Week 10

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (2-6) vs. DENVER BRONCOS (7-2)

Thursday Nov. 6 @ 8:15 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime

Either this game is going to be a predictable blowout or a sloppy low-scoring slugfest. Regardless, we are in for one ugly matchup between a division leader that has won six in a row and a bottom-feeding team in the midst of a freefall.

The Raiders turned out to be sellers at the trade deadline as they shipped wide receiver Jakobi Meyers to the Jacksonville Jaguars for fourth and sixth round picks. With Brock Bowers emerging as one of the best tight ends in the league and Ashton Jeanty in the backfield, it was obvious that Meyers was more expendable in the offense. This move is going to give guys like Tre Tucker, Donte’ Thornton Jr. and Jack Bech more chances to expand their roles. However, I don’t believe either one of them is a number one option. This receiving corps is going to be put to the test against one of the best defenses in football, even without Patrick Surtain II. Las Vegas’ offense has been extremely underwhelming. They total the third fewest points, the score the fourth fewest points and they have the fifth worst turnover differential. Geno Smith is going to have to play exactly the way he did against the Jaguars for the Raiders to make this a close game and I don’t think it is possible, especially since this is in Mile High.

Denver might be winners of six straight, but their offense has been inconsistent. One week, Bo Nix is throwing four touchdown passes against the Cowboys. Next, he looks sloppy against the Texans. This Thursday night game needs to be one where Nix shines and not go through the motions. The Broncos have the personnel to do whatever they want against a lackluster Raiders team, so as long as this offense does not get in their own way, they should be in good shape.

FINAL LOCK: I’m sure that the schedule makers thought that both teams would be decent at this point in the season, but even if that was the case, I would still pick Denver to win. They are just a better coached team. Their offense is more careful with the football and they are more balanced. Their defense is vastly superior and can shut down anybody in the league. Unless Maxx Crosby turns into a maniac or Ashton Jeanty runs for 200 yards, I don’t see this game getting close. 

FINAL SCORE: DEN 34-14

ANOTHER GAME IN BERLIN:

ATLANTA FALCONS (3-5) vs. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (7-2)

Sunday Nov. 9 @ 9:30 a.m. ET on NFL Network

The NFL has returned to Germany and for once, they are giving us a game that we can look forward to watching! The Colts are coming off their worst loss of the season so far while the Falcons were an extra point away from beating the Patriots on the road. This is going to be a fun grudge match, one where the quarterback with the ball in his hands last might win in the end.

Indianapolis made the biggest splash of the trade deadline by acquiring All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets for two first round picks and Adonai Mitchell. The fact that Gardner was entertained in trade discussions, but to quote baseball executive Branch Rickey, it’s better to trade a player a year too early than a year too late. It is clear that the Jets are tanking and building for the future while the Colts are establishing themselves as a perennial playoff contender, so I believe this is a win for both sides. Gardner immediately makes the Colts defense better as they manage to solidify a number one corner with Charvarius Ward on IR due to a concussion. However, the Falcons are going to give Indianapolis a tough test, especially on a neutral site.

Over the last few weeks, Bijan Robinson has gone nowhere on the ground. Since that Monday night game against the Bills, opposing defenses have keyed in on the run, forcing Michael Penix to win the game by himself. Last week, it nearly worked against the Patriots, but a missed extra point and intentional grounding penalty blew that chance. Indianapolis enters this game allowing the fourth fewest rushing yards in the league, so this might be another week where the Falcons quarterback will have to rise up to the challenge. Moving the ball is not going to be the issue, it’s scoring. In Sunday’s loss to the Steelers, the Colts defense was not the reason why they lost; it was turnovers. If Atlanta makes the tiniest slip-up at any point in the game, then momentum can easily flip the other way around, regardless of the final score. 

Daniel Jones knows that for his team to win, he is going to have to be the best player on the field. Last week against the Steelers, he was atrocious with five turnovers and five sacks taken. One big reason why he struggled the way he did was because Jonathan Taylor got held to 45 yards on 14 carries. Fortunately, the Falcons do not have a stellar rushing defense, so Indianapolis has a strong chance of re-establishing their identity. When they can run the ball, the offense takes off and it opens up everything else. Jones knows that he has to play a lot better than he did the week before and I personally believe he can.

FINAL LOCK: I believe we are going to get a really close game between two of the scrappiest teams in football. They have incredibly talented offenses and their defenses are opportunistic, so whoever has the ball last is going to win. Having said that, I believe Indianapolis has a better chance of winning for the simple fact that they are more consistent and better prepared mentally to hang in for 60 minutes. 

