Last week: 14-2 (.875)
Season record: 160-80 (.667)
Christmas Day
Kansas City Chiefs (14-1) at Steelers (10-5), 1 p.m. — The Chiefs have scored 30 points just once this season and been involved in 11 one-possession games. And yet they keep finding ways to win. The Steelers have painted themselves into a precarious corner after back-to-back losses have wiped out the two-game lead they owned in the division. They still control their own fate, but that is predicated on beating the Chiefs. Lose this one and they need some help from the Ravens in Week 18 to win the division. At this point, that wild card spot looks like a bad consolation.
Prediction: Steelers, 23-20
Baltimore Ravens (10-5) at Houston Texans (9-6), 4:30 p.m. — The Ravens have won three of the past four since their loss at Acrisure Stadium and scored at least 30 points in all three victories. They are not going to back down now because, unlike the Steelers, they don’t control their own fate. The Texans really don’t have much to gain. They have clinched the division and, unless they beat the Ravens, are locked in as the fourth seed in the postseason.
Prediction: Ravens, 31-23
Thursday
Seattle Seahawks (8-7) at Chicago Bears (4-11), 8:15 p.m. — This is the third NFC North game in a row for the Seahawks, who lost the first two. But they need to win this one to set up next week’s showdown finale with the Rams that could decide the NFC West title. Good chance, too, because the Bears have lost nine in a row and are allowing an average of 31 points in their past five games.
Prediction: Seahawks, 31-26
Saturday
Los Angeles Chargers (9-6) at New England Patriots (3-12), 1 p.m. — The Chargers ended their brief slide and strengthened their postseason hopes with last week’s victory against the Broncos. The Patriots have lost five in a row and are just 1-5 at home. So how did they play so well in Buffalo?
Prediction: Chargers, 25-15
Denver Broncos (9-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (7-8), 4:30 p.m. — This is a huge game for the Bengals because the Broncos are one of the two teams they are desperately trying to catch for a playoff spot. Expect a shootout. The Bengals are averaging 32.6 points in their past seven games, the Broncos 33.2 in their past five.
Prediction: Bengals, 33-32
Arizona Cardinals (7-8) at Los Angeles Rams (9-6), 8:15 p.m. — The Cardinals have lost four of their past five, so their only hope for a division title is to win their last two and have the Rams lose their last two. But the Rams are going in the opposite direction. They’ve won four in a row and eight of the past 10.
Prediction: Rams, 34-20
Sunday
New York Jets (4-11) at Buffalo Bills (12-3), 1 p.m. — The Bills have a cakewalk to a 14-3 record with a game against the Jets sandwiched among games against the Patriots. They may not get the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, but they are showing they are easily the most dangerous team in the conference, if not the league.
Prediction: Bills, 41-15
Tennessee Titans (3-12) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12), 1 p.m. — Even Mason Rudolph can’t rescue the Titans, not like he did last year with the Steelers. Now the question is: Can he rescue the coach from being fired? That seems like a foregone conclusion in Jacksonville, where Doug Pederson has lost 16 of the past 20 games.
Prediction: Jaguars, 8-7
Green Bay Packers (11-4) at Minnesota Vikings (13-2), 1 p.m. — Best game of the week. The Packers have four losses, all to teams with the best records in the league — Lions (twice), Eagles and Vikings. And by a total of 25 points. Who thought the Vikings would be 13-2? Who thought Sam Darnold would do this?
Prediction: Packers, 37-36
Las Vegas Raiders (3-12) at New Orleans Saints (5-10), 1 p.m. — The Raiders ended what was the longest losing streak in the league (10 games) about the only way possible — by beating the lowly Jaguars. But they are 1-7 on the road with the only victory, shockingly enough, coming in Baltimore. Too bad the Steelers couldn’t do that.
Prediction: Saints, 23-14
Indianapolis Colts (7-8) at New York Giants (2-13), 1 p.m. — The Colts rushed for 335 yards last week against the Titans. The Giants have the second-worst rush defense in the league, allowing an average of 142.6 yards per game. And they are the only team in the league that hasn’t won a game at home this season.
Prediction: Colts, 26-12
Carolina Panthers (4-11) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7), 1 p.m. — The Buccaneers did not do themselves any favors by losing in Dallas, where they made Cooper Rush look like Troy Aikman. They better be careful against the Panthers, whom they were fortunate to beat in overtime in the first meeting four weeks ago.
Prediction: Buccaneers, 24-20
Miami Dolphins (7-8) at Cleveland Browns (3-12), 4:05 p.m. — The Dolphins better hope for some un-Cleveland-like weather because they don’t fare very well when the temperature fails to get above 32. Since Halloween, their only road victory came in sunny California. The Browns don’t fare well in any weather (27 points in the past three games).
Prediction: Dolphins, 14-13
Dallas Cowboys (7-8) at Philadelphia Eagles (12-3), 4:25 p.m. — The Eagles must have caught something from the Steelers because they allowed the Commanders to score 22 points in the fourth quarter. And Kenny Pickett gets the start for Jalen Hurts. Don’t look now, but the Cowboys have won four of the past five.
Prediction: Eagles, 23-22
Atlanta Falcons (8-7) at Washington Commanders (10-5), 8:20 p.m. — The Falcons have turned away from Kirk Cousins and his hefty contract and are turning toward rookie Michael Penix Jr., their No. 1 draft choice. It should make for a nice matchup of rookie quarterbacks — but not one he will win.
Prediction: Commanders, 27-19
Monday
Detroit Lions (13-2) at San Francisco 49ers (6-9), 8:15 p.m. — The Lions are the league’s only unbeaten road team — odd for a team that owns the league record for longest road losing streak in history (26 games). The 49ers could never get on track after injuries to Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk and Javon Hargrave.
Prediction: Lions, 30-20
First Published: December 25, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
Updated: December 26, 2024, 3:09 a.m.
