NFL 2023 Week 13 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us yet again. Heading into this week we have only six weeks left of regular season play left. The teams are trying to solidify their division positioning while teams are trying to make a run and get hot. Still quite a bit of season left to say who will make it past Week 18 and play January football. This post will have a playoff picture for this week, a Week 13 preview and picks, and the Early & Late TV Broadcast pairings.

NFL Playoff Picture: Week 13

With six weeks left in the regular season, the clinching scenarios aren't quite there yet but with the lesser amount of weeks mean the closer to teams getting some needed playoff spots. There could be some playoff berths clinched this week or next week. Let's take a look at the NFC. 

Seeding

1st seed: Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)

2nd seed: San Francisco 49ers (8-3)

3rd seed: Detroit Lions (8-3)

4th seed: Atlanta Falcons (5-6)

5th seed: Dallas Cowboys (8-3)

6th seed: Seattle Seahawks (6-5)

7th seed: Minnesota Vikings (6-6)

Super Wild Card Weekend Matchups

Minnesota @ San Francisco

Seattle @ Detroit

Dallas @ Atlanta

In the Hunt

Green Bay (5-6), LA Rams (5-6), New Orleans (5-6), Tampa Bay (4-7), NY Giants (4-8), Chicago (4-8), Washington (4-8), Arizona (2-10), Carolina (1-10)

Kind of competitive in the NFC more this week than the past few weeks. San Francisco is ahead of Detroit based on better conference record. Atlanta is ahead of New Orleans based on head-to-head record. Green Bay is ahead of Los Angeles and New Orleans based on head-to-head (remember that the Packers beat the Rams a few weeks ago and the Packers beat the Saints earlier in the season). Let's look at the AFC. 

Seeding

1st seed: Baltimore Ravens (9-3)

2nd seed: Kansas City Chiefs (8-3)

3rd seed: Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3)

4th seed: Miami Dolphins (8-3)

5th seed: Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4)

6th seed: Cleveland Browns (7-4)

7th seed: Indianapolis Colts (6-5)

Super Wild Card Weekend Matchups

Indianapolis @ Kansas City

Cleveland @ Jacksonville

Pittsburgh @ Miami

In the Hunt

Houston (6-5), Denver (6-5), Buffalo (6-6), Las Vegas (5-7), Cincinnati (5-6), LA Chargers (4-7), Tennessee (4-7), NY Jets (4-7), New England (2-9)

A much more competitive conference than the NFC. The Colts are ahead of the Texans based on head-to-head. Indy is ahead of Denver based on better conference record. Pittsburgh is ahead of Cleveland based on better division record. Kansas City is ahead of both Miami and Jacksonville based on head-to-head record. 

Week 13 Preview

The Thirteenth week of the National Football League's regular season will start in Arlington, Texas and finish up in Jacksonville, Florida. Week 13 will feature a 13-game slate where 26 teams will play. Teams on a bye this week will be the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas, Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants. Week 13 will have a Thursday night game, seven early games, three late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. CBS will have the single, regional game while FOX will carry the doubleheader this week. Let's get to the picks!

Week 13 Picks

Note: All game times are in US Eastern. TW is me and CV is Cardinal Viking, my former roommate.

Seattle (6-5) @ Dallas (8-3) (Amazon; 8:15 pm): TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys

The Seahawks lost to the 49ers and the Cowboys beat the Commanders last week. Week 13 starts with a meagerly interesting matchup on Thursday night. Seattle comes into the game with a few bad losses under its belt. After losing to the Rams and 49ers the last few weeks, the Seahawks really need to get back into playing better football. Injuries have played a part in it but the defense needs to get back to better play as well. Dallas has looked like a team that can maul people over by passing or running. Tony Pollard has turned into a true running back with speed and power. The Cowboys would have to fall off the cliff to lose this game so I'd take them. 

Atlanta (5-6) @ NY Jets (4-7) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Jets; CV: Jets

The Falcons beat the Saints and the Jets lost to the Dolphins last week. A doozy of a matchup. The Falcons have been a team that looks decent on paper but not quite there record-wise. The Jets were at one point a team that had won three straight games. It seems like eons ago. Both teams aren't particularly great in the passing game but have alright running games. I think the Jets can win if they can hold off on giving themselves chances to lose the football. Atlanta does tend to give up the ball as well. It just seems like a meh matchup. I'll give the Jets a shot. 

