NFL football changes after Thanksgiving. Every matchup, every play becomes more critical as each week draws the league’s top teams closer to judgment day. At this point, the good and the bad have been sorted out. Fans, players, and coaches can all begin to predict the postseason. December kicks off with two critical AFC division games in prime time, Steelers vs. Ravens and Jets vs. Patriots. No team leads a division by more than one game, which should make for a entertaining and unpredictable final stretch of the 2010 season.

Houston at Philadelphia: In a passing league, the Texans 31st-ranked (286.2 yards per game) pass defense largely accounts for why they have fallen off the radar after a strong opening to the season. Expect Michael Vick to bolster his MVP candidacy with a big day; however, if the Eagles Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel is out for a second straight week, Philadelphia’s secondary could be just as vulnerable on as that of the Texans.
Eagles 34, Texans 24

Buffalo at Minnesota: Leslie Frazier became the second interim head coach this season to win in his first game with a victory over Washington last Sunday. If Vikings All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson is not available, rookie Toby Gerhart, who gained 76 yards on 22 carries last Sunday, will be expected to carry the load. Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has a touchdown pass in 12 straight game, but Buffalo has found creative ways to lose all season. The Vikings are struggling to stay alive for the playoffs under their new head coach.
Vikings 23, Bills 14

Cleveland at Miami: The month of December has arrived and the Browns are not yet eliminated from the postseason. Miami is struggling to keep pace in the competitive AFC East. With Chad Henne and Jake Delhomme likely under center for the Dolphins and Browns, respectively, expect this game to be won on the ground. Miami’s tandem of Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown should play a big role in this game and Cleveland’s Peyton Hillis already has 11 touchdowns on the season.
Browns 20, Dolphins 13

Jacksonville at Tennessee: At 6-5, Jacksonville is first in the AFC South while a 5-6 Tennessee team is currently last. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew has at least 100 rushing yards in four consecutive games. After a 5-3 start, the Titans have fallen apart since their bye week with three consecutive losses including last week’s shutout at Houston. Starting Rusty Smith at quarterback will not help Tennessee’s confidence.
Jaguars 24, Titans 9

New Orleans at Cincinnati: The Bengals will be staring across the field Sunday at what they thought and wished they had in Carson Palmer–a franchise quarterback. Drew Brees has found his Super Bowl MVP swagger, and his Saints are winners of four straight. The Saints have put up at least 30 points in three straight games and the Bengals defense ranks No. 27 in points allowed per game (26.2). The Bengals are just thankful they have the Cowboys and Vikings to keep them from being crowned the biggest disappointment of 2010.
Saints 31, Bengals 17

Denver at Kansas City: Kansas City sits atop the AFC West at 7-4, while Denver is in the basement at 3-8. However, the bad blood between these two division rivals should make for compelling football, especially given the Broncos 49-29 victory over the Chiefs in Week 10 that culminated in Chief’s coach Todd Haley refusing to shake the hand of Bronco’s coach Josh McDaniels. Matt Cassel has thrown for 12 touchdowns in the past four weeks, but given that they also posses the league’s No. 1 rushing offense, expect the Chiefs to run the ball all over Denver’s 30th-ranked rushing defense.
Chiefs 34, Broncos 20

Washington at New York Giants: The Giants have won four straight games against their division rival Redskins, but Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb has won four straight against the Giants. The Giants are 7-4 and fighting to keep pace with Philadelphia for the division lead. The Redskins, on the other hand, are fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive. Washington’s banged up offensive line faces a tough challenge against the Giants, who have over 30 sacks on the season.
Giants 27, Redskins, 13

Chicago at Detroit: The fans, the officials, the Bears, and Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson have certainly not forgotten the controversial Week 1 call that cost Detroit the game. That play sent these two NFC North teams down complete opposite paths as the 8-4 Bears have ridden strong defense and special teams to a division lead while the Lions, finding ways to lose close games in the fourth quarter, have skidded to 2-9 record behind a rotating carousel of quarterbacks. The Lions will most likely start third-string quarterback Drew Stanton at Ford Field Sunday. Bears 24, Lions 13

