Season: 83-37-1
BAL (2-5) @ MIA (2-6)
Thursday, October 30 | 8:15 PM ET | Prime Video
The Ravens and Dolphins each had what might have been a season-saving win last week, but now they square off on the night before Halloween for a matchup that is as close to as an elimination game as you can get in October (considering preseason expectations and the ground that will need to be covered over the final two months). Baltimore getting Lamar Jackson (hamstring) back is obviously huge, and he’s torched Miami throughout his career with a career-best-versus-any-opponent 142.7 quarterback rating and 14:1 touchdown-interception—though the Ravens have somehow gone 2-2 in the four meetings. If the pass rush doesn’t get home for a group that seems to all be on the trade block, Jackson could have another monster outing, so the Dolphins need to decide between playing coverage and stacking the box to stop Derrick Henry. On the other side of the ball, I’d be worried about how Baltimore matches up with De’Von Achane as a pass-catcher, and maybe regained confidence from Tua Tagovailoa after a four-touchdown performance would be enough to pull off an upset.
Winner: Baltimore Ravens
CHI (4-3) @ CIN (3-5)
Sunday, November 2 | 1:00 PM ET | CBS
The Bears had their four-game winning streak snapped in a 30-16 loss to the Tyler Huntley-led Ravens, and now they could be facing a backup again with Joe Flacco (shoulder)—already in starting in place of Joe Burrow (toe)—highly questionable, which could put Jake Browning back under center for Cincinnati. If so, Chicago would catch a major break based on the way Flacco has played and how the injuries have piled up for them at cornerback, but Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins can still carry the Bengals to a win this weekend. To avoid that outcome, Caleb Williams needs to be better, and I’d like to see him more aggressive as a runner and creator while gaining comfort in Ben Johnson’s offense to win in structure. Of course, the way Cincinnati has continued to play on defense with NFL-highs in yards per game (407.9) and points per game (31.6) allowed bodes well for the Bears getting easier looks for Williams to take advantage of, so they should get the edge whether or not Flacco can go.
Winner: Chicago Bears
MIN (3-4) @ DET (5-2)
Sunday, November 2 | 1:00 PM ET | FOX
The “vibes” in Minnesota have felt off all season, and for as brilliant as Kevin O’Connell is as an offensive mind, it’s fair to question the quarterback evaluations they’ve made—which he surely has the biggest voice in. J.J. McCarthy (ankle) has only had two games and deserves some time, but this was a team ready-made to contend after going 14-3 last year, and you could sense uncertainty from Justin Jefferson and others dating back to the offseason about the second-year passer. At the same time, Jefferson has seen Sam Darnold dropping dimes in Seattle with Jaxon Smith-Njigba having a historic season, and McCarthy’s style of throwing almost all fastballs limits the angles and opportunities for Jefferson to do damage. Maybe the Lions will be sluggish coming out of the bye and time watching from the sidelines will do McCarthy well, but I doubt that’s the case for the former point, and Detroit has been dominant at home this season (3-0 while outscoring opponents 110-40)—and has solved Minnesota’s defense with 30+ points in every matchup during the current five-game winning streak against them.
Winner: Detroit Lions
CAR (4-4) @ GB (5-1-1)
Sunday, November 2 | 1:00 PM ET | FOX
The Panthers seem to have finally come to their senses about Rico Dowdle being the clear lead back with the tone of head coach Dave Canales changing this week—with the on-field results speaking for themselves as Dowdle (5.3 yards per carry over the past two games) has been far more efficient than Chuba Hubbard (2.5 yards per carry since his return). It’s no coincidence that Carolina cooled off dramatically after they got away from feeding Dowdle, but now the refocusing around him as the offensive centerpiece will come versus a Green Bay defense that ranks third in the league in rushing yards per game allowed (78.9), so Bryce Young (ankle) will need to be sharp in his return to the lineup. Defensively, the Panthers have been solid against the pass, but the run defense was just exposed by James Cook III, and field-stretchers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden will open things up for Josh Jacobs—along with Romeo Doubs and Tyler Kraft in the passing game.
Winner: Green Bay Packers
DEN (6-2) @ HOU (3-4)
Sunday, November 2 | 1:00 PM ET | FOX
As stated last week, the media declining to give Bo Nix respect as an emerging superstar at quarterback stems from them not liking him coming out of Oregon, but a vocal Denver fanbase pushing back is more than Josh Allen had in a similar situation to begin his career—and the numbers speak for themselves. This week will be a much bigger challenge for the Broncos with Houston having the NFL’s best defense in terms of yards per game (266.9) and points per game (14.7) allowed, so complementary options like RJ Harvey (eight touches for 51 yards and three touchdowns last week) and Troy Franklin (6/89/2 receiving line last week) stepping up again might be key to keep rolling as Courtland Sutton contends with Derek Stingley Jr. Having a tremendous running game helps, too, and J.K. Dobbins has fully regained his early-career form by ranking third in the league in rushing yards (634) on 5.3 yards per carry. Defensively, the Broncos being without Pat Surtain II (pectoral) could lead to trouble versus Nico Collins, but I like the pass rush to get after C.J. Stroud despite zero sacks allowed by the Texans in last week’s win over the 49ers.
