With just six weeks left of the regular season schedule, the drama in the NFL continues to ramp up.

The playoff picture is wide open and Week 13 action presents clashes between a number of sides who each boast a winning record this season.

Victories this week would provide a considerable boost for those teams' hopes of continuing beyond the regular campaign.

A huge divisional rivalry between the Washington Commanders and New York Giants is the pick of the action, while there is also a rematch from last season's AFC Championship game with the Kansas City Chiefs seeking redemption against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Stats Perform has delved into the numbers for those matchups along with some of Sunday's other big games.

New York Jets (7-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (9-2)

The Jets head to Minnesota with an 8-3 record against the Vikings, though have lost the last two meetings – including a 37-17 loss in the last meeting in 2018, which marked the most ever points scored by the Vikings in this series.

Defensive strength has been key for the Jets this season, with last week's 31-10 victory over the Chicago Bears being the fourth time this year where they have held their opponents to 10 or fewer points – the last time they had such a sequence was five games in 2010, which was also their last season with a trip to the playoffs.

The Jets defense will be tested against the Vikings' aerial threat, however, with Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen each catching touchdown passes in the Thanksgiving win over the New England Patriots – the ninth time each player has had a receiving TD in the same game, which marks the most of any NFL teammates since Jefferson's 2020 debut.

A win against the Jets would see head coach Kevin O'Connell join Jim Caldwell and Jim Harbaugh as the only men this century to earn 10 wins in 12 or fewer games to start their career as an NFL head coach.

Washington Commanders (7-5) @ New York Giants (7-4)

A series sweep for Washington last season was the franchise's first against the Giants since 2011, leaving the Commanders looking for their first win streak of at least three games against New York since a four-game streak that ended in 2000.

Four consecutive wins on the road have seen Washington hold their opponents to 54 points total in those contests, marking the first time they have won four straight road games while allowing fewer than 60 points since 2001.

The Giants head into the contest having lost their last five against divisional opponents, standing just 1-7 in that regard over the past two seasons. That makes them just one of two teams without multiple wins in divisional games over that span (also Denver Broncos, 1-8).

Saquon Barkley remains the biggest threat for the Giants and sits just eight rushing yards short of his third 1000-yard season, where he would join Tiki Barber (6), Rodney Hampton (5) and Joe Morris (3) as the only Giants with at least three such seasons for the team.

Tennessee Titans (7-4) @ Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)

Philadelphia host the Titans on the back of a six-game winning run against AFC opponents dating back to last season, matching the Eagles' longest such streak in franchise history.

Last time out against the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles scored a touchdown in four of their five trips to the red zone – with Philadelphia leading the NFL in touchdown efficiency in the red zone this season, scoring in 29 of 40 trips (72.5 per cent).

Tennessee, meanwhile, have rushed for fewer than 100 yards in each of their last three games, matching their longest streak since Mike Vrabel became head coach in 2018.

In the 20-16 loss to the Bengals last time out, Derrick Henry fumbled but was it was recovered. Of the 39 players with at least 200 offensive touches since the beginning of last season, Henry, Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey are the only three to have not lost a fumble.

Kansas City Chiefs (9-2) @ Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)

Two meetings last season saw the Bengals win by three points in both contests, including in the AFC Championship game in Kansas City, with the Chiefs' last road win against the Bengals coming in 1984 – losing six straight since.

A 26-10 home victory against the Los Angeles Rams last week saw Travis Kelce catch his 12th touchdown pass of the season, with no other tight end having more than five this term. The largest all-time gap between a league leader and second place stands at six (Rob Gronkowski in 2011 and Antonio Gates in 2004).

The Bengals overcame the Titans 20-16 on the road last week, giving Cincinnati their first three-game winning streak of the season. Since 2018, they stand 3-34 when scoring 20 or fewer points in a game, but two of those wins have come against Tennessee.

Cincinnati have converted 78.1 per cent (25-for-32) of their third downs this season when needing fewer than four yards, the best mark in the league. However, they've also allowed opponents to convert such third downs at a 76.5 per cent rate (26-for-34), the worst record in the league.

Elsewhere…

The Miami Dolphins head to San Francisco with a 4-3 record on the road against the 49ers, the second-best such record by any team behind the Carolina Panthers (7-4).

The Los Angeles Rams host the Seattle Seahawks having won eight of the last 10 clashes between the two divisional rivals, with Seattle's last victory on the road in this matchup coming in Week 5, 2017.

