NFL Week 13 Lines: Wide-Open Playoff Races Add Intrigue

Who could have ever imagined that entering Week 12 of the NFL season one of the biggest games on the slate would be the Cleveland Browns paying a visit to the Los Angeles Rams?

Or even just a few weeks ago, a “Sunday Night Football” matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers looked like a potential flex possibility with the latter’s season seemingly circling the drain.

Perhaps it speaks to the watered-down nature of the NFL and the ridiculous run of injuries to starting quarterbacks, but the playoff picture is still very much unclear as we get into December. The game of the week is obvious: Philadelphia hosts the 49ers in an NFC Championship Game rematch that might also serve as a title game preview.

In addition to that, though, there are so many teams still very much in the hunt in both conferences. The aforementioned Rams are all of a sudden in the mix at 5-6 with a winnable schedule remaining. After a date with the Chiefs, the 5-6 Packers are in a similar boat. Speaking of 5-6 teams, that’s good enough for first place in the NFC South, where Atlanta currently holds the tiebreaker over the Saints, and the 4-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers are lingering, too.

In the AFC, the Bills might be dead at 6-6, as it looks like they might not get enough help to climb over the Browns, Colts, Texans and Broncos, a quartet of teams separated by just one game.

Are any of these teams actually good? Not particularly. But that should make for plenty of excitement down the stretch, starting with Week 13.

Here are the opening lines and totals, per FanDuel Sportsbook .

THURSDAY, NOV. 30
Seattle Seahawks at (-7.5) Dallas Cowboys, 46.5

SUNDAY, DEC. 3
(-5.5) Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots, 41.5
Arizona Cardinals at (-5.5) Pittsburgh Steelers, 39.5
Denver Broncos at (-3) Houston Texans, 46.5
(-3.5) Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints, 44.5
(-1.5) Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans, 42.5
(-2.5) Atlanta Falcons at New York Jets, 34.5
(-8.5) Miami Dolphins at Washington Commanders, 49.5
Carolina Panthers at (-6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 37.5
(-2) San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles, 46.5
Cleveland Browns at (-4.5) Los Angeles Rams, 39.5
(-6.5) Kansas City Chiefs at Green Bay Packers, 42.5

MONDAY, DEC. 4
Cincinnati Bengals at (-7.5) Jacksonville Jaguars, 39