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NFL Game Capsules: 4:25pm Games

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Green Bay Packers (9-3-1) at Denver Broncos (11-2)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Packers -2.5, Total 42.5
Series Rewind: The home team has won nine of the past 10 meetings.

The Packers pack for Denver after plucking away the NFC North division lead from the Bears in Week 14. The Broncos are baffled that they are still considered to be on proving ground as underdogs in Sunday’s home game. With a 10-game winning streak and two-game lead in the division the Broncos are still eyeing the top seed in the AFC. The Broncos (11-2) are two wins clear of the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West and can clinch a playoff berth with a win. The Packers have won four in a row, the last two against NFC North rivals Detroit and Chicago. Bo Nix has kept the Broncos on the right side of eight-one score victories this season. He has completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 2,954 yards, 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He is also third on the team in rushing (244 yards). The Broncos have leaned on their strong defense in more than a supporting role. Denver ranks fourth in the NFL in points allowed per game (18.1), second in rushing (89 yards), third in total yards per game (282) and first in total sacks (55). Green Bay can win a game with quarterback Jordan Love’s deep and talented groups of wide receivers. The Packers also can throw a knockout punch defensively. They rank sixth in points allowed (19 per game) and fifth in total yards per game (287.2). Micah Parson leads the team with 12.5 sacks and Rashan Gary has 7.5. Love, in his third year as Green Bay’s starter, has a career-high 67.1 completion percentage and has thrown 22 TD passes while only being intercepted four times. He has been sacked 18 times. Injuries the first two months of the season were a setback to strong protection, but not many blocking schemes are built to stonewall Denver’s pressure defense. Nik Bonitto has a team-best 12.5 sacks but the Broncos’ other three starters up front have 19 more combined, led by Jonathon Cooper (7.5).

Detroit Lions (8-5) at Los Angeles Rams (10-3)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: -5.5, Total 54.5
Series Rewind: The Lions won the past two from the Rams, including a 24-23 playoff victory in the NFC wild-card round in Jan. 2024.

With a victory over the Lions on Sunday, the Rams clinch the NFC’s first playoff berth. With a loss, the Rams could find themselves tied for second place in their own division. Detroit knows the tenuous fit of the crown all too well. With QB Matthew Stafford putting up MVP numbers with the Rams this season, the Lions’ defense has its work cut out this week. Puka Nacua earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors by making seven receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-17 road win over Arizona on Sunday. The Rams’ dynamic wide receiver duo of Nacua and Davante Adams will be facing a banged-up Lions secondary that lost playmaking safety Brian Branch to a torn Achilles tendon in Detroit’s 44-30 victory over Dallas on Thursday. Detroit has won two of the last three matchups with Los Angeles since the two teams famously swapped quarterbacks. In last season’s meeting, the Lions won in overtime, 26-20. Stafford threw for 317 yards, 100 more than Jared Goff, and both quarterbacks had a touchdown pass and an interception.

Tennessee Titans (2-11) at San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: 49ers -12.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: The 49ers hold a 9-6 lead in the series, including a 4-3 record at home. Eight of the last 10 meetings dating back to 1987 have been one-score games.

The last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft goes head-to-head with the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft when Brock Purdy and the 49ers host rookie Cam Ward and the Titans. Purdy won three straight starts before San Francisco’s bye last week and has thrown at least one TD pass in all five games this season. Teammate Christian McCaffrey is on pace for his second season with 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards with 849 and 806, respectively, while 49ers WR Jauan Jennings has touchdowns in four of his last five games. Ward leads all first-year QBs in passing yards (2,468) and had his first game with multiple TD passes in last week’s win at Cleveland. The Titans rank last in the NFL in total offense (246.2 yards per game) and 31st in scoring (15.5 points per game). Tennessee DT Jeffery Simmons will try to slow down a 49ers offense that ranks No. 2 in third-down conversions (48.2%).

Carolina Panthers (7-6) at New Orleans Saints (3-10)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Panthers -2.5, Total 40.5
Series Rewind: New Orleans earned its second win of the season and snapped a four-game losing streak with a surprising 17-7 win at Carolina on Nov. 9. The Saints have won four of the last five over the Panthers to lead the all-time series 33-29.