An overtime victory over the Seahawks last week was the second in a row for the Las Vegas Raiders, having beaten the Denver Broncos in OT in Week 11. No NFL team has ever won three consecutive games in overtime going into the Raiders' latest battle with the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Dallas Cowboys host the Indianapolis Colts on the back of a four-game spell with at least 400 net yards, with only one longer streak in team history – running eight games in that regard in 2016.

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll wants his team to relish the opportunity to end their playoff drought ahead of a crucial December, despite back-to-back losses.

The rookie boss has taken his unfancied side to a 7-4 record this term, winning six of his first seven matches in charge after arriving from the Buffalo Bills backroom to succeed Joe Judge.

However, consecutive defeats to the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys have checked momentum to stall hopes of both a first regular-season winning record and a playoff spot since 2016.

But Daboll believes his side can turn things around ahead of a vital four-game run that will see them pitted against key rivals the Washington Commanders twice over the next month.

"When you play meaningful games in December, I think that's why we all do this," he said. 

"I've been on teams that have played meaningful games in December, and I've been part of teams that haven't.

"It's not a lot of fun when you're not playing meaningful games. So, let's come to work with a great attitude, a positive mindset [and] keep getting better."

The Giants' sterling start to the campaign has been slowed in recent weeks, with Daboll's side off the pace of their earlier exploits, while a torn ACL looks to have ended wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson's season.

But their coach feels they are showing a steady approach, win or lose, adding: "I think the way they're handling winning [is how they handle losing]. They're consistent.

"We've all been in this league a long time. The last time that you haven't faced adversity will be the first time. You're going to face it. Week 1, Week 5, Week 10. The approach is to be consistent."

Thursday's Thanksgiving showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants broke a 32-year-old record as the most-watched regular season game in NFL history.

According to Nielsen, the afternoon showcase on one of America's biggest holidays averaged 42million viewers, surpassing the December 3, 1990 Monday Night Football fixture between the Giants and the San Francisco 49ers.

The Cowboys ended up coming from behind at half-time to storm home for a 28-20 win, improving their record to 8-3 in the process.

Having not won a playoff game since 2018, the current Cowboys roster is arguably their best of the past decade, featuring franchise talents at quarterback with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb at wide receiver and edge-rusher Micah Parsons, who is the favourite to win Defensive Player of the Year.

All-in-all, it was the most-watched slate of games ever on Thanksgiving, with the three contests averaging 33.5m viewers to break the 1993 Thanksgiving record of 32.9m, when there were only two games played.

Odell Beckham Jr's move to the Dallas Cowboys is a step closer with team owner Jerry Jones admitting he held a "good meeting" with the free agent on Thursday.

The 30-year-old wide receiver has been heavily linked with the Cowboys along with the New York Giants.

Jones said after Thursday's 28-20 win over the Giants that he had spoken to Beckham, albeit by phone rather than an in-person visit.

"We had a good visit today, that's it," Jones told reporters. "I don't have a timeframe there."

Beckham has not played since last season's Super Bowl triumph with the Los Angeles Rams, where he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Jones conceded it was unclear if Beckham would be available to play this season, with the Cowboys' latest win improving their record to 8-3.

"We'll see. We'll have to see," Jones said. "I haven't gotten the benefit of his rehab work and where he is."

The Cowboys have not won the Super Bowl since winning three in four years from 1992 to 1995, when they traded for Charles Haley and Deoin Sanders during that era.

"I don't want to make comparisons but Odell could help us," Jones said. "I believe that right now. Now, we've got to make it fit and that's the challenge here."

Dak Prescott believes the Dallas Cowboys have a championship-level defense after another lockdown performance in the second half of their 28-20 Thanksgiving win against the New York Giants.

Prescott was solid, completing 21-of-30 passes for two touchdowns and two interceptions, with both of his scores coming in the third quarter to tight end Dalton Schultz.

His touchdown passes on back-to-back drives quickly turned a 13-7 half-time deficit into a 21-13 lead by the end of the third quarter, and the Cowboys did not concede a point in the second half until a consolation touchdown in the final 10 seconds.

Their defense was led by last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year and current Defensive Player of the Year favourite, Micah Parsons, who sacked Giants quarterback Daniel Jones twice to take his season tally to 12 – the second most in the league.

It comes one week after the Cowboys' defense manhandled the Minnesota Vikings en route to a 40-3 demolition, and Prescott said that defensive group gives them a chance to be great.

"I'm as confident as I can be," he told reporters after the Giants win. "I always have been with this team.

