We’ve reached a crucial stage in the NFL season. We’re in the home stretch for the playoffs, and we’re into the fantasy playoffs. There are some exceptional matchups this week, too, albeit almost all of them are in the same time slot. Below are the five games on the Sunday slate I’m most excited to see.

Late Games:

Indianapolis Colts (6-7) at Denver Broncos (8-5)
About: Both teams are coming off a bye week for this huge matchup. The Broncos are up by two games in the Wild Card race with four games to play. A win here gives them a three-game lead with three to play and the tiebreaker over the Colts. That’s huge. The Colts, meanwhile, can climb right back into the thick of the playoff race with a big road win.

Buffalo Bills (10-3) at Detroit Lions (12-1)
About: Two of the best teams in the league clash in this one. It might be the game of the week and, if we’re lucky, a Super Bowl preview. The Lions have the best record in the NFL, but a slim lead over the Vikings for the division and the Eagles for the NFC’s top seed. The Bills, meanwhile, suffered a huge loss against the Rams last week and can ill-afford a second straight loss if they want to catch the Chiefs.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (11-2)
About: This is a battle of Pennsylvania teams, and a battle that has a big playoff implications. Both teams lead their division, and both have an opponent chasing them. The Eagles are also chasing the top seed in the NFC, while the Steelers want to remain in the running for the top seed in the AFC. This figures to be another huge battle in the late window.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6) at Los Angeles Chargers (8-5)
About: This is another game with big playoff implications. A three-game winning streak has the Buccaneers back on top of the NFC South. The Chargers, meanwhile, hold the edge over the other two teams in the Wild Card race but are coming off a tough loss to the Chiefs. A second loss, coupled with a Broncos and/or Ravens win could see the Chargers’ seed slip a bit. They won’t want that.

Sunday Night Football:

Green Bay Packers (9-4) at Seattle Seahawks (8-5)
About: This one has big stakes for the NFC. The Seahawks are on top in the NFC West, but they have the Rams, Cardinals, and 49ers chasing them. The Packers, meanwhile, are sitting on nine wins but are third in the NFC North. They need wins to keep a hold of the No. 6 seed and try to chase the Vikings and Lions in the division. This will make an impact on the NFC Playoff picture.

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.