The Texans turnaround season in 2023 has been rewarded with a number of prime time games and DeMeco Ryans’s team that won 11 games and a playoff game a year ago will be featured on Sunday Night Football this week when perhaps the hottest team in the NFL comes calling in the Detroit Lions.
The Texans will have their hands full against a Lions team that entered their Nov. 3 game at Green Bay averaging an eyeopening 43 points per game. The Houston defense will have its hands full against a Lions offense that is led by quarterback Jared Goff. Goff has a number of weapons to choose from to make plays on the ground in running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery and a plethora of big-play wide receivers led by Amon-Ra St. Brown and tight end Sam LaPorta. Detroit entered their NFC North showdown with the Packers with a 6-1 record. Head coach Dan Campbell has built a solid team that reached the NFC title game a year ago and this year, Detroit is thinking of taking the next step and earning the franchise’s first trip to the Super Bowl.
They will face a tough test on Sunday against a Texans team that is tough to beat at home. Two weeks ago, the Houston defense came up with the big plays to help the Texans hold off the Colts, 23-20 and improve to 6-2 on the season. The win was Houston’s third AFC South victory and it appears the locals have taken control of the division. Now it’s time to see how they fare against one of the Big Boys of the NFL.
This weekend’s schedule features a number of good matchups in the NFL, but not so much on the college schedule.
While the Texans host the Lions on Sunday night, the reeling Dallas Cowboys host arch rival Philadelphia at 3:25 at AT&T Stadium. Two weeks ago, the Eagles picked up a huge road win with a 37-17 thumping of the Bengals in Cincinnati, while the Cowboys lost at San Francisco on Sunday Night Football, 30-24. At least Dak Prescott and the offense put up some points after struggling all season long to do so. Dallas fell to 3-4 with the SF loss and had another tough road game at Atlanta last week. There’s a very good chance Dallas enters this must-win game with a 3-5 record. If that doesn’t get owner Jerry Jones’s attention, nothing will.
Week 10 begins with Thursday Night Football as the Bengals visit the Ravens in an AFC North contest. The Bengals have been one of the biggest disappointments this year. They entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations, but their loss to Philly left them with a 3-5 record heading into their game against Las Vegas last week. Two weeks ago, the Ravens saw their five-game winning streak come to an end with an unexplainable 29-24 loss at Cleveland.
Other top games in the NFL this weekend have the Bills visiting the Colts in a must-win game for Indy and its playoff chances. Pittsburgh visits the Commanders and electrifying rookie QB Jayden Daniels. Daniels shocked the NFL two weeks ago with his Hail Mary TD to Noah Brown with no time on the clock to pull victory from defeat against a stunned Chicago team. Daniels will get tested by one of the best defenses in the league. Let’s see how the rook does.
Denver and KC go at it in a key AFC West battle in Kansas City as the much-improved Broncos will see how they match up against the defending Super Bowl champions. Head coach Sean Payton has done an amazing job of turning Denver into a playoff contender in just two year and with a rookie QB in Bo Nix. It will be interesting to see how Nix fares against the game’s best QB in Patrick Mahomes.
On the college front, No. 2- ranked Georgia has a tough road test at No. 19-ranked Ole Miss, while No. 14 Alabama visits No. 16-ranked LSU. The winner of this game remains alive in the hunt for a College Football Playoff berth, while the loser can start making plans for a Citrus Bowl or some other Florida bowl game during the holiday season.
This will be the final weekend of the District 14-6A season and there is still much to be decided. It appears Westfield will win another league title, which means there are three other playoff spots up for grabs. Heading into Week 6, Westfield led the district with a 5-0 record, followed by Davis at 4-1, and Dekaney, Nimitz and Spring all with 3-2 record. A lot will be decided in these final two weeks. The final week of the league season will have Davis taking on MacArthur on Thursday at Thorne Stadium, while Nimitz and Dekaney play in a huge game on Thursday at Planet Ford Stadium in Spring. Westfield plays at Eisenhower on Friday, while Aldine plays at Spring.
Before we take a look at this week’s schedule, let’s review last week’s record. A 9-3 rebound week upped the season record to 64-32 (66%). Now, onto this weekend’s games.
HIGH SCHOOL
Davis vs. MacArthur – Kelvin Chatman’s Falcons take on Blake Ware’s Generals on Thursday night at Thorne Stadium. Davis will be looking for a big game from QB Andre Salazar (1,018 yards, 7 TDs) and District 14-6A leading rusher Nick Tramble (810 yards, 6 TDs). The Generals would like nothing more than to pull off the upset to conclude their season and will rely on QB Lance Nero (588 passing yards, 3 TDS) to get it done. Davis has a playoff spot in its grasp and won’t let it go. My pick, Davis 31, MacArthur 23
Nimitz at Dekaney – Cornelius Harmon’s Cougars travel to Spring to take on Dekaney with the winner having a good shot at earning one of the league’s four playoff berths. Nimitz will need a big game from 14-6A passing leader Albert Brown (1,950 yards, 22 TDs). Brown should eclipse the 2,000- yard passing mark prior to this game. He will be looking to make big plays with his two talented wide receivers in Ke’Lyn Washom (34 receptions, 592 yards, 5 TDs) and Malachi Augustus (31 receptions, 584 yards, 10 TDs). The Nimitz defense will need to contain Dekaney QB David Edmonson (783 yards, 9 TDs) and 14-6A’s leading receiver Tanook Hines (37 receptions, 598 yards, 5 TDs). This should be an offensive shootout. My pick, Nimitz 36, Dekaney 34
Westfield at Eisenhower – Odell James’s Eagles take on 14-6A leader Westfield on Friday night at Thorne Stadium. Ike will need a big game from running back Elijah Dixon (679 yards, 9 TDs) and wide receiver Rob Hawkins (31 receptions, 447 yards, 4 TDs), while the Eagles defense will need to contain Westfield’s dual threat QB Miles Dent (1,108 passing yards, 12 TDs/768 rushing yards, 17 TDs), running back Damonte Ford (638 yards, 19 TDS) and big-play wide receiver Emmanuel Yancy (20 receptions, 462 yards, 14 TDs. My pick, Westfield 31, Eisenhower 22
Aldine at Spring – Cirilo Ojeda’s Mustangs travel to Spring on Friday evening to take on the Spring Lions. Spring needs this game to remain in contention for a playoff spot. Look for Spring’s offense to be the difference maker in this one. My pick, Spring 34, Aldine 17
NCAA
Georgia at Mississippi – Kirby Smart’s No. 2-ranked Bulldogs hit the road for Oxford to take on Lane Kiffin’s No. 19- ranked Rebels in what should be a good road test for the ‘Dawgs. Georgia’s 30-15 dominating win on Oct. 19 at Texas let the rest of the college football world know that the Dogs are serious national title contenders and a win at Ole Miss will only enhance their resume. QB Carson Beck (1,993 yards, 15 TDs) will look to carve up a suspect Rebel defense. He has a consistent runner in Trevor Etienne (422 yards, 7 TDs) and a big-play wideout in Arian Smith (29 receptions, 444 yards, 3 TDs). But the key to this Georgia team (once again) is its stifling defense. Georgia allows just 16 points per game and it will get a good test from Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart (2,695 passing yards, 15 TDs/207 rushing yards, 3 TDs), solid running back Henry Parrish Jr. (656 yards, 10 TDs) and big-play wideout Tre Harris (59 receptions, 987 yards, 6 TDs). Look for Smart to have his ‘Dawgs focused for this one. My pick, Georgia 31, Mississippi 16
Alabama at LSU – This is a game for survival for both teams’ CFP chances, so look for a tight, competitive game in Baton Rogue in what could be a prime time contest on ABC on Saturday night. Two weeks ago, the Crimson Tide rolled past Missouri 34-0 as the defense played its best game of the season and the offense was efficient behind QB Jalen Milroe (1,937 passing yards, 13 TDs/ 380 rushing yards, 12 TDs), running back Jam Miller (450 yards, 7 TDs) and big-play freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams (35 receptions, 702 yards (20.1 yards per catch), 7 TDs). While the Tide was rolling over Missouri, LSU had a second-half meltdown against the Aggies in College Station as they saw a 17-7 halftime lead devolve into a 38-23 loss. The Tigers will need a big game from QB Garrett Nussmeier (2,657 yards, 20 TDs), running back Caden Durham (397 yards, 6 TDs) and wide receivers Kyren Lacy (41 receptions, 618 yards, 6 TDs) and Aaron Anderson (36 receptions, 614 yards, 4 TDs). This will be an important game for first-year Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer. He already has two losses on the season and a third would not sit well with Tide fans. Look for the ‘Bama defense to be the difference maker late in this one. My pick, Alabama 26, LSU 23
NFL
Cincinnati at Baltimore – Week 10 of the NFL season kicks off with Thursday Night Football when the Bengals visit the Ravens in an AFC North battle. The Bengals have been one of the more disappointing (along with Dallas) teams in the NFL this season. Bengal fans thought their team was a Super Bowl contender entering the season, but after their 37-17 loss at home to Philadelphia two weeks ago, they were left with a 3-5 record. The Bengals need a big game from QB Joe Burrow (1,993 yards, 15 TDs) and wideout Ja’Marr Chase (48 receptions, 674 yards, 7 TDs), but that might not be enough to slow down the Ravens. Baltimore saw its five-game winning streak end two weeks ago with a 29-24 loss at Cleveland, so look for QB Lamar Jackson (2,099 passing yards, 17 TDs/501 rushing yards, 2 TDs), running back Derrick Henry (946 yards, 11 total TDs) and wideout Zay Flowers (41 receptions, 527 yards, 1 TD) to put on a show in prime time on Thursday. My pick, Baltimore 33, Cincinnati 20
Buffalo at Indianapolis – This is an important game for the Colts playoff chances, but not so much for the Bills who have taken control of the AFC East. Two weeks ago, Indy fell to 5-3 and two games behind the Texans in the AFC South with their 23-20 loss at Houston, while the Bills dominated Seattle, 31-10 on the road. Look for another big day from Bills QB Josh Allen (1,766 passing yards, 14 TDs/204 rushing yards, 3 TDs), running back James Cook (452 yards, 7 TDs) and wide receiver Khalil Shakir (36 receptions, 421 yards, 2 TDs). Indy will need a big game from mistake prone QB Anthony Richardson (955 passing yards, 4 TDs/242 rushing yards, 1 TD) and running back Jonathan Taylor (454 yards, 3 TDs). Look for another big road win for the Bill. My pick, Buffalo 31, Indianapolis 23
Pittsburgh at Washington – Can the Commanders magical season continue? We shall see after they take on one of the league’s top defenses on Sunday in the nation’s capital. Rookie sensation QB Jayden Daniels (1,736 passing yards, 7 TDs/424 rushing yards, 4 TDs) pulled off a miracle win two weeks ago with a Hail Mary pass to Noah Brown with no time left on the clock. This week he takes on a Steeler defense that has 19 sacks in eight games and has one of the top pass rushers in the game in defensive end T.J. Watt (6.5 sacks). Daniels will need a big game from running back Brian Robinson (461 yards, 6 TDs) to slow down Watt and the Steeler rush. The Commander defense will get a big test when it takes on Russell Wilson (542 yards, 3 TDs in two starts), running back Najee Harris (592 yards, 2 TDs) and wide receiver George Pickens (35 receptions, 548 yards, 1 TD). Look for the Steeler defense to slow down Daniels as Pittsburgh picks up a big road win. My pick, Pittsburgh 23, Washington 18
Denver at Kansas City – The surprising Denver Broncos head to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs in a key AFC West game for both teams. Two weeks ago, Sean Payton’s team improved to 5-3 on the season with a 28-14 win over Carolina. Rookie QB Bo Nix (1,530 passing yards, 8 TDs/259 rushing yards, 4 TDs) has proven he’s capable of playing at the next level. He’s received help from running back Javonte Williams (345 yards, 2 TDs) and a defense that has a penchant for creating turnovers. The Broncos will see how far they have come when they take on the defending SB champs at home. Two weeks ago, KC improved to 7-0 on the season and should be 8-0 (they hosted a beat up Tampa Bay team last Monday) when Denver comes calling on Sunday. QB Patrick Mahomes (1,651 yards, 8 TDs) has a new receiver in DeAndre Hopkins and tight end Travis Kelce (35 receptions, 335 yards, 1 TD) is starting to look like his old big-play self. Add in running back Kareem Hunt (308 yards, 4 TDs) and rookie wideout Xavier Worthy (19 receptions, 235 yards, 3 total TDs) and the Chiefs still look like the team to beat, which Denver will discover come Sunday. My pick, Kansas City 33, Denver 18
Philadelphia at Dallas – This could turn into a long day for Dallas fans as the potent Eagles offense looks to stick one more nail in the Cowboys coffin. Two weeks ago, Philly strolled to a 37-17 win at Cincinnati at QB Jalen Hurts (1,544 passing yards, 8 TDs/255 rushing yards, 7 TDs) scored three times on the ground and threw a TD pass. Hurts has a load of weapons on offense led by running back Saquon Barkley (766 yards, 5 TDs) and wide receivers A.J. Brown (21 receptions, 408 yards, 3 TDs) and DeVonta Smith (31 receptions, 386 yards, 3 TDs). The Dallas defense better hope Micah Parsons is back for this one, because if he isn’t, the Eagles might be able to call their score. Dallas did put up 24 points two weeks ago, but the defense gave up 30 in a loss at San Francisco. Dak Prescott (1,845 yards, 8 TDs/9 interceptions) and wideout CeeDee Lamb (45 receptions, 876 yards, 4 TDs) will need to bring their “A” game if they hope to pull off the upset. I don’t see that happening as Jerry Jones will have more to explain after this one. My pick, Philadelphia 34, Dallas 20
Detroit at Houston – The Texans will have their hands full when the high-flying Lions come calling on Sunday Night Football at NRG Stadium. The Lions offense is clicking behind QB Jared Goff (1,695 yards, 13 TDs), running back Jahmnyr Gibbs (591 yards, 7 total TDs), and David Montgomery (415 yards, 7 TDs) and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (41 receptions, 408 yards, 5 TDs). The defense is playing solid as well, which means Texans QB C.J. Stroud (1,948 yards, 11 TDs) will have his work cut out for him, especially if wide receiver Stefon Diggs (47 receptions, 496 yards, 3 TDs) is out with a knee injury he sustained two weeks ago against the Colts. Houston will need a big night from running back Joe Mixon (503 yards, 6 total TDs) to burn clock and keep Goff and Co. off of the field. I just think the Lions are playing better than any team in the NFL at the moment, and that includes KC. My pick, Detroit 31, Houston 26