Miami got stomped on by the Detroit run-punch (248-allowed), a 3rd-loss the last-4 further compounded by a lack of effect from returning DE Wake and CB McCain in a defence folding week-to-week. They'll be vulnerable to the speed of the Texans and with queries over WRs Stills and Wilson (both leg) it's not currently a roster able to cover the miscues of QB Osweiler (22 at 71%, 239, 2TDs). He's lifted to a decent level the past fortnight but on the short-turn to TNF, he'll unlikely display the same poise facing this front-7.
Houston took the division lead downing a Jags side that didn't put up much of a fight. The defence forced 3-turnovers keeping the host off the scoreboard until late in the third as QB Watson (12 at 50%, 139, 1TD), who travelled the 800 miles by bus (medical), managed them home behind improved OL-protection. Expect the D-line to rip into the Dolphins pocket and with Watson nearer his explosive best they can reverse the loss at the last meeting in '15 and extend on 4-straight hosting this all-time.
Texans by 6

Jacksonville put in another shocker, this time hosting the Texans with QB Bortles (6 at 50%, 61) benched in the third after fumbling twice and missing all sorts of throws. Neither Bortles (listed) or QB Kessler (21 at 70%, 156, 1-1) are assisting the flawed offence and with locker-room issues spilling onto the field it'll take a huge defensive effort to compensate against an Eagles offence also struggling, the one positive perhaps, the 3-0 record in London since '14.
Philadelphia blanked the Panthers 17-0 into the 4th-quarter at home but got clipped late by 3TDs, dropping to 3-4 and with obvious concerns. QB Wentz (30 at 81%, 310, 2TDs) held firm despite the lack of run-base and occasional loose-protection but while his combo with receivers Ertz and Jeffery (230 combined) will move the chains they're still uncertain entering the red-zone. Put that alongside a struggling pass-D and this is far from straightforward travelling to a 1st-ever in London. Still, the train-wreck developing in the Jacksonville HQ is on their side and if they keep Wentz clean this is where he can stamp his worth looking to extend on 2-straight all-grounds in the rare meetings back to '10.
Eagles by 1

Baltimore arrives off a 4th-quarter choke hosting NOLA, but at least shot with Saints throughout and only missed OT on a failed extra-point (Tucker's 1st ever in 223 attempts). QB Flacco (23 at 59%, 279, 2TDs) had no issue sticking with Brees, and if upright can take the scalpel to this host, but multiple injuries in the OL leave them vulnerable against the pass-rush and you'd question whether aging defensive-leaders Suggs, Mosley, and Weddle can tie Newton down wire-to-wire.
Carolina went scoreless to the 4th-quarter in Philly but they nailed the red-zone visits for 3TDs, dragging back a 17-point deficit as the front-7 stopped the Eagles dead (4S). They're still scratchy defending through the secondary, and could be stumped if forced to the ground given the over-reliance on part-timers QB Newton (7-49) and RB McCaffrey (7-29), but if the pass-rush clips Flacco they can win a slug-out at the Vault. They're 0-2 (home and away) since winning here in '06.
Panthers by 3

NYJ ran out of weapons to throw at Minnesota in NJ, the injuries exposing them after the main-break to sit 3-4. The shortage includes pass-defenders and pass-catchers, the latter unit no help to rookie QB Darnold (17 at 40%, 206, 1-3, 1F) up against the playmaking defence of this host. Returns for CBs Johnson and Skrine should tie the Bears down for some of it, and LB Copeland and DE Williams will get after Trubisky, but it doesn't feel enough on the visit.
Chicago left it too late hosting the Pats, coming back from a 1st-half deficit to take the lead before falling a yard short. QB Trubisky (333, 2-2, 81 rushing, 1 rushing TD) was forced to chase the game after the special teams gave up 2TDs, and they too often stalled allowing the Pats to control the game, but it's a young and growing side and if they stuff the Jets run the QB has enough versatile weapons to bring this home if he's not fighting the clock. They're 4-straight all-grounds since Y2K, 2-0 in New Jersey that period.
Bears by 14

