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Denver Broncos (9-2) at Washington Commanders (3-8)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Broncos -5.5, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: The all-time series is knotted 8-8 when counting Washington’s win in Super Bowl XXII. The teams have alternated wins and losses in the past eight meetings, with the Commanders prevailing 35-33 in 2023.

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The Broncos and Commanders are each coming out of their bye week but are pointed in distinctly opposite directions. Denver has won eight straight and most recently defeated division rival and AFC champion Kansas City 22-19. Washington has had the bottom fall out with six losses in a row, including 16-13 in overtime to the Miami Dolphins two weeks ago in Madrid. Broncos coach Sean Payton pointed out one of his team’s few deficiencies was discipline; they’ve committed a league-high 93 penalties for 883 yards, and they’re minus-3 in turnover ratio, with only nine takeaways. Denver’s third-ranked defense has carried it while Bo Nix has been hot and cold. After Nix was held to 173 and 150 yards in low-scoring wins over Houston and Las Vegas, he amassed 295 yards in the Chiefs win. Nix might be licking his chops against a Commanders defense that ranks 31st in yards allowed and 28th in scoring. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels (non-throwing elbow) returned to practice Wednesday, although Marcus Mariota is expected to make his sixth start Sunday. Wide receivers Terry McLaurin (quad) and Noah Brown (groin/knee) also returned Wednesday and practiced fully on Thursday. Broncos star cornerback Pat Surtain II (pectoral) was a full participant at Thursday’s practice.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Week 13 Capsules (1pm Games)

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New Orleans Saints (2-9) at Miami Dolphins (4-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Dolphins -5.5, Total 42.5
Series Rewind: Miami has only one victory in the past four meetings, a 20-3 victory in 2021 with wide receiver Jaylen Waddle snagging 10 passes for 92 yards. His 1-yard TD catch in the third quarter put Miami in front 17-3.

Self-described delusional pass rusher Bradley Chubb reminded naysayers the Dolphins are very much in the playoff picture if they refuse to lose the rest of the regular season. Implausible as it might seem, the Dolphins draw a home date with two-win New Orleans to close out November and keep hope alive for a late-season miracle. The Miami Dolphins were one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL when they lost seven of their first nine games. But then they routed the Buffalo Bills 30-13 on Nov. 9, beat the Washington Commanders 16-13 in overtime in Madrid and return to action Sunday after a bye week. What running back De’Von Achane has done has been important, as well as coach Mike McDaniel’s points of appreciation for Tua Tagovailoa’s recent rise. Achane, who had 120 rushing yards and 45 receiving yards against the Commanders, is averaging 115.5 yards from scrimmage. New Orleans has a similar dual-threat running back in Alvin Kamara, but he’s fighting multiple injuries, a drain for an offense that didn’t score a touchdown against the Falcons and hasn’t produced as many as 20 points in any of the past six games. The Saints are last in the NFL in red-zone touchdown percentage. They made three trips into the red zone against Atlanta and came away with a total of three points.

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Houston Texans (6-5) at Indianapolis Colts (8-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Colts -3.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: Texans coach DeMeco Ryans is 3-1 against the Colts, who haven’t won the division title since 2014.

Much more than legitimacy as an AFC contender is at stake for Indianapolis in the Colts’ first home game since Oct. 26. The Texans have won three in a row to climb another rung closer in the South standings and now the two-time defending division champs are closer to being whole on offense. C.J. Stroud sat out the past three games in concussion protocol while Houston leaned on a defensive front with a dynamite pair of edge rushers crashing opposing quarterbacks. Danielle Hunter has 11 sacks and Will Anderson Jr. is at 10 1/2 this season. Stroud was a full practice participant on Wednesday and Thursday, signaling a potential return this week. Almost any outcome except the Tennessee Titans rising to the top remains possible in the division with Jacksonville (7-4) separating the Colts and third-place Texans. Indianapolis has lost two of three and visits the Jaguars next week. The bad news for Indy is QB Daniel Jones (fractured fibula) is far from healthy and has been turnover-prone this month. Anthony Richardson, Jones’ backup, has Indy’s only win over Houston the past two seasons and was drafted by the Colts after the Texans selected Stroud and Anderson with consecutive picks in the 2023 draft. But the Colts can stem the Texans’ pass rush by feeding NFL rushing leader Jonathan Taylor, who has 1,067 yards from scrimmage (133.4 per game) and 10 TDs (nine rushing) in eight career games vs. Houston.

San Francisco 49ers (8-4) at Cleveland Browns (3-8)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: 49ers -5, Total 36.5
Series Rewind: The Browns have won five of the past seven meetings, including a 19-17 home win in 2023 when San Francisco’s Brock Purdy was just 12-of-27 passing.

The 49ers have won their two games since Purdy (toe) returned, but he has been far from perfect. Purdy threw three interceptions in Monday’s 20-9 victory over the Carolina Panthers and averaged just 6.0 yards per passing attempt. For the season, Purdy has been picked off seven times in four games. Star running back Christian McCaffrey has 12 touchdowns (seven rushing, five receiving) and leads the NFL with 81 catches. San Francisco’s points allowed versus Carolina was a season low for a defense that earlier sustained season-ending injuries to star linebacker Fred Warner and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa. Now the 49ers will look to confuse Cleveland’s Shedeur Sanders, who will be making his second career start. Sanders guided the Browns to a 24-10 road win over the Las Vegas Raiders in start No. 1, passing for 209 yards and one touchdown while being intercepted once. The Cleveland defense racked up 10 sacks, including three by Myles Garrett and 2 1/2 from Maliek Collins. Garrett has a league-leading 18 sacks – five more than any other NFL player — and has seven sacks over the past two games. He also is taking dead aim at the single-season record of 22.5 shared by Michael Strahan (2001) and T.J. Watt (2021).

