The Week 15 NFL slate is stacked with great matchups. Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the keys to every game, a bold prediction for each matchup and final score predictions.

Additionally, ESPN Stats & Information provides a stat to know for each game, and the Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a matchup rating (on a scale of 1 to 100) and a game projection. ESPN Chalk's Mackenzie Kraemer hands out helpful nuggets, and national NFL writer Kevin Seifert sorts through potential playoff and draft-order scenarios. It's all here to help get you ready for a loaded weekend of NFL football.

Let's get into the full Week 15 schedule, including a battle between potential AFC wild cards on Sunday night.

Jump to a matchup:
HOU-TEN | CHI-GB | DEN-KC
NE-CIN | SEA-CAR | TB-DET
PHI-WSH | MIA-NYG | MIN-LAC
CLE-ARI | JAX-OAK | LAR-DAL
ATL-SF | BUF-PIT | DAL-NO

Thursday: BAL 42, NYJ 21

Texans (8-5) at Titans (8-5)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 71.4 | Spread: TEN -3 (51)

What to watch for: Tennessee is averaging 31.7 points per game at home with Ryan Tannehill under center. And the Titans have rolled up 30 points or more in each of their past four games. -- Turron Davenport

Bold prediction: Titans running back Derrick Henry will show just how much the Texans miss J.J. Watt. Henry has topped 100 rushing yards in four consecutive games and does so again on Sunday. -- Sarah Barshop

Stat to know: The Texans have allowed opponents to convert 49% of their third downs this season, worst in the NFL and on track to be the worst in franchise history (44% in 2006).

What's at stake: This is the first of two games over the next three weeks that will decide the AFC South. The winner this week will be a game up but won't clinch anything. At the moment, FPI is favoring the Texans (67.1%) to wind up as division champions. That number would increase to 90% with a victory.

Betting nugget: Tennessee is 6-1 (5-1-1 against the spread, or ATS) since Tannehill took over as the starter, including four straight wins and covers. All seven games went over the total. Read more.

Barshop's pick: Titans 28, Texans 24
Davenport's pick: Titans 31, Texans 24
FPI prediction: TEN, 52.3% (by an average of 0.8 points)

Matchup must-reads: Texans' Mercilus credits Titans coach Vrabel for boosting football IQ ... Texans faced an 'avalanche' and can't afford to bury themselves ... Titans' penchant for trick plays should keep Texans on their toes

Bears (7-6) at Packers (10-3)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 61.9 | Spread: GB -5 (40)

What to watch for: The Packers boast the best pass-block win rate in the NFL this season at 70%, according to ESPN Stats & Information data powered by NFL Next Gen Stats. And Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers has averaged almost three seconds to throw this season. Yet to hear Packers coach Matt LaFleur tell it, the Bears' defense has "got guys that can completely wreck a game." -- Rob Demovsky

Bold prediction: Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson II will catch at least one touchdown pass. Robinson -- Chicago's top receiver with 76 receptions for 898 yards and seven TDs -- leads the NFL with four receiving touchdowns over the past three weeks. He is also on pace to become the Bears' first 1,000-yard receiver since Alshon Jeffery in 2014. -- Jeff Dickerson

Stat to know: In Mitchell Trubisky's past five games, the quarterback has helped lead the Bears to a 4-1 record while completing 67% of his passes for 245 passing yards per game and 11 passing touchdowns. In his first seven games, he was completing 63% of his passes for 174 passing yards per game and five passing scores. His 11 passing TDs since Week 10 quietly ranks as the fourth most in that span (Lamar Jackson, 16; Drew Brees, 12; Jimmy Garoppolo, 12).

What's at stake: The Packers can clinch a playoff berth with a win or tie and a Rams loss. The Bears, on the other hand, are fighting to avoid elimination from playoff contention. That would happen with a loss and a win by either the Vikings or Rams.

Betting nugget: Rodgers is 14-6 ATS as a favorite against Chicago. Over the past five seasons, Green Bay is 13-4 ATS as a home favorite of less than seven points. Read more.

Dickerson's pick: Packers 22, Bears 19
Demovsky's pick: Packers 17, Bears 16
FPI prediction: GB, 64.7% (by an average of 5.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: Bears finally able to unlock Trubisky's run game, but will he keep running? ... Packers have 'got a defense,' but it's hard to figure

Broncos (5-8) at Chiefs (9-4)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 55.9 | Spread: KC -10 (45.5)

What to watch for: The Chiefs are playing much better defense of late (14 points allowed per game over the past three), but the Broncos and rookie quarterback Drew Lock might represent their biggest challenge during this stretch. Don't be surprised if the Chiefs blitz Lock relentlessly, as they did last week with the Patriots' Tom Brady. -- Adam Teicher

Bold prediction: The Broncos have surrendered at least three sacks in eight games this season; this will be the ninth. After two games in which opposing defensive coordinators did little extra to pressure Lock or to disguise their coverages, the rookie will feel the heat from the Chiefs. -- Jeff Legwold

Stat to know: Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes has three consecutive games with exactly one passing touchdown. He had two games all of last season without multiple throwing scores (Weeks 4-5) compared with six such games this season. Mahomes' 5.4% touchdown rate this season is way off last season's 8.6%.

What's at stake: The Chiefs already have won the AFC West but have a chance to improve their seeding considerably. They are still in the running for the No. 1 overall seed because they hold head-to-head tiebreakers over both the Ravens and the Patriots. The Broncos could be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss, a Steelers win or a tie between the Texans and Titans.

