Couch potato heaven
Atlanta at Buffalo
11 a.m., point spread off the board
Last meeting: Bills won 30-23 at Atlanta on Dec. 23, 2001
Michael Vickcq.rs pulled a hamstring at Seattle last week, leaving his status unclear. If he can’t go, backup Matt Schaub would get the call. How would that affect Falcons’ game plan? Let’s put it this way. Schaub last season completed 33-of-70 passes with one TD, four INTs. … Falcons’ running game still solid at 4.6 yards per, a half-yard below last year’s league-leading 5.1. … Bills QB J.P. Losman hasn’t thrown an INT in two games. … Buff WR Eric Moulds, one of the more underrated WRs of his generation, one catch away from 600. … Nasty Bills D allowing 219 yards per game, tops in the AFC. … Even with Vick, Dirty Birds’ passing game shaky at best. They rank 31st in the bid’ness in passing Oh.
Prediction: Bills 30, Falcons 13
Worth the electricity
Cincinnati at Chicago
11 a.m., Bengals by 3
Last meeting: Bears won 24-0 at Cincinnati on Oct. 21, 2001
Bengals starting to believe, and why not? Their offense has racked up 924 yards, tops in the league. … Carson Palmer leads the league with 617 passing yards and ranks No. 1 in the AFC with five TD passes. How quickly is Palmer progressing? In his past five starts, from late last season through the first two games of this year, he has a 100-plus passer rating in each and has thrown 14 TD passes. … Ex-Bronco watch: Cincy CBs Tory James and Deltha O’Neal have combined for 44 career INTs, most career picks between active teammates. … Bears’ defense among league’s best, thanks to return to health by tough-guy S Mike Brown. … Chi D has allowed one TD in two games. … Second-year CB Nathan Vasher emerging into a star for Bears. He has eight INTs in 18 games, including a couple of picks last week.
Prediction: Bears 19, Bengals 15
Cleveland at Indianapolis
11 a.m., Colts by 13 1/2
Last meeting: Colts won 9-6 at Cleveland on Sept. 7, 2003
Honk if you figured Browns’ Trent Dilfer would be second in the league in passing yards (614) after two weeks. … True, but strange: Colts’ leading receiver isn’t named Marvin Harrison. It’s Brandon Stokley, with nine catches. … Cleve coach Romeo Crennel, whose first victory last week set a league record for W’s by a coach named Romeo, was 6-0 vs. Colts in his days as Pats D coordinator. In those six games, Peyton Manning threw nine TD tosses, 10 INTs. … Who knew? Dilfer is 27-9 in past 36 starts, 18-7 when decided by three points or fewercq. … Browns’ Oh-line, which hasn’t allowed a sack, will butt heads with Indy D-line, which has all of team’s nine sacks.
Prediction: Colts 34, Browns 12
New York Giants at San Diego
6:30 p.m., ESPN, Chargers by 6
Last meeting: Giants won 34-16 at San Diego on Sept. 27, 1998
Right. Like the Giants are supposed to be leading the league in points. It’s true. They’ve put up 69 in two weeks. … Now for the other side of the ball. G-Men D has allowed one offensive TD in two games. … New Yawk D-line tearing it up. Giants have allowed 51.5 rushing yards per, second-fewest in NFL behind Tampa Bay. … Is magic gone for struggling Chargers? They’ve lost three straight dating to last season’s playoffs. … Memo to Marty: Please give the ball to LaDainian Tomlinson! L.T. is averaging only 3.3 yards a carry and – get this – has yet to catch a pass. Nothing unusual there except that he caught 100 in 2003.
Prediction: Chargers 20, Giants 18
Beats cleaning the garage
Tampa Bay at Green Bay
11 a.m., Bucs by 3 1/2
Last meeting: Packers won 20-13 at Tampa on Nov. 16, 2003
Tampa Bay favored by a field goal-plus on the Frozen Tundra. Repeat after me, sports fans: for the times, they are a changin’. … Packers QB Brett Favre has 181 career TD passes at Lambeau, most of any player at one stadium. Next on the list? John Elway at Mile High Stadium. … Bucs’ Brian Griese needs a couple of TD passes to reach 100 for his career. … TB rookie Cadillac Williams leads the Not For Long with 276 rushing yards. And, while it’s just a hunch, we’re thinking he’ll soon be leading the league in Cadillac endorsements, too. … Packers a lousy minus-5 in turnovers, continuing a disturbing trend. They were minus-14 last year. … How inept is Pack D? They’ve had one sack, no INTs in two games.
Prediction: Bucs 27, Packers 20
Carolina at Miami
11 a.m., Panthers by 3
Last meeting: Dolphins won 23-6 at Miami on Nov. 4, 2001
Dolphins were minus-6 vs. Broncos on opening day and won by 24. Now come the Panthers, fresh off a W against New England. … There are more easy games on the way for Carolina, which was rewarded for a 7-9 season by getting a third-place schedule. … Miami has to be concerned about rookie TB Ronnie Brown, who has run to darkness in his first two NFL starts. He has 92 yards on 34 carries, 2.7 per. … Panthers D fourth in the loop vs. run (2.9 yards per). … So you think Junior Seau is washed up. Not! Dude had 12 tackles in Dolphins’ loss vs. Jets, his 60th career double-figure game. … Miami special teams gettin’ it done. Dawfins starting at the 31-yard line after kickoffs.