Tampa Bay continued the high-risk plays to snag the visiting Browns in OT, 3-turnovers from QB Winston (32 at 62%, 365) covered by heavy yardage (456 all-purpose) and crunch-plays, all capped by a game-winning FG from 59. It has them 3-3 and in the mix with the pass-rush (5S) still producing despite the absence of DLs McCoy and Curry (both leg - queries). They've lost LB Alexander (knee) and you wouldn't be confident of ball-security in the Ohio-chill but if the QB keeps it going deep to receivers Evans, Jackson and Howard (14-199 combined), it'll turn the pressure on Dalton to deliver.
Cincinnati copped it large visiting Kansas, slipping to a 31-point deficit early the third before mailing in the rest. They'll regroup for this at home but they've doubts over WR Ross (groin) and LB Burfict (hip) as the injuries pile up, and the defence is malfunctioning at all 3-levels off the 550-concede. Expect DL Dunlap and Atkins to make a beeline for the skittish Winston and if the Bucs offer the customary breaks it won't surprise to see it plated up for Dalton (15 at 53%, 148, 1-1) to hit the electric pair of WR Green and RB Mixon. They won the last meeting in '15 in Florida but are 0-3 hosting this century.
Bengals by 6

Seattle slayed Oakland in London to hit the bye 3-3, the only loss the last-4 a late stinger hosting LAR. The improving OL is keeping QB Wilson (17 at 74%, 223, 3-1) upright while opening lanes for run-work (155 rushing v Raiders) and should make inroads here too. The caution is their own scratchy run-D (121-average, 23rd) but a possible return for LB Wright (knee) and the quality pass-stops (206-average, 3rd) will assist against Stafford, and if WR Baldwin can get behind the Lions in the deep they're a shot at another on the road (2-2).
Detroit held Miami at arm's length start-to-finish for 3-3, running that host into the dirt (248) and building enough pressure on scrimmage (4S) to close it out. The homerun talent of RB Johnson (19-158) is opening the field for QB Stafford (18 at 82%, 217, 2TDs) to make high-percentage plays behind clean protection (5th- sacks allowed). The work-on is the run-stops (139-average, 30th) in a unit conceding a 26-point average and now facing a balanced visitor offence. They're 0-2 (both away) in the rare meetings since winning this fixture in '12.
Lions by 3

Denver stitched together a trick-play TD and pair of pick-6s, all in the 1st-quarter at Arizona, before mailing in the 2nd-half with the game tucked up. They remain a spoiler-type opponent at 3-4 behind the playmaking-defence (6S, 5TOs last out) and the standout talent of WR Sanders (102, 1TD), but expecting QB Keenum (14 at 66%, 161, 1-1) to hang tough on the road against Mahomes is a stretch. Another injury doesn't help, this time SS Stewart (neck - query), but they took KC to the wire in W4 and if LB Miller (8S, 4FF - season) gets some separation in the host-OL perhaps they can run it close again.
The issue is the constancy of the Kansas points-machine (37-average, 1st), just off wiping Cincy on 40-minutes of game-clock before cruising through garbage-time. Despite injuries they're showing signs of tightening up on defence, keeping the Bengals under 250 and forcing 5-punts. LB Houston (hamstring) is close and if they hold Keenum, it'll ease the job for electric QB Mahomes (28 at 72%, 358, 4-1). His athleticism is covering the continued absence of OL starters Morse and LDT, and if they get the early jump it wouldn't surprise if weapons Kelce, Hill, Watkins and Hunt ran away with it. They've had the recent wood in the rivalry, 6-straight all-grounds back to '15, 2-0 hosting that period.
Chiefs by 17

