Four games from last week’s slate ended with final scores of 20-17, underscoring the intense parity around the NFL. There were eight one-score games last week too, which is insane. We’re in for a treat this week as there are several great games upcoming on the Week 10 docket. Remember the Falcons OT win over the Panthers a couple weeks ago? There’s a rematch on tap. Did you know that the Bucs & Seahawks will make history as the first NFL teams to ever play in Germany? Finally, the Vikings & Bills will meet in a rare cross-conference matchup with massive playoff implications. Follow all of the drama in this week’s edition of Games to Watch!
Falcons at Panthers on Prime Video (Thursday Night Football)
Time is a flat circle, as football fans will once again watch these division rivals face off. Just under two weeks ago, these two teams exchanged several leads in an epic overtime thriller. Both teams are coming off losses to solid AFC teams, with the Panthers getting dominated by the Bengals (42-21) and the Falcons losing a close one at home to the visiting Chargers (20-17). Cordarrelle Patterson made his return from injury last week, and he could prove to be a huge difference maker for the Dirty Birds in this rematch, as he was inactive for the first contest. Meanwhile, how long of a leash does PJ Walker have in Carolina? He was benched near halftime of last week’s blowout loss despite nearly leading the key game winning drive against Atlanta. Sam Darnold recently returned from injury, and Baker Mayfield is waiting in the wings there. Simply put, there’s plenty of storylines to watch here as these divisional foes battle in primetime.
Seahawks at Buccaneers on NFL Network (in Munich)
Believe it or not, this contest will be the first game to ever be played over in Germany. Diehard football fans should set your alarms, as this game starts at 9:30 A.M. east coast time. Are the Bucs back after Tom Brady led yet another clutch game winning drive over the Rams? That’s the type of victory that can spark a playoff run, despite this team’s many offensive woes. Meanwhile, the Seahawks took care of business in just squeaking by the Cardinals last weekend. The NFC is wide open, so the winner of this game will certainly make hey within the conference.
Chargers at 49ers on NBC (Sunday Night Football)
California-based teams will square off in a rare cross-conference matchup in primetime. There’s a lot of star power in this one as Justin Herbert, Austin Ekeler, and Khalil Mack will battle against Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and Fred Warner over on the opposing side. The Chargers will once again play without WRs Mike Williams & Keenan Allen due to injury. They’re managing to stay afloat despite not having those guys, but how long will that continue? Meanwhile, the 49ers looked amazing in their Week 8 dismantling of their division rival Rams. Christian McCaffrey made NFL history in that contest as the first running back since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to have a passing, rushing, and receiving touchdown within the same game. A similar performance would be welcome news in a heavyweight fight between two contenders.
Vikings at Bills on FOX (Sunday early afternoon)
Will Josh Allen play in this game after injuring his elbow in last week’s loss to the Jets? The Bills, along with football fans, certainly hope so as Allen makes this game more watchable. Are the Vikings for real? Feasting on an easy schedule & securing a 7-1 record (2nd best in the NFC), this serves as a great opportunity for these guys to show the world what they’re made of. They could also get boat-raced out of the game, as Kirk Cousins routinely struggles in big spots. One way or another, the football world will find out which of these two teams is legit on Sunday.
The Sports Beacon 