NFL matchups
Panthers at Bears
11 a.m. on CBS
It would be easy to be down on the Panthers (4-2) after Cam Newton’s hot streak came screeching to a halt with three interceptions in a 28-23 loss to Philadelphia. The Bears (2-4) had considerably better luck in an overtime win over Baltimore that defies description.
Line: Panthers by 3 Pick: Panthers
Broncos at Chargers
2:25 p.m. on CBS
The Chargers cannot hide from the team’s 0-4 start, but they played hard in each of those games and barely lost in three of them.
Line: Chargers by 1 Pick: Chargers
Cowboys at 49ers
2:05 p.m. on Fox
Legal action by the NFL Players’ Association cleared the way for Ezekiel Elliott to play for at least one more week.
Line: Cowboys by 6 Pick: Cowboys
Falcons at Patriots
6:30 p.m. on NBC
Since February, the Falcons (3-2) have been dogged by people bringing up the score 28-3. That was the lead Atlanta had over the Patriots (4-2) in Super Bowl LI before an epic collapse led to them losing, 34-28 in overtime.
Line: Patriots by 3 Pick: Patriots
Cardinals at Rams
11 a.m.
The St. Louis Cardinals (3-3) found a portal to 2015 last week. Carson Palmer was throwing touchdown passes, Adrian Peterson was slashing through the defense, and the Cardinals ran up a huge lead. The Rams (4-2) are a much tougher opponent, and their younger stars may have less trouble adjusting to the timing of the game, which will be held at London’s Twickenham Stadium.
Line: Rams by 3.5 Pick: Rams
Saints at Packers
11 a.m.
You will probably hear the name Matt Flynn a lot this week. But regardless of his strong relief performances in 2010 and 2011, the Green Bay Packers (4-2) of the last few decades simply do not have enough experience playing without an elite quarterback to have any sort of pattern to decipher.
Line: Saints by 5.5 Pick: Saints
Ravens at Vikings
11 a.m.
The Baltimore Ravens have lost three of their last four games, and the lone win came against Oakland with E.J. Manuel at quarterback. Last week they seemed to show some fight, clawing their way back into a game against Chicago with their return specialists delivering both of the team’s touchdowns and Justin Tucker accounting for the rest of the scoring with field goals. Line: Vikings by 5.5 Pick: Vikings
Bengals at Steelers
2:25 p.m.
Winning tends to turn the volume down on disagreements, and the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) did not just beat the previously undefeated Chiefs last week, but they did so by getting fantastic performances from two of the team’s disgruntled stars, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. The two accounted for 346 yards from scrimmage, and the team’s defense, as it has all season, simply smothered their opponents’ passing game.
Line: Steelers by 5.5 Pick: Steelers
Jaguars at Colts
11 a.m.
The win-every-other-week pattern is holding strong for the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3). The team creates many of its own problems — last week 14 of the 27 points they allowed were on special teams plays — creating a frustrating situation in which they can seem like a contender one week and then fall flat on their faces the next.
Line: Jaguars by 3. Pick: Jaguars
Buccaneers at Bills
11 a.m.
With a fully-healthy Jameis Winston, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3) would stand a reasonable chance of pulling off a road win in Buffalo, but with the best-case scenario being Winston playing with a sprained AC joint, and the worst being Tampa Bay starting Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Buffalo Bills (3-2) defense should take care of securing a win.
Line: N/A Pick: Bills
Jets at Dolphins
11 a.m.
The New York Jets (3-3) had won three consecutive games, and last week they lost one to the Patriots that they probably could have won, if not for an overturned touchdown that seemed suspicious.
Line: Dolphins by 3 Pick: Dolphins
Seahawks at Giants
2:25 p.m.
The Giants (1-5) appear as if they will have an actual wide receiver on the active roster this week, with Sterling Shepard practicing and on track to return to the team after a one-game absence. It would help if he could bring several friends with him, but barring that, the Giants will have to work something out among him, Orleans Darkwa and Evan Engram in hopes of pulling off an upset on their turf against the visiting Seahawks (3-2)
Line: Seahawks by 5.5 Pick: Giants
Titans at Browns
11 a.m.
At some point the Cleveland Browns (0-6) are going to win a game. There is a reason that there have been only four winless teams in NFL history, and that’s the volatility of the game can lead to even the worst teams occasionally scraping by with a win. Line: Titans by 6 Pick: Browns
Redskins at Eagles
6:30 p.m. Monday on ESPN
The standard box score for last week’s game between Philadelphia and Carolina shows the Philadelphia Eagles (5-1) having two sacks. Anyone who watched the game knows that Cam Newton’s day was not nearly so peaceful. Philadelphia’s defense, bolstered by the return of Fletcher Cox, put Newton under intense pressure, recording eight hurries and nine quarterback hits. The pressure played a large part in two of Newton’s three interceptions.
Line: Eagles by 4.5 Pick: Eagles