Guten Morgen. And welcome to the Week 10 main slate. Starting in Germany. Ending in Los Angeles. But before traveling those miles, I must point out that I struggled to select a worthy best of the week selection. There are things to like in a number of showdowns. In fact, I can wrap my head around arguments for SEVEN games - including the one we saw on Thursday night - for best of the week. But none of them truly stand apart. So I held my nose, accepted some flaws, and went with what I think will look best on the screen (plus something I’ve been requesting for years). Let’s roll.

A quick note on methodology.

As always, I’m analyzing every NFL uniform matchup and picking a winner against the spread based on who dresses best. And just because a team is ranked higher in the Uniform Wardrobe Power Rankings doesn’t mean it will automatically win the uniform matchup. It’s what you wear in the instant matchup that counts.

Week 10 Uniform Matchups and Picks.

It took a trip to Germany. But after years of asking for the black-blue-black combo, the Panthers are finally delivering. No argument from me if Carolina decided to make this color combo the centerpiece of a new wardrobe. I still miss those Giants gray pants, but blue-white-white serves as a sharp counterpart to the Panthers regardless. While the game itself leaves much to be desired, the people of Munich are getting a well dressed affair. This the first of many in the conversation for best of the week. Carolina is the clear choice. But this one will be worth waking up early for.

Safe to say the playoff picture won’t be affected here. But if you’re looking for a reason to tune in beyond the uniform matchup, it’s never too early to think about the draft order. Daniel Jones vs Bryce Young is a tale of irresponsible resource allocation and franchise regret. But where I’m all the way out on Jones, I’m still holding out the slightest bit of hope for Bryce. So happy to ride with him here. Plus he’s due for his first career NFL win in a non-black jersey.

The Pick: Panthers +6.5

Niners at Bucs for the Reddy Metal Bowl. Two top shelf looks for two Top 10 wardrobe teams.* Feels wrong to pick a winner, but the 49ers and their gold get the nod over the Bucs and their pewter.

Even with their best and scrappiest efforts, Tampa Bay’s season - filled with injuries and close defeats - is slipping away. Meanwhile, San Francisco is fresh coming off the bye, CMC is expected to be back, and the NFC West is sitting right there for them despite a 4-4 start. I like the Niners to remind the football world that they’re still very much a Super Bowl contender with a beatdown in the New Sombrero.

*This matchup was up there for best of the week out of respect for the individual looks. But as great as these uniforms are on their own, it’s Spring Game adjacent. Different metal shades of course. But the red elements stand in the way of striking contrast.

The Pick: 49ers -6.5

With the early start in Germany, firing this off without seeing the complete picture for Broncos-Chiefs. Taking a shot in the dark with navy pants for the Broncos, which happens to be my least favorite of their road pant options. However, it does pair well with Kansas City red. So long as the Chiefs do not surprise with red pants, they’re the pick.

The Broncos didn’t pass the “ready for prime time” test with that showing in Baltimore. But things weren’t as bad as the final score suggested - especially their showing in the first half. With that said, even with divisional game tomfoolery, the Chiefs are in a class (or two) above.

The Pick: Chiefs -7.5

NOTE - Both teams have yet to reveal their choice of pants.

Steelers-Commanders in one of the most lopsided matchups of the weekend. Washington’s burgundy bodysuit is one of the many bad outfits in their league-worst wardrobe, but I will give them credit for not subjecting us to yellow pant overload.* The Triple Mismatch Club Steelers boast one of the best road looks in football, and they run away with this one.

Didn’t have Steelers at Commanders circled as a Week 10 game of the week contender, but here we are. Pittsburgh’s defense being a juggernaut is no great surprise. However, I don’t think any honest person had their eye on the Commanders as one of the best offenses in the league. We know how electrifying Jayden Daniels has been. But the secret sauce of this Washington attack is their efficiency on the ground. Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler have made for a potent duo. But Robinson is set to miss his second game in a row, and the Steelers are the second best stop unit when it comes to EPA per rush. If Jayden Daniels is forced to throw it all day, TJ Watt is primed to wreck this game.

