Entries Tagged 'Previews and Predictions' ↓

Jacksonville at Tampa Bay: If the Jaguars want to make the playoffs, they’re going to have to succeed with David Garrard in the next few weeks.

Unfortunately, they’re in an extremely tough stretch in the next few weeks, and with Garrard out, Jack Del Rio turns to untested Quinn Gray to run the team. When Garrard went down against Indianapolis on Monday night, Gray came in and struggled, going 9 of 24 for 56 yards and was picked off twice in the 29-7 loss.

Jacksonville’s ground game can carry a load and take the pressure off of Gray to have to win it on his own, but Maurice Jones-Drew is a question mark with an injury he suffered late against the Colts.

So, things aren’t looking too good for the Jaguars right now, but thanks to a defense that has, for the most part, played very well this season, does give them a chance to overcome any issues there might be with the QB.

However, Tampa Bay did rack up more than 400 yards against Detroit, and Jeff Garcia continued his sharp play (minus two crucial fumbles), despite the 23-16 loss.

And, there’s also that defense that can’t wait to feast on a young, inexperienced QB and a nicked-up running back.

Score: Tampa Bay 20, Jacksonville 13

Buffalo at N.Y. Jets: Trent Edwards made his first NFL start in Week 4 against the Jets, and led the Bills to a 17-14 win.

If he can do the same thing on Sunday at the Meadowlands, the Bills will pick up their third win in four games, after knocking off the Ravens 19-14 last Sunday.

While the Bills now know who their starter under center is, there are still some question marks for the Jets. Chad Pennington held on to his job with his 272-yard, 3 TD performance against Cincinnati last Sunday, but it wasn’t enough to give the Jets a win, as the rest of the guys around him made mistake upon mistake to keep the Jets headed in the opposite direction of the Giants. With the team at 1-6, and with nothing at all to lose, Pennington may well surrender his job to the young and talented Kellen Clemens, who everyone thinks is more equipped to lead the team than the injury-prone Pennington.

The Jets need a serious lift, because it’s looking a lot like 1996 (a 1-15 season) instead of 2006, a 10-6 playoff season in Eric Mangini’s first year, success that was supposed to carry over to this season.

Unfortunately, the Bills seem to be righting their ship, while the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets haven’t found their life preservers yet.

Score: Buffalo 24, N.Y. Jets 17

Houston at San Diego: There were doubts for most of the week about when or where this game would be played, due to the raging wildfires in southern California. But, it will be played at Qualcomm Stadium as scheduled.

It’s no doubt been a long week for the Chargers, but they’ll be focused when the Texans come to town, as they’re looking to keep pace with Kansas City in the AFC West, and win their third game in a row to move over .500.

After scoring 68 points in the first four games, the Chargers have put up 69 in the last two, in wins over Denver and Oakland. It helps that the offense has gotten it going after struggling in the first four weeks. Philip Rivers has been sharp in the last two games, and then there’s the L.T. factor - 198 yards, 4 TD in the 28-14 win over Oakland in San Diego’s last game two weeks ago.

The Texans still won’t have Andre Johnson, as he’s still trying to recover from a knee sprain, and there’s a chance that QB Matt Schaub won’t play, after suffering multiple injuries in last Sunday’s thriller against Tennessee. Sage Rosenfels came in and threw for 290 yards and four touchdowns, and nearly led Houston to a win, so there is a reliable backup plan in case Schaub can‘t go.

But, the Texans defense has imploded recently, giving up 30+ points in each of the last two games. And that doesn’t make for good news considering how well the Chargers offense is playing now.

Score: San Diego 34, Houston 24

New Orleans at San Francisco: Here’s yet another matchup between two teams headed in different directions.

After starting 0-4, the Saints have won their last two games, including last week’s 22-16 win over Atlanta.

After starting 2-0, the 49ers have dropped four in a row, including last Sunday’s 33-15 loss to the Giants.

Some would say that the 49ers’ slide has been aided by the loss of Alex Smith (who missed most of the last three games with a separated shoulder), but the 49ers offense wasn’t playing well before Smith got injured.

Trent Dilfer had a better game against New York than he had against Seattle and Baltimore, but he didn’t produce any better results than Smith. Now, the third-year signal-caller, who recovered very quickly, will be back in the starting lineup for Sunday’s crucial matchup with San Fran’s former NFC West rival.

But, his return alone may not trigger a turnaround for the 49ers, because a) he has to play better than he did before he got hurt, and b) Frank Gore needs to get it going, and soon. Gore has only 394 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the first six games, and doesn’t have a 100-yard game this season after having nine during his 1,695 yard season last year.

However, Gore may be limited on Sunday by an ankle injury, which dampens the good news (or is it?) of Smith’s return.

The Saints have had the 49ers’ number as of late, winning the last three matchups, and I’ll pick them to take that streak to four.

Score: New Orleans 27, San Francisco 14

Green Bay at Denver (Monday night): Just as with the Bears, you can’t read a lot into Denver’s 31-28 win over Pittsburgh on Sunday night. Good win, yes, but they coughed up a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, and though the defense played a little better than in the previous couple of games, still gave up 379 yards, including 290 yards passing and four touchdowsn by Ben Roethlisberger.

Denver did a better job against the run, but this game could be just what the doctor ordered for the Packers, as they come into the week last in the league in rushing.

If they can convincingly win beat the Packers, then it will be a lot easier to buy into the Broncos’ turnaround. But, they still have questions on defense, and there’s no telling what to expect from the run game. Jay Cutler took a big step towards showing how well he can lead by directing the game-winning drive against Pittsburgh, and this game offers up another chance for him to show how much he’s progressing.

But, the other QB in the game has been at it for a while, and with the chance to give his team more distance in the NFC North, he’ll be intent on showing the young gunslinger that he’s got plenty left in the tank.

This is one that I might flip-flop on before game time, but for now, I’ll take the Packers to win it, based on their strong defense and the expectation that the ground game will give old #4 some much-needed assistance.

Score: Green Bay 28, Denver 21

Since the Cowboys have the week off this week, I don’t have game previews to do, so the predictions are coming a little early this time around. Will that continue? We’ll see.

Anyway, on to the predictions. Instead of doing a preview of the schedule and then the predictions, I decided that I’d combine the two.

N.Y. Giants vs. Miami (London): In the NFL’s most-recent attempt to bring football to a land that already has plenty of it, the hot Giants take on the cold Dolphins at London’s Wembley Stadium. A lot of people are wondering how the travel would affect both teams, but for the Giants, a trip to London is no worse than going cross-country to Seattle. And, for the Dolphins, jetlag can’t be used as an excuse when you’re as bad as they are. Maybe a little trip is what Miami needs, but then again, this isn’t much of a vacation. I’d prefer for the Giants to lose, so they can get off of Dallas’ back in the East, but the Dolphins are going to have to play their best game of the season and then some in order to cool off the Giants, who have taken the heat off of Tom Coughlin - for now.

