NFL Sunday Preview, Week 13: Playoff rematches and potential playoff previews highlight a massive Sunday slate

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-7) at Atlanta Falcons (5-7)

Time/TV: noon CT/CBS

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons are each lingering on the outskirts of playoff contention, making Sunday afternoon’s meeting at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta a crucial opportunity for both sides. Pittsburgh hopes to win back-to-back games for the first time this season, while Atlanta hopes to potentially tie Tampa Bay for first place in the NFC South if things break their way Monday night. The Steelers hope that Atlanta’s soft pass defense presents an opportunity for rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett to have the best game of his young career. The Falcons rank 31st in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game this season. For Atlanta, offensive success starts and ends in their run game. The Falcons rank fourth in the NFL in rush yards per game but will face a stiff challenge against Pittsburgh’s impressive defensive front. Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin has never experienced a losing season in his 16-year career, and Pittsburgh will need to win five of their final six to keep that streak alive.

Green Bay Packers (4-8) at Chicago Bears (3-9)

Time/TV: noon CT/FOX

The Green Bay Packers have owned their rivalry with the Chicago Bears in recent years, and it was never more apparent than last season’s matchup at Soldier Field. Aaron Rodgers famously mocked Bears fans after rushing for a touchdown in that game, screaming, “I own you!” at those seated closest to the field. Now 4-8 in 2022, the Packers aren’t bringing a similar swagger with them into Soldier Field this Sunday. Aaron Rodgers is expected to play, but he has been battling injuries, including a broken hand, and has seen his production drop significantly. Bears’ quarterback Justin Fields, meanwhile, has burst onto the scene with gaudy offensive numbers despite few wins to show for it. Fields and the Bears would erase the pain of their 3-9 record from many of their fans entirely with a win over the once-mighty Packers, and there’s plenty of reason to believe it is possible. Chicago’s top-ranked rushing attack is salivating at the idea of facing Green Bay’s 31st-ranked rushing defense, but it’s hard to bet against Aaron Rodgers in a rivalry he’s owned for what feels like forever.  

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7) at Detroit Lions (4-7)

Time/TV: noon CT/FOX

The Jacksonville Jaguars came up with a massive, shocking win over the Baltimore Ravens last weekend at home, and now travel to Detroit for what could be a shootout. The Lions are fresh off a deflating loss to the Bills on Thanksgiving in what, at times, looked like a massive upset in the making. Despite both teams sitting at just 4-7, the Jaguars and Lions have a decent chance to produce one of Sunday’s most exciting games. The two teams picked first and second in last spring’s draft, and are each developing exciting young players all over the field. Jacksonville has arguably outperformed its poor record, falling repeatedly in one-score games this season with statistics that suggest they’re closer to an average team. For Detroit, it’s been a tale of two sides of the ball – their offense has looked downright dominant at times, while their defense has been anything but. The most compelling thing to watch, in my estimation, is the progress of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who took a huge step last Sunday with his game-winning drive against the Ravens. Detroit’s defense should provide him with a golden opportunity to keep that momentum moving in a positive direction.

New York Jets (7-4) at Minnesota Vikings (9-2)

Time/TV: noon CT/CBS

Two of the biggest success stories of the 2022 season meet in Minneapolis Sunday when the upstart New York Jets head to U.S. Bank Stadium for a matchup with the 9-2 Vikings. Jets fans are dreaming big after last Sunday’s 31-10 blowout of the Chicago Bears, given quarterback Mike White’s performance replacing the benched Zach Wilson. White passed for 315 yards and three touchdowns in that one and formed what appears to be strong chemistry with rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson. Minnesota enters Sunday afternoon with the NFL’s 32nd-ranked pass defense, which should provide White an opportunity to show out once again. Minnesota, meanwhile, has found ways to win all season long despite their defense’s poor play. Vikings’ star wide receiver Justin Jefferson has put up gaudy numbers against almost every defense he has faced this season but will deal with a difficult matchup Sunday when rookie corner Sauce Gardner comes to town. While Minnesota has all but locked up the NFC North, the New York Jets continue their focus on keeping pace with the Buffalo Bills and vying for an AFC playoff spot.

Washington Commanders (7-5) at New York Giants (7-4)

Time/TV: noon CT/FOX

The NFC East has been the NFL’s best division this season, much to the surprise of pundits and fans alike. The surprising Washington Commanders and New York Giants have each exceeded their expectations greatly this year, meaning Sunday’s divisional game at MetLife Stadium carries much more weight than initially anticipated. Washington has won three in a row and six of seven, a stretch that began as they changed quarterbacks to fan-favorite Taylor Heinicke. The Commanders will face the Giants twice in the next three weeks, with a bye between the two matchups, while New York faces a tough challenge against Philadelphia. Washington hopes their singular focus on the New York Giants gives them an advantage, and they seem to be catching New York at the right time. The Giants have lost three of their previous four, their lone November win coming against the 1-9-1 Houston Texans. Washington’s solid run defense will make things difficult for the Giants’ Saquon Barkley-centric running attack, putting pressure on Daniel Jones to put a halt to New York’s skid.

Tennessee Titans (7-4) at Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)

Time/TV: noon CT/FOX

The Philadelphia Eagles have bounced back nicely following their Monday Night Football loss to Washington, winning back-to-back competitive games over the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers to move to 10-1. Tennessee has quietly built a strong resume of their own, braving injuries at key positions on offense en route to a 7-4 mark. If the Titans have an advantage over the league-leading Eagles, it is in the run game. Philadelphia has struggled to defend the run since rookie defensive tackle Jordan Davis began missing time with an injury, ranking just 18th in the NFL in that area entering Week 13. That is particularly troubling news against Tennessee running back Derrick Henry, who routinely puts up massive numbers and can single-handedly keep the Titans in any game. Philadelphia’s x-factor might be wide receiver A.J. Brown’s motivation for revenge. Brown was an excellent wide receiver for the Titans for three years before being traded this offseason and has continued to abuse defenses while wearing an Eagles uniform in 2022.

