Every NFL game on Sunday, Oct. 11 gets its own section: current form, injury watch, matchup keys and a prediction — plus a Famous Sam’s game-day food plan for Tucson.
NFL Sunday in Tucson: 13 games, one very long day
Sunday, Oct. 11 runs from the 6:30 a.m. London game to Ravens-Falcons at 5:20 p.m. Arizona time, with eight games jammed into the 10:00 a.m. window. Famous Sam’s on River opens at 10:00 a.m., one hour early, with breakfast served until noon.
This guide is about the football first. Every game gets its own section with current form, the matchup that matters, injury watch and our score prediction. The picks are an early-week snapshot, so concussion protocol, day-to-day injuries and practice reports can still move the board.
If you are turning the Reel into a Sunday plan: get there early, eat breakfast during the 10:00 window, then move into wings, burgers and hand-cut fries as the day stretches out. Call (520) 292-0492 if one specific game matters to you.
Quick Sunday schedule — Arizona time
6:30 a.m. — Philadelphia Eagles at Jacksonville Jaguars. This is the London game and it begins before Famous Sam’s opens, so it belongs in the full Sunday football picture but not in the restaurant viewing window.
10:00 a.m. — Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins; Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots; Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints; Cleveland Browns at New York Jets; Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers; Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans; New York Giants at Washington Commanders; Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers.
1:05 p.m. — Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers. 1:25 p.m. — Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals; San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks. 5:20 p.m. — Baltimore Ravens at Atlanta Falcons.
The 10:00 window is the traffic jam. The 1:25 window is where Arizona gets its hometown angle with Lions-Cardinals, while 49ers-Seahawks brings a divisional knife fight next door. Then Baltimore and Atlanta close the day with one giant question hanging over the Ravens: how healthy is Lamar Jackson’s ankle?
Eagles at Jaguars — 6:30 a.m. Arizona time
Philadelphia arrives in London at 2-2 after a 24-20 loss to the Rams, while Jacksonville is 3-1 after beating Cincinnati 22-17. The Jaguars have earned the right to be taken seriously; they are not just the team on the international poster anymore. Philadelphia, meanwhile, is trying to keep a .500 start from turning into a weekly referendum on why a roster this talented keeps making life harder than it needs to be.
The injury watch starts with Saquon Barkley, whose hamstring status is expected to be updated during the week. Philadelphia also lost Tank Bigsby to a core-muscle injury that is expected to send him to injured reserve. If Barkley is limited, the Eagles lose one of their best ways to make the game simple. Jacksonville’s path is obvious: win early downs, make Jalen Hurts live in third-and-long, and force Philadelphia to play from structure instead of improvisation.
Prediction: Jaguars 27, Eagles 24. Jacksonville has the better early-season rhythm, the London comfort factor and enough defensive disruption to make Philadelphia uncomfortable. If Barkley is fully healthy by Sunday, this becomes close to a coin flip.
Bengals at Dolphins — 10:00 a.m. Arizona time
Cincinnati is 2-2 after losing 22-17 to Jacksonville. Miami is 0-4 after a 15-10 loss to Minnesota. That makes this a weird game: the Bengals are trying to stop a frustrating start from getting worse, while the Dolphins are already operating in the part of the season where every drive feels like it comes with a little smoke coming out of the dashboard.
The biggest storyline is Cincinnati’s receiving corps. Ja’Marr Chase entered concussion protocol Monday, and Tee Higgins is considered day to day with an adductor injury. That is not a side note — that is the entire geometry of the Bengals offense. If both are limited, Miami can play much more aggressively underneath and force Joe Burrow to manufacture offense the hard way. If even one of them is fully available, the matchup changes fast.
Prediction: Bengals 24, Dolphins 20. Cincinnati still has the better quarterback and more ways to survive a messy game, but this pick comes with a giant asterisk shaped like the Bengals’ Friday injury report.
Raiders at Patriots — 10:00 a.m. Arizona time
Las Vegas is 3-1 after taking Kansas City to the edge in a 30-27 loss. New England is 2-2 after walking into Buffalo and winning 29-26. So much for the easy label on either team. The Raiders have looked much more legitimate than preseason skepticism suggested, while the Patriots just produced the kind of road win that can turn a quiet September into a very loud October.
The football question is whether New England can reproduce the composure it showed against Buffalo when Las Vegas forces the game into obvious passing situations. The Raiders have enough offensive juice to punish conservative defense, but they also cannot afford the sloppy stretches that let Kansas City survive them. New England’s best path is to keep the game one score deep into the fourth quarter and make Las Vegas prove it can close on the road.
Prediction: Raiders 26, Patriots 23. The Patriots have earned respect, but Las Vegas has shown a higher offensive ceiling through four weeks. Expect this one to feel less glamorous than the marquee games and somehow still be on three screens at once when it is tied with six minutes left.
Vikings at Saints — 10:00 a.m. Arizona time
Minnesota is 4-0 after grinding out a 15-10 win over Miami. New Orleans enters Monday night at 1-2, so its Week 4 result still has to be folded into the final version of this section. The Vikings are one of the league’s early surprises because they have not needed every game to look pretty. Four wins is four wins; style points remain a college problem.
