Chiefs at Chargers

The Chiefs looked really good against the Raiders, especially on offense, but during Kansas City’s win streak, their only truly impressive offensive showings have come against Vegas. It seems more likely that the Raiders can’t stop the Chiefs than that Kansas City has figured things out offensively. With that being said, the Chiefs look like one of the two best teams in the AFC. The Chargers have had two impressive wins in a row and beat the Chiefs earlier this year, so they certainly have a chance to win this game. The Chiefs are also due for a loss with so many wins in a row, but ultimately, it’s too hard to bet against Kansas City at this point in the season.

Expert Prediction: Chiefs 27, Chargers 24

Analytics-Based Prediction: Chargers 28, Chiefs 27

Raiders at Browns

The Raiders have looked horrendous recently, with last week’s loss to the Chiefs being their worst of the season. The Browns looked good to start their game against the Ravens, but the fact that they almost allowed a backup quarterback in a run-first offense to mount a massive comeback is seriously concerning. Cleveland needs to win this game if they want to give themselves a legitimate chance at making the playoffs, and given how poorly the Raiders have been playing, they’ll likely get the job done, even with Baker Mayfield likely missing this game.

Expert Prediction: Browns 24, Raiders 17

Analytics-Based Prediction: Raiders 20, Browns 14

Patriots at Colts

The Patriots looked great the last time they took the field. They might be the most physical team in football after their performance against the Bills. That was a historically impressive win given that they only threw three passes. The Colts will look to shut down this run game, and there’s no guarantee that they can do it. Even if they can, however, the Patriots have shown the ability to pass the ball effectively when teams stop the run. That happened against the Buccaneers and the Titans. New England should be able to move the ball effectively. On the other side of the ball, the Patriots love to take away what an opposing offense does best. In this case, that would be Jonathan Taylor and the run game. Carson Wentz likely won’t be able to beat the Patriots top-tier secondary by himself, so Indianapolis will have a hard time moving the ball. If the Colts can establish the run, this game will be close, but if not, the Patriots will win with ease. Either way, expect a New England victory.

Expert Prediction: Patriots 28, Colts 20

Analytics-Based Prediction: Patriots 30, Colts 27

Titans at Steelers

The Titans didn’t look good last week despite their win. They had a hard time putting the Jaguars away for the majority of that game. The defense looked good, but the offense is still a major issue without Derrick Henry. The Steelers were able to mount an impressive comeback before ultimately falling short, but they should be encouraged by their late-game rally. That, combined with a win over the Ravens, means the Steelers are fully capable of winning this game. Given how bad the Titans have looked without Derrick Henry and the fact that this game is being played in Pittsburgh, the Steelers have the edge.

Expert Prediction: Steelers 23, Titans 17

Analytics-Based Prediction: Titans 21, Steelers 20

Panthers at Bills

The Bills had a very impressive comeback against the Buccaneers, but they ultimately fell just short of winning. The Panthers, on the other hand, have looked really bad for the majority of the season. They’re currently on a three-game losing streak. Josh Allen is injured, and it’s currently uncertain if he will play in this game, so Buffalo’s performance will largely be determined based on whether or not Allen suits up. The Bills should win regardless, however, because they have a great defense and the Panthers aren't a very good team. With Allen, it’ll be a demolition, and without him it’ll be a close win for the Bills.

Expert Prediction: Bills 26, Panthers 17

Analytics-Based Prediction: Bills 27, Panthers 10

Washington at Eagles

Despite the loss last week, Washington looked really good. They came close to a win over the Cowboys that would’ve given them a very good shot at winning the NFC East. The Eagles are one of the most inconsistent teams in the NFL, but they generally aren’t very good. Given how well Washington has been playing recently, they should be able to win this game. If the Eagles play their best, it’ll be close, but if Philadelphia has a bad game by their standards, it’ll be a blowout.

Expert Prediction: Washington 27, Eagles 21

Analytics-Based Prediction: Eagles 28, Washington 23

Texans at Jaguars

These are without a doubt two of the worst teams in the NFL, so this should be a close game. Neither team is good enough to demolish an opponent. This game doesn’t matter outside of determining the draft order and will likely come down to which team has the fewest turnovers. Given the fact that neither of these teams is significantly better than the other, the winner is likely going to be the home team.

Expert Prediction: Jaguars 21, Texans 20

Analytics-Based Prediction: Texans 17, Jaguars 14

Cowboys at Giants

The Cowboys were able to get an impressive win last week to maintain control of the NFC East, while the Giants had a bad loss to the Chargers. Daniel Jones will miss this game, so New York will not have even remotely decent play at the quarterback position. This game might end up being close because it’s a divisional rivalry, but the Cowboys are clearly the better team. Even if Jones was playing, the outcome likely wouldn’t change. Dallas should ultimately win this game, regardless of how close it ends up being.