FINAL SCORE: IND 23-20

THE 1:00 SLATE:

CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-6) vs. NEW YORK JETS (1-7)

I already know this is going to be the ugliest game of the week. Two garbage teams playing on terrible field conditions with Spero Dedes on the call? Yeah, this is not going to be fun to watch at all. 

The Jets were heavy sellers at the trade deadline. After trading Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for two first round picks, they sent All Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 second round pick, a 2027 first round pick and defensive tackle Mazi Smith. They nearly traded away Breece Hall, but nobody was willing to offer a third round pick, which was the asking price. Heck, edge rusher Jermaine Johnson was getting phone calls regarding his availability. Normally, I would sit and laugh at the Jets for predictably imploding in the middle of the season, but general manager Darren Moughey is carefully sculpting this team’s future. We all know this team is not going anywhere for the rest of the season so the fact that they were able to get three first round picks in the two trades they made is good business. However, this is the Jets. Watch them find a way to screw this up in the future.

It’s hard to objectively assess each team from top to bottom because they have their fair share of flaws on both sides of the ball. Neither has a legitimate starting quarterback and the offenses rely on the run to generate a rhythm. The only notable difference to point out is their defenses are on different trajectories. If it were not for a lackluster offense with a quarterback carousel, the Browns defense would easily be regarded as one of the best in the last decade. Before the bye week, Myles Garrett had five sacks in a blowout loss to the Patriots. Entering this game, the Jets have allowed the fourth most in the league. Cleveland is giving up the second fewest total yards, fifth fewest passing yards, ninth fewest rushing yards and they rank tenth in sacks. New York, unfortunately, is not ranked high in a lot of statistical categories this year. It will be interesting to see who will step up with Williams and Gardner no longer on the roster, but knowing that their defense is younger and more inexperienced, I don’t expect a lot of positive results.

FINAL LOCK: The only reason why I am picking the Browns is because of their defense. This is not going to be a fun game to watch whatsoever, but I think as long as the Cleveland offense does not turn the ball over ad nauseum and stick to the running game, then they can find a way to squeak out with a win.

FINAL SCORE: CLE 13-6

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (5-3) vs. HOUSTON TEXANS (3-5)

For the second time, the Jaguars will be playing the Texans this season, but this one might be without CJ Stroud as he suffered a concussion in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. If that is the case, then Jacksonville better hope that they put the game out of reach when they have the chance.

With Travis Hunter on injured reserve, the Jaguars made a move at the trade deadline by acquiring Jakobi Meyers from the Raiders for fourth and sixth round picks. This was definitely an interesting move from both sides, but Trevor Lawrence will have extra receiving help and he is going to need it against one of the best defenses in football. In what should be a low-scoring slugfest, the margin for error for Jacksonville is pretty small. Even if Davis Mills is going to be the starting quarterback for Houston next week, the Jaguars need to find a way to get a decent amount of points on the board. They don’t need to score 30 to win, but with a few successful drives, then that could be enough.

For the Jaguars to really steal the momentum of this game, however, is going to be their defense forcing a takeaway. If Stroud is out, which is more than likely going to be the case, then Jacksonville has a golden opportunity right in front of them to take this game over. They already give up the third fewest rushing yards in the league and they are third in takeaways, so the minute they load up on Nico Collins and force the Texans offense to be one-dimensional, this game is a wrap. However, the Jaguars have not exactly been the strongest passing defense in the league, meaning that Mills has a chance to do the impossible and lead the Texans to victory. The only catch is that he needs to be near-flawless from start to finish or else Jacksonville will find a way to get the win.

FINAL LOCK: I have the Jaguars pulling off the sweep with a win on the road. It is going to be hard for the Texans to win even if CJ Stroud is healthy, but if Davis Mills is the starting quarterback, then that will present a bigger challenge. I don’t expect this to be a blowout, but I have more faith in Jacksonville’s offense to wear the Texans defense out down the stretch and rely on their running game to control the clock.

FINAL SCORE: JAX 17-9

BUFFALO BILLS (6-2) vs. MIAMI DOLPHINS (2-7)

This is another one of those divisional rematches that might not even be worth watching. The Dolphins might have looked competitive in the first meeting at Highmark Stadium, but the Bills have been on a roll since the bye week and it does not look like they will take their foot off the gas any time soon.