"It doesn't matter what [outsiders] say about what they believe in, I know what this team is capable of – especially with this defense we have.

"We've just got to continue to keep our heads down, take it one day at a time, and one game at a time. We control everything that's in front of us."

Despite the final result, it was a choppy first half for the Cowboys' offense, but star receiver CeeDee Lamb said that is never going to result in a dip in confidence.

"We've been preaching resilience," Lamb said. "That's our motto this year. Everything about this season has been revealing itself. Just understanding that we're always coming to battle, ready for whatever and we've got each other's back.

"[Prescott and I] are still building. I understand how late it is in the season, but we didn't have the first half [of the season, when Prescott was out injured]. 

"We still had a couple mishaps, but we came out victorious and had a couple completions in the clutch."

At 8-3, the Cowboys are almost assured of a spot in the postseason, where they will have a chance to win their first playoff game since 2018.

The Dallas Cowboys' defense woke up at half-time and took over the game against the New York Giants, carrying their side to a 28-20 victory on Thanksgiving.

Playing on the road, it was the Giants who led early, with two field goals and a Saquon Barkley goal-line touchdown giving the visitors a 13-7 lead at the long break.

What was a competitive contest in the first half turned into one-way traffic in the third quarter, with Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz punctuating back-to-back drives with touchdown catches to jump ahead 21-13 heading into the fourth.

The last quarter was more of the same, adding another touchdown with a hand-off to backup tight end Peyton Hendershot from the two-yard line to complete the rout.

New York only had four possessions after half-time, resulting in a punt and two turnovers-on-downs, before a consolation touchdown in the final seconds with the game well-and-truly decided, as the Cowboys showed why many are picking them as the best defensive team in the NFL.

Defensive Player of the Year favourite Micah Parsons collected two of the Cowboys' three sacks on Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, taking his tally for the season to 12, trailing only Matthew Judon of the New England Patriots (13).

The Cowboys' two-pronged rushing attack also delivered, with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard combining for 152 yards and a touchdown from 34 carries, while CeeDee Lamb led all receivers with six catches for 106 yards. Dak Prescott threw two touchdown passes with two interceptions on 21-of-30 passing for 261 yards.

The result breaks the tie between the two sides in the NFC East, with the Cowboys now owning sole possession of second place in the NFC East at 8-3, while the Giants slipped to 7-4.

The New York Giants' already poor passing attack took a hit Monday with the team announcing that rookie wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL in his right knee.

Robinson sustained the injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 31-18 home loss to the Detroit Lions during his best game as a pro.

The 2022 second-round draft pick had nine catches for 100 yards after combining for 14 receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown in his first five games.

Robinson had already missed four games after suffering an MCL injury in the season opener.

"We know how explosive [Robinson] can be," Giants running back Saquon Barkley said after Sunday's game.

"Not having him out there is definitely going to be a loss, but it's going to give other guys opportunities and we have all the confidence in all the other guys too to step in and make plays."

New York (7-3) rank 28th in the NFL with 177.3 passing yards per game. The Giants visit the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys (7-3) on Thanksgiving Day.

"We have plenty of receivers on the roster as you know," first-year New York coach Brian Daboll said. "It's a short week. We'll get the guys ready to go. We'll revisit things as we do each week and see how it goes."

There are no more perfect teams in the NFL, just some very good ones.

The Philadelphia Eagles lost their 100 per cent record against the Washington Commanders on Monday, and will look to bounce back in Indianapolis in Week 11.

The New York Jets return from their bye week looking to continue to surprise, though they have a tough trip to the New England Patriots to contend with, while the Minnesota Vikings host the Dallas Cowboys in another enticing clash.

Stats Perform has taken a look at some of the more interesting numbers ahead of these and other big games on Sunday.

Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) @ Indianapolis Colts (4-5-1)

Philadelphia possessed the ball for just 19 minutes and 36 seconds of game time in the loss to the Commanders. It was their lowest time of possession in a game since another loss to Washington in Week 4 of the 2015 season (18:52).

Jalen Hurts rushed for a touchdown last week, giving him 20 in his career. At 24 years and 99 days old, he became the second-youngest quarterback in NFL history to reach 20 rushing touchdowns, trailing only Cam Newton (23 years, 199 days).

Matt Ryan had a 39-yard rush in last week's win over the Las Vegas Raiders, the longest run of his career. It was the longest rushing play by a Colts quarterback since Jim Harbaugh ran for 41 yards in Week 4 of the 1994 season.