Betting nugget: Lock is 2-0 as a starter, winning as a 7.5-point underdog against the Texans and as a 4.5-point underdog against the Chargers. In the Super Bowl era, the only quarterbacks to begin their careers 3-0 all as an underdog are Mahomes and Kyle Allen. Lock would be the first rookie in that span to do it. Read more.

Legwold's pick: Chiefs 24, Broncos 19
Teicher's pick: Chiefs 27, Broncos 23
FPI prediction: KC, 87.1% (by an average of 15.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: Broncos' Drew Lock might find unwelcome homecoming at Arrowhead ... Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes says 'scary' bruised hand no longer an issue ... Chiefs finally have the defense they hoped for when they overhauled

Patriots (10-3) at Bengals (1-12)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 52.9 | Spread: NE -10 (41.5)

What to watch for: The Bengals have the second-worst scoring offense, while New England has the best scoring defense. However, both teams struggle at the line of scrimmage, which could make things more interesting than expected. -- Ben Baby

Bold prediction: The Patriots will hit 30 points for the first time since a 33-0 win over the Jets on Oct. 21 -- a span of six games. If they don't hit the 30-point mark against the Bengals, it would tie the longest streak in the Bill Belichick/Tom Brady era of consecutive sub-30-point games (2002, 2005). -- Mike Reiss

Stat to know: Cincinnati running back Joe Mixon has three rushing touchdowns in his past four games. He had none prior to that this season.

What's at stake: All the Patriots can do this week is clinch a playoff berth with a win or a tie in Cincinnati. And the Bengals continue to hold a two-game edge for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. FPI gives them a 70% chance of landing that spot.

Betting nugget: New England has lost back-to-back games entering this week. Brady is 41-19 ATS in his career after a loss, and he is 8-4 ATS in his career on the heels of a multigame losing streak. Read more.

Reiss' pick: Patriots 30, Bengals 10
Baby's pick: Patriots 27, Bengals 13
FPI prediction: NE, 85.7% (by an average of 14.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: 'I'm representing her': Why Joe Mixon's 19th career TD is his favorite ... Patriots sign viral kicker Josh Gable to practice squad

Seahawks (10-3) at Panthers (5-8)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 47.7 | Spread: SEA -6 (48.5)

What to watch for: Can the Panthers tighten up a run defense that ranks 29th in the league as it faces the league's third-best rushing attack? If past trends continue, the Seahawks will gash Carolina for big runs and at least equal their 140.8 yards rushing per game. -- David Newton

Bold prediction: The Seahawks will take a page out of Rams coach Sean McVay's playbook ... sort of. McVay got Jared Goff out of the pocket on designed rollouts several times Sunday night, one reason he wasn't sacked and took only four official hits. Russell Wilson, meanwhile, took five sacks and 11 hits. Now he faces one of the NFL's most productive pass rushes, with Carolina ranking second in sacks at 47. -- Brady Henderson

Stat to know: During the Panthers' current five-game losing streak, they have a minus-12 turnover margin (worst in the NFL) and 31.8 QBR (28th), and they're allowing 6.5 yards per play (31st in NFL).

What's at stake: The Seahawks can clinch a playoff berth with a win and a loss by either the Rams or Vikings. Another less likely clinching scenario is a win along with a Packers loss and a tie by the Vikings. The Panthers have been eliminated, and a loss would elevate their chances of a top-10 draft pick. FPI projects it as a 49.7% likelihood.

Betting nugget: Wilson is 23-12-2 ATS in his career after a loss (30-7 outright). Read more.

Henderson's pick: Seahawks 27, Panthers 21
Newton's pick: Seahawks 30, Panthers 17
FPI prediction: SEA, 60.0% (by an average of 3.4 points)

Matchup must-reads: How coaching change could affect Cam Newton, other Panthers ... Panthers QB Cam Newton recovering after foot surgery ... Performance team is key to Russell Wilson's remarkable durability

Buccaneers (6-7) at Lions (3-9-1)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 35.1 | Spread: TB -3.5 (45.5)

What to watch for: Lions star receiver Kenny Golladay has been quiet of late. But with Marvin Jones Jr. out for the year, the third-year pro could go for over 100 yards and score two touchdowns for Detroit in a game few fans will come out to see. -- Michael Rothstein

Bold prediction: Even with a broken right thumb, Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston will have just his fifth interception-free game of the season. Even with Pro Bowler Darius Slay in their secondary, the Lions have only five interceptions this season, tied for fewest in the league. -- Jenna Laine

Stat to know: The Bucs are seeking their first four-game win streak since 2016, when they won five straight. During the current streak, they are averaging 434.3 yards per game and have forced seven turnovers (second and tied for second, respectively, in the NFL over that span).

What's at stake: A Week 15 battle between two eliminated teams doesn't offer much other than draft position consideration. The Lions could improve their 50-50 odds (via FPI) of a top-five pick, while the Buccaneers could risk falling out of the top 15 with a victory.

Betting nugget: Detroit has lost six straight games and has failed to cover in seven of its past eight. Meanwhile, this is the most points Tampa Bay has been favored by on the road since Week 1 of 2013 against the Jets (the Bucs lost by one as 3.5-point favorites). Read more.