Arizona (2-10) @ Pittsburgh (7-4) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers

The Cardinals lost to the Rams and the Steelers beat the Bengals. The Cards have been pretty terrible. At one point Kyler Murray took this team to a 10-7 record in 2021 and a playoff berth. Still the Kyler Murray of 2023 has been a mixed bag of good and bad. Arizona's growing pains stem from their defense. If there was a positive for the Cardinals is that their rush offense is top-10 in the league. Pittsburgh finally got over the hump and outgained an opponent in offensive yardage and win a game. The Steelers get it done with their running game, harkening back to the days of Rocky Blier and Franco Harris in the 1970's. Pittsburgh's defense is legit as that too reminds of those 1970's teams that won four Super Bowls. I think the Steelers with this renewed sense of vigor will spell doom to the Cardinals. 

Denver (6-5) @ Houston (6-5) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Texans; CV: Texans

The Broncos beat the Browns and the Texans lost to the Jaguars last week. Denver has been playing really well. Who would've thought that the Broncos would be at 6-5 after going on a 1-5 start? I didn't seem to think so. Their defense has been improving in that stretch. That same defense that gave up 70 points to Miami mind you. Houston as well has been playing really well. CJ Stroud has to be a sure-in for the Offensive Rookie of the Year. I would be concerned for Stroud if he feels that he has to put the weight of the franchise on his shoulders. It shouldn't be all on him. I like both teams in the matchup. The passing game's should be entertaining. I would think that the Texans would win but he needs help. 

Detroit (8-3) @ New Orleans (5-6) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Lions; CV: Lions

The Lions lost to the Packers and the Saints lost to the Falcons last week. Detroit had been one of the better teams in the NFL prior to Thanksgiving. The Packers kind of exposed them a bit in that they were slow on offense with their defense. Even though the Lions came back and made an effort to win it, they still lost to a rival. I think the Lions will be able to rebound but they need to get out of their past selves. New Orleans has been a team that should be better on offense but somehow they aren't. Chris Olave isn't a household name because the Saints aren't a playoff team since he became a Saint. I think the Lions just seem to be a bit too much for the Saints to handle. 

Indianapolis (6-5) @ Tennessee (4-7) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Colts; CV: Colts

The Colts beat the Buccaneers and the Titans beat the Panthers last week. A meh matchup in the AFC South. Indianapolis has been an interesting team to watch if you like reclamation projects and running back tandems. Gardner Minshew, the journeyman, has had an up and down season. The signing of Jonathan Taylor has provided a spark to the Colts running game while Zack Moss is a valuable back. Tennessee has a solid running back in Derrick Henry but he can only do so much. His quarterback Will Levis has been an alright player, he isn't Steve McNair but he isn't Ryan Tannehill either. If Tennessee can keep playing well in the passing game, they can get some points in this game. I do like the Colts better a bit on defense than the Titans and sometimes two valuable backs are better than the one running back. Sorry King Henry but I'll take the Colts. 

LA Chargers (4-7) @ New England (2-9) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers

The Chargers lost to the Ravens and the Patriots lost to the Giants last week. A doozy of a matchup. The Chargers have been one of the underwhelming teams in the league. They have a ton of talent yet their record speaks for itself. The defense isn't as good as years past. The offense has stayed the same. They should be able to handle against the Patriots. The real question for this matchup is that who will blow more: the Patriots offense or the Chargers defense. This season would give me the impression that the former will happen. They do have an alright running game that can put up some yardage. The question is who gets to have the opportunity to drive the Patriots offense vehicle that looks like missing a few wheels on it. I'll take the Chargers. I've seen enough. 

Miami (8-3) @ Washington (4-8) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins

The Dolphins beat the Jets and the Commanders lost to the Cowboys last week. A game of polar opposites it seems. the Dolphins offense was clicking but if there was a weakness, it would be turnovers. People might forget that Tua Tagovailoa's interception that went back for a pick-six (granted that pick-six came after the 99-yard pick-six by Miami) last week. The Dolphins need to cut back on the turnovers. Run the ball more if need be. Washington at one point this season was 2-0. Since that point, it's been tough sledding for the first year ownership group. Washington does have a special quarterback in Sam Howell. The main culprit has to be the defense and the coaching sadly. I think the Commanders will try to make it a game but I think the Dolphins will win out. 

