Worththeelectricity
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