Score: N.Y. Giants 28, Miami 14

Washington at New England: No one’s giving the Redskins a chance in this one, as the odds makers have Washington as a three-score underdog. Most 4-2 teams would seemingly get a little more respect than that, but the Patriots have annihilated all seven of their opponents thus far, which apparently means there’s no reason to think that they won’t do otherwise to Washington.

The Redskins defense could keep them in it for a while longer than expected, but the offense is going to have to produce more than it has for most of the season in order to really keep up. You’ve got to take the Patriots, but it might turn out to be a lot more interesting than your online bookie thinks.

Score: New England 31, Washington 17

Philadelphia at Minnesota: The Eagles have been overly underwhelming this season, and while many might think Sunday’s loss to Chicago might have been their low point of the season, it could very well get worse before it gets better. They face a trip to Minnesota, where starting QB Tarvaris Jackson might not play due to an broken finger suffered against the Cowboys. That might be a good thing, considering Kelly Holcomb is an upgrade from the still-developing Jackson, and has the arm to take advantage of a pass defense that has been prone to implosions thus far. The run defense has been solid, but Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor are going to put them to the test.

As for the offense, Donovan McNabb is putting up decent numbers, and so is Brian Westbrook, but they’re not translating into anything in terms of opportunities and points.

Believe it or not, I’m going to pick the Vikings right now. But, if the decision is made to start Jackson, that might change my pick.

Score: Minnesota 23, Philadelphia 17

Detroit at Chicago: In Week 5, the Bears, who were 1-3 at the time, knocked off 4-0 Green Bay 27-20 at Lambeau Field. Quite a few ‘experts’ proclaimed that was the turning point for the Bears. Then they turned around and got beaten at home the very next week by Adrian Peterson, Ryan Longwell, and the 1-3 Vikings.

Last week, Da Bears were less than two minutes away from defeat before Brian Griese led the offense 97 yards down the field for a game-winning touchdown to beat Philadelphia, which, in reality, is no big feat.

So, which Bears will show up this week? Will they continue to fool us into thinking that they’re back, or will they continue to baffle us with another inexplicable loss, much like the one that happened the last time they played the Lions. That was Griese’s first start, and that was also a game where the Lions scored an NFL-record 34 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Bears 37-27 in Week 4.

I’ll take Chicago to win, but everyone needs to hold off on the ‘they’re back!’ talk until they’re actually over .500.

Score: Chicago 27, Detroit 24

Indianapolis at Carolina: While everyone is hyping the Indianapolis-New England matchup in Week 9, both teams have business to attend to in Week 8. The Patriots have (what should be a tough one, but could be another cakewalk) the Redskins at home, while the Colts have to visit Carolina. Grandpa Testaverde will start for the Panthers again, after giving the offense a lift in last Sunday’s win over Arizona (20 of 33, 206 yards, TD, no INTs).

This could very well be a dangerous game for the Colts, but Tony Dungy knows better than to let his guys look ahead to next week, even if it is the New England Patriots.

It won’t be an easy one by any means for the Colts, but they’re playing very well on both offense and defense right now, and those are good ingredients for a cup of 7-0 soup.

Score: Indianapolis 28, Carolina 20

Cleveland at St. Louis: Right about now is when the Browns needs to start losing so that the draft pick they give the Cowboys ends up being a high one.

But, Derek Anderson (1,496 yards, 14 TD, 8 INT) is playing himself into Pro Bowl contention (and so is Braylon Edwards - 29 rec., 552 yards, 7 TD), while keeping Brady Quinn on the bench, and the Browns, after being overly dull for the past several seasons, are all of a sudden worth watching.

The Rams are still in search of their first win, and while their injury list continues to grow (starting DE Leonard Little is out), RB Steven Jackson will be in the starting lineup on Sunday after missing the last four games.

A lot of points could be scored in this one, because neither team’s strength is defense, so, if you’ve got any of these team’s offensive players on your fantasy team, start them.

As for who comes out on top, I’ll take St. Louis to get their first win of the season, because Jackson will give them a huge lift. But, one of the X-factors could be Browns receiver Joe Jurevicius (yes, he still plays), who had a huge game the last time he played in St. Louis (with Seattle in 2005, shortly after his infant son died at a hospital in St. Louis). If he has a big game, Anderson could have one of his biggest game of the season.

Score: St. Louis 35, Cleveland 31

Oakland at Tennessee: After their exciting, record-setting, last-second win over Houston last Sunday, the Titans host the Raiders on Sunday, in a game of great importance for both teams.

The Raiders have lost two in a row to fall into last place in the AFC West, and are in need of a win. Daunte Culpepper will start for an injured Josh McCown once again, and he and his teammates need to put in an inspired performance, much like the one against Miami the last time the Raiders won (35-17 at Miami in Week 4 - 2 TD passes, 3 TD runs for Culpepper, 299 rushing yards for Oakland).

The Titans have an excellent opportunity to solidify second in the AFC South (Indy has a two-game lead, and at this point, well, you’d have to think the Jaguars, Titans, and Texans are playing for second) in the next few weeks, as they have three home games against Oakland, Carolina, and Jacksonville. This stretch comes as the Jaguars (also at 4-2) will likely be without starting QB David Garrard during a stretch that sees them play the Saints, Bucs, Titans, and Chargers.

Tennessee will have Vince Young back in action for Sunday, after he missed the Houston game. It was big for the Titans to show they could take care of business (the hard way, apparently) without Young, so that should help their confidence now that he is back in there.

Score: Tennessee 26, Oakland 17

San Francisco at New York Giants: Trent Dilfer will start for the 49ers again, as Alex Smith isn’t fully healed. Dilfer has played poorly since he took over for Smith two games ago, and faces the unenviable task of having to deal with one of the league’s best pass rushes. By the end of the day, Smith will counting his lucky stars that Mike Nolan sat him.

As for the Giants offense, San Francisco’s defense has been pretty good, but when you’ve got very little offense, it doesn’t matter what your defense does. I’ll take the Giants to win their fifth straight (you’re one lucky man, Tom Coughlin!).

Score: New York 24, San Francisco 6

New England at Miami: Wouldn’t it be nice for the Dolphins to ruin New England’s unbeaten hopes and preserve their piece of history? As great as the Patriots are playing right now, it’s certainly possible, because New England has struggled at Miami in the last several years, losing four of their last six contests at Miami and not playing overwhelmingly well in the two wins (by six and seven points).