Los Angeles Rams (9-2) at Carolina Panthers (6-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Rams -10.5, Total 45.5
Series Rewind: Los Angeles has won the past two meetings after the Panthers prevailed in six of the previous seven contests.

The Rams have won six consecutive games and own the best record in the NFC. Los Angeles allows a league-low 16.3 points per game and last week’s 34-7 rout of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers marked the fifth team the Rams allowed 10 or fewer points this season. Byron Young has stood out with a career-high nine sacks and fellow linebacker Nate Landman leads the team with 98 tackles and four forced fumbles. Matthew Stafford has been superb with a league-high 30 touchdown passes – only three others have 20 or more – and just two interceptions. He’s in a two-horse MVP race with New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. The Panthers are just a half-game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South but offensive inconsistency is a problem. Carolina has scored 30 points three times and also has scored 13 or fewer points on six occasions. Bryce Young passed for a franchise-record 448 yards against the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 16 and has topped 200 yards just one other time this season. Cornerback Jaycee Horn has a career-high five interceptions but is dealing with a concussion and hasn’t practiced yet this week. The Panthers will be without safety Tre’von Moehrig (81 tackles), who was suspended one game for unsportsmanlike conduct due to an incident in last week’s loss to the 49ers.

Arizona Cardinals (6-5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-8)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Buccaneers -2.5, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: The Buccaneers won each of the last two meetings by three points, including a 19-16 overtime win in overtime on Christmas Day 2022 when Tom Brady was the quarterback.

Baker Mayfield has made 45 consecutive starts since joining Tampa Bay, but that streak is in jeopardy due to his sprained left shoulder. Mayfield said it will come down to “pain tolerance” per whether he will be able to take the field. He hurt the shoulder multiple times during last week’s 34-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Teddy Bridgewater, who last started an NFL game in Week 17 of 2022 for the Miami Dolphins, is being prepared to start if necessary. The Buccaneers, who have lost three straight games and four of five, hope to have running back Bucky Irving (shoulder/foot) back after a seven-game absence. Arizona has lost three consecutive contests and eight of the past nine. Jacoby Brissett will be making his seventh consecutive start in place of Kyler Murray (foot). He has thrown for 769 yards on 80-for-106 passing (75.5%) over the past two games. Star tight end Trey McBride has caught five or more passes in 13 straight games, tying the club record set by Larry Fitzgerald. He also is tied for second in the NFL with 80 receptions. Wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. (appendicitis) is expected to play after missing the past two games.

Atlanta Falcons (4-7) at New York Jets (2-9)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Falcons -2.5, Total 39.5
Series Rewind: The Falcons lead the all-time series 9-5 and have won the last three overall games vs. the Jets and the last three games at the Jets.

Atlanta slim playoff chances alive last week by snapping their five-game losing streak at New Orleans. They’ll have another chance to do so Sunday against their second straight two-win opponent in the Jets. Kirk Cousins, making his first start of the season after Michael Penix Jr. sustained a season-ending partially torn ACL, completed 16 of 23 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. He was supported by a Falcons defense which had five sacks to run its season total up to 39, third-most in the league. Half of last week’s sacks came from rookies James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker, who have combined for nine this season. Unfortunately for Cousins, it sounds like he’ll be without star receiver Drake London (knee) again this week. He hasn’t practiced and was labeled doubtful. New York’s Tyrod Taylor will make his second straight start since Justin Fields was benched two weeks ago. He completed 17 of 28 passes for 228 yards, a touchdown and an interception in a 23-10 loss to the Ravens. In four games this season, Taylor has completed 61.9% of his passes for 601 yards, four touchdowns and four picks. The Jets currently rank last in the league in passing offense (145.7), nearly 18 yards less than any other team, and are still looking for their first 400-yard receiver this season

Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4) at Tennessee Titans (1-10)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Jaguars -6.5, Total 41.5
Series Rewind: Jacksonville has won five of the last six games in this division rivalry, but Tennessee possesses a 35-26 lead in the all-time series.

Jacksonville enters this week in playoff position as the No. 6 seed and riding a two-game winning streak coming off last week’s 27-24 overtime win over the Arizona Cardinals. Four of the team’s final six games will be played against division opponents, starting this week with the first of two matchups against the Tennessee Titans. A big part of the Jaguars’ recent success has been an uptick in pass-rush success. Coen challenged his defense, which had eight sacks through the first seven games, to make a bigger impact. The Jaguars responded with 13 sacks in four games since their bye week, including a season-high six last week. Receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle) returned to full practice participation yesterday and appears possible to return from his three-game absence, but defensive end Travon Walker (knee) hasn’t practiced this week and may be missing his second straight game. Tennessee carries a six-game overall losing streak and a 10-game home losing streak into this week. Even with a depleted receiver room, Cam Ward completed 28 of 42 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown with a team-high 37 rushing yards and his first career rushing TD. The Titans have been putting up more of a fight recently despite the losses continuing to stack. After six of the Titans’ first seven losses were by 10-plus points – including four by 18-plus points – their last three have all one-score losses.

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NFL: Week 13 Capsules (4pm Games)

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Minnesota Vikings (4-7) at Seattle Seahawks (8-3)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Seahawks -11.5, Total 41.5
Series Rewind: Eleven months ago Sam Darnold came up clutch for the Vikings and beat Seattle 27-24, answering a Seahawks touchdown with a 30-second TD drive by finding Justin Jefferson for a 39-yard strike that proved to be the game winner.

