2024 NFL picks and score predictions for Week 13 games

Miami Dolphins (5-6) @ Green Bay Packers (8-3)

Thursday, November 28, 8:20 PM ET

We won’t just be waiting all day for Sunday night on Sunday this week. The biggest game on Thanksgiving Day is a “Sunday Night Football” production and matchup between the suddenly hot Miami Dolphins and the 8-3 Green Bay Packers.

Let’s set the stage for this one because there are tremendous playoff implications both ways. The Packers are trying to keep pace with their ridiculously good division at 8-3 right now. The Lions are 10-1 and the Vikings are 9-2, so the Packers – who would be in first place in a lot of divisions across the NFL – are currently a third-place team. They took care of business on Sunday against a really banged up 49ers team but this is going to be a different type of test.

The only reason the Miami Dolphins are 5-6 instead of 6-5 or better at this point is because Tua Tagovailoa suffered another scary head injury earlier this season and missed time. When Tua is out there, the Dolphins are probably one of the 7 or 8 best teams in the AFC easily.

And they’re heating up at just the right time. The Dolphins have AFC Wild Card teams looking over their shoulders right now after winning three straight games. They could be 6-6 with an upset win over Green Bay here in Week 13 but it’s not going to be an easy win, by any means.

This game could turn into a track meet rather quickly but I actually feel like Green Bay’s big advantage here is running back Josh Jacobs. They can dictate the pace of this game, but their defense is going to have to make life tough on Tua Tagovailoa as well.

Prediction: Packers win 31-29