NFL Week 14 Preview: Schedule, storylines and matchups to watch

• A colossal Thursday night showdown: The Packers and Lions square off with not only divisional title stakes, but also NFC contention implications.

• Kirk Cousins looks to get back on track in his return to Minnesota: The Falcons quarterback tossed four interceptions in Week 13 but looks to rebound as Atlanta hopes to snap a three-game losing skid.

• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!

Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

CLICK HERE TO JUMP TO A GAME:

Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions (-3.5)

Storyline of the game: Battle atop the NFC North

Week 14 opens with a hotly contested rematch between NFC North playoff contenders in the Packers and Lions. A month has passed since these teams last met back in Week 9 — a matchup the Lions won handedly, 24-14, on the way to their current 10-game winning streak.

Sloppy weather and a strong Lions defense ruled the day in that matchup in Green Bay, with the Packers being held out of the end zone until the final four minutes of the game. Now, the venue shifts to Detroit, where the Lions have generated a league-leading 35.2 points per game at home while producing 6.6 yards per play.

However, that loss was the Packers’ only blemish since Week 5, capturing a 7-1 record since October. Jordan Love and Co. are coming off a pair of decisive wins at home in their last two outings and will be looking to carry that on the road.

Matchups to watch: Packers FS Xavier McKinney vs. Lions FS Kerby Joseph

The NFL’s top two highest-graded safeties – Kerby Joseph (90.9) and Xavier McKinney (89.6) — are set to square-off in this one, with eyes on laying claim to the crown. Fireworks are queued up when these ballhawking safeties take the field, combining for 14 interceptions on the season — more than 29 teams have in total.

The last time these two teams faced off, Joseph converted a pick-six, giving him a leg up on the conversation. But, McKinney boasts one more turnover for his team, having also secured a fumble recovery.

Additional news:

Detroit has signed S Jamal Adams to the practice squad
After RB Jahmyr Gibbs accidentally leaked protection calls via a social media post, OC Ben Johnson will be left to adjust on a short week.

New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins (-6.5)

Storyline of the game: Dolphins hanging on to slim playoff hopes

With just a 10% chance of securing a playoff berth following their Thanksgiving night loss, the Dolphins have very little margin for error moving forward. Luckily, this game will take place in sunny Miami, where they’ve found success on both sides of the ball.

Undoubtedly, the Jets are aiming to play spoiler to their AFC East rival’s playoff hopes, but they’ll have to find a way to start and finish strong for a full four quarters. This past week, Aaron Rodgers and company shucked their first-quarter woes with a pair of scores to take an early 14-0 lead against the Seahawks. But the Jets offense went radio silent for the next three quarters, totaling zero points en route to a loss.

Matchups to watch: Jets CB D.J. Reed vs. Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill

With All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner uncertain to suit up this week, the responsibility of checking one of the most dangerous receivers in the game, Tyreek Hill, falls to D.J. Reed. Although he doesn’t receive the same level of praise as his counterpart, Reed has played well this season in hopes of reaching a sizable payday in free agency this offseason.

Although the return of Tua Tagovailoa under center has revamped this passing game, showcasing Miami’s highly paid receiver hasn’t been a priority. Instead, players like Jonnu Smith have been in the spotlight, currently out-targeting Hill by eight targets over just the last two weeks. If this Dolphins offense hopes to regain its footing for a playoff push, it starts with Hill, who hasn’t posted a 100-plus yard performance since Week 1.

Additional news:

Dolphins Edge Bradley Chubb (knee) returned to practice for the first time since going down last New Year’s Eve; HC Mike McDaniel not ruling out possibility of playing.
Jets CB Sauce Gardner’s (hamstring) status remains uncertain this week.

Atlanta Falcons vs. Minnesota Vikings (-4.5)

Storyline of the game: Kirk Cousins’ return to Minnesota

Kirk Cousins makes his first trip back to Minnesota to face the team he spent six seasons with. The matchup will be a bittersweet one for the veteran passer, as his former team currently holds one of the top records in the NFC and is poised to make the long march to the postseason.