Wanderlust might only be the fault of the Minnesota brass this week with the Vikings headed to Seattle to see what they’re missing in Darnold. The Vikings who also set free Daniel Jones into the market in March — he’s 8-3 with the Colts — are trudging forward with the developmental plan at the position centered on J.J. McCarthy growing rapidly. But he’s been hurt — and spent the week in concussion protocol — leaving the Vikings in an unsolicited get-to-know moment with undrafted rookie Max Brosmer. Brosmer’s likely starting debut comes in a tough environment, even if Seattle has been well shy of perfect at home. Darnold’s 69.5 completion percentage is top five in the league, just ahead of Jones. McCarthy is last (54.1%) among quarterbacks with multiple starts. Seattle’s offense relies on Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who caught two TD passes at Tennessee last week. He leads the NFL in receiving yards with 1,313 and already has eclipsed the franchise record. With six games remaining, he could become the NFL’s first 2,000-yard receiver.

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Las Vegas Raiders (2-9) at Los Angeles Chargers (7-4)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chargers -9.5, Total 40.5
Series Rewind: The Chargers swept the season series last year for the first time since 2018. They’ve won three straight against the Raiders to trim their deficit in the all-time series to 69-61-2.

Los Angeles has had two weeks to dwell on its worst loss of Jim Harbaugh’s tenure, a 35-6 loss at Jacksonville. It hopes to find a bit more continuity against the Raiders after Justin Herbert had a career-low 81 yards passing, was sacked twice and was checked for a concussion late in the first half in the last game. Herbert has been sacked 35 times, fourth most in the NFL. A Raiders defense which ranks 27th in the league with 20 sacks this season — despite having a standout pass-rusher in Maxx Crosby — may be a get-right opportunity for the Chargers. Los Angeles opened the practice window for rookie RB Omarion Hampton (ankle) this week, and he was limited Wednesday and Thursday in practice. Las Vegas has its own offensive issues, so much so that Pete Carroll fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly last Sunday after the team scored just 10 points in its fifth straight loss against Cleveland. Its offense is third worst in the NFL with 268.9 yards per game, next to last with 79.5 yards rushing and tied for worst at 15.0 points per game. Quarterback Geno Smith has Herbert beat, having been sacked 41 times this season, including 10 last week. Crosby (knee) returned to full practice participation Thursday after he was limited Wednesday. Tight end Michael Mayer (ankle) has not practiced this week after sustaining an injury in last week’s game.
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Buffalo Bills (7-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bills -3.5, Total 46.5
Series Rewind: After Pittsburgh dominated from 1993 through 2016 — winning 10 of 11 meetings, including playoffs — the Bills turned the tables during the Josh Allen era. Buffalo has won four of the past five, most recently 31-17 in the wild-card round in January 2024.

This game carries significant implications for both teams as they try to boost their AFC playoff hopes. Some players might deflect the importance of the matchup, but Josh Allen leaned in, saying his Bills are operating with an “extremely high sense of urgency” after their 23-19 loss against the Houston Texans last week. The reigning NFL MVP has completed 69.7 percent of his passes for 2,709 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 11 starts. He’s also dealing with a right elbow injury but has been a full participant at practice. Speaking of quarterback injuries, Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers sat out last week’s 31-28 loss to the Chicago Bears with an injury to his non-throwing wrist. He was considered a full participant in Thursday’s practice. If he can’t go, Mason Rudolph would draw a second straight start. Jaylen Warren leads the Steelers with 604 rushing yards, and DK Metcalf is tops in the passing game with 573 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 42 catches. The Bills have continued to operate a terrific ground game, with James Cook ranking second in the league at 1,084 rushing yards. They may also give Brandin Cooks his debut after signing the free agent receiver this week.

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NFL Sunday Night Football: Preview

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4) at Los Angeles Rams (8-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Rams -6.5, Total 49.5
Series Rewind: Los Angeles leads the all-time series 19-10 and has won eight of the last 10 against Tampa Bay. But the Buccaneers won the last matchup in 2022.

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Tampa Bay and Los Angeles enter Sunday night’s game as division leaders of the NFC South and NFC West, respectively, but without much room to spare. Los Angeles leads Seattle by just one game and San Francisco by 1 1/2 games while the Buccaneers have a half-game lead over Carolina. The Rams have been largely led by their offensive firepower this season, with Matthew Stafford throwing a league-high 27 touchdown passes through the first 11 weeks of the season. However, Los Angeles showed it is more than capable of winning in multiple ways last week when Stafford threw a season-low 130 yards and the Rams defense recorded four interceptions in a 21-19 win over the Seahawks. With a touchdown catch last week, Los Angeles WR Davante Adams became just the third player in NFL history (along with Terrell Owens and Brandon Marshall) to record 10-plus touchdown catches in a season for three different teams. This week’s game presents a third straight opportunity for Tampa Bay to come away with a win over a contending team. The Buccaneers lost the last two weeks against the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills to fall to the brink of falling out of first place in the division for the first time this season. This will be a trip of significance for Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield, who revived his career with the Rams in 2022 before signing with the Buccaneers as a free agent the following offseason. However, it was the ground game which led the way last week in Buffalo, as Tampa Bay racked up 202 rushing yards led by a career-high 106 yards from Sean Tucker with Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) out. Irving and WR Chris Godwin (leg) have a chance to return after missing multiple weeks.

-Field Level Media

Maye, Patriots Move On Past Cincy

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CINCINNATI – (Wire Service Report) – New England quarterback Drake Maye completed 22 of 35 passes for 294 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and the surging Patriots held on for a 26-20 win over the host Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon.