Unfortunately, if the Dolphins defense keeps playing like it has, they’ll just be another victim of the machine. I’ll go with recent history and say Miami gives the Patriots a stiff challenge, but ultimately, Brady and Co. will be 7-0.

Score: New England 27, Miami 17

Tennessee at Houston: Vince Young may not play today, due to a nagging quad injury. Even if he does play, he’ll be much less than 100 percent. The Texans still don’t have Andre Johnson, which hurts their offense, but they’ll find a way to win today, because the Titans offense just isn’t the same with Young out or at half-speed.

Score: Houston 23, Tennessee 14

Baltimore at Buffao: Steve McNair won’t play today, so Kyle Boller will start for the Ravens. Their offense hasn’t been that productive recently, but the defense has gotten back to playing like it’s supposed to. The Bills won’t go down without a fight, but in the end, they will go down.

Score: Baltimore 17, Buffalo 9

Tampa Bay at Detroit: With the Bucs’ ground game a concern, Jeff Garcia has to throw more. But, he’s gone without an interception thus far, and against a bad defense, could have his best day of the season.

As for the Lions, they face a tall task of producing against the tough Bucs defense - which can be penetrated by a good offense. So, there’s hope for Detroit, especially with Kevin Jones returning to full-time starter duty.

But, I’ll take the Bucs to prevail in this one.

Score: Tampa Bay 27, Detroit 24

Atlanta at New Orleans: Will Byron Leftwich recharge the Falcons offense? Will the Saints fall right back into mediocrity after an impressive win last week? Those questions and more will be answered when these two NFC South rivals tangle today. The Saints may finally be turning the corner, but need to show it in a game they should have no problem winning.

It’s been a rough first year for Bobby Petrino, and if he’s wishing he was still at Louisville, well, too bad. The misery continues today, because, until Leftwich actually shows he’s better than Joey Harrington, the Falcons are still very, very bad.

Score: New Orleans 28, Atlanta 13

Arizona at Washington: Tim Rattay is starting for the Cardinals today, in place of Kurt Warner, who still may see some action despite the torn ligament in his non-throwing elbow. It’s better that he stay on the sidelines, because the Washington defense isn’t one that you should be testing an injury against. Washington could very well be 5-0, if not for two close losses, but after today, they’ll just be 4-2, which isn’t too shabby in the least. The maturation of Jason Campbell continues.

Score: Washington 20, Arizona 10

LOOKING AT THE VIKINGS

2007 Results: beat Atlanta 24-3, lost at Detroit 20-17, lost at Kansas City 13-10, lost to Green Bay 23-16, bye in Week 5, won at Chicago 34-31.

Offense

Where they Rank (NFL)

Points Per Game: 20.2 (t16th)
Yards Per Game: 353.8 (13th)
Pass Yards Per Game: 183.6 (28th)
Rush Yards Per Game: 170.2 (1st)

Personnel

Second-year QB Tavaris Jackson is the Vikings’ starter under center, and makes his sixth career start on Sunday. Jackson missed two games with a groin injury this season, and is still being bothered by it, but returned against Chicago, going 9 of 23 for 136 yards and a touchdown. On the season, he is 39 of 79 (49.4%) for 465 yards, 2 TD, and 5 INT.

Adrian Peterson is only a rookie, but he’s quickly making a big name for himself. Not only is he the focus of Minnesota’s offense and the leader of the #1 rushing offense in the league, but he’s also the league’s leading rusher. Last week against the Bears, he ran for 224 yards on 24 carries and three touchdowns, and has 607 yards and four touchdowns thus far. If he can keep it up, he could legitimately challenge Eric Dickerson’s rookie rushing record of 1,808 yards, set in 1983, and push for a 2,000-yard season. Peterson is also one of the team’s leading receivers with 10 catches for 175 yards and a touchdown.

Former Tennessee Titan Bobby Wade is Minnesota’s leading receiver, with 18 catches for 203 yards. Two former South Carolina Gamecocks are in Minnesota’s receiver rotation, in third-year receiver Troy Williamson (8 catches, 134, TD) and rookie Sidney Rice (11 catches, 119 yards, TD).

Defense

Where they Rank

Points Allowed Per Game: 18.0 (13th)
Yards Allowed Per Game: 370.8 (26th)
Pass Yards Allowed Per Game: 304.6 (32nd)
Rush Yards Allowed Per Game: 66.2 (1st)

Personnel

The Vikings play a 4-3 defense, and up front, start Kenechi Udeze and Ray Edwards on the ends, with Kevin and Pat Williams (no relation) stuffing the middle at tackle. Rookie end Brian Robison sees regular time and leads the team in sacks with three.

The starting linebackers from left to right are Ben Leber, E.J. Henderson, and Chad Greenway. Henderson is the team’s leading tackler with 39, while Greenway is second with 35.

In the secondary, the Vikes will have won starter missing, as veteran free safety Dwight Smith will miss today’s game with an ankle injury. In his place, Tank Williams will likely start.

As for the rest of the secondary, veteran Antoine Winfield starts at left corner, with Cedric Griffin on the other side. At strong safety, it’s another veteran back there in Darren Sharper. The three-time Pro Bowler has two interceptions this season, and now has 51 in his 11-year career.

Special Teams

Ryan Longwell has long been one of the NFL’s top kickers, and he showed why last week, nailing a career-long 55-yard field goal as time ran out to give the Vikings a win over the Bears. On the season, Longwell is 8 of 9 on field goals and 11 of 11 on extra points. Longwell, in his 11th year in the league and second with the Vikings, is 255 of 311 on field goals (82%) and 414 of 419 on extra points.

Chris Kluwe is averaging 43.8 yards per punt and has punt more than half (15 of 29) kicks inside the 20.

Peterson, Williams, and rookie receiver Aundrae Allison are the kick returners, and collectively average nearly 30 yards per return. All three have returns for over 50 yards this season.

Wade is the primary punt returner, and hasn’t fared as well, as he’s averaging only 5.8 yards per return on eight returns.

The Vikings punt coverage is 27th in the league, one place above Dallas, giving up 13.4 yards per return. The kick coverage team, however, has done a much better job, giving up only 20.5 yards per return, which is fifth in the league.

Looking to put Sunday’s loss to New England behind them and head into their bye week on a positive note and in control of the NFC East, the Cowboys take on Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

The Minnesota game will be Dallas’ last home game until November 18th, when they take on Washington. In between now and then, there’s a bye week and two road games against division rivals Philadelphia and New York.

The Cowboys are coming off of their first loss of the season, a 48-27 loss that wasn’t as bad as the score indicates. Dallas led 24-21 in the third, but Tom Brady and New England put their foot down and outscored the Cowboys 27-3 to win the game comfortably.

