The first 12 weeks of the 2025 NFL season have come and gone, but we're shaping up for a huge week full of drama, divisional matchups, and playoff implications in Week 13.
It's truly the most wonderful time of the year for the NFL with the stakes high, and now we get to add in the fun of Thanksgiving games, a Black Friday special, and every single team playing this weekend (nobody on a bye week).
We're making our weekly NFL picks and score predictions for every Week 13 game with some upsets on the way, and a handful of other surprises to dive into. Let's take a deeper look at every matchup and make our predictions.
NFL picks and score predictions for every Week 13 game
Green Bay Packers (7-3-1) @ Detroit Lions (7-4)
Thursday, November 27, 1:00 PM ET
The Thanksgiving festivities are getting started an hour later than normal this year, which means we're going to be up to our gills in turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce by the time the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers actually kick off. By halftime, we might be on our third or fourth plates of food.
As the turkey coma begins to set in, the Lions and Packers will be on the field engaged in a battle for the rights to smash a turducken and potentially be on top of the NFC North by the end of the weekend.
The Packers have flirted with disaster in recent weeks, but even hitting a couple of stumbling blocks and playing way worse offense than we've come to expect from this team, they have managed to keep pace with other teams in the division. Getting a win against the Vikings in Week 12 was big, but the Packers really need this one on the road against the Lions.
Speaking of flirting with disaster, the Lions were taken to the brink this past week by the 2-10 New York GIants, and they got shut down badly by the Philadelphia Eagles the week before that. You'd love to see both of these teams playing their best ball at this time of year, but that isn't happening.
This is going to be an interesting chess match with a couple of defenses that have been opportunistic, offenses that are capable of explosive plays at any time, and generally two teams that know each other very well. The Lions are only 3-point favorites at home in this one, so clearly everyone is looking at this game as a toss-up.
Give me the home team by a slice of apple pie.
Prediction: Lions win 28-26
Kansas City Chiefs (6-5) @ Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1)
Thursday, November 27, 4:30 PM ET
I've been very excited for this game for a couple of weeks. If you've been reading my NFL Power Rankings and Picks/Score Predictions all throughout the season, you would know that I've been high on the Dallas Cowboys even amidst their rough patch a handful of weeks ago. But anticipating the run they've currently been on post-NFL trade deadline, this matchup has been shaping up to be one of the most consequential and fun non-conference matchups of the season.
The Cowboys have an unrecognizable defense compared to what we saw before the NFL trade deadline. Obviously, Dallas made moves to go and get players like Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson, but they also got a ton of players back from injury like Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, DeMarvion Overshown, Shavon Revel, and a number of others.
It's been a nice resurgence here in the past couple of games for Dallas, who blew out the Raiders before erasing a 21-0 deficit on Sunday against the Eagles.
The Kansas City Chiefs are also coming off of a gritty performance against the Colts this past Sunday, where they erased a 20-9 deficit to beat one of the best teams in the AFC. The Chiefs have been struggling this season to play truly complementary football, but they finally put some things together in the fourth quarter against the Colts to play one of their better quarters of the season.
This is a must-win game for both of these teams as they try to keep pace for a Wild Card spot currently. Dak Prescott is playing some of the best ball of his career, especially in Dallas, while Patrick Mahomes always rises to the occasion in situations like this.
The Cowboys are surprisingly 3.5-point underdogs at home, but I think they could win this one by two scores. For the purposes of our picks this week, I'm going with a conservative score prediction, but I'm still taking the Cowboys at home.
Prediction: Cowboys win 27-24
Cincinnati Bengals (3-8) @ Baltimore Ravens (6-5)
Thursday, November 27, 8:20 PM ET
I don't know why the NFL thinks we all want an obligatory NFC North matchup on Thanksgiving night, but you could see at the time the schedules came out why this might be considered one of the best possible primetime matchups they could slot here.
The expectation was probably that both Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow would be playing at MVP-caliber levels at this stage of the season, and these two team would be jockeying for 1st place in the AFC North. The Ravens have managed to put themselves in that position, but it's been a disappointing year for them overall.
