NFL Game Previews: Week 14 Matchups

N.Y. Giants (+9.5) at Philadelphia, 46.0 o/u – Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST

Leave it to the Giants to find a way to inject some late drama into a season that seemed like a write-off. At 2-10, they're currently looking at the second overall pick in the 2020 draft, but their two remaining games against the Eagles could well determine whether Philly can stumble into a division title or not. With the potential to play spoiler for a hated rival, in steps Eli Manning to once again take the reins of the offense while Daniel Jones deals with an ankle injury. Of course, it's been years since Manning seemed dangerous, and he's always had trouble with the Eagles (10-20 career record against them), but if he can somehow pull this one out ... the veteran QB will also have Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate available, only the third time this season the two have been in the lineup together, but Evan Engram remains sidelined. Speaking of things coming in threes, the Eagles have dropped three straight — after two close-ish losses to legit contenders in the Patriots and Seahawks, they then fell on their face in Miami. The NFC East is there for the taking, but Philly doesn't seem to want it. Carson Wentz is having an utterly pedestrian season, and over the last six games he's managed an 8:4 TD:INT and 6.3 YPA. Having Alshon Jeffery back helps, but the quarterback is still playing like he wants the front office to see if they can pick up Nick Foles on the cheap from the Jags in the offseason.

The Skinny

NYG injuries: QB Jones (out, ankle), TE Engram (out, foot), LT Nate Solder (questionable, ankle), S Jabrill Peppers (doubtful, back)

PHI injuries: RB Jordan Howard (questionable, shoulder), WR Nelson Agholor (questionable, knee)

NYG DFS chalk: none

PHI DFS chalk: Jeffery (NYG 30th in DVOA vs. WR1)

NYG DFS tournament plays: none

PHI DFS tournament plays: Wentz (NYG 31st in YPA allowed), J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (NUG 32nd in DVOA vs. WR3), Eagles DST (NYG t-31st in giveaways)

Key stat: PHI is sixth in third-down offense at 45.4 percent; NYG are 22nd in third-down defense at 40.5 percent

Head-to-head record, last five years: 9-1 PHI, average score 29-20 PHI, average margin of victory 10 points. PHI has won five straight meetings, and six of the last seven meetings have been decided by five points or less.

Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the mid-50s, 11-12 mph wind, 70-85 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Saquon Barkley piles up 110 combined yards and a touchdown. Manning throws for less than 200 yards. Miles Sanders leads the PHI backfield with 80 yards and two scores, one rushing and one receiving. Wentz throws for 260 yards and a second TD to Jeffery. Eagles, 24-13

Carolina (+3) at Atlanta, 47.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

The sudden sacking of Ron Rivera leaves the Panthers in some turmoil, even more than their 5-7 record would indicate. It seems a little unfair to hold Rivera accountable for the performance of a team that never had its star quarterback healthy, but there it is. The new coaching arrangement is a little odd, too – defensive backs coach Perry Fewell was named the interim head coach, a position he last held a decade ago with the Bills (going 3-4 over seven games in 2009 after replacing Dick Jauron), but OC Norv Turner is now the "special assistant to the head coach" while Norv hands the reins of the offense to his son Scott. In other words, don't expect many changes. Kyle Allen remains erratic, posting an 8:10 TD:INT, 6.4 YPA and sub-60 percent completion rate over six games since Carolina's bye, but that hasn't stopped Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel from all putting together career years. At 3-9, the Falcons are currently staring at a top-five draft pick in 2020, so Dan Quinn shouldn't be feeling too safe in his job either. Atlanta's been unable to sustain any momentum due to injuries to key personnel on both sides of the ball, but their one brief run of competence did coincide with the first meeting with Carolina, resulting in a 29-3 thumping of the Panthers. Since then the Falcons have gotten Devonta Freeman back, and Austin Hooper is set to return this week, but the team's track record doesn't make a repeat performance a safe bet.

The Skinny

CAR injuries: TE Greg Olsen (out, concussion), LT Greg Little (questionable, ankle), RT Taylor Moton (questionable, knee)

ATL injuries: LG James Carpenter (out, concussion)

CAR DFS chalk: none

ATL DFS chalk: Devonta Freeman (CAR 32nd in YPC allowed, 32nd in rushing TDs allowed, 32nd in rushing DVOA)

CAR DFS tournament plays: Curtis Samuel (ATL 32nd in DVOA vs. WR2)

ATL DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: CAR is t-28th in third-down offense at 31.4 percent; ATL is 25th in third-down defense at 44.3 percent

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 8-3 ATL, average score 22-20 ATL, average margin of victory 16 points. ATL has won four straight meetings by an average score of 27-12.