The concern is health. Justin Jefferson missed Week 4 with an ankle injury and was considered day to day, while left tackle Christian Darrisaw entered concussion protocol Monday and guard Donovan Jackson suffered a torn meniscus that is expected to cost him most of the regular season. New Orleans is also without receiver Jordyn Tyson for the near term. Minnesota’s biggest question is whether its offensive line can keep the offense on schedule if Darrisaw is not cleared.
Prediction: Vikings 24, Saints 20. Minnesota has earned the benefit of the doubt, but the offensive-line injuries make this much more dangerous than a 4-0 versus sub-.500 matchup looks on paper. If Jefferson returns and Darrisaw clears protocol, the Vikings’ margin gets more comfortable.
The 10:00 a.m. gauntlet: four more games to watch
### Browns at Jets — 10:00 a.m. Arizona time Cleveland is 3-1 after beating Pittsburgh 27-24. New York is 1-3 after losing 23-12 to Chicago. The Browns have quietly built one of the better starts in the AFC, while the Jets are still trying to turn competitive stretches into a complete game. Cleveland’s injury problem is significant: defensive tackle Mason Graham, who leads the Browns with four sacks, is expected to miss time after suffering both an MCL sprain and an ankle sprain. New York also lost defensive end Braiden McGregor to a torn pectoral muscle for the season. Cleveland should still be able to create pressure by committee, but the Graham loss makes the middle of the defense less scary than it looked a week ago. Prediction: Browns 23, Jets 17. Cleveland has been the more trustworthy team through four weeks, and the Jets have not shown enough offensive consistency to earn the upset call.
### Colts at Steelers — 10:00 a.m. Arizona time Indianapolis is 2-2 after hammering Washington 30-13 in London. Pittsburgh is also 2-2 after losing a 27-24 grinder to Cleveland. This is one of the better early games if you like football that occasionally looks like two people trying to move a refrigerator through a doorway at the same time. Indianapolis had Keenan Allen ruled out in Week 4 with a groin injury, so his practice status bears watching. Pittsburgh has a more certain problem: defensive lineman Derrick Harmon went to injured reserve and will miss at least four weeks, while cornerback Jamel Dean is also expected to miss time with an ankle injury. The Steelers can still make games ugly, but missing bodies in the middle and back end changes how aggressive they can be. Prediction: Colts 24, Steelers 20. Indianapolis is coming off its cleanest win of the season, and Pittsburgh’s defensive attrition is enough to tip a close game toward the Colts.
### Texans at Titans — 10:00 a.m. Arizona time Houston is 0-4. Tennessee is 0-4. Somebody is leaving this game with a win, unless the football gods decide a tie would be funnier. Houston at least showed offensive life in a 34-30 loss to Dallas, while Tennessee battled Baltimore to a 24-18 loss after falling into an early hole. For Houston, the question is whether the offense that finally pushed the ball can stop donating possessions with mistakes. Tennessee needs to create explosive plays instead of asking its defense to keep every game within one bad bounce of overtime. This is less about one superstar matchup and more about third down, red-zone execution and which team can play a clean fourth quarter. Prediction: Texans 24, Titans 20. Houston’s Week 4 offensive output is the best reason to trust either side right now. No, that is not exactly a ringing endorsement. In an 0-4 matchup, we are grading on a curve.
### Giants at Commanders — 10:00 a.m. Arizona time New York is 3-1 after a 36-24 win over Arizona. Washington is 1-3 after a 30-13 loss to Indianapolis in London. The Giants have been one of the more interesting early-season teams because they keep turning games into proof that preseason expectations are mostly decorative. Washington’s quarterback room is the story. Marcus Mariota aggravated a knee issue and suffered an MCL sprain against Indianapolis, while Jayden Daniels missed Week 4 with an elbow injury. Washington’s practice week will determine whether this matchup is competitive or survival mode. The Giants also lost receiver Braxton Berrios to injured reserve, but the quarterback uncertainty on the other side is the much bigger lever. Prediction: Giants 27, Commanders 17. Until Washington gives a clear, healthy quarterback answer, New York is the safer side. If Daniels returns at full strength, throw this score into a shredder and start again.
Bears-Packers, Broncos-Chargers, Lions-Cardinals — plus the game-day food plan
### Bears at Packers — 10:00 a.m. Arizona time Chicago is 3-1 after beating the Jets 23-12. Green Bay is 2-2 after edging Tampa Bay 17-14. Bears-Packers does not need help finding a storyline, but it gets one anyway: Chicago will start Tyson Bagent because Caleb Williams remains sidelined by a hamstring injury. Bagent threw for 268 yards in Week 4, but Lambeau is a different exam. Green Bay is not whole, either; linebacker Edgerrin Cooper suffered a torn Achilles and will miss the rest of the season. Chicago’s defense has been good enough to keep the Bears in games. The question is whether the offense can generate enough explosive plays once Green Bay squeezes the field. Prediction: Packers 23, Bears 20. Chicago’s defense keeps it close, but Green Bay gets the nod at home against a backup quarterback. Rivalry games are legally required to make at least one prediction look stupid, so plan accordingly.