San Francisco at Green Bay: Both the Packers and 49ers enter Sunday’s matchup one game out of first place in their respective divisions. The difference is that the Packers 7-4 record would qualify them for first place in the weak NFC West, as the division does not boast a single team over .500. Despite starting 0-4 and still sitting at 4-7, the 49ers remain in the thick of the NFC West division race. However, they must complete the home stretch without their best offensive player, running back Frank Gore, who was placed on injured reserve Tuesday after suffering a hip injury on Monday night. The Packers will be wearing throwback jerseys from their first championship season, 1929. Flurries are expected at the Frozen Tundra Sunday.
Packers 28, 49ers 10

Oakland at San Diego: The Chargers still have the NFL’s No. 1 ranked offense and defense in terms of yards per game, and have been able to put together a late season charge. The Chargers are once again playing their best football heading into the month of December, the reason they have won the division each of the last four seasons. Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell has a 106.3 quarterback rating against the Chargers, assuming he gets the start over quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, and running back Darren McFadden is averaging 4.9 yards per carry. The Chargers, however, have won a league leading 18 consecutive home games in December.
Chargers 32, Raiders 17

Atlanta at Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay is arguably the most improved team in the NFL this season under Coach of the Year candidate Raheem Morris. However, without wins against top-tier opponents, they could be one of the best teams on the outside looking in come January. What better way to bolster postseason chances than a matchup with the top dog of your own division? Atlanta possesses one of the most balanced offenses in the NFL, led by quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner. The Falcons also have something to prove as they have struggled on the road with Ryan at quarterback. Both teams have excelled at wining the close games this season.
Buccaneers 23, Falcons 20

Dallas at Indianapolis: Colts quarterback Peyton Manning will look to rebound from his four-interception debacle Sunday Night when they Colts host Dallas this weekend. What was once tabbed as a potential Super Bowl preview has now been relegated to a matchup between the Cowboys, 2010’s biggest disappointment, and a 6-5 Colts team struggling to stay above .500 and keep pace with the Jaguars in the AFC South.
Colts 26, Cowboys 17

St. Louis at Arizona: The Cardinals have won the NFC West each of the past two seasons. In that span, the Rams have floundered in the basement of the division with a combined 3-29 record. The different directions of these teams can be attributed to quarterback play. The Rams drafted rookie Sam Bradford and he immediately became their starter, a role in which he has thrived. Elite talent such as receiver Anquan Boldin and linebacker Karlos Dansby have been fleeing Arizona since the retirement of quarterback Kurt Warner. Unless they find a better option than Derek Anderson, they could lose more elite players such as wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
Rams 21, Cardinals 20

Carolina at Seattle: The Seahawks need the win to stay at least tied atop the abysmal NFC West while the Panthers have been playing like a dead team walking since Week 4 under head coach John Fox, who seems to want nothing more than a way out. Seahawks 17, Panthers 10

Pittsburgh at Baltimore: The most physical rivalry in the NFL will be renewed for the second time this season on Sunday Night Football. Count on a low scoring affair and dominant performances from some of the games brightest defensive stars, including a battle between All- Pro Ravens safety Ed Reed and Steelers safety Troy Polamalu. Quarterback Joe Flacco led the Ravens’ offense down the field in the closing minutes of their Week 4 matchup to steal a victory in Pittsburgh. This time, however, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will return to the rivalry in a game where the winner controls their fate in the division. Steelers 24, Ravens 20

New York Jets at New England: A battle between two bitter AFC East division rivals both tied with the best record in the NFL at 9-2 highlights the Week 13 lineup. The Jets bested the Patriots in New York early in the season, but down the stretch quarterback Tom Brady has been churning out MVP caliber performances like its 2007. Belichick versus Ryan, Brady versus Sanchez, the Jets’ eight-game road winning streak against the Patriots’ 15-game winning streak at home in December are all reasons to tune in Monday night. The only thing missing is Moss against Revis, but no one in the Patriots locker room is complaining about that. Patriots 28, Jets 21