Every Saturday morning, I'll take a quick look at all the week's games, offering my own brief take on what I think will happen, as well as touching on significant injury news since our Weekly came out. I'll check in over the course of the day to answer questions, too.

The official rankings are the ones in the Weekly. Those take precedence. But sometimes players are very close, and in those cases I'm glad to offer opinions on how I'd approach those situations. Sometimes I like certain players more or less than Ian, and sometimes I have different risk tolerance with injuries etc.

Texans at Kansas City: I'd say Houston has no chance, but I didn't think they'd beat the Chargers. Their defense is opportunistic. Their quarterback and No. 1 wideout, as shown last week, both have some playmaking ability. Kansas City, meanwhile, won a lot of games that weren't particularly impressive. They barely beat Carolina. Beat the Broncos on a field goal block. Beat the Bengals on a late penalty, and the Ravens because Isaiah Likely's shoetip was out of bounds. So on and so forth.

But their defense is really good. They will probably be able to contain banged-up Joe Mixon, who hasn't really played well for half a season anyway, and there's only one wide receiver they need to account for. And that guy Mahomes will probably make a throw or two. I placed a silly little parlay where I picked Houston to cover the 8.5 point spread, but just a small bet, as it merits. I suspect Kansas City will be winning this one by something like 27-20, pretty close to the game a month ago. Nico and Schultz are the Texans I'd use, though I think I'm using Mixon in a start guys only once competition (because a starting running back from a team I expect to be checked out is better than risking a back on a possible Super Bowl team).

Commanders at Lions: I expect the Lions to win, and I bet on them to cover the spread (9.5). Their offense is too good, too well-rounded, to think that Washington's so-so defense is going to hold them under 34 or maybe 37. The Lions have scored at least 31 points in five straight and 10 of 14. At home, indoors, modest opposing defense -- should be great to use any Lions, and I'm confident enough that they'll win that I'm not using many; I'm saving them for next week, or their first Super Bowl in three weeks.

But. Jayden Daniels is a talented guy and a cool cucumber. He's got a legit No. 1 wideout, capable veteran tight end, functional other receivers and running backs and some veteran playmakers on defense. Washington making a game of it would not be surprising, and if Daniels can extend a few drives with his legs, maybe we're talking about a 34-31 type of game where the team that has the ball last wins. I'd be using Daniels, McLaurin and Ertz, except I used all three of them last week (two very good, one not so good). I'm considering Austin Ekeler, who should be better, I think, than Brian Robinson; better in the passing game, fresh legs. I'm picking Detroit to win something like 34-24, but I'd be a little nervous as a Detroit fan (like my across the street neighbor is).

Rams at Eagles: I was sort of thinking the Rams might spring an upset here. They've been there before, they're very well coached, their defense exceeded expectations in knocking off Minnesota. And the Eagles offense was pretty unimpressive in the win over Green Bay, scoring just 22 points (7 of which was set up by Green Bay fumbling the opening kickoff). And their defense lost a key player in Nakobe Dean last week.

But it's still a really good defense, that's been shutting almost every done for most of the season. The Rams have some weapons but it's not like their offense was lights out for most of the year, especially the second half of the year. Cooper Kupp is running on fumes, the Eagles pass rush could cause problems for Matthew Stafford. There are concerns.

Rams are getting 6-6.5 points, depending on where or when you bet, and I picked them to cover. If this game were in LA, they'd look pretty good. But it's outdoors, cold, possibly snowing. And I doubt the Rams can stop or even slow Saquon Barkley. I'll take Eagles by something like 27-21.

Ravens at Bills: The tough thing about this game is that one of these two MVP favorite quarterbacks, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, has to lose, and on Monday we'll have to get all the tired, annual stories about what this means for their legacy, and how they can't win the big one, and on and on. The stories are already being written, with people just waiting to plug in the name. It's painful and wearying and tiring and inevitable. And then the same stories will be recycled a week later about the guy who wins if he goes into Kansas City and loses to one of the all-time great Head Coach/Quarterback combinations already. I guess some people love this stuff and it makes for endless debates on ESPN and Twitter and blah blah. They're both great, football is a team game, one of them has to lose this game that will probably be close and could go either way. That's all I have to say about that.

It's going to be cold and possibly snowing, which could work against longer field goals and deep passing game. Neither team really throws deep a ton anyway and neither has a Tyreek Hill or Jameson Williams, so whatever. Buffalo has the advantage of being home and maybe a little better all-around defensively (I think). The Ravens have the better running back, better run defense and better pass rush. And they clobbered the Bills in Baltimore way back in Week 4.

I'd be happy to see either team in the Super Bowl. I think I'm giving a slight edge to the Bills because they're home and their defense was a little better, and it also might be wishful thinking -- I have more confidence in them beating Kansas City because they did it this season. (Ravens came close, I am aware.) I hope I'm right (not just about Buffalo winning, but about the winner ultimately representing the AFC). But I've been wrong and disappointed plenty of times before. No one would be surprised if we ultimately get another Kansas City-Philadelphia game, even if I'm quietly rooting for Detroit and whoever wins this one.

One injury note: Zay Flowers (knee) is doubtful. This is two weeks after he hurt his knee in a game and John Harbaugh called him day-to-day. Please remember this in the future when an injury occurs that looks bad and the coach delivers something noncommittal that based on the initial report (sprained knee) sounds unreasonably optimistic. These guys say things that they know aren't true for nothing more than some small competitive advantage that forces opponents to at least think about the possibility of having to account for such and such player. I get that they don't have to care about us. Similarly, we don't have to respect their words that seem untrustworthy at the time since they often wind up being, in fact, untrustworthy. Guys with knee sprains almost always miss multiple weeks. I hope you didn't roster Flowers in your playoff competitions.

Enjoy the games.