The Panthers benefited greatly during their bye week, watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose to New Orleans to fall into a tie atop the NFC South at 7-6. Seeing that may have caused some deja vu for Carolina’s players and staff after the Saints stunningly upset the Panthers back in Week 10. Avenging that loss on the road this time feels close to essential for Carolina’s chances at snapping the franchise’s seven-year playoff drought as the NFC South co-leaders are two games back of a wild-card spot. The Panthers’ last five games have been hard to get a read on, with wins at Green Bay and over the Rams last time out, but also with that home loss to New Orleans. Carolina comes out of the bye exceptionally healthy, with every active player fully participating in Thursday’s practice. All that’s left for New Orleans this season is the chance to play spoiler and continue to build for 2026 under rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. The Carolina game was Shough’s second start and first win and saw him throw for what remains a career-high 282 yards and two touchdowns. In last week’s win at Tampa Bay, Shough completed just 13 of 20 passes for 144 yards and an interception. However, he ran the ball seven times for 55 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns. Shough may be without one or two of his top running backs this week. Alvin Kamara (knee/ankle) appears poised to miss his third straight game after not practicing Wednesday or Thursday while rookie RB Devin Neal (abdomen) has been limited this week due to an injury he sustained in last week’s game.

Indianapolis Colts (8-5) at Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Seahawks -13.5, Total 42.5
Series Rewind: The Seahawks can even the all-time series at 7-7 by registering a third straight win against the Colts, who haven’t won a game in Seattle since the 2000 season. One of the big stories in the NFL this week was the Colts’ signing of 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers after Daniel Jones’ season-ending Achilles injury. Sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard replaced Jones in last weekend’s loss at Jacksonville and could be in line for his first career start if Rivers isn’t ready for his first game since Jan. 9, 2021. Indy’s Jonathan Taylor leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,356) and TDs from scrimmage (18) but faces a Seattle defense that ranks No. 4 against the run. The game also features the NFL’s No. 1 receiver in Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba (1,428 yards). Two of Seattle’s three losses have come at home this season, but the team pitched a 26-0 shutout against the Vikings in their most recent game at Lumen Field in Week 13.

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NFL Sunday Previews: 1:00 pm Games

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Buffalo Bills (9-4) at New England Patriots (11-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bills -1.5, Total 49.6
Series Rewind: New England beat Buffalo 23-20 on Oct. 5 and eyes its first season sweep of the Bills since 2019, when Tom Brady was the team’s quarterback.

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The Patriots can win their first AFC East title this decade by taking down the Bills, who have won the division five consecutive years. New England is seeking its 11th straight victory and is gunning to be the No. 1 seed for the AFC postseason. The Patriots were just 4-13 last season but have enjoyed a memorable campaign in coach Mike Vrabel’s first season and quarterback Drake Maye’s second with the club. Maye has emerged as an NFL MVP candidate. The 23-year-old has completed a league-best 71.5 percent of his passes and is on track to break Brady’s franchise record of 68.9 percent set in 2007. Maye has thrown for 3,412 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions. Of course, the reigning MVP is employed by the Bills. Josh Allen has passed for 3,083 yards and 22 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, while completing 70.1 percent of his throws. He also has rushed for 12 scores. In the first meeting, Maye passed for 273 yards while Allen threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns and was intercepted once. Buffalo has won five of its past seven games but a loss will leave the team battling for a wild-card berth. Bills running back James Cook (1,308) is second in rushing yardage but was held to 49 yards on 17 carries by the Patriots in the first meeting.

New York Jets (3-10) at Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Jaguars -13.5, Total 41.5
Series Rewind: The Jets have won two of the last three games over the Jaguars, including a 32-25 road win on Dec. 15, 2024. The all-time series is tied 9-9.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are riding high, entering the week on a four-game win streak and in sole possession of first place in the AFC South after last week’s 36-19 win over the Indianapolis Colts. QB Trevor Lawrence appears to have turned a corner when it comes to turnovers. After he had 11 interceptions in the team’s first 11 games this season, he’s been interception free the last two weeks, throwing for 473 passing yards and four touchdowns vs. the Colts and Titans. Lawrence (ankle) was limited in practice Wednesday, but returned to full participation Thursday. He faces a Jets defense still looking for its first interception of the season. Rookie Brady Cook is set to start for the Jets. Tyrod Taylor (groin) left early in last week’s game and Justin Fields (knee) couldn’t practice all week. Thrown into his first NFL action last week, Cook struggled as the Jets limped to a 34-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He completed 14 of 30 passes for 163 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. Adrian Martinez was promoted from the practice squad this week and steps into the backup role.

