Packers at Cardinals

The Packers are coming into this game without Davante Adams and Jaire Alexander, and both losses are going to be vital this week. Without Jaire on defense, Green Bay has nobody that can cover DeAndre Hopkins 1-on-1. They'll need to double team him which will open up the rest of the Cardinals offense. On the other side of the ball, the Packers simply don't have enough weapons to consistently move the ball without Davante Adams. The Cardinals should be able to win this one relatively easily.

Expert Prediction: Cardinals 35, Packers 18

Analytics-Based Prediction: Cardinals 30, Packers 28

Panthers at Falcons

The Panthers have looked like a straight up bad team after starting the season strong. They are going to struggle against even the worst teams in the NFL. The Falcons are one of those teams. This game should be close given how bad both teams are, but the Panthers are due for a win and the Falcons are unlikely to win 2 in a row, so expect Carolina to get a close victory.

Expert Prediction: Panthers 24, Falcons 21

Analytics-Based Prediction: Falcons 23, Panthers 20

Titans at Colts

The Titans have found a rhythm now that Julio Jones and A.J. Brown are both healthy. This offense is showing the world what its potential is. They run Derrick Henry nonstop and when defenses load the box to stop him, they get Julio Jones and A.J. Brown in 1-on-1 coverage, which is easy yardage. Julio isn’t elite anymore, but he’s still a mismatch in 1-on-1 coverage. The Colts have gotten back on track and need to keep winning if they want a shot at the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Titans are hot and Indianapolis isn’t going to be able to keep up with this offense.

Expert Prediction: Titans 30, Colts 21

Analytics-Based Prediction: Titans 37, Colts 27

Dolphins at Bills

The Dolphins have looked horrible this year, even now that Tua is back. Tua has been a disappointment; he’s shown flashes of potential but is ultimately very inconsistent and has too many bad plays for a player in their second year. The Bills are coming off a loss to the Titans, but they had a bye to get back on track and that is exactly what should be expected. The Bills will probably annihilate the Dolphins.

Expert Prediction: Bills 34, Dolphins 13

Analytics-Based Prediction: Bills 44, Dolphins 10

Bengals at Jets

The Bengals had an incredibly impressive win over the Ravens and are now somehow the number 1 seed in the AFC. Cincinnati hit on both Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase in the draft and have improved their offensive line, which makes this team as a whole incredibly dangerous. The Jets had their worst game of the season last week. It’s inexcusable to give up 50+ points, regardless of the opponent. The Jets will either come into this game feeling demoralized or hungry to put up a better performance. Given their poor record and bad coaching, the former seems much more likely, so the Bengals should win in a blowout.

Expert Prediction: Bengals 38, Jets 14

Analytics-Based Prediction: Bengals 28, Jets 13

Steelers at Browns

In Pittsburgh’s last game they struggled to beat the Seahawks with Geno Smith, so they can very clearly be assessed as a below-average team despite their record. The Browns are going to be pretty healthy for this game with Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb both coming back from injury. Cleveland was able to beat the Broncos last week even without Chubb and Baker, so they should be able to win this game pretty easily. The Steelers will struggle to move the ball against a high-end Browns defense and the Browns should be able to run the ball effectively enough to pull away.

Expert Prediction: Browns 27, Steelers 17

Analytics-Based Prediction: Browns 28, Steelers 20

Eagles at Lions

It doesn’t make sense that the Lions have been able to come so close to winning almost every game they’ve played just to choke. Statistically speaking, they’re bound to have a win at one point. The Eagles are possibly the worst team the Lions will play all year, so this is their chance to get their victory. If the Jets could get one, the Lions certainly can. The Eagles will keep this game close, but ultimately, the Lions seem primed to finally come away on top.

Expert Prediction: Lions 28, Eagles 27

Analytics-Based Prediction: Eagles 31, Lions 21

Rams at Texans

The Rams are clearly a better team than the Texans. Houston is a team that came into the season hoping to have Deshaun Watson, got stuck with Tyrod Taylor, and then after that injury ended up with Davis Mills. Mills hasn’t been bad, but even with Watson this team only had four wins, so Davis Mills wasn’t going to turn things around. The Rams look like a Super Bowl contender this year and is better than Houston across the board. This is the closest a game can get to a shoe-in victory.