Weather forecast: dome

The Scoop 

McCaffrey piles up 130 combined yards and a TD. Allen throws for 260 yards and touchdowns to Samuel and Ian Thomas. Freeman scampers for 100 yards and a score, while Brian Hill adds 40 yards and a TD. Ryan throws for 290 yards and touchdowns to Calvin Ridley and Hooper. Falcons, 28-27
 

Indianapolis (+3) at Tampa Bay, 47.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

The Colts are still alive in the AFC playoff race, but just barely, as injuries have hamstrung the offense – they've scored 17 points or less in three of their last four, losing all three. Marlon Mack seems set to return from a broken hand Sunday, but for the most part the running game looked OK without him. It's T.Y. Hilton's linger calf injury that's been the real problem. Without him to attract defensive attention, Indy's other receivers haven't been able to get open consistently, although Zach Pascal has had his moments. Getting open against Tampa's secondary isn't always the biggest challenge, though. The Bucs went eight straight games allowing at least 27 points before improved showings the last two weeks against the Falcons and Jags, which has left their hands in Jameis Winston's hands more often than not. Eep. This week Bruce Arians sidestepped the question of whether he wanted Winston back in 2020, in as close to a display of diplomacy as he's likely capable of, but it's hard to imagine the team ponying up top dollar for all those interceptions.

The Skinny

IND injuries: WR Hilton (out, calf), CB Kenny Moore II (out, ankle), K Adam Vinatieri (out, knee)

TB injuries: RG Alex Cappa (out, elbow)

IND DFS chalk: none

TB DFS chalk: none

IND DFS tournament plays: Jacoby Brissett (TB 31st in passing yards allowed per game, t-29th in passing TDs allowed), Pascal (TB 31st in DVOA against deep throws), Colts DST (TB t-31st in giveaways)

TB DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: IND is ninth in third-down offense at 44.2 percent; TB is third in third-down defense at 33.5 percent

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the mid-70s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Mack gains 60 yards in his return. Brissett throws for 270 yards and TDs to Jack Doyle and Pascal, who tops 100 yards. Ronald Jones leads the TB backfield with 80 yards, while Peyton Barber vultures a touchdown. Winston gets picked off twice but throws for 320 yards and two scores to Mike Evans, who also hits the century mark. Buccaneers 21-20
 

Miami (+5.5) at N.Y. Jets, 45.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

The amazing things about this game to me is that these teams have combined for six wins against opponents who weren't each other. The Dolphins have won three of their last five, including a 26-18 victory over Gang Green in Week 9, and still have by far the worst point differential in the league at minus-177. That's 58 points worse than the 31st-place Bengals. They're even 16 points in the hole during their "hot streak". I don't care what sort of Fitzmagic Ryan Fitzpatrick is conjuring, this is not a good team. Of course, neither are their fellow AFC East cellar dwellers, who inexcusably just handed Cincy its first win of the year last week. The Jets had won three straight before that though, and while it was against the like Washington and the Giants, it was a run that suggested the team had turned the corner as they steamrolled the opposition by a combined score of 102-47. San Darnold has a 7:1 TD:INT over the last four games with a 7.9 YPA, and his return to form, more or less, has sparked Robby Anderson to life – the speedster has hit for 100 yards or found the end zone in three straight games. I'd say this game could be decided by whoever has the best coaching, but let's be serious here – one team has Adam Gase, and the other has a coach who would still be trotting out Kalen Ballage and his sub-2.0 yards per carry as his starting RB if Ballage hadn't courageously removed himself from the toxic relationship by straining his Achilles tendon.

The Skinny

MIA injuries: RB Ballage (IR, Achilles)

NYJ injuries: RB Le'Veon Bell (questionable, illness), WR Demaryius Thomas (questionable, hamstring), TE Ryan Griffin (questionable, illness), LT Kelvin Beachum (questionable, ankle), LG Alex Lewis (questionable, elbow), RT Chuma Edoga (out, knee), S Jamal Adams (questionable, ankle)

MIA DFS chalk: none

NYJ DFS chalk: Anderson (MIA 31st in DVOA vs. WR1)

MIA DFS tournament plays: Dolphins DST (NYJ 31st in sack percentage against)

NYJ DFS tournament plays: Darnold (MIA 28th in YPA allowed, 31st in passing TDs allowed), Bell (MIA 31st in rushing yards allowed per game, 32nd in passing DVOA vs. RB), Jamison Crowder (MIA 29th in DVOA vs. WR2), Jets DST (MIA 30th in giveaways, 29th in sack percentage against)

Key stat: NYJ are 31st in third-down offense at 28.4 percent; MIA is t-27th in third-down defense at 44.4 percent

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 7-4 MIA, average score 21-21, average margin of victory 10 points. MIA has won four straight meetings, all by a single score.