Cousins’ current home has fallen on shaky times with the Falcons having dropped their last three games, and hanging onto the lead in the NFC South by a thread. With Tampa breathing down their necks — also holding a 6-6 record — this road matchup with a quality opponent becomes a must-win if this team hopes to lock up a playoff berth.

Matchups to watch: Vikings pass pro vs. Falcons pass rush

The Falcons’ glaring lack of pass-rushing production has made maintaining leads a difficult task. This defense has generated just 31.4% pass-rush win rate (31st) and just a 3.3% sack rate (32nd) this season. However, Atlanta’s rush boomed in Week 13, as the unit amassed six sacks — over 35% of their total production for the year — against the Chargers.

This matchup with the Vikings’ struggling pass protection should provide another good opportunity for the Falcons to build on their success last week. Since Week 12, Minnesota has surrendered a 41.6% pressure rate (29th in the NFL), culminating in five sacks allowed this past week against the Cardinals.

Additional news:

Vikings first-year K Will Reichard and LS Andrew DePaola both returned to practice this week, nearing return.
Minnesota signed CB Kelvin Joseph to the practice squad.

**Subscribe to PFF+** to unlock the world's most advanced football database!

New Orleans Saints (-4.5) vs. New York Giants

Storyline of the game: Saints hope to rebound and close out strong

After claiming victory in the first two games with interim HC Darren Rizzi at the helm, New Orleans came out of its Week 12 bye flat and fell late to the Rams at home. A solid 2-1 record is a positive step for this team, albeit each of those games came in New Orleans. Now, the Saints must try to find success on the road, where they possess just a 1-4 record this season.

On the other sideline, the Giants are trying to locate any semblance of stability following their seventh straight loss and crushing defeat on Thanksgiving to the Cowboys. Although they embark on a two game homestand to start December, home sweet home has been anything but that for the Giants, who are 0-6 at Metlife — the only team without a home win this season.

Matchups to watch: Saints red-zone offense vs. Giants red-zone defense

Converting scores in the red zone was tough sledding for the Saints (0-for-2) last week, which now drops the Saints to just a 55.6% red-zone scoring percentage since Rizzi took over — good for 30th in the NFL. Now without Taysom Hill in the lineup, this offense will need to lean even more on the likes of Alvin Kamara and Juwan Johnson in the red zone.

The Giants are in equally bad shape when it comes to preventing red-zone scores, having allowed a 92.1% red-zone score percentage — the worst rate in the NFL this season. However, New York has managed to limit opposing offenses to just a 50% touchdown rate in the red-zone, a top-eight mark in the NFL.

Additional news:

Saints TE Taysom Hill (knee) suffered a torn ACL this past week, will miss the rest of the season.
New York is expected to start Drew Lock under center, with Tommy DeVito (forearm) still sidelined.

Carolina Panthers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (-12.5)

Storyline of the game: Eagles looking to further secure place atop NFC

With their last loss coming back in September, the Eagles have set their sights on securing not only a division title, but also the No. 1 seed in the NFC should the opportunity present itself. Energized coming off their road win over Baltimore, the Eagles are back in Philly for the first of four home games to close out the regular season.

With that said, Philly can’t afford to fall asleep against this reinvigorated Panthers team that holds a 2-2 record since the start of November — which could have been a 4-0 record had a couple of late plays bounced in its favor. That mettle will be put to the test on the road this week, the Panthers’ first road game since Week 8.

Matchups to watch: Eagles’ run-blocking offensive line vs. Panthers run defense

While the football world sings the praises of Saquon Barkley — as they should — not enough is being said about how well this Eagles offensive line is in paving the way for its back. This offensive line holds the second-highest run blocking grade (83.0) in the NFL, highlighted by the league’s highest-graded tackle in Jordan Mailata, who owns an insane 94.2 PFF run-blocking grade.

That’s bad news for a Panthers defense that ranks 31st in team run defense grade (45.9). Just this past week, Carolina allowed Buccaneers running backs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White to combine for 224 yards on the ground.