Carolina (1-10) @ Tampa Bay (4-7) (CBS; 4:05 pm): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers

The Panthers lost to the Titans and the Buccaneers lost to the Colts last week. Carolina is somewhat of a revolving door when it comes to head coaches. Frank Reich became the latest victim in the David Tepper having no patience complex. They are not a great team by any stretch. If there was something that I like is that Chuba Hubbard being somewhat of an alright back. Adam Thielen is the leading receiver with 728 yards and four touchdowns. Tampa Bay has been better as they have some signs of stability in coaching and an offense. The Baker Mayfield to Mike Evans connection has been nice combo to match. Rashaad White has been a fairly decent running back. Ultimately the Buccaneers can play ball like the rest of the league but their record does tend to speak for itself. Ultimately, the Buccaneers should be able to handle the Panthers. 

Cleveland (7-4) @ LA Rams (5-6) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Browns; CV: Rams

The Browns lost to the Broncos and the Rams beat the Cardinals last week. Cleveland is a bit banged up with injuries. The latest victim is Myles Garrett sadly. They will need him to get back onto the field as quickly as possible as he's their best defensive player. On offense, the Brownies are looking a little bit rougher. PJ Walker has been an average at best, below average at worst quarterback. The Rams look like the better team in this matchup. Their offense is soundly better with wide receivers a plenty like Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. I question how good Matthew Stafford can be as he has spent some time in the injury reserve. I do think the Rams are a better team but I'll take the Brownies in a toss-up.  

San Francisco (8-3) @ Philadelphia (10-1) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers

The 49ers beat the Seahawks and the Eagles beat the Bills last week. The rematch of last January's NFC championship game. Two titans of the conference set to do battle. I think both teams are overall similar to each other. If there was a difference between is that Brock Purdy isn't a hybrid quarterback and the Eagles don't have Christian McCaffrey. Philadelphia's weakness is not a top pass defense. San Francisco's weakness is shooting themselves in the foot. Turnovers and doing too much have costed the 49ers much this season, including the possibility of the #1 seed. I think the 49ers will get some measure of revenge over the Eagles. 

Kansas City (8-3) @ Green Bay (5-6) (NBC; 8:20 pm): TW: Packers; CV: Chiefs

The Chiefs beat the Raiders and the Packers beat the Lions last week. The Chiefs might've gotten off to a slow start last week against Las Vegas but they did finish them off in a convincing fashion. All without Taylor Swift in attendance. Green Bay looked pretty good against the Lions. They did let off the foot off the gas at the end of the game as the Lions almost came back to win it. Both teams have versatile passing games. The Packers run game is a bit rough around the edges. If the Packers want to win this game they will need to contain the Chiefs running game and cause havoc in the pocket. They have the capabilities to do it. I feel its a chance but I'll take the Packers. 

Cincinnati (5-6) @ Jacksonville (8-3) (ABC; 8:15 pm): TW: Jaguars; CV: Jaguars

The Bengals lost to the Steelers and the Jaguars beat the Texans last week. The week finishes up with a game that means a bit in the AFC playoff picture. Cincinnati comes into the game with what seems to be a lost season with Joe Burrow out for the rest of the season. While I think that the Bengals are good enough to still win games, I do think that they need to have Burrow back to have any success. Jacksonville currently holds an 8-3 record and the margin for error is small but not thin. If they wish to achieve #1 seed they will need to win out and hope for some luck. I think the Jaguars will still take it because of overall play on offense and defense. 

Early & Late Game TV Broadcast Pairings

Note: Games in bold are being shown in my area, check local listings

CBS Single

Denver @ Houston

Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

LA Chargers @ New England

Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta

Arizona @ Pittsburgh

Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

Indianapolis @ Tennessee

Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan

Carolina @ Tampa Bay (Late)

Tom McCarthy, James Lofton, Jay Feely

FOX Early

Miami @ Washington

Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth

Atlanta @ NY Jets

Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

Detroit @ New Orleans

Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston

FOX Late

San Francisco @ Philadelphia

Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olson

Cleveland @ LA Rams

Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez

For more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL 2023: Week 13 Maps

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

Week 4: 13-3
Week 5: 6-8

Week 6: 9-6

Week 7: 4-9

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 6-8

Week 11: 7-7

Week 12: 9-7

Total: 100-80

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1
2022: 157-112-2

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Week 6: 8-7

Week 7: 5-8

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 7-7

Week 11: 11-3

Week 12: 8-8

Total: 110-70

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2

See you all after the Monday night game for the Week 13 Recap! Enjoy the games!

-Tom