NFL Week 10 preview
Washington @ Lions
Alex Smith will be making his first start in years against the Lions. Washington has a good defense that should cause issues for Detroit, especially without Kenny Golladay. Rookie running back Antonio Gibson should be in for a big day against one of the league's worst run defenses. Detroit's defense will get a small break--considering Washington doesn't have a potent offense--but they need Stafford and the offense to play up to their capabilities.
Texans @ Browns
Deshaun Watson and the offense seem to have settled in recently. Watson has been playing well and extending plays like he has been known to do. Cleveland gets RB Nick Chubb back from injury, and he should cause problems for the Houston defense. Whichever defense plays best should win this game.
Jaguars @ Packers
Jacksonville doesn't have much of chance in this game. Rookie QB Jake Luton was impressive in his first career start, and Green Bay's defense does give up some big plays, but the Jags don't have enough playmakers on offense to be able to pull out a win in a shootout. Aaron Rodgers should have no problems against the Jacksonville secondary, especially with Aaron Jones pacing the ground game.
Eagles @ Giants
The Giants have been playing better recently, but still don't have a noteworthy offense. The Eagles are prone to turnovers, so that could give New York a short field to work with. The Giants will need that to happen because Philly's defense will cause problems for Daniel Jones. The Eagles have done a solid job of working with a makeshift receiving corps and should be able to find some favorable matchups against the New York secondary. Mile Sanders should also be an advantage for Philadelphia.
Buccaneers @ Panthers
The Buccaneers need to rebound from a humiliating home loss to New Orleans last week. The offense had appeared to find its rhythm in the past few games, but really struggled to anything against the Saints. They also gave up big chunk plays to Alvin Kamara on the ground. Tampa will get a lucky break there, as Christian McCaffrey will be out for Carolina. In his place will be Mike Davis, who has had a great year himself. The Panthers will look to build on an impressive outing against the Chiefs.
Tampa will also play with a shuffled offensive line and has had to overcome other obstacles for this game.
Broncos @ Raiders
The Raiders are looking to stay in the playoff hunt, while the Broncos are looking for positivity and improvements. The Denver offense has been solid this year, and Drew Lock has made some strides in year two under center. Coming off a big game against Atlanta, he should be in for another one against a suspect Raider defense. Las Vegas has seen great play from Derek Carr but needs to see more from his surrounding cast. Nelson Agholor and Darren Waller have had good years but need a third guy to step up.
Chargers @ Dolphins
The Dolphins' No. 1 scoring defense gets a big challenge this week. Since rookie Justin Herbert claimed the starting job, the Chargers offense has improved. They are now developing into a threat against anybody. Similarly, the Dolphins have turned to rookie Tua Tagovailoa. While that transition hasn't been as smooth, Tua has definitely shown promise and is 2-0 as a starter. Miami's defense should hold the advantage in this one, but don't be surprised if it's close and high scoring.
Bills @ Cardinals
The Bills have taken over as the best team in the AFC East. One of their biggest knocks was the ability to score. They showed they can take advantage of a bad defense last week against Seattle, now they have a chance to prove it against a better defense. Arizona is developing a potent offensive attack with multiple playmakers all over the field, so Buffalo will need to keep pace again. Of course, Buffalo has a good defense of their own and can cause turnovers to make Arizona press a bit. The Cardinals can struggle when turning the ball over multiple times, so they will need to trust Kyler Murray to take care of the ball.
Seahawks @ Rams
Seattle's defense has struggled this season, and its offense will be without running backs Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde. Russell Wilson and DK Metcalf have led this offense to great heights this season, but they need to avoid the slow start they had last week in Buffalo. The Rams will need to play great defense against their biggest challenge this season and avoid turnovers on offense.
49ers @ Saints
The 49ers have underachieved so far this season and now have quarterback questions. None of their signal-callers have performed consistently, and the injuries to key players haven't helped. They'll be without a few running backs and tight end George Kittle in this one, making it more of a challenge for the offense. New Orelans's defense isn't great, but they're opportunistic and coming off of their best game of the season. Drew Brees seems to have taken a bit of a step back, but the Saints still have an offense that can beat you in many ways, and last week's return of Michael Thomas only helped. The 49ers defense will have to be alert to keep this one in reach for their offense.
Bengals @ Steelers
The Steelers are undefeated and should remain that way this week. Despite suffering an injury against Dallas and being on the COVID list this week, Ben Roethlisberger is expected to be ready to go. He's had a good year returning from a major elbow injury and has a great arsenal of skill players at his disposal. Pittsburgh's defense is also great but may have some gaps in pass coverage. LB Avery Williamson is making his team debut and should help with that. The Bengals will be without RB Joe Mixon, meaning Gio Bernanrd will get those reps, and they will have to rely on Joe Burrow to make plays. Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and AJ Green form a great trio of pass-catchers and have the ability to help keep this close. Pittsburgh is just a much more complete team than Cincinnati.
Ravens @ Patriots
This had been expected to be a big game in the AFC, but the Patriots have vastly underwhelmed this season. Their defense has been phenomenal, but the offense is abysmal. Cam Newton and Julian Edelman are really the only good players they have. The running game has shown some signs in some games, but the Ravens defense is too good. I can easily see New England struggling to find offense. The defense could keep them in it, but this will be a Baltimore win, either in a close, low-scoring game or a blowout.
Vikings @ Bears
The Vikings are looking to work their way back into the hunt in the NFC North after a dominant victory over Detroit last week. Dalvin Cook ran for over 200 yards in that game and leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns. Chicago's defense is still one of the league's best. The Vikings can't just rely on Adam Thielen and Cook. They'll need help from Justin Jefferson, Olabisi Johnson, and others, and Kirk Cousins will have to play mistake free. The Bears' offense has struggled, and it's clear they don't currently have a franchise quarterback. Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney have been their only consistent playmakers in the passing game. RB David Montgomery is out for this game, which means a slower Ryan Nall takes over. It will be hard for Chicago to get points, even against this struggling Minnesota defense.