Expert Prediction: Rams 34, Texans 10

Analytics-Based Prediction: Rams 41, Texans 20

49ers at Bears

With their loss last week, the 49ers are likely going to miss the playoffs. If they want a chance to make it, they’ll need to essentially win out. The Bears looked horrendous against the Buccaneers. Justin Fields turned the ball over five times and looked like a deer in headlights. Fields has probably had his confidence shot and now he’s going up against a defense that’s arguably better than the Buccaneers. Given how desperate the 49ers are for a win, this should be a clean victory for them.

Expert Prediction: 49ers 30, Bears 10

Analytics-Based Prediction: 49ers 25, Bears 24

Patriots at Chargers

The Patriots looked incredible last week, albeit against the Jets. Regardless of the opponent, putting up over 50 points is very impressive, especially for a rookie quarterback. Now New England plays the Chargers in what could be considered a must-win game. This isn’t a good matchup for Los Angeles. The Chargers have one of the worst run defenses in football and the Patriots have been great on the ground the last couple weeks. Expect New England to run the ball down Los Angeles’s throat. On the other side of the ball, the Patriots defense has been inconsistent, but they have always had the Charger’s number. Even last year, the Patriots beat the Chargers 45-0. This game will be close, but the Patriots are in the position to pull off an upset.

Expert Prediction: Patriots 27, Chargers 24

Analytics-Based Prediction: Chargers 32, Patriots 28

Jaguars at Seahawks

The Seahawks have clearly fallen without Russell Wilson. They were struggling with him on the field, so one can only imagine how bad they’ve been since he got hurt. Surprisingly, both of Seattle’s games without Wilson have been close, but they’ve ultimately lost to teams that should be considered mediocre at best. Still, losing to the Jaguars would be a whole new low for Seattle. They’re bad, but they’re not quite that bad.

Expert Prediction: Seahawks 27, Jaguars 20

Analytics-Based Prediction: Seahawks 35, Jaguars 17

Buccaneers at Saints

The Saints have fallen off since starting the season pretty good. They’re coming off a close win against the Russell Wilson-less Seahawks and are now playing the defending Super Bowl champs, who appear to have recently hit their stride. Tampa Bay looked unstoppable against the Bears, who many considered to be a decent team going into that game. This game might be a little closer than expected because it’s a divisional matchup, but the Buccaneers should ultimately win.

Expert Prediction: Buccaneers 31, Saints 24

Analytics-Based Prediction: Buccaneers 40, Saints 24

Washington at Broncos

The Broncos look like one of the worst teams in the NFL. The only reason they have three wins is because they played the Giants, Jets, and Jaguars to start the season, and they have since lost four games in a row. Washington hasn’t been good either this year, but they have looked better than Denver has. Denver looks like it's getting continuously worse, and until they show any sign of life, they’re probably going to keep losing. Because of that, Washington appears likely to get a win.

Expert Prediction: Washington 28, Broncos 20

Analytics-Based Prediction: Broncos 27, Washington 21

Cowboys at Vikings

The Cowboys are one of the best teams in the NFC, but their performance this week will depend on how healthy Dak Prescott is. Dak seems like he’s more likely than not going to play, but if he doesn’t the Cowboys are very vulnerable. The Vikings are a decent team, but they aren’t good enough to beat Dallas if Dak plays. The Cowboys are simply too good on offense. If Dak is out, this game should be closer, but ultimately, Dallas still has a slight edge because the Cowboys can still move the ball on the ground and Trevon Diggs will likely get an interception to tip the scales in their favor.

Expert Prediction: Cowboys 33, Vikings 27

Analytics-Based Prediction: Cowboys 33, Vikings 23

Giants at Chiefs

The Chiefs are no longer the Chiefs of old. They are reminiscent of the Seahawks back when Seattle was deemed the next great dynasty because they went to two Super Bowls in a row. The only difference is that the Chiefs were good for three years instead of two. Kansas City seems like it's trending downwards and the Chiefs don’t look like a playoff team at this point. Patrick Mahomes has been a turnover machine and just had arguably the worst game of his career. The Chiefs are unwilling to adjust offensively and take what the defense gives them rather than forcing the ball downfield and lack a great running threat to take pressure off the passing game. Still, losing to the Giants would be bad even for this Chiefs team. There’s certainly a chance because Kansas City has played so poorly, but it doesn’t seem likely.

Expert Prediction: Chiefs 30, Giants 25

Analytics-Based Prediction: Giants 27, Chiefs 26