With Barkley chasing down a 2,000-yard season, this is a prime spot to erupt.

Additional news:

Eagles WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring) returned to practice Wednesday after missing the previous two games.

Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-6.5)

Storyline of the game: Steelers seek revenge after snowy loss

For the second time in the three weeks, these bitter AFC North rivals go toe-to-toe, with their snow globe matchup in Week 12 being one to remember. In that contest, the Steelers found themselves down early but managed to storm back and take a late lead, just to be dashed by a Nick Chubb touchdown to close it out.

Pittsburgh managed to regain its footing this past week after putting away the Bengals in a shootout on the road. Now, the Steelers return to Acrisure Stadium looking to take advantage of a Browns team coming off a crushing loss on Monday night in Denver, where Cleveland totaled over 550 yards of offense but tossed a pair of pick-sixes to seal it.

Matchups to watch: Steelers QB Russell Wilson vs. Browns closed coverages

Cleveland’s coverage unit lives and dies in closed coverages, running them at a 68.1% clip — second only to the Steelers this season. Their usual bread and butter lies in Cover 1 — being one of just five teams to run it more than 30% of coverage snaps. Yet, the last time these two teams faced off, they utilized it just under 15%.

The reason lies in the fact that Russell Wilson has picked apart Cover 1 this season, generating a 90.2 passing grade against it. Although he didn’t see it often in their last matchup, when he did, he completed all six of his attempts for 74 yards.

Additional news:

Pittsburgh has tied the NFL record with its 21st straight non-losing season, the 18th straight with Mike Tomlin at the helm.
Browns QB Jameis Winston set the franchise record for passing yards in a single game on Monday night.

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-7)

Storyline of the game: Bucs looking to take control of the NFC South

After a pair of road wins — and three corresponding losses from Atlanta — the Bucs find themselves on the verge of taking a hold of the top spot in the NFC South. However, Tampa will need a bit of help along the way if it hopes to capture the division crown, as the Falcons hold the head-to-head tiebreaker after sweeping the Bucs in their season series.

On the other sideline, the Raiders have struggled to build any sort of foundation, having notched their eighth straight loss in Week 13. Even when things are going right, they can’t manage to close it out, evidenced by last week’s loss to the Chiefs. The Raiders stormed back down 13 to take a fourth-quarter lead, just to watch it swing back to KC and then proceed to give the game away with a late fumble.

Matchups to watch: Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers vs. Buccaneers CB Tykee Smith

Inconsistency in the Raiders’ passing game under Luke Getsy made it difficult for Meyers to find productive touches, a trend that has since changed with Scott Turner calling the shots. Since returning from bye in Week 11, Meyers has racked up six receptions of 15 or more yards, which leads this offense.

The task of matching up with Meyers, particularly in the slot, will fall to Tykee Smith, should he manage to return this week. The Bucs corner has missed the last three games with a knee injury but returned to practice Wednesday, boding well for potential return. That would be a welcome addition considering Smith owns a top-20 coverage grade (74.3) when lined up in the slot.

Additional news:

Raiders RB Sincere McCormick has been elevated to the active roster after compiling 64 rushing yards on Black Friday.
Bucs RB Bucky Irving named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 13.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans (-3.5)

Storyline of the game: Jaguars without Trevor Lawrence

Jacksonville’s Week 13 loss to Houston not only officially eliminated the team from playoff contention — however improbable — but also saw Trevor Lawrence go down to an illegal hit by Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair, one that landed him on IR in addition to needing surgery for a shoulder injury. The late collision also resulted in Al-Shaair being suspended for Houston’s next three games. That will again thrust Mac Jones into the lineup to lead this offense.

The Titans were riding high following their Week 12 win over the Texans, yet followed that up in Week 13 by getting blown out by the Commanders, 42-19. While the Titans haven’t been mathematically eliminated from the playoff picture, they are, for all intents and purposes, going to be at home in January.

Circumstances for both these teams dictate that it’s time to take account of who may hold the potential to contribute to these rosters in the future.

