The good news is the New England Patriots didn’t have to travel Saturday. The bad news is they have to play at home this afternoon.
NFL seasons can be long, strange trips, but seldom will you see one stranger than the one the Patriots embarked on in September.
The Pats are 7-3 and leading the AFC East. Not out of the ordinary there. Except, of course, their 2-3 home record compared to 5-0 on the road. You could look it up. They’ve lost in Foxborough to Indianapolis, the New York Jets and the Broncos. Now come the Chicago Bears for the third leg of a rare East Coast back-to-back-to-back. The first two games were against the Giants and Jets at the Meadowlands, with the Bears winning each.
While the New England-Chicago matchup headlines the Week 12 dance card, the fact is each can afford a loss and still make the playoffs. If only Pittsburgh and Atlanta could say that.
The Steelers and Falcons stand at the crossroads. Neither can afford a loss today, and each plays a key division rival. Pittsburgh travels to AFC North-leading Baltimore to play the Ravens, and Atlanta will face New Orleans at the Georgia Dome. A loss and the Steelers and Falcons can all but forget the playoffs. A win and they would have a chance – a chance, mind you – to make things interesting.
Read Jim Armstrong’s Opening Shots on Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in The Denver Post sports section and on Mondays in NFL Monday. His previous columns are available online at www.denverpost.com
Couch potato heaven
Pittsburgh at Baltimore
11 a.m., Ravens by 3
Last meeting: Ravens won 16-13 (OT) at Baltimore on Nov. 20, 2005
Steelers still two below .500, but news isn’t all bad. Bill Cowher is a week closer to bailing out on team and moving to North Carolina. … Stillers coming off come-from-behind W at Cleveland, thanks to Ben Roethlisberger throwing a last-minute TD pass for a change instead of an INT. … Ravens leading league in turnovers at plus-12. Steelers? Try minus-9, thanks to Big Ben’s league-worst 17 picks. … Ravens have won three straight at home vs. Pitt.
Prediction: Steelers 17, Ravens 13
New Orleans at Atlanta
11 a.m., Falcons by 3
Last meeting: Saints won 23-3 at New Orleans on Sept. 25
Whatever happened to great outdoors? Teams play in Georgia Dome after first meeting in Superdome. … Saints flying on Drew Brees’ wing. He leads league with 3,114 passing yards, putting him on pace for, like, a whole bunch. … Dirty Birds desperate for a dubya after three straight losses. How did they pull off that trifecta? Let’s put it this way. Michael Vick hasn’t exactly played like a franchise QB. Jim Mora – the dad, not the kid – agreed last week that Vick is a “coach killer” because of his errant ways in the passing game.
Prediction: Saints 34, Falcons 27
Worth the electricity
Green Bay at Seattle
6:30 p.m. Monday, Seahawks by 9 1/2
Last meeting: Packers won 23-17 at Green Bay on Jan. 1, 2005
Pack coming off rousing 35-0 loss to Pats. In the land of the Cheeseheads, no less. … Is this any way to repeat a Super Bowl appearance? Seahawks are minus- 7 in turnovers. … Remember when? Packers tailback Ahman Green was Seattle’s third-rounder in 1998 and spent two seasons with the club. … Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren went to first two Super Bowls, grew first two chins during days in Green Bay. … Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck expected to play in this one after being sidelined by knee problems.
Prediction: Seahawks 31, Packers 20
Philadelphia at Indianapolis
6:15 p.m., Colts by 9
Last meeting: Colts won 35-10 at Philadelphia on Nov. 10, 2002
This just in. Peyton Manning is, like, muy bueno. Dude leads AFC with 2,781 passing yards and leads NFL with 20 TD tosses, 100.5 passer rating. … Colts rookie TB Joseph Addai no ordinary Joseph. He’s averagin’ 4.7 yards per. … Philly’s Jeff Garcia expected to start in place of Donovan McNabb, gone for the duration with ACL tear. … Just wondering: If Eagles lost at home to Titans by 18, how badly are they going to get smoked today? … Colts have won 31 of past 35 in regular season. What about the playoffs, you ask? Don’t.
Prediction: Colts 33, Eagles 11
Oakland at San Diego
2:05 p.m., Chargers by 13
Last meeting: Chargers won 27-0 at Oakland on Sept. 11
Who knew? Raiduhs haven’t allowed 20 points in six straight. … QB Aaron Brooks returns to starting lineup for Raiders in place of Andrew Walter, benched for telling the truth – Raiders’ playbook is more like a comic book. … Marty Schottenheimer has 26-7 career record vs. Silver & Bleak. … LaDainian Tomlinson might as well pitch a tent in the end zone. Dude has scored 19 touchdowns in past six games, putting him in MVP race with one of Archie’s kids. … Raiders are minus-9 in turnovers, Chargers plus-8 (second best in AFC).
