NFL Nation reporters predict the outcomes and scores for Saturday's, Sunday's and Monday's Week 16 games.
COLTS AT RAVENS
Indianapolis Colts
Eight quarters is all the Colts have left in their worst season since 2011. To their credit, they haven't quit on coach Chuck Pagano, despite their season-long struggles. Those woes, especially in the second half of contests, will continue in Baltimore against the Ravens. Indianapolis has been outscored 223-91 in the second half and overtime of games this season. The Colts are in a youth movement because of the number of injuries that they've been ravaged with this season. Meanwhile, the Ravens need the victory to stay in playoff contention. Indianapolis suffers its seventh double-digit loss. Ravens 34, Colts 3 -- Mike Wells
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens will beat the unraveling Colts, and they'll do so resoundingly. Baltimore has too much momentum and motivation on its side. Winners of four of their past five games, the Ravens can clinch a wild-card berth by winning their final two games. And they catch another major break in the schedule by playing a backup quarterback (Jacoby Brissett instead of Andrew Luck). Two of Baltimore's three shutouts this season have come against a fill-in passer (Miami's Matt Moore and Green Bay's Brett Hundley). The Colts have scored the second fewest points in the NFL. So, it's time to ring up another shutout. Ravens 24, Colts 0 -- Jamison Hensley
VIKINGS AT PACKERS
Minnesota Vikings
One year after their last meeting at Lambeau Field, the fortunes of the Vikings and Packers are reversed. Minnesota needs to win its final two games to lock up a first-round bye, and Green Bay is out of playoff contention. The Vikings' defense made Brett Hundley's relief outing in these rivals' Week 6 meeting pretty miserable after he was sacked four times and threw three interceptions. Hundley is 1-3 at home this season, averaging 131 passing yards with no touchdown passes and five interceptions in four starts at Lambeau. Against the third-best passing defense in the NFL that has only allowed 13 touchdown passes this season, forget about it. Vikings win. Merry Christmas. Vikings 28, Packers 10 -- Courtney Cronin
Green Bay Packers
Brett Hundley has thrown eight touchdown passes this season. None have come at Lambeau Field, where he must face the NFL's No. 2 scoring defense. The Packers are playing out the string. The Vikings are playing for a first-round playoff bye. Lambeau could be half-empty -- or filled with Minnesota fans -- on what's expected to be a bitter cold night. Vikings 45, Packers 17 -- Rob Demovsky
BUCCANEERS AT PANTHERS
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs lost 10 players to injury on Monday night against the Falcons and narrowly lost 24-21. But they might not have much of a team left when they head to North Carolina to play the Panthers. Tight end O.J. Howard, safety Justin Evans and offensive guard J.R. Sweezy were placed on injured reserve this week, along with cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III, who had been out more than a month. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson missed practice this week with an ankle injury, Cameron Brate has been hobbled by knee and hip injuries and Lavonte David has been limited by a hamstring injury. For the third consecutive week, the Bucs will lose by a field goal. Panthers 26, Bucs 23 -- Jenna Laine
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have a lot riding on this one. Tied with New Orleans at 10-4, a win clinches a playoff spot and keeps Carolina in contention for the NFC South title. The Panthers held the Bucs to three points in an October win in Florida, and they're playing much better offensively. Tampa Bay is banged up, so it's hard to imagine this one will be close, even with Carolina outside linebacker Thomas Davis suspended. Panthers 28, Bucs 13 -- David Newton
BROWNS AT BEARS
Cleveland Browns
There is not much on paper that screams out this will be the Browns' first win of the season, except that the Bears' offense is averaging fewer yards per game and fewer passing yards than the Browns. Then there is this: Hue Jackson's past two wins -- while coaching the Raiders in 2011 and with the Browns last season -- have come on Christmas Eve. This game is on Christmas Eve. Jackson hits the trifecta and the Browns avoid the parade. Browns 13, Bears 12 -- Pat McManamon
Chicago Bears
It's a Christmas miracle! No, not Cleveland notching its first victory of the year, but rather the Bears picking up their first win as favorites in the dismal John Fox era. Chicago is 0-7 when favored since 2015. The Bears are the kings of the AFC North, with victories over Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincinnati. Why not Cleveland too? Bears 13, Browns 12 -- Jeff Dickerson
LIONS AT BENGALS
Detroit Lions
