With just five weeks left to play in the 2023-24 NFL regular season, and the playoff picture in both conferences as muddled and hazy as ever, almost every game matters in Week 14. Divisions and wildcard leads are up for grabs, and some teams face virtual must-win situations to stay alive for certain prizes.

If you’re a 6-6 AFC team, like the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, or Cincinnati Bengals, a win in Week 14 is necessary to keep pace in the wildcard race. The 5-7 Los Angeles Chargers, hosting the Broncos, and 5-7 Las Vegas Raiders, hosting a 6-6 Minnesota Vikings team, could also keep their playoff hopes alive for another week with a Week 14 win.

The biggest games of the week have major potential playoff implications. The 8-4 Jacksonville Jaguars will likely be down starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence as they take on a 7-5 Cleveland Browns team hoping to secure their playoff footing. The 6-6 Los Angeles Rams could officially enter the NFC playoff race down the stretch with a Week 14 win, but take on the AFC’s top-ranking 9-3 Baltimore Ravens.

But two games stand out above the rest: the 6-6 Buffalo Bills taking on the 8-4 Kansas City Chiefs in a matchup that always yields exciting results, and a Sunday Night Football clash between the 10-2 Philadelphia Eagles and 9-3 Dallas Cowboys that will either end with a comfortable lead in the NFC East for Philadelphia, or a virtual tie for the division lead with four games left to play if Dallas wins at home.

With exciting matchups and high stakes, let’s not delay any further. Read on for my 2023-24 NFL Week 14 Picks, and if you’d like to debate or discuss any predictions, join the conversation with @SakSports on Twitter.

Picks Record

Week 13 Picks: 7-6

Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 12-4

Week 3: 8-8

Week 4: 12-4

Week 5: 7-7

Week 6: 11-4

Week 7: 5-8

Week 8: 11-5

Week 9: 11-3

Week 10: 7-7

Week 11: 8-4

Week 12: 11-5

Week 13: 7-6

Overall: 112-66 (63%)

Thursday Night Football

(Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

New England Patriots (2-10) at Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5): Kenny Pickett may be out after undergoing ankle surgery, but you could throw Mitch Trubisky, Trace McSorley, or any quarterback with NFL experience off the street and I would still probably pick the Pittsburgh Steelers in this one. After scoring zero points against the Chargers last week, a team not necessarily known for its defensive prowess, the New England Patriots have no business being picked by anyone to win this game. Steelers win 20-6

Sunday Games

(Chicago Bears)

Detroit Lions (9-3) at Chicago Bears (4-8): The Detroit Lions are coming off back-to-back suspect game: a loss to the Packers on Thanksgiving and a win over the Saints last week that was nearly choked away. With the Chicago Bears playing decent football as of late, the Lions have to be on high alert here. I think Detroit wins, but it will be anything but easy. Lions win 26-23

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7) at Atlanta Falcons (6-6): This game, as with many NFC South matchups this season, is a toss-up. The Atlanta Falcons have been playing the better football of the two teams lately, but these Tampa Bay Buccaneers can ball despite their 5-7 record. The Buccaneers get a win to draw closer in the NFC South. Buccaneers win 27-20

Indianapolis Colts (7-5) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-6): Coming off the heels of an overtime Monday Night Football win over the Jaguars, Jake Browning and the Cincinnati Bengals are officially a competitive team again. Still, I’m going with the road warriors: the Indianapolis Colts, who have won five of six games outside of Indiana this season. Gardner Minshew magic continues. Colts win 30-27

Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4) at Cleveland Browns (7-5): Not to oversimplify things, but if Trevor Lawrence (ankle, doubtful) doesn’t suit up in Ohio, I’ll go with the Cleveland Browns: new quarterbacks typically need some time to adjust. The Browns are sliding, but I think their elite defense finds a way to shut down C.J. Beathard if he indeed starts the game. Browns win 20-14

Carolina Panthers (1-11) at New Orleans Saints (5-7): At least some of the three-four win teams keep things competitive in their games: I see no reason to pick the struggling Carolina Panthers on the road here. Saints win 31-12

Houston Texans (7-5) at New York Jets (4-8): C.J. Stroud’s magical rookie campaign will likely continue with the former Ohio State quarterback winning his eighth game in 13 tries: the New York Jets have lost five straight games and aren’t beating anyone right now, as the door continues to revolve at their starting quarterback position. Texans win 26-16