And frankly, it hasn't been the greatest year for Lamar Jackson overall, even when he's been on the field.
What we're all interested to find out is whether or not Joe Burrow is going to be activated and play. What reason do the Bengals have for subjecting him to getting hurt yet again? They don't really have one. They could be villains in the second half of the NFL season with Burrow on the field, but even if they run the table at this point, nine wins probably won't be enough to get you to the playoffs in the AFC.
The Ravens have been winning ugly, but that's okay. There's nothing wrong with winning ugly when you're winning, especially because a team like this could get hot for the playoffs. They've been there before.
Especially if Burrow plays, this game will be a lot of fun. Right now, that doesn't appear to be the expectation of the oddsmakers as the early line has the Ravens as 7-point favorites at home. That line would undoubtedly change if Burrow was named the starting quarterback for the game.
As it stands, we don't really have enough data to make a great prediction for this game, so we'll have to make two.
Non Joe Burrow Prediction: Ravens win 31-23
Joe Burrow Prediction: Ravens win 31-30
Chicago Bears (8-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles (8-3)
Friday, November 28, 3:00 PM ET
It's easy to forget that the NFL does a Black Friday special every year now, and this year's matchup is phenomenal. Actually, last year's Chiefs-Raiders game wasn't half bad either, but this year's Bears-Eagles matchup is loaded with drama and potential playoff implications.
The Bears will have the benefit of watching the other teams vying for top positioning in the NFC North battle it out on Thanksgiving Day. They'll know what situation they're stepping into on Friday as they go to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles, who are coming off of a heartbreaking loss to the Cowboys.
The Bears have to find a way to kick the Eagles while they're down, and not "play down" to a team that typically does well coming off of rare losses.
The Eagles are going to be playing with a chip on their shoulders after dropping a 21-0 lead against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, but it's also possible that loss could just be deflating to them. The Eagles have been largely a frustrating team this season, even when they're winning.
Just ask AJ Brown.
Philadelphia is a favorite at home in this one, as you would expect. But in a game where each team has the same record and the Bears have been absolute machines this year in the takeaway department, it's surprising to see the Eagles as 7-point home favorites.
We know Vic Fangio likes to rush four as often as possible, and Caleb Williams has been known to hold onto the ball too long at times. But he's gotten so much better as the year has progressed, and the chess match between Fangio and Ben Johnson will be a lot of fun to watch unfold.
Can Chicago's defense keep up the takeaway party against a team like the Eagles? Can they go on the road and beat the reigning NFC champions with so much at stake? I almost want to pick the Bears here for an upset, but I can't quite bring myself to do it.
Prediction: Eagles win 24-20
San Francisco 49ers (8-4) @ Cleveland Browns (3-8)
Sunday, November 30, 1:00 PM ET
The Cleveland Browns have a chance to do the funniest thing...
The Browns are obviously not a very good team, and they have had a rough go of it this season once again, but they are one of the most interesting teams here in the second half of the season. And the fact that it has nothing to do with the playoffs makes them even more fascinating.
We're going to be closely monitoring the Browns the remainder of this year for two primary reasons. The first is obviously Shedeur Sanders, with all due respect to Myles Garrett. The progress, or potential progress for Sanders this season, is the most interesting thing the Browns have had going for them in quite some time.
Sanders was solid in his starting debut against the Raiders, but you're not going to be playing the Raiders every single week. This will be a much tougher test for him going up against one of the best teams in the NFC, and that will make this seemingly random 1:00 game a must-watch.
The second reason the Browns are fascinating is obviously Myles Garrett, who is sprinting at lightspeed toward a Defensive Player of the Year award as well as the all-time single season NFL sack record. He only needs five sacks in the final six games to make it happen. He can get half of that done in this game.
The 49ers have more to play for than the Browns, obviously. And in a game like this, the stakes are high, and the margin for error is thin. It's not easy playing against the Browns because they have a top-tier defense and a game-wrecker off the edge.
Plus, I say this every single week: West Coast teams going to the East Coast to play in the 1:00 time slot is always a recipe for weird stuff to happen.