Prediction: Panthers 24, Dolphins 16
Jacksonville at New York Jets
11 a.m., Jets by 2 1/2
Last meeting: Jets won 13-10 at the Meadowlands on Nov. 23, 2003
Jags’ D emerging into one of better units in the game. Jax has allowed 295 yards per and is plus-6 in turnovers, second-best in AFC behind Bengals. … D also has accounted for 12 INTs in past five games. … Rookie CB-KR Justin Miller, bypassed by several teams in draft because of off-field issues, has improved Jets’ special teams. He stands second in AFC with 30.4 KR avg. … Maybe Curtis Martin isn’t ageless after all. He’s averaging 2.5 yards per on 52 carries. … Ex-Bronco Reggie Hayward tied for Jags team lead with one sack.
Prediction: Jaguars 20, Jets 19
Oakland at Philadelphia
11 a.m., Eagles by 7 1/2
Last meeting: Raiders won 20-10 at Philadelphia on Oct. 28, 2001
Raiders have won 15 of past 23 vs. NFC. … Randy Moss has 92 receiving TDs in 111 career games. All-time fastest to 100 was Jerry Rice, who took 120 games. … Donovan McNabb leads loops with six TD passes. … Iggles D not missing DT Corey Simon. Philly has allowed 17 points in two games, fifth-fewest in the league, and 231 yards, third in da bid’ness. … TB LaMont Jordan leads Raiders with 129 rushing yards, 11 catches. … Both kickers struggling. Oakland’s Sebastian Janikowski is 1-for-3, Philly’s David Akers 1-for-4 on field goals. … Philly coming off franchise-record 583 yards vs. Niners.
Prediction: Eagles 31, Raiders 29
Tennessee at St. Louis
11 a.m., Rams by 6 1/2
Last meeting: Rams won 23-16 in Super Bowl XXXIV at end of 1999 season.
Who knew? Titans are 45-36 on the road since 1995, best in the NFL during that span. … Tenn coach Jeff Fisher one W away from No. 100. … DE Kyle Vanden Bosch helping Titans’ pass rush. He accounted for 3.0 sacks in W vs. Baltimore last week. … Rams coach Mike Martz 14-6 vs. AFC, but will be making first appearance vs. Titans. … St. Looie holding on to the ball for a change. Rams plus-2 in turnovers after disastrous minus-24 in 2004. … Tenn has league’s youngest roster, averaging 25 years, 205 days per man. And you thought the league office didn’t keep track of that type of stuff.
Prediction: Rams 34, Titans 23
Get a life, Bubba
New Orleans at Minnesota
11 a.m., Vikings by 4
Last meeting: Vikings won 38-31 at New Orleans on Oct. 17, 2004
Forget what the end zone read at the Meadowlands on Monday night. This is Saints’ third straight road game. … Saints could be just what Mike Tice needs to keep his job. He’s 2-0 against them. … Early leader in the clubhouse for NFL stat of the year: Vikings have had 24 possessions, 12 turnovers in two games. … Mike McKenzie, stolen from Green Bay after a contract squabble, has been a godsend for Saints: Six INTs in 12 games. … Whodathunkit? Daunte Culpepper, Aaron Brooks have combined for one TD pass, 11 INTs. … Saints converting NFL-best 57.1 percent of third downs. … Vikings have to get running game going to take heat off Culpepper. Their go-to RB is Michael Bennett, who has nine carries, 35 yards.
Prediction: Vikings 31, Saints 30
Dallas at San Francisco
2:05 p.m, Cowboys by 6 1/2
Last meeting: Niners won 31-27 at Dallas on Dec. 8, 2002
Cowboys coming off impressive 13-0 win over Redskins on “Monday Night Football.” What’s that? Oops, never mind. … ‘Boys still trying to cope with loss to ‘Skins, but make no doubt, they’re vastly improved over last year’s unit. Check out turnover margin, for instance. Big D is plus-3 compared to minus-15 in 2004. … Niners’ Bryant Young second among active DTs with 72.5 career sacks. … Not that it’s easier to rack up passing yardage than ever before, but Drew Bledsoe is about to pass Johnny Unitas and Joe Montana for eighth place in NFL history. … Niners’ D coming off dismal – 583 yards allowed – outing vs. Philly.
Prediction: Cowboys 33, Niners 17
Arizona at Seattle
2:05 p.m., Seahawks 6 1/2
Last meeting: Seahawks won 24-21 at Seattle on Dec. 26, 2004
Cardinals, everyone’s dark horse in August, look like same old Deadbirds in September. They have allowed 59 points, second in league, in first two. Only Vikings (61) have allowed more. … Ex-Bronco Bertrand Berry tied for Arizona team lead in sacks with 2.0. … ‘Zona’s Larry Fitzgerald leading the league with 17 catches, 14 first downs. … Seahawks could use a few defensive players and a bottle of glue. They’re minus-6 in turnovers after rolling up plus-8 in 2004. … Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck a different player at home than on the road. He has thrown 18 TD passes, five INTs in past 10 at home. … Cardinals already have made change at TB, moving Marcel Shipp ahead of rookie J.J. Arrington.
Prediction: Seahawks 31, Cardinals 20