As for the Vikings, they’re coming off of an impressive 34-31 road win at Chicago, in which Peterson ran for 224 yards and three touchdowns, and Ryan Longwell kicked a career-long 55-yard field goal to win it on the game’s final play.

Will Dallas forget Sunday and rebound with a win over Minnesota, or will the Vikings come in and pull off a surprise?

Last Time They Played…

Daunte Culpepper torched the Cowboys for five touchdown passes in the 2004 season opener as Dallas went down 35-17 at Minnesota.

The Cowboys actually had a 3-0 lead after the first quarter, on a 27-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff on the game‘s opening drive. But, the momentum turned when the Cowboys failed to score on a 19-play, 76-yard drive spanning the first and second quarters, that went to the Minnesota 6 before a botched field goal attempt left the Cowboys empty-handed. On the ensuing drive, Culpepper threw the first of his two second-quarter touchdown passes, a 63-yarder to Onterrio Smith to give Minnesota the lead, and on the next drive, connected with Marcus Robinson for a three-yard score.

Still, it was a pretty close game, as Vinny Testaverde and Terry Glenn hooked up for a 32-yard score five seconds before halftime to make it 14-10 going into the locker room.

The teams traded touchdowns early in the third quarter, as Culpepper threw a short touchdown pass to Randy Moss, and then Rashard Lee returned the kickoff 62 yards, then carried the ball all four plays of the ensuing drive, which ended with him getting into the end zone to make it 21-17.

But, the Vikings quickly struck back, and a second short touchdown pass to Moss made it 28-17, and Culpepper finished his day off with touchdown pass #5 in the fourth quarter.

Testaverde was 29 of 50 for 355 yards, but the Cowboys were pretty one-dimensional, as they picked up only 71 yards on the ground on 21 attempts.

Moss caught only four passes for 27 yards, but the two touchdown catches were big.

Dallas outgained Minnesota 422-415, and had more first downs (27-23), but along with the long drive that came up empty, they also fumbled deep in Minnesota territory in a drive in the fourth with the score still 28-17.

Series History

The Cowboys lead the all-time series 13-12. Five of those games have come in the playoffs, where Dallas has won four of the five matchups, including a victory in the 1977 NFC title game, and the unforgettable 1975 playoff game, where Roger Staubach’s touchdown pass to Drew Pearson in the final seconds gave Dallas a 17-14 win, and was the beginning of the famous ‘Hail Mary’ term.

While Week 7’s 14-game slate doesn’t feature too many ‘marquee’ matchups, there are a couple of games worth watching, outside of Sunday’s Dallas-Minnesota game.

The best game of the week is likely going to be the Monday night game, when 5-0 Indianapolis visits 4-1 Jacksonville. The Jaguars always play the Colts tough, so don’t be surprised if Jacksonville pulls out the win.

The only other game of the week pitting two teams with winning records takes place in Detroit, as the 3-2 Lions welcome 4-2 Tampa Bay. The Bucs are back to their old selves, winning with great defense and a serviceable QB. The Lions need a victory to make sure they don’t fall too far behind Green Bay, but that’s going to require their offense to not disappear like it did against the Redskins two weeks ago.

In a couple of clashes pivotal for the home teams, Tennessee visits Houston, Chicago visits Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh visits Denver.

Houston has not been the same without Andre Johnson, and they need to find a way to somehow stay over .500 while he remains out injured, which stands to be for at least another week or two. But, Vince Young may well not play on Sunday, so that’s good news for Gary Kubiak.

A lot of people may have figured the Bears were on track after beating the Packers, but they took a step back in a loss to the Vikings. As long as Brian Griese has to throw it 85 times a game, and the Bears aren’t defending as well as they should, they’re going to be looking up in the NFC North. With that said, things don’t bode well for them going into Philly, after the Eagles rolled up over 400 yards against the Jets. Then again, the Eagles have been as up and down as the Bears, so no one knows what to expect going into this one.

The Broncos have looked progressively worse in losing their last three games, and with one of the league’s top rushing attacks coming into town to take on the league’s worst rush defense, Broncos fans could be in for a third straight home loss. They best start making plans for when Travis Henry is suspended, which looks to be in only a few weeks. But, right now, he’s the least of their worries, as very little is going right in the Mile High City.

In the other games involving NFC East teams, 3-3 Arizona goes to 3-2 Washington, and 4-2 New York hosts 2-3 San Francisco. The chances look good for both NFC East teams, because Arizona and San Francisco are dealing with some serious QB issues going into this weekend. For Arizona, Kurt Warner may force himself to play through a torn ligament in his non-throwing elbow, while the same could be said for a still-healing Alex Smith. I know Tim Rattay and Trent Dilfer aren’t exactly attractive alternatives, but it would be smart for Warner and Smith to sit this weekend because they’d be testing their injured bodies against two tough defenses.

Full Week 7 Schedule

San Francisco (2-3) at New York Giants (4-2)
New England (6-0) at Miami (0-6)
Tennessee (3-2) at Houston (3-3)
Tampa Bay (4-2) at Detroit (3-2)
Baltimore (4-2) at Buffalo (1-4)
Atlanta (1-5) at New Orleans (1-4)
Arizona (3-3) at Washington (3-2)

St. Louis (0-6) at Seattle (3-3)
Chicago (2-4) at Philadelphia (2-3)
Minnesota (2-3) at Dallas (5-1)

Pittsburgh (4-1) at Denver (2-3) - Sunday Night Football
Indianapolis (5-0) at Jacksonville (4-1) - Monday Night Football

Green Bay (5-1), Carolina (4-2), Cleveland (3-3), and San Diego (3-3) all have their bye weeks in Week 7.

LOOKING AT THE PATRIOTS

OFFENSE

The Patriots have the #2 offense in the league, led by the top quarterback-receiver tandem in the league.

Tom Brady has thrown for at least three touchdowns in every game thus far, and has 16 touchdowns through five games - with only two interceptions. Brady is having his best season thus far (maybe it’s the joys of being a new father), and has completed 74.1% of his passes for 1,383 yards. He has the league’s best passer rating at an astronomical 128.7.

He’s been helped by a number of reliable targets, with the most reliable being Randy Moss, who has experienced a little resurgence in his new home. Moss leads the league in receiving yards (551) and is tied for the league lead in touchdowns (7), and is tied for fourth in catches (34).

Patriots RB Laurence Maroney had 252 yards in the first three games, but has missed the last two games with a groin injury, and looks likely to miss today’s game as well. But, the Patriots always have someone to step up whenever there’s an injury problem, and this time, it’s been Sammy Morris, who has rushed for over 100 yards in the last two games, in which he has started in place of Maroney. On the season, Morris, who is in his first season in New England after playing previously for division rivals Miami and Buffalo, has rushed for 370 yards and three touchdowns.