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Pats’ TE Hunter Henry caught seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown for New England (10-2), which won its ninth game in a row. Andy Borregales made four field goals.

Joe Flacco completed 19 of 37 passes for 183 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Cincinnati (3-9). Chase Brown had 19 carries for 107 yards.

The Bengals pulled within 23-20 with 4:40 remaining in the fourth quarter. Flacco found Mitchell Tinsley for a 17-yard touchdown to make it a one-score game.

The Patriots increased their lead to 26-20 with 1:51 remaining as Borregales made a 52-yard kick.

Flacco tried to lead the Bengals to a late comeback, but the Bengals’ drive ended at the Patriots 26-yard line as his fourth-down pass fell incomplete.

Neither team scored a touchdown in the first quarter. The only scoring belonged to Cincinnati, which took a 3-0 lead on a 54-yard field goal by Evan McPherson.

The Bengals relied on a defensive touchdown to increase their lead to 10-0 in the first minute of the second quarter. Safety Geno Stone intercepted a pass from Maye and returned it 32 yards to the end zone.

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The Patriots scored on their next possession to pull within 10-7. Maye found Henry wide open down the left sideline for a 28-yard touchdown.

New England’s defense scored a touchdown less than two minutes later. Cornerback Marcus Jones jumped in front of Flacco’s pass and returned the interception 33 yards for the go-ahead score that put the Patriots on top 14-10.

Borregales added a 41-yard field goal to give the Patriots a 17-10 lead late in the half.

McPherson answered with a 63-yard field goal as time expired in the half to make it 17-13. The kick set a Bengals franchise record and marked a career long for McPherson.

The kicking trend continued in the third quarter, as Borregales drilled a 45-yarder to increase New England’s lead to 20-13.

Borregales chipped in a 19-yard kick to put the Patriots on top 23-13 with 5:55 left.

The Patriots lost a key starter on their offensive line due to injury. Left tackle Will Campbell sustained a leg injury and needed to be carted off the field late in the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

Campbell Hurt in Patriots’ Win

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Cincinnati – (Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots left tackle Will Campbell was carted off the field after sustaining an apparent leg injury in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Campbell appeared despondent after the injury. He draped a towel over his head as he rode in the back of a cart toward the visitors’ locker room in Cincinnati.

The 21-year-old is in his rookie season with New England. He has started 12 games this season protecting quarterback Drake Maye’s blind side.

Vederian Lowe replaced Campbell at left tackle following the injury.

–Field Level Media

NFL Capsules: 4pm (ET) Games

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Cleveland Browns (2-8) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-8)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Raiders -3.5, Total 36.5
Series Rewind: This is the second straight season these teams will face off. Las Vegas won 20-16 last year, has won the last five and holds an 18-10 lead in the all-time series.

There are no real stakes for this matchup between two teams who have stopped considering the playoffs weeks ago and have a combined touchdown deficit of minus-21 this season. But on the Cleveland side, there’s some intrigue as Shedeur Sanders is set to make his first career start with Dillon Gabriel still in concussion protocol. Sanders, the Colorado standout who fell into the fifth round of this year’s draft, will be the Browns’ 42nd different starting QB since they returned to Cleveland in 1999. No Browns rookie QB has won his debut since 1995. Sanders completed 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception replacing Gabriel last week vs. Baltimore. Las Vegas’ offense continues to sputter with Geno Smith at the helm. The Raiders converted just 3 of 12 third downs on Monday vs. Dallas and are 7-of-27 on third-down conversions over the last two games. Smith is tied for the NFL lead with 13 interceptions, more than his 12 interceptions. But Las Vegas continues to flash some promising skill-position talent. Ashton Jeanty had just seven rushing yards last week, but had six catches and ranks third among rookies with 717 scrimmage yards this season. Second-year tight end Brock Bowers had seven catches vs. the Cowboys to reach 151 for his career, tied for the second-fastest player to reach 150 catches (24 games).

Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4) at Arizona Cardinals (3-7)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Jaguars -2.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: Jacksonville and Arizona have played just six times in the Jaguars’ first 30 seasons. Jacksonville won the first two games, but the Cardinals have won the four since, last coming away with a 31-19 road win in 2021.

With a 19-point blown lead vs. Houston followed by a 35-6 beatdown of the Los Angeles Chargers the last two weeks, you never really know what you’re going to get with this year’s Jaguars team. And yet, Jacksonville sits in playoff position as the No. 7 seed, a half-game ahead of the division-rival Texans, entering Sunday’s game at Arizona. The run game has been the Jaguars’ bread and butter when things have been going well under first-year head coach Liam Coen and that was certainly the case last week when Jacksonville ran for 192 yards and three scores against a stingy Chargers defense. Rookie RB Bhayshul Tuten, who led the team in rushing yards (74) for the first time, left the Los Angeles game late with an ankle injury and has been limited in practice. So have leading RB Travis Etienne (shoulder) and lead receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle), who has missed the last two games. For Arizona, even a career-high 452 passing yards from Jacoby Brissett last week couldn’t stop their extended skid. The Cardinals have lost seven of their last eight games since a 2-0 start and are 3 1/2 games back from the third-place 49ers in the NFC West. Brissett did that without leading receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (appendix surgery), who will be out again this week. Brissett has certainly revitalized the Arizona passing game with 1,570 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in five starts since replacing Kyler Murray, who is out at least two more games. But it hasn’t translated into wins.

Atlanta Falcons (3-7) at New Orleans Saints (2-8)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Saints -1.5, Total 39.5
Series Rewind: New Orleans has prevailed in 11 of the last 15 meetings. The teams face each other again in Week 18.