Prediction: Chargers 26, Raiders 16
Cincinnati at Cleveland
11 a.m., Bengals by 3
Last meeting: Bengals won 34-17 at Cincinnati on Sept. 17
Not that both teams are struggling, but winner gets to play Ohio State in January for state championship. … Bengals’ Chad Johnson not just another roaring mouth. He leads loop with 932 receiving yards, including 450 in past two (most in the NFL since 1970). … Browns TE Kellen Winslow Jr. has 60 catches, putting him on pace for 96. Please tell us if he hits 100, he doesn’t get a motorcycle as a bonus. … Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel, 0-3 vs. Bengals, could help job status with W vs. in-state rivals.
Prediction: Bengals 32, Browns 23
Beats washing the car
Carolina at Washington
11 a.m., Panthers by 4
Last meeting: Panthers won 20-17 at Carolina on Nov. 16, 2003
If these two played each other any closer, they’d be in a Paris Hilton home movie. Six of seven in series have been decided by a FG or less. … ‘Skins QB Jason Campbell made first career start last week and led club to moral victory over Ravens. Hey, it beats getting the snot kicked out of you. Just ask Mark Brunell. … Panthers DE Julius Peppers has 14 sacks in past 11, plus six three-sack games since entering league in 2002, most in the bid’ness.
Prediction: Panthers 23, Redskins 9
N.Y. Giants at Tennessee
2:15 p.m., Giants by 3
Last meeting: Titans won 32-29 (OT) at the Meadowlands on Dec. 1, 2002
Giants QB Eli Manning struggling of late, but hopes to turn corner after changing his name to Peyton last week. … G-Men TB Tiki Barber coming off 10-carry, 27-yard disaster at Jacksonville on Monday nighter. He needs 2 yards to reach 1,000 mark. … Titans competitive of late despite rookie QB Vince Young’s errant ways. Dude has 90 completions, one to the broad side of a barn, in 197 attempts. … Talk about depleted. Giants D has more injuries than the Taliban.
Prediction: Giants 27, Titans 23
San Francisco at St. Louis
11 a.m., Rams by 5 1/2
Last meeting: Niners won 20-13 at San Francisco on Sept. 17
Niners coach Mike Nolan 3-0 vs. Rams. … Did you know? San Fran TB Frank Gore leading NFC with 1,043 rushing yards, and leads club with 37 catches. … Say, didn’t you used to be Rams’ playoff hopes? St. Looie has lost five straight after 4-1 start. And you thought Kevin Federline was having a bad month. … Niners CB Walt Harris tied for league lead with six interceptions. … Rams’ Leonard Little tied for second in league with 10.0 sacks.
Prediction: Niners 23, Rams 21
Jacksonville at Buffalo
11 a.m., Jaguars by 3
Last meeting: Jaguars won 13-10 at Buffalo on Sept. 12, 2004
Not that, you know, Byron Leftwich is ancient history, but Jax QB David Garrard has won seven of past nine starts, including three straight on the road. … Jags coach Jack Del Rio led club to key Monday night W over Giants. Not only that, he looked like a hunka-hunka-burnin’ love in that suit. … Bills WR Lee Evans coming off club-record 265 yards and two 80-plus-yard TD catches. What’s that? OK, OK, so it was against the Texans. It’s still pretty good. … Bills need a win, a miracle and pictures on the President to maintain playoff hopes.
Prediction: Bills 19, Jaguars 18
Get a life,Bubba
Arizona at Minnesota
11 a.m., Vikings by 6
Last meeting: Cardinals won 18-17 at Arizona on Dec. 28, 2003
Cards rookie QB Matt Leinart coming off first NFL dubya. Don’t get used to it, kid. You play for the dog-bottom Cardinals. … Game marks return to Minnie by ex-Vikings coach Dennis Green, now captaining Cards’ sinking ship. … OK, so it isn’t as fun as winning your first nine games, but facts are facts. Edgerrin James went over 3.0 yards a carry last week. … Vikes haven’t won since Nixon administration. Or so it seems. Performers Formerly Known as Playoff Contenders have morphed into wannabes. Vikes QB Brad Johnson: 332 passes, five lousy TD tosses.
Prediction: Vikings 24, Cardinals 20
Houston at N.Y. Jets
11 a.m., Jets by 6
Last meeting: Jets won 29-7 at the Meadowlands on Dec. 5, 2004
B-U-M-S Jets coming off home shutout loss to Bears. In the Jets’ defense, they did have coupla pretty impressive first downs. … More proof that stats can lie in today’s Not For Long: David Carr completing 69.5 pct. of his passes, league’s best accuracy, but Texans are 3-7 and headed for January tee times. … Game matches two first-year head coaches – Hugheston’s Gary Kubiak, New Yawk’s Eric Mangini. … Jets minus-1 in turnovers, Texans minus-6.
Prediction: Jets 30, Texans 27