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the high 30s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Patrick Laird leads the MIA backfield with 50 combined yards. Fitzpatrick throws for 300 yards and two touchdowns, finding DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki. Bell picks up 80 scrimmage yards and a score. Darnold throws for 320 yards and three TDs, hitting Anderson (who tops 100 yards), Crowder and Ty Montgomery. Jets 31-20
 

San Francisco (+2.5) at New Orleans, 44.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

The Niners' playoff preview tour continues in New Orleans, after they thumped the Packers at home two weeks ago before losing a slugfest in Baltimore. That loss dropped San Francisco all the way to the No. 5 seed in the NFC, as they'd currently lose on a tiebreaker to the Seahawks in the West – if your league uses Week 17 stats, stock up on Seattle and San Francisco players now, because they could be duking it out for the division crown in their meeting the final week of the year. Kyle Shanahan's offense made a new backfield star last week in Raheem Mostert, but with Matt Breida healthy again and Tevin Coleman still around, it's tough to predict who might go off even before you factor in a Saints defense that ranks third in rushing yards allowed per game and ninth in passing DVOA against RBs. A win here puts New Orleans in the driver's seat for the top seed in the NFC, a spot they currently thanks to a 33-27 win over Seattle back in Week 3. The offense has run hot and cold all year – last week's 26 points against the Falcons was the first time they hadn't scored either 30 or more, or 13 or less – and if there's been one culprit you could point to for that inconsistency, it might be Alvin Kamara. The third-year RB has somehow only found the end zone in one game all year – a two-TD performance in that Week 3 victory – and in four games since the Saints' bye and his recovery from an ankle injury, he's managed 382 scrimmage yards, certainly not a bad total but a far cry from what he's capable of. The Niners have allowed only three touchdowns to opposition running backs all season (only the Pats have given up fewer), so this doesn't seem like a good spot for a get-right game for Kamara.

The Skinny

SF injuries: LT Joe Staley (questionable, finger)

NO injuries: LT Terron Armstead (questionable, ankle), LG Andrus Peat (out, forearm), LB Kiko Alonso (questionable, thigh)

SF DFS chalk: none

NO DFS chalk: none

SF DFS tournament plays: 49ers DST (SF second in points allowed per game, first in sack percentage)

NO DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: NO is 23rd in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 48.9 percent (22-for-43) of RZ possessions; SF is second in red-zone defense at 42.3 percent (11-for-26)

Weather forecast: dome

The Scoop

Breida leads the SF backfield with 80 combined yards, while Mostert adds 60 yards and a score. Jimmy Garoppolo throws for 230 yards and a TD to George Kittle. Kamara picks up 90 scrimmage yards. Drew Brees throws for 260 yards and touchdowns to Michael Thomas and Tre'Quan Smith. 49ers, 23-20
 

Detroit (+13) at Minnesota, 43.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

It's hard to remember this team got off to a 2-0-1 start to the season. The Lions have lost five straight and eight of their last nine, with the lone win coming against the Giants, but they've been able to drag better teams down to their level when they had to. All five of those recent defeats have been by a single score, and the only team to beat Detroit by double digits this year was Minnesota, as Matt Patricia's squad has become the kings of the respectable loss. Matthew Stafford insists he's going to play again this season, but time is running short, and if David Blough continues to look competent under center, the organization has little reason to push Stafford back into action. The Vikings now have their own injury concern with a key player, as the sight of Dalvin Cook lying on the field in pain last week had fans holding their breath. The running back seems to have avoided a serious setback and says he'll play this week, but given that his sore shoulder/clavicle led to two fumbles in the loss to the Seahawks, the team may get Alexander Mattison more involved in the backfield whether Cook is active or not. With Adam Thielen still apparently not ready to return, somebody else may need to step up for Minnesota, on one side of the ball or the other.

The Skinny

DET injuries: QB Stafford (out, back)

MIN injuries: WR Thielen (doubtful, hamstring), LT Riley Reiff (questionable, concussion)

DET DFS chalk: none

MIN DFS chalk: none

DET DFS tournament plays: none

MIN DFS tournament plays: Kirk Cousins (DET 30th in passing yards allowed per game), Cook / Mattison / Ameer Abdullah (DET 30th in passing DVOA vs. RB) 

Key stat: MIN is third in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 68.3 percent (28-for-41) of RZ possessions; DET is t-24th in red-zone defense at 60.9 percent (28-for-46)

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 6-5 MIN, average score 21-17 MIN, average margin of victory nine points. MIN has won four straight meetings by an average score of 31-18, including a 42-30 victory in Week 7 of this season.