The 49ers are not out of the woods with this matchup, just because the Browns are clearly inferior on paper. But I still think they grit out a win.
Prediction: 49ers win 22-16
Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4) @ Tennessee Titans (1-10)
Sunday, November 30, 1:00 PM ET
It's funny when you look at this game on paper, because both the Jaguars and Titans fan bases have every reason to be ecstatic after what we saw go down in Week 12.
Let's start with the Jaguars, because winning is the name of the game. The Jags got their 7th win of the season in dramatic fashion against the Arizona Cardinals, and that win was coupled with a loss for the Indianapolis Colts, who fell to the Chiefs on the road coming off of their bye.
The Jaguars have a legitimate chance to win the AFC South, and it's games like this one that will determine whether or not that happens. However, even though the Jaguars have winning to be excited about right now, the Tennessee Titans seemingly have more reason to be excited about the future at the quarterback position.
Dare I say the future looks brighter for Cam Ward than it does Trevor Lawrence? That might be a hot take we have to revisit next year at this time.
Titans fans are riding high after Ward put forth one of his best performances of the season against the Seattle Seahawks, who have one of the best defenses in the league. Ward carved them up a little bit, showing off his poise and playmaking abilities. This is one of those games where the Titans might be catching just enough momentum at just the right time to play a little spoiler against the Jaguars.
The Jags are 6.5-point favorites on the road, which I think is going to be covered by the Titans.
Prediction: Titans win 23-19
Houston Texans (6-5) @ Indianapolis Colts (8-3)
Sunday, November 30, 1:00 PM ET
In a week loaded with great matchups, this one might have some of the highest all-around stakes. The Indianapolis Colts are clinging to their division lead in the AFC South, and will obviously be keeping tabs on what goes down with the Jaguars and Titans, but they've got their own issues to deal with here in Week 13.
The Colts just dropped a road game against the Chiefs coming off of their bye week, and they blew a 20-9 lead in the process. There's no shame in losing on the road against the Chiefs, but when you have them on the ropes like that and you can't finish?
That's not a great sign for this Colts team. It's also a little scary thinking about the idea of this Houston Texans defense coming to town with the way Daniel Jones playd leading into the bye week. Jones had four interceptions and six fumbles in the two games before the bye. Even though he was able to clean that up a bit against the Chiefs, a defense like Houston's is making everybody look mortal these days.
The Texans just sacked Josh Allen a whopping eight times on Thursday night as they continue to climb back into the mix.
Davis Mills has played really well in the absence of CJ Stroud, and unfortunately at the time of writing this, we don't know whether we're going to see Mills in this matchup or Stroud. But the Texans have proven they can hang with the best teams in the league regardless.
The Colts are just 3.5-point favorites at home here, and I'm actually really liking the Texans and the way they've been playing as a team lately. I think they're going to continue making things interesting in the AFC South with an upset win on the road.
Prediction: Texans win 23-20
New Orleans Saints (2-9) @ Miami Dolphins (4-7)
Sunday, November 30, 1:00 PM ET
There isn't really much to love about this matchup between the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins, but we're already into Week 13 of the 2025 season, and in a short couple of months, we're going to be wishing we could watch a matchup like this.
Time flies when you're having fun.
The Dolphins are coming back from their bye week and have actually been playing pretty well as a team, especially all things considered, since they parted ways with general manager Chris Grier. Mike McDaniel seemingly responded really well to having his name out there in the headlines as being on the chopping block, and the Dolphins have actually gotten back on track a little bit.
The Saints aren't exactly in that same boat. They are in evaluation mode with quarterback Tyler Shough, but all roads right now seem to be leading toward this team being in the mix for a quarterback at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft. Shough hasn't been that bad, and it's still early on, but that just feels like the direction things are trending for this team.
The Dolphins are six-point favorites at home in this matchup and that feels about right. At any point, Miami's explosive offensive weapons could go off. If Tua Tagovailoa isn't turning the ball over, this Dolphins team is pretty dangerous overall, and they have a solid group of running backs to play keepaway from the Saints.
