NFL Week 13 Sunday Schedule: Lions-Bears, Rams-Cardinals provide divisional drama

There is drama to be found on the NFL’s week 13 Sunday schedule, if you look for the right kind. No, this week does not have a large number of premier matchups, with only two games between teams currently in position for a playoff spot. But week 13 still has some intrigue anyway, if you look in the right place.

Early on, the Browns-Titans game should be an interesting one, as both teams enter with matching 8-3 records. Tennessee leads the AFC South division by a game over Indianapolis, with running back Derrick Henry continuing to run roughshod over the rest of the NFL. Cleveland, meanwhile, sits three games back of Pittsburgh but has drastically over-performed its expected record; the Browns actually have a minus-21 point differential on the season, a stunning number for a team five games over .500.

In the late games, the 7-4 Los Angeles Rams and the 6-5 Arizona Cardinals are both sitting in Wild Card position in the NFC. The two teams hold the 5th and 7th spots in the conference, respectively, and they are one and two games back of Seattle in the NFC West. This game will arguably be the best and most compelling matchup of the day in the NFL from a playoff perspective, as a Rams win could give another team like Minnesota, Chicago, or even San Francisco a chance to sneak into the back end of the playoff hunt.

For Chicago to do that, however, they must find a way to win a game for the first time since week six. The Bears have lost five straight after a 5-1 start to the season, and at noon Central time they will face a Detroit team that comes in fresh off firing its head coach. Darrell Bevell leads the Lions now on an interim basis, and he will surely look to make a statement against a divisional rival in one of the league’s early games this week.

With the Green Bay Packers waiting to kick off against the Philadelphia Eagles until 3:25 PM Central, the early slate is yours to take in. Check out the schedule below and discuss away in the comments!