Washington Commanders (3-10) at New York Giants (2-11)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Giants -2.5, Total 46.5
Series Rewind: With a 107-73-5 record all-time, the Giants own this storied division rivalry that dates to 1932. But the Commanders have won three straight meetings, including a 21-6 home victory back in Week 1.

Barring a tie, one of these teams will go home happy for the first time since early October, as Washington has dropped eight straight games — the longest active losing streak in the NFL — and New York has lost its last seven. The first matchup between young franchise quarterbacks Jayden Daniels and Jaxson Dart will have to wait. The Commanders have already ruled out the oft-injured Daniels, who fell hard on his previously dislocated left elbow and departed the 31-0 loss at Minnesota last Sunday. Instead, Marcus Mariota will make his seventh start of the season. Dart returned from a concussion in Week 13 and threw for 139 yards and a touchdown in a 33-15 loss to the Patriots. Despite similar records, New York and Washington have managed to lose in different ways. The Giants have lost five games in which they led in the fourth quarter while Washington’s defeats have tended to be more definitive. The Commanders have lost by more than 20 points five times, including last week, when their 30th-ranked defense gave up 25 first downs and 313 yards to a Vikings team that had been shut out the previous week. The Giants rank 31st in total defense and yielded 34 and 33 points in their past two losses to the Lions and Patriots.

Baltimore Ravens (6-7) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -2.5, Total 51.5
Series Rewind: Cincinnati’s 18-point victory last month ended a four-game skid against the Ravens. Baltimore’s two victories last season were by a combined four points.

The Ravens have lost back-to-back games and fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-22 last week in the battle for the AFC North lead. Making the situation more dire is that Baltimore also stands two games out of the last AFC wild-card spot. The Ravens finish with three of four on the road, beginning with the visit to Cincinnati, where bone-chilling temperatures are in the forecast. The Bengals roughed up host Baltimore 32-14 on Thanksgiving as Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow returned from a toe injury to pass for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Ravens-killer Ja’Marr Chase had seven receptions for 110 yards and has 28 catches for 567 yards and five touchdowns in his last three games against Baltimore. If the Bengals lose, they will be eliminated from playoff contention. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson passed for 246 yards and committed three turnovers (one interception, two fumbles) in the recent meeting with the Bengals. Jackson threw one TD pass against Pittsburgh after failing to throw one in three consecutive games. Assorted leg injuries this season also have prevented him from being a running force. He had 307 yards and two scores. Derrick Henry has 1,025 rushing yards, marking the seventh time he has topped 1,000 in his superb 10-year career. Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith has reached 100 tackles in all eight seasons of his career. Safety Jordan Battle leads the Bengals with three interceptions and 101 tackles.

Arizona Cardinals (3-10) at Houston Texans (8-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Texans -9.5, Total 42.5
Series Rewind: The Texans and Cardinals have played just six times and are tied 3-3 in the series. Two of those games have been in the last four seasons, with Houston winning 21-16 at home in 2023 and Arizona cruising to a 31-5 home win in 2021.

No team may be hotter at the moment than the Houston Texans, who won their fifth straight game Sunday night at Kansas City to rise into the playoff picture as the No. 7 seed entering Week 15. They’re positioned at the moment to be just the seventh team in NFL history to make the playoffs after an 0-3 start. The Texans’ defense has played a huge part in this surge, ranking No. 1 in the NFL in scoring defense (16.0 points per game) and total defense (266.3 yards). And yet, it could be CJ Stroud and the offense who lead the charge this week against an Arizona defense which has allowed 40-plus points in three of the last five games. Houston could be without running back Nick Chubb (ribs) this week after he missed Wednesday and Thursday’s practices. The Cardinals have been eliminated from playoff contention since Nov. 30 and enter on a five-game losing streak fresh off a 45-17 home loss to the Rams. While the defense has been consistently gouged of late, QB Jacoby Brissett has been putting up numbers in place of Kyler Murray, who it was announced last week was done for the season with a foot injury. Brissett has passed for 2,459 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games as a starter. He has Trey McBride, who is tied for the NFL lead with 93 receptions and leads all tight ends with 937 yards. However, it appears Arizona will be without receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel) will miss another game this week after missing the first two practices.

Las Vegas Raiders (2-11) at Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Eagles -11.5, Total 38.5
Series Rewind: The teams have split the 14 previous meetings, including the Raiders’ 27-10 victory in Super Bowl XV. The Raiders haven’t won in Philadelphia since 2001.