Laine's pick: Buccaneers 28, Lions 18
Rothstein's pick: Buccaneers 27, Lions 17
FPI prediction: TB, 58.8% (by an average of 3.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: Bucs plan on Winston (thumb) starting vs. Lions ... Can the Bucs live with both 'good Jameis' and 'bad Jameis'? ... Fist bumps and chicken wings have helped Lions RB Bo Scarbrough's rise

Eagles (6-7) at Redskins (3-10)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 18.9 | Spread: PHI -4.5 (39)

What to watch for: The Redskins rank 10th in rushing yards per game since Bill Callahan became the interim coach in Week 6. But in the past five games vs. the Eagles -- all losses -- they've averaged 58.4 rushing yards per game and 4.0 per carry (and only 2.8 per carry aside from Adrian Peterson's 90-yard touchdown run last season). Meanwhile, Philadelphia ranks third in rushing yards allowed per game this season. -- John Keim

Bold prediction: Philadelphia's Boston Scott will score two touchdowns. The second-year back burst onto the scene Monday night against the Giants, racking up 156 all-purpose yards and a touchdown. That should be enough to elevate him over Jay Ajayi on the depth chart, and he'll be eager to take advantage of the opportunity. -- Tim McManus

Stat to know: Peterson needs one rushing touchdown to tie Hall of Famer Walter Payton for fourth on the all-time list, along with 65 rushing yards to tie Hall of Famer Curtis Martin for fifth in that category.

What's at stake: The Eagles have a real chance to overtake the Cowboys for the top spot in the NFC East with a win, along with a Dallas loss to the Rams. A win gives the Eagles a 39% chance to win the NFC East, according to FPI (would drop to 15% with a loss). A Redskins win, on the other hand, could risk their otherwise solid standing for a spot in the top five of the draft.

Betting nugget: Philadelphia has won five straight meetings, all by at least five points. It's 4-1 ATS in those games, with the only non-cover coming in Week 1 this season (Philadelphia won by five as a 10-point favorite after falling behind 17-0). Read more.

McManus' pick: Eagles 27, Redskins 17
Keim's pick: Eagles 24, Redskins 20
FPI prediction: PHI, 74.0% (by an average of 8.6 points)

Matchup must-reads: Why Carson Wentz's comeback could have long-term effect on Eagles ... Eagles lose WR Alshon Jeffery for season due to foot injury ... Terry McLaurin tops under-25 crowd, providing hope for Redskins

Dolphins (3-10) at Giants (2-11)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 4.2 | Spread: NYG -3.5 (46.5)

What to watch for: Giants running back Saquon Barkley said he's feeling "healthier and healthier" each week. And this week, he gets to face the league's 31st-ranked run defense. This is setting up for a big week for Barkley, who hasn't rushed for 100 yards since Week 2. -- Jordan Raanan

Bold prediction: Patrick Laird will be the first Dolphins running back to reach 100 total yards in a game this season. Laird has emerged as the Dolphins' clear lead back and had a career-high 86 total yards vs. the Jets. He'll look to take advantage of a suspect secondary Sunday. -- Cameron Wolfe

Stat to know: Barkley has 610 rushing yards this season. He has never had a sub-1,000-yard rushing season in either college or the NFL.

What's at stake: A Dolphins win could jeopardize their spot among the top five picks in the draft. They have a 5.7% chance at the No. 1 pick still, per FPI, but a win would eliminate any shot. The Giants, meanwhile, have the second-best chance to pick No. 1 overall behind the Bengals (19.7%). Chances would increase to 40% with a loss to the Dolphins, or fall to 9% with a win.

Betting nugget: New York is the eighth team in the past 30 seasons to be a favorite despite entering on a losing streak of at least nine games. The previous seven were 1-6 outright and ATS. The last time it happened was in Weeks 13-14 of 2016, when Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers lost twice as favorites. The current 3.5-point spread would be the largest ever in favor of a team on a losing streak of at least nine games. Read more.

Wolfe's pick: Dolphins 24, Giants 23
Raanan's pick: Giants 22, Dolphins 16
FPI prediction: NYG, 63.2% (by an average of 4.5 points)

Matchup must-reads: Hidden gems: Brian Flores, coach and scout, knows how to find them ... Giants' 2018 draft class has been disappointing after promising first season

Vikings (9-4) at Chargers (5-8)

4:05 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 81.2 | Spread: MIN -2.5 (45)

What to watch for: The Chargers face the fourth-leading rusher in the NFL in Dalvin Cook (1,108) on Sunday. Defensively, they have held teams to 98 rushing yards per game since Week 8, seventh best in the NFL. The Chargers' ability to slow down Cook should determine who wins this game. -- Eric D. Williams

Bold prediction: Minnesota receiver Adam Thielen delivers a statement performance in his first game in nearly two months, recording two touchdowns in L.A. The Chargers have one of the league's best pass defenses, but this unit is going to sell out to stop Cook, thus leaving Thielen able to win his one-on-one matchups. -- Courtney Cronin

Stat to know: Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has a 49.4 Total QBR in road games this season (20th in NFL), compared to 75.4 at home (fourth in NFL).

What's at stake: The Vikings can't clinch anything in Week 15, but they almost certainly need a win to maintain their slim chances to overtake the Packers in the NFC North (30% chance per to FPI). A loss, combined with a win by the Rams, would make things interesting for the No. 6 seed. And a loss for the Chargers would give them a better chance of earning a top-10 pick in the draft. FPI projects that possibility at 38.9%.

Betting nugget: Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer is 24-8 ATS as a single-digit home favorite. However, since acquiring Cousins, Minnesota is 1-6-1 outright and 1-7 ATS when the spread is in the range of +3 to -3. Read more.