NYG continued the flailing in Atlanta, regular inroads (430 all-purpose) thwarted in the red-zone as QB Manning (27 at 71%, 399, 1TD) again hit the dirt in critical moments. That inability to seal drives is negating the highlight-plays of RB Barkley and WRs Beckham and Shepard (both 140-plus), and, while the trio can stretch this visitor as Jenkins, Collins, Vernon, and Harrison offer the occasional defensive stand, it's too inconsistent, the lack of confidence all-field beginning to show through the fans.
Washington picked up a second on the trot via a late defensive-TD hosting Dallas ahead of a Boys FG-attempt which caught the wood as time expired. QB Smith (14 at 56%, 178, 1TD) was just passable but got productivity out of vet RB Petersen (24-99), as the Skins defence held RB Elliot to 33 off 15 carries. That's delivered control of the division and with the host offence in trouble, if they bust through the porous OL it should allow Smith time to build rhythm. The series has been split the last-3 seasons but the Skins won in NJ as recently as '16.
Redskins by 1

Cleveland took yet another to OT (4 of 7) but again choked the points, blowing field-position and then fumbling a punt-return to set up the Bucs for the game-winner. An injury-hit secondary has waved through the last-2 opponents wasting any momo generated by DEs Garrett and Ogbah, and regularly forcing rookie QB Mayfield (23 at 68%, 215, 2TDs) into tight windows. WRs Landry and Njoku (14-149, 2TDs combined) can make plays but the Browns lack a spread of offensive weapons, and look short for the crunch-play-confidence of the host, suggesting this will likely go wider than the standard 1-score margins this season (6 of 7 by 4-or-less).
Pittsburgh QB Roethlisberger (32 at 70%, 369, 1-0), hit WR Brown for a TD with 10-seconds left in the Jungle to seal it 28-21 and comes off the bye for another div-rival on which they've generally have the wood. The recently improved defence continued the right way with Williams back alongside Watt, Tuitt, and Hargrave (3S combined) and coming down on an OL allowing 4S-average if they can get some doubt into Mayfield it should offer Big Ben time to alternate ground-and-sky with all options looking energetic and fizzed last out. Perhaps still query the stops and the continued absence of RB Bell (contract), but RB Conner went over 100 on the ground again and there's a confidence growing across the pitch. They tied in September but were 6-straight prior and are 14-0 at the Steelworks since the Browns won here 15-years ago.
Steelers by 17

Oakland fell apart into the bye, knocked for double-digits by LAC and Seattle with QB Carr (23 at 74%, 142, 0-0, 2F) sacked-6 by the Seahawks in London and clearly dispirited behind a thin OL. They'll possibly return OG Osemele (knee) but are without RB Lynch (groin), and while receivers Bryant, Cook and Nelson should see space, they can't be banked in the red-zone. The rest and home-deck assist but the roster seems to be losing faith in Gruden and it won't surprise if the defence is opened up by Luck.
Indianapolis dismantled the Bills at home behind RB Mack (126, 1TD) and an improved defence (5 forced-turnovers). It keeps them alive, albeit 2-5, and LB Leonard and DE Sheard should find similar rhythm here pinching the Raiders out-of-date offence. Per the standard they'll live or die by QB Luck (17 at 74%, 156, 4TDs) but his efficiency is trending up via a cut in turnovers to go with the weekly TDs (15 last month), and if WR Hilton (hamstring) fronts better for the run, and they get another hard track in California, they can back-up. They went down at Oakland in '16 but were 4-straight all-grounds prior since the Raiders won in Indianapolis in '01.
Colts by 3

San Francisco dealt up more of the same hosting LAR, the inability to force turnovers (3 - season), and a tendency to shell them out (14 - season), making for a 29-point loss and new injuries. LB Foster (shoulder) and FS Colbert (leg) are questionable but possible returns for CBs Sherman and Ward would stiffen the secondary behind Armstead, Smith and Thomas, and while QB Beathard (14 at 56%, 170, 1-2) is no banker in the crunch, he's an arm that can go deep and stretch the Cards aiming up on Kittle, Goodwin and Garcon (8-127, 1TD combined). The issue is the 7-sacks last week and now facing prime edge-rusher Jones, but they've enough zip on offence to edge a pedestrian host if the QB stays upright.
Arizona hosted Denver, with both on the short turnaround to TNF, and perhaps unsurprisingly it was rookie QB Rosen (21 at 54%, 194, 1-3) who collapsed behind a tepid OL, sacked-6 on the limited prep against a quality pass-rush. He put them in the hole in the 1st-quarter when picked twice to the house, and followed with another intercept and a pair of fumbles before the end. His task looks easier here, and the longer break should allow a regroup, but the 13-point offence is rightly bottom-2 as RB Johnson (14-39) struggles for traction and unless DE Jones (6S, 3FFs -season) can create serious havoc in the visitor-OL, they're a risk. They're chasing the sweep after the 10-pointer in W5 and looking to extend on 7-straight all-fields, the 49ers last winning here 5-years ago.
Cards by 7