Veteran Kirk Cousins is back as the starter after Michael Penix Jr. was lost to a season-ending left ACL injury during last week’s 30-27 overtime loss against the Carolina Panthers. The 37-year-old Cousins has mostly been a highly paid spectator while firing just 52 passes this season. He tied for the NFL lead with 16 interceptions in 14 games last season before losing the job to Penix. The Falcons have lost five straight games and coach Raheem Morris said the offense will be tweaked to fit Cousins’ style. Star running back Bijan Robinson had 104 yards against the Panthers for his third 100-yard rushing effort of the season. Top receiver Drake Lewis (810 receiving yards) will sit out with a knee injury. New Orleans is coming off a bye and knocked off the host Panthers 17-7 in Week 10. Tyler Shough, a second-round rookie, stood out in his second career start by passing for 282 yards and two touchdowns. He completed 70.4% of his passes and wasn’t intercepted, two facts that surely pleased coach Kellen Moore, one of the most efficient college quarterbacks ever during his playing career at Boise State. The New Orleans defenses will aim for a repeat showing after limiting the Panthers to 102 yards through the air and 175 total. Linebacker Demario Davis has a team-best 91 tackles.

Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) at Dallas Cowboys (4-5-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Eagles -3.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: The Eagles have won the last three clashes, including 24-20 in this year’s season opener, but would need to sweep the next 13 regular-season meetings to erase the Cowboys’ 71-58 lead in the heated rivalry.

The Cowboys’ Dak Prescott is a sparkling 21-2 at home against NFC East opponents in his career, a .913 percentage that is the highest at home by any QB against his division since the 1970 merger. His last loss in Arlington in a divisional game was on Nov. 19, 2017 against the Eagles. Standout wideouts CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens face an Eagles secondary that has allowed only two touchdown passes during their four-game winning streak. Lamb had an uncharacteristic bout of drops in the Week 1 loss at Philadelphia, including on a potential game-winning drive late in the game. Philadelphia has compiled the best road winning percentage (.718) with a 28-11 record since Nick Sirianni became the coach in 2021, including nine wins in their last 11 away games. Jalen Hurts has thrown one interception in his last 16 regular-season starts and the Eagles have turned the ball over a league-low four times this season. Hurts had two rushing TDs against the Cowboys in the season opener, which came before Dallas acquired DT Quinnen Williams. Williams gives Dallas another big body between the tackles to resist the rugby-scrum quarterback sneak play. He had 1.5 sacks and five QB pressures at Las Vegas in his Cowboys’ debut last week. The Eagles have an X-factor on their side: They are 5-0 in their Kelly green throwback jerseys since bringing them back in 2023.

NFL: Patriots at Bengals Preview

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New England Patriots (9-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Patriots -6.5, Total 51.5
Series Rewind: The Patriots have won four of the last five meetings to extend their lead in the series to 18-10. The Bengals have not defeated New England in Cincinnati since a 13-6 victory on Oct. 6, 2013.

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A victory will give New England its 28th 10-win season, tying Pittsburgh for the second most since 1970 behind Dallas (29). The Patriots are 5-0 on the road this season, the only team in the NFL without a loss. New England’s eight-game winning streak is its longest since an 8-0 start in 2019. First-year head coach Mike Vrabel’s defense ranks No. 1 against the run (84.7 yards per game) and is facing a Cincinnati offense that is tied for 31st in rushing (81.4). New England’s Drake Maye can become just the fourth player ever under the age of 24 to record 10 games with at least 200 passing yards and a 100-plus passer rating. Bengals WR Tee Higgins has caught touchdown passes in nine straight home games, joining Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Cris Carter with that accomplishment, and steps into the No. 1 receiver role with Ja’Marr Chase suspended one game for spitting at Steelers DB Jalen Ramsey last week. The Bengals could also get TE Mike Gesicki back in the lineup from a pectoral injury that pushed him to IR. But which Joe will throw? Burrow or Flacco? Sidelined since Week 2, Burrow (toe) was a full participant in practice this week. Flacco has been playing through a right shoulder injury. A tight turnaround to Thursday’s primetime holiday game at Baltimore might weigh into the decision.

NFL Previews: Week 12

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NFL Week 12 Capsules

New England Patriots (9-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Patriots -6.5, Total 51.5
Series Rewind: The Patriots have won four of the last five meetings to extend their lead in the series to 18-10. The Bengals have not defeated New England in Cincinnati since a 13-6 victory on Oct. 6, 2013.

A victory will give New England its 28th 10-win season, tying Pittsburgh for the second most since 1970 behind Dallas (29). The Patriots are 5-0 on the road this season, the only team in the NFL without a loss. New England’s eight-game winning streak is its longest since an 8-0 start in 2019. First-year head coach Mike Vrabel’s defense ranks No. 1 against the run (84.7 yards per game) and is facing a Cincinnati offense that is tied for 31st in rushing (81.4). New England’s Drake Maye can become just the fourth player ever under the age of 24 to record 10 games with at least 200 passing yards and a 100-plus passer rating. Bengals WR Tee Higgins has caught touchdown passes in nine straight home games, joining Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Cris Carter with that accomplishment, and steps into the No. 1 receiver role with Ja’Marr Chase suspended one game for spitting at Steelers DB Jalen Ramsey last week. The Bengals could also get TE Mike Gesicki back in the lineup from a pectoral injury that pushed him to IR. But which Joe will throw? Burrow or Flacco? Sidelined since Week 2, Burrow (toe) was a full participant in practice this week. Flacco has been playing through a right shoulder injury. A tight turnaround to Thursday’s primetime holiday game at Baltimore might weigh into the decision.