Cronin's pick: Vikings 30, Chargers 24
Williams' pick: Vikings 28, Chargers 26
FPI prediction: MIN, 53.1% (by an average of 1.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: Amid disappointing season for Chargers, Joey Bosa still playing at elite level

Browns (6-7) at Cardinals (3-9-1)

4:05 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 27.6 | Spread: CLE -2 (49)

What to watch for: Arizona's Kyler Murray and Cleveland's Baker Mayfield will have a shootout Sunday at State Farm Stadium as each tries to one-up the other. The two close friends know their teams need to win this game, but both will want to prove who's the best former Heisman-winning Oklahoma quarterback to be selected first in the NFL draft. -- Josh Weinfuss

Bold prediction: Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will have a season-low number of targets (four or fewer), but the Browns' offense will put up more than 30 points for only the third time this season. -- Jake Trotter

Stat to know: Cleveland's Nick Chubb has at least 75 yards from scrimmage in all 13 games this season. He's the only player in the NFL to do so, and he's tied with Jim Brown (1961) and Reuben Droughns (2005) for the most such games in a single season in Browns history. But the yardage isn't piling up throughout the offense: Beckham has seven straight games under 100 receiving yards, the longest streak of his career.

What's at stake: The Browns can be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss and a Steelers win, or a loss and a tie between the Texans and Titans. The Cardinals, losers in six consecutive games, are on their way to locking in a top-five draft pick for the second consecutive year.

Betting nugget: This is the seventh straight game in which Cleveland has been favored -- its longest streak since 1994. It was a road favorite twice in that stretch and lost both games outright. Read more.

Trotter's pick: Browns 30, Cardinals 24
Weinfuss' pick: Browns 34, Cardinals 31
FPI prediction: CLE, 53.6% (by an average of 1.3 points)

Matchup must-reads: Baker Mayfield's beefs: Stories behind the slights that motivate the Browns QB ... Will Kenyan Drake's second contract be affected by other backs' failures? ... Kliff Kingsbury says past differences in college with Baker Mayfield have been mended

Jaguars (4-9) at Raiders (6-7)

4:05 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 22.0 | Spread: OAK -6.5 (45.5)

What to watch for: In what is likely the final Raiders game at the Oakland Coliseum, look for the Raiders to ride a wave of emotion to end their ghastly three-game losing streak. And if rookie running back Josh Jacobs (shoulder) plays as expected, look for him to cement his status as the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year against the No. 30 run defense. -- Paul Gutierrez

Bold prediction: Even with a banged-up shoulder, Jacobs will set a career high in rushing yards. He had 124 against Green Bay but will top that against a Jaguars run defense that is giving up an average of 193.6 yards per game in its past five games. -- Mike DiRocco

Stat to know: Jacksonville's Leonard Fournette has 1,039 rushing yards yet only three rushing touchdowns. Every other player with 1,000-plus rush yards has at least five scores. And only two players since 2010 have rushed for over 1,000 yards and scored three or fewer rushing TDs (C.J. Anderson in 2017 and Darren McFadden in 2015).

What's at stake: The Raiders can be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss and a Steelers win, or a loss and a tie between the Texans and Titans. The Jaguars are a relative lock for a top-10 draft pick, but a loss would increase their chances to move up into the top five.

Betting nugget: Jacksonville has lost five straight games, all by at least 17 points (0-5 ATS). It was never more than a 4.5-point underdog in any of those games. Meanwhile, Oakland has lost three straight games, all by at least 21 points, and it has failed to cover in four straight games. Read more.

DiRocco's pick: Raiders 30, Jaguars 10
Gutierrez's pick: Raiders 23, Jaguars 20
FPI prediction: OAK, 66.3% (by an average of 5.6 points)

Matchup must-reads: Retiring a relic: Raiders from past and present reflect on the Coliseum ... Memorable Raiders moments in the Oakland Coliseum ... Jaguars face big decisions on Nick Foles, Calais Campbell and others

Rams (8-5) at Cowboys (6-7)

4:25 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 76.1 | Spread: LAR -1 (49)

What to watch for: When these teams met in the playoffs this past January, the Rams ran all over the Cowboys with 273 yards on 48 carries. C.J. Anderson and Todd Gurley II each had more than 100 yards. And now the Cowboys have allowed at least 100 yards rushing in seven consecutive games. -- Todd Archer

Bold prediction: Gurley will finally reach the 100-yard rushing mark. Rams coach Sean McVay has dramatically increased the running back's touches over the past four weeks as the Rams make a late push toward a third consecutive playoff berth, and indications are that McVay will call Gurley's number early and often against a Cowboys rushing defense that's allowing an average of 104.3 yards per game. -- Lindsey Thiry

Stat to know: Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has had 23 passes dropped by receivers this season, the most for any QB in the league.

What's at stake: The Cowboys hold a temporary tiebreaker over the Eagles in the NFC East, but all it will take is one loss combined with one Eagles victory to reverse the top of the division standings. According to FPI, the Cowboys have a 67% chance to win the NFC East. That improves to 74% with a win over the Rams, and it drops to 54% with a loss. The Rams, meanwhile, have staved off playoff elimination and are one more win -- combined with a Vikings loss -- from jumping into the No. 6 seed. They have a 25% chance to make the playoffs.

Betting nugget: Los Angeles is 5-2 outright and ATS since acquiring cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Six of the seven games went under. Overall, seven of Los Angeles' past eight games went under. Read more.