Las Vegas brings a seven-game losing streak to Philadelphia to face an Eagles team trying to avoid a repeat of 2023. The last time the Eagles lost three in a row was in December two years ago, part of an epic 1-5 collapse following a 10-1 start. Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts has turned the ball over seven times in his last two games, including a career-high four interceptions in Monday’s overtime loss to the Chargers. Eagles wideout A.J. Brown is tied for the longest active streak in the NFL with three straight 100-yard games. With Raiders signal-caller Geno Smith dealing with a right shoulder injury and Kenny Pickett gets the start against his former team. Pickett won a ring with the Eagles in February, got traded to Cleveland in March and got dealt again to Las Vegas in August. He was 14-10 as a starter for the Steelers from 2022-23 and 1-0 last season. Maxx Crosby needs one sack to reach double figures for the fourth time.

Cleveland Browns (3-10) at Chicago Bears (9-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: -7.5, Total 38.5
Series Rewind: This is the teams’ 19th meeting. Cleveland leads the all-time series 11-7, and the home team has won 10 of the past 11 games. In the most recent meeting, the Browns eked out a 20-17 home win on Dec. 17, 2023.

The forecast calls for single-digit temperatures along the shores of Lake Michigan. The Bears lost at Green Bay and forfeited the top spot in the NFC North last week. Cleveland has lost two straight and five of its past six, but the recent play of rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders has given the franchise reason for optimism. Sanders passed for 364 yards, three touchdowns and one interception last week in a 31-29 home loss against the Tennessee Titans. The Browns hope to see defensive end Myles Garrett make history. He enters the weekend with a league-high 20 sacks in 13 games. He is 2.5 sacks shy of the NFL’s single-season record of 22 1/2, which Michael Strahan set in 2001 and T.J. Watt matched in 2021. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams knows that Garrett will be tough to stop. Williams wants no part of becoming the answer to a trivia question: Which quarterback did Garrett take down to break the sack record? “I’m going to try and make sure that he doesn’t get the sack record on us and on me,” Williams said. “… As a game plan … everything is not allowing them to wreck the game.

Los Angeles Chargers (9-4) at Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -5.5, Total 41.5
Series Rewind: The Chargers beat the Chiefs in Brazil in Week 1, their first win in the past eight games in the series. Kansas City leads the all-time series 71-58-1.

A decade-long streak of playoff appearances is in dire jeopardy for the Chiefs will try to ignite their long-shot postseason chances when they play host to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. The last time Kansas City was not a playoff participant was 2014, when Alex Smith was the quarterback. Patrick Mahomes has led each of the past seven playoff runs and not only has helped win three Super Bowls, but he has also never missed an AFC Championship Game as a starting QB. The Chiefs are on the outside of the playoff field, two games behind the Houston Texans, who hold the third and final AFC wild-card spot. The Chargers are playoff eligible as a wild-card qualifier. While Kansas City’s defense was much better over the second half last week, dropped passes held Mahomes to a paltry 160 yards through the air while completing just 14 of his 33 throws in the Chiefs’ third consecutive loss. Quarterback Justin Herbert had just 139 yards passing Monday and rookie first-round running back Omarion Hampton returned to the lineup.

NFL: Sunday 4pm Game Previews

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Denver Broncos (10-2) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Broncos -7.5, Total 40.5
Series Rewind: The Raiders are 0-10 in AFC West games the past two seasons (0-4 this season). The last division victory for the Raiders was the 27-14 win over Denver in Las Vegas to end the 2023 regular season.

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The Raiders are out of playoff contention already, while Denver is fighting with New England for the top seed in the AFC. Even so, the Broncos were only three points better than Las Vegas in the first meeting this season last month. The Broncos’ win in Week 10 was their seventh in a row, and they’ve won their past two games to stretch the streak to nine. The Raiders, who entered that matchup with consecutive losses, have since lost three more games in succession and are planning January vacations. After going to overtime with the Commanders on Monday, the Broncos know they can take nothing for granted, coach Sean Payton said in a terse reminder. He certainly knows as well as anyone how scrappy Maxx Crosby and the Raiders defense can get. In their first meeting in Denver last month, the Raiders’ defense had Broncos quarterback Bo Nix under pressure all day and allowed just 10 points. Offensively-challenged Las Vegas has only one game with over 20 points since September. Offensive line issues are a chronic concern. Raiders rookie RB Ashton Jeanty was preparing for the Heisman Trophy ceremony at this time last year. He leads rookies with 886 yards from scrimmage and was heavily involved in the passing game in the Raiders’ first game since firing offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Jeanty caught six passes last week. He scored the Raiders’ only touchdown in the Week 10 loss at Denver. The Broncos last had a winning streak longer than the current run when they posted 11 in a row in 2012 with Payton Manning at quarterback.

