Couch potato heaven
San Diego at Philadelphia
11 a.m., Eagles by 4
Last meeting: Eagles won 24-14 at Philadelphia on Dec. 9, 2001
Chargers masters of the ground game. They’re fourth in the league in running offense, third in run D. … LaDainian Tomlinson averaging 4.9 yards a carry, up a yard from 2004. … Tomlinson riding an 18-game TD streak, tied with Hall of Famer Lenny Moore for the longest in No Foul Language history. … Eagles all the rage after bye week. They’re 12-4 since 1990, 6-0 under Andy Reid. … Philly averaging 307-plus passing yards per, best in the bid’ness. … Iggles CB Sheldon Brown has defensive TD in past two games. … Talk about multitasking. Philly TB Brian Westbrook is only NFL player with 10-plus first downs rushing (11) and receiving (14). He leads NFL RBs with 292 receiving yards.
Prediction: Eagles 31, Chargers 22
Dallas at Seattle
2:05 p.m., Seahawks by 3
Last meeting: Cowboys won 43-39 at Seattle on Dec. 6, 2004
No truth to the rumor that Bill Parcells and Mike Holmgren have bet a dozen donuts on the game. … Did you know? Drew Bledsoe: 11 TD passes, four INTs; Peyton Manning nine TD passes, four INTs. … Seahawks a tale of two teams. Since start of 2003 season, they’re 16-3 at home, 7-12 on the road. … Seattle TB Shaun Alexander leads league with 12 TD runs. … Hawks lead league in offense at 407-plus yards per. … Dallas D will get after Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck. ‘Boys have 20 sacks in six games, putting them on pace for, like, a whole bunch. … Cowboys’ DeMarcus Ware leads NFL rookies with 4.0 sacks – one apiece in past four games.
Prediction: Seahawks 27, Cowboys 18
Worth the electricity
New York Jets at Atlanta
7 p.m. Monday, Falcons by 7
Last meeting: Jets won 28-3 on Oct. 25, 1998
Jets’ Curtis Martin returned to land of the living with 148 rushing yards vs. Bills’ tough D. … Jets have won seven of past 10 on Monday night. … New Yawk DT Dewayne Robertson having Pro Bowl season. He has 14 tackles in past two games. … Dirty Birds averaging 185-plus rushing yards per, tops in the loop. … Michael Vick averaging 7.1 yards a run, Warrick Dunn 5.2. Dunn joins Seattle’s Shaun Alexander as only NFL RBs with 100-plus carries and 5.0-plus average. … .. Ex-Patriot Ty Law third in league with three INTs for Jets.
Prediction: Falcons 33, Jets 24
Beats cleaning the garage
Indianapolis at Houston
11 a.m., Colts by 16
Last meeting: Colts won 23-14 at Houston on Dec. 12, 2004
Colts undefeated and a model of consistency. They’re 11th in the bid’ness in defense, 11th in offense. … Indy plus-8 in turnovers, Texans minus-7. … Colts 16-4 vs. AFC South rivals. … Indy’s Tony Dungy on verge of 100th NFL coaching victory. … Texans coach Dom Capers could be gone if he loses this one. Team’s offense hasn’t been any better since firing of offensive coordinator Chris Palmer after Week 2. … Colts TB Edgerrin James leads AFC with 662 rushing yards. … Colts D Robert Mathis leads NFL with 7.0 sacks. … And now for this positive note on the Texans: Only seven more months to the draft, when they could come away with USC QB Matt Leinart.
Prediction: Colts 34, Texans 19
New Orleans at St. Louis
11 a.m., Rams by 3
Last meeting: Saints won 28-25 (OT) at St. Louis on Sept. 26, 2004
Saints coach Jim Haslett has 25-18 (.581) career road record as head coach. That ought to look good on his résumé as he looks for a new gig. Haslett among a handful of NFL coaches whose fate appears to be signed, sealed, delivered. … Saints minus-11 in turnovers, Rams minus-9. … St. Looie WR Torry Holt leads league with 638 receiving yards. … Rams going with Jamie Martin in this one, what with Marc Bulger gone for a few weeks. Yeah, well, it excites the heck out of us, too. … Saints’ second-year DE Will Smith has 10.5 sacks in 22 career games.