Winner: Denver Broncos
ATL (3-4) @ NE (6-2)
Sunday, November 2 | 1:00 PM ET | CBS
The Falcons have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the league this year, as they were bullied by the Panthers (30-0 loss in Week 3), 49ers (when Christian McCaffrey had over 200 total yards in Week 7), and Dolphins (last week in a 34-10 loss)—but have also upset the Bills and completely neutralized the Vikings in primetime games. New England is the type of team that will usually do the bullying under Mike Vrabel, so Atlanta needs to figure things out in a hurry, and at least it sounds like Michael Penix Jr. (knee) and Drake London (hip) should return on Sunday to boost the offense. I’ll also be monitoring the status of No. 15 overall pick Jalon Walker (groin), as the defense has fallen off without him over the past two games, and the matchup versus No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell should be a good one; I thought the Pats should have taken Walker earlier this year, and it’ll be interesting to see how Campbell bounces back after Myles Garrett had five sacks last week against the Pats. Based on how Drake Maye has played in Josh McDaniels’ offense and how Vrabel has upgraded the defense, New England should be able to stay hot at home.
Winner: New England Patriots
SF (5-3) @ NYG (2-6)
Sunday, November 2 | 1:00 PM ET | CBS
The 49ers might get Brock Purdy (toe) back on Sunday, but either way, this feels like a spot where the offense for San Francisco could completely go off with the Giants allowing a whopping 5.7 yards per carry on the ground and falling apart on the backend with top cornerback Paulson Adebo (knee) out. Many are pointing to defensive coordinator Shane Bowen as the issue for New York’s defense, but the group has played hard all year—though some of the effort has arguably been due to the energy brought by the offense with Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo providing a jolt, so how the team as a whole responds will be interesting to watch with Skattebo unfortunately done for the season after a gruesome ankle injury. Giants legend (and current team broadcaster) Carl Banks calling out Dexter Lawrence II this week adds another layer to the situation with frustrations boiling for a franchise that has again been all but eliminated before Halloween (especially when you look at the upcoming schedule), and Lawrence responded by calling Banks “delusional.” The path to an upset for New York is having Dart make plays with his legs versus an aggressive front that could be out of control, but I doubt the San Francisco offense will be stopped.
Winner: San Francisco 49ers
IND (7-1) @ PIT (4-3)
Sunday, November 2 | 1:00 PM ET | CBS
Colts-Steelers has the makings of a shootout with Indianapolis not being slowed down yet and Pittsburgh’s defense falling off recently, so the question is whether Aaron Rodgers has enough weapons to keep up this weekend. The weakness for the Colts on defense being at cornerback sets up for DK Metcalf to have a big game, and needing to open up the offense could be a good thing for the Steelers from a long-term perspective with Metcalf having a career-high 10.7 yards per target but a career-low 6.1 targets per game—which shouldn’t be the case after signing him to a four-year, $132 million extension. Last year, both Justin Fields (312 passing yards and three total touchdowns) and George Pickens (seven receptions for 113 yards) did well in a win over Indy to overcome a 17-3 halftime deficit, but a fast start is imperative to prevent should-be MVP frontrunner Jonathan Taylor from running wild and should-be No. 2 MVP contender Daniel Jones from picking apart a struggling defense with play-action passes. If T.J. Watt doesn’t have a takeover performance (and he did sack Jones twice last year in a win over the Giants), Pittsburgh could drop their third game in a row as the AFC North continues to narrow.
Winner: Indianapolis Colts
LAC (5-3) @ TEN (1-7)
Sunday, November 2 | 1:00 PM ET | CBS
The NFL has been crazy this year, but November is when contenders usually hit their groove, so the Chargers having another statement win—after dominating the Vikings last Thursday night—would bode well for them with a bunch of difficult opponents left on the schedule (excluding the Raiders in Week 13, they’ll face the Steelers, Jaguars, Eagles, Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans, and Broncos). While the Titans have moved the ball a bit better under interim head coach Mike McCoy, this week will be a test of patience for Cameron Ward with Los Angeles wanting to keep everything in front of them, so he can’t force the issue down the field if throws aren’t there. Again, strange outcomes have been happening in 2025, but the Titans have been understandable sellers with cornerback Roger McCreary the latest to go, they’re dealing with injuries to multiple top players, and the effort was poor enough last week that lead CBS play-by-play man Jim Nantz made a remark about it during a game break for Cowboys-Broncos.
