183.22 YPG passing ledger is dead last! The defense has been steady much of the year and is pretty good at stopping the run (99.78 YPG) and getting after the quarterback in passing situations (8th mostd 43 sacks). Dallas is under new leadership and coming off their bye week. It remains to be seen if any changes are forthcoming out of the Big D playbooks. They were utterly stuffed by the Arizona Cardinals, 31-7, before the bye accumulating just 132 total yards of offense.

   Final Analysis: Dallas could surprise if the staff has made major changes. Vegas is trying to prove last season's AFC West Championship was no fluke and should win here. Vegas 29-18.

TEAMS ON A BYE