Thiry's pick: Rams 28, Cowboys 24
Archer's pick: Rams 34, Cowboys 27
FPI prediction: DAL, 63.2% (by an average of 4.5 points)

Matchup must-reads: 'Vintage' Todd Gurley has showed up for Rams, but can it last? ... Sizing up coaching market if the Cowboys move on from Jason Garrett

Falcons (4-9) at 49ers (11-2)

4:25 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 61.1 | Spread: SF -11.5 (48)

What to watch for: This could be a trap game for the Niners as they deal with a series of key injuries, are coming off an emotional and exhausting win in New Orleans and are hosting a team that knows coach Kyle Shanahan well. How the 49ers deal with all of that in a game that could clinch them a playoff spot will go a long way in determining the winner. -- Nick Wagoner

Bold prediction: Vic Beasley Jr. will get three sacks to give him a team-high nine on the season, including five in the past two games. And there will be more buzz generated about where this was from Beasley all season and if he's worth re-signing. -- Vaughn McClure

Stat to know: Niners running back Raheem Mostert has a rushing touchdown in three straight games. The last 49ers player with one in four straight was Frank Gore (Weeks 4-8 of 2011).

What's at stake: The 49ers can clinch a playoff berth with a win or tie. Even if they let down and lose, they can clinch if the Rams lose, or if the Vikings and Packers lose. And a Falcons loss would all but lock up a top-10 pick in the draft.

Betting nugget: San Francisco has not been more than a 10-point favorite since 2014. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is 1-5-1 ATS with San Francisco as a favorite of at least six points and 11-2-1 ATS in all other games. Read more.

McClure's pick: 49ers 28, Falcons 21
Wagoner's pick: 49ers 30, Falcons 20
FPI prediction: SF, 81.9% (by an average of 12.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: Falcons WR Calvin Ridley out for season with abdominal injury ... How Emmanuel Sanders is leading the 49ers' young receivers

Bills (9-4) at Steelers (8-5)

8:20 p.m. ET | NBC
Matchup rating: 38.2 | Spread: PIT -1.5 (35.5)

What to watch for: The Steelers' offense figures to be its healthiest since the Monday night win against the Dolphins in late October, though JuJu Smith-Schuster will miss another game. James Conner practiced this week, and against a Bills defense ranked No. 3 in yards allowed per game, the Steelers need as many weapons at their disposal as possible. -- Brooke Pryor

Bold prediction: The Steelers have won the turnover battle in all but two games this season. But the Bills not only will win the turnover battle Sunday night, their defense will score its first touchdown of the season. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

Stat to know: Since Week 4, the Steelers' defense has been lights out. It has allowed the NFL's lowest Total QBR (34) and fewest yards per play (4.3). It also has led the league with 26 takeaways and 42 sacks in that time, and only the Patriots have a better defensive efficiency over that span.

What's at stake: The Bills can clinch a playoff spot, their second in three seasons, with a win. The Steelers need a win to continue fighting off the Texans and the surging Titans, though. They have a 59% chance to make the playoffs, per FPI.

Betting nugget: Since the NFL expanded to 32 teams in 2002, Buffalo's 3-17 record in prime-time games is the worst in the NFL over that span (lost past five games). It's 7-12-1 ATS in those games, including 0-2 under coach Sean McDermott. Read more.

Louis-Jacques' pick: Bills 17, Steelers 7
Pryor's pick: Steelers 10, Bills 7
FPI prediction: PIT, 51.3% (by an average of 0.5 points)

Matchup must-reads: Bills making strides but haven't shown they can beat AFC's best

Colts (6-7) at Saints (10-3)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN/ESPN App
Matchup rating: 65.2 | Spread: NO -8 (46.5)

What to watch for: The Saints almost certainly need to win out to have any shot at the NFC's No. 1 seed after last week's gut-wrenching 48-46 loss to the 49ers. But at least they did get Drew Brees and the offense going, which they hope to continue in a setting where he has thrived over the years: at home on Monday Night Football. The Colts (6-7) have fallen on hard times with losses in five of their past six games. -- Mike Triplett

Bold prediction: The Saints, fifth in the NFL in sacks with 43, will have their eighth game with at least three sacks. The Colts have given up three sacks in a game only once this season. Running the ball is one way to keep the pressure off Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett, but the Saints are good against the run too, giving up only 94.2 yards per game. -- Mike Wells

Stat to know: After missing two games with a broken hand, Colts running back Marlon Mack was held to a season-low 38 yards in Week 14 against Tampa Bay. Mack gained a season-low 17 yards before initial contact and was hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on seven of his 13 rushes after averaging 50.8 rush yards before contact per game, fifth most among running backs, entering the contest.

What's at stake: The Colts can be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss. The Saints already have clinched the NFC South but need to keep winning as they chase home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Betting nugget: Indianapolis coach Frank Reich is 9-1 ATS and 8-2 outright in the regular season against teams with winning records, but the only ATS loss came in Week 13 against Tennessee. He is 6-0 ATS against teams that entered at least two games over .500. Read more.

Triplett's pick: Saints 35, Colts 20
Wells' pick: Saints 27, Colts 23
FPI prediction: NO, 71.6% (by an average of 7.6 points)

Matchup must-reads: Vinatieri: I should have had surgery in offseason ... Fading Colts' minuscule playoff hopes rest on upsetting Saints ... Saints' Sean Payton tells butcher to 'worry about your frickin' meat' over failed 2-point play ... Was Saints' 48-point defensive meltdown a blip or reason to worry?

Manchester United have named a youth team graduate in the matchday squad for the 4,000th consecutive time.

Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, Scott McTominay, Andreas Pereira, Mason Greenwood, Axel Tuanzebe and Brandon Williams have been included in the squad to face Everton in the Premier League at Old Trafford.

