QB Kirk Cousins is back with the Vikings, who should now be viewed as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Adam Bettcher / Getty Images
The Athletic has live coverage of all NFL Week 10 action, including Lions vs Patriots in Munich.
With half a season in the books and the trade window now closed, NFL teams are gearing up for a make-or-break stretch run. The next nine weeks’ results will determine division crowns, playoff berths and seeding, draft positions and employment statuses.
The Buffalo Bills (7-1) hold a healthy lead in the AFC East. The same goes for the Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2) in the AFC South. The AFC West looks like a two-team race between the Denver Broncos (7-2) and Kansas City Chiefs (6-2). Then, there’s the crowded AFC North, with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals (both 6-2), Cleveland Browns (5-4) and Baltimore Ravens (4-5).
The San Francisco 49ers (7-1) hold a commanding lead in the NFC West, but the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks (both 5-4) are capable of late-season charges. The New York Giants (5-3-1) lead a ragged bunch in the NFC East, while the NFC South is even worse, with all four teams sporting losing records. It’s the opposite in the NFC North, one of the best divisions in league history.
The Green Bay Packers (6-3) sit in last place behind the Minnesota Vikings (6-2), Detroit Lions (6-2) and Chicago Bears (7-2).
The action kicked off Thursday night with the Washington Commanders keeping their postseason hopes alive by squeaking past the Giants. The New England Patriots and Lions get Sunday’s action started in Munich, followed by 10 games across the 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. windows and then the nightcap between the Steelers and Bengals. On Monday, the winless Los Angeles Chargers take on the floundering Ravens in Baltimore.
Here are the top storylines to monitor across the NFL in Week 10.
(Teams on bye: Bears, Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Two playoff hopefuls face off overseas as the Patriots and Lions meet in Germany.
Detroit enters this matchup riding a four-game win streak (tied for the second-longest in the league), while New England aims to bounce back from a Week 9 drubbing to avoid falling to .500.
This cross-conference battle carries significant playoff implications. The Lions need a victory to keep pace with the Bears and Vikings and to remain a step ahead of the Packers. The Patriots risk falling further behind Buffalo in the AFC East.
Inconsistency and ball-security woes have plagued the Patriots this season. They boast quality wins over projected contenders like the Steelers and Bills, but they’ve also dropped contests to Seattle, Jacksonville, Chicago and Green Bay. New England’s 19 turnovers are tied with the Chargers for the most in the league.
Under normal circumstances, this could be a shootout between two top-10 quarterbacks. However, keeping pace with a Jared Goff-led offense that ranks fifth in both yards (379.8) and points (27.8) per game could prove challenging for Drake Maye and company. New England wide receiver A.J. Brown hopes to return to action after missing the past two games with a knee injury.
Running back Rhamondre Stevenson (knee) is also questionable.
New England’s defense could also struggle. Last week, Packers quarterback Jordan Love torched the Patriots for 372 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another. Goff will try to imitate that performance Sunday against a unit that has allowed 231.9 passing yards per game.
(Patriots vs. Lions in Munich, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network)
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said it best: “You might as well throw Week 1 out the window in most instances. There’s a lot of craziness that goes on.”
Indeed, much has changed since the Packers and Vikings opened the season against each other, a contest in which Green Bay blew a 12-point second-half lead and lost 39-22 due to three touchdown passes from Minnesota backup quarterback Carson Wentz.
Nine weeks later, the Packers have won five of their last six games. Their defense has hit its stride under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon, and Love looks like an MVP candidate in charge of an explosive offense.
The Vikings’ situation has changed even more drastically. Desperate to capitalize on a championship-caliber defense and fix their offensive woes, Minnesota swung big Tuesday by trading for Kirk Cousins to become the team’s starting quarterback.
Back for his second stint with the franchise — having spent six seasons in Minnesota, including two under coach Kevin O’Connell — the 38-year-old arrives from the Las Vegas Raiders, where he ranked among the league leaders in passing yards and touchdowns.
Until now, Brian Flores’ defense has largely carried this team to its 6-2 start. With Cousins back under center, the Vikings could finally have the balance they need to compete with the league’s Super Bowl contenders.
Given the weapons waiting for him in wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, plus tight end T.J. Hockenson — along with his familiarity with O’Connell’s system — Cousins is set up for a seamless transition. However, Gannon and a defense that has held opponents to 16.7 points per game over the past six weeks will do their best to ensure that doesn’t happen.
Deshaun Watson’s past and present will collide Sunday when the Browns host his former team, the Houston Texans. Watson missed last week’s game with a concussion, but he’s hoping to steer the Browns back on course after they opened the…