If the Miami defense comes out of the bye playing fast and aggressive against a rookie quarterback, I think they can cover that six-point spread pretty easily.
Prediction: Dolphins win 28-17
Atlanta Falcons (4-7) @ New York Jets (2-9)
Sunday, November 30, 1:00 PM ET
In a week where you've got some outstanding all-around matchups, there have to be at least a couple of stinkers, right?
There is always balance in the force.
The Falcons and Jets are going to give us the balance the force requires this week. A week loaded with great games that have playoff implications has to have at least a game or two that has future NFL Draft implications.
The Jets have multiple first-round picks coming up in the 2026 draft thanks to their trades ahead of the deadline, but the Falcons are without a first-round pick. They're trying to make sure they don't look bad by giving the Rams a top-10 pick after trading up for James Pearce Jr. in the 2025 draft.
Help us Kirk Cousins. You're our only hope.
The Falcons got a win this past weekend thanks to somewhat of a vintage performance by Cousins, who looked much better in Week 12 than most of the recent appearances we've seen from him. He's going to go up against a Jets defense that was extremely stingy in Week 12, but obviously the Jets are a team right now that is just looking at what pieces they can realistically build around going forward.
The Falcons are early 2.5-point favorites on the road, which feels right for a game like this. Both of these teams are playing backups at the quarterback position. Both have shown they can play tough defense at times this season, but both have been susceptible to rough outings on that side of the ball as well.
Give me Captain Kirk Cousins winning back-to-back starts.
Prediction: Falcons win 24-18
Arizona Cardinals (3-8) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5)
Sunday, November 30, 1:00 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are reeling at the worst possible time. The Cardiac Bucs are on life support. Baker Mayfield was in a sling after getting beat up on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, and he's getting further testing done to determine his status going forward.
For the time being, however, the Bucs aren't ruling him out, so the matchup they have on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals is not (yet) a matchup between a pair of backup quarterbacks. And that's really the last thing the Bucs need right now, because Jacoby Brissett has actually not played too bad for the Cardinals since taking Kyler Murray's job.
The Bucs are getting Bucky Irving back, so the issue with injured playmakers offensively for Tampa Bay has slowly started to resolve itself. It's not too late for this team to get back on track, but there's obviously some added pressure being applied right now by the Carolina Panthers.
And we'll see about the Falcons continually making noise, because they're not out of it, either.
The Cardinals are not going to be doing anything in their division this year, but they can play spoiler for the duration of this season. At this point in the year, folks seem to be auditioning for jobs, including Jonathan Gannon. I am not typically one to throw the baby out with the bathwater in situations like this, but even with all the injuries they've had to deal with this year, I can't help but think that this is a job that's going to open up after the season.
The Cardinals are going to need a new quarterback in the near future, but that's for another time. This game against the Bucs is one in which Arizona is a 2.5-point underdog, so clearly the oddsmakers are waiting for more clarity on Baker Mayfield's situation. If Mayfield plays, the Bucs should win, right?
Prediction: Buccaneers win 22-17
Los Angeles Rams (9-2) @ Carolina Panthers (6-6)
Sunday, November 30, 1:00 PM ET
As of right now, it's hard to see anyone beating the Los Angeles Rams. Someone has to go out there and prove to them that they're still human.
Obviously, the Rams are not undefeated this season. Obviously, they've shown they can be beaten. But when you look at the way this team is rolling offensively, and how good that defense has been, it's really hard to not look bad playing against them. The Rams have humbled a lot of teams in recent weeks, and the Carolina Panthers might be next.
Matthew Stafford is one of the only quarterbacks around the NFL this season who has truly been playing at an elite level almost the entire season. He has 30 touchdown passes so far this season and his touchdown percentage of 8.0 percent is the highest he's ever had in his NFL career.
The game has slowed down for Stafford, which is a scary thought for opposing teams. And his playmakers are all playing at the highest possible level. Everything is working.
