Week 10 is where the NFL season starts to sort itself out. Most teams have played eight or nine games, the trade deadline has passed, and several rosters now look different than they did a week ago. The 14-game slate has two first-place showdowns, two rookie quarterback debuts, a game in Germany and a Monday night matchup involving the league’s only winless team.
Four teams are on bye: the Bears, Broncos, Eagles and Buccaneers, per FantasyPros’ Week 10 schedule. Below, FieldPylon ranks every game by how much it matters for the playoff race, from the must-watch matchups down to the ones that mostly matter for the draft order. Records are through Week 9, and kickoff times are Eastern.
Week 10 at a glance
| Rank | Game | Records | Kickoff (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steelers at Bengals | 6-2 vs. 6-2 | Sun. 8:20 p.m. | NBC |
| 2 | Vikings at Packers | 6-2 vs. 6-3 | Sun. 1 p.m. | FOX |
| 3 | Patriots vs. Lions (Munich) | 5-4 vs. 6-2 | Sun. 9:30 a.m. | FOX |
| 4 | 49ers at Cowboys | 7-1 vs. 4-5 | Sun. 4:25 p.m. | FOX |
| 5 | Chiefs at Falcons | 6-2 vs. 3-6 | Sun. 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 6 | Panthers at Saints | 3-5 vs. 3-5 | Sun. 1 p.m. | FOX |
| 7 | Seahawks at Raiders | 5-4 vs. 4-5 | Sun. 4:05 p.m. | CBS |
| 8 | Texans at Browns | 3-5 vs. 5-4 | Sun. 1 p.m. | FOX |
| 9 | Bills at Jets | 7-1 vs. 2-7 | Sun. 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 10 | Rams at Cardinals | 5-4 vs. 3-6 | Sun. 4:05 p.m. | CBS |
| 11 | Commanders at Giants | 2-5-1 vs. 5-2-1 | Thu. 8:15 p.m. | Prime Video |
| 12 | Jaguars at Titans | 6-2 vs. 1-7 | Sun. 1 p.m. | FOX |
| 13 | Chargers at Ravens | 0-8 vs. 4-5 | Mon. | ESPN |
| 14 | Dolphins at Colts | 1-7 vs. 2-7 | Sun. 1 p.m. | CBS |
Schedule and TV from NFL.com and CBS Sports.
Tier 1: The games that move the standings
1. Steelers at Bengals: first place in the AFC North
This is the game of the week. Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are both 6-2, and the winner leaves Sunday night alone atop the AFC North. It is Aaron Rodgers against Joe Burrow in prime time, as NFL Playoff Pass pointed out. The loser does not fall out of the race, since both teams sit inside the AFC’s top six, but it gives up the head-to-head edge for the division.
The Steelers spent the deadline chasing receivers, including Calvin Ridley and Josh Downs, and came away without either, as we covered in Pittsburgh’s deadline pursuit. That makes this a test of whether Rodgers’ current group is enough against a Burrow-led offense. Our full Steelers vs. Bengals preview has the matchup details.
2. Vikings at Packers: Cousins back at Lambeau
Two of the four NFC North teams with winning records meet at Lambeau Field. Minnesota is 6-2 and Green Bay is 6-3, and with the Bears (7-2) on bye and the Lions (6-2) in Munich, the North is the deepest division in football. Green Bay is a 3-point favorite, according to ESPN’s schedule page.
The storyline is Kirk Cousins, who makes his first start since returning to Minnesota in the deadline trade with Las Vegas. Jordan Love arrives as the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week, as covered in our story on Love’s award. Minnesota won the opener 39-22. Our Vikings vs. Packers preview breaks down the rematch.
3. Patriots vs. Lions in Munich
The early-morning game in Germany carries real weight. Detroit is 6-2 and a 2.5-point favorite, and New England is 5-4 and holding the AFC’s No. 7 seed. It is also the last European game of the season before the international slate moves to Mexico City in Week 11. The Patriots will be without Rhamondre Stevenson, as we reported in our Patriots injury update. Our Patriots vs. Lions Munich preview has the full breakdown.
4. 49ers at Cowboys: the best record in the NFC on the road
San Francisco is 7-1 and sits first in the NFC. Dallas is 4-5 and needs wins to stay in the wild-card hunt. The 49ers are 3.5-point favorites, and the 55.5-point total is the highest of the week, per ESPN. The Niners also added Keenan Allen at the deadline, as covered in our Keenan Allen trade story. See our 49ers vs. Cowboys preview for more.
Tier 2: Big storylines with playoff stakes
5. Chiefs at Falcons: Mahomes’ elbow and Josh Downs’ debut
Kansas City is 6-2 and a 3-point favorite in Atlanta. The main question this week was Patrick Mahomes’ throwing elbow after the Jets game, but he was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, as we noted in our Mahomes elbow story. The Chiefs also expect to debut deadline pickup Josh Downs, covered in the Downs trade. At 3-6, Atlanta needs a home upset to keep its season alive.
