Week 16 features the two best games of the season pitting the league's top four teams in a couple of potential Super Bowl previews.
On Sunday, the Cowboys, 10-4 and No. 2 in the NFC, travel to Miami, 10-4 and No. 2 in the AFC. On Monday night, the Ravens, 11-3 and No. 1 in the AFC, travel to San Francisco, 11-3 and No. 1 in the NFC.
One other game matches two teams with winning records and backup quarterbacks looking to keep their teams in the playoff picture.
In Houston, the Browns go for a 10th win with a fourth quarterback, 38-year-old Joe Flacco, who's looking to improve to 3-1. On the other side is old friend Case Keenum, the 35-year-old backup to injured rookie C.J. Stroud, and an 8-6 Texans team that's trying to squeeze a second straight win out of Keenum to at least keep pace with Jacksonville (8-6) in the AFC South.
Here are six games worth picking:
WHAT WILL THE VIKINGS DO?
Lions (-3½) at Vikings: Take the team that's not trying to win a division with its fourth quarterback. Lions 31, Vikings 23
AROUND THE NFC NORTH
Packers (-4½) at Panthers: Jordan Love surpasses the six wins Aaron Rodgers posted in his first year as a starter. Packers 24, Panthers 17
Cardinals (+4½) at Bears: The Bears slog closer to hiring the next coach they'll fire in two to four years. Cardinals 20, Bears 14
![Three weeks ago, Octavio Rodriguez switched from making transmission parts to casting parts for hospital bed brake assemblies at Twin City Die Castings. ] GLEN STUBBE • glen.stubbe@startribune.com Thursday, April 9, 2020 How employee-owned Twin City Die Casting, which just laid off 40 production workers of its 250 employees in what was supposed to be a good year, is trying to accelerate its pivot to growing medical parts business for ventilators, hospital beds, etc as it copes with instan](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/WNZYKGTZ5IYMUCO3KI5TR3N7WI.jpg?&w=80&ar=1:1&fit=crop)
djoles@startribune.com As boaters flock to Minnesota lakes and rivers this holiday weekend for the unofficial kick-off to the boating season, they'll face more inspections in and out of the water as local cities and counties ramp up their work to stop the spread of invasive species. Across the metro, more boat accesses will be staffed by watercraft inspectors thanks to $10 million funneled to county government programs this year, up from $4.5 million the state allocated last year. ORG XMIT: MIN1505222156290209 ORG XMIT: MIN1506021218440580](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/34QSKO44B2XKVNUZCO5SLJQSLY.jpg?&w=80&ar=1:1&fit=crop)