With a win, Jeff Saturday would join Jim Caldwell (2009) as the only Colts head coaches to win the first two games of their careers.

New York Jets (6-3) @ New England Patriots (5-4)

The Patriots have won 13 consecutive games against the Jets, winning every meeting since the beginning of the 2016 season. That is tied for the longest active win streak against a single opponent for any team (the Chiefs over the Broncos).

The Jets entered their bye week with a 20-17 win over the Bills in which they had 136 net passing yards. They are 5-0 this season when having 250 or fewer passing yards in a game compared to 1-3 when they have more than 250.

Players aged 23 and younger have gained 2002 yards from scrimmage for the Jets this season, the most in the NFL (next most is the Colts with 1336). That is already the most scrimmage yards for the Jets by players 23 and under since the 1990 season (2452).

Jakobi Meyers leads the Patriots with 457 receiving yards this season, one of five New England players with 200+ receiving yards this season. Only the Green Bay Packers (six) have more players with at least 200 receiving yards in 2022.

Dallas Cowboys (6-3) @ Minnesota Vikings (8-1)

Last week was the Vikings' third win this season after trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter, tying the 1980 Dolphins, 2000 Jets, 2003 Colts and 2011 Lions for the most such wins in a campaign in NFL history.

Justin Jefferson has 814 receiving yards over his last six games, the most in a six-game span in Vikings history and the most by any NFL player over a six-game span in a single season since Antonio Brown recorded 868 in 2015.

With his 81-yard rushing touchdown last week, Dalvin Cook has now had a rush of at least 65 yards in five straight seasons, level with Derrick Henry (2017-21) for the longest streak by any player since the 1970 merger.

Last week's loss to Green Bay snapped the Cowboys' streak of 195 consecutive wins when leading by 14 or more points entering the fourth quarter (including postseason), which had been the longest streak in NFL history.

Elsewhere...

The Buffalo Bills take on the Cleveland Browns having had at least 100 rushing yards and 300 total yards in 16 straight games, including postseason, the third-longest streak in the Super Bowl era behind the Seattle Seahawks (19, 2014-15) and the Vikings (18, 2002-03).

The Detroit Lions will need to stop Saquon Barkley, who had a career-high 35 rushing attempts for 152 yards in the New York Giants' 24-16 win over the Houston Texans last week. His 35 rushes were the most in a game by any NFL running back this season and the most by a Giant since Joe Montgomery had 38 against the Jets in 1999. 

Ahead of facing the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has completed 76.8 per cent of his passes over his last four games, the fourth-highest by any QB over a four-game span in a single season in NFL history (minimum 140 attempts, excluding overlapping spans) behind Peyton Manning (78.8) and Philip Rivers in 2013 (78.3), and Sam Bradford in 2016 (77.9).

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2, 27-24. Since 2018, six of the nine games between the Chiefs and Chargers have been decided by seven points or fewer, tied for the third most of any matchup since then (Bears-Lions and Texans-Colts, seven each).

The NFL season has reached the point where the playoff picture truly starts to take shape.

Many players have proven themselves in an unpredictable 2022 campaign while others have fallen below expectations.

Stats Perform has focused on the former, selecting a pick for every position in Week 11, including the defense/special teams slot, for players that deserve to be in your consideration.

If you have any of these rostered, or they are somehow available on the waiver wire, now is the time to make your move!

Quarterback – Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills vs Cleveland Browns

Questionable for the entire week leading up to Week 10 against the Minnesota Vikings, Allen was not at his best as he threw two interceptions and had a critical late fumble in the fourth quarter, but still racked up the points.

A tally of 29 completions was Allen's highest since Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans (42), with a total of 330 yards his third-highest of the season. Cause for concern, however, is the fact Allen has thrown more interceptions (six) than touchdowns (three) over the past three weeks.

The Browns' defense has struggled to defend the pass, though, conceding 11.91 yards per completion on average, the sixth-worst in the NFL. Look for Allen to bounce back here.

Running back – Saquon Barkley, New York Giants vs Detroit Lions

No player has more rushing yards in the NFL this season than Barkley (931), who had 152 against the Houston Texans in Week 10, his highest return since 164 yards in Week 1 against the Titans.

With rushing touchdowns in seven of his nine games this season, including four in his last five, Barkley is almost guaranteed to yield a strong return of fantasy points – especially against a vulnerable Lions defense.