It's a run that stretches back more 80 years to Oct. 30, 1937, when Tom Manley and Jackie Wassall played in a 1-0 defeat to Fulham.

To put the statistic into context, Everton have the next best record in the top flight with a run of more than 1,000 games over 20 years which ended in August.

"Giving young players a chance is a tradition that we are very proud of; it's part of our DNA and you learn that very quickly when you join the club," United boss OIe Gunnar Solskjaer told the club's website.

"Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing a player that has come through our academy thriving on the football pitch.

"Young players can only surprise you and impress you when you give them a chance to show their talent. It's a milestone that we are proud of and long may it continue!"

United are looking to a secure a fourth consecutive win in all competitions after impressive victories over Tottenham, Manchester City and AZ Alkmaar.

Arsenal's Premier League game against Manchester City will not be broadcast on state-run Chinese Central Television (CCTV) on Sunday following comments made by Mesut Ozil that criticised China's treatment of its Muslim Uighur minority.

Arsenal attempted to distance themselves from Ozil's comments following the reaction in Chinese media. Fans in China will instead be able to watch the recorded clash between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur.

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Arsenal, who have been commercially active in China in recent years and even opened a restaurant in Shanghai in 2018, reacted quickly to the social media post.

"The content he expressed is entirely Ozil's personal opinion," Arsenal said early Saturday Beijing time in a post to their five million followers on China's social media platform Weibo. "As a football club, Arsenal always adheres to the principle of not being involved in politics."

Fans in China have called upon Arsenal to release the same statement on their English social media channels and also apologise.

Ozil, 31, did not just criticise what he described as Chinese persecution towards the Uighurs, he lamented the silence of his fellow Muslims.

"[In China] Qurans are burned, mosques were closed down, Islamic theological schools, madrasas were banned, religious scholars were killed one by one. Despite all this, Muslims stay quiet," Ozil wrote to his 24.4 million followers on twitter.

Fans and media in China blasted Ozil for what they see as interference in the country's domestic affairs.

The playmaker is a hugely popular football star in China and has a personal fan community of over 100,000 members called 'Ozil Tieba.'

In a statement, this forum announced that it was closing: "As Chinese people we cannot accept this. Where nationalist interests are concerned, nobody's personal pastimes are worthy of mentioning."

Sina Sports, one of China's biggest internet sites, and popular football site dongqiudi also released statements in opposition to Ozil's post.

It is reminiscent of October's controversy when Daryl Morey, the general manager of NBA team Houston Rockets tweeted in support of protestors in Hong Kong. The NBA struggled to deal with the fallout and ended up upsetting fans in China and the United States.

The Global Times, run by the Chinese Communist Party, ran a headline saying: "Ozil., you are worse than Morey!"

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South Africa have suffered a blow ahead of their Test series against England after fast bowler Lungi Ngidi was all but ruled out of the opening match starting on Boxing Day with a hamstring injury that has also sidelined him for the Mzansi Super League final.

Ngidi is in doubt for the four-Test series against England after he suffered a "significant Grade 1 hamstring muscle tear" while warming up for Tshwane Spartans before the MSL play-off against Nelson Mandela Bay Giants in Port Elizabeth on Friday, in which Spartans won a place in Monday's decider against Paarl Rocks.

South Africa now face the prospect of beginning their four-Test series against England a bowler short, starting with the opening match at Centurion on December 26 with Cricket South Africa chief medical officer Shuaib Manjra saying Ngidi's rehabilitation program would be geared towards a return to action in January.

"Lungi Ngidi sustained an acute hamstring muscle injury during the warm-up prior to the MSL T20 play-off on Friday," Dr Manjra said. "Scans done on Saturday showed a significant Grade 1 tear of his hamstring muscle and therefore he has been ruled out of the MSL T20 final.

"He will commence his rehab and return-to-play program with the aim of getting him fit to play for the Momentum Multiply Titans in January 2020 and based on his progress, a decision will be made regarding his availability for selection for the Proteas team."

Ngidi had begun the MSL season with the aim of remaining fit throughout his home summer after a run of injuries over the past two years.

He suffered a hamstring strain during South Africa's defeat to Bangladesh at the World Cup and missed the next three games, although he recovered in time to play two more matches at the tournament. Ngidi's most recent Test appearance was during South Africa's tour of India in October, where he played only the last of the three matches.

The Spartans are surprise MSL finalists after half of their pool matches were washed out. They edged into the final three and then denied the favourites, the Giants, the chance to challenge for the trophy with a 22-run victory in the play-off. Initially, Ngidi missing last Friday's match was seen as a precautionary measure ahead of a busy international summer before scans revealed the extent of the damage.

For four days, it had been a dreary Test, rain making constant interruptions, temperatures forever threatening to dip into single figures, a bitter breeze blowing over the exposed terraces, right across the ground. But Rawalpindi locals were undeterred. They kept braving the frigid weather. They kept enduring the extensive security checks that saw them gridlocked in queues for as long as two hours.

On Friday they turned up in their numbers, packed out the ground, felt sunshine on their backs, cheered for Sri Lanka in the morning, and in the afternoon, were treated to cricket to make all of the above worth it; batting to make every beating heart swell.

Abid Ali completed Pakistan's first Test hundred at home in over a decade, and then just before the teams shook hands and settled for the draw, Babar Azam breezed to his own hundred to jubilation and raucous cheers. Abid had got plenty of love during his knock, particularly early in the innings when his pleasing drives and cuts through the offside spurred Pakistan out of their inertia. That he became the first-ever player in men's cricket to score centuries on both ODI and Test debuts also would not have been lost on many in the crowd. But it was Babar's name that the crowd chanted all afternoon, and Babar's century they took most joy in.

