Here is a preview of the three matches presented today on our platforms.
You will also be able to follow the best moments of all the matches throughout the day thanks to NFL RedZone on RDS.ca.
1st place at stake
13 h | RDS2, RDS.ca
Baker Mayfield has spent the last two seasons making the Carolina Panthers regret releasing him.
The Tampa Bay quarterback is 4-0 against the Panthers since leaving Carolina and leading the Buccaneers to back-to-back division titles in 2023 and 2024. On Sunday, Mayfield will look to continue that momentum when the Bucs travel to Charlotte with first place in the NFC South division on the line.
Both teams are 7-7 and will face each other twice in the last three weeks.
The Panthers had a chance to take control of the division last Sunday against New Orleans, but they blew their lead in the fourth quarter and lost 20-17 to the last-ranked Saints. Carolina’s loss allowed the Bucs, who themselves had squandered a 14-point fourth-quarter lead a few days earlier and lost 29-28 to Atlanta, to regain the division lead, as they have a better record against their mutual opponents.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles criticized his team after the loss, citing blame in a tirade punctuated by expletives during his postgame press conference.
“We got the message after the game,” Bowles said earlier this week. “We got together, we talked about it, we got it all out. Everyone works hard and tries to do what it takes to win the game. »
The inexperienced Panthers haven’t made the playoffs since 2017.
Second-year head coach Dave Canales said his team is still learning how to handle success in a season where it notched several big wins against teams like the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams, but also losses against teams it arguably should have beaten.
“Yes, this team is trying to find a professional identity, a maturity that allows them to achieve consistent results every week,” Canales said. “That’s what we’re looking for. This is our goal. »
The Buccaneers are 10th in the NFL in rushing defense, but they have given up more than 100 yards in two straight games and more than 95 yards rushing in four of their last six games. Led by Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard, the Panthers rank 9th in rushing offense, averaging 125.6 yards per game.
The Panthers ran for 100+ yards 10 times, including two straight 200+ yard games in Weeks 9 and 10.
A shortage to curb
16 h | RDS2, RDS.ca
On paper, the Detroit Lions are heavily favored to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers this afternoon in a matchup between two teams hoping to make the playoffs.
History, however, suggests a different outcome.
The Lions (8-6) are 0-5-1 against the Steelers since the turn of the 21st century, and Pittsburgh even won the Super Bowl at Ford Field against the Seattle Seahawks in 2006. There’s also Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has been a thorn in the Lions’ side for years, a thorn that dates back to his days playing rain and shine with the Green Bay Packers.
The Lions were a seven-point favorite at online sportsbook BetMGM on Thursday and badly need a win to catch the Packers (9-4-1) and Chicago Bears (10-4) in the NL North. The Steelers, meanwhile, lead the AFC North by a game ahead of the Baltimore Ravens, who will face tough opponents Sunday night, the AFC East leaders, the New England Patriots.
Rodgers, 42, is 8-5 in his career at Ford Field, which includes his famous 27-23 victory with the Packers on Dec. 3, 2015. The Lions led 23-14 late in the fourth quarter, but Rodgers ran 17 yards into the penalty area and then sealed the game with a 61-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass. to Richard Rodgers.
Rodgers didn’t have much success against the Dan Campbell-era Lions, however. In 2022, they swept the Packers, including a late-season victory at Lambeau Field that eliminated Green Bay.
Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery of the Lions have formed the best running back tandem in the NFL for several years.
The Steelers have formed their own formidable duo with Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell.
They have collected 1,760 yards and scored 13 touchdowns on the ground so far this season, sometimes taking turns in the same week without their ego getting involved.
Last Monday night against the Miami Dolphins, Gainwell did most of the work, while Warren battled the flu, finishing with a total of 126 yards.
Henry and Vrabel meet again
20 h | RDS2, RDS.ca
Mike Vrabel knows better than anyone how difficult it is to stop Derrick Henry.
“He’s a truly unique player. He’s super fast, super powerful and super strong,” Vrabel said. “He has a different physique from everyone we usually face, so it’s unique at that level. […] We know how it works. He’s picking up speed, he’s got a strong arm and everything else. »
Vrabel coached Henry on the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23, and now he’ll face his former running back tonight when the Baltimore Ravens host the New England Patriots. Henry is in his second season in the Ravens backfield, and Vrabel is in his first at the helm of the Patriots.
“He’s an excellent coach. He’s doing a really good job, and they’ve done a really good job this year,” Henry said. “That’s why they’re in the race for first place in the AFC. »
Baltimore (7-7) is one game behind Pittsburgh at the top of the AFC North Division. The Patriots (11-3) lead the AFC East even after last week’s loss to Buffalo, and New England can clinch its playoff spot with a win this week or a loss to Houston or Indianapolis.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye will have the opportunity to shine in prime time to boost his chances of being voted MVP. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, who won that title twice, struggled after returning from a hamstring injury, but looked in better shape in the last two games.
According to BetMGM SportsbookThursday night, the Ravens were favorites with a three-point lead, despite New England’s vastly superior record. The Patriots split their games against Buffalo, but this was their only victory against a team that currently boasts a winning record.
Of course, the Ravens don’t have a positive record themselves at the moment.
The Ravens are playing at home this weekend, but Baltimore is just 3-5 at home this season. A loss to New England would make this the worst regular season in franchise history at home. The Ravens finished 3-5 at home in 2015.
The Pats, meanwhile, are 6-0 away from home this season, making them the only team in the league not to have lost on their opponents’ home turf.
