Happy midweek, everyone! John Breech is busy stuffing the turkey and scouting early Black Friday deals on Cincinnati Bengals gear, so today’s Pick Six newsletter is brought to you by Cody Benjamin, with tidbits on all the latest from around the NFL.
Be sure to subscribe right here, to ensure you never miss a daily dose of NFL updates. And keep on reading for everything from Thanksgiving bold predictions to a major Aaron Rodgers update:
1. Thanksgiving bold predictions: Bears stun Lions
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Thanksgiving is upon us, which also means a tripleheader of holiday NFL action. In anticipation of Thursday’s trio of matchups, we made some bold predictions for each game:
- Caleb Williams stuns Motown, takes Lions to overtime: Fresh off a poised outing against Brian Flores’ Minnesota Vikings defense, the No. 1 overall pick will be up against a bottom-10 pass defense in Detroit, where the vaunted Lions suffered a turnover-laden Thanksgiving Day defeat in 2023.
- Tommy DeVito leads an upset special in Arlington: The Cowboys might be puffing their chests a little too much after a wacky upset of the Washington Commanders. Dallas still boasts one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, which bodes well for Tyrone Tracy Jr. and the Giants‘ makeshift offense.
- Packers stop Dolphins from scoring any offensive TDs: Owning the 10th-ranked pass and scoring defense, with the ball-hawking Xavier McKinney a threat to snag any wayward throws, the Packers also have the benefit of a balanced offense grounded by Josh Jacobs. They’re built for winter football.
Granted his release from New York, the former first-round draft pick is joining Minnesota’s practice squad ahead of Week 13, as CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones confirmed. The move gives the Vikings added insurance behind Sam Darnold, while allowing Jones to stay open to other opportunities, given that he can still be signed to other clubs’ active rosters at any time.
3. Prisco’s Week 13 picks: Bengals, Vikings roll
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Pete Prisco is back with predictions for every single Week 13 matchup. Here’s a sampling:
- Bengals 26, Steelers 20: The Bengals are off the bye and have to win out to basically have a playoff shot. The Steelers lost to the Browns in the snow last Thursday. The defense let them down in that game, and now they get Joe Burrow and Co. That’s not easy. Burrow will find a way to win it.
- Vikings 31, Cardinals 21: The Cardinals are coming off a road loss to the Seahawks, while the Vikings are home for the first time in three weeks. The Arizona offense seemed to struggle last week at Seattle, and now it will be challenged by the Minnesota defense. I think the Vikings limit Kyler Murray, and the Minnesota offense will hit a few big plays to Justin Jefferson to win it.
- Jets 23, Seahawks 19: This is a long trip for Seattle in between two division games against the Cardinals. The Jets are coming off a bye. Advantage, Jets. They haven’t played well at all, but something says they rally here to find a way, as Seattle will be focused on Arizona next week. It’s a classic sandwich game.
4. One thing each NFL team can be thankful for
With Thanksgiving on the doorstep, it’s the perfect time to conjure up some gratitude. So we identified one reason for each of the 32 teams to be thankful this season. Even the bad ones! Here’s a sampling:
- Denver Broncos: Sean Payton seemingly got it right with Bo Nix. Occasionally ridiculed as a first-round reach, Nix is now in the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation for his athletic and unfazed debut under center.
- Green Bay Packers: The top offseason additions are paying off. Josh Jacobs has helped ground Matt LaFleur’s balanced offense amid a couple of Jordan Love bruises. And Xavier McKinney’s ball-hawking has been a constant.
- Minnesota Vikings: Almost everyone has exceeded expectations. Sam Darnold was supposed to be a placeholder, but he’s shepherding a deep, scrappy contender. Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah are program builders.
5. Rodgers undecided on 2025, prefers to be with Jets
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Aaron Rodgers said he expected to return in 2025 after the New York Jets’ last loss. He changed his tune slightly while appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show” Tuesday, saying he’s made no decisions about his future. One thing the quarterback did clear up: He prefers to stay with the Jets, provided New York still wants him after the 2024 season, countering a report that he’s ready for his own fresh start.
“I don’t even know if I wanna play yet, but New York would be my first option,” Rodgers said. “When you’re 40, going on 41, you’re obviously at the end of your career. … If it’s New York, they have to want me to be here. And then the new GM, the new staff, they’ll all have to want me to be with the Jets. And then, body-wise, I have to see how I’m feeling. … I think, at this point, I’m open to everything and attached to nothing. … A lot can change … but playing in New York would obviously be my first choice, if I wanted to play.”
6. Extra points: Playoff picks, 49ers-Bills weather
Need a few more headlines to hold you over? We’ve got you covered:
