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3 must-see games in Week 13

Al Bello / Getty Images Sport / Getty

We're in the home stretch, people.

Three quarters of the regular season is already in the books, and while this campaign hasn't been an all-timer, there's still time for things to get turned up to 11.

Nothing's more exciting in sports than late-season football, and for a host of teams with a tiny margin for error, the playoffs pretty much start now.

Before we get into it, let's pour one out for Gronk. Love or hate the Patriots, the playoffs won't be the same without the incomparable, unstoppable man-child of a tight end, who appears likely to miss the rest of the season with a back injury.

Anyway, here are Week 13's must-see games:

Lions at Saints

Drew Brees is going to don a gold jacket whenever he decides to walk off into the sunset, but is the quarterback he'll be trading shots with Sunday, Matthew Stafford, also destined for Canton?

Well, according to Lions head coach Jim Caldwell, he is well on his way. Admittedly, the head coach walked back his comments when pressed, but still ... huh?!

Stafford has occasionally been a statistical monster, and has shown elite skills in clutch situations, but he's maybe been a top-10 quarterback for two or three of his eight seasons in the league.

A few more years like 2015 and a Super Bowl victory or two may change the argument. But at the moment, Stafford should be held up as the primary example of the need for a change in the standards for Hall of Fame quarterbacks in the modern, pass-happy NFL.

Speaking of pass-happy football, the Saints and Lions are going to combine for at least 80 points, right?

Chiefs at Falcons

Matt Ryan versus Alex Smith: The quarterback who's on pace to lead the NFL in yards per attempt by a significant margin versus the quarterback who has never seen a third-and-long checkdown he didn't like.

Luckily, this game's intrigue goes far beyond the guys under center.

Tyreek Hill and Taylor Gabriel will battle it out for the "I don't know who the hell that guy is but he's fast as hell" award, the Falcons' offensive line will attempt to stop the league's scariest group of pass-rushers, and Marcus Peters will be tasked with locking down Julio Jones in just his second game back from injury.

Both the Chiefs and the Falcons are in a close fight for their respective divisions. Kansas City can't afford to fall further behind the Oakland Raiders, and now could have eyes on the No. 1 seed with the Patriots suddenly looking vulnerable. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints refuse to give up the chase in the NFC South, meaning Atlanta can't rest on just a one-game lead.

Either way, the outcome of this game could have far-reaching effects on both the NFC and AFC playoff picture.

Giants at Steelers

Why, NFL? Why isn't this the Sunday night game?

Yeah, Cam Newton versus Russell Wilson is the "sexier" matchup, but the Panthers are already cooked and the Seahawks pretty much have the NFC West wrapped up.

The Giants and Steelers are still fighting to make the playoffs, and have a quarterback matchup that's just as sexy ...

... on paper.

It might feel like yesterday since Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger entered the league as two thirds of the lauded 2004 quarterback class, but at 35 and 34 years of age, respectively, the two won't have many more chances to light it up against one another.

Odell Beckham Jr., Antonio Brown, and Le'Veon Bell are the icing on what should be a prime-time cake.

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