Green Bay played down to opponent-level hosting the 49ers until the final minutes when the customary-comeback from QB Rodgers (25 at 54%, 425, 2TDs) dragged them over the line via 2-scoring-drives in 3-minutes for 33-30. At 3-2-1 they're on pace in the AFC-North and the return of WRs Cobb and Allison (both hamstring) alongside passing-threats Adams and Graham (15-236, 2TDs combined last out), can split the Rams suspect pass-D, but the interior protection will unlikely stand up to Suh and Donald across 4-quarters. The 174 shipped on the ground to the 49ers doesn't bode well for a meeting with Gurley and, with their own pass-D little better, they're up against it in the baking sun of LA.
The LA Rams put the 49ers away on the road in routine fashion, as DT Donald (4S) blew-up the interior leading a pulverising defence (7S, 2INTs, 2FFs). They'll look for field-position by setting him on Rodgers and are suited back here after a tough road-series (Seattle-Denver-San Fran). They're unbeaten at 7-0 with RB Gurley (8TDs the last-3) pacing the 34-point offence for QB Goff (18 at 75%, 202, 2TDs) and, while the QB's composure could be inspected if it becomes a shootout with Rodgers, he's shown enough to hold his own on home-deck and end a 0-5 run all-grounds since winning at Lambeau in '06.
Rams by 17

NOLA will be bruised after a physical week and is now backing-up in another cold-weather city after required a 17-point 4th-quarter to get up in Baltimore. Still, they're rolling at 5-1 with QB Brees (73%, 2TD) supported by a stiff OL and dominant run-game (134 last out), that ability to maintain possession pushing opponents to late-game mistakes. The pass-defence is no lock but they're comfortable in a shootout, will be at home under the roof, and should go deep looking to erase last season's playoff disaster (beaten on walk-off TD).
Minnesota ran up the score across the fourth to blow the Jets in NJ but lost CB Rhodes (ankle) and LG Compton (knee - both unlikely) to an absent-list already sporting Griffen, Joseph, Cook, Sendejo and Reiff. They're getting by on the WR Thielen mismatch (822 from 7 games), and a rock-solid 3rd-down defence (allowing 23% conversion, 1st). Both factors are in play here, the cautions being plan-B on offence and the suspect pass-defence against top-tier throwers-and-receivers (67-points allowed to the Packers and Rams). They're 2-straight back to '17, both those here.
Vikings by 3

Buffalo started 3rd-string QB Anderson (20 at 65%, 171, 3INTs, 1F) for predicable results visiting Indy and with RB McCoy (head - query) exiting they barely resembled pro-grade on offence while the defence mailed it in air-and-ground. Expect a lift hosting a div-rival, and they put in the odd good showing, but the reality is they don't have the pieces to remain in touching distance of the Pats and any repeat of the scrimmage-surrender would see it blow out badly.
New England handed back much of a 14-point lead in Chicago before holding on late. They relied on a pair of special-team TDs as the offence struggled in periods in the absence of TE Gronkowski. He's a query this week too, possibly leaving QB Brady (277, 3-1) short of his go-to down the middle, but the host is conceding plenty and it'll likely mean the QB will work on the connection with WR Gordon. They lack run but it may not matter here and if they get some roll-on early the 31-point offence should eventually put the squeeze into a one-way rivalry, 30-5 all grounds back to Y2K.
Pats by 10