Overall, the Patriots are averaging 427.8 yards per game, which has them second behind Dallas. The Patriots are fourth in pass offense (272.8 yards per game) and third in rushing (155.8 yards per game), and are first in points per game (36.4).

DEFENSE

New England has been firing on all cylinders on offense, but the same can be said for the defense, which is always formidable, even though naming their starting eleven might take a few hours and some serious Internet searches to do.

The Patriot defense is #2 in the league in yards allowed (251.4 per game) and tied for third in points allowed per game (13.0), and has 11 takeaways on the season (8 interceptions, 3 fumbles).

Up front, the Patriots, who play a 3-4 defense, start Ty Warren and Jarvis Green on the ends, with DT Vince Wilfork filling the gap in the middle.

The Patriots’ linebackers are perennially among the best in the league, and that’s largely in part to longtime defensive stalwarts Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi. While Moss was the Pats‘ top free agent acquisition on offense, LB Adalius Thomas was their top free agent acquisition on defnese, and is the team’s leader in tackles, with 28. The other starting linebacker is Roosevelt Colvin. Junior Seau still has plenty left in him, and is one of the team’s leading tacklers with 24.

The secondary does see a couple of a couple guys banged up. Both left cornerbacks, Asante Samuel and Randall Gay, are banged up heading into today’s matchup. Samuel, who led the league with ten interceptions last season, leads the team with three thus far.

Eugene Wilson is the starting free safety, while Rodney Harrison, who returned from his four-week steroid suspension last week, is back starting at strong safety. The other starting corner is Ellis Hobbs. Rookie Brandon Meriweather should see plenty of action, either as a corner or a safety.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Second-year kicker Stephen Gostkowski is off to a solid start, as he has made 7 of 8 field goals and all 23 of his extra points. In 21 career games, he is 27 of 34 on field goals, with a long of 52, and 66 of 67 on extra points. Because the Patriots have been in the red zone so many times, Gostkowski has had to kick only one field goal longer than 40 yards this season, and, as it turns out, that’s his only miss so far.

Chris Hanson hasn’t had to work his leg much so far, as he’s had to punt only 11 times in five games. Hanson, who kicked for the Jaguars for the last six seasons, is averaging 36.3 yards per kick.

Ellis Hobbs is the primary kick returner, and is averaging 32 yards per return. That average is helped by an NFL-record 108-yard kick return for a score that he had in the season opener against the Jets.

Wes Welker, who, along with Moss, was one of 18,000 receivers to come to New England in the offseason, is the primary punt returner. Welker, who played his first three seasons in Miami, is averaging 11.5 yards per return, with a long of 29 yards. He is also the team’s second-leading receiver, with 27 catches for 262 yards and a touchdown.

The coverage team has had to handle many a kickoff so far, and has done a pretty good job of coverage, allowing 22.7 yards per return (10th in the league), with a long of 34 yards.

Well, the matchup we’ve been waiting for all season is finally here.

Call it a matchup of the two best teams in their respective conferences, a potential Super Bowl matchup, the game of the year, or just another game on the Week 6 schedule. But, whatever it is, the New England Patriots are coming to town, and that means that someone is going to walk off of the field a loser for the first time this season (unless there’s a tie, which, well, is very unlikely).

The Patriots have been the talk of the league this season. For a little while, it was about the videotaping controversy that cropped up in the first few weeks of the season. But, that seems to be all but forgotten as Tom Brady and the Pats have mercilessly obliterated every opponent this season.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, have rolled along to a 5-0 record themselves. But, for more than 59 minutes on Monday, it didn’t look like Dallas would be unbeaten heading into today’s matchup, as six Tony Romo turnovers had them headed towards a loss at Buffalo. Then, a touchdown, an onside kick, and a 53-yard field goal - all in the final 24 seconds - turned a 24-16 deficit into a unbelievable 25-24 win.

Needless to say, Tony Romo is going to have to play a lot, lot better this week, because the Cowboys don’t want to become another spectator on the Patriots’ dominant run.

Last Time They Played…

The three teams have played only three times in the last decade, with the last being in 2003.

That last meeting took place in Week 11, with 7-2 Dallas making a trip to 7-2 New England. It would be all Patriots, as they got just enough offense and shut down Quincy Carter and the Cowboys to win 12-0.

Neither team had their best day on offense, as Tom Brady was only 15 of 34 for 212 yards, and the Patriots managed only 268 yards total. But, the Cowboys, despite outgaining New England 291-268, were hurt by Carter’s three interceptions, which all came in the second half.

New England had a 9-0 lead at halftime, through an Adam Vinatieri field goal and a touchdown run by Antowain Smith (PAT was blocked). Both scores were set up by long completions.

The lead expanded to 12-0 late in the fourth when Vinatieri kicked his second chip shot.

Dallas did have a few good chances, but couldn’t convert. They had a long drive in the first half, but were forced to punt after 14 plays and taking 7:23 off of the clock. They also got into the red zone in the third, but one of Carter’s interceptions thwarted that chance, and in the fourth, the Cowboys failed to convert on a 4th and 1 from midfield.

That matchup was also the first between Bill Parcells and his former assistant, Bill Belichick, who spurned succeeding Parcells with the Jets for taking the Patriots job (wise move, as it turned out - though it does make you wonder how the Jets would have turned out if Belichick had stayed).

Series History

Dallas leads the all-time series 7-2, but the Patriots have won the last two meetings (1999 and 2003). The last time the Cowboys won was in 1996, when Dallas won 12-6 at home in a Week 16 matchup. That season, the Patriots went to the Super Bowl behind Drew Bledsoe, where they lost to the Packers, who got their only championship of the Brett Favre era up to this point.

The action is already underway, so these are a little late, but here they are anyway.

Washington at Green Bay: Can the Redskins knock off the top two in the NFC North in consecutive weeks? Whether Green Bay wins for the fifth time in six games or loses their second game in a row will hinge on Brett Favre’s decision-making. If he succumbs to the Redskins’ pressure like he did in the third quarter against Chicago last Sunday, Green Bay’s in trouble.

The Redskins offense needs to put back to back good weeks together to convince me. It won’t be easy against a defense that has, for the most part, been tough. But, Jason Campbell’s improving, and for him to become an elite QB in the NFL, then he’s going to need to be consistent on a week-to-week basis.

In the end, I’ll take Green Bay to rebound and pick up the victory.