*I know others would prefer to break up the bodysuit with white pants. And while I agree in principle from a color combo perspective, the white practice pants are especially egregious for the Commanders - to the point where it looks like the bottom of the uniform failed to load.

The Pick: Steelers +3

Bills-Colts is set to look like a spring game. Like Niners-Bucs, two excellent individual uniforms. But the royal blue crossover leaves something to be desired in the overall matchup.* Colts are the choice.

Having a hard time understanding this line. Colts have been a gum-on-the-shoe team all season, but they appeared to take a step back against the Vikings. In the Uniform Gods we trust, but I’m fully prepared for the gravity hammer that is Josh Allen to launch us out of the arena.

*White pants from the Bills would’ve eased the blue overload.

The Pick: Colts +4

I’m relieved the Patriots went with silver pants and saved us from navy overload for two reasons. First, it’s a much better look overall. Second, it saved me from having to think about putting the Bears in worst of the week* AGAIN at no fault of their own. Crisis averted. Bears are the pick.

In a weird way, this Patriots season is going perfectly for New England. Drake Maye sure looks the part of a franchise quarterback. Plus they’ll wind up with a high draft pick. The Bears also now have their franchise quarterback, but they still have an outside shot at playing meaningful January football if they can get their act together. And no better spot to get an act together than a get-right game against these Pats.

*On the contrary, Pats-Bears finds itself in the best of the week conversation. But there’s a dullness from New England I can’t shake - even with the substantial improvement from silver pants.

The Pick: Bears -6

The big uniform news is the Jacksonville debut of the Shell White helmet. And while I have no issue* with the helmet on its own, pairing it with the black jersey makes for a soulless combination. It would’ve been much worse with black pants, but the persistent aversion to teal does nothing to alleviate the lack of soul.** Vikings by default.

Not to pile on the Jags, but it’s hard to have a worse season with division-winning expectations. With Trevor Lawrence unlikely to play and possibly being shutdown for the season, all eyes in Jacksonville are on the 2025 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, the Vikings continue their cinderella season. And I expect them to roll in this one.

*Though knowing it’d be paired with the black jersey, I would’ve preferred a teal or white facemask.

**For the record, I have no issue in principle with a white-black-white Jags uniform. This helmet with a black jersey and white pants similar in style to the early 2000s would make for an acceptable alternate. It’s just hard to get fired up about a team doubling down on foregoing teal and gold. And to make matters worse, we’re getting this new combo at the expense of another throwback game or even black-black-teal (sneaky good member of the dark-dark-pop of color club).

The Pick: Vikings -7

This one was over before it started. Best dressed team against the second worst.* Stop the fight. Chargers in a landslide.

Billy Jeans is back. And based on his performance this season, that’s a good thing for a Chargers cover. The Los Angeles defense continues to be one of the most pleasant surprises of the season. Pleasant for us, at least. Not for Billy.

*Now arguably the worst with the Commanders introduction of gold pants. Though the Falcons certainly belong in the conversation as well.

The Pick: Chargers -7.5

Eagles-Cowboys is always a strong uniform matchup. And this one is right up there for best of the week. But I decided to put a pin in it until the Kelly Greens make an appearance for the encore in Week 17. For now, Dallas is the choice (especially with the rumored appearance of the red, white, and blue stripe).

Philly is starting to look like a real NFC contender. And the Cowboys season is all but over - especially with the news that Dak is likely out for the rest of the year. Hard to have much (if any) confidence with this pick. But anything is possible when these teams get together, so I’ll grin and bear it while taking the points.

The Pick: Cowboys +7.5

NOTE - My good friends at The Gridiron Uniform Database were told to look out for the Cowboys red, white, and blue helmet stripe this week. But the team has yet to announce anything official. Always a delight when it makes an appearance, so rooting for the best.

With this amount of green and red, I was rooting for Christmas to come early with white pants for the Cardinals. But no such luck. Another week with the red unitard and another easy decision. J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets.

