We’re on to Week 12 of the NFL Season, and with six teams on a bye, we have only 11 games total on the Sunday slate. There are some great matchups but there are some less robust matchups, too. Below are the five matchups on Sunday that have caught my eye.

Early Games:

Minnesota Vikings (8-2) at Chicago Bears (4-6)
About: The Bears are 0-2 so far on a crucial three-game homestand. They’re also sliding out of the playoff picture, especially with all four teams in the NFC West at five or more wins and their three division opponents sitting at seven wins or more. The Bears offense was better in Week 11, but it will face a tough test against a good Vikings’ defense in Week 12. The Vikings, meanwhile, are hot on the heels of the Lions. They’re 8-2 and in good position to make the playoffs, but they have to keep winning. This should be the best of the early games.

Dallas Cowboys (3-7) at Washington Commanders (7-4)
About: This is another divisional battle—this time featuring one team that’s one the path to the playoffs and one who’s quickly fading out of the race. The surprise is that the Commanders are the ones on the path toward the playoffs. The Cowboys, meanwhile, are without Dak Prescott and are fading quickly. At just 3-7, they’re mostly out of the running for the post-season. The Commanders, meanwhile, need to get back on track after tough back-to-back losses.

Late Games:

San Francisco 49ers (5-5) at Green Bay Packers (7-3)
About: The Packers are a solid 7-3, but still just third in the NFC North and hanging on to a Wild Card slot. The 49ers, meanwhile, would be at home if the playoffs started today. Despite a talented core and a team that was in the Super Bowl in 2023, they’ve been uneven. The 49ers are sitting at .500 after 10 games and have lost three division games already. It’s going to be a challenge to make the playoffs unless they catch fire. That starts with a crucial battle in Green Bay Sunday.

Arizona Cardinals (6-4) at Seattle Seahawks (5-5)
About: Speaking of the NFC West, the Cardinals are fresh off a bye week sitting atop the division. They’ve been quietly stout the past few weeks and have a chance to build on that lead with a divisional matchup in Seattle. The Seahawks, meanwhile, escaped with a win over the 49ers on Sunday to get back to .500. That is a start, but they still have work to do if they want to climb back atop the division or into the Wild Card race. That means winning games against other NFC West opponents, which they can do on Sunday.

Sunday Night Football:

Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) at Los Angeles Rams (5-5)
About: The Eagles are fresh off a huge win over the Commanders. They’re in first by 1.5 games in the NFC East and chasing the Lions for the top seed in the NFC. They are red hot and hope to stay that way with a good showing in Los Angeles. The Rams, meanwhile, are part of the pack of teams with five or more wins in the NFC. They’ve been a bit up-and-down, but they’re finally getting healthy. With Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp on the field, they seek to hold off the Eagles for a huge win that will have an impact on the NFC standings.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.