NFL MATCHUPS
Last week’s record: 9-4
Overall record: 91-65-4
GIANTS AT EAGLES
11 a.m. on Fox
If you see a fluke in the fact that the Eagles’ record (4-6) is barely better than the Giants’ (3-7), consider that Philadelphia has averaged fewer points per game and has allowed more yards per game on defense. That said, the last time the Eagles looked anything like the defending Super Bowl champions was in Week 6, when they crushed the Giants, so getting a second shot at a defense Philadelphia knows it can dominate might be just the kick in the pants the champs need. Watch out, though: The Giants just might keep it too close for the Eagles to cover the point spread.
Pick: Giants +7
PATRIOTS AT JETS
11 a.m. on CBS
The Patriots (7-3) are coming out of a bye week, so one would expect all to be good on the health front — except that Tom Brady was a limited participant at practice because of a knee injury. While that is interesting, it is unlikely to stop him from starting against the lowly Jets (3-7).
Pick: Jets +10.5
STEELERS AT BRONCOS
2:25 p.m. on CBS
In a span of six games, the Steelers (7-2-1) have gone from appearing to need a change at head coach to looking like one of the NFL’s bests. The turnaround has them favored on the road against the Broncos (4-6), a team that has played a lot tougher than its record suggests. A Pittsburgh win is likely, but Denver might be able to do some damage with its running game.
Pick: Steelers -3
PACKERS AT VIKINGS
6:20 p.m. om NBC
The last time Green Bay and Minnesota met, they tied, 29-29, and a freshness to the rivalry has emerged because Kirk Cousins is a quarterback who relishes the chance to go head-to-head with Aaron Rodgers. But this is a prime-time game, and Rodgers seems to save his best performances for moments like this.
Pick: Packers +3.5
TITANS AT TEXANS
6:15 p.m. Monday on ESPN
The Titans (5-5) had been on a roll until they were stopped cold by Luck and the Colts last week. A difficult road matchup against the Texans (7-3) could lead to a second consecutive defeat for Tennessee, a team that has made most of its games competitive but is still well short of being a consistent winner.
Pick: Texans -6.5
DOLPHINS AT COLTS
2:25 p.m.
It’s time people started recognizing what Andrew Luck is doing for the Colts (5-5), which makes this a must-watch affair.
After missing the 2017 season because of shoulder surgery, Luck got off to a 1-5 start this year. But he has been steadily improving all season, and that has paid off with four consecutive wins, including a blowout against the Titans last week.
Pick: Colts -7.5
SEAHAWKS AT PANTHERS
11 a.m.
Neither of these teams has shown enough consistency in recent weeks to make it easy to judge how
they will perform against each other. Theoretically the Panthers (6-4) are equipped to stop the Seahawks (5-5), a team that relies on its running game and struggles on the road. But after Carolina was blown out by Pittsburgh and then lost to Detroit, it’s worth wondering if the Panthers are not as good as they seemed after Week 9.
Pick: Panthers -3.5
BROWNS AT BENGALS
11 a.m.
The Browns (3-6-1) had two difficult games defensively to start the coach Gregg Williams era, but that is understandable considering that they faced Kansas City and Atlanta. The Bengals (5-5) are no slouch on offense, but given how well Cleveland managed to withstand Atlanta’s onslaught in a victory last week, this matchup could end up feeling like a vacation.
Pick: Browns +3
JAGUARS AT BILLS
11 a.m.
The Jaguars (3-7) had last week’s game won, right up until they didn’t. A terrific performance by their defense for three quarters was wasted, and they were left licking their wounds over a season in which everything has gone wrong. The Bills (3-7) most likely will turn back to Josh Allen at quarterback, though, and a rookie coming off an injury against a defense as good as Jacksonville’s is a situation so cushy that the Jaguars can’t mess it up. Right?
Pick: Jaguars -3
RAIDERS AT RAVENS
11 a.m.
With Joe Flacco still not practicing, it looks as if quarterback Lamar Jackson will get a second straight start for the Ravens (5-5). For an idea of how unusual Jackson’s 19-pass, 27-rush start against the Bengals last week was, consider that the last player to have 10 passes and 25 runs in the same game was Joe Geri of the Steelers. Geri had to compete for headline space the next day with Thomas Dewey, who was encouraging Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower to consider a run at the presidency, and Coca-Cola, which reversed course and decided to keep soda at 5 cents a bottle.
Pick: Raiders +10.5
49ERS AT BUCCANEERS
11 a.m.
The Buccaneers (3-7) were just beaten soundly by the Giants, and now they face off against the try-hard 49ers (2-8), who are not very good but seem as if they might be when Jimmy Garoppolo comes back next season. It appears Jameis Winston will start for Tampa Bay, and based on recent history, he will perform poorly and be replaced by a more effective option (Ryan Fitzpatrick) at some point during the game. Pick: 49ers +3.5
CARDINALS AT CHARGERS
2:05 p.m.
The Chargers (7-3) are a good team coming off a devastating loss to Denver in a game they should have won. They will be highly motivated to show the loss was a fluke. The Cardinals (2-8) are a bad team that just lost to the Raiders.
Pick: Chargers -12.5 By Benjamin Hoffman, New York Times