Sneaky good football game coming our way. The Jets have underperformed all season but have an outside chance at making a playoff run. The Cardinals find themselves at the top of the NFC West standings but no margin for error with all four teams grouped so close together. As frisky as Arizona has been lately, those young corners are about to be stress tested against Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson.

The Pick: Jets -1.5

I’m digging the color combo in this one. Aqua pants stand out enough from the Rams royal and both aqua and royal play brilliantly off those yellow pants. In this slate without a clear best of the week option, I genuinely toyed with the idea of elevating Dolphins-Rams to the top spot. But it’ll have to settle for the short list. Rams are the pick and looking forward to seeing this one on the Monday Night Football screen.

The Dolphins put up a heck of a fight in Buffalo. But that Tyler Bass 61-yard game winner felt like the nail in their 2024 coffin. The Rams on the other hand are winners of three straight and right in the thick of things in the NFC West. Matthew Stafford has been especially impressive, and I think he outduels Tua in SoFi.

The Pick: Rams -1

Worst NFL Uniform Matchup of Week 10.

Not the worst of the year by any means, but Falcons-Saints is a consistent disappointment.* Atlanta’s look is a comedy of errors - worst number font in the league, jumbo ATL wordmark, and underarm stripes keeping the Panelist Era on life support. And after one week, New Orleans is already back to keeping the gold pants under lock and key. Here’s to future redesigns.

A lot has changed since these teams met in Week 4 for a 26-24 Falcons last-second victory. Atlanta seems to have progressed from lucky to good - especially on offense. But the wheels have fallen off in New Orleans.** In their seven-game losing streak, the Saints are averaging less than 17 points per game. That trend is music to our under-betting ears.

*Especially when thinking about the potential of each wardrobe.

**Though never count out the bump from an interim coach game.

The Pick: Under 46.5

Best NFL Uniform Matchup of Week 10.

Cards on the table: I had a brutal time landing on this week’s best uniform matchup. Flipped and flopped. Ebbed and flowed. Selected and unselected. As noted above, I can make a genuine case for seven Week 10 matchups. Faced with such a toss-up, I’m not passing up an opportunity to honor the debut of helmet horns for the Texans* - the thing I wanted most from their redesign. Plus I can’t shake the feeling that this game will look the best on the screen - warts and all. Blue pants for the Lions would’ve taken this one to the next level and made it the clear choice for best of the week. And white pants for the Texans (opposite blue pants for the Lions) could’ve kicked it up another notch. But we play with the cards we’re dealt. And with all of that said, the Honolulu Blue in Detroit’s helmet and jersey absolutely pop off the white uniform and contrast brilliantly with that bright Battle Red.** Moreover, Lions blue and Texans red has a legitimate argument for best color pairing in the league. I still can’t stand the white practice pants and will never understand the Lions omitting a blue stripe.*** But I have complete faith in this one passing the eye test on Sunday Night Football.

Adding to my decision to go with this game in a toss-up week is that this was my Super Bowl pick. And it feels wrong to take a side before a potential meeting in the big game. So here’s to points, points, and more points. The Fightin’ Dan Campbells are a well-oiled offensive machine. And the Young Texans may be getting back their WR1. Even if Nico is unable to go, Tank is expected to play, Mixon has been rolling, and Stroud takes his game to another level at NRG Stadium.

*The Battle Red helmet is out of control and immediately boasts one of my favorite helmet logos in the league. It joins the Bengals, Eagles, Rams, and Vikings with unique helmet logos that are not the team’s primary or secondary logos.

**Bonus points for the red endzones in this one. Horns bookending “Houston” and “Texans” gives off 90s wordmark energy. And I’m here for it.

***Such a stripe would’ve also made this a no-brainer best of the week selection.

The Pick: Over 49.5

The Gridiron Uniform Database.

Uniform graphics seen here are courtesy of The Gridiron Uniform Database. If you’ve never paid their site a visit, stop what you’re doing right now and check it out. Best site on the Internet and an invaluable resource to uniform nerds and casuals alike.

Coming Attractions.

You know the drill. Back on Thursday for Commanders at Eagles - an NFC East doozy.

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