Weather forecast: dome

The Scoop

Bo Scarbrough rumbles for 70 yards. Blough throws for 240 yards and a touchdown to Kenny Golladay. Cook plays and gains 50 yards, but Mattison leads the MIN backfield with 80 combined yards and a score. Cousins throws for 300 yards and TDs to Irv Smith Jr. and Bisi Johnson, and a fourth-quarter fumble return touchdown by Danielle Hunter after an Everson Griffen strip sack seals the deal. Vikings, 32-13
 

Denver (+9.5) at Houston, 42.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

The Broncos swept the season series against the Chargers last week, a moral victory in what's otherwise been a disappointing campaign, but things aren't looking all that bleak for the future. Drew Lock didn't have a statistically impressive debut, but he was smart enough to recognize that his best option was often to just chuck it up to Courtland Sutton and let the second-year receiver do all the work. The defense has also given up 20 points or less in six of the last eight games, and the two teams that stung them for more were the Chiefs and Vikings. That's probably not enough ammo to keep pace with a Texans squad that's won four of its last five, including last week's huge win over the Patriots, though. Deshaun Watson has tossed up a 10:2 TD:INT over those five games, and with the Titans still hot on their heels in the AFC South, they can't afford a let-up. Last week's matchup against Stephon Gilmore also kept DeAndre Hopkins from scoring or hauling in 80-plus yards for the first time since Week 6. Denver's overall pass defense has been very good this year, but they don't have a Gilmore in the secondary, and completely containing Hopkins might be a little beyond the unit's abilities.

The Skinny

DEN injuries: RG Ron Leary (out, concussion), RT Ja"Wuan James (questionable, knee), LB Von Miller (questionable, knee)

HOU injuries: WR Will Fuller (questionable, hamstring), CB Bradley Roby (questionable, hamstring)

DEN DFS chalk: none

HOU DFS chalk: Hopkins (DEN 29th in DVOA vs. WR1)

DEN DFS tournament plays: none

HOU DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: DEN is 30th in third-down offense at 29.5 percent; HOU is 32nd in third-down defense at 47.8 percent

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the high 60s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Phillip Lindsay leads the DEN backfield with 70 combined yards. Lock throws for under 200 yards but hits Sutton for a TD. Carlos Hyde runs for 60 yards, while Duke Johnson adds 50 scrimmage yards. Watston throws for 250 yards and scores to Hopkins and Jordan Akins. Texans 23-13
 

Baltimore at Buffalo (+6), 43.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

Another potential playoff preview, the Ravens' eight-game winning streak has moved them up to the No. 1 seed in the AFC, and their closing schedule gets a lot easier after this week. Lamar Jackson has his eyes on becoming the second quarterback in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season in this game, and maybe even break the record – he's only 23 yards shy of quadruple digits, and 62 yards behind Michael Vick's 2006 performance. Even after last week's dud through the air, though, the second-year player has more than proven he can do more than scramble really, really well, as Jackson is second in the league in passing TDs (25) and ninth in YPA (7.9) to bolster his MVP case. Rushing against the Bills is no easy task, though, as least for Jackson. Buffalo's overall run defense isn't anything special, but they're tied for third in rushing yards allowed to QB at only 109. Practicing against Josh Allen every week has its benefits. Allen himself is having a strong season, throwing only one INT (against 11 TDs) over the last seven games while running for 272 yards and five touchdowns, but he could need rely on his arm in this one too, despite weather conditions that likely won't favor the passing game. The team tied with the Bills, giving up only 109 rushing yards to QBs all year, is the Ravens.

The Skinny

BAL injuries: WR Marquise Brown (questionable, ankle), WR Seth Roberts (questionable, knee), CB Marlon Humphrey (questionable, thigh)

BUF injuries: none

BAL DFS chalk: none

BUF DFS chalk: none

BAL DFS tournament plays: none

BUF DFS tournament plays: Bills DST (BUF third in points allowed per game)

Key stat: BUF is t-8th in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 63.6 percent (21-for-33) of RZ possessions; BAL is fourth in red-zone defense at 44.1 percent (15-for-34)

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the mid-30s, 16 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of snow

The Scoop

Mark Ingram bangs out 90 combined yards and a TD. Jackson throws for under 200 yards and gets held just short of Vick's record on the ground, picking up 50 yards and a score. Devin Singletary gains 80 scrimmage yards. Allen throws for under 200 yards as well but does find Dawson Knox for a touchdown. Ravens, 20-13
 

Cincinnati (+9) at Cleveland, 40.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

Bengals win! Bengals win! Bengals win! The NFL's last perfectly imperfect team got the W last week against the Jets, but Cincy is still in the driver's seat when it comes to landing the top pick in the 2020 draft. Andy Dalton looked... well, honestly, he didn't look any better than he had when he got benched after losing eight straight games, but that was still a big improvement on Ryan Finley. Dalton is probably just keeping the seat warm as the starter for whoever the front office pops at No. 1 next year – he's got one year remaining on his current contract, but if he's cut there's no dead cap money for the club to worry about – but at 32 years old he could still get an offer from another QB-needy club if he looks solid down the stretch. Time's running out for his long-time favorite target, A.J. Green, to join him, though. The Browns somehow remain on the fringes of the battle for the second wild-card spot in the AFC, but it's a very narrow path that could close up no matter what they do over the final month. Baker Mayfield got a scare last week when his throwing hand banged off a helmet, but he didn't need a wrap or glove in practice Friday and should be his usual self for this one. "His usual self" hasn't been very impressive this year – he's hit for a 7.0 YPA or better in a game only twice since Week 3 – and Cleveland could well decide to just lean heavily on their Nick Chubb-Kareem Hunt backfield if they can against one of the worst run defenses in the league rather than requiring Mayfield to air it out too much.