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Seattle Seahawks (7-3) at Tennessee Titans (1-9)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Seahawks -13.5, Total 40.5

Series Rewind: Ten consecutive meetings between the franchises have been decided by eight points or less. The Seahawks won the most recent game in 2023 (20-17) and the Titans took the 2021 matchup in overtime (33-30), erasing a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter with two Derrick Henry TDs.

The Seahawks are 3-1 in the past four games despite 12 turnovers thanks to an edgy defense capable of morphing on the fly due to interchangeable parts, a high-level challenge for rookie QB Cam Ward. Ward takes the field Sunday with few consistently reliable options at wide receiver, but the Titans dare not roll out a predictable game plan against mad scientist Mike Macdonald. The Titans scored only one touchdown in seven of 10 games this season and aren’t built to throw punches with heavyweights during a roster rebuild. Seattle features the NFL’s leading receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and a two-headed running back rotation Macdonald said will soon push Kenneth Walker III to the top of the pecking order. Tennessee’s run defense has been user-friendly to the tune of 134.7 yards per game this season. Smith-Njigba has seven 100-yards games and at least 93 receiving yards in nine of 10 this season. TE A.J. Barner had 10 receptions last season as QB Sam Darnold tries to unearth a reliable second option in the passing game. Darnold is coming off of a four-INT game in Seattle’s two-point loss to the Rams.

Minnesota Vikings (4-6) at Green Bay Packers (6-3-1)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Packers -6.5, Total 41.5

Series Rewind: The teams split the past 12 meetings. Minnesota has won three of the past four.

Walking wounded has been a theme this season for the Packers, with continuity and consistency fleeting because of a revolving door on the offense line and WR corps. QB Jordan Love was banged up last week — he missed only seven snaps in the win over the Giants — and RB Josh Jacobs (knee) left the victory in the first half. Top targets Tucker Kraft (knee) and WR Jayden Reed (foot, clavicle) are on IR and current top receiver Romeo Doubs was limited most of the week with a wrist injury. Only the timely return of WR Christian Watson, who caught two TD passes last week, has kept the forward pass as an option. The Vikings must contend with pass rusher Micah Parsons for the first time since he was acquired by the Packers. Parsons posted 1.5 sacks last week and digs in against Minnesota’s inconsistent offensive line in Green Bay’s first look at QB J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy has been sacked 15 times with eight interceptions and six TD passes in six games and was picked off twice in consecutive one-score losses to the Ravens and Bears the past two games.

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) at Chicago Bears (7-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Bears -2.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers has 24 wins in 29 career games against the Bears, all during his days with the Green Bay Packers. The Bears won the first 10 games in the series, all played before 1950 when the Pittsburgh franchise was the Pirates.

Division leaders most didn’t see coming try to keep a grip on the top spot and remain in the thick of the playoff chase. The Bears are delivering in close games and have a 5-3 record when trailing in the second half this season. Only the Denver Broncos (6-1) have been better at stemming the tide than first-year head coach Ben Johnson’s bunch. He is sharing credit with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen for steadying Chicago after a horrific start. A nemesis from the past, Aaron Rodgers, strolls into Soldier Field compromised by a fracture in his left wrist. Rodgers and head coach Mike Tomlin insist he could still start for the Steelers on Sunday. Rodgers has owned the Bears to the point that he proclaimed, well, parenthood of Chicago from his time in Green Bay. The Steelers hold a slimming lead in the AFC North and are generally winning games when they don’t turn the ball over. The Bears lead the league with 22 takeaways and are first in the NFL in turnover margin (plus-16). Pittsburgh is second in the league with 18 takeaways and brings a unique, blitz-heavy attack against second-year QB Caleb Williams. Pittsburgh is 5-1 when they record a takeaway this season. Williams is responsible for keeping the ball out of the Steelers’ grasp and using his rotation at running back of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai to move the chains. The Bears still are susceptible to allowing explosive plays and are 29th in the NFL with 80 penalties.

Indianapolis Colts (8-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -3.5, Total 49.5
Series Rewind: Indianapolis has won the past two meetings and 15 of the last 19, and boasts a 3-1 postseason mark against Kansas City during the stretch.

Kansas City made a living winning tight games last season, but the Chiefs are 0-5 in one-score contests this season. That includes three losses by three points, a prime reason why Kansas City is a distant 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Denver Broncos in the AFC West. The Chiefs are outside of the wild-card race with seven AFC teams possessing more wins. Just last season, the Chiefs went 11-0 in one-score games during the regular season and added another in the playoffs against the Buffalo Bills. But ruling out a late run with Patrick Mahomes (18 touchdowns, six interceptions) and Travis Kelce (franchise-record 84 touchdowns) on the roster might be a mistake. The Colts could really stamp their arrival by winning at Arrowhead as they haven’t played in a single playoff game since 2020 and the trip prior to that was a Jan. 2019 loss to Mahomes and the Chiefs in KC. Indianapolis is one of the surprise teams of the league and possesses the lead in the AFC South. The Colts have flourished behind NFL rushing leader Jonathan Taylor (1,139 yards, 15 touchdowns) and quarterback Daniel Jones (15 TD passes) and has topped 30 points seven times, the latest coming in a 31-25 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 10 prior to last week’s bye. Second-year defensive end Laiatu Latu has a team-best five sacks and is tied for the team lead with two interceptions. Jones’ recent turnover woes — four interceptions, two fumbles — could be a byproduct of the 15 sacks absorbed in the past three games. George Karlaftis leads the Chiefs with 5.0 sacks this season.

New York Jets (2-8) at Baltimore Ravens (5-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -13.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: The Ravens own a 10-2 all-time edge over the Jets. Baltimore’s last four wins have been by an average of 17.3 points.