Only the Texans (1,636) have allowed more rushing yards this season than the Lions (1,448), while an average of 5.34 yards allowed per carry is third worst in the league – both numbers that will encourage Barkley to run riot.

Wide receiver – CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings

The Cowboys' trip to Minnesota is a matchup where elite receivers will be the focus, with Justin Jefferson of the Vikings and the Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb top of the agenda – the latter being our pick for the week.

In the Week 10 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Lamb caught 11 of 15 targets and racked up 150 yards, reaching three figures for the first time this season, with two receiving plays of 25 or more yards.

Opponents against the Vikings have racked up a total of 2,537 yards, giving the Minnesota defense the sixth-worst record in that regard. The Vikings are also allowing 32 plays of at least 20 yards – with only five teams in the NFL conceding more.

Tight end – George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals

Utilised predominantly as a blocker in Week 10, George Kittle should see more of the ball against a Cardinals defense that has allowed a total of 2,619 passing yards this season, behind only the Atlanta Falcons and the Titans, and 17 passing touchdowns, the fourth-most across the NFL.

When targeted, Kittle is a reliable option to get the ball moving downfield, catching 29 of 41 targets and securing a first down on over half of them (15). A total of 340 yards this season has seen 165 yards after catch, illustrating his power when he gets moving.

Kittle boasts a burn rate, which is when a receiver wins his matchup against a defender on a play where he is targeted, of 65.9 per cent – ranking seventh among tight ends who have been targeted at least 30 times.

Defense/Special teams – Philadelphia Eagles @ Indianapolis Colts

Defeat to the Washington Commanders in Week 10 brought an end to the Eagles' eight-game winning streak but the 4-5 Colts should be an easier proposition for the NFC favourites to deal with.

The Eagles defense has allowed just 1,813 passing yards overall, the second-best record behind the Denver Broncos (1,769). Philadelphia's 13 interceptions is the joint-best tally in the NFL along with the Bills – intercepting 4.1 per cent of passing attempts they have faced.

Only three teams have recorded more sacks than the Eagles (29) this season, with opponents losing a total of 214 yards in the process – only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (217) and Cowboys (225) have seen opponents lose more yards on sacks.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith is the real deal according to head coach Pete Carroll after he kept them into first place in the NFC West with their third straight win on Sunday.

Smith threw two touchdowns, completing 23 of 34 passes for 212 yards with no turnovers, in the Seahawks' 27-13 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday. He should have had a third TD pass if not for a Tyler Lockett drop on a would-be score.

The 32-year-old Seahawks quarterback has been a revelation this season, having spent the past seven years primarily as a back-up, before taking over from Russell Wilson after his trade to the Denver Broncos.

Smith has already this year matched his career-best 13 touchdown passes in a single season from 2014, with nine games remaining.

"He's the real deal, we're seeing it," Carroll told reporters. "There's no mystery or, 'Oh, he's going to run out of gas or something.' It's not like that.

"He knows exactly what he's doing and he shows you week in, week out, throw after throw after throw. There's nothing for us to hold him but in the highest of expectations, really.

"What a thrilling story for the kid. He just hung in there so tough and outlasted it and now he's enjoying all the fun of it. He did great."

Smith has completed 181 of 249 attempts with a 72.7 completion rate for 1,924 yards with three interceptions this season.

The Seattle QB has also rushed for 158 yards with one touchdown, but would not get caught up in the universal praise coming for him as the surprise of he season.

"Man, we just got a win today," Smith said. "We only got a chance to play one game today, and we won it.

"We've got to continue to play hard throughout the season. Every single game is going to be a test. We know that.

"We always talk about each game being a championship opportunity and so we're just going to continue to focus on it day by day, not get caught up in the outside noise - and just do what we do."

The Seahawks are top of the NFC West with a 5-3 record, ahead of the San Francisco 49ers (4-4) and the Los Angeles Rams (3-4) and the Arizona Cardinals (3-5).

Christian McCaffrey accomplished a feat not seen in 17 years as he delivered a starring performance in the San Francisco 49ers' 31-14 road win against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

After being acquired in a trade from the Carolina Panthers less than two weeks ago, McCaffrey showed exactly why he is considered arguably the best running back of his generation.

Against the reigning champions, he became the first player since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to score a rushing, receiving and passing touchdown in the same game.

His first score came through a trick play in the second quarter, as what appeared to be a regulation toss play to the right-hand side turned into a halfback pass as McCaffrey dialled up a 34-yard rainbow pass to Brandon Aiyuk in the end zone.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had his side leading 14-10 at half-time after a one-yard quarterback sneak for a touchdown and a 16-yard toss to Cooper Kupp, but McCaffrey put the 49ers ahead with a nine-yard touchdown catch late in the third period.