The Skinny

CIN injuries: WR Green (out, ankle)

CLE injuries: C J.C. Tretter (questionable, knee), RT Chris Hubbard (questionable, knee), DE Myles Garrett (out, suspension), DE Olivier Vernon (questionable, knee)

CIN DFS chalk: none

CLE DFS chalk: Chubb (CIN 32nd in rushing yards allowed per game, 28th in passing DVOA vs. RB), Jarvis Landry (CIN 32nd in DVOA vs. WR1)

CIN DFS tournament plays: none

CLE DFS tournament plays: Mayfield (CIN 32nd in YPA allowed), Hunt (see Chubb), Odell Beckham (CIN 32nd in DVOA against deep throws), Browns DST (CIN 31st in points per game)

Key stat: CIN is 20th in third-down offense at 36.4 percent; CLE is fourth in third-down defense at 34.0 percent

Head-to-head record, last five years: 7-3 CIN, average score 25-16 CIN, average margin of victory 19 points. CLE has won two straight, and last year's 26-18 victory in Week 16 was the first time a game in this rivalry was decided by one score since Week 2 of 2012, a stretch of 12 straight games.

Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the mid-40s, 16 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Joe Mixon rambles for 80 yards and a TD. Dalton throws for 220 yards and a touchdown to Tyler Boyd. Chubb piles up 130 scrimmage yards and two scores, while Hunt adds 60 yards and a touchdown. Mayfield throws for 240 yards and a TD to Landry. Browns 31-20
 

Washington (+13) at Green Bay, 41.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

Washington has climbed out of the NFC East basement with two straight wins over two of the league's pussycats in the Lions and Panthers, getting Ron Rivera fired in the process. They're still arguably the worst team in their conference though (at least by point differential), and Dwayne Haskins' numbers since taking over the starting QB job don't exactly make a compelling case that he's the team's next cornerstone – in four starts he's got a 54.1 percent completion percentage, 2:2 TD:INT, 6.0 YPA and less than 170 passing yards a game. That's... not ideal. His poor performance has kneecapped Terry McLaurin's promising rookie campaign, but at least Derrius Guice took advantage of his soft matchup against Carolina. Green Bay, obviously, is not Carolina. They've pulled one game ahead of the Vikings, which makes their Week 16 clash a crucial one in the NFC North, but until then they'll have to avoid looking past Washington. That shouldn't be a problem with Aaron Rodgers rounding into form. The future Hall of Famer has a 14:0 TD:INT over the last six games with a 7.6 YPA and 66.5 percent completion rate, and with a healthy Davante Adams as his top target again, he seems headed for another dynamic finish heading into the postseason.

The Skinny

WAS injuries: WR Paul Richardson (out, hamstring)

GB injuries: CB Kevin King (questionable, shoulder)

WAS DFS chalk: none

GB DFS chalk: Packers DST (WAS 32nd in points per game, 30th in sack percentage against)

WAS DFS tournament plays: none

GB DFS tournament plays: Allen Lazard (WAS 31st in DVOA vs. WR2), Jimmy Graham (WAS 31st in DVOA vs. TE)

Key stat: WAS is 31st in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 35.7 percent (10-for-28) of RZ possessions; GB is sixth in red-zone defense at 47.5 percent (19-for-40)

Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the high 30s, 11-14 mph wind, 5-10 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Guice leads the WAS backfield with 60 yards. Haskins throws for under 200 yards and gets picked off twice. Jamaal Williams paces the Pack with 70 yards and a score, while Aaron Jones runs for 50 yards. Rodgers throws for 270 yards and three touchdowns, finding Lazard, Geronimo Allison and Graham. Packers, 34-6
 

L.A. Chargers at Jacksonville (+3), 43.0 o/u – Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST

The Chargers are basically the junior varsity version of the Cowboys this year. While Dallas is potentially on a historic pace in point differential for a team that could finish below .500, the Bolts are in the black at plus-3 and have somehow turned that into a 4-8 record, as all eight of those losses have been by a single score. Philip Rivers is on pace for only 23 TDs, which would be his lowest total since 2007 – his second year as a starter – with 20 INTs, prompting chatter that the 37-year-old could be approaching the end of his road. There would be some symmetry to him riding off into the sunset at the same time as Eli Manning, but the universe rarely wraps things up that neatly. The Jags have the same record but a different sort of QB dilemma, as $88 million free agent Nick Foles has played himself out of a job after four starts. The offense will once again be in the hands of sixth-round rookie Gardner Minshew, who compiled a solid 13:4 TD:INT and 7.4 YPA over the first eight-and-a-half games of the season while Foles was hurt. Regardless of who's under center, this has become Leonard Fournette's offense – he's second in the league in touches behind Christian McCaffrey and third in scrimmage yards. If only he could find the end zone.