Expert Prediction: Cowboys 31, Giants 24

Analytics-Based Prediction: Cowboys 38, Giants 17

Cardinals at Lions

The Cardinals are coming off a bad loss to the Rams that pushed them down to the number three seed in the NFC. Now they have the Rams breathing down their neck and could be at risk of losing the division if they slip up again. The Cardinals need a win and should be very motivated coming off a loss, so they won’t take the Lions for granted. Detroit is the worst team in the NFL, so if the Cardinals fully prepare, this game should be a demolition. Expect this one to be over by halftime.

Expert Prediction: Cardinals 38, Lions 10

Analytics-Based Prediction: Cardinals 40, Lions 10

Jets at Dolphins

The Dolphins have continued on their win streak, keeping them alive in the playoff conversation. Miami will likely need to win the remainder of their games this season, which will be challenging considering the difficulty of their schedule to close the year. The Dolphins’ only truly impressive win was against a Ravens team that has completely fallen off. Luckily for them, they play the Jets this week. The Dolphins are without the doubt a better team and they’re playing at home, so they should be able to win with ease.

Expert Prediction: Dolphins 34, Jets 13

Analytics-Based Prediction: Dolphins 28, Jets 24

Bengals at Broncos

The Bengals and the Broncos have both been struggling recently, but each team is still very much alive in the AFC playoff picture. Cincinnati has lost two games in a row, including last week’s heartbreaking overtime loss to the 49ers. The Broncos won last week, but they were playing the Lions. The week before they had a bad loss against the Chiefs. This will be a close game, as both teams are solid and motivated to win. Ultimately, it seems unlikely that the Bengals would lose three games in a row, so they have a slight edge.

Expert Prediction: Bengals 30, Broncos 28

Analytics-Based Prediction: Broncos 31, Bengals 27

Falcons at 49ers

The 49ers looked great last week. Outside of their loss to the Seahawks in which they were missing arguably their best offensive player in Deebo Samuel, San Francisco has looked really good down the stretch. Their offense has been very tough to stop with Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Elijah Mitchell, and Brandon Aiyuk playing well. The Falcons won’t be able to slow this 49ers offense and on the other side of the ball, Atlanta simply lacks the offensive firepower to keep up. Expect the 49ers to win with relative ease.

Expert Prediction: 49ers 35, Falcons 17

Analytics-Based Prediction: 49ers 30, Falcons 20

Seahawks at Rams

The Rams looked great in last week’s win over the Cardinals, and if they have finally figured things out, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with down the stretch. Los Angeles is as close as you’ll ever get to a super team in the NFL, but their issue was the fact that they weren’t working well together as a team. They seemed to fix that last week, even without many starters. The Seahawks have had two impressive wins in a row, but they’re likely already out of the playoffs. The Rams need to keep winning if they want to clinch a spot, so they’ll be more motivated. Overall, the Rams are the better team, they’re more motivated to win, and they’re at home, so they should be able to win this game handily.

Expert Prediction: Rams 33, Seahawks 14

Analytics-Based Prediction: Rams 32, Seahawks 22

Packers at Ravens

The Ravens and the Packers have both struggled down the stretch, but Baltimore’s struggles have been noticeably worse. The Ravens are one of the most injury-ridden teams in the NFL this year. They’re coming off of back-to-back losses and haven’t had an impressive win since they played the Chargers back in Week 6. Lamar Jackson is hurt, and his status for Sunday’s game is up in the air. Regardless of whether or not he plays, the Packers are a better team. Green Bay had a poor performance against the Vikings a couple weeks ago and struggled in the first half against the Bears, but they’re still 3-1 in their last four games and when Aaron Rodgers plays, they’ve only lost one game since Week 1. If Lamar plays, this game might be somewhat close, but without him, expect a blowout. Either way, the Packers will likely win.

Expert Prediction: Packers 34, Ravens 17

Analytics-Based Prediction: Packers 28, Ravens 17

Saints at Buccaneers

The Saints have been decent since Taysom Hill took over at quarterback. They’re 1-1 with their loss being to the Cowboys, and that game wasn’t a blowout. New Orleans is still a below-average team, however, and they are going to struggle against the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay has an incredible offense that’s going to put up a ton of points. The Saints have struggled a ton of offense this year, so nothing indicates that they’ll be able to keep up, especially when considering that the Saints’ offense is built on the run with Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara. The Buccaneers have the league’s best run defense, so the Saints simply won’t be able to move the ball. Expect this game to be over by halftime.

Expert Prediction: Buccaneers 35, Saints 10

Analytics-Based Prediction: Buccaneers 45, Saints 20

Vikings at Bears

The Vikings looked really good at the beginning of their game against the Steelers, but they almost allowed a massive comeback. With Minnesota running the ball as effectively as they were and the Steelers struggling so much in the passing game this season, that never should have happened. The Bears played well in the first half against the Packers, but they were always bound to fall off. Chicago simply isn’t a good team this year. The Vikings might have struggled last week, but they’ve shown some life this year, so they should be able to get the win.

Expert Prediction: Vikings 30, Bears 20

Analytics-Based Prediction: Bears 20, Vikings 18