Denver Broncos (3-8) at Baltimore Ravens (7-4)

Time/TV: noon CT/CBS

Russell Wilson’s first season as the Denver Broncos’ signal-caller has been an abject disaster, leaving fans furious at the decision to invest so much in the quarterback before this season. An unlikely win at Baltimore Sunday afternoon would do little to numb the frustration that continues to mount in Denver, but could at least pause the waterfall of criticism descending onto Wilson and head coach Nathaniel Hackett at all times. Baltimore’s season has taken a much more pleasant path overall, but the Ravens left Week 12 as frustrated as any team in the NFL. Baltimore blew yet another fourth-quarter lead on the road in Jacksonville a week ago, a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of one of the league’s non-contenders. Now tied with the Bengals atop the AFC North, the Ravens can ill-afford to come up short as massive favorites against the visiting Denver Broncos if they have designs on winning their division. If nothing else, Denver has shown a consistent ability to muddy up games and keep them low-scoring – and against a Ravens’ offense struggling to find consistent traction, anything can happen.

Miami Dolphins (8-3) at San Francisco 49ers (7-4)

Time/TV: 3:05 p.m. CT/FOX

One of many compelling matchups on the Week 13 slate sees the Miami Dolphins travel across the country to play the San Francisco 49ers in a battle of legitimate contenders. Dolphins’ first-year head coach Mike McDaniel spent the last five seasons under Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco before taking the Miami job, making Sunday’s game at Levi’s Stadium a homecoming of sorts for the 39-year-old. Both Miami and San Francisco sit atop their respective divisions, and each fancy itself a Super Bowl contender with just six games to play. The Dolphins are led by an elite passing game, with accurate passer Tua Tagovailoa connecting with speedsters Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to average the second-most passing yards per game in the league. San Francisco’s top-ranked scoring defense in the NFL will put Miami’s offensive firepower to the test and will, in all likelihood, have a high degree of familiarity with the Dolphins’ offensive game plan. Miami comes in having won five in a row and can really turn heads with a road victory to improve to 9-3. 

Seattle Seahawks (6-5) at Los Angeles Rams (3-8)

Time/TV: 3:05 p.m. CT/FOX

Before the 2022 season began, there was plenty of reason to believe that the defending Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams would be comfortably ahead of the Seattle Seahawks in the standings before Sunday’s matchup at SoFi Stadium. Instead, Seattle has surged to a winning record behind a better-than-expected offense and a class of rookies playing well beyond their years on both sides of the ball. The Rams, meanwhile, are in free fall mode, to put it kindly. L.A. has lost five straight to drop to 3-8 and is without almost their entire offense and several defensive contributors, including All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald. John Wolford will likely start under center for the Rams with Matthew Stafford sidelined, replacing Bryce Perkins, who struggled last Sunday in Kansas City. The Rams’ defense, the last vestige of anything resembling last season’s team, is now starting to show its own cracks as the team struggles to maintain motivation. Given what we’ve seen of late, it stands to reason that Seattle will handle business comfortably in Los Angeles – but if watching the NFL teaches a person anything, it is to expect the unexpected each and every Sunday.

Los Angeles Chargers (6-5) at Las Vegas Raiders (4-7)

Time/TV: 3:25 p.m. CT/CBS

The 2022 Las Vegas Raiders have been nothing if not infinitely entertaining, a team with an uncanny ability to look completely different with each passing quarter. Vegas has won each of the last two weeks in overtime with walk-off touchdowns, and theoretically find themselves on the outskirts of the AFC playoff hunt at 4-7. They’ll welcome the Los Angeles Chargers to Allegiant Stadium Sunday, a similarly confounding team with a knack for high-scoring, close games. The Chargers topped Las Vegas 24-19 to open the season at SoFi Stadium, but lost on the road against the Raiders to end the regular season – and sink their playoff hopes – last year. Los Angeles’ passing attack has begun to appear lethal again since Keenan Allen returned to the fold two weeks ago, and they will be hoping to take advantage of a porous Raiders’ secondary. The Raiders rushed for a ridiculous 283 yards last weekend in Seattle, momentum they’ll hope to build on against the Chargers’ 28th-ranked run defense. Sunday afternoon’s battle should be a back-and-forth shootout carrying plenty of drama into the final minutes.

Kansas City Chiefs (9-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)

Time/TV: 3:25 p.m. CT/CBS

The last time the Kansas City Chiefs saw the Cincinnati Bengals, they watched Cincinnati celebrate a Super Bowl bid after blowing an 18-point lead at home. Losses like that sting for a while, but so too, does the appetite for revenge. Both Kansas City and Cincinnati are once again legitimate contenders to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl this season, thanks to a pair of elite offenses. The Bengals’ offense ranks fourth in the NFL, averaging more than 270 pass yards per game and fifth in the league at 25.9 points per game, only to be outdone by a Chiefs’ offense ranking atop the NFL in both categories. Cincinnati is anticipating the return of wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase to the fold Sunday afternoon as well, which should bolster their already impressive offense in what could become an offensive fireworks display. Kansas City has won five in a row entering Sunday’s clash and won’t face another opponent with a winning record for the rest of the season after it leaves Cincinnati.