Los Angeles Rams (9-3) at Arizona Cardinals (3-9)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Rams -8.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind:

Arizona draws an angry Matthew Stafford, whose streak of 28 consecutive TD passes without a pick ended in a 31-28 loss to the Panthers that included an INT return for a touchdown and nudged the Rams out of the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Stafford and the Rams have two looks at the Cardinals coming in the final five weeks of the regular season. Arizona’s desire to control the ball and keep Stafford on the sideline could see a boost if RB Trey Benson can get back in the lineup. He’s been on IR since Sept. 25, one week before the Cardinals lost Kyler Murray. Murray won’t return until at least Week 15. Jacoby Brissett makes his eighth consecutive start for the Cardinals. He threw for 301 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in last Sunday’s 20-17 road loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The margin for error is slim if Stafford doesn’t cough up the ball because of his arsenal of playmakers. WR Davante Adams leads the NFL with 14 TD catches and Puka Nacua caught 10 passes for 129 yards in the last meeting. Kyren Williams has 1,052 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns. He scored in both games against Arizona last season.

Chicago Bears (9-3) at Green Bay Packers (8-3-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Packers -6.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: Green Bay’s only loss to the Bears in the past six years (12 games) was a 24-22 defeat in January to end the 2024 regular season. Cairo Santos answered a 55-yard Brandon McManus field goal with 54 seconds left with a 51-yarder as time expired.

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This is the first of two meetings in the next 13 days between NFC North rivals and the frontrunners for the division title with five weeks left in the regular season. Green Bay has owned the rivalry and is 11-1 against Chicago since Matt LaFleur was named head coach. New Bears coach Ben Johnson has reversed fortunes for the Bears in his first season and called out LaFleur in his introductory press conference, stating he enjoyed “beating Matt LaFleur twice a year” while coordinating the Lions’ offense. With two division losses, the Bears chances of winning the NFC North shrink with a loss at Lambeau Field. The Packers are still perfect (3-0) in the division and present challenges to the Chicago secondary after three wide receivers — Dontayvion Wicks, Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson — hauled in Jordan Love TD passes last week. And Green Bay’s No. 1 receiver last season, Jayden Reed, could rejoin the offense for the first time since September. But the Bears are leading the league in takeaways (26) and turnover margin (17) with the No. 2-ranked rushing offense (153.8 yards per game) to help protect a defense allowing 6.09 yards per play (30th in the NFL). The sum of their parts has been a slew of tight games and a scoring differential of just six points.

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NFL: Sunday Night Football Preview

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Houston Texans (7-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (6-6)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -3.5, Total 41.5
Series Rewind: Kansas City has won five straight meetings, including two in the postseason. Last season, the Chiefs eliminated the Texans 23-14 in the AFC divisional round.

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Kansas City’s playoff hopes hinge on the wild-card race, and Houston is one of the AFC teams with a better record entering the home stretch of the season. The Chiefs are 5-1 at home so that helps, but they have lost three of their past four overall games and stand just 1-6 in one-score games after the 31-28 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Winning close games was a Kansas City specialty just last season. Patrick Mahomes isn’t giving up on the Chiefs stretching their playoff streak to 11 seasons but he threw four touchdown passes against the Cowboys and still couldn’t deliver a victory. Also of concern to Mahomes is Houston’s top-ranked defense that leads in both scoring defense (16.5 points per game) and total defense (265.7 yards per game). The Texans have won four consecutive games and they made reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen (sacked eight times) feel miserable two games ago while beating the Buffalo Bills and have allowed 20 or fewer points on 10 occasions. Pass rushers Danielle Hunter (11 sacks) and Will Anderson Jr. (10.5) are both among the NFL sack leaders and S Calen Bullock has four interceptions and one forced fumble. C.J. Stroud passed for 276 yards in last Sunday’s 20-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts after missing three games due to a concussion.

–Field Level Media

Sophomore Hijinx

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Drake Maye completed 24 of 31 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns, and Marcus Jones returned a punt for a score as the New England Patriots extended their winning streak to 10 games by beating the New York Giants 33-15 on Monday night in Massachusetts.

Kicker Andy Borregales added four field goals for the Patriots (11-2).