The only way the Carolina Panthers can compete in this game, even playing at home, is if they can force some turnovers early on and get some extra possessions for that offense. They need Bryce Young to repeat the performance we saw from him a couple of weeks ago, and another huge game for Rico Dowdle wouldn't hurt, either.
Carolina has a lot at stake in this game with the NFC South division title within their grasp. Again, the Rams have been human this season, but they look unstoppable right now. It takes a team like Carolina putting an end to it by force to stop streaks like that, and Vegas clearly isn't banking on that happening. The Rams are 10-point favorites even on the road, where we know West Coast teams can struggle in that early time window.
I'm still taking the Rams, but the Panthers could make it interesting.
Prediction: Rams win 34-24
Minnesota Vikings (4-7) @ Seattle Seahawks (8-3)
Sunday, November 30, 4:05 PM ET
The afternoon slate of games on Sunday starts off with the Minnesota Vikings going to Seattle, taking on their old pal Sam Darnold.
And this game will be a reminder for the Vikings, in the worst possible way, of what they're currently missing out on. After using a 1st-round pick on JJ McCarthy in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Vikings felt good enough about the guy they picked to move on from Sam Darnold, who had a phenomenal season in Minneapolis last year, parlaying that into a big-money free agent deal with Seattle.
The arrival of Darnold has completely jumpstarted the Seahawks' offense, even with the offseason trade of DK Metcalf, while the decision to pivot to JJ McCarthy is looking like a fireable offense for Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
Obviously, that's not likely going to happen, but even Kevin O'Connell hasn't been able to get the most out of McCarthy. Justin Jefferson's production is suffering significantly. The Vikings, who won 14 games last season, have been a total disappointment this season and McCarthy is the most disappointing of them all.
A young quarterback going into hostile territory and facing off against a top-tier defense is a recipe for disaster. We're going to get another opportunity, at the very least, to see what McCarthy is made of in a game like this. The Seahawks are going up against a tough Vikings defense as well, and they know Darnold well.
Still, despite the Vikings' familiarity with Darnold, the Seahawks are 8.5-point favorites at home in this game, and that feels like a low number early on. It feels like this could be a statement game for Darnold and the Seahawks at home, proving to the Vikings what they're missing out on and making an example of JJ McCarthy.
Prediction: Seahawks win 34-17
Buffalo Bills (7-4) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)
Sunday, November 30, 4:25 PM ET
The Pittsburgh Steelers weren't fooling anybody earlier this season, and the strong start that team got off to has proven to be the mirage we assumed it was. Even though the Steelers had to throw backup quarterback Mason Rudolph out there against the Bears in Week 12, you can tell that this team is slowly deflating, like a giant balloon.
The Steelers will hopefully have Aaron Rodgers back soon, and they need him this week. They're going to be facing off against a ticked off Josh Allen, who just got himself beaten up badly in a loss to the Houston Texans on Thursday night.
The Bills have a little bit of extra rest after playing on Thursday night, and undoubtedly a chip on their shoulders. They are going to be heading into Pittsburgh smelling blood in the water, and they'll be ready to win whatever type of game the Steelers are ready to play that day.
You can almost feel Josh Allen already putting the Bills on his back for this one. Just a couple of weeks ago, Allen had a six-touchdown performance, and he simply couldn't do the whole Superman act against the league's best defense. The Steelers have playmakers on that side of the ball, but they're nowhere near as stingy of a defense as the Texans.
The Bills are opening up as four-point favorites on the road, and that feels about right. There's no question that this year's Buffalo team is not as good as the teams we've seen in recent years, and one of the biggest issues they have right now is the wide receiver position. Do the Bills have enough playmakers offensively to make a deep playoff run?
Is there too much pressure on Josh Allen's shoulders? I think they squeak out a win on the road here, but I'm not sure they cover. The Steelers can score in bunches as well.
Prediction: Bills win 30-27
Las Vegas Raiders (2-9) @ Los Angeles Chargers (7-4)
Sunday, November 30, 4:25 PM ET
There are always a handful of games that just feel super straightforward every single week, and this is one of them. The Las Vegas Raiders are a mess, and even though the Chargers have issues of their own, they're just in a much better spot right now than their AFC West rivals.
