In the NFC, the belated Christmas gifts to fans are division-title games in the East and North that double as bonus playoff games. It’s just the beginning to the most wonderful time of the football year.


Game of the Week

Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (8:30 p.m. Sunday, NBC). Dallas tried gamesmanship by being coy about Tony Romo’s injury status during week, until it had to show its hand and announce that Romo would miss the game because of back surgery. Enter veteran backup Kyle Orton to make  the start. The big concern in Big D, however, is that Orton can’t play defense against an Eagles offense that’s clicking every which way.

This isn’t the same Eagles offense the Cowboys beat, 17-3, in Week 7. In winning six of the past seven games, the Eagles have averaged a Chip Kelly-like 34.2 points. Nick Foles is in full throttle as their quarterback and LeSean McCoy already has put away the NFL rushing title. It took a while for everything to jell, but the offense has become the explosive, balanced, quick-strike attack you would expect from Kelly. The bonus is that the defense, under Billy Davis, keeps improving every week, too.

The Cowboys have been pretty much the same team since Week 1: inconsistent. There has been a lack of balance on offense (too few vs. too many Dez Bryant targets, two few vs. two many DeMarco Murray touches) and defense (big plays allowed vs. big takeaways forced). While the Eagles are peaking, the Cowboys are middling. Kelly is a keeper; it’s looking more like Jason Garrett isn’t.  Eagles 34, Cowboys 24 


Rivalry of the Week

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (4:25 p.m. Sunday, FOX). Aaron Rodgers returns for the regular-season finale, but stop us if you’ve heard this before: The big concern is that Rodgers can play defense. Clay Matthews can, but he’s not healthy. The best plan for Green Bay to attack the Bears, with the running game, is compromised by rookie Eddie Lacy’s ankle injury. The Packers have been an equal-opportunity sieve against run and pass, and the Bears have the healthier options to take a shootout on their home field.

Chicago has a better chance of containing Green Bay's offense and forcing a key turnover, while Green Bay can’t handle Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett. Let’s remember that having no Randall Cobb and Jermichael Finley also has limited the Packers’ offensive potential. although Cobb will be active Sunday. The Bears’ playoff stay may be short, but they will march into the postseason. Bears 31, Packers 27 


Lock of the Week

New Orleans Saints over Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4:25 p.m. Sunday, FOX). The Saints have lost three straight road games, which has hurt their chances of earning a home game and a bye in the playoffs. This game will be a reminder why they’ll be ruing the missed opportunity. The Bucs, whom they beat in Tampa way back in Week 2, will come out feisty and physical in what could be Greg Schiano’s last game, but look for the Saints to return to their fast and furious selves in the Superdome. With the victory will come a wild-card berth and a needed final tuneup for Drew Brees. Saints 38, Buccaneers 14

Upset of the Week 

Arizona Cardinals over San Francisco 49ers (4:25 p.m. Sunday, FOX). The 49ers needed to close Candlestick Park on a high note on Monday night, because they faced the prospect of their playoff hopes drying up in the desert against red-hot Big Red. San Francisco clinched a postseason berth by beating the Falcons, and it preserved a long-shot chance at being the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Now, though, it enters a tough environment off a short week against an opponent that needs this game more for its survival. The Cards can ride their pass defense and running game to an 11-5 record (3-3 division) in the tough NFC West, but unfortunately for them, the Saints will slam the door in the late-afternoon window. Cardinals 16, 49ers 13

Rest of the Week

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (1 p.m. Sunday, CBS). When this game kicks off, the Bengals can still earn the AFC’s No. 2 seed over New England. That’s bad news for up-and-down Baltimore, which is battling to punch a ticket for its Super Bowl defense. Don’t expect Cincy, 7-0 at home, to give in to its division rival when it has a chance to deliver the knockout punch. As expected, the Bengals took over the division from the Ravens with more offensive pop and a defense that is in less transition. Putting the champs on the ropes would be a bonus. Bengals 23, Ravens 20

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (1 p.m. Sunday, FOX). The Falcons will fall from NFC South champions to 4-12 also-rans while the Panthers are crowned the new class of the division. Carolina showed potential last season with a 7-9 record capped by a season-ending four-game winning streak; now it’s about to move to 12-4 thanks to a dominant defense and the next elite QB, Cam Newton. They Panthers also aren’t fans of the Falcons, and after the chippiness, Newton, a Georgia native, will have his sweetest NFL moment (so far) by exploiting Atlanta’s defense and outdueling Matt Ryan. Panthers 27, Falcons 20

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers (1 p.m. Sunday, CBS). Unless all heck breaks loose with Baltimore, Miami and San Diego all losing, Pittsburgh will run out of time in its late playoff push. For how much their offense has been scrutinized, the Steelers’ triplets (Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown) have tried to lift the team over its struggling defense. The Browns are down to one consistent playmaker on offense, wide receiver Josh Gordon, and that’s not enough to outscore the Steelers at Heinz Field. Steelers 34, Browns 17

Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings (1 p.m. Sunday, FOX). Will this be the last game for head coaches Jim Schwartz and Leslie Frazier, despite the Lions’ and Vikings’ recent trips to the playoffs? The end seems inevitable for Schwartz, as Detroit will drop from 6-3 to 7-9 after a loss Sunday. The Vikings have found something on offense beyond Adrian Peterson, but even with Matt Cassel leading a passing boom, they are still trying to keep up with what their defense gives up. As the horn sounds in the Metrodome for the last time, the Vikes will light it up with fewer mistakes in one last indoor shootout. Vikings 34, Lions 30

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans (1 p.m. Sunday, CBS). The Texans have lost 13 consecutive games, and if it weren’t for huge rallies in Weeks 1 and 2, they would be winless. The Titans were the last team they beat, but given how the season has gone since that 2-0 start, the signs don’t point to a sweep. Interim coach Wade Phillips has seen his defense come apart, and injuries have kept the offense from providing needed punch. Look for Tennessee to dominate with pass defense and finish off Houston with rushing offense. Titans 24, Texans 13

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts (1 p.m. Sunday, CBS). The Colts can still jump Cincinnati and New England for the AFC’s No. 2 seed, so that will give Andrew Luck and Chuck Pagano enough motivation to keep momentum for next week’s home playoff game. Luck is getting help from Donald Brown and the run game at the right time, and Pagano should like what his 3-4 defense is doing against the pass. All of that should come together against the banged-up, road-weary Jaguars. Colts 27, Jaguars 10

New York Jets at Miami Dolphins (1 p.m. Sunday, CBS). The Dolphins didn’t match up well with Buffalo, but New York doesn’t match up well with the Dolphins. Miami’s defense, with Cameron Wake and Brent Grimes, is built to frustrate a rookie passer such as Geno Smith. The Jets have trouble covering speedy, quick targets, which will allow Tannehill to rebound from the blanking by the Bills. Joe Philbin should get Coach of the Year consideration for putting his team in position for a playoff berth. Rex Ryan deserves to remain coach of the Jets because of his work with limited personnel. Dolphins 20, Jets 17

Washington Redskins at New York Giants (1 p.m. Sunday, FOX). Welcome back to the NFC East, which is competitive enough to have the past two division champions battle in a meaningless game. It’s been a trying 2013 for two-time Super Bowl-winning coaches Tom Coughlin and Mike Shanahan, but only the latter will be fired. Coughlin and Eli Manning both can move on from a forgettable season with a good finish and hope for a rebound in 2014. While Shanahan and Robert Griffin III are headed toward a breakup, the Redskins have one more defensive breakdown in them before this is year is finished. Giants 24, Redskins 10

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (4:25 p.m. Sunday, CBS). Here we go again. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, despite all of the Patriots’ injuries, have the team in their familiar spot as AFC contenders. A win here would secure the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye, the second-best position in a weak conference. The Bills can make it interesting for their rivals with their pass rush against Brady, but even without Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots have the advantage with the better receiving corps. Patriots 30, Bills 17

Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders (4:25 p.m. Sunday, CBS). Peyton Manning has his record 51 touchdowns, and he can drive for 55 without much effort against a shoddy Raiders pass defense that he already has picked apart. Given that Oakland tried to keep up with him with Terrelle Pryor and failed in their first meeting, the Broncos’ road to the No. 1 seed doesn’t get any easier. They should win this one in a runaway; in the process, they should get their running game rolling and give Manning some needed extended rest. Broncos 45, Raiders 17

Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (4:25 p.m. Sunday, CBS). The Chiefs, who are locked into the No. 5 seed in the AFC, can afford to rest any starters who are banged up, and that means pretty much everyone. That’s a huge break for the wild card-fighting Chargers, who ripped the Chiefs’ defense when it was near full strength at Arrowhead. If the Ravens and Dolphins falter in the early-game window, Philip Rivers can help San Diego take full advantage and join Kansas City in the playoffs. If the Chargers fall short even with this win, they will be forced to look back on a lot of close losses. Chargers 27, Chiefs 14

St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks (4:25 p.m. Sunday, FOX). The Seahawks were shocked at home by Arizona, and they know if that happens against anyone again in the playoffs, their Super Bowl hopes will come to an abrupt end. So in addition to finishing their quest for the NFC’s top seed, they need to rediscover their CenturyLink Field dominance before a playoff layoff. The Rams fell just short against them in Week 8, but their limited offense will be overwhelmed by the noise and super-charged defense in Seattle. Seahawks 34, Rams 16

Stats of the Week

Last week’s straight-up record: 10-6

Season-to-date record: 147-92

Locks record: 13-3

Upsets record: 7-9

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