Thursday Night Football Schedule 2013: Game-by-Game Breakdown and Predictions

Thursday Night Football is the little brother of both Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football, but prime-time NFL action is prime-time NFL action. 

America eats it up. 

Mike Mayock helps, too. 

Anyway, the Thursday Night Football schedule has been released, and here is a look at the entire docket with predictions for every game. 

Week 2: New York Jets at New England Patriots

This isn't the ideal way for the Jets to open their season in prime time. 

There is more question surrounding Tom Brady's pass-catchers this year than there's been in quite some time, but that doesn't mean Gang Green will be able to stay with New England deep into the second half. 

An upset would be one of epic proportions, and I don't see anything stunning happening here.

Too much New England firepower.

Patriots 38 Jets 20 

Week 3: Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles

The Chiefs were everyone's darling in 2010 when they unexpectedly won the AFC West, and after an injury-plagued 2011, regained darling status in 2012 but failed to meet the lofty expectations of some. 

Alex Smith should be an efficient operator of Andy Reid's offense, but the Chiefs will win games with Jamaal Charles and defense. 

One has to expect the Chiefs' No. 1 overall pick will be a game-changer, and if it's an offensive tackle, Kansas City could actually field a relatively effective offense in 2013. 

Simply put, I like Smith to make a few more plays than whomever the Eagles trot out as their quarterback.  

Chiefs 30 Eagles 20

Week 4: San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams

No one saw it coming, but the Rams were the most difficult opponents for the 49ers during the 2012 regular season. 

While the 49ers and Seattle Seahawks have deservedly received the most media hype out of the four teams in the NFC West, St. Louis has legitimate sleeper potential in 2013. 

As usual, though, it will all depend on the play of Sam Bradford. 

While the Rams defense will give Colin Kaepernick and company fits throughout, Patrick Willis, Aldon Smith and company will give St. Louis' offense more trouble.  

49ers 33 Rams 24

Week 5: Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns

The Buffalo Bills will likely target a quarterback early in the draft, and unless Kevin Kolb has a career resurgence under Doug Marrone, the rookie will be the Week 1 starter and should start this game in Week 5. 

There's no telling what the Cleveland Browns will do in the draft. Regardless, they have an adequate core of offensive talent, and Paul Kruger and Desmond Bryant should bolster the pass rush. 

Mike Pettine's complex defensive scheme will likely confuse Brandon Weeden, while C.J. Spiller should wreak havoc in the open field. 

Keep your eye on the Josh Gordon and Stephon Gilmore matchup.

Bills 30 Browns 27

Week 6: New York Giants at Chicago Bears

This is an intriguing matchup because Eli Manning and Jay Cutler can be so darn good and so darn bad...in the same game. 

The Giants are actually well-built to overmatch the Bears, but Chicago's addition of Jermon Bushrod will help. 

Brandon Marshall will make some impact plays—no stopping that—but New York has more established offensive talent which will be integral in victory. 

Giants 27 Bears 20 

Week 7: Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals

Sometimes, Thursday night games that have "blowout" written all over them can be testy, and I think the Cardinals will hang in there...to start. 

The Seahawks are too efficient on offense—imagine Percy Harvin mixed in—and although the Cardinals should field an underrated and rather stout defense in 2013, they won't be able to keep up with Seattle offensively. 

Seahawks 27 Cardinals 10 

Week 8: Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Gut feeling—Cam Newton dazzles in this one, and essentially beats the Buccaneers on his own.

You know, one of those 45-point fantasy evenings. 

Josh Freeman and Tampa Bay's offense certainly won't be lethargic, but there will be instances in which they experience growing pains. 

Luke Kuechly and Lavonte David are the true defensive stars to watch in this one, and Carolina will ride Newton to the win. 

Panthers 34 Buccaneers 24 

Week 9: Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins

Ryan Tannehill will likely outduel Andy Dalton in this prime-time affair, but the Bengals have more overall talent on offense and defense than the Dolphins, especially in the trenches. 

Mike Wallace and A.J. Green will be found down the field on a few occasions, but when it matters most, Geno Atkins will lead Cincinnati to victory on the road.  

Bengals 20 Dolphins 17

Week 10: Washington Redskins at Minnesota Vikings

The Redskins and Vikings provided NFL fans one of the more surprisingly entertaining games of the season in 2012, and this contest should be no different.

Adrian Peterson—reigning MVP Adrian Peterson—is the deserved headliner on the Vikings, but don't sleep on that defense.

It will punish Robert Griffin III in this one and a riled Minnesota crowd will aid the Vikings in somewhat of an upset victory. 

Simply not enough receiving weaponry for the Redskins to pull out a big road win. 

Vikings 30 Redskins 21 

Week 11: Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans

Chris Johnson will be a menace for an improving Colts defense, and I think Jake Locker will be better in 2013 than he was in 2012—mainly due to the presence of Kendall Wright and a healthy Kenny Britt—but Andrew Luck will be the best player on the field in this game. 

I sense a bit of a shootout, as neither defense is necessarily strong, and there will be plenty of offensive stalwarts on the field.

In the end, Indy's Luck leads a last-minute, game-winning touchdown drive. 

Colts 38 Titans 34 

Week 12: New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons

If you have a thing for offense—chances are, you do—there isn't a better matchup. 

Drew Brees and Matt Ryan will light offensive fireworks all evening, but at home, the Falcons will use the energy provided by their home crowd and win handily. 

Frankly, at this juncture, they're the more complete team.  

Falcons 42 Saints 28

Week 13: Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars

Will Blaine Gabbert be the starting quarterback for the Jaguars at this point of the season? 

Answer me that question, and tell me who Jacksonville's signal-caller will be, and it will be much easier to predict this game—or at least the final score. 

The Texans defensive line will be too much for the Jaguars offensive front, as will Houston's zone-blocking running scheme. 

Texans 31 Jaguars 17

Thanksgiving: Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions (Game 1)

On paper, the Packers are the more capable team, but the upstart Lions get a prime opportunity to upset the defending division champs at home on Thanksgiving. 

Calvin Johnson will drive Dom Capers insane and Reggie Bush will keep the second level of Green Bay's defense honest by frequently catching passes out of the backfield. 

In a shootout, Matthew Stafford actually outperforms Aaron Rodgers in the fourth quarter, and the Lions win it late in dramatic fashion. 

Lions 34 Packers 31 

Thanksgiving: Oakland Raiders at Dallas Cowboys (Game 2)

Could this be one of those "should win" games when the Cowboys lay a dud? 

Potentially. 

I think the Raiders will hang around—enough to raise Jerry Jones' blood pressure—but Dallas simply has too much talent to lose this one at home, even if Tony Romo has an off game. 

Cowboys 31 Raiders 28 

Thanksgiving: Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

Without Ed Reed and Ray Lewis, this AFC North clash won't have the same feel, but the Steelers and Ravens rivalry certainly isn't dead. 

Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger usually don't disappoint when they square off in prime time, and they won't in this one. 

As usual, it'll come down to defense, and I'll take Baltimore's defensive unit over Pittsburgh's right now. 

Ravens 27 Steelers 17 

Week 14: San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos

Remember what Peyton Manning did in the second half against the Chargers in San Diego last year? 

Hall of Fame-type stuff. 

The Chargers secondary does boast Eric Weddle, a legitimate yet somewhat unheralded superstar, but the trio of Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and Wes Welker will be way too much for the Chargers. 

Broncos 38 Chargers 28