Patrick Mahomes.
(Image credit: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

The NFL playoffs are inching closer, and Week 10 should serve as a showcase for a few teams to prove their worthy of a spot. Here are four matchups to watch:

Tennessee Titans vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 1:00 p.m. E.T. on CBS — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is expected to return to the field for this one, which is great news for Kansas City. The team performed admirably in his absence, but a division title is no longer a foregone conclusion with the Oakland Raiders breathing down their necks in the AFC West. There's no time for funny business anymore for the 6-3 Chiefs.

Green Bay Packers vs. Carolina Panthers, 4:25 p.m. E.T. on Fox — The Packers were rolling along until they were stifled by the Los Angeles Chargers last week. They're still in a good spot at 7-2, but the 5-3 Panthers should provide a challenge. Still, Carolina is the team that's really on the ropes in a crowded NFC playoff picture. A win at daunting Lambeau Field would be quite the statement.

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Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Los Angeles, 4:25 p.m. E.T. on Fox — The 4-4 Steelers, despite being banged up, have won three straight games, including a thriller against the Indianapolis Colts last week. The 5-3 Rams, who have won two in a row, are in a similar position to Pittsburgh. Both teams are currently on the outside looking in, but the playoffs are far from out of reach at this point. Winning this one will make the path to January football a whole lot easier for both teams.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings, 8:20 p.m. E.T. on NBC — The primetime game highlights two teams that have their sights set on a division crown. Minnesota trails Green Bay in the NFC North, and was unable to capitalize on the Packers' loss last week when they failed to secure a victory in Kansas City. They'll look to bounce back against the Cowboys, who are trying to hold off the Philadelphia Eagles in the AFC East.

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.