The Skinny

LAC injuries: none

JAC injuries: LB Myles Jack (IR, knee), S Ronnie Harrison (questionable, concussion)

LAC DFS chalk: Melvin Gordon (JAC 31st in YPC allowed, 31st in rushing TDs allowed, 31st in rushing DVOA)

JAC DFS chalk: none

LAC DFS tournament plays: Austin Ekeler (see Gordon)

JAC DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: JAC is 24th in third-down offense at 34.5 percent; LAC are t-27th in third-down defense at 44.4 percent

Weather forecast: cloudy. temperature in the mid-60s, 9-10 mph wind, 5-10 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Gordon gallops for 110 combined yards and a TD, while Ekeler adds 50 yards. Rivers throws for 230 yards and a touchdown to Hunter Henry. Fournette pounds out 120 scrimmage yards and a score. Minshew throws for 270 yards and a TD to D.J. Chark Jr. while running in a score of his own. Jaguars, 27-20
 

Pittsburgh at Arizona (+2.5), 43.5 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST

The Steelers are currently in the No. 6 seed in the AFC by the thinnest of margins, which is fairly remarkable considering they're down to their third-string quarterback and have dealt with a number of injuries to key offensive personnel. If Pittsburgh's going to make the playoffs, they'll need to take advantage of games like this, because their schedule over the final month includes the Bills and a Week 17 battle with the Ravens. Devlin Hodges didn't look like a world-beater last week, but he took shots downfield and the stingy defense gives them a puncher's chance against almost any opponent. The Cards are far from the NFC playoff picture, but the growth of both Kyler Murray and rookie coach Kliff Kingsbury – who's shown an ability to adapt his offensive scheme to the NFL rather than stubbornly stick with what worked in college – gives them some hope for the future. The main problem this year has been DC Vance Joseph's absolutely atrocious defense. It will be interesting to see how they approach the 2020 draft with an offensive-minded head coach but glaring holes that need to be addressed in the other unit.

The Skinny

PIT injuries: RB James Conner (out, shoulder), WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (out, knee)

ARI injuries: C A.Q. Shipley (questionable, illness)

PIT DFS chalk: Vance McDonald (ARI 32nd in DVOA vs. TE)

ARI DFS chalk: none

PIT DFS tournament plays: Hodges (ARI 30th in YPA allowed, 32nd in passing yards allowed per game, 32nd in passing TDs allowed), Jaylen Samuels (ARI 31st in passing DVOA vs. RB), James Washington (ARI 30th in DVOA against deep throws), Tevin Jones / Johnny Holton (ARI 30th in DVOA vs. WR3), Steelers DST (PIT first in takeaways)

ARI DFS tournament plays: Andy Isabella (PIT 31st in DVOA vs. WR3)

Key stat: ARI is 29th in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 38.5 percent (15-for-39) of RZ possessions; PIT is 11th in red-zone defense at 52.8 percent

Weather forecast: dome

The Scoop

Benny Snell Jr. leads the PIT backfield with 80 yards and a score, while Samuels adds 60 combined yards and a receiving TD. Hodges throws for 240 yards and a second touchdown to Washington. Kenyan Drake manages 70 scrimmage yards. Murray throws for 220 yards and a TD to Christian Kirk. Steelers 24-16
 

Tennessee at Oakland (+3), 46.5 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST

The Titans have won three straight and five of six, a surge that has them a game behind the Texans in the AFC South and a tiebreaker behind the Steelers for the conference's second wild-card. As he did down the stretch last year, Derrick Henry has put the team on his back and hauled them into playoff contention like Optimus Prime dragging that box trailer with him everywhere he goes (sorry, just watched Bumblebee on Netflix. My review of the movie is that Hailee Steinfeld is a miracle worker.) Henry's numbers during the three-game winning streak: 496 rushing yards, 7.3 yards per carry (!!!) and five TDs. With defenses trying desperately to slow the running back down, Ryan Tannehill has been free to pick them apart when he gets a chance – he's only attempted 59 passes over those three games but has completed 74.6 percent of them with a 10.5 YPA (!!!) and 6:0 TD:INT. It's really remarkable how well this offense is humming, considering how stagnant they were with Marcus Mariota under center. Through the first six games of the year, Tennessee averaged 16.3 points a game, and nearly half of that production came in a 43-13 rout of Cleveland in Week 1. In Tannehill's six starts, the Titans are averaging 29.7 points a game and have never failed to score at least 20. That average would be good for second in the league behind the Ravens if they'd been doing it all year. Right behind them in the wild-card chase is the Raiders, though, which gives this game a little more meaning than you might expect. Oakland's offense is going in the opposite direction, though. They managed only 12 points over their two-game losing streak, and scored only 17 points the game before that – a stretch that's seen them face the Bengals, Chiefs and Jets, defenses that rank 24th, 16th and 19th in points allowed. Derek Carr has a 3:4 TD:INT over the last four games, while Josh Jacobs hasn't found the end zine in three weeks as he plays through a shoulder injury. The rookie RB has gutted his way to 1,000 rushing yards, but he could be one stiff tackle from having his season end.

