Having passed the midway point of the 2022/2023 National Football League (NFL) regular season, we are now into week 11 of the first-ever 18-week season, and the push to the play-offs can already be felt. For clarity, the league experimented with an 18-week season in 1993 by adding a second bye week for each team, resulting in an 18-week regular season, but this was deemed too disruptive for the weekly routines of each team and the idea was shelved. This year’s format has each team playing an additional game for a total of 17 games instead of the usual 16.

Week 10 was somewhat of a redemption for quarterbacks (QB) Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, who both had wins that are expected to inspire a resurgence of their respective teams. Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into battle against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL’s first-ever game in Germany last Sunday morning, and not only came away with a needed win but etched his name into the NFL record book (yet again). The 21-16 win made Brady the only NFL player to have victories in four different countries, having previously won in England and Mexico.

Rodgers rallied his Green Bay Packers from a 14-point, third-quarter deficit against the Dallas Cowboys to force overtime and come away with a 31-28 victory last Sunday afternoon. The Green Bay play-caller, who threw three costly interceptions the previous week, had three touchdowns in the rousing victory and gave a performance very fitting of a reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP).

With that said, the highlight of the weekend was possibly the game of the year, when the Minnesota Vikings visited Highmark Stadium to tackle the Buffalo Bills. When QBs Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen went toe to toe in January’s play-off thriller between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Bills, it was inconceivable that any game in the near future would match its intensity – then came this thriller. Allen and his Bills had a 27-10 lead in the third quarter and ended the stanza leading 27-17, seemingly heading to another notch in the win column, but the riveting final minutes of regulation was nothing anyone could have imagined.

With 41 seconds left in regulation and the Bills leading 27-23, they started a drive at their own one-yard line with the single intention of getting out of their end zone – that didn’t happen. A bad snap between Allen and his centre allowed the Vikings to smother the loose ball in the Bills’ endzone and take a 30-27 lead – an ensuing Buffalo field goal ensured overtime and an extension of the riveting encounter. The Vikings went on to win by a field goal in overtime, but it was just reward following the superhuman efforts by receiver Justin Jefferson to put them in a winnable situation.

The Bills (6-3) remain JustBet favourites, but over the past two games, Allen has thrown four interceptions, three in the red zone, and just one touchdown. The Bills are 0-2 in that span, but they have a very beatable Cleveland Browns (3-6) visiting on Sunday and is expected to use this opportunity to get back on track.

Minnesota’s only loss this season was in week 2 to the previously undefeated Philadelphia Eagles, who suffered their first loss to the Washington Commanders last Monday, and based on the showcase against Buffalo, there are elevated expectations for the 8-1 Vikings. The Cowboys (6-3) come visiting on Sunday for the anticipated game of the week and are slight JustBet favourites despite facing a team that is tied for the best record in the NFL.

Dallas has one of the NFL’s better defensive units but are yet to figure out how to stop the run, and they are about to face one of the league’s best running backs in Dalvin Cook. They are allowing 18.2 points per game (ranked fifth), while the Vikings score 25.1 points per game (ranked eighth). Dallas allows 1.8 touchdowns per game, while the Vikings score an average three per game, so a battle of attrition is expected.

The Minnesota defence has been beatable, especially through the air, and they have allowed 21.3 points per game this year (ranked 14th). The Cowboys are offensively better with QB Dak Prescott in the line-up, and they are averaging 23.4 points per game this season (ranked 11th). Minnesota is allowing 2.4 touchdowns per game, while Dallas has scored 2.7 touchdowns per game this year and this environment should assist the Cowboys offensively after last week’s fourth-quarter struggle against the Packers.

The Cowboys have won three of the four games in which they were favoured this year but lost last week as road favourites after blowing a 14-point lead in a penalty-filled and frustrating second half. The Vikings, on the other hand, have won one of the two games in which they were the underdogs and are riding the momentum after pulling off a miracle in Buffalo.

Dallas has won at US Bank Stadium (home of the Vikings) in each of the last two seasons, getting the 20-16 victory in week 8 last year with a backup quarterback, despite being four-point underdogs. Home field will provide a massive advantage, but the Dallas defence is stout and up for the challenge. Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) has reportedly assigned their A team for this broadcast – Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, and Tracy Wolfson – which is a clear indicator that it is the game to watch. This may be too close to call, but the entertainment value is guaranteed. Are you ready for some football?

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Super Bowl LVII Champion

Team Odds

Buffalo Bills 4.80

Kansas City Chiefs 5.80

Philadelphia Eagles 7.00

San Francisco 49ers 10.00

Minnesota Vikings 13.00

Baltimore Ravens 14.00

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 18.00

Miami Dolphins 18.00

Cincinnati Bengals 28.00

*Only top 10 odds shown (see websitefor full list)

Note: Odds are subject to change