Score: Green Bay 28, Washington 20

Miami at Cleveland: The Cleo Lemon era begins! Well, that is, until John Beck takes over, which instead of next year, could very well be sometime this year, if Cam Cameron so decides to speed up the rookie’s development.

The game might be more interesting to see how many altercations Joey Porter gets into today. Then again, it doesn’t matter, because Miami will still be winless at the end of the day.

Score: Cleveland 24, Miami 10

Minnesota at Chicago: Is Chicago back on track, or was last week just a case of Green Bay handing the game to them? That defense isn’t out of the woods yet, and that offense is one-dimensional until Cedric Benson

If Minnesota really wants to win, they’ll line Adrian Peterson up at quarterback, running back, receiver, and on defense and special teams. But, I’ll take the Bears, only because the Vikings aren’t particularly good overall right now.

Score: Chicago 17, Minnesota 13

St. Louis at Baltimore: I wouldn’t be shocked by a Rams victory. The Ravens aren’t really blowing anyone away right now, and with Kyle Boller likely in (at least he should be, because Steve McNair needs to think about later, and not right now), anything can happen.

But, the Ravens defense means that they should shut down St. Louis’ beat-up, patchwork offense.

Score: Baltimore 20, St. Louis 14

Tennessee at Tampa Bay: Tennessee can’t afford to make the same mistakes they did against Atlanta. Tampa can’t afford to lose anymore running backs.

I’ll take the Titans here, as long as Vince Young doesn’t have to throw 33 passes against this week.

Score: Tennessee 21, Tampa Bay 17

Philadelphia at New York Jets: In an alternate world, both of these teams would have winning records. But, in the real world, they have two wins combined. Earth to McNabb: wake up, and while you’re at it, wake your team up too! #5 has a knack for coming up with a big day when he needs to, and today is that day.

Score: Philadelphia 31, New York 24

Cincinnati at Kansas City: At the start of the year, this game may have been picked as one of the most exciting of the season.

A few more losses might mean Marvin Lewis’ job is in jeopardy. Thankfully, loss #4 will wait another week, as the Bengals finally come up against an opponent with as many problems as them.

Score: Cincinnati 34, Kansas City 20

Houston at Jacksonville: Now that Houston is actually playing well, the AFC South could be considered as the best division in the league.

The games between these two are usually pretty competitive, and today won’t be any exception, as it’ll come down to the fourth quarter. I’ll take the Texans to pull out a close one.

Score: Houston 24, Jacksonville 21

Six teams have their bye weeks this week, so there are only 13 games on the schedule in Week 6.

But, there are some good ones on the slate, so 13 may well be a lucky number.

Of course, the clash of unbeaten between Dallas and New England on Sunday afternoon garners the most headlines going into the weekend, but there are several others worth watching as well.

Fresh off of their first loss of the season, Green Bay has to get back on track against a Washington team that is looking like a pretty good team. If Jason Campbell and that Redskins offense really get it going, then they could really be a dangerous team, if the defense continues to play as well as it has for the better part of the first four games. As for Green Bay, the running game produced last week, but Brett Favre is going to have to avoid the needless interceptions to keep the Packers from a second-straight loss.

Tennessee goes to Tampa Bay in a clash that’s pretty pivotal for the Bucs. Their injury list is getting longer, and the opponents are getting tougher. The Titans, meanwhile, won just as ugly as the Cowboys did in Week 5, and really can’t let that happen again, like, at all this season, if they want to be a playoff team.

There’s also a nice all-NFC South clash between 3-2 Houston and 3-1 Jacksonville. The Texans are searching for their fourth win two games before the halfway point, which would be another first in their short history. Speaking of history, it is on their side, as they do play very, very well against Jacksonville.

The only other matchup between teams with winning records is in the desert, as Carolina travels to Arizona. Vinny Testaverde (no, that’s not a typo) might be thrust in as the Panthers’ starter at QB only days after signing, due to the uncertain status of new starter David Carr, who took over for Jake Delhomme, who has been shut down for the year. Guess they’re not quite ready for Matt Moore just yet, eh? As for Arizona, it’s all on Kurt Warner’s shoulders now, with Matt Leinart out for the season. Will the perennial masters of bad luck continue a push towards an unlikely playoff spot, or is it a matter of time before they act like the Cardinals again?

There are also a few other key matchups.

In the AFC West, Oakland travels to San Diego, with the NFC West lead potentially on the line. San Diego looks like they got it back on track with Sunday’s walloping of the seemingly-overrated Broncos, but Norv Turner’s old team will have a point to prove against his new team.

Philadelphia goes to the Meadowlands to face the Jets in what should be an entertaining matchup, but with the way those two are playing, might be a bore-fest, or an ugly, ugly rout by the Eagles.

On Sunday night, New Orleans takes on Seattle in the Emerald City, still in search of its first win of the season. Where is the real Drew Brees? He better come out soon, or New Orleans will go from worst to first to worst in the span of three seasons.

On Monday night, the Giants, winners of three straight, take on Atlanta in the Georgia Dome. Joey Harrington is still the starter, despite his performance against the Titans, and he may well be primed for a big performance now that he knows he has the confidence of his teammates, even though he had that poor performance.

Miami looks for their first win when they travel to Cleveland. Will Kellen Winslow give Joey Porter a hug after the game on Sunday when the Browns beat the hapless Dolphins, or will he give him a tissue? I have to actually applaud Winslow for the way that he handled Porter’s expected jabs this week, which are just another part of the not-so-friendly rivalry the two have had in the last couple of seasons.

Instead of flying off the handle with an ’I’m a soldier’-like speech, he responded honestly and truthfully (Porter does need a hug, or a pacifier) without resorting to low blows, but instead pointed out the one important fact: Miami is 0-5, and Cleveland is 2-3. Is someone growing up? It’s certainly not Porter, who keeps his motor mouth running even when he doesn’t have any real fuel to. He must have forgotten that he doesn’t play for the Steelers anymore.

In the other matchups, Minnesota goes to Chicago, winless St. Louis visits Baltimore, and Cincinnati visits Kansas City in a game that should be exciting, but probably won’t be.

Week 6 Schedule

Washington (3-1) at Green Bay (4-1)
Miami (0-5) at Cleveland (2-3)
Minnesota (1-3) at Chicago (2-3)
St. Louis (0-5) at Baltimore (3-2)
Tennessee (3-1) at Tampa Bay (3-2)
Philadelphia (1-3) at New York Jets (1-4)
Cincinnati (1-3) at Kansas City (2-3)
Houston (3-2) at Jacksonville (3-1)

Carolina (3-2) at Arizona (3-2)
Oakland (2-2) at San Diego (2-3)
New England (5-0) at Dallas (5-0)

New Orleans (0-4) at Seattle (3-2) - Sunday Night Football
New York Giants (3-2) at Atlanta (1-4) - Monday Night Football

The 4-0 Cowboys are eyeing a perfect record heading into next week’s marquee showdown with New England.