The Skinny

TEN injuries: WR Adam Humphries (out, ankle), CB Adoree' Jackson (out, foot)

OAK injuries: RB Jacobs (questionable, shoulder), WR Hunter Renfrow (out, ribs), RT Trent Brown (out, pectoral)

TEN DFS chalk: Tannehill (OAK 29th in YPA allowed, t-29th in passing TDs allowed)

OAK DFS chalk: none

TEN DFS tournament plays: Dion Lewis (OAK 29th in passing DVOA vs. RB), A.J. Brown (OAK 28th in DVOA vs. WR1), Corey Davis (OAK 30th in DVOA vs. WR2)

OAK DFS tournament plays: Keelan Doss (TEN 29th in DVOA vs. WR3), Raiders DST (TEN 32nd in sack percentage against)

Key stat: TEN is first in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 71.9 percent (23-for-32) of RZ possessions; OAK is 32nd in red-zone defense at 66.7 percent (28-for-42)

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the high 50s, less than 10 mph wind, 10-25 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Henry rampages for 130 yards and a touchdown. Tannehill throws for 270 yards and TDs to Brown and Lewis. Jacobs gains 70 yards. Carr throws for 280 yards and touchdowns to Darren Waller and Tyrell Williams but gets picked off twice. Titans, 30-17
 

Kansas City (+3) at New England, 49.0 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST

Patrick Mahomes gets another chance to slay his personal demon. The QB is 0-2 in his career against Tom Brady and the Patriots, with both losses coming in barn burners in 2018 – 43-40 in the regular season, and then 37-31 in the AFC title game. This year's clash doesn't seem likely to be quite as frantic, as neither offense is at their peak at the moment. The Chiefs did ring up 40 points on the Raiders last week, but they did most of the damage on the ground, and Mahomes has failed to top 200 passing yards in either of the last two games. The week before that was a little more like it – 446 yards and three TDs against the Titans – but it's still a reminder that this passing game can be stopped. The Pats are in the unfamiliar position of not having the AFC East wrapped up yet (the Bills remain one game behind them, with a Week 16 clash on tap), but it's not like they ever had trouble staying focused when they were running away with the division. The offense can't seem to click, and it can't be ignored that New England is on its third center of the year, but their league-leading defense has also started to show some cracks, at least against elite quarterbacks. They coughed up 37 points to Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, then 28 to Deshaun Watson and the Texans, and those are the only two games they've lost. Mahomes is certainly capable of leading Kansas City to that level of production, but given his current form, it's far from a guarantee.

The Skinny

KC injuries: RB Damien Williams (out, ribs), RB Darrel Williams (IR, hamstring), DE Frank Clark (questionable, shoulder)

NE injuries: WR Julian Edelman (questionable, shoulder), WR Mohamed Sanu (questionable, ankle), C Ted Karras (out, knee), RT Marcus Cannon (questionable, illness), S Patrick Chung (questionable, heel)

KC DFS chalk: none

NE DFS chalk: none

KC DFS tournament plays: none

NE DFS tournament plays: Sony Michel / James White (KC 30th in YPC allowed, 30th in rushing yards allowed per game, 30th in rushing DVOA), Patriots DST (NE first in points allowed per game, second in takeaways)

Key stat: KC is third in third-down offense at 46.8 percent; NE is first in third-down defense at 21.7 percent

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 30s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of snow

The Scoop

Darwin Thompson leads the KC backfield with 60 yards. Mahomes throws for 280 yards and two TDs, finding Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. Michel bangs out 90 yards and a score, while White adds 70 combined yards and a touchdown. Brady throws for 230 yards and a touchdown to Phillip Dorsett. Patriots, 24-20
 

Seattle at L.A. Rams (+1), 48.0 o/u – Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST

Tiebreakers giveth, a tiebreakers taketh away. The Seahawks are in first place in the NFC West thanks to their overtime win over the Niners in Week 10, but their Week 3 loss to the Saints keeps them out of the top seed in the conference for now. They've won five straight overall, and surprisingly it's been the running game, and not Russell Wilson, leading the way in recent weeks. Wilson's 4:3 TD:INT over the last three games is far from his early-season pace, but over their five-game surge, Chris Carson has racked up 490 scrimmage yards and three TDs, while Rashaad Penny has popped for 236 combined yards and three scores over the last two contests. That's taken the pressure off Wilson at a time when his top target, Tyler Lockett, seems to be less than 100 percent healthy, but he's still capable of lighting it up at the drop of a hat. He could need to, if the Rams were for real last week. For four brief, shining quarters in Arizona, Jared Goff was back in his early 2018 form, but he was doing it against the worst pass defense in the league. Against real secondaries in the three games before that, albeit with a receiving corps at less than full strength, he had a 61.5 percent completion rate, 6.5 YPA and ghastly 0:5 TD:INT. If Goff can retain the momentum from last week, this one could be a slugfest as the Rams try to stay in the playoff race. If that performance was a desert mirage, beatdown might end up being a better description.

The Skinny

SEA injuries: DE Jadeveon Clowney (questionable, groin)

LAR injuries: TE Gerald Everett (out, knee), RT Rob Havenstein (doubtful, knee)

SEA DFS chalk: none

LAR DFS chalk: none

SEA DFS tournament plays: Seahawks DST (SEA third in takeaways)

LAR DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: SEA is seventh in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 63.8 percent (30-for-47) of RZ possessions; LAR are 28th in red-zone defense at 64.1 percent

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 7-4 LAR, average score 23-21 LAR, average margin of victory nine points. SEA has lost three straight meetings prior to a 30-29 victory in Week 5.

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the high 50s, less than 10 mph wind, 5-15 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Carson leads the SEA backfield with 80 yards and a score, while Penny adds 60 yards. Wilson throws for 320 yards and three TDs, hitting Lockett, Jacob Hollister and Josh Gordon. Todd Gurley picks up 90 yards. Goff throws for 280 yards and touchdowns to Tyler Higbee and Robert Woods. Seahawks 34-23
 

Dallas at Chicago (+3), 43.0 o/u – Thursday, 8:20 p.m. EST

The Cowboys have lost three of their last four, but still remain atop the NFC East because the Eagles are just as inept as they are. Getting solidly thumped at home by the Bills is still a bad sign, though, as is Dallas' inability to beat a team with a winning record all year. The Cowboys will potentially only get one more chance to do it before the postseason, too, in Week 15 against the Rams. While some might try, it's tough to point the finger at Dak Prescott for the slide – he's got an 8:3 TD:INT and 8.1 YPA over those four games, even if the team only produced 24 points in losses to the Bills and Pats. By contrast, Ezekiel Elliott has gained only 3.6 yards a carry during that stretch, and his lackluster performance is only exacerbated by an offensive line that's become merely good rather than elite. The Bears are still mathematically alive at 6-6, but they're two games back of the second wild card and three back of the NFC North lead, so don't get your hopes up. Mitchell Trubisky is coming off his best game of the season, but it came against the Lions so it doesn't exactly count. His recent display of semi-competence is allowing more than one receiver to thrive in the Chicago offense, though. Allen Robinson has topped 80 yards in three of the last four contests, compiling 24 catches for 318 yards and two TDs during that stretch, while last year's second-round pick, Anthony Miller, has 21 catches on 33 targets for 271 yards over the last three games. This is still a very skimpy tree when it comes to offense, but it might be just enough for them to play spoiler down the stretch against a schedule that features nothing but teams jockeying for playoff berths and positioning.

The Skinny

DAL injuries: RB Tony Pollard (questionable, ankle), LG Connor Williams (IR, knee), LB Leighton Vander Esch (out, neck)

CHI injuries: WR Taylor Gabriel (out, concussion), RT Bobby Massie (out, ankle), LB Danny Trevathan (out, elbow), CB Prince Amukamara (doubtful, hamstring)

DAL DFS targets: Jason Witten / Blake Jarwin (CHI 24th in DVOA vs. TE)

CHI DFS targets: Miller (DAL 27th in DVOA vs. WR2)

DAL DFS fades: Elliott (CHI fourth in YPC allowed, seventh in rushing yards allowed per game)

CHI DFS fades: none

Key stat: CHI is t-28th in third-down offense at 31.4 percent; DAL is third is third-down defense at 32.5 percent

Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the high 30s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Elliott picks up 70 scrimmage yards. Prescott throws for 260 yards and TDs to Michael Gallup and Jarwin while running in a score of his own. David Montgomery gains 90 combined yards and a touchdown. Trubisky throws for 250 yards and a TD to Miller. Cowboys, 24-23

Last week's record: 9-7, 9-6-1 ATS, 8-8 o/u
2019 regular-season record: 116-75-1, 91-98-3 ATS, 96-91-5 o/u
2018 regular-season record: 160-94-2, 112-134-10 ATS, 113-139-4 o/u
Lifetime record: 752-459-5, 561-610-45 ATS, 462-480-18 o/u (o/u not tracked in 2015)