Over the last two weeks, Buffalo’s defense has performed a lot better against two teams with winning records: the Panthers and the Chiefs. If they can keep this up, then this game might be headed towards a blowout. Any time that you think the Dolphins can find a way to somehow turn their season around, they crush everyone’s spirits with a deflating loss. The only difference this year is that Miami is not just losing to teams with winning records, but those whose seasons are also in despair. If they even make the slightest mistake against the Bills at home, then they have no chance of winning. It gets redundant to say this whenever these matchups happen, but Tua needs to have the game of his life or else Josh Allen is going to win in a heartbeat once again.

FINAL LOCK: The only way I can believe the Dolphins will pull off the upset is if I actually see it myself. The Bills are stronger on both sides of the ball, they are better coached, they have the better quarterback and they have bigger aspirations. They might be on the road, but Allen tends to have some of his best games against Miami and he is set up well for another one Sunday afternoon.

FINAL SCORE: BUF 28-10

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (7-2) vs. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (6-2)

Ladies and gentlemen, the Brady Bowl! It’s too bad Jim Nantz and Tony Romo are on the call but nonetheless, this is still going to be one hell of a showdown between two of the best teams in the NFL. Tampa is coming off a bye week so they will be well rested at home, but New England has won six straight games and will face their toughest road test since the Bills game in week five. 

Not a lot of national television pundits are giving the Patriots the respect they deserve. Sure, most of their last six wins have been against cakewalk opponents, but to be in first place in a division with Josh Allen with one of the best records in the AFC is not something to underestimate. Right now, New England has the best rushing defense in the league and they are fifth in points allowed. Drake Maye has been playing out of his mind with 17 touchdown passes and just four interceptions, even with a terrible offensive line. Mike Vrabel has his guys bought in and focused, which is something that Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo have failed to do in the last couple years. With that being said, they are in for a tough road test on Sunday.

Although the Buccaneers offense is still dealing with injuries, their defense has an explosive pass rush that can overwhelm an offensive line that has allowed the second most sacks in the league. Todd Bowles is one of the most aggressive defensive coaches in the league today and everybody knows he loves to blitz whenever he has the opportunity. Tampa also has one of the best rushing defenses in the league, so if their secondary can step up, then that will take a lot of pressure off their offense. 

FINAL LOCK: In a grudge match between two MVP candidates and two heavyweights in their conferences, I am going with the team that has the better defense. Both quarterbacks are incredibly poised down the stretch and are not afraid to take risks, but if Maye has the ball in his hands in the final two minutes, I am not betting against him.

FINAL SCORE: NE 27-20

NEW YORK GIANTS (2-7) vs. CHICAGO BEARS (5-3)

Knowing what directions each of these teams are heading towards right now, this is a game that the Bears should win. The key word is “should” but I have a strange feeling that we are going to get another matchup that comes down-to-the-wire. The Giants have been getting their hearts broken over the last few weeks, but with Jaxson Dart at quarterback, there is at least some hope that an upset win can take place.

There have been a lot of issues with New York this season from the top down, but one negative facet that does not get talked about enough is the fact that they have yet to win a game on the road. They were supposed to get their first a few weeks ago against the Denver Broncos but they completely choked that one away. Soldier Field is not as tough of a home environment as Empower Field, but now that false hope has returned to the Windy City, the Giants are not exactly going to be welcomed with open arms. 

Something tells me that we are going to get a high scoring affair. Even though Dart does not have his best receiver Malik Nabers or favorite running back Cam Skattebo, the Bears are running out of defensive backs and they just got shredded by Joe Flacco last week when they went to Cincinnati. Caleb Williams, on the other hand, is going against a strong front four but next to nothing when it comes to a secondary. Not only did he throw three touchdown passes, but the Bears ran for over 280 yards against the worst rushing defense in the league. Now they get to go up against a team that is giving up the second most in that category, who also happens to allow the fifth most points. 

FINAL LOCK: The only two reasons why I am picking the Bears to win is because they have the home field advantage and the Giants have yet to win a game on the road. I expect both offenses to play their hearts out and go back and forth scoring points. However, I don’t think that this game will come down to whoever has the ball last. Instead, I am scared that the first person to screw up is going to lose all the momentum.

FINAL SCORE: CHI 30-27

BALTIMORE RAVENS (3-5) vs. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (4-4)

The Ravens are starting to run the table, but the Vikings just pulled off a statement victory against the Lions on the road. It doesn’t feel like this game is going to be a blowout. Instead, with both quarterbacks returning to the starting lineup, I like their offenses to do whatever it takes for their teams to win.

