The NFL’s Thanksgiving table has been cleared, but the rest of the Week 13 schedule can hardly be described as leftovers.
The three games on Thursday didn’t produce much memorable football, but the weekend slate looks more appetizing. A showdown pitting the league’s top offense in the Baltimore Ravens against the top defense in the Philadelphia Eagles – which also features a meeting of the league’s leading running backs in Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry – is the main draw. But with the playoff picture still taking shape, there are plenty of other matchups on the slate that should satiate viewers’ appetites.
Here are the Week 13 bold predictions from USA TODAY Sports’ NFL writers and editors:
What’s next? Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill will combine for 300 yards against Rams
After getting shredded by Saquon Barkley for 255 rushing yards (and 302 yards from scrimmage), the Rams’ run defense ranking plummeted 10 spots – to 28th in the NFL. That’s what a bad night can do to a defense. And now comes a trip to the Superdome where a 1-2 punch awaits in the form of Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill. If Barkley can go for 300-plus, imagine what the well-rested Saints stars can do while coming off a bye week. I’m guessing the over/under for yards from scrimmage is 300. New Orleans is seeking a third consecutive victory under interim coach Darren Rizzo (who replaced Dennis Allen), knowing the options are aplenty in deploying Kamara and Hill. During the Week 11 romp of the Browns, Hill, the jack-of-all-trades phenom officially listed as a tight end, rushed for a career-high 138 yards (on just seven carries), with 3 TDs. He throws, catches passes and is on the short list (with Lamar, Hurts, CMC) of the NFL’s best short-yardage/goal line weapons. Kamara is versatile in his own right coming out of the backfield. He’s averaged 111.3 yards from scrimmage per game this season and might be due to strike pay dirt as he has gone five consecutive games without a touchdown. No, it won’t be easy for a Chris Shula-coordinated unit that had the worst game of any team in the league this season.
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— Jarrett Bell
Neither Saquon Barkley nor Derrick Henry eclipses 100 yards
Within the matchup of Week 13 – the Baltimore Ravens hosting the Philadelphia Eagles – is the face-off between the team’s star running backs. Saquon Barkley currently leads the league in rushing (1,392 yards), with Derrick Henry (1,325) second. Both are coming off big games on the West Coast with shorter weeks of rest than normal (the Eagles played Sunday night, the Ravens on Monday).
For all of the hype about the two of them being on the same field Sunday, however, both will finish the game with less than 100 yards. Henry has been over the marker in six of 12 games, while Barkley has done it in all but three games and only failed to do so once since Week 6.
For both to come under the century mark would be surprising, but also proof that both defenses will be keyed to stopping the run even with Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts as the two quarterbacks.
— Chris Bumbaca
Steelers will give up 30 points, lose second straight game
Sunday is a must-win game for the Bengals with their playoff hopes hanging on by a thread. Despite Cincinnati’s 4-7 record, they have the top passing offense in the NFL, Joe Burrow ranks third in passing yards and Ja’Marr Chase tops the league in receiving yards and touchdown catches.
The Bengals’ aerial attack will be too much for the Steelers to handle as Cincy gets a desperately needed victory. I predict Chase and Tee Higgins will have over 225 combined receiving yards and two touchdowns. The Steelers defense will allow 30 points for the first time all season and drop their second-straight game to an AFC North opponent.
— Tyler Dragon
Falcons end funk, jolt Chargers for 30 points in win
Even after letting up 30 points on Monday to the Baltimore Ravens, the Los Angeles Chargers still own the NFL’s stingiest defense when it comes to scoring (15.9 points allowed per game). But it sure looks like favorable early-season matchups inflated the unit’s bottom line a little bit, as the most recent outing revealed the group doesn’t seem ready to hang with the league’s best. Now the Chargers have to head east for an early kickoff on a short week. The Falcons, meanwhile, are coming off a bye as they try to end a two-game skid. Atlanta has had its share of troubles and was last seen being shut down by another AFC West powerhouse defense in the Denver Broncos. But there’s a ripe opportunity for Bijan Robinson to leave his mark against a team that just allowed 212 yards on the ground and could be without linebacker Denzel Perryman, who is dealing with a groin injury.
— Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
