Updates

Week 12 will be pivotal in determining the NFL’s 2019 playoff field. That’s because 12 games this week feature teams from the same conference that could have head-to-head tiebreaker implications.

First on that list of tiebreaker battles is for first place in the AFC South on Thursday Night Football (8:20 p.m. EST, FOX/NFLN/Amazon), when the Houston Texans host the Indianapolis Colts.

On Sunday Night Football in San Francisco (8:20 p.m. EST, NBC) the 49ers (9-1) put the NFC’s best record on the line against the Green Bay Packers (8-2), who lead the NFC North. Only on five times over the last 13 seasons have teams with two or fewer losses met this late in a season. The winners of the last two of those matchups have gone on to win the Super Bowl.

Other games with playoff implications include the Denver Broncos at the Buffalo Bills (1 p.m. EST, CBS), where the Bills look to improve their record in AFC games — a key wild-card tiebreaker; the Carolina Panthers at the New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. EST, CBS), where the Saints can gain important ground in both the NFC South and the race for the NFC’s top seed; and the Seattle Seahawks at the Philadelphia Eagles (1 p.m. EST, FOX), where the Seahawks can improve their conference record and the Eagles look to remain in contention.

See the full Week 12 preview.