Baltimore added to their defense by acquiring Dre’Mont Jones in a trade with the Tennessee Titans. However, this group has a lot of ground to make up for after their horrid start to the season. The good news is that they have been better over the last few weeks against teams they were supposed to beat: the Bears and Dolphins. I think that this particular matchup against Minnesota will have its highs and lows. On one hand, JJ McCarthy barely threw for over 140 yards on Sunday, turned it over once and got sacked five times. On the other, the Vikings still have one of the most talented offenses in the league with a dynamic receiving corps and a capable running back tandem of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. Plus, if there is any quarterback in the league with a lot of character and pride, McCarthy certainly belongs in that conversation. Remember, this is a defense that has been culpable of blowing multiple double digit-leads. If Baltimore has the advantage, they need to find a way to close the deal and put it out of reach, rather than give their opponent breathing room with time left on the clock.

If this game were played in week three, I would say that Lamar Jackson is going to have a tough day against an aggressive Vikings defense. However, they have not been impressive over the last few weeks. To give them some credit, they forced a critical fumble in the third quarter to give Minnesota all the momentum to beat Detroit, but it still allowed over 280 passing yards and a couple touchdown passes to Jared Goff. In the two games prior, they allowed a perfect passer rating to Jalen Hurts and could not force a punt against Justin Herbert. Now this defense has to go up against a two-time MVP quarterback that is playing in his second game back from a hamstring injury. Good luck.

FINAL LOCK: While I believe it will be a close match between two high-powered offenses, I trust Lamar Jackson more in the clutch than JJ McCarthy at this point. However, I am not going to be disappointed whatsoever if we get the opposite outcome. All Baltimore has to do is play their brand of football and not get overconfident. For Minnesota, if their defense can force one takeaway, then that might be the biggest difference in the football game.

FINAL SCORE: BAL 27-19

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1-8) vs. CAROLINA PANTHERS (5-4)

It is ironic to see the Saints have one of the worst records in the league while the Panthers are looking to be a sneaky Wild Card contender. Personally, I am not going to complain about it whatsoever because both of these teams deserve to be in the situations they are in right now.

With all the good things I am about to say regarding the Panthers, Bryce Young is unfortunately not one of them. He has been okay in the games he has played, but nowhere near spectacular. In their recent win against Green Bay, he only threw for 102 yards with no touchdown passes and an interception. Besides their defense dramatically improving from the year before, Rico Dowdle has been the biggest bright spot of this offense. There is a reason why we all questioned the Dallas Cowboys letting him walk away in free agency and it is because we knew this guy had arrived. Not only does Carolina need to stick with the running attack for them to beat the Saints, but I want Young to have a solid afternoon as well. He is only 25th in passing yards with 11 touchdown passes and six interceptions. He is also 30th in passer rating out of 44 qualified quarterbacks. I like the guy but unfortunately, they are winning games in spite of him and I don’t know how long this formula is going to remain viable. 

As for the Saints, all I am asking is for this team to show a pulse. Tyler Shough looked rough in his debut, but in his defense, he does not have too much to work with. The running game is in circles, he does not have a strong offensive line, and his deep threat Rashid Shaheed just got traded to the Seahawks. The defense can only do so much with its inexperienced depth and when they are on the field too long, they just give up and lose heart. I don’t care which side of the ball decides to show up. As long as New Orleans plays with some pride and dignity, then I will not be completely disappointed.

FINAL LOCK: Right now, this is a game the Panthers should win. Imagine me saying this two years ago. But in all seriousness, they have a bright future ahead of them and there is a realistic chance they could make the playoffs. The odds of New Orleans pulling off an upset are impossible unless Bryce Young completely self-destructs or Tyler Shough decides to have the game of his life and not tell us beforehand.

FINAL SCORE: CAR 23-13

THE 4:05/4:25 WINDOW:

ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-5) vs. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (6-2)

In the second meeting between these two franchises, the Cardinals decided to keep Jacoby Brissett as their starting quarterback instead of putting Kyler Murray back in the starting lineup. The Seahawks might be the better team and winners of eight straight against their division rival, but this went from a possible double-digit victory to a potential down-to-the-wire showdown.