### Broncos at Chargers — 1:05 p.m. Arizona time Denver is 2-2 after losing 24-14 to San Francisco. The Chargers are 0-4 after falling 30-23 in Seattle. Los Angeles is already at the point where every close loss gets described as ‘encouraging’ right before somebody asks why the record still starts with a zero. The Chargers’ biggest problem is up front: two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a high ankle sprain and is expected to miss multiple weeks. Denver has injury concerns of its own, with receiver Pat Bryant expected to miss time and Patrick Surtain II dealing with an ankle issue that is not expected to be long-term. If Surtain can go, Denver has a much better chance to make the Chargers string together long drives. Prediction: Broncos 24, Chargers 17. Denver has been the more stable team. Until Los Angeles proves it can finish one of these games, picking the Chargers feels like volunteering to be emotionally audited.
### Lions at Cardinals — 1:25 p.m. Arizona time This is the Arizona-interest game. Detroit is 2-2 after a 32-26 loss to Carolina; Arizona is 1-3 after allowing the Giants to score 36 in New York. A 1-4 start would turn every Cardinals conversation into a draft-position podcast whether anyone asked for one or not. Arizona also took a major injury hit when left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. suffered a torn biceps and was ruled out for the season. That is a brutal loss against a Detroit front that can wreck an afternoon if protection slides start failing. The Lions may get safety Brian Branch back into practice this week, which would help a defense that needs to settle after giving up 32. Prediction: Lions 30, Cardinals 23. Detroit’s offense has more answers, and Arizona’s loss at left tackle is exactly the kind of injury that can show up on every third-and-long.
### The food plan for a six-hour football day The 10:00 a.m. window is the breakfast window. Famous Sam’s opens one hour early and serves breakfast until noon, which is the cleanest way to settle in before eight games start competing for your attention. Once the afternoon rolls in, shift toward food that makes sense for a long game: Sam’s Famous Wings for the table, hand-cut Sam’s Fries for the middle, Sam’s Cheeseburger if you want a full meal, or the Fireworks Chipotle Burger if your team is already stressing you out and you would like your food to participate. Nachos and potato skins work well when the table wants to keep picking through the late window. Pace the order. Football has four quarters for a reason.
49ers at Seahawks — 1:25 p.m. Arizona time
This is the heavyweight late-window game. San Francisco is 4-0 after beating Denver 24-14; Seattle is 3-1 after beating the Chargers 30-23. The rivalry already comes with enough old bruises, and now both teams enter with real stakes in the NFC West. The 49ers have won six of the last eight regular-season meetings and four straight in Seattle, which is the sort of statistic Seahawks fans enjoy about as much as a smoke alarm at 3 a.m.
The injury sheet could swing this one. San Francisco expects Nick Bosa to be unlikely for Week 5, fullback Kyle Juszczyk is dealing with a knee injury and James Thompson Jr. is also unlikely. Seattle has already ruled out Zach Charbonnet, while the Seahawks are optimistic Leonard Williams can play through an ankle issue. The 49ers’ depth will be tested hardest on defense, where missing Bosa changes how much pressure they can create without blitzing.
Prediction: 49ers 27, Seahawks 24. San Francisco gets the slight edge because its offense has been the cleaner machine through four weeks, but this is the game on the slate most likely to become a fourth-quarter argument with helmets.
Ravens at Falcons — 5:20 p.m. Arizona time, then the final whistle
### Ravens at Falcons — 5:20 p.m. Arizona time Baltimore is 3-1 after beating Tennessee 24-18. Atlanta enters Monday night at 1-2, so its Week 4 result against New Orleans still has to be added before publication. The night game would be easy to sell on quarterback star power — except Baltimore’s quarterback status is suddenly the whole story. Lamar Jackson left the Titans game with an ankle injury after throwing for 220 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. Baltimore called him day to day, and the early indication is that the issue is not expected to be long-term, but Week 5 is close enough that every practice participation line matters. If Jackson plays, Atlanta has to defend the entire width of the field and every broken-play nightmare. If he does not, Baltimore’s offense becomes a very different animal. Prediction: Ravens 27, Falcons 23 — if Jackson plays. If Baltimore has to start Tyler Huntley, downgrade the Ravens and treat this as close to a toss-up.
### The last word before kickoff This is not one of those Sundays where one game carries the whole card. The fun is the pileup: Bears-Packers with a backup quarterback in Chicago, two 4-0 teams trying to stay perfect, Detroit trying to get right in Arizona, San Francisco and Seattle throwing divisional history at each other, and Baltimore waiting to find out exactly how much Lamar Jackson’s ankle changes the night game. The article should get one final injury-report polish later in the week, but the football story is already far clearer than the first version.
Famous Sam’s on River opens at 10:00 a.m., breakfast runs until noon, and the main NFL window starts immediately. If one specific matchup is non-negotiable for your group, call (520) 292-0492 to confirm it before leaving home. Then pick your game, pick your food, and accept that at least one prediction in this article is going to age like milk by halftime. That is football. Famous Sam’s on River is at 1970 West River Road in Tucson.