NFL INSIDER: 'Twas the Night Before Picks-mas': The Holiday Insider

It's that time of year again – the time I have an imaginary conversation with a fat man in a red suit.

NFL INSIDER: Bears' desperate needs come at wrong time with Packers in town

A few weeks ago, I warned of 2011 deja vu for the Bears.

NFL INSIDER: Bears in do-or-die territory

It's the time of year when the men are separated from the boys in the NFL.

NFL INSIDER: Manning, Broncos should roll past Raiders again

Denver (9-3) at Oakland (3-9)

NFL INSIDER: Saints need this win to reach postseason

New Orleans (5-6) at Atlanta (10-1)

NFL INSIDER: Look for Dolphins to use running game to beat Bills

Miami (4-5) at Buffalo (3-6)

NFL INSIDER: Colts should turn the tables on Jaguars this time

Colts (5-3) at Jaguars (1-7)

NFL INSIDER: Midseason report card has a few fun surprises

At the official midpoint of the season, it seems like a good time to take a look back to two months ago.

NFL INSIDER: Chargers at home can't be beat by Chiefs

Kansas City (1-6) at San Diego (3-4)

NFL INSIDER: Freeman, Bucs will be right there at the end again and beat Vikes

Tampa Bay (2-4) at Minnesota (5-2)

NFL INSIDER: It's all about the parity

Go ahead. Try to figure out the National Football League.

NFL INSIDER: 49ers' defense, Smith will look to make amends

Seattle (4-2) at San Francisco (4-2)

NFL INSIDER: Packers, Lions in critical territory

Though they're off this week, the Bears still find themselves smack dab in the middle of the National Football League spotlight.

NFL INSIDER: Steelers can use momentum over struggling Titans

Pittsburgh (2-2) at Tennessee (1-4)

NFL INSIDER: Things starting to turn around in Week 5

LONDON | Like clockwork, things turned around in Week 4.

NFL INSIDER: Cards will have just enough to beat Rams

Arizona (4-0) at St. Louis (1-3)

NFL INSIDER: Welcome back, real officials!

NOTTINGHAM, England | Things have gotten so bad for me picking games in this topsy-turvy NFL that I had to make like a replacement official and flee the country again.

NFL INSIDER: Welcome to the CFL – the Coin-Flip League

TORONTO | For the first time, I was nervous when I got to the customs checkpoint when I got to Canada on Wednesday.

NFL INSIDER: Giants need to find defense vs. Panthers

N.Y. Giants (1-1) at Carolina (1-1)

NFL INSIDER: Get through the month; don't start stressing trends until Week 5

Week 1 gave us the requisite handful of surprises, as it is wont to do every season.

BEARS (1-0) at Green Bay (0-1)

When: 7:20 p.m. Thursday

NFL INSIDER: Football's back, and so is the positive energy

In past seasons, I've been given to just throwing my hands up in Week 1.

NFL INSIDER: Smooth sailing for the Patriots

Raise your hand if you had the Giants and 49ers meeting to go to the Super Bowl before the season started.

NFL INSIDER: Rodgers, Brees on target for shootout

The NFC is on an aerial collision course that will culminate next weekend.

NFL INSIDER: No Bears, no Colts, but plenty of reasons to watch

The playoffs are here, which means it's that time of year when many of us have to stop asking just what in tarnation happened to the Bears and move on already.

NFL INSIDER: Get ready for a wacky Week 17

LAS VEGAS | The NFL does wacky things to a common-sense betting man in Week 17. Happens every year.

NFL INSIDER: Finally a reason for holiday cheer

For Colts fans all year, and Bears fans the last month, the question of when pitchers and catchers report for spring training is appropriate.

NFL INSIDER: One win doesn't give Colts boost

Houston (10-4) at COLTS (1-13)

NFL INSIDER: For Bears, late-season jinx very real

Don't ever let anyone tell you that jinxes are not real. They are.

NFL INSIDER: Jacksonville (4-9) at Atlanta (8-5)

MattE's pick: Falcons 34, Jaguars 16.

Cleveland (4-8) at Pittsburgh (9-3)

When: 7:20 p.m. Thursday

NFL INSIDER: Bears look to bite back against Murphy's Law

One thing the Bears aren't thankful for this year is a man named Murphy.

NFL INSIDER: Favorites are sure picks on turkey day

Green Bay (10-0) at Detroit (7-3)

NFL INSIDER: Are the Niners for real? They may be

SAN FRANCISCO | The Times NFL Insider Road Show is in San Francisco this week, where there's a football revival going on.

NFL INSIDER: Thursday edition

N.Y. Jets (5-4) at Denver (4-5)

NFL INSIDER: Bears win over Lions would put NFL on notice

Halfway through their schedule, the Bears are who we thought they were.

NFL INSIDER: Colts' run of (Andrew) Luck continues

At the NFL's official midway point, it's time to take a look at some of the year's biggest surprises.

NFL INSIDER: The halfway point calls for some coin tosses

LAS VEGAS | As we reach the midway point of the NFL season, it's sometimes good to step back and get a reminder of why this column exists to begin with.

NFL INSIDER: Cowboys vs. Rams -- the real sports story in Dallas

DALLAS | The Texas Rangers are back in the World Series, but here in Dallas, you might not even know it.

NFL INSIDER: Bears' season could slip away with loss to McNabb, Vikings

Not to be too dramatic about it, but the 2011 season is on the line for a handful of teams this week — and the Bears are one of them.

NFL INSIDER: Show Forte the money

There are a lot of lessons that can be taken from "Jerry Maguire," the 1996 Oscar-winning film that helped me help you by giving the world the catch phrase "Show me the money!"