A long Thanksgiving week of football ends tonight as the New England Patriots host the New York Giants. It’s a tale of teams going in the opposite direction, but both are looking for a Monday night win. I’ll preview the game below, but first some other takeaways from Week 13.

The Bears are on top

As hard as it is to believe, after 13 weeks of the season the Chicago Bears have the best record in the NFC. The Bears are 9-3, and after beating the Eagles moved into the No. 1 position with the Rams’ loss. Will it last? That’s tough to say, especially with matchups against the Packers and Lions yet to come. But it’s been a great start for the Bears under new coach Ben Johnson.

The NFC South is a race

The Carolina Panthers beat the Rams at home, moving to 7-6 on the season. The Buccaneers got the win at home against the Cardinals to go to 7-5. The teams are separated by half a game with two matchups left this season. While the Buccaneers are in the driver’s seat, it’s hard to count the Panthers out.

The AFC South is a dog fight

The Texans beat the Colts today. It was back-to-back losses for the Colts, who slumped to 8-4. The Texans have won four straight, moving to 7-5. That’s one game back. And then there’s the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are 8-4 and now in front. All three of these teams face each other down the stretch, and it’s unlikely all three can make the playoffs. That means at least one will likely be left out in the cold. It should be a wild race to the finish.

And now, on to Monday’s game.

New York Giants (2-10) at New England Patriots (10-2)

The Giants have had a rough season. Interim coach Mike Kafka hasn’t done much to change their record. The Patriots, meanwhile, were the first team to get to 10 wins. They are hoping for a win to remain atop the AFC going into their bye week.

For the Giants, Jaxson Dart is back. He’s a QB2 for me, though it’s not an easy matchup. I like Tyrone Tracy the best in the backfield, but just as a flex option. Meanwhile Wan’Dale Robinson is a WR3 for me. I’m not trusting the Giants to put up big numbers against the Patriots.

For the Patriots, missing Will Campbell at tackle could hurt. Still, Drake Maye has been one of the best QBs in the league. It’s hard to have him less than a low-end QB1 option. In the backfield, TreVeyon Henderson seems like the better option than Rhamondre Stevenson. He’s an RB2 with upside. Stevenson is a low-end flex option. In the passing game, Stefon Diggs is a WR3, while Kayshon Boutte is a flex with upside. I like Hunter Henry as a TE2 with upside.

I’m taking the Patriots.

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.