It was followed by a quick Rams punt, before McCaffrey put the exclamation point on his day by punching in a one-yard touchdown to begin the fourth quarter.

The 49ers offense fired on all cylinders, with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo completing 21 of his 25 passes for two touchdowns and no turnovers, as Aiyuk and George Kittle also caught touchdown passes.

McCaffrey finished with 18 carries for 94 yards on the ground, eight catches for 55 yards through the air, and completed his only pass attempt for 34 yards.

King Henry continues to own the Texans

Tennessee Titans workhorse Derrick Henry was unstoppable against the Houston Texans, carrying the ball 32 times for 219 yards and two touchdowns in a grinding 17-10 win.

Incredibly, it is the fourth consecutive matchup against the Texans where Henry has posted at least 200 yards and two touchdowns, and the sixth total time of his career against all teams. No other player in the history of the league has more than three career games of at least 200 yards and multiple touchdowns.

With his second touchdown, Henry – who had such a significant workload due to rookie quarterback Malik Willis making his debut start in place of the injured Ryan Tannehill – broke the Titans' career touchdown record with his 75th.

The Seattle Seahawks are hoping to have DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett – their leading two pass-catchers – available against the New York Giants on Sunday.

The Week 8 matchup pits two of the NFL's surprise packages against one another, with the Giants 6-1 in the NFC East as the Seahawks lead the NFC West at 4-3 despite trading quarterback Russell Wilson.

Seattle have received a boost ahead of welcoming the Giants to Lumen Field, as both Metcalf and Lockett could feature.

Metcalf was carted off in last week's win against the Los Angeles Chargers with a patellar tendon injury, prompting fears he could miss an extended period.

But the wide receiver avoided surgery, and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported he would face the Giants, while NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said he has "a good chance".

Metcalf has caught only two touchdown passes this season after a career-high 12 last year, although his 418 receiving yards rank in the league's top 25.

He trails team-mate Lockett, who has 468 yards and two TDs and also should play on Sunday.

Lockett has been managing both hamstring and rib injuries, but Schefter expects him to play. Rapoport described him as "a game-time decision" but with "some optimism he goes".

Elsewhere in the NFL, early reporting on Sunday had Las Vegas Raiders receiver Davante Adams and Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons both on course to play despite previously being listed as questionable.

Adams, whose Raiders go to the New Orleans Saints, was ill, while Parsons has been dealing with a shoulder injury ahead of the Cowboys hosting the Chicago Bears.

Dexter Lawrence's assessment of his own skill set could be viewed by some as arrogant.

"I go into a game, honestly, knowing that I'm not going to be able to be stopped. I do feel like, right now, I'm unblockable," the New York Giants defensive tackle recently told NorthJersey.com.

"I'm gonna work all my technique. I'm gonna play strong, play fast and just whoop the guy in front of me. That's my mindset. I don't really care what he does. He can change it up mid-game. My whole focus is whooping that guy in front of me, I've always felt that way, but now, it's just showing."

However, confidence that borders on irrational is part of the deal with NFL players, and Lawrence is backing his words up with the finest season of his career so far.

Lawrence has already tied his career-high four sacks, serving as a cornerstone on defense for a Giants team that has stunned the league by surging to a 6-1 record.

But is he unblockable? Stats Perform dived into its advanced numbers around Lawrence's season to attempt to verify such a bold claim.

Aaron Donald-like production

Lawrence has typically been known for his run-stopping abilities from the nose tackle spot, but this season he is creating pressure at a level akin to arguably the finest defensive player of all time.

Indeed, among interior defensive linemen with at least 100 plays this season, Lawrence's pressure rate of 24.3 per cent is behind only that of three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald (28.8 per cent) and Quinnen Williams of the New York Jets (25 per cent).

His stunt-adjusted pass rush win rate is second only to Donald. Lawrence is deemed to have won his rush on 72.82 per cent of snaps, with Donald just ahead on a remarkable 74.02 per cent.

It is in the run game where his numbers are not as impressive.

Run defense disappointment?

Lawrence's numbers against the run could be viewed as a disappointment, considering his reputation for strength in that area.

He has a run disruption rate of 20.3 per cent, which is below the average of 23.1 for interior defensive linemen with at least 20 snaps.

