CNN –
Week 13 of the 2023 NFL season began with a bang on Thursday with the Dallas Cowboys’ high-profile win over the Seattle Seahawks.
With six teams on byes – the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants – the schedule is shortened, but there is still plenty for fans to enjoy.
Here’s what to watch out for this week.
The Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers are two of the best teams in the NFL this season and Sunday’s matchup could be exciting.
After the Eagles’ victory over the 49ers in last season’s NFC Championship game and their Super Bowl berth, San Francisco wide receiver Deebo Samuel called Philadelphia cornerback James Bradberry “garbage.”
And when asked before the two teams’ second leg on Sunday whether he regretted his choice of words, Samuel was in no mood to revise his statement.
“I don’t regret anything I said,” the 27-year-old former Pro Bowler said, according to NBC Sports. Although Bradberry played down the comments, telling reporters, “It is what it is,” the rivalry between the two teams is evident. Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field could be a melting pot of drama, settling scores and excellent football.
Matt Slocum/AP
Samuel (left) is tackled by Bradberry during the first half of the NFC Championship game between the Eagles and 49ers last season.
The Eagles enter with a league-best 10-1 record and their quarterback Jalen Hurts had his best performance of the season, contributing to five touchdowns in the team’s Week 12 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills.
After missing out on a trip to the Super Bowl last season, Philadelphia now appears well-positioned for another strong postseason run as its entire roster returns to form at the right time. Hurts and his skill position groups have the offense humming while the defense has increased its disruption of the opposition.
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Hurts runs the ball against the Bills.
But the Eagles’ defense will have a tough task ahead of them in stopping a San Francisco offense that is the No. 1 ranked offense in the NFL so far this season.
Second-year quarterback Brock Purdy, who suffered a serious elbow injury in the playoff game against the Eagles last season, has had his ups and downs this year, but has been supported by standout running back Christian McCaffrey and pass catchers Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle are all enjoying good years.
But ahead of the highly anticipated rematch, head coach Kyle Shanahan said last season’s clash will have no bearing on Sunday’s game.
“You throw it away and start over. When it’s early in the year, but when you have that much videotape, you don’t like to look at what they did last year,” Shanahan told reporters. “I think we’re just both different teams, different styles. You’re constantly evolving, every week.”
On Sunday, two of the league’s rising teams will face off at NRG Stadium in Houston. This could reveal which team is a real playoff contender.
The Denver Broncos travel to face the Houston Texans, with both organizations enjoying a recent upturn in form that will give their fans hope of an unlikely playoff berth.
Denver is in the midst of a five-game winning streak that has elevated them from a disappointment to a bona fide postseason contender.
After a season opener that had many thinking it could be another lost year for the storied franchise – especially after its record 70-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins – team-wide improvement has changed the outlook tremendously.
Led by coordinator Vance Joseph, the Broncos’ defense has played a pivotal role in its recent form, committing 15 turnovers during its winning streak while allowing just over 16 points per game.
RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post/Getty Images
Members of the Denver Broncos defense celebrate after a safety late in the game against the Cleveland Browns sealed the team’s 29-12 victory.
With cornerback Patrick Surtain and safety Justin Simmons leading the secondary in shutting down opposing pass catchers and Baron Browning contributing three sacks and two forced fumbles in five games, they have become formidable foes for opposing teams.
On the other hand, the Texans are probably the surprise team of the season.
With a first-year head coach, a rookie quarterback and unproven talent around, not much was expected, but behind the historic performances of CJ Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, the Texans have a legitimate chance to to reach the playoffs.
Stroud and his band of young wide receivers have taken the league by storm, and Broncos head coach Sean Payton says it will be a “unique” task to slow down Stroud.
“He plays well. “When you watch him play, you feel like you’re watching someone who is accomplished and experienced,” Payton told reporters. “You don’t necessarily feel like you’re watching someone in their first year.
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Stroud celebrates a touchdown during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“He is confident and therefore it is a dangerous team. They have young players. I’ve been through it before with a draft where they got the young receiver [Texans WR] tank [Dell]who plays well, the defensive end from Alabama who plays well, and the quarterback.
“They are having success and are 6-5. You can definitely see the explosives on the tape. They were late and came back. They have a confidence that is certainly contagious and you can see that in the film. He was impressive.”
Week 13’s Sunday Night Football also sees one of the NFL’s most in-form teams, the Green Bay Packers, take the field as they take on the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.
After a disappointing start to the season in which they lost five of their first seven games, the Packers have now won three of their last four games.
Quarterback Jordan Love – in his first season as a starter since the departure of Aaron Rodgers – looks like a renewed man, with his best performance of the season coming last week in the team’s impressive road win over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.
The 25-year-old quarterback recorded his third game with three touchdowns and no interceptions, which is the most for a Packers quarterback in his first 12 starts.
Mike Mulholland/Getty Images
Jordon Love and Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed celebrate a touchdown against the Detroit Lions.
“I think we’re growing together,” Love said of the Packers’ offense’s recent success. “The guys are more comfortable in the system, they understand our roles, and now we just go out there and play, make the plays, and the guys make plays. “I think we can now focus more on how we play the game begin.”
Love and the Packers’ offense face a tough test against the Chiefs’ defense, one of the strongest groups in the NFL this season.
Led by George Karlaftis and Chris Jones, they totaled 37 sacks in 11 games and were key contributors to Kansas City’s success this season as the offense uncharacteristically struggled.
Although the team is led by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, it has not managed to match the high offensive performance of recent years. But Mahomes believes the team is getting into good shape.
“At the end of the day, you work for the ultimate goal, which is to win the Super Bowl,” Mahomes told reporters. “You take it week by week, but your mentality should be, I’m doing this today to be better for the next day and the next day until the Super Bowl comes.”
Candice Ward/Getty Images
Mahomes runs the ball in the third quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders.
“We have a great game, a great challenge and a great environment this week against a great football team. How can we get better today so we can play this football game and find a way to win it that gets closer to our ultimate goal, the Super Bowl.”
Sunday
Los Angeles Chargers @ New England Patriots, 1 p.m. ET
Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints, 1:00 p.m. ET
Atlanta Falcons @ New York Jets, 1:00 p.m. ET
Arizona Cardinals @ Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m. ET
Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. ET
Miami Dolphins @ Washington Commanders, 1 p.m. ET
Denver Broncos @ Houston Texans, 1 p.m. ET
Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:05 p.m. ET
Cleveland Browns @ Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m. ET
San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET
Kansas City Chiefs @ Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET
Monday
Cincinnati Bengals @ Jacksonville Jaguars, 8:15 p.m. ET