Matchups to watch: Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr. vs. Titans run defense

This year has been Etienne’s most difficult season to date, with the former first-rounder generating the lowest rushing grade (63.1) of his career. And while blocking hasn’t been great, he has failed even when given space to work, totaling over 43% of his production before contact — fourth-highest in the NFL among qualifying backs.

Given how poorly the Titans fit the run this past week, this may be a spot for Etienne to rebound. In Week 13, this defense allowed 90-plus yards on the ground to two different backs, highlighted by an insane 6.8 yards per carry combined.

Additional news:

Titans WR Treylon Burks (knee) will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery.
Titans first-year S Julius Wood has been suspended for six games for violations of the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy.

Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals (-2.5)

Storyline of the game: Playoff implications in tightly contested NFC West

The NFC West is the closest division in football, with just two games separating the first and-last place teams in the standings. Currently, the top spot is in the grasp of the visiting Seahawks, who are riding high off their third straight win since coming off of their Week 10 bye — including their Week 12 matchup with this same Cards team.

The Cardinals haven’t been nearly as fortunate, dropping their last two and fumbling away the division lead. That slide started with Arizona’s loss to Seattle in Week 12, where the Seahawks kept Kyler Murray and company out of the end zone, totaling just a pair of field goals the entire game.

Matchups to watch: Seahawks pass protection vs. Cardinals' pressure packages

The Cardinals have seen a renaissance rushing the passer since the start of November, more than doubling their sack production — in half as many games — from the first half of the season. Identifying pressure can be troublesome against this Arizona pass-rush given the team’s top-eight rates calling blitzing (40.4%), stunting (30%) and simulated pressures (35.8%) on passing downs.

Some shuffling along the offensive line since returning from its Week 10 bye has left Seattle on shaky ground in pass pro. Over their last three games, this offense has surrendered a 10.9% sack rate — ranking 30th in the NFL over that span. A renewed focus on pre-snap communication will be vital this week if the Seahawks don’t want to give up another five sacks like they did when these two teams played just two weeks ago.

Additional news:

Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald and his wife, Stephanie, welcomed their first child on Tuesday night.

Buffalo Bills (-4.5) vs. Los Angeles Rams

Storyline of the game: Bills take aim for AFC’s top seed

After securing a playoff berth following their decisive victory in the Buffalo snow on Sunday night, the Bills set their sights on chasing down the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Josh Allen and this team look poised to make a deep postseason run, currently riding a seven-game win streak and producing the third-highest offensive EPA per play over that span.

If the Bills hope to catch the Chiefs, they must show up on the road in this matchup with a Rams team in the hunt for a playoff berth and just one game back from the NFC West lead. Since LA returned from its Week 6 bye, this team has secured a 5-2 record behind solid play on both sides of the ball — including top-eight overall offensive and defensive unit grades over that span.

Matchups to watch: Rams pass rush vs. Bills QB Josh Allen

Given the incredible play of Josh Allen both in and out of the pocket, it’s going to take a concerted effort from this entire Rams pass-rush if this defense is going to contain him. This young pass-rush could be up to the challenge, though, having generated a top-four pressure rate (37.2%) and pass-rush productivity rating (30.2).

Allen, on the other hand, handles pressure as well as any quarterback in the game, highlighted by his innate escapability and talent as a runner. This season, the MVP candidate ranks in the 90th percentile in under pressure grade, per PFF IQ. The only way to make sure Allen is contained is by getting him on the ground early and often.

Additional news:

Bills have clinched the AFC East with their Week 13 win over the 49ers.

Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers (-3.5)

Storyline of the game: Bears name Thomas Brown interim HC after firing of Matt Eberflus

Following this team’s Thanksgiving loss to the Lions and subsequent explosion reported to have occurred in the Bears locker room after the game, Chicago decided to part ways with Matt Eberflus. For the first time in franchise history, the Chicago Bears have opted to fire their head coach mid-season. Now, Thomas Brown steps into the interim role just a few weeks after being named the interim offensive coordinator.