It had taken him 18 deliveries to hit his first four, but once the limbs warmed up, and the middle of the bat was found, there was no restraining him. Babar feasted first on Sri Lanka's modest spinners, sending scorching drives through cover and mid-off, before eventually visiting his brilliance on Sri Lanka's quicks as well. It had taken him 38 deliveries to make his first 15 runs, but smote 86 off the next 80, reaching triple figures with a regal punch through the covers. Azhar Ali and Dimuth Karunaratne decided to bring the game to a close. Abid was on 109 off 201 deliveries. Babar was 102 off 128. Their partnership was worth 162 off 230, and took Pakistan to 252 for 2 in response to Sri Lanka's 308 for 6 declared.

Where Abid and Babar got relatively easy conditions in which to make their hundreds however - the winter sun shining brightly, and the pitch offering little, Dhananjaya de Silva had earlier completed a century that had seen much tougher challenges than either of the Pakistan tons. De Silva had come to the crease on the afternoon of day one, and for the vast majority of his innings had batted under floodlights against the red ball, with frequent breaks for rain and bad light. He had also walked into a tough match situation with the score on 127 for 4.

On day five, he was as confident and secure as he was on each of his three previous batting days in the Test. He hit his first boundary of the day off the seventh ball he faced, tickling Naseem Shah to the fine leg boundary. He completed his sixth hundred with another of his delicious drives - this one through cover. This was his second hundred in as many matches, having also hit a 109 against New Zealand in August. He remained 102 not out off 166 when Sri Lanka declared shortly after he got to triple figures.

Sri Lanka's bowlers began with discipline despite not gaining significant swing or seam movement from a surface that seemed flatter on day five - even for Pakistan - than it had been previously. They broke through in the third over when Shan Masood stroked an innocuous Kasun Rajitha full toss to cover, but would go wicketless for long spells after.

Lahiru Kumara, the most intense of the quicks, was the only other bowler to claim a wicket, having Azhar Ali flick one off his hips into the hands of midwicket. Kumara also tested Abid with short-pitched bowling causing mild discomfort to the batsman. The spinners, however, did not succeed even in drying up the runs. Dilruwan Perera went at 3.54 in his 24 overs. De Silva's economy rate was 4.36. Karunaratne even turned to two part-time leggies: Oshada Fernando and Kusal Mendis, with predictably modest results.

When India take the field in Bloemfontein on January 19, their captain Priyam Garg will be beginning a campaign to win his country's fifth Under-19 World Cup. The four captains who previously led India to the title were Mohammad Kaif in 2000, Virat Kohli in 2008, Unmukt Chand in 2012 and, most recently, Prithvi Shaw in 2018. So, it's only natural that Garg has reached out to one of them for tips on winning the Cup.

Speaking in Bengaluru ahead of the India U-19s' departure for the World Cup in South Africa, Garg - in the company of U-19 head coach Paras Mhambrey - said that Shaw recently spoke to him about what goes into being a successful captain.

"Although I haven't spoken to Virat sir yet, I have spoken to Prithvi sir a lot," Garg said. "He told me 'your planning, your process and your team-bonding is most important'. The more the team will feel a sense of togetherness, the better will they perform. Prithvi sir also told me that the team should know what their strengths are. He said that team-bonding played a big role in India's success in 2018. And he told me the importance of bringing the best out of the players."

Garg said that his previous U-19 captaincy stints, and having a stable core of players, will help him deal with what lies ahead. Coach Mhambrey agrees with this.

ALSO READ: The Priyam Garg story - From standing up to Bhuvneshwar to leading India

"There's no pressure for me," Garg said. "I am seeing it only as an opportunity to captain a team in such a big tournament. We've played so many events, so that's an advantage for us. As a captain, all I'm thinking about is how to take my team forward... how to navigate the team out of difficult situations."

"They may be at a young age, but they are professionals out here," Mhambrey added. "They represent their states, they know what's exactly expected from them. Some of them have played against each other, some of them have played in the same state teams, so they understand each other."

For the past week, the squad has been training at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, fine-tuning their game ahead of the trip to South Africa.

They're going a month in advance to play a three-game series against South Africa, followed by a quadrangular tournament featuring the hosts, New Zealand and Zimbabwe. Add to that the practice games ahead of the World Cup and the preparation back home, and coach Mhambrey believes the team will be at their peak when they start the tournament against Sri Lanka.

ALSO READ: Everything you need to know about India's U-19 World Cup squad

"We had a good couple of days, some good net sessions at Alur," Mhambrey said. "One of the requirements at Alur was to prepare helpful wickets. We had three practice sessions, played on seamer-friendly or bowler-friendly conditions. So, we've done those to the best of our abilities.

"The good thing is that we're a very balanced side. [We have] seaming allrounders, spinning allrounders, quality fast bowlers and batsmen as well. So, those games in South Africa give us an opportunity to experiment and try a few combinations. In case we face such conditions, then we know the right steps.

"We've been preparing for the conditions we can expect there. But you also have to be flexible. You go in with one kind of mindset, but the conditions may not turn out that way. Teams that are flexible will always do well. We're looking at doing that too. We've spoken about it and we're lucky to have a balanced XV."

India are in Group A of the World Cup, alongside New Zealand, Sri Lanka and first-time qualifiers Japan. With four titles, they are the most successful team in the tournament's history. The 16-team tournament begins on January 17.

