Week 10 in the NFL officially marks the start of the second half of the season, and it's here that we finally have a decent idea of ​​who the true Super Bowl contenders should be keeping an eye on in each conference.
As luck would have it, the Week 10 slate gives us two matchups between NFC rivals as measured by stick plays for all four clubs.
Below, learn more about the two biggest matchups of the week, as well as some other key storylines to keep an eye on:
The Rams head to San Francisco with something to prove.
Take a look at the NFL power rankings this week, and in most of them you'll find the Los Angeles Rams somewhere in the top three, if not first.
And with the way Matthew Stafford is playing right now, it's hard to argue with their place at the top.
In his 17th NFL season, Stafford leads the league with 21 passes caught in eight games. In his last five games, the 37-year-old prop has racked up 1,408 yards, 16 touchdowns and zero interceptions, putting him squarely in the thick of the MVP conversation.
But it's not just Stafford; the Rams' defense also contributed. The Rams have scored just 20 points during their three-game winning streak.
Their latest loss? Shocking overtime in Week 5 against their biggest rival this weekend, the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers have defied the odds all season. Plagued by injuries, head coach Kyle Shanahan did a masterful job of keeping his team not just afloat, but 6-3, right in the race for the division title.
Especially considering the 49ers are already 3-0 in NFC West division games and have a chance to move to 4-0 on Sunday and have a real stranglehold on division tiebreakers going forward.
And just like they did when they stunned the Rams in Week 5, they will once again rely on backup QB Mac Jones with Brock Purdy still a week away from returning to action.
But unlike Week 5, this time San Francisco will be without a quarterback in linebacker Fred Warner, who is out for the season with an ankle injury.
The consensus is that this could be the week where injuries finally catch up with the 49ers, especially considering the situation the Rams are in right now.
However, when these two teams play, nothing is a given.
The 49ers' 26-23 overtime win in Week 5 marked the eighth game, including playoffs, between Shanahan and Rams head coach Sean McVay that was decided by three points or less, according to ESPN research. That's the third-highest mark of any coaching game in NFL history.
In other words, expect a tense situation on Sunday.
Packers want to quiet Eagles noise
It's not often that you come across a division leader late in the season who can be described as “desperate to win.” But for the Green Bay Packers, that's exactly the case.
At 5-2-1, the Packers lead the NFC North, but all three teams in their division are breathing down their necks.
They also suffered a disappointing loss to the Carolina Panthers last Sunday in which they lost star of the season T.E. Tucker Kraft with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Kraft was the Packers' most important offensive player outside of QB Jordan Love this season, as he led the team in both receiving yards (489) and touchdowns (6).
That's a huge void to fill, especially Monday against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of last season's wild card round.
And unlike the Packers, the Eagles are only getting more dangerous.
Philadelphia made three trades before Tuesday's trade deadline to bolster its defense, most notably bringing in forward Jaelan Phillips from Miami.
It's not an easy task for the Packers, but if they really want to be considered a Super Bowl contender this season, they need to show they're ready for it.
Otherwise, the panic level in Green Bay will reach a new high this season.
Sauce's Colts Debut Goes International
While it doesn't typically generate the same buzz as the trade deadline in other leagues, there were some notable changes in the NFL on Tuesday.
None are bigger than the Indianapolis Colts, who proved they are all this season by acquiring star cornerback Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets.
It's a dramatic change of circumstances for Gardner, who goes from competing for No. 1 in next year's draft to competing for No. 1 in the AFC with a 7-2 Colts team.
And he'll make his international debut when the Colts open things up bright and early Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons in Berlin.
This is the perfect matchup to see exactly how the Colts plan to use Gardner moving forward, as Drake London is the clear best option for the Falcons' passing game.
Will London have Gardner's shadow throughout the game, or will the Colts use their new weapons in a different capacity?
Either way, it's an exciting time to be a Colts fan.
Game to watch: New England Patriots (7-2) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) – Sunday, 1:00 pm ET.
The New England Patriots were one of the most shocking stories of the first half of the season.
Sophomore QB Drake May is playing at an MVP level, and his team is in the AFC East spot just 10 weeks into the season.
But without taking anything away from the Patriots, their schedule so far hasn't been brutal.
After an impressive Week 5 win over the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots picked up four more wins over the Saints, Titans, Browns and Falcons. That's four wins over teams with a combined score of 7-27.
But Week 10 presents an intriguing test for these upstart Patriots as they head on the road to take on Baker Mayfield and the 6-2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
If the Patriots win this game, there should be no question as to whether they can truly compete for a championship this season.
Forrest Favorites (Season Record: 14–10 – All Chances Given BetMGM):
Cardinals @ Seahawks – Pick: Cardinals +7: The Cardinals look much better with Jacoby Brissett at cornerback. In division play, score points and ride with Brissett and the Cardinals.
Ravens @ Vikings – Pick: Ravens -4: Don't look now, but the Ravens appear ready to roll in the second half with Lamar Jackson healthy. Look for them to make a statement against the Vikings.
Eagles @ Packers – Pick: Eagles +1: As mentioned earlier, there is a lot going on in this matchup against the Packers. So take the defending Super Bowl champions to win on the road.
Full Week 10 Schedule (ET)
Thursday, November 6
Denver 10, Las Vegas 7
Sunday, November 9
Atlanta – Indianapolis to Berlin, 9:30.
Jacksonville at Houston, 1 p.m.
Buffalo at Miami, 1 p.m.
New England at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Cleveland at New York Jets, 1 p.m.
New York Giants at Chicago, 1 p.m.
New Orleans at Carolina, 1 p.m.
Baltimore-Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Arizona vs. Seattle, 4:05 p.m.
La Rams in San Francisco, 4:25 p.m.
Detroit – Washington, 16:25.
Pittsburgh vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 8:20 p.m.
Monday, November 10
Philadelphia at Green Bay, 8:15 p.m.
GOODBYE: Cincinnati, Dallas, Kansas City, Tennessee.
