NFL Picks Week 10: Predicting Outcomes for This Week's Most Competitive Matchups

Week 10 in the NFL will feature several extremely competitive contests. Teams truly have the opportunity to stand out this weekend.

As the Chicago Bears proved this past Sunday by beating up on the Tennessee Titans, a top team blowing out a bottom-dweller gives football fans no new information about the balance of power in the NFL.

However, when two teams with equal talent and similar records go head to head, there is much to be learned about both squads.

Here are my picks for this week’s closest matchups.

Houston Texans (7-1) over Chicago Bears (7-1)

This will be the marquee matchup of the weekend and should be a fantastic game of football.

Both teams have a Big Three on offense and an aggressive defense that is playing at a high level. Jay Cutler, Matt Forte and Brandon Marshall will try to get the crowd at Soldier Field on its feet, while Matt Schaub, Arian Foster and Andre Johnson attempt to chip away at the red-hot Bears defense.

While J.J. Watt is having a fantastic season on the Texans defensive line, Chicago cornerback Tim Jennings has made an incredible push toward knocking him off the top of the list for Defensive Player of the Year favorites. 

Ultimately, the Texans' strong running game will allow the offense to be more stable and avoid key mistakes. An errant throw by Cutler will be the difference in this game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4) over San Diego Chargers (4-4)

The Bucs and Chargers may attract less attention than the Bears and Texans, but the two teams are still extremely evenly matched. 

Tampa Bay has an emerging star in Doug Martin, who is coming off an remarkable four-touchdown performance against the Oakland Raiders. The Chargers can expect a heavy dose of the rookie running back in this game.

San Diego has built momentum after a string of poor performances, and a 31-13 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs has helped the team regain some of the confidence lost in the epic collapse against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.

Both of these teams have flaws, but they also have a chance to have a winning record after this game. In the end, Martin will be too much for the Chargers and the Bucs will win.

Philadelphia Eagles (3-5) over Dallas Cowboys (3-5)

There may be a record for most turnovers in a single game set in this contest. The Eagles and Cowboys are tied for second-most giveaways in the NFL this season with 19 each.

Tony Romo and Michael Vick have both struggled to take care of the ball this year, and the quarterback who is able to make the fewest mistakes will give their team the best chance to win.

Both signal-callers have talent surrounding them on offense and will be looking to their skill-position players to make an impact.

Eagles running back LeSean McCoy is still looking for a truly exceptional performance this season, and he will have it against the Cowboys. That will make the difference in this matchup.