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New England tight end Hunter Henry caught four passes for a team-high 73 yards. The Patriots had a 395-239 advantage in total offense.

New York quarterback Jaxson Dart returned from a concussion and completed 17 of 24 passes for 139 yards and one touchdown. Devin Singletary led the Giants’ rushing attack with 67 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.

New York (2-11) has lost its last seven games.

The Patriots jumped out to a 17-0 lead after one quarter and led 30-7 at halftime. It remained 30-7 entering the fourth.

After Borregales opened the scoring by kicking a 22-yard field goal on New England’s opening drive, Jones returned a punt 94 yards for a touchdown that helped stretch the lead to 10-0.

Maye’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte, plus a Borregales PAT, gave New England a 17-0 advantage with one minute remaining in the first quarter.

The Giants scored on a 30-yard pass from Dart to Darius Slayton with 12:46 left in the second quarter, but New England answered when Maye connected with Kyle Williams for a 33-yard touch.

Borregales extended New England’s lead to 27-7 by making a 30-yard field goal with 1:48 remaining in the first half, and he made it 30-7 with a 28-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

Singletary scored on a 22-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter. It was 30-15 after Dart completed a pass to Slayton for the two-point conversion.

Borregales finalized the scoring on a 23-yard field goal with 2:14 to play.

–Field Level Media

Patriots: Nine Game Win Streak vs NYG

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FOXBORO – (Wire Service Preview) – The New England Patriots haven’t dealt with a tremendous amount of adversity this season, but they’ll be dealing with some when they face the New York Giants on Monday night in Massachusetts. New England (10-2) enters the matchup on a nine-game winning streak, but its offense will be without starting left tackle Will Campbell and starting left guard Jared Wilson.

Campbell, the fourth pick in the 2025 draft, was placed on injured reserve Wednesday after he reportedly sustained an MCL sprain last Sunday in the 26-20 victory over Cincinnati. He will miss at least the next four games. Wilson (ankle) will not play Sunday, New England coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Wednesday.

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New England quarterback Drake Maye has been sacked 37 times this season — third most in the NFL — and Vrabel said New York’s defensive line presents plenty of challenges.

“I think 57 of the 66 quarterback hits come from those guys up front,” he said. “Three edge guys with (Brian) Burns, (Kayvon) Thibodeaux, (Abdul) Carter. Obviously what Big Dex (Dexter Lawrence II) can do inside and (Roy) Robertson-Harris. So, those guys are certainly impactful players that have to be accounted for every play. They rotate them through there pretty good, and so there’s a lot of juice there. There’s a lot of disruption.”

Through the first 12 games of this season, Maye leads the NFL with 3,130 passing yards and a 71.0 completion percentage. His 21 passing touchdowns rank fifth.

The Giants (2-10) are hoping to have rookie Jaxson Dart back at quarterback after he missed two games following a concussion he suffered against Chicago on Nov. 9. Dart threw for 10 touchdowns and had three passes intercepted in his first seven NFL starts. He was 19 of 29 for 242 yards against the Bears before his concussion. Jameis Winston was New York’s starting quarterback for its last two games.

Dart cleared concussion protocol on Thursday, but Lawrence (elbow) and Thibodeaux (shoulder) were both held out of practice Wednesday. Thibodeaux hasn’t played in New York’s past two games.

“If he’s healthy and cleared to go, then I’d like Jaxson Dart to play,” New York interim head coach Mike Kafka said last week of Dart’s return timeline. “Only if he’s healthy and ready to go, and that’s based on what the doctors say.”

The Giants will be seeking their first road victory since Week 5 of last season, when they beat Seattle 29-20. New York has lost 12 straight road games since then.

New York fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen on Monday, 12 games into his second season in that role. Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen was named as the interim replacement.

“The results just weren’t where we wanted them to be and so Charlie’s going to step up for us and rally the group,” Kafka said. “The defensive staff will rally around Charlie and put together a great plan. I got a lot of confidence in the room and a lot of confidence in our staff to do that.”

New York enters the game against the Patriots ranked 32nd among NFL teams in rushing defense, 23rd in passing defense and 30th in scoring defense.

In addition to Wilson, five other New England players did not practice Wednesday: tight end CJ Dippre (back), linebacker Harold Landry III (knee), offensive tackle Morgan Moses (illness), safety Brenden Schooler (ankle) and linebacker Jahlani Tavai (personal).

–Field Level Media

NFL on NBC Sunday Night Football

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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