The NFL season is flying by as week 10 is upon us.
Denver moved to 8-2 after a 10-7 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday Night Football. The Broncos are currently first in the AFC, but this may not remain depending on the results on Sunday.
Four teams are on a bye in week 10:
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Dallas Cowboys
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Tennessee Titans
With the NFL in week 10, games are becoming more and more critical.
There are six key games to follow in week 10.
Six Key Week 10 NFL Matchups
Games are becoming more and more important as the NFL is in week 10.
Baltimore Ravens(-4.5) @ Minnesota Vikings (O/U:48.5)
The Baltimore Ravens are 3-5 and fighting to stay in the hunt to win the AFC North. Pittsburgh is in first in the AFC North with a 5-3 record. Lamar Jackson returned in week 9 after missing a month of action. The offense was immediately significantly better with Jackson’s return. With the defense getting healthier and Jackson healthy, this is a dangerous Ravens squad. Baltimore needs this win to put the pressure on the Steelers.
Minnesota is fighting to remain in the hunt in the division and NFC standings. They are 4-4 and currently sitting outside a playoff spot. J.J. McCarthy returned in week 9 and helped lead the Vikings to a massive road win against the Detroit Lions. McCarthy will need to have the best game of his young career for the Vikings to have a chance of keeping up with Jackson and the Ravens’ offense.
New England Patriots @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers(-2.5) (O/U:48.5)
Nobody had the New England Patriots 7-2 and first in the AFC East by week 10 of the NFL season. The Pats are one of the hottest teams in the league, winning six straight. One of those wins was a road victory against the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo is 6-2 and has an easy matchup against the Dolphins. This is a tough road contest for the Patriots, but they need to win to avoid falling to second in the division.
Tampa Bay enters this week 10 contest banged up. They will be without WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, as well as RB Bucky Irving. Baker Mayfield will need to have a huge game for the Bucs. Carolina is 5-4 in the division after winning four of their last five games. The Bucs at 6-2 need to win to maintain a comfortable lead in the division.
Jacksonville Jaguars(-1.5) @ Houston Texans (O/U:37.5)
This game may not be enticing with a total of 37.5, but it is a huge game for both teams.
Jacksonville is 5-3 and seventh in the AFC. They will be without Travis Hunter. Brian Thomas Jr. may also miss this game. The Jags acquired WR Jakobi Meyers at the trade deadline. The Chiefs are 5-4, but the Jags have a win over them already this season. This would be a big win for the Jags.
Houston is 3-5, and their season hangs in the balance. Unfortunately, they will be without starting QB C.J. Stroud for this massive divisional game. The defense for Houston has been lights out this season, and will need to once again have a big game as Stroud misses this contest. For Houston to keep their playoff hopes alive, this is a must-win game for the Texans.
Los Angeles Rams(-4.5) @ San Francisco 49ers (O/U:49.5)
The LA Rams have won three straight games and four of their last five. Matthew Stafford has been incredible during this hot stretch. The Rams are the type of team that gets better later in the season. This is a massive NFC West contest. The Rams are 6-2 and tied with the Seahawks. Stafford will once again need to have a big game against the 49ers. The Rams already lost to the 49ers earlier this season.
Similarly, for the 49ers, this is a critical game. They are 6-3 and trying to keep up with Seattle and LA in the NFC West. The 49ers are also fighting to keep a playoff position. They are sixth in the NFC, but the Lions, Bears, Panthers, and Vikings are lingering. Brock Purdy has missed a lot of time this year and is questionable for this big game.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Los Angeles Chargers(-3.0) (O/U:45.5)
The Steelers are first in the AFC North with a 5-3 record. Baltimore is 3-5, but Lamar Jackson is back and healthy. This game is big for the Steelers. Their defense has been suspect this season. They need to take advantage of a banged-up Chargers offensive line and put pressure on Herbert. If the Steelers squander their division lead, they will be fighting with several teams for a wild-card position. Pittsburgh has not won a playoff game since 2016.
The Chargers also need to win this contest. They are 6-3, but the Broncos moved to 8-2 on Thursday. LA has a win over Denver, Kansas City, and Vegas in the division this season. The offensive line is banged up for the Chargers as they will be without Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. Herbert can still find success against a leaky Steelers secondary. This is a big game for the Chargers.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Green Bay Packers(-2.5) (O/U:45.5)
The Eagles are first in the NFC with a 6-2 record. They are coming off a bye and hope to be healthy following their bye week. The Bucs, Seahawks, and Rams are all 6-2 as well. Philly needs to win this to maintain their position at the top of the NFC. It appears they should have their division wrapped up.
Green Bay is 5-2-1 and first in the NFC North. However, the Bears and Lions are 5-3, and the Vikings are 4-4. The tie in week 4 will either help or hurt the Packers at the end of the season. Right now, it is in their favor for the division lead. With a win, this will put them over the Eagles in the NFC, and possibly in first in the Conference, depending on results in some other games.
