Falcons Vikings Football
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold has had a lot to smile about recently. (AP Photo/Stacy ... [+]Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Two of the NFL’s most competitive divisions — the NFC North and the NFC West — will be featured on prime time in Week 15.
The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers are attempting to catch Super Bowl favorite the Detroit Lions in the NFC North, which what has played out as the best division in the league.
Green Bay (9-4) visits AFC West leader the Seattle Seahawks (8-5) in the featured game Sunday night, and by then, the Seahawks may have a better feel for their postseason fate.
NFC West contenders the Los Angeles Rams (7-6) and San Francisco 49ers (6-7) will meet in the Bay Area on Thursday. Both they and the Arizona Cardinals (6-7) are alive for the division title, although Seattle took a major step forward by beating the Cardinals twice in the last three weeks.
Los Angeles Rams v New York Giants
Matthew Stafford led the Los Angeles Rams to their 44-42 victory over Buffalo last week. (Photo by
The Vikings (11-2) will play host to NFC North rival the Chicago Bears (4-9), who have seven games in a row and dismissed head coach Matt Eberflus two weeks ago, in one of two games Monday night.
NFC South contender the Atlanta Falcons (6-7) will meet the disheveled Las Vegas Raiders (2-11) also Monday. Both have quarterback issues.
THURSDAY NIGHT
Los Angeles Rams (7-6) at San Francisco 49ers (6-7)
How to watch: Prime VIdeo, 8:15 pm ET
Key matchup: Matt Stafford vs 49ers D
Early line: 49ers -3
Bills Rams Football
Rams receiver Puka Nacua hurdled into the end zone in the victory over Buffalo. (AP Photo/Kyusung
The Rams had a statement victory the last time out, when Stafford threw 320 yards and two touchdowns in a 44-42 victory over the Buffalo Bills, a top Super Bowl contender. Puka Nacua, whose early-season absence was a factor in their slow start, made 12 catches for 162 yards and one touchdown and also rushed for a score.
Kyren Williams rushed for two touchdowns and the Rams dominated time of possession to beat the Bills, but they need to do something about a defense that was shredded by MVP Josh Allen, who was the first player in league history with three passing and three rushing touchdowns in the same game. The Rams rank 27th in total defense.
Bears 49ers Football
Isaac Guerendo ran away from the CHicago Bears last week. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
The 49ers have spent the season staggered by a host of skill position injuries that have claimed their top two running backs and their top wide receiver, although they still rank fourth in the league in total offense thanks to Kyle Shanahan’s schemes. Now All-Pro tackle Trent Williams is out and No. 3 running back Isaac Guerendo is questionable for the Rams. Guerendo had 78 yards and two touchdowns against the Bears last week.
The Rams have arguably the easiest remaining schedule among AFC West contenders, with a road game at the New York Jets and home game against Arizona and Seattle.
SUNDAY NIGHT
Green Bay Packers (9-4) at Seattle Seahawks (8-5)
How to watch: NBC/Peacock, 8:20 pm ET
Key matchup: Josh Jacobs vs Seattle D line
Early line: Packers -2 1/2
Green Bay is looking to recover from a 34-31 loss to Detroit that dropped it three games behind the Lions, a game that was decided by a field goal on the final play but was not as close statistically as the final score would indicate. The Lions had a 12-minute advantage in time of possession advantage and converted on four of five fourth-down attempts while completing a sweep of the season series.
Halfback Jacobs continues to be a force near the goal line. He had three rushing touchdowns against the Lions, his second three-score game in three weeks, and has eight touchdowns in the last four games.
Seattle has won four in a row to take semblance of control in the division, and its defense has played a big part. Defensive end Leonard Williams has seven sacks, 4 1/2 in the last three weeks, and the Seahawks have eight takeaways during their winning streak and 11 in the last seven games. It helps that quarterback Geno Smith has curbed his tendency to make ill-advised throws.
MONDAY NIGHT
Chicago Bears (4-9) at Minnesota Vikings (11-2)
How to watch: ABC/ESPN+, 8 pm ET
Key matchup: Sam Darnold vs Bears D
Early line: Vikings -7
The quarterback matchup — Darnold vs. Caleb Williams — represents the season in microcosm for these two, who moving in completely opposite directions. Darnold, the starter only because 2024 first-round draft choice J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee in injury in preseason, torched Atlanta with 347 yards and five touchdown in a 42-21 victory last week. He has 11 touchdowns in the last for games. Darnold’s 108.1 passer rating is third behind Lamar Jackson and Jared Goff.
Wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison have combined for 1,878 yards and 14 touchdowns, seven apiece.
Williams, the No. 1 overall draftee, has been up-and-down in his first season as the Bears have fallen out of contention after a 4-2 start. He has seemed at times too timid with the ball — no interceptions but 36 sacks during the seven-game losing streak that began with an excruciating 18-15 Hail Mary loss in Washington on Oct. 27.
He had two 300-yard games in the first five and had a breakout four-score game in a 35-16 victory over Jacksonville in Week 6, but — like the team — has stalled somewhat since.
MONDAY NIGHT
Atlanta Falcons (6-7) at Los Angeles Raiders (2-11)
How to watch: ESPN, 8:30 pm ET
Key matchup: Kirk Cousins vs Raiders D
Early line: Falcons -3 1/2
Atlanta quarterback Cousins has regressed during a four-game losing streak that has cost the Falcons control of the weak NFC South. Cousins had thrown eight interceptions and no touchdowns during the run, leading some to wonder if rookie No. 1 draftee Michael Penix might be seen sooner rather than later.
The Falcons have scored 57 points in their last four games.
The Raiders returned to quarterback Aidan O’Connell in their 28-13 loss to Tampa Bay last week, but O’Connell was knocked out of the game in the third quarter. If O’Connell cannot go, Desmond Ridder would be in line for a revenge start against the Falcons, for whom he made 17 starts in 2022-23 before being traded to Arizona in the offseason. The Cardinals cut him in training camp.