Winner: Los Angeles Chargers
NO (1-7) @ LAR (5-2)
Sunday, November 2 | 4:05 PM ET | FOX
Bye weeks have not been overly impressive for the Rams under Sean McVay with a 5-3 record (including 2-2 with Matthew Stafford)—but they’ve mostly faced top teams for whatever reason, and the Saints are a one-win squad in flux with second-round pick Tyler Shough set to make his first career start. One of the primary weaknesses for the rookie passer being how he deals with pressure might not make Los Angeles the best matchup for him, though I did like how Shough was throwing the ball underneath last week, and the Rams giving too much of a cushion might make things easier for the Saints (like we saw in Week 5 when Mac Jones picked them apart). For the New Orleans defense, cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry was outstanding last week versus Tampa Bay, but Davante Adams (who had three touchdowns in the London game before the bye) will be a nice barometer for him. The Saints also deserve credit for playing extremely hard with the Bucs having trouble punching the ball in at the goal line, but I expect the Rams will finish drives and take care of business to sneakily move to 6-2 in a crowded NFC.
Winner: Los Angeles Rams
JAX (4-3) @ LV (2-5)
Sunday, November 2 | 4:05 PM ET | FOX
Jacksonville and Las Vegas are both coming off a bye week, and the matchup will feature two desperate teams—with the Jaguars trying to find their early-season mojo after two losses in a row, and the Raiders trying to at least earn a spot on “IN THE HUNT” graphics when they first appear in a season they expected to compete in after hiring Pete Carroll. In my opinion, running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Ashton Jeanty need to be the focus for their respective teams in the second half of the season, but the defenses this week both prioritize stopping the run, so Jacksonville could have the advantage if Brian Thomas Jr. is healthy and locked in. That said, the Raiders have a top offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly who will be scheming up ways for Jeanty to get the ball in space, and Brock Bowers (knee) returning will be a massive boost to the offense; I’m just not sure Geno Smith will take advantage of it considering his play thus far this season with a 77.1 quarterback rating and 7:10 touchdown-interception ratio.
Winner: Jacksonville Jaguars
KC (5-3) @ BUF (5-2)
Sunday, November 2 | 4:25 PM ET | CBS
Chiefs-Bills has become the best matchup in the NFL with Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen being the defining quarterbacks of the era, and Buffalo has won four consecutive games in the regular season (with Allen being 4-1 versus Mahomes). However, we all know the playoffs have been a different story despite high-level play from Allen, as Kansas City has gone 4-0 (with the last three games being particularly heartbreaking for the Bills), and Mahomes simply knows how to solve Sean McDermott’s defense when it matters most. So far this year, a real case could be made for the Chiefs being more dangerous than ever with two interceptions by Mahomes last Monday night barely slowing them down, as Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce have been seemingly unstoppable between the numbers. The Bills are actually averaging more points per game (29.6) than the Chiefs (26.8) this season, but they don’t feel like they are at the same level if James Cook III isn’t going off, and Allen still needs more playmakers to step up. I’m keeping an eye on Keon Coleman in one-on-one coverage outside the numbers this weekend; if he doesn’t come through, Buffalo should consider checking into any possible move before Tuesday’s trade deadline—including A.J. Brown and Brian Thomas Jr.
Winner: Kansas City Chiefs
SEA (5-2) @ WAS (3-5)
Sunday, November 2 | 8:20 PM ET | NBC
Jayden Daniels (hamstring) is practicing fully to begin the week and should return on Sunday night, but he’ll be without Terry McLaurin (quad) following a setback—leaving Washington with less firepower versus a rested Seattle squad that has been the best road team in the league under Mike Macdonald over the past two seasons (10-1 record). Although the running game for the Seahawks hasn’t gotten fully on track yet, I think it’s only a matter of time before Kenneth Walker III explodes, and it might happen this weekend versus a Commanders defense that can be slow to the edges. Either way, Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba will likely be too much to handle for Washington’s secondary if the pass rush doesn’t get home, and Seattle getting top cornerback Devon Witherspoon (knee) back will only make it tougher for Daniels and company to match them. A vintage Deebo Samuel Sr. performance with a handful of takeover games versus the Seahawks in his career might be necessary for the Commanders to avoid 3-6.
Winner: Seattle Seahawks
ARI (2-5) @ DAL (3-4-1)
Monday, November 3 | 8:15 PM ET | ESPN/ABC
The Dallas offense has been flat-out scary at home with 40+ points in all three games to begin the season, but the Broncos showed last week that a top pass rush can stop a red-hot passing attack dead in its tracks. Investments made by Arizona on the defensive line haven’t resulted in increased disruption, though, as they only have 12 sacks in seven games (compared to 41 sacks last season)—so a lot will hinge on first-round pick Walter Nolen III (calf) generating pressure on the interior in his NFL debut, and BJ Ojulari (knee) is set to see the field for the first time this season as well. Overall, Monday night has the makings of a shootout with Kyler Murray (foot) back and trying to go 3-0 versus his hometown team, and the Cowboys have been shredded by quarterbacks all year with a league-high 20 touchdown passes allowed. Still, the Cardinals might not have an answer for Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens at home if the defensive front for Arizona doesn’t emerge.
Winner: Dallas Cowboys