Los Angeles Rams (6-6) at Baltimore Ravens (9-3): This game is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball for both teams. The Los Angeles Rams have rattled off three straight wins to become a competitive team for the first time since their Super Bowl 56 run. But they haven’t had to face a quarterback as talented as Lamar Jackson in that three-game stretch, and the Baltimore Ravens are playing elite football this season. Los Angeles needs this one more, but Baltimore should hold their own at home. Ravens win 28-17

Minnesota Vikings (6-6) at Las Vegas Raiders (5-7): The Minnesota Vikings are narrow road favorites in this one, but it could easily break either way. The Las Vegas Raiders hold a respectable home record, and while they’re coming off back-to-back losses, they were to the Dolphins and Chiefs. Give me Las Vegas in a bounce back game, as Minnesota’s mid-season win streak grows further in the rear view mirror. Raiders win 26-18

Seattle Seahawks (6-6) at San Francisco 49ers (9-3): Just two weeks after being handled by the San Francisco 49ers on Thanksgiving night at home, the Seattle Seahawks travel South to California to take on their NFC West rivals once again. Seattle absolutely needs this game to stay competitive in the division, but the 49ers are firing on all cylinders after last week’s big win over the NFC-leading Eagles. 49ers win 33-23

SEE ALSO: Post-Week 13 Power Rankings

Buffalo Bills (6-6) at Kansas City Chiefs (8-4): In what is probably the second-biggest game of the week, the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs get together for their annual meeting (often re-visited in the postseason.) Josh Allen and the Bills have struggled this season and the last month and a half specifically, stumbling to a 6-6 record, three games out of first place in the AFC. But Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have been vulnerable this season too, going 2-3 in their last five games to give up the lead for the AFC’s best record. Anything goes here, and not because these two teams are so great, but because they’re both playing a notch below their best football right now, evening the playing field. At the end of the day, the setting could be the deciding factor: the Chiefs are 4-2 at Arrowhead this season, while the Bills are just 1-4 away from Buffalo. Chiefs win 27-23

Denver Broncos (6-6) at Los Angeles Chargers (5-7): For as much success as the Denver Broncos has had during their five-game winning streak, and as much as Russell Wilson has improved under head coach Sean Payton, Denver’s offense can still be a bit unimaginative, leading their demise in a crucial matchup against the Texans last week. Luckily, the Los Angeles Chargers only managed to put up a whopping six points in a win over the Patriots last week, and additionally, the Chargers have a love-hate relationship with SoFi Stadium, going 2-4 there so far this season. Wilson and company should break their record positive with a road win here. Broncos win 23-17

Sunday Night Football

(Dallas Morning News)

Sak Sports Blog Game of the Week Philadelphia Eagles (10-2) at Dallas Cowboys (9-3): In the best matchup of Week 14 and one of the biggest games of the 2023-24 NFL season to date, Dak Prescott and the 9-3 Dallas Cowboys have a chance to even the score in the NFC East, putting them on a potential path to a division crown as well as even the number one seed in the conference. Jalen Hurts and the 10-2 Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a bitter and harsh loss to the 49ers last week, and with a win here could create a comfortable cushion in the division: a two-game lead that would essentially serve as a three-game one after sweeping the season series against Dallas. The Eagles are a stronger team overall, but are quite suspect to playing close games, with their defense unable to put the opposition away. The result could be an instant Sunday Night Football classic. Eagles win 38-35

Monday Night Football Doubleheader

(Yahoo Sports)

Tennessee Titans (4-8) at Miami Dolphins (9-3): The Tennessee Titans have yet to win a game on the road this season (0-6) while the Miami Dolphins have yet to lose a game at home (5-0.) You do the math. Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill could be set for another field day if the game doesn’t get out of hand early. Dolphins win 34-17

Green Bay Packers (6-6) at New York Giants (4-8): This game has a little more intrigue on paper: Jordan Love and the red-hot Green Bay Packers are looking to surge their way in to a playoff spot, and the New York Giants may even feel like they have a miracle scenario path to the postseason that starts with winning this game. Tommy Devito has been a good story for New York, but the Packers have been putting the pieces together much faster than the Giants this season. Packers win 27-16

Teams on Bye

Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders

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Header Photo Credit: Dallas Morning News

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