Similarly, his run block win rate of 49.15 per cent is only just above the NFL average of 49.03, and it pales in comparison to Donald's incredible 84.21 per cent win rate.

Yet that is partly a symptom of the different jobs Donald and Lawrence are asked to do in run defense.

While Donald is constantly looking to knife through opposing offensive lines to bring down the ball carrier behind the line of scrimmage, Lawrence has played 81 of his 123 run defense snaps at nose tackle, lining head up on the center and tasked with holding ground and soaking up double teams at the point of attack to allow team-mates to slip through open lanes to the football.

Even if Lawrence's numbers are not what may be expected of him in the run game, it is a trade-off the Giants will take if he keeps delivering such tremendous highs as a pass rusher.

A consistent game-wrecker

Game-wrecking performances are becoming a norm for Lawrence, who also has three tackles for loss and a forced fumble to his name in 2022.

The Giants' Week 4 win over the Chicago Bears saw him rack up 10 pressures, recording two sacks, while he had six in the victories against the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens.

Against Baltimore, he had a sack, two quarterback hits, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup, making a string of splash plays that ultimately proved key in the Giants producing a comeback versus a Ravens team who look increasingly like one of the best in the AFC.

Lawrence's sack of Lamar Jackson in that game saw him beat former Giant Kevin Zeitler with a rip move before flattening his rush to bring down the Ravens' dual-threat quarterback.

That came on the Ravens' final drive of the first half, which they started with 65 seconds left, and put them back on their five-yard line, taking away any realistic hope of them coming away with points.

On the first Baltimore drive of the second half, Lawrence displayed more of his pass rush weaponry to pressure Jackson again. Lawrence used an arm-over move to beat center Tyler Linderbaum and then ripped past Zeitler to bear down on Jackson inside the five-yard line, only for the quarterback to evade him in the pocket and scramble to the 25-yard line.

Rookie Linderbaum had consistent problems pass protecting against Lawrence. On the Ravens' penultimate drive, Lawrence defeated his block with an outside-inside move. Lined up on Linderbaum's left shoulder, Lawrence initially rushed towards that outside shoulder, before using his quickness and power to work back to the inside and get a clear path to Jackson, who got a short pass away for a four-yard gain on second-and-five.

The Ravens took a penalty on third-and-one and Jackson was then intercepted, setting in motion a dramatic collapse for Baltimore.

Lawrence is not 'unblockable', but the pass-rush numbers and his performances are illustrative of the 2019 first-round pick firmly justifying that selection by developing into an elite interior rusher.

Should he continue in this manner, the Giants will likely face the prospect of handing out a lucrative extension to keep Lawrence around beyond 2023. Though his emergence may complicate things financially for New York, the timing could otherwise hardly be better, with Lawrence breaking out in the same year they landed edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux in the draft. Thibodeaux forced the fumble that sealed the game against Baltimore.

With a top-tier prospect who is gradually having more of an impact on the edge and Lawrence rapidly becoming a pass-rushing force on the interior, the Giants have a combination that can make theirs a fearsome defensive front for years to come. Lawrence may not be unblockable, but his dominance has been critical to one of the most surprising storylines of the 2022 season and will be key to the Giants' hopes of sustaining their turnaround.

The big boys are back in Week 8 as the NFL season edges its way closer to the playoffs.

The Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings all return after a bye week, as do the defending champion Los Angeles Rams, who will look to increase the pressure on the San Francisco 49ers.

The Eagles are aiming to maintain their 100 per cent record when the Pittsburgh Steelers come to town, while the Bills host Aaron Rodgers and his wobbling Green Bay Packers.

Stats Perform has taken a look at the numbers ahead of Sunday's games, starting in the city of brotherly love.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-5) @ Philadelphia Eagles (6-0)

It promises to be a tricky trip for Pittsburgh, as the Eagles own a nine-game winning streak at home against them, a streak that started in 1966 (Pittsburgh's last win there was Week 6, 1965). It is the Eagles' longest home winning streak against a single opponent in franchise history.

The Steelers lost 16-10 at the Miami Dolphins last week, and are averaging just 15.3 points per game, the second fewest in the NFL (Denver Broncos, 14.3). The last time they finished in the bottom two of the NFL in scoring was 1969 (15.6 points per game, second worst).

The Eagles have held a lead of at least 14 points in each of their six games this season. The last team to do so in seven straight games to begin the season was the 2007 Patriots (eight straight).