The Chargers are coming off of a bye week. They have had time to rest and reset. The Raiders, on the other hand, just fired their offensive coordinator (Chip Kelly) not long after firing their special teams coach. They've got a quarterback who has been a turnover machine and has horrendous weapons on the outside to spread the ball to.
This game is shaping up for the Chargers to win handily. As a matter of fact, the Chargers are opening up as one of the biggest favorites of the week early on as a 9.5-point favorite at home.
What we've seen from the Raiders this season has been bad enough that I'm not so sure Chip Kelly and special teams coordinator Tom McMahon are the only coaches that will lose their jobs. the decision to hire Pete Carroll always felt like a shortsighted move, but even more so now that we're not seeing immediate return on investment.
It's not like the Raiders were some sleeping giant this offseason, but there were pieces in place and Antonio Pierce had this team looking a lot more competitive than Carroll has them looking right now.
This is a chance for the Raiders to spoil things for the Chargers, coming off of a bye, but I'm banking on Jim Harbaugh having his guys ready to go, and Justin Herbert looking refocused after a dismal performance before the bye week against the Jaguars.
Prediction: Chargers win 24-17
Denver Broncos (9-2) @ Washington Commanders (3-8)
Sunday, November 30, 8:20 PM ET
Before the start of the 2025 season, this matchup between the Broncos and Commanders looked like it was going to be a marquee matchup of two Super Bowl contenders with top-tier young quarterbacks.
Now, it's looking like it might be another stepping stone for the Denver Broncos on their way to their first AFC West division title since Peyton Manning was under center for the team. The Commanders are beaten up, and Jayden Daniels' status is still a question mark.
The question for the Commanders is simple: Even if Jayden Daniels is healthy enough to play in this game, do you want him coming back against the NFL's best pass rushing team?
The long-term health of Daniels is obviously the priority at this point with the Commanders at 3-8 and not looking like a factor whatsoever in the NFC East. They obviously aren't going to mail in this season yet, but coming off of a bye week, do they really have a great advantage over the Broncos, who are also coming off of a bye?
Denver is a 6.5-point favorite on the road this week. That would be egregious based on the way we saw the Commanders rolling last season, but it's not so crazy now. It'll be fun to see Vance Joseph scheming against his old pal Kliff Kingsbury, who was his boss with the Arizona Cardinals for a handful of years.
That Broncos defense is possibly getting Pat Surtain II back this week. Even with these teams both being inconsistent on offense this season, I'm banking on Sean Payton's team coming off of a bye and keeping their lead in the AFC West.
Prediction: Broncos win 24-15
New York Giants (2-10) @ New England Patriots (10-2)
Monday, December 1, 8:15 PM ET
This doesn't quite carry the amount of "oomph" you're looking for in a Super Bowl rematch, but the Patriots taking on the Giants in Week 13 could end up being one of the most interesting games of the week, regardless.
The Patriots are on a 10-game winning streak, putting them at the top of not only the AFC, but the NFL as a whole at this point in the season. Since the award is typically going to go to the coach who does the craziest turnaround job each year, Mike Vrabel has to be the NFL's Coach of the Year this year, right?
The job the Patriots have done this season is remarkable, and obviously they deserve a ton of credit. With that said, they've had to scrape and claw their way to this 10-game winning streak, and have had some close calls at times. What team on a long winning streak doesn't have that, though?
The reason I bring it up is because the New York Giants have strangely been on the other end of some tight games recently, and they've actually played decently well with Jameis Winston at the quarterback position. Whether Winston plays or Jaxson Dart, this is a game that is shaping up to be a little bit of a letdown for the Patriots.
Playing at home, they're obviously heavy favorites at 7.5 points, but the Giants really haven't given us any reason to believe lately that they're going to get blown out. This is a pretty quality 2-10 team overall, and while I'm not 100 percent sold on the Giants winning, I don't see any reason they can't do it.
After three straight one-score losses against some of the better teams in the NFL, I could see the Giants breaking through this week and pulling off an upset win.
Prediction: Giants win 27-23