First, though, there’s the matter of beating the Buffalo Bills on the road.

Dallas’ offense has been rolling all season, and put up 35 more points against St. Louis last week in a 35-7 victory at Texas Stadium. Tony Romo threw for 339 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another, and the Cowboys piled up 502 total yards. The defense didn‘t allow an offensive touchdown, and was bolstered by the return of Greg Ellis, who had 1.5 sacks in his first game since last November.

While the Cowboys have been rolling, the Bills have been struggling. But, they got their first win of the season last Sunday, as rookie QB Trent Edwards (who’s got to be pretty happy today after his alma mater knocked off USC) threw for 234 yards and a touchdown in his first career start to lead the Bills to a 17-14 win over the Jets.

Last Time They Played…

Dallas didn’t have their best game, by far, but walked away with a 10-6 win four seasons ago.

Neither team moved the ball very well, as Dallas outgained Buffalo 236-185. The Cowboys were wasteful with their opportunities, as they started from at least their 39 seven times, and could score only twice.

But, a Quincy Carter touchdown pass to Dan Campbell in the first, then a 51-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff early in the third quarter were enough, as the defense shut down Drew Bledsoe and the Bills offense.

Bledsoe was 17 of 34 for 104 yards, and fumbled twice, both of which were recovered by Dallas. The first was recovered at the Bills’ 24, and set up the touchdown.

Carter was 15 of 32 for 116 yards and the score, while Adrian Murrell rushed for 76 yards. Eric Ogbogu (never knew I’d say that name twice in this blog) had 1.5 sacks.

The win improved the Cowboys to 7-2, which had them tied for the best record in the NFC, with eventual NFC champ Carolina. Buffalo dropped to 4-5 with the loss.

LOOKING AT THE BILLS

Offense

Edwards will make his second straight start on Monday night. The third-round pick spent a great amount of his career at Stanford either injured or playing for bad teams, but was considered one of the top QB prospects in the ‘07 draft class.

The Bills have another rookie in the backfield, with starting RB Marshawn Lynch, who’s off to a good start. Lynch, the 16th overall pick in the draft, has rushed for 307 yards and three touchdowns, and caught five passes for 36 yards.

The Bills’ leading receivers are Roscoe Parrish (14 rec., 141 yards) and Josh Reed (10 rec., 128 yards). Lee Evans has 11 catches for 101 yards.

Peerless Price, who played in seven games for the Cowboys in 2005, recently had to have neck surgery and was placed on injured reserve.

The Bills currently rank last in the league in passing offense (146.5 yards), 18th in rushing offense (102.5 yards), and 31st in total offense (249.0 yards).

Defense

The Bills defense has been racked by injuries, which has no doubt contributed to their struggles on the defensive side of the ball thus far.

The defensive line is the only unit that hasn’t been hurt by injuries, as all four starters are currently healthy. Chris Kelsey and Aaron Schobel start on the ends, while veteran Larry Tripplett and Kyle Williams are the starting tackles.

The starting linebackers are Mario Haggan, John DiGiorgio, and Angelo Crowell. Paul Posluszny, the team’s other 2007 first-round pick, broke his left forearm two weeks ago against New England and is out for the season. The former Penn State star had 10 and 12 tackles in his first two games, and appeared well on his way to another double-digit tackle game when he was hurt.

The secondary has been most ravaged. Starting free safety Ko Simpson broke his ankle in the season opener and is out for the season, while his replacement, Jim Leonhard, is out with a calf injury. That means that regular starting strong safety Donte Whitner will move to free safety, and Bryan Scott will start at strong safety. Starting right corner Ashton Youboty is going to miss Monday night’s game with an ankle injury as well, which means Jabari Greer, who had an interception against the Jets, will likely start in his place.

Special Teams

Rian Lindell has been the Bills’ starting placekicker since 2003, and is in his eighth season in the league (he spent the first three in Seattle). Lindell hasn’t gotten many opportunities this season (2 for 3 on field goals, five for five on extra points), but has progressed from an inconsistent kicker to one of the most accurate in the league. In his career, he is 153 of 193 on field goals, and a perfect 229 for 229 on extra points.

Brian Moorman has been the Bills’ punter since the start of the 2001 season, and is consistently among the league’s best. Moorman is averaging 44.8 yards per kick thus far this season, and has a career average of 43.5 yards per kick.

McGee (26.3 yards per return) and Josh Scobey (22.4 yards per return) are the primary kick returners, while the speedy Parrish (punt return for a touchdown) is the team’s punt returner. Parrish has two punt returns for touchdowns in his three-year career.

There are several big games on tap in the first weekend of October.

Dallas-Buffalo will round out the Week 5 slate on Monday night, but before then, we’ve got 13 other games on the schedule.

A couple of strugglers face matchups that could be the make-or-break point for their seasons. The Jets take on the Giants on Sunday afternoon, in a game that’s big not only for the rivalry implications, but also because a loss for the Jets would drop them to 1-4, and well behind in the AFC playoff race.

Also in the AFC, 1-3 San Diego visits 2-2 Denver. A win for the Chargers would put them right back in the thick of the AFC West hunt, but a fourth straight loss would make next week’s game against Oakland a must-win.

In the NFC, winless New Orleans hosts Carolina. That one is as big for the Saints as it is for the Panthers. It could serve as a rejuvenation point for the Saints season, given their poor start and the loss of Deuce McAllister. For the Panthers, it’d show that they can survive without Jake Delhomme, who’ll miss a second straight game due to injury.

Chicago is 1-3, and already three games back in the NFC North, but they have a chance to get on the right track when they visit 4-0 Green Bay at Lambeau on Sunday night. If Favre and the Pack keep rolling, Chicago’s depleted defense is going to have a hard, hard time, especially given their struggles on offense. But, if the Bears find a way to force Favre into mistakes and make Green Bay actually have to run the ball, then this could be the springboard game for Lovie Smith’s guys.

There are also a few big games for teams trying to prove themselves. 2-2 Cleveland go to New England looking to somehow slow down Tom Brady and the Pats. Even if the Browns can just hang tough and stay close, that would be a confidence booster. But, if they get blitzed like the Pats’ other four opponents, it will serve as both a reminder of where the Browns are and just how dominant the Patriots are when they’re on.

3-1 Detroit goes to 2-1 Washington looking to continue their surprising start. The winner of this one has a nice headstart on a playoff spot, if they can keep it going. And, a win for either would also help them in their respective division races.