MELBOURNE, Australia – The Americans lost the Ryder Cup last year outside Paris and were itching to keep the Presidents Cup this week at Royal Melbourne.

Everyone was motivated. Everyone wanted to contribute.

And Tiger Woods was the American captain. That alone simply made this event different than any other.

“It was pretty awesome to play for the greatest player ever,” said Matt Kuchar, who earned the final half-point the U.S. needed to win. “To have a chance to make a team captained by the greatest player ever that is also a player on the team, I can’t tell you how unique, how cool of a thing that is, to not only play for him, but alongside of him.”

That sentiment was echoed by any other U.S. team member who was asked.

Tony Finau played well last year in a losing Ryder Cup effort. He likewise played well earlier this week and found himself going out second in Sunday singles against Hideki Matsuyama, directly behind Woods.

Finau lost three of the first four holes and was quickly 3 down. Matsuyama birdied the ninth hole and was 4 up. With Woods ahead in his match against Ancer, Finau’s worst nightmare was coming true.

“I basically told myself, 'I can’t give up on my teammates, my guys, my captain,'” Finau said. “Tiger, the story of resilience, coming back from what he has with injuries and everything that he’s been through.”

Finau won four consecutive holes to tie the match, lost the 16th, but won the 17th hole, and the match ended in a tie.

“We are very inspired to play for Tiger, and it’s so satisfying to win this cup because of that,” Finau said. “I think we all believe in each other and we were able to get the job done for our captain and playing captain.”

The U.S. won Sunday singles, 8-4, to capture the Presidents Cup, 16-14.

MELBOURNE, Australia – Without his regular caddie, who was suspended for Sunday’s singles match by the PGA Tour because of an incident involving a fan, Patrick Reed finally played like Patrick Reed at the Presidents Cup.

Reed won five of his first six holes and cruised to a 4-and-2 victory over C.T. Pan to aid the U.S. team’s Sunday charge at Royal Melbourne.

“[Regular caddie Kessler Karain] was definitely missed but at the same time [swing coach Kevin Kirk] has been out there with us during practice rounds,” said Reed, who went 1-3-0. “He knew kind of what to do and how to handle different situations, just kind of like Kessler. He's even keeled, so it's easy to go out there and play golf.”

Karain was suspended by the Tour after he pushed a fan who had yelled at Reed, “you f***ing suck,” following Saturday’s morning fourball matches.

It was all part of a difficult week for Reed, who was heckled at Royal Melbourne following a rules incident last week at the Hero World Challenge. Asked what he would have done differently, however, Reed deferred to his play.

“[Webb Simpson] and I would have won our first three points,” he said. “We played solid golf the first two days. Unfortunately, they played a little better. The biggest thing we would have done differently is obviously gone out and won our points early to help the team out.”

The WACA has traded off a reduced capacity in a bid to secure the multi-million dollar funding to allow them to redevelop the ground into a boutique multi-purpose venue.

On Sunday, it was announced that the Federal Government had committed AUS$30 million to the project. Another AUD$4 million will come from Cricket Australia with the WACA contributing AUD$10 million. The rest is likely to come from the state government, although that has yet to be approved.

After the redevelopment, the ground will have a permanent capacity of 10,000 with the ability to increase that to 15,000 when demand allows/ There remains the ambition of hosting men's internationals although the high profile matches will go to the new Perth Stadium across the river.

"The state government has a hierarchy of stadiums and wouldn't fund this if it was bigger than 15,000, so we thought as a day-to-day need we wouldn't need that presently. But we have factored in the facilities we'd need," WACA CEO Christina Matthews said. "It's absolutely in line for having Test matches against those new countries and the smaller countries.

"So many of us have a cherished WACA Ground memory and now we can retain its heritage and rich history, while creating a venue with a strong community focus that has multi-sport, gender equal facilities. This funding commitment will provide an opportunity to utilise the WACA Ground as a boutique ground that complements Optus Stadium."

From a cricket perspective, the WACA will become a high-performance hub in the way Junction Oval in Melbourne and Allan Border Oval in Brisbane are, with New South Wales also in the process of building a new headquarters in Sydney.

The Australians trained at the WACA in the lead-up to the first Test against New Zealand. The ground will host five matches at next year's Women's T20 World Cup while it continues to be used for Western Australia's matches, the WBBL and age-group cricket. BBL matches take place at Perth Stadium.

Kevin Roberts, the Cricket Australia chief executive, said: "Much like (Justin) Langer and (Dennis) Lillee, the WACA Ground defines the history of cricket in WA. Today's announcement is an historic moment for the WACA Ground and very significant for Australian Cricket. This investment will revitalise the WACA Ground and ensure that it will continue to serve as the Home of Cricket in WA for many years to come."

Langer, the Australia head coach who played his whole career for Western Australia, added: "I've never been shy about declaring how much I love the WACA Ground and the role it's played in my career. But it's not just about history, now we can look to the future and know the WACA Ground can continue to be a place where memories are made."

The crowds for the ongoing Test against New Zealand at Perth Stadium have been modest with 19,084 on the opening day, 20,018 on the second and 17,104 on the third although that is partly being attributed to the heatwave conditions which have seen temperatures push above 40C degrees. However, there is more shading available at Perth Stadium which was one of major criticisms of the WACA.

It was not an ideal day for the new stadium on Sunday when they had to issue a product recall when concerns were raised about uncooked chicken being present in a wrap served in the food stalls.

A message on the big screens at the ground said: "If you have purchased any sandwiches, wraps or salads containing chicken at the stadium today please present back to the outlet of purchase immediately."