Philadelphia have won Jalen Hurts' last nine starts, tied for the longest quarterback win streak in franchise history with Carson Wentz (2017), Donovan McNabb (2003) and Norm Van Brocklin (1960). The Eagles were 6-10 in Hurts' first 16 career starts in the NFL.

San Francisco 49ers (3-4) @ Los Angeles Rams (3-3)

Including a 24-9 home win in Week 4, the 49ers have won seven straight regular-season games against Los Angeles, their second-longest streak against the Rams all-time (17 straight from December 1990 to December 1998). However, the Rams beat the 49ers in last season's NFC Championship Game at SoFi Stadium.

San Francisco lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 44-23, at home last week. It was the first time they have lost back-to-back games by at least 14 points since Weeks 9-10 in 2020. They followed those games up with a 23-20 win against the Rams in Los Angeles.

Last week, Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 303 yards, the 11th game in his career with at least 300 yards. The 49ers won the first seven of those games but are just 1-3 in the last four. The only win in that span came on the road against the Rams in Week 18 last season.

Rams QB Matthew Stafford is 1-6 in his regular season career against the 49ers, his worst record against any NFC opponent. He has thrown four touchdown passes and five interceptions in his three games against them since joining the Rams, losing each one.

Green Bay Packers (3-4) @ Buffalo Bills (5-1)

The Packers have won their last four home games against the Bills, but are 0-6 all-time in Buffalo, most recently losing a 21-13 game there in Week 15, 2014. The Bills are the only active franchise the Packers have never beaten on the road.

Green Bay lost 23-21 to the Washington Commanders last week, and have lost three straight games for the first time since Weeks 11-13 in 2018. They have not lost four straight since Weeks 8-11 in 2016. The last time they lost four of their first seven games was in 2006 (also 3-4).

The Bills are coming off their bye week following a 24-20 win in Kansas City in Week 6. Since the Bills' last Super Bowl appearance in 1993, they have begun a season 5-1 four times – 1995, 2008, 2019, and this year.

Buffalo's offense has faced a blitz on 35.3 per cent of its passing plays this season, the fourth highest in the league. The Packers have faced a blitz just 20.2 per cent of the time, second lowest in the league (Miami, 18.2). The Bills have blitzed opponents just 12.9 per cent of the time, the lowest in the league.

Elsewhere…

Dak Prescott should face the Chicago Bears (3-4) after making his return in the Dallas Cowboys' (5-2) win over the Detroit Lions last week, moving his career record as a starter to 54-33 (.621). Since 2016. The Cowboys are 9-8 when Prescott does not start (.530) while averaging almost 60 total yards fewer per game when he is not the starter (382.3 with, 322.9 without).

The New York Jets (5-2) enter their clash with the New England Patriots (3-4) with a chance to break their current 12-game losing streak against them, which dates back to the 2016 season. With a loss, the streak would match Denver's 13-game losing streak to Kansas City as the longest active one in the NFL.

Saquon Barkley (110 rushing yards) and Daniel Jones (107) each ran for over 100 yards last week, the third time a New York Giants (6-1) duo has eclipsed that mark. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw did so in Week 14, 2010 and Week 16, 2007. The only other team with such a duo this season was the New Orleans Saints in Week 5 against the Giants' opponents for Week 8, the Seattle Seahawks (4-3).

The Tennessee Titans (4-2) own a four-game win streak after a 19-10 win at home against the Indianapolis Colts. This is the Titans' sixth-straight season with a winning streak of at least four games, and it could go to five with a win at the Houston Texans (1-4-1).

The Kansas City Chiefs have a bye this week but the team is staying busy, acquiring wide receiver Kadarius Toney from the New York Giants.

The Chiefs sent a 2023 third-round pick and a sixth-round pick in next year's draft to the Giants to complete the trade.

Toney was the 20th overall pick in the 2021 draft by New York, but his career has been marred by injuries so far.

A hamstring issue has sidelined him since Week 2 this season, while oblique and shoulder injuries limited him to just 10 games as a rookie last year.

When healthy, however, the 23-year-old has proven to be a dangerous receiver and should provide Patrick Mahomes with another weapon at his disposal.

In 2021, he hauled in 39 receptions for 420 yards, averaging 6.1 yards after the catch. He has just two catches for zero yards this season.

The Chiefs next play on November 6 against the Tennessee Titans and it is still uncertain when Toney will be able to make his Kansas City debut due to his ailing hamstring.

When Toney does suit up, he will be joining a talented pass-catching corps with receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mecole Hardman and tight end Travis Kelce.

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