Each week, TSN.ca takes a look at the top storylines in the NFL and gives you all you need to know heading into Sunday's action. All in!

 

Cardinals get their divisional mettle tested in Seattle

First off, let’s throw out the idea Arizona has cruised to their league-leading 9-1 record through an easy schedule. Amongst their nine victories are wins over five teams with winning records, three of which either lead or share the lead in their division.

But they’ve yet to really get their hands dirty in their own division. Through the first 11 weeks of the season Arizona has only played San Francisco once and has yet to even see Seattle. That all changes this week; the Cardinals have three big divisional games in their last six weeks starting this Sunday against the Seahawks.

Arizona is a good team, maybe even a very good team, but their divisional mettle has yet to have been tested. And with Drew Stanton behind centre the rest of the year, Sunday’s game against Seattle kicks off a stretch that will determine if the Cards can cope without Carson Palmer.

 

Lions to crash back to earth in New England?

Two division leaders face off Sunday at Gillette Stadium; one of which however, is a division leader in record only. No not the Falcons.

The Detroit Lions have used as much good fortune as anything else to climb to the top of the NFC North. But if luck were to run out on the Lions, this will likely be the game.

Joking aside, this could be a real offensive battle. With Reggie Bush expected back and Calvin Johnson still moderately healthy, Detroit could score some points. Matching up against Tom Brady, who has been fantastic since the media dared question if he was running out of gas, Rob Gronkowski, once again the league’s best tight end, and Jonas Grey, who might be a thing now, it’d be wise to take the over (weather permitting of course).

 

Josh Gordon makes his highly anticipated return

It’s a good time to be Brian Hoyer. Through 11 weeks of the season he has held off fan favourite Johnny Manziel to lead the Browns to a surprising 6-4 record; even if Cleveland brass perhaps foolishly does turn to Manziel at the end of the year, there are reports of several teams interested in his services; and now he gets his top receiver back.

Josh Gordon wasn’t just good last season, he was the best. It’s great news for the Browns, whose top receiver heading into Week 12 is former Montreal Alouette Andrew Hawkins; and good news for football fans in general, who get to welcome back a superstar to their Sundays.

Gordon led the league with 1,646 receiving yards last season – 303 of which came in the three games Hoyer started before getting injured.

Gordon has reportedly been keeping in shape during his 10-game suspension; here’s hoping the Browns don’t handle him with kid gloves, easing him back into the lineup, and just let the superstar fly.

To make matters more interesting, both the Falcons and Browns are clinging to playoff hopes, and a loss - more so for Cleveland than Atlanta - could end their postseason dreams.

 

Packers-Vikings Round 2

Rivarly games, especially ones this heated, are always worth keeping an eye on and will have their spot in this column. But this one could be rough. The Packers beat the Vikings by 32 points in their first meeting and are arguably playing at a higher level coming into Round 2.

Aaron Rodgers is closing the gap in the MVP race in a big way the past few weeks; he has more than 1,000 passing yards and 10 touchdowns in his last three games. Much like a Heisman hopeful uses out of conference games to pad his stats, so too could Rodgers against the Vikings.

 

Chasing the Patriots, both Dolphins and Broncos eager for win

The Dolphins and Broncos don’t have much in common this year but they are both chasing the New England Patriots. Miami’s race is of course for the AFC East, with the Dolphins currently a full two games behind. They do however, currently hold the season series with one game to go.

Denver’s race is for the AFC in general, or more specifically the always coveted home field advantage throughout the playoffs. While Denver is just one game behind the Pats in their race, New England holds the tiebreaker making their situation nearly as desperate as Miami’s.

Both teams have other reasons to want to win of course. The Dolphins are in the thick of the wildcard race while the Broncos will want to keep pace with the Kansas City Chiefs after they beat the Raiders on Thursday.