If the Lions have been good at one thing this season, it has been beating teams they are supposed to beat -- and the Bengals fall into that category, with an offense that has been among the worst in the NFL. Detroit also is still in the playoff picture, but it has to beat Cincinnati, then Green Bay next week and then hope for NFC South chaos. The Lions also have been a better road team this year, with a 5-2 record. Detroit is the more talented team with more to play for. That's the reason the Lions should win, but they never make it easy, oftentimes playing to the level of the competition. So, it'll be closer than it should be. Lions 24, Bengals 20 -- Mike Rothstein
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have had back-to-back embarrassing losses, plummeting their offense to last in the league. They're dealing with the possibility of their coach leaving, in addition to a mountain of injuries. The offensive line, which has struggled all season, will probably be down two starting tackles after Andre Smith was placed on the injured reserve list and Cedric Ogbuehi missed practice on Wednesday. None of that inspires much confidence that the Bengals will break their losing streak in what could be Marvin Lewis' last home game. Lions 24, Bengals 13 -- Katherine Terrell
DOLPHINS AT CHIEFS
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are 2-5 on the road. Injuries are adding up offensively as two starters -- tight end Julius Thomas and guard Jermon Bushrod -- went on injured reserve this week. Receiver DeVante Parker also is dealing with an ankle injury, hurting the potential firepower it would take to keep up with the Chiefs. Chiefs, 27, Dolphins 17 -- James Walker
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs have quietly played better defense in recent weeks. They're tied for sixth in yards allowed per play (4.9) and seventh in points allowed at fewer than 19 over their past five games. The Chiefs are suddenly back in the habit of forcing turnovers. They have seven takeaways in the past two games. The Dolphins, who are 28th in yards and 26th in scoring, won't produce enough offense on the road to win. Chiefs 22, Dolphins 13 -- Adam Teicher
BILLS AT PATRIOTS
Buffalo Bills
The Bills have won three of their past four games, but over that time, Buffalo has scored a total of six points in the second half. The next-worst scoring teams, the Browns and the Colts, have scored 20. Coach Sean McDermott chided his team in his locker room speech after last Sunday's win over the Dolphins for getting "sloppy" later in the game, and for good reason: The Bills might be able to beat lesser opponents despite barely moving the ball in the second half, but it won't happen against New England. Patriots 28, Bills 14 -- Mike Rodak
New England Patriots
The Patriots lead the NFL in red zone takeaways (six), with one of them proving to be a huge play the last time these teams met -- Eric Lee's end zone interception to thwart the Bills' impressive, time-consuming first drive. That bend-but-don't-break philosophy has been key for a defense that has been vulnerable in certain areas (for example, ranking last in opponents' average yards per rush at 4.9). With a victory, Tom Brady will stand alone in NFL history with a total of 12 seasons with at least 12 wins, and he should be the difference in this contest, as he is now off the injury report (Achilles) and practicing fully. Patriots 27, Bills 20 -- Mike Reiss
FALCONS AT SAINTS
Atlanta Falcons
The complexion of this game should change from a couple of weeks ago, with Saints running back Alvin Kamara back from a concussion. The Falcons benefited from his early exit during the last meeting, but now they'll have to be leery of both Kamara and backfield mate Mark Ingram. The key for the Falcons will be putting up points with an offense that just hasn't established a consistent rhythm. Wide receiver Julio Jones, just named to the Pro Bowl, is recovering from ankle and thumb injuries, which could be a factor as he contends with Saints rookie Pro Bowl CB Marshon Lattimore. This could come down to turnovers, a category in which the Saints are tied for 10th at plus-4 and the Falcons are tied for 22nd at minus-4. Saints 24, Falcons 21 -- Vaughn McClure
New Orleans Saints
Both quarterbacks should play better this time around, after Matt Ryan threw three interceptions and Drew Brees one in the final minutes that cost the Saints the game in a 20-17 loss at Atlanta two weeks ago. Devonta Freeman has torched the Saints over the past three years (a total of 809 yards from scrimmage and seven TDs in their past six meetings). Meanwhile, the Falcons didn't have to face Saints rookie Alvin Kamara much in their first meeting, after he got knocked out with a concussion on the opening drive. Kamara's 6.6 yards per carry are the most by any NFL running back in the Super Bowl era, and he and Mark Ingram are the first running back duo ever with more than 1,300 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns on the same team. Saints 27, Falcons 24 -- Mike Triplett
