Getalife,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
CAPSULES BY
JIM ARMSTRONG | THE DENVER POST
