WEEK 13 GAME PREVIEWS
Vikings (9-2) at Falcons (7-4)
TV: Sunday, 1, Fox (Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis, Pam Oliver)
The matchup: The Vikings’ seventh win in a row — 30-23 over the Detroit Lions — increased their division lead to three games and firmed up their grip on the NFC’s No. 2 playoff spot. Minnesota’s confidence in QB Case Keenum keeps growing, particularly after his third consecutive 100.0-plus rating. ... Don’t look now, but rookie coordinator Steve Sarkisian’s Falcons offense is humming. In their third win in a row, 34-20 over Tampa Bay, the Falcons matched their season high in scoring and amassed 516 total yards, a best under Sarkisian. ... Falcons WR Julio Jones vs. Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes is a great matchup, but Jones’ 253-yard, two-TD outburst came the same week Rhodes struggled. ... The Falcons could be without two key defenders: CB Desmond Trufant (concussion) and nickel Brian Poole (back).
Texans (4-7) at Titans (7-4)
TV: Sunday, 1, CBS (Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Jamie Erdahl)
The matchup: The Texans are far from mathematically eliminated from winning a third consecutive AFC South title, but it’ll take a lot of help in the last five games. Winning in Nashville and Jacksonville in Weeks 13 and 15 is critical. The Texans are 2-1 at Tennessee under coach Bill O’Brien. Tennessee’s offense has become increasingly one-dimensional in recent weeks and could benefit from opening up the passing game.
Chiefs (6-5) at Jets (4-7)
TV: Sunday, 1, CBS (Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, Evan Washburn)
The matchup: Chiefs coach Andy Reid is resisting calls to play rookie QB Patrick Mahomes and will stick with Alex Smith. Smith threw an interception with 1:25 left, thwarting chances of stopping a skid that has seen Kansas City lose five of six. After tossing one interception in his first nine games, Smith has three in the last two games. ... The Jets’ trend of squandering fourth-quarter leads continued in a 35-27 loss to Carolina, their third late blown lead this season.
Broncos (3-8) at Dolphins (4-7)
TV: Sunday, 1, CBS (Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth, Shannon Spake)
The matchup: Pro Bowl CB Aqib Talib was suspended for two games that became one upon appeal, for fighting with Raiders WR Michael Crabtree last weekend. ... QB Trevor Siemian, who opened the season as the starter, is back in the role. ... The Dolphins were 4-2 when they lost to Baltimore 40-0 and were ripped by coach Adam Gase. RB Jay Ajayi was traded days later. But the skid has reached five and they’ve been outscored 177-82 in that span.
Colts (3-8) at Jaguars (7-4)
TV: Sunday, 1, CBS (Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon)
The matchup: Losers of five of their last six, the Colts must win out to avoid coach Chuck Pagano’s first losing season in six years. ... QB Jacoby Brissett was sharp again despite being battered for eight sacks. ... Jacksonville went to Arizona with a four-game winning streak and a slim AFC South lead. But thanks to a sputtering offense and a 57-yard gamewinning field goal, that’s all gone. Still, “Sacksonville” has 41 sacks, 10 of which came against Indy in their first meeting.
Buccaneers (4-7) at Packers (5-6)
TV: Sunday, 1, Fox (Tim Brando, Greg Jennings, Jennifer Hale)
The matchup: Buccaneers backup QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is 2-1 since replacing Jameis Winston, who has been nursing a bum right throwing shoulder and dealing with off-field issues. ... Green Bay has little margin for error. QB Brett Hundley is coming off his best performance, yet the Pack are 1-4 with him starting.
Lions (6-5) at Ravens (6-5)
TV: Sunday, 1, Fox (Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman, Peter Schrager)
The matchup: Lions QB Matthew Stafford will let it fly, and with Marvin Jones and Golden Tate catching his passes, Detroit is never out of a game. They’d like to have a few more close games go their way, and for that to happen they need to play better defense and break their habit of too often settling for field goals. ... The Ravens are a defense-driven team that plays power football. QB Joe Flacco often takes the safe route but has been helped by the emergence of RB Alex Collins (60 yards and a TD in Week 12), an offensive line that’s settled in after being hit hard by injuries and the threat of WR Mike Wallace on the outside.
Patriots (9-2) at Bills (6-5)
TV: Sunday, 1, CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson)
The matchup: In beating the Dolphins, New England enjoyed its best ground attack of the season (196 yards) en route to a seventh win in a row, which ensured a 17th consecutive winning season, an NFL record since the 1970 merger. ... A Bills defense that gave up a franchise-record 135 points over its previous three games redeemed itself in a 16-10 win at Kansas City. Bills QB Tyrod Taylor will start after a one-game benching.