Last Monday night, Arizona finally ended their five game losing streak as they neutralized the Dallas Cowboys on the road. Despite what the final score might entail, this game was not close. Dak Prescott only scored seven points, their offense turned the ball over three times and the defense could not stop a third down to save their lives. The Cardinals have to feel really good entering this pivotal matchup against the Seahawks, but they are coming off a convincing prime time victory of their own. Sam Darnold completed his first 17 pass attempts with four touchdown passes, their passing game was unstoppable and the defense held Jayden Daniels to just seven points before getting injured in the fourth quarter. Only one of these teams is going to be able to pick up where they left off, so both Darnold and Brissett are going to be the ones hogging for the spotlight. 

FINAL LOCK: The Seahawks-Cardinals rivalry has not exactly been a fair fight over the last five years. Arizona looked strong against the Cowboys on Monday Night Football, but they are facing a tougher opponent in a more challenging place to play. I think we should get a relatively fair fight like the first one, but I expect Seattle to find a way to pull the game out of reach down the stretch.

FINAL SCORE: SEA 26-18

DETROIT LIONS (5-3) vs. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (3-6)

This was supposed to be the game of the week. This was expected to be a rematch of the ages from last year’s divisional round. Now that Jayden Daniels is out indefinitely with a dislocated elbow, the question is not whether or not this game will get out of hand, but when the Lions will put their foot on the gas pedal?

Sunday’s game against the Vikings was winnable for the Detroit Lions. However, when a lost fumble and an interception results in 10 opposing points in a three-point defeat, then it is hard to blame anybody else but yourself. With that being said, I believe they find a way to bounce back on both sides of the football, especially on their offense. This Commanders defense has struggled all season long, particularly in their pass coverage, and their secondary became more of a patchwork unit with Marshon Lattimore out for the rest of the season. Their best pass rusher Dorance Armstrong is already gone for the year with a knee injury, so when you don’t have anybody that can consistently generate pressure or slow down the best receiver on the field, then it is just going to be a long day no matter who you go up against.

What makes this a bigger mismatch than what we thought it would be at the beginning of the year is the fact that Jayden Daniels is out. Marcus Mariota is a capable backup quarterback, but as a starter, we know his ceiling is very low. This offense has already been hard to watch without Terry McLaurin and without its starting quarterback, then the only way for Washington to avoid being one-dimensional is if somebody in the passing game steps up and they do not really have anybody that can do that besides Deebo Samuel. Even then, he’s been banged up over the last few years and he is losing more of his burst because of that. 

FINAL LOCK: I think this will be a great opportunity for the Lions to bounce back after getting in their own way last week at home. Their offense is still one of the most effective units of the league and because Washington does not have any explosiveness in their passing game, then this will be a great “get right” game for the Detroit defense.

FINAL SCORE: DET 30-13

LOS ANGELES RAMS (6-2) vs. SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (6-3)

Finally, we have another entertaining Sunday afternoon game! Five weeks after the 49ers pulled off a resounding road upset against the Rams on Thursday Night Football, the two meet each other again in Santa Clara and this time, Sean McVay is the one looking for revenge against Kyle Shanahan.

Once again, the starting quarterback for the 49ers is more than likely to be determined later in the week. At this point, I don’t even see why Mac Jones should be taken out when he has been winning games for this football team and keeping them in the playoff hunt. If Brock Purdy is somehow cleared to play, good for them. However, we saw what the Arizona Cardinals just did with Kyler Murray and I would not be surprised if Shanahan followed a similar path. I’m surprised the 49ers have the record they have given the amount of injuries they have on both sides of the ball, but this home game against their division rival is going to be their toughest test yet. 

Right now, Matthew Stafford is having the best statistical season out of any quarterback this year. He has thrown 21 touchdowns and only two interceptions. The Rams offense has the best passing attack and they score the eighth most points in the NFL. The defense they will be going up against this week is still a sturdy unit but I just don’t know how many more injuries they can take, especially on the defensive line. They traded for Patriots defensive end Keion White, but he is going to be more of a depth piece than anything. I am very curious to see if San Francisco’s defense can make one or two more plays that save the game the way they did in So-Fi Stadium last month because if that is not the case, then Los Angeles is going to be ready to make this a blowout.

FINAL LOCK: I doubt this series is going to end in a sweep so I believe the Rams are going to get the last laugh against their most hated division rival. It is not going to be easy because it is on the road, but I think that as long as they do not mess up at the worst possible time like they did the last time, LA will maintain their lead in the division.

FINAL SCORE: LA 30-23