The 49ers, however, find themselves a little worse for wear at the bottom of a crowded NFC West. Without a doubt, injuries continue to derail this team’s chances after the group lost Christian McCaffrey for the season to a non-contact knee injury. He’s just one of many 49ers to miss time this year, including Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Jordan Mason, George Kittle, Trent Williams and Brock Purdy.

Matchups to watch: 49ers RB Isaac Guerendo vs. Bears run defense

Along with Christian McCaffrey (knee) being out for the year, Jordan Mason (ankle) was also placed on injured reserve. The lion’s share of the workload in the backfield will shift to Guerendo. While first-year back has not graded out particularly well with a 62.9 rushing grade, he has managed to produce 5.9 yards per carry and find the end zone twice.

Although the Bears hold a solid 71.2 team run-defense grade (10th) this season, their recent outings have seen struggles. Over their last three games, Chicago has allowed backs to amass 75 yards or more on the ground four times.

Additional news:

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (knee) to undergo tests to determine severity of non-contact injury; expected to miss the remainder of the season.

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5)

Storyline of the game: Primetime matchup atop the AFC West

Nail-biting, last-second victories are the M.O. of the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs, as they survived yet another close game on Black Friday against the Raiders. Week 13 was a game in which Vegas coughed up the football with under 15 seconds left while in range of a potential game-winning field goal. That marks KC’s third win by three points or fewer over the last four games.

Although the Chargers are unlikely to gain the ground needed to capture a divisional crown, they can seek redemption for their Week 4 loss the last time these two AFC West rivals matched up. In that game, LA started off with a 10-0 lead in the first frame, only to allow 17 unanswered points and go three straight scoreless quarters.

Matchups to watch: Chargers CB Tarheeb Still vs. Chiefs WR DeAndre Hopkins

Although Hopkins’ transition to playing in Chiefs red hasn’t netted particularly noteworthy production, he has shown some flashes — like he did this past week, when he tallied a pair of receptions over 30 yards and a quality 2.65 yards per route run.

Tasked with checking the veteran receiver will be rookie fifth-round corner Still, owner of the league’s fourth-highest coverage grade at the position (83.7). The first-year corner is coming off his best game as a pro, having secured a pair of picks last week against Atlanta — including a second-half pick-six to take the lead, ultimately winning the game for the Chargers.

Additional news:

Chargers WR Ladd McConkey (knee/shoulder) practiced in limited fashion to start the week amid speculation if will be able to go in this one.

Cincinnati Bengals (-6.5) vs. Dallas Cowboys

Storyline of the game: Despite slim odds, both franchises clawing to stay alive

With neither of these franchises holding higher than a 2% chance to make the playoffs, per PFF’s simulation model, the odds of this game carrying any significant impact are exceedingly slim.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ hopes of making a postseason push fell flat following their third straight loss amid a tough stretch of schedule. This past week, they took the AFC North-leading Steelers to the brink in a shootout, but ultimately fell short in the second half and were unable to make up the ground versus an opportunistic Pittsburgh defense.

Conversely, the Cowboys find themselves trending the opposite direction after winning two games to close out November following their own five-game slide. With Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland back in the lineup, this defense has given this team the backbone it sorely lacked.

Matchups to watch: Cowboys EDGE Micah Parsons vs. Bengals RT Amarius Mims

The return of Micah Parsons has meant the world to this Cowboys defense, as having an elite pass-rusher has brought the edge back to this unit in all fronts. Since his return in Week 10, Parsons has racked up an incredible 90.8 PFF pass-rush grade, powered by an impressive 22 total pressures — including a league-leading seven sacks over that span.

Mims will surely have his hands full with this matchup against the former All-Pro, as the first-year tackle has struggled in pass pro this season with a 61.0 grade, which ranks 57th out of 77 qualifying tackles. However, the young tackle took strides in his last matchup coming off of the bye, where he allowed just a single pressure across 49 pass sets on his way to a season-high 74.9 pass-blocking grade.

Additional news:

Cincinnati has signed K Cade York after losing K Evan McPherson to injury.