3-1 Tampa Bay goes to unbeaten Indy for a huge game for the Bucs. They’re coming off a big win at Carolina, but must deal with the losses of Cadillac Williams and Luke Pettigout. The defense has been tough thus far, so if they can dent Peyton Manning’s armor, there’s a chance for the upset.

One of the best games of the weekend should be the Super Bowl XL rematch between the Seahawks and Steelers in Pittsburgh, in a Mike vs. Mike showdown. Both teams have started 3-1, and look like contenders again, though the Steelers took a big step back in their loss at Arizona last Sunday.

Full Week 5 Schedule

Cleveland (2-2) at New England (4-0)
Jacksonville (2-1) at Kansas City (2-2)
Miami (0-4) at Houston (4-0)
Arizona (2-2) at St. Louis (0-4)
Detroit (3-1) at Washington (2-1)
Atlanta (1-3) at Tennessee (2-1)
Seattle (3-1) at Pittsburgh (3-1)
New York Jets (1-3) vs. New York Giants (2-2)
Carolina (2-2) at New Orleans (0-3)
Tampa Bay (3-1) at Indianapolis (4-0)
Baltimore (2-2) at San Francisco (2-2)
San Diego (1-3) at Denver (2-2)

Chicago (1-3) at Green Bay (4-0) - Sunday night
Dallas (4-0) at Buffalo (1-3) - Monday night

Cincinnati (1-3), Minnesota (1-3), Philadelphia (1-3), and Oakland (2-2) all have their bye weeks in Week 5.

Do’s

- Keep the ground game going. The Rams have one of the league’s worst run defenses, giving up an average of 152.3 yards per game on the ground. Marion Barber is averaging nearly 88.7 yards per game, while Julius Jones is due for a big performance after being held down (partly by injury) in the last couple of games.

- Take advantage of St. Louis’ issues on offense. Marc Bulger was picked off three times last Sunday at Tampa Bay. The Cowboys have picked off seven passes in the last two games.

The Rams are also starting a new running back and have an offensive line that is missing most of its regular starters due to injury. And, there’s the stats: Two touchdowns and only 32 total points in the first three games.

Don’ts

- Don’t give the Rams any openings. The Cowboys should win comfortably. There’s no need for unnecessary mistakes on offense or defense. Bulger does have bruised ribs, but he’s also got Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, who are capable of doing big things anytime the ball’s in their hands. So, the secondary (which is even better with Newman’s health improving) must continue to play as well as it has in the past couple of weeks, and not have any lapses that could result in Holt or Bruce getting away for a huge play.

- Don’t underestimate their opponents. Often enough, the team most likely to beat you is the one that seems like the one you should blow away.

What Should Happen

The running game should flourish, and Romo should have yet another sharp game. As for the defense, a down offense presents the opportunity for a dominant performance. There is the Leonard factor, however. He may be a rookie starting his first game, but his all-around talents mean the D must always keep an eye on him.

Dallas should have this one wrapped up by the third quarter, if not sooner. However, the Rams may not want to go quietly, so we could actually be in for a game. But, a fourth straight Cowboys victory looks to be on the horizon.

Ideal Score: Dallas 35, St. Louis 13
Likely Score: Dallas 27, St. Louis 14

Seattle at San Francisco: The big question for the 49ers is: Can the offense get going? San Fran has struggled on O thus far in ‘07, and that was exposed in last week’s 37-16 loss to Pittsburgh. The Seahawks, meanwhile, look to show who’s still the boss in the NFC West. But, Alex Smith and the ‘Niners want to give the division back to its rightful owner, and today’s game will be the first step in doing so. I say they pull out a close one.

Score: San Francisco 20, Seattle 17

Tampa Bay at Carolina: Four games into his Panthers career, and David Carr is likely making his first start, after Jake Delhomme’s strained right elbow (injured last Sunday vs. Atlanta) kept him out of practice for most of the week. Carr won’t have to throw it too much, since Carolina’s rushing attack with Deshaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams should be able to shoulder the load. However, the Bucs defense is playing like its old self, and could pose some problems for the often feather-like Carr (oh, another gust of wind just came along!). Tampa’s playing really well, and they may well be playing the Panthers at the right time. This one will be another close one, but I think the Bucs will pull it out and take the lead in the NFC South at the end of the first month of the season (this pick’s for you, Greg and Greg).

Score: Tampa Bay 21, Carolina 13

Kansas City at San Diego: It’s about time for Larry Johnson and LaDainian Tomlinson to start playing like the MVP-caliber players they are. If they do, this should be a really good game. If they don’t, well, you should stop watching after the first half and wait for 60 Minutes. I would like to see them both go for over 150. If L.J. stinks up the joint again, I wonder if he’ll start regretting having held out as long as he did. $45 million, or a few more wins? Hmmm…

And, speaking of L.J., I know he’s not too happy about the way the offense is going, but the thing is, he’s a part of the offense that isn’t exactly lighting up the scoreboard. He may have a valid point, and he may not have the offensive line he’s used to, but when you’re the workhorse, and you’re not doing the work, it doesn’t take long to run out of reasons, or excuses. It wasn’t Johnson who saved the Chiefs last week against the Vikings; it was Damon Huard, who everyone seems more than ready to cast off in favor of Brodie Croyle.

For the Chargers, however, a little home-cookin’ will do them good, after three tough road games to open the season. 2-2 won’t not look too bad if the Broncos get dropped by the Colts.

Score: San Diego 34, Kansas City 24

Denver at Indianapolis: The Colts have cut it close in the past two games, but the offense has been on top of their game, as expected. The Broncos got away with cutting it close in their first two games, but were run over by Jacksonville last Sunday, while getting held to an uncharacteristic 47 yards on the ground. Both teams’ run defense could be just a little better, which could mean big days for both Travis Henry and Joseph Addai.

But, Peyton Manning and the Colts will end the month of September unbeaten yet again, and pick up another victory over the Broncos, who they’ve owned recently.

Score: Indianapolis 31, Denver 17

Pittsburgh at Arizona: The Steelers are riding high right now at 3-0, but this is a game that could pose some problems for the Fighting Tomlins. Ken Whisenhunt will no doubt have his guys motivated, but the Steelers are clicking on offense (league’s best rushing attack - nearly 200 yards per game), and the Cardinals aren’t quite clicking on defense. The Steelers are also playing some stiff defense, which could give Matt Leinart more headaches after last week’s performance at Baltimore. If it does, will Whisenhunt stay with him, or will Kurt Warner come off of the bench again? And, if that does happen, does it mean that there’s a quarterback controversy out West? That will be Monday conversation, but the Sunday conversation will be about another Steelers win, as the Steelers should roll to 4-0.