Prediction: Saints 30, Rams 29
Baltimore at Chicago
2:15 p.m., Bears by 1
Last meeting: Ravens won 17-6 at Baltimore on Sept. 9, 2001
Both teams allowed three points last week – Ravens vs. Browns, Bears vs. Minnesota Midshipmen. … Don’t ask how, but Ravens QB Anthony Wright is 8-4 in past 12 starts. … Balt minus-7 in turnovers, Bears minus-1. … Bears ‘backer Brian Urlacher third in the league with 6.0 sacks. … Ravens TB Jamal Lewis finally has reached 3.0-yard mark per carry. … Bears not as bad as you think with rookie QB Kyle Orton running offense. They’re second in NFL in red-zone TD pct.: 11 trips, eight TDs. … Bears are lone NFL D to have not allowed a rushing TD this season. … Special-teams edge could go to Bears, whose punt returner, Bobby Wade, leads league at 14.7 yards per.
Prediction: Bears 23, Ravens 16
Buffalo at Oakland
2:15 p.m., Raiders by 3
Last meeting: Raiders won 13-10 on Sept. 19, 2004
Bills 2-0 since Mike Mularkey made switch to QB Kelly Holcomb. … Buffalo D numero uno vs. pass at 136-plus yards per. … Bills plus-8 in turnovers, Raiders even. … Buff WR Eric Moulds has 14 catches in past two games. … Raiders may have to go without Randy Moss, battling groin and shoulder injuries. … Not that Moss was having his typical monster year. TB LaMont Jordan leading club with 26 catches. … Special-teams edge to Bills. KR Terrence McGee leads NFL with 34.6 yard KR avg. … Who knew? Five games into his season and Kerry Collins has thrown only one INT.
Prediction: Bills 16, Raiders 13
Get a life, bubba
Detroit at Cleveland
11 a.m., Browns by 3
Last meeting: Browns won 24-14 at Cleveland on Sept. 23, 2001
As of Wednesday, Lions QB Joey Harrington was day to day. … Home team has won past five in series. … Harrington: four TD passes, eight INTs. Yyyyouch! … Lions have used past three No. 1s on wideouts. So who leads club in catches? None of the above. It’s journeyman Kevin Johnson, one of the few healthy WRs still standing in Motown. … Lions 30th in NFL in offense – 27th in pass, 22nd in run. … Something has to give in this one since Brownies are 27th in D – 29th vs run, 23rd vs. pass. … Cleveland TB Reuben Droughns, a former Bronco, was Lions’ third-rounder in 2000. … First career game vs. Browns for Lions coach Steve Mariucci.
Prediction: Browns 27, Lions 16
Green Bay at Minnesota
11 a.m., Packers by 2
Last meeting: Vikings won 31-17 at Green Bay in opening round of 2004 playoffs
Winner becomes contender in wretched NFC North. Loser reports straight to NFL Europe. … How much has loss of Randy Moss affected Vikings’ passing game? Their leading receiver is TE Jermaine Wiggins with 26 catches. … If Ahman Green is going to snap out of it, this is the day. Vikes 32nd in the Not For Long in run D. … Minnie safety Darren Sharper spent eight seasons with Packers, faces old club for first time. He ranks fifth in G.B. history with 36 INTs. … Packers’ D surprisingly good at No. 10 in the league, thanks to new coordinator Jim Bates. … Brett Favre (50,990) closing in on John Elway (51,475) on all-time passing yardage list. Dan Marino No. 1 at 61,361.
Prediction: Vikings 20, Packers 16
San Francisco at Washington
11 a.m., Redskins by 12 1/2
Last meeting: Redskins won 26-16 on Dec. 18, 2004
Good news for rookie Alex Smith is that Niners traded Tim Rattay, officially handing job to Smith. Bad news for Smith is that Niners traded away Rattay, officially handing job to Smith. He could be hard pressed to win a game in his rookie season. … Smith in his NFL debut as starter vs. Colts: 9-for-23, no TDs, four INTs. … ‘Skins minus-8, Niners minus-6 in turnovers. … Clinton Portis: 104 carries, 443 yards, 4.3 yards per. Now for the stat that counts: no TDs. … ‘Skins’ Mark Brunell experiencing a career revival. After washout 2004 season, he has thrown at least two TD passes in each of his four starts.
Prediction: Redskins 27, 49ers 13
Tennessee at Arizona
2:15 p.m., Cardinals by 3 1/2
Last meeting: Then-Oilers won 41-14 at Phoenix on Oct. 26, 1997
Kurt Warner healthy again, but Cards expected to go with Josh McCown, who has passed for 385-plus yards in each of past two games. … Oh, those lyin’ NFL stats. Case in point: Cardinals third in the bid’ness in offense at 378.8 yards per. … Ex-Bronco Bertrand Berry again among league leaders with 5.0 sacks. … ‘Zona’s Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald have 36 catches apiece, making them only NFL teammates with 35-plus. … Talk about consistent. Titans are 20th in the league in D – 20th vs. run, 20th vs. pass.
Prediction: Titans 34, Cardinals 17
