Games of the Week

 


December football raises the stakes all over the board. For NFL teams, it’s a fight for the post-season and seeding. For fantasy players, it’s a fight to make the playoffs, especially as it’s likely the final week of the regular season for most leagues. It’s also the final week of byes—with the Cardinals and Commanders sitting the week out—and another week with a Monday night double header.

All that limits the Sunday slate but despite that, we have a ton of meaningful games. Below are the five that I have my eye on.

Early Games:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7) at Atlanta Falcons (6-6)
About: It’s a three-team race in the NFC South. The Falcons beat the Saints two weeks ago to move into great position. If they can dispatch the Buccaneers on Sunday, that will give them a lead in the record and wins over their two closest competitors. This is a crucial game at a crucial time for both teams. The Buccaneers need a win to pull even in the record column and surge toward the top of the division. The Falcons need a win to give themselves distance. Who will come out on top? That’s a big question.

Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4) at Cleveland Browns (7-5)
About: Two teams battling injuries and fighting for their playoff position. The Jaguars suffered a tough loss to the Bengals on Monday night, and lost quarterback Trevor Lawrence with an ankle injury. The Browns know all about losing quarterbacks. Deshaun Watson is gone, and while the defense has kept them in the race, two straight losses have the Browns back in a big pack in the AFC. Both teams need a win and only one can get it. This should be a good one.

Late Games:

Seattle Seahawks (6-6) at San Francisco 49ers (9-3)
About: The 49ers are on a tear. They beat the Eagles on Sunday to pull within a game of the top spot in the NFC. The Seahawks, meanwhile, lost to the 49ers on Thanksgiving and then to the Dallas Cowboys last Thursday. That has them at just 6-6, barely clinging to playoff life. If the 49ers get a win Sunday, they should have the NFC West on lock. If the Seahawks win, they get a big win against a good team and keep themselves in the race. This has big stakes for the division and the conference.

Buffalo Bills (6-6) at Kansas City Chiefs (8-4)
About: The Bills are coming off a bye week, but they needed the time to regroup. At 6-6, they are on the cusp of falling out of the playoff picture. The Chiefs, meanwhile, suffered a tough loss of their own on Sunday night, putting them a game back of the Dolphins and Ravens in the AFC and tightening the race in the AFC West. The Chiefs need to get back on track and the Bills just need to win. Their games have been fun the past few years and with the stakes here, we should get another good game.

Sunday Night Football:

Philadelphia Eagles (10-2) at Dallas Cowboys (9-3)
About: The battle for the NFC East. In round one, though close, the Eagles prevailed. The Cowboys have won two straight since that and sit at home waiting to host the Eagles. Philadelphia, meanwhile, saw a streak of close wins come to a close Sunday as the 49ers beat them by 23. The Eagles hold on the NFC and NFC East is tenuous. That gives this one massive stakes. This should be a heck of a way to end Sunday in Week 14.

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