Popular Bob's Week 14 NFL Forecast: Who will claim first place this weekend?

Week 14 of the NFL season features three games in which first place in a division will be at stake, and there's also Thursday night's battle in Detroit between the Lions and Dallas Cowboys that has major postseason implications.

If the results are anything like what happened last week when seven underdogs won outright, it could be a wild weekend.

The first-place showdowns are between Chicago and Green Bay in the NFC North, Indianapolis and Jacksonville in the AFC South, and Pittsburgh and Baltimore in the AFC North.

Now for a look at this week's games:

THURSDAY

---> Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1) at Detroit Lions (7-5), 6:15 p.m.

Lions -3 (54.5 O/U)

Forecast: Cowboys 38, Lions 35

This should be a score-fest with the over/under total the second highest of the season. The Cowboys were impressive on Thanksgiving in their 31-28 win over Kansas City especially considering their average starting field position was their 18-yard line, the worst for any team over the past two years. Injury-wise, Dallas is relatively healthy, but Detroit still has issues in the secondary and offensive line.

SUNDAY

---> Seattle Seahawks (9-3) at Atlanta Falcons (4-8), 11 a.m.

Seahawks -7 (44.5 O/U)

Forecast: Seahawks 24, Falcons 22

Seattle is 5-0 when playing on the East Coast dating to last year and is coming off a shutout of Minnesota. But that triumph came against an undrafted rookie QB making his first start. And the week before they allowed bottom-feeder Tennessee to score a season-high 24 points.

---> Tennessee Titans (1-11) at Cleveland Browns (3-9), 11 a.m.

Browns -4 (34 O/U)

Forecast: Browns 17, Titans 7

This will be the first matchup of the season between rookie quarterbacks — Tennessee's Cam Ward and Cleveland's Shedeur Sanders. That, and the fact the Titans and Browns have the worst-ranked offenses in the league, contributes to the lowest O/U number this season.

---> Chicago Bears (9-3) at Green Bay Packers (8-3-1), 11 a.m.

Packers -6.5 (44.5 O/U)

Forecast: Packers 27, Bears 23

This game features a Chicago team with the most takeaways (26) facing Green Bay, which has the fewest giveaways (seven). GB should win, but not by much. Oh, and the temperature at kickoff is forecast to be 16 degrees.

---> Washington Commanders (3-9) at Minnesota Vikings (4-8), 11 a.m.

Vikings -2 (41.5 O/U)

Forecast: Commanders 20, Vikings 14

Washington has a solid edge at QB even if Jayden Daniels (elbow) doesn't return this week. That's because backup Marcus Mariota has played well. The same can't be said of Minnesota's J.J. McCarthy, who's expected to return after missing last week (concussion).

---> Miami Dolphins (5-7) at NY Jets (3-9), 11 a.m.

Dolphins -3 (41.5 O/U)

Forecast: Dolphins 27, Jets 17

---> New Orleans Saints (2-10) at Tampa Bay Bucs (7-5), 11 a.m.

Bucs -9 (42.5 O/U)

Forecast: Bucs 26, Saints 20

---> Indianapolis Colts (8-4) at Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4), 11 a.m.

Colts -1 (47.5 O/U)

Forecast: Colts 28, Jaguars 21

Colts QB Daniel Jones (questionable/fibula) and rushing leader Jonathan Taylor get to face a team that just came off so-what victories against Arizona and Tennessee.

---> Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) at Baltimore Ravens (6-6), 11 a.m.

Ravens -6 (42.5 O/U)

Forecast: Ravens 30, Steelers 13

Baltimore won't be committing five turnovers like it did last week vs. Cincinnati. As for Pittsburgh, unless QB Aaron Rodgers (fractured left wrist) can take snaps under center, the running game will suffer.

---> Denver Broncos (10-2) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-10), 2:05 p.m.

Broncos -7.5 (40.5 O/U)

Forecast: Broncos 23, Raiders 6

Denver will be getting back LB Alex Singleton, the team's leading tackler, and last year's Defensive POY, cornerback Patrick Surtain.

---> Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) at Buffalo Bills (8-4), 2:25 p.m.

Bills -5.5 (52.5 O/U)

Forecast: Bills 34, Bengals 21

Can't trust a Bengals team that had four short fields against Baltimore last week but came away with only two field goals.

---> LA Rams (9-3) at Arizona Cardinals (3-9), 2:25 p.m.

Rams -9 (47 O/U)

Forecast: Rams 31, Cardinals 17

---> Houston Texans (7-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (6-6), 6:20 p.m.

Chiefs -3 (42 O/U)

Forecast: Texans 23, Chiefs 21

Houston has won four straight games in attempting to become the second team the past 27 years to open a season 0-3 and reach the postseason. That other squad was the Texans in 2018.

MONDAY

---> Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) at LA Chargers (8-4), 6:15 p.m.

Eagles -2.5 (40.5 O/U)

Forecast: Eagles 24, Chargers 17

Chargers QB Justin Herbert just had surgery on his left hand and may not be able to take snaps under center, and we all saw how poorly Aaron Rodgers played last week from the shotgun.

RECORDS

Last week's forecast: 9-7 ATS; 10-6 straight up

Season total: 91-95-6; 120-67-1