CHARGERS AT JETS
Los Angeles Chargers
The last time the Chargers faced a quarterback this inexperienced, they forced Nathan Peterman into five interceptions in a blowout win over the Bills. And while Bryce Petty has more familiarity in the offense for the Jets, he's still 1-4 as a starter (with four touchdowns and nine interceptions) and facing a talented Chargers' pass rush led by Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. Chargers 24, Jets 17 -- Eric Williams
New York Jets
The Jets are a much better team at home (4-3) than on the road (1-6), but that will be mitigated by their inexperience at quarterback. Bryce Petty, starting for the second consecutive week and only the sixth time in his career, could be in for a long day against the Chargers' bookend pass-rushers, Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram (21.5 combined sacks). The Jets can keep Philip Rivers & Co. under 27 points, but they don't have enough firepower to win a game in the mid-20s. The Chargers are ranked third in scoring defense and -- this is key -- they have a motivational edge because they're fighting for a playoff spot. Chargers 24, Jets 17 -- Rich Cimini
RAMS AT TITANS
Los Angeles Rams
The Titans are desperate, but the Rams are riding high, coming off a 42-7 rout of the Seahawks in Seattle. Another win clinches a division title for the Rams and keeps them as the No. 3 seed in the NFC. The Rams suffered a tough blow earlier this week with Greg Zuerlein, the most productive kicker in the NFL this season, going on injured reserve with a herniated disk in his back. But the Rams are clicking on offense and defense, and the Titans are reeling. Rams 28, Titans 20 -- Alden Gonzalez
Tennessee Titans
Tennessee is dangerously close to a playoff collapse after looking like a near lock two weeks ago. The red-hot Rams will challenge the Titans' defense with their use of play action once Todd Gurley gets rolling. Stopping Gurley will be priority No. 1 for the Titans' third-ranked rushing defense, but the passing attack is likely where the Rams will have success, what with Tennessee having cornerback injuries. The Titans haven't shown an ability to put up enough points to compete with a team like the Rams. Rams 30, Titans 17 -- Cameron Wolfe
BRONCOS AT REDSKINS
Denver Broncos
It's difficult to make a call in this one until the Broncos make a call at quarterback. As of Thursday, they had not decided if either Brock Osweiler or Paxton Lynch will start. If it were to be Osweiler, their chances to win improve greatly. However, Lynch has practiced just three times -- all this week -- since he suffered an ankle injury on Nov. 26 against the Raiders. The Broncos' defense should get to Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, who has been sacked 38 times this season -- fourth most in the league. But this pick is based on the Broncos trying as hard as they can to jam Lynch into the lineup before the end of the season. Redskins 23, Broncos 17 -- Jeff Legwold
Washington Redskins
The Redskins' offense continues to struggle, and the toll of not having tight end Jordan Reed, running back Chris Thompson and left tackle Trent Williams adds up. Those three, among the team's most indispensable players, will have missed a combined 22 games by season's end. In a lot of games, the Redskins could survive their absence, but Denver owns the top-ranked defense in yards allowed and is second in yards per rush and passing yards. Meanwhile, the Redskins' rushing attack has averaged 2.53 yards per carry over the past three games. Also, if Denver runs the ball remotely close to the way it did last week (211 yards, 4.59 yards per carry), it will have enough success, no matter who's at quarterback. Broncos 14, Redskins 13 -- John Keim
JAGUARS AT 49ERS
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jimmy Garoppolo has never lost a start (5-0), but he has never played against a defense such as the Jaguars' 2017 unit. It is on pace to become the first defense since the 1970 merger to lead the NFL in points allowed, takeaways and sacks. Two of the defense's four Pro Bowlers are cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye, who have combined for 10 interceptions and 34 pass breakups. You have to favor a ball-hawking defense with a great pass rush in a matchup against a young, inexperienced quarterback. Jaguars 27, 49ers 10 -- Mike DiRocco
San Francisco 49ers
At some point the Jimmy Garoppolo bus has to hit a speed bump, right? This week seems as likely as any, considering the Niners have to deal with the Jaguars' ferocious defense. Jacksonville ranks near the top of the league in most major categories, and it won't blitz Garoppolo as much as the Titans last week, leaning on its front four to create pressure. On paper, the Jags are clear favorites, but it's also worth noting their major struggles when traveling to the West Coast. Jacksonville has lost eight consecutive games in the Pacific Time Zone by an average of 20.9 points per game; its last win out West was in 2004. Still, those teams aren't this one, and the Jaguars should have enough to get it done with playoff seeding still at stake. Jaguars 26, 49ers 17 -- Nick Wagoner
