Monday NFL preview: Patriots, Eagles hit with key injuries

— -- NFL Nation reporters look ahead to what Monday has in store for each team.

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills: Players will have another day off Monday before they return to practice Tuesday for the first time since defeating the Jets last week. The forecast for Tuesday's practice calls for sunny skies and temperatures in the low 60s -- a dramatic change from this week last season, when nearly six feet of snow began falling in Buffalo, forcing the Bills to relocate their game against Rex Ryan's Jets to Detroit. -- Mike Rodak

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens proved yet again they can't win if Joe Flacco continues to make the mistakes he made against the NFL's 25th-ranked defense. He opened the second half against Jacksonville with two interceptions and a fumble. The Ravens are 4-23 (.148), including the playoffs, when Flacco throws multiple interceptions. -- Jamison Hensley

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans: The Texans could be getting a boost at the tight end position Monday night as they welcome back Ryan Griffin, the third-year player who spent the Texans' last seven games on injured reserve with a designation to return. Griffin had become the Texans best dual-threat tight end when he suffered a torn MCL in Week 1. He says he'll play with a brace, and Texans coach Bill O'Brien acknowledges he'll need some time to return to the level where he was playing before the injury. It's an area where the Texans need some help. They rank in the bottom five in the NFL in targets to tight ends this season. -- Tania Ganguli

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos: All eyes will be on the injury report this week when it comes to quarterback Peyton Manning. After Sunday's loss to the Chiefs, Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said "this is on me" for playing Manning in a game after a week when the 39-year-old quarterback had been treated for foot and rib injuries. So it's clear if Manning isn't 100 percent healthy in the coming week, the Broncos will err on the side of caution next time around and Manning would be given a week off. -- Jeff Legwold

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys:  Tony Romo will return to practice on a full-time basis this week after sitting out the last seven games because of a broken left collarbone. Romo ran the scout team in three practices over the last two weeks and earned solid reviews from teammates and coaches. The question, now, however, is will Romo's return be worth it? The Cowboys might mathematically be alive in the NFC East, but the realistic chances of a playoff spot seem gone at 2-7. -- Todd Archer

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears: Riding a wave of optimism after winning four of six, the Bears return home from St. Louis to prepare for a tough home game against the Broncos. Sunday's matchup at Soldier Field is sure to generate plenty of hype as head coach John Fox faces his former team since he bolted Denver for Chicago in the offseason. The Bears plan to monitor the statuses of Matt Forte, Eddie Royal and Pernell McPhee on Monday. All three veteran players failed to make the trip to St. Louis. Forte, however, might be close to returning after he practiced on a limited basis all of last week. The Bears' next practice is Wednesday. -- Jeff Dickerson

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons: A week of rest with the bye should be a positive for the Falcons, if recent history repeats itself. Since 2009, the Falcons are 6-0 following the bye, with four road wins and two home victories. One of those wins was a 31-7 thumping of Indianapolis in 2011. The Colts just happen to be next Sunday's opponent at the Georgia Dome as the Falcons look to end a two-game losing streak and get their offense back on track. The Colts are 4-2 after a bye since '09, bye the way. -- Vaughn McClure

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals: With their gritty win against the Seahawks, the Cardinals extended their lead in the NFC West to three games over both Seattle and St. Louis. A division title is all but theirs to lose at this point. In two weeks, the Cardinals can get one game closer to the title with a win at San Francisco. -- Josh Weinfuss