49ers (1-10) at Bears (3-8)
TV: Sunday, 1, CBS (Andrew Catalon, James Lofton)
The matchup: Niners rookie QB C.J. Beathard exited late against Seattle with a leg injury from the franchise’s ninth loss in a row. Jimmy Garoppolo will get his first 49ers start in his home state. ... The Bears guaranteed themselves a fifth consecutive non-winning season with a 24-3 loss to the Eagles.
Browns (0-11) at Chargers (5-6)
TV: Sunday, 4:05, CBS (Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta)
The matchup: The Browns’ one win last season was on Christmas Eve at home vs. the Chargers. ... Browns WR Josh Gordon, who hasn’t played since
2015 because of suspensions, began practicing last week and was activated Thursday. ... Only six of Chargers QB Philip Rivers’ 33 throws were incomplete for
434 yards, and he had a passer rating of
149.1 in a romp over Dallas. ... Chargers WR Keenan Allen has 23 catches over the last two games for 331 yards and three TDs.
Giants (2-9) at Raiders (5-6)
TV: Sunday, 4:25, Fox (Kenny Albert, Ronde Barber, Kristina Pink)
The matchup: Giants coach Ben McAdoo has decided to bench two-time Super Bowl champion QB Eli Manning and start Geno Smith. On Thanksgiving against Washington, New York managed 170 yards and extended its streak without an offensive TD to six quarters. ... The Raiders have put themselves back into the playoff picture by winning three of their last five games, including last weekend against Denver. But they could be without WR Amari Cooper (concussion) and will be without Michael Crabtree (suspension).
Panthers (8-3) at Saints (8-3)
TV: Sunday, 4:25, Fox (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews)
The matchup: The Panthers sidestepped another bad loss (see 17-3 defeat at Chicago in Week 7) with a crucial 35-27 road win vs. the Jets to pull even with the Saints in the NFC South. They have defense and special teams to thank. ... The Saints were brought back down to earth after getting their eight-game winning streak ended on the road by the L.A. Rams, who took advantage of a Saints secondary that played without starting CBs Marshon Lattimore (ankle) and Ken Crawley (strain to his side).
Rams (8-3) at Cardinals (5-6)
TV: Sunday, 4:25, Fox (Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston, Laura Okmin) The matchup: Known for their breakout offense, the Rams didn’t really start looking like a legitimate contender until the defense found an identity under new coordinator Wade Phillips. Slowing down the Saints last weekend was the latest sign these Rams are no longer just a feelgood story. The improvement of the defense and the recent emergence of WRs Sammy Watkins and Cooper Kupp serve as the latest positive signs. ... Last week’s announcement that Cardinals QB Carson Palmer and RB David Johnson would not return this season was a signal the Cardinals are playing for the future. Coach Bruce Arians should get a lot of mileage out of Arizona’s earlier 33-0 loss to the Rams when trying to motivate his team.
Eagles (10-1) at Seahawks (7-4)
TV: Sunday, 8:25, NBC (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya)
The matchup: QB Carson Wentz, the MVP favorite, and the Eagles ride a ninegame winning streak into Seattle. ... Seattle gets a chance to prove it’s a legitimate contender. The hobbled secondary, using cast-aside cornerbacks in Jeremy Lane (traded to Houston, only to fail his physical) and Byron Maxwell should have its work cut out for it. The Seahawks are never out of a game as long as QB Russell Wilson is in uniform, and his recent symmetry with TE Jimmy Graham has helped awaken the Seattle offense.
Steelers (9-2) at Bengals (5-6)
TV: Monday, 8:30, ESPN (Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters)
The matchup: Steelers WR Antonio Brown was the hero as the Steelers escaped the Packers in the final seconds last weekend. RB Le’Veon Bell continues to chew up tough yards and has contributed in the passing game, too. Several defensive players are turning in career years; LB Ryan Shazier and DE Cameron Heyward lead the way. ... The Bengals aren’t catching the Steelers in the AFC North, but this game is important to the wild-card race. RB Joe Mixon posted his best game last week, but he and a shaky offensive line need to be better against this defense. WR A.J. Green doesn’t have gaudy numbers but has been his usual, productive self, and QB Andy Dalton has been good enough. The defense faces its stiffest test. Times p.m. Eastern.