GIANTS AT CARDINALS
New York Giants
The Cardinals allow 313 yards per game. The Giants' offense averages 311 yards per game. Split the difference and give the Giants 312 yards on Sunday afternoon in Arizona. It's hard to win that way. Cardinals 23, Giants 18 -- Jordan Raanan
Arizona Cardinals
With the Cardinals starting Drew Stanton at quarterback, the run game might end up being the difference if Bruce Arians expects to tie Ken Whisenhunt for most wins in franchise history. The Cardinals are averaging 125.75 yards rushing in their past four games, while the Giants are giving up 128.4 on the season. Arizona's run defense is ranked sixth in the NFL, while the Giants' rushing offense, which averages 89 yards per game, is ranked 28th. Cardinals 20, Giants 10 -- Josh Weinfuss
SEAHAWKS AT COWBOYS
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks' run defense is trending in a bad direction heading into Sunday's meeting with the Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott, who will be back from a six-game suspension. What galled coach Pete Carroll the most about the Seahawks' demoralizing 42-7 loss to the Rams was how they were gashed by Todd Gurley & Co. to the tune of 244 yards rushing, the most against Seattle since 2010. It also marked the second consecutive week in which a running back has topped 100 yards against Seattle. Having linebacker K.J. Wright back from a concussion will help, and the Seahawks figure to put up a good fight, given that they need to win out to maintain any shot at the playoffs. But their defense is still missing several key players whose absences appear to have finally caught up to the Seahawks. Cowboys 26, Seahawks 21 -- Brady Henderson
Dallas Cowboys
At the start of the season, this would have been considered one of the Cowboys' most difficult games, because of Seattle's historically strong defense. Without Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Cliff Avril over their past five outings, however, the Seahawks have given up 25.8 points per game and 134.2 yards on the ground. The Cowboys welcome back Ezekiel Elliott from a six-game suspension on Sunday. He needs 87 yards to put up the most rushing yards in the first two seasons by a Cowboys runner. Emmitt Smith had 2,500 in 1991-92 on his way to becoming the NFL's all-time leading rusher. Elliott will run the ball well, and his return will open the play-action game down the middle of the field for tight end Jason Witten. Cowboys 27, Seahawks 20 -- Todd Archer
STEELERS AT TEXANS
Houston Texans
Even without Antonio Brown, the Steelers' high-powered offense will have success against the Texans, who enter the game with the NFL's worst scoring defense. Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers are averaging 280.7 passing yards per game. His success will continue on Christmas Day, and the Texans will lose their fifth consecutive game for the first time since losing their final 14 games in 2013 after a 2-0 start. Steelers 31, Texans 17 -- Sarah Barshop
Pittsburgh Steelers
The last time Ben Roethlisberger lost to New England in the regular season (2015), he threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns the next week. Houston looks like a team deflated, with a once-stout defense allowing nearly 5,000 yards on the season. T.J. Yates is starting at quarterback for the Texans; the Steelers are 10-1 in their past 11 games against backup QBs, with the only loss coming at the hands of the Cowboys' Dak Prescott in 2016. Steelers 27, Texans 20 -- Jeremy Fowler
RAIDERS AT EAGLES
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders could be officially eliminated from the playoff race before kickoff, and the Eagles could be playing for home-field advantage in the NFC. Yeah, this has the chance to get out of hand, especially if the Eagles jump the Raiders quickly. Still, pride is at stake, on national television, and the last time the Raiders faced Nick Foles, he lit them up for seven touchdown passes in 2013. Oakland needs to start fast on offense -- which has regressed from the No. 6 unit in the league last season to No. 19 -- lest the game get out of hand even quicker. Eagles 37, Raiders 24 -- Paul Gutierrez
Philadelphia Eagles
The last time Nick Foles faced Oakland -- in November 2013 -- he threw seven touchdowns en route to a 49-20 Eagles win and a Pro Bowl berth. While he's unlikely to recreate that performance, Foles should find success against the NFL's 23rd-ranked pass defense. The Eagles' defense has been leaky of late and needs a strong showing to calm some nerves heading into the postseason. Back at home after a three-game road swing, coordinator Jim Schwartz's unit should get back on track. Eagles 27, Raiders 20 -- Tim McManus