6. Panthers at Saints: a battle for the NFC South lead
This one looks ordinary on paper, but it is a first-place game. Carolina and New Orleans are both 3-5, and Carolina currently holds the NFC South lead and the No. 4 seed on tiebreakers, according to the league standings. The Saints are 2.5-point favorites at home. In a division where nobody has a winning record, this game could decide who hosts a playoff game in January.
7. Seahawks at Raiders: Fernando Mendoza’s first start
The No. 1 overall pick makes his NFL debut. Mendoza takes over after the Raiders traded Kirk Cousins, and he enters the game as the new betting favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year, as we explained in our Rookie of the Year race breakdown. Seattle is 5-4 and in the NFC wild-card mix, while Las Vegas is 4-5. Our Seahawks vs. Raiders preview looks at what Mendoza faces.
8. Texans at Browns: Watson’s chance
Cleveland is 5-4 and holds the AFC’s No. 8 spot, one game out of the playoff field. Houston is 3-5 but is still favored by 4.5 points on the road. Deshaun Watson is back as the Browns’ starter, as we reported in Cleveland’s QB decision, and rookie receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion give him two of the most productive first-year pass catchers in the league.
Tier 3: Favorites who need to avoid a slip
9. Bills at Jets: Buffalo protects the No. 1 seed
The 7-1 Bills are 8.5-point favorites at MetLife Stadium, per ESPN. Buffalo holds the AFC’s top seed and could debut deadline addition Amani Hooker, the safety it landed from Tennessee, as covered in our Hooker trade story. The concern is the injury list, including cornerback Christian Benford, and an offensive line that has struggled. The Jets are 2-7, but rookie edge rusher David Bailey has 7.5 sacks and is one of the league’s most disruptive young defenders. Our Bills vs. Jets preview has the full matchup.
10. Rams at Cardinals: Carson Beck’s debut
The Rams are 5-4 and trying to stay in the NFC wild-card race without Puka Nacua, whose return timeline we covered in our Nacua update. Arizona turns to rookie Carson Beck, who said he was excited to make his debut, after Gardner Minshew’s injury. Our story on Beck taking over explains how the Cardinals got here.
11. Commanders at Giants: Thursday night
The week opens tonight on Prime Video. The Giants are 5-2-1 and lead the NFC East, and they lean on rookie linebacker Arvell Reese, the reigning NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Washington is 2-5-1 and running out of time. Both teams are playing on short rest. Our Commanders vs. Giants preview has the details.
12. Jaguars at Titans
Jacksonville is 6-2, third in the AFC, and a 10.5-point favorite, the biggest spread of the week. Tennessee is 1-7, but rookie receiver Carnell Tate has been one of the few bright spots. The Jaguars were active at the deadline, as covered in our look at their trades, and this is a game they cannot afford to drop.
Tier 4: Draft-order games
13. Chargers at Ravens: Monday night
The 0-8 Chargers close the week in Baltimore, with the Ravens playing on extra rest, 11 days since their last game, per Fresh Calendars’ rest-day breakdown. Los Angeles enters after a strange week in which its only deadline deal, sending linebacker Daiyan Henley to Denver, was called off after he failed the Broncos’ physical, as we reported in the Henley story. Our breakdown of how the Chargers fell to 0-8 covers the full collapse. Baltimore is 4-5 and needs the win to stay in the AFC race.
14. Dolphins at Colts
Miami is 1-7 and Indianapolis is 2-7, and the Colts sold at the deadline, moving Keenan Allen and Josh Downs. Kyle McCord is Miami’s starter, as covered in our McCord story. The Colts are 3.5-point favorites with a low 38.5 total. The stakes here are mostly about draft position.
What to watch across Week 10
- Three new starting quarterbacks. Mendoza, Beck and Cousins (in his second Vikings stint) all make notable starts, and McCord starts again in Miami.
- Deadline debuts. Josh Downs in Kansas City, Amani Hooker in Buffalo and Keenan Allen in San Francisco.
- Division leads. The AFC North and NFC South leads are on the line head-to-head, and the NFC North gets tighter no matter what happens at Lambeau.
- Byes for contenders. Denver and Chicago sit at 7-2, so wins by Buffalo, Kansas City, Pittsburgh or Cincinnati can change the seeding picture without them.
For where every team stood heading into this week, see our Week 10 power rankings and the AFC playoff picture after Week 9. We will have recaps of the biggest games after they finish.
Sources: NFL.com, ESPN, CBS Sports, FantasyPros, NFL Playoff Pass, NFLSchedules.com, FootballSchedule.info, Fresh Calendars
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