Unless those initials in J.P. Losman’s name stand for Just Perfect, the Buffalo Bills could be in for a long night at the office Sunday.
They have to play the New England Patriots, who have had a week off to, ahem, hone their skills.
The Patriots are 9-0 and have outscored their opponents by 208 points. To put that number in perspective, 20 of the other 31 teams in the league haven’t scored 208 points.
We’ve been down these roads before, teams opening the season with a long winning streak, but never before has a team been as dominant as the Pats. To wit: Of the Patriots’ nine wins, seven have come by 20-plus points. The 1972 Dolphins, meanwhile, had three victories by 20-plus points among their first nine victims.
While the Pats have offered no signs of weakness, history suggests that November is the most treacherous time of year for teams trying to match the ’72 Dolphins’ perfect season. A few numbers to ponder: Twenty-three NFL teams have started 9-0, but six lost the next week. Of the 17 who’ve gone 10-0, six more lost one week later.
But that was then and this is now. So who’s going to beat the Patriots in 2007? If it’s the Bills, we’ll have a story for the ages. They’ve won four in a row to resurrect their season, but their 143 points are the fewest in the league among teams with winning records.
Couch Potato Heaven
San Diego at Jacksonville
11 a.m., Jaguars by 3
Last meeting: Chargers won 34-21 at San Diego on Oct. 10, 2004.
David Garrard — 6 TD passes, no INTs — expected to return for this one. Good thing. Jags coming off 28-13 clunker at Tennessee. Chargers tied for league lead with plus-11 turnover margin. So what other team is plus-11? What part of “Patriots rule” don’t you get? Bolts need more production from Philip Rivers, he of the 10 TD passes, 10 INTs. SD CB Antonio Cromartie leads league with six INTs.
Prediