Part one of our NFL matchups series looked at Weeks 1-6; in part two, Weeks 7-12 take the spotlight. The middle third of the NFL schedule can produce potential playoff matchups and intense games, often setting the stage for the biggest showdowns down the stretch of the season.
Once again, the criteria for the best matchups include the best storylines, quarterback matchups, past matchups that wowed, and other factors that would attract a viewer to an NFL matchup. In Week 9, Senior Editor Jethro Swain makes his selection for the first “editor’s pick” of the series.
(All times are in EST)
Week 7: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions – October 25, 4:25 p.m.
The Green Bay Packers vs the Detroit Lions is a classic NFC North matchup that brings plenty of historic bouts. All-time, the Packers lead the series 108-78-7, but in today’s football landscape, the matchup is a must-watch.
The Packers swept both games last year. Entering a fresh season, Week 7 is an opportunity for the Lions to take the game one.
In last year’s second meeting, the Packers won 31-24 on Thanksgiving, with quarterback Jordan Love throwing for 234 yards and four touchdowns. Even with wideout Jameson Williams catching seven passes for 144 yards and a touchdown, the Lions were unable to stop the Packers on a fourth-and-three with under two minutes to go.
This season, the Lions’ backfield will look slightly different after the departure of running back David Montgomery, who left for the Houston Texans. In free agency, the Lions added former Chiefs RB Isaiah Pacheco, pairing him with Jahmyr Gibbs to form a new duo. The Lions also added Clemson tackle Blake Miller in the 2026 NFL Draft to protect Jared Goff in the long term.
Week 8: Baltimore Ravens @ Buffalo Bills – November 1, 1:00 p.m.
Lamar Jackson against Josh Allen, a battle between two top quarterbacks and former MVPs, is always worth watching. Even though both teams changed head coaches, with Joe Brady (Bills) and Jesse Minter (Ravens), the matchup still has the same hype.
Last season, Jackson narrowly lost to Allen 41-40 in the Sunday Night Football opener. The Ravens collapsed after running back Derrick Henry fumbled, leading to an Allen quarterback sneak to close the game to two points. The Bills snuck out the victory after kicker Matt Prater connected on the game-winning kick with no time remaining.
The Ravens will still have the dynamic duo of Jackson and Henry and will have multiple options outside of receiver Zay Flowers after drafting Indiana receiver Elijah Sarratt and USC’s Ja’Kobi Lane. The Bills’ offense can match that production, but the game will come down to who executes in the closing moments.
Week 9: Houston Texans @ Los Angeles Chargers – Nov. 8, 4:05 p.m.
The Texans and Chargers have been right outside, looking in on AFC dominance for nearly the entirety of their franchises’ existences. The Chargers haven’t made an AFC Conference Championship game since 2007; the Texans have never made one.
The two teams have both been on the cusp of greatness for the past few seasons. The Texans defeated the Chargers in the 2024 AFC Wild Card round thanks to a now-customary, monstrous defensive performance from their young core. Houston also came out victorious in the regular-season matchup last season in Los Angeles by a narrow margin.
Both teams are expecting another playoff appearance and are Super Bowl hopefuls in 2026. If the Chargers’ revamped, and hopefully healthy, offensive line hasn’t been tested up until this point, then they surely will against the likes of Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter. The Texans-Chargers Week 9 matchup, like last year, may turn out pivotal for playoff seeding.
Week 10: Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints – November 15, 1:00 p.m.
Although it may not be the most popular game of the week, the New Orleans Saints and the defending division champion Carolina Panthers will produce a high-intensity matchup that could affect the division come Week 18. The Panthers will enter this matchup playing their third NFC South game in comparison to the Saints’ one game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2.
Last season, the Panthers went 0-2 against the Saints, including a critical Week 15 loss. This season, the Saints will have new additions on offense including former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, newly drafted wide receivers Jordyn Tyson and Bryce Lance and newly drafted tight end Oscar Delp. Surrounding quarterback Tyler Shough with better weapons makes them a more balanced team.
For the Panthers, they slightly improved offensively by adding Tennessee wideout Chris Brazzell II in the 2026 NFL Draft and linebacker Devin Lloyd on defense during free agency. With both teams, this matchup could make the second half of the season highly competitive in the NFC South, depending on the outcome.
Week 11: Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles – Nov. 22, 4:25 p.m.
Before the Thanksgiving slate begins on Wednesday, November 25, the Steelers and Eagles will engage in an in-state rivalry. What makes this game more interesting is that the Eagles stole Makai Lemon from the Steelers one pick before at No. 20, after trading with the division rival Dallas Cowboys. Steelers GM Omar Khan was on the phone with Lemon before he asked, “Why Philly calling?” in the midst of his conversation.
Looking outside of this storyline, the Eagles lead the series 50-29-3 all-time. The Steelers get a chance make up some ground after suffering a 27-13 loss in 2024 when they surrendered 219 combined yards between A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith in the loss, while only holding running back Saquon Barkley to 65 yards. This time around, Lemon could take the place of Brown and still challenge the Steelers secondary.
Week 12: Thanksgiving Slate – Three Games – 1:00 p.m. start (CBS, FOX,NBC)
Thanksgiving football holds a lot of rich tradition in the NFL community. This year, NFL fans get three marquee matchups with the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys being mainstays in the lineup.
At 1:00 p.m., Chicago Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson faces his former team at Ford Field. Last season, the Bears went 0-2 against the Lions, but this season, things could turn out better. By the end of last year, Johnson found a way to better maximize quarterback Caleb Williams, and the Bears drafted a true deep threat in LSU receiver Zavion Thomas.
At 4:25 p.m., the Dallas Cowboys host the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC East matchup. The Cowboys are 34-22-1 on Thanksgiving, and look to add on to their win total. Jalen Hurts versus Dak Prescott is a matchup that should feature a lot of touchdowns. Last season, Hurt threw for 25 touchdowns in comparison to Prescott’s 30.
Then, to cap off the night, viewers will get to see the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. These two teams have delivered plenty of regular-season and playoff duels between Patrick Mahomes and Allen. In Week 9 of the 2025 season, the Bills escaped with a 28-21 victory behind three total touchdowns from Allen and contributions from running back James Cook (114 rushing yards) and tight end Dalton Kincaid (6 rec., 101 yards, 1 TD).
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