Baltimore has recorded four consecutive victories and is suddenly just one game behind the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFC North. The Ravens gave up just 187 yards in last week’s 23-16 win over the Cleveland Browns and scored 13 unanswered fourth-quarter points. Lamar Jackson had a shaky game by hitting just 14 of 25 passes for 193 yards and two interceptions and also was sacked five times. Jackson is dealing with an ankle injury leading up to this contest. Derrick Henry had 103 yards and a touchdown while notching his fourth 100-yard game of the season. Lightning-fast CB Nate Wiggins has three of Baltimore’s six interceptions, while the defense has just 15 sacks. New York is going with veteran Tyrod Taylor at quarterback as the bid to have Justin Fields be a downfield passing threat has fizzled. Fields avoided turnovers with only one interception, but he was unable to threaten the deep third of the field without WR Garrett Wilson on the field. The Jets rank last in the NFL at 139.9 passing yards per game and 29th in total offense at 291.5, and Wilson won’t likely be back until December. Taylor has completed 62.3% of his 69 throws for 379 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. However, he has been sacked nine times. RB Breece Hall has 722 yards and is on pace for his first 1,000-yard rushing season. He fell six yards short in 2023.

New York Giants (2-9) at Detroit Lions (6-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Lions -10.5, Total 49.5
Series Rewind: The Lions have won four of the last five meetings to grab a 24-21-1 lead in the regular-season series with the Giants. Detroit won the only postseason clash, 26-7, in the 1935 NFL Championship Game.

Interim head coach Mike Kafka’s first road game comes in a city where the Giants haven’t won since 2013. New York hung tough with the Packers last week before falling 27-20, its fourth one-score loss of the season. Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart did not play at Green Bay and did not clear concussion protocol this week, resulting him in being out against Detroit. To pull off the upset, the Giants will need to finally force some turnovers — only the neighboring Jets have fewer takeaways this season. The Lions went 0-for-5 on fourth down in last weekend’s loss at Philadelphia but will likely remain aggressive against a New York defense that has allowed opponents to convert 9-of-13 attempts on fourth down. Head coach Dan Campbell, formerly a tight end in the NFL, took play-calling duties on offense the past two games with mixed success. Offensive line breakdowns appeared to be the difference against the relentless Eagles. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has receiving touchdowns in three of his last four home games, Jahmyr Gibbs has a rush TD in three of his last four home games, and DE Aidan Hutchinson has a sack in three of his last four home games.

Cleveland Browns (2-8) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-8)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Raiders -3.5, Total 36.5
Series Rewind: This is the second straight season these teams will face off. Las Vegas won 20-16 last year, has won the last five and holds an 18-10 lead in the all-time series.

There are no real stakes for this matchup between two teams who have stopped considering the playoffs weeks ago and have a combined touchdown deficit of minus-21 this season. But on the Cleveland side, there’s some intrigue as Shedeur Sanders is set to make his first career start with Dillon Gabriel still in concussion protocol. Sanders, the Colorado standout who fell into the fifth round of this year’s draft, will be the Browns’ 42nd different starting QB since they returned to Cleveland in 1999. No Browns rookie QB has won his debut since 1995. Sanders completed 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception replacing Gabriel last week vs. Baltimore. Las Vegas’ offense continues to sputter with Geno Smith at the helm. The Raiders converted just 3 of 12 third downs on Monday vs. Dallas and are 7-of-27 on third-down conversions over the last two games. Smith is tied for the NFL lead with 13 interceptions, more than his 12 interceptions. But Las Vegas continues to flash some promising skill-position talent. Ashton Jeanty had just seven rushing yards last week, but had six catches and ranks third among rookies with 717 scrimmage yards this season. Second-year tight end Brock Bowers had seven catches vs. the Cowboys to reach 151 for his career, tied for the second-fastest player to reach 150 catches (24 games).

Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4) at Arizona Cardinals (3-7)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Jaguars -2.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: Jacksonville and Arizona have played just six times in the Jaguars’ first 30 seasons. Jacksonville won the first two games, but the Cardinals have won the four since, last coming away with a 31-19 road win in 2021.

With a 19-point blown lead vs. Houston followed by a 35-6 beatdown of the Los Angeles Chargers the last two weeks, you never really know what you’re going to get with this year’s Jaguars team. And yet, Jacksonville sits in playoff position as the No. 7 seed, a half-game ahead of the division-rival Texans, entering Sunday’s game at Arizona. The run game has been the Jaguars’ bread and butter when things have been going well under first-year head coach Liam Coen and that was certainly the case last week when Jacksonville ran for 192 yards and three scores against a stingy Chargers defense. Rookie RB Bhayshul Tuten, who led the team in rushing yards (74) for the first time, left the Los Angeles game late with an ankle injury and has been limited in practice. So have leading RB Travis Etienne (shoulder) and lead receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle), who has missed the last two games. For Arizona, even a career-high 452 passing yards from Jacoby Brissett last week couldn’t stop their extended skid. The Cardinals have lost seven of their last eight games since a 2-0 start and are 3 1/2 games back from the third-place 49ers in the NFC West. Brissett did that without leading receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (appendix surgery), who will be out again this week. Brissett has certainly revitalized the Arizona passing game with 1,570 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in five starts since replacing Kyler Murray, who is out at least two more games. But it hasn’t translated into wins.

Atlanta Falcons (3-7) at New Orleans Saints (2-8)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Saints -1.5, Total 39.5
Series Rewind: New Orleans has prevailed in 11 of the last 15 meetings. The teams face each other again in Week 18.

Veteran Kirk Cousins is back as the starter after Michael Penix Jr. was lost to a season-ending left ACL injury during last week’s 30-27 overtime loss against the Carolina Panthers. The 37-year-old Cousins has mostly been a highly paid spectator while firing just 52 passes this season. He tied for the NFL lead with 16 interceptions in 14 games last season before losing the job to Penix. The Falcons have lost five straight games and coach Raheem Morris said the offense will be tweaked to fit Cousins’ style. Star running back Bijan Robinson had 104 yards against the Panthers for his third 100-yard rushing effort of the season. Top receiver Drake Lewis (810 receiving yards) will sit out with a knee injury. New Orleans is coming off a bye and knocked off the host Panthers 17-7 in Week 10. Tyler Shough, a second-round rookie, stood out in his second career start by passing for 282 yards and two touchdowns. He completed 70.4% of his passes and wasn’t intercepted, two facts that surely pleased coach Kellen Moore, one of the most efficient college quarterbacks ever during his playing career at Boise State. The New Orleans defenses will aim for a repeat showing after limiting the Panthers to 102 yards through the air and 175 total. Linebacker Demario Davis has a team-best 91 tackles.

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Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) at Dallas Cowboys (4-5-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Eagles -3.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: The Eagles have won the last three clashes, including 24-20 in this year’s season opener, but would need to sweep the next 13 regular-season meetings to erase the Cowboys’ 71-58 lead in the heated rivalry.

The Cowboys’ Dak Prescott is a sparkling 21-2 at home against NFC East opponents in his career, a .913 percentage that is the highest at home by any QB against his division since the 1970 merger. His last loss in Arlington in a divisional game was on Nov. 19, 2017 against the Eagles. Standout wideouts CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens face an Eagles secondary that has allowed only two touchdown passes during their four-game winning streak. Lamb had an uncharacteristic bout of drops in the Week 1 loss at Philadelphia, including on a potential game-winning drive late in the game. Philadelphia has compiled the best road winning percentage (.718) with a 28-11 record since Nick Sirianni became the coach in 2021, including nine wins in their last 11 away games. Jalen Hurts has thrown one interception in his last 16 regular-season starts and the Eagles have turned the ball over a league-low four times this season. Hurts had two rushing TDs against the Cowboys in the season opener, which came before Dallas acquired DT Quinnen Williams. Williams gives Dallas another big body between the tackles to resist the rugby-scrum quarterback sneak play. He had 1.5 sacks and five QB pressures at Las Vegas in his Cowboys’ debut last week. The Eagles have an X-factor on their side: They are 5-0 in their Kelly green throwback jerseys since bringing them back in 2023.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4) at Los Angeles Rams (8-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Rams -6.5, Total 49.5
Series Rewind: Los Angeles leads the all-time series 19-10 and has won eight of the last 10 against Tampa Bay. But the Buccaneers won the last matchup in 2022.

Tampa Bay and Los Angeles enter Sunday night’s game as division leaders of the NFC South and NFC West, respectively, but without much room to spare. Los Angeles leads Seattle by just one game and San Francisco by 1 1/2 games while the Buccaneers have a half-game lead over Carolina. The Rams have been largely led by their offensive firepower this season, with Matthew Stafford throwing a league-high 27 touchdown passes through the first 11 weeks of the season. However, Los Angeles showed it is more than capable of winning in multiple ways last week when Stafford threw a season-low 130 yards and the Rams defense recorded four interceptions in a 21-19 win over the Seahawks. With a touchdown catch last week, Los Angeles WR Davante Adams became just the third player in NFL history (along with Terrell Owens and Brandon Marshall) to record 10-plus touchdown catches in a season for three different teams. This week’s game presents a third straight opportunity for Tampa Bay to come away with a win over a contending team. The Buccaneers lost the last two weeks against the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills to fall to the brink of falling out of first place in the division for the first time this season. This will be a trip of significance for Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield, who revived his career with the Rams in 2022 before signing with the Buccaneers as a free agent the following offseason. However, it was the ground game which led the way last week in Buffalo, as Tampa Bay racked up 202 rushing yards led by a career-high 106 yards from Sean Tucker with Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) out. Irving and WR Chris Godwin (leg) have a chance to return after missing multiple weeks.

–Field Level Media

No Go, Joe

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CINCINNATI – (Wire Service Report) –  Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow will not play for the Bengals on Sunday against the New England Patriots, according to multiple reports on Saturday. Burrow, who had surgery for turf toe on Sept. 19, practiced with the team the past three days, and coach Zac Taylor said he had a decision to make about the veteran’s readiness for the visiting Patriots (9-2).

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Now, the Bengals (3-7) are shifting gears, hoping he will be able to play against the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL’s primetime game on Thanksgiving.

Instead, veteran Joe Flacco, who is dealing with a shoulder injury, will start his sixth straight game. He sustained the injury in the Oct. 26 loss to the New York Jets.

Burrow played the first two games of the regular season and landed on injured reserve on Sept. 16.

“Everything is moving in a great position,” Taylor said Friday. “Now we just have to make a decision. You play a game Sunday, you play a game Thursday, you got to factor in all that stuff. He has tried to put himself in a position to be ready to go.”

The Bengals started his 21-day window for practice availability on Nov. 10, but Burrow would need to be added to the active roster by 4 p.m. ET on Saturday to be eligible for Sunday’s game versus New England.

Burrow, 28, has played in 71 career games and has a 40-30-1 record. In his sixth NFL season, Burrow has completed 68.5% of his passes for 19,190 yards with 142 touchdowns and 46 interceptions.

He is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and has twice been named Comeback Player of the Year after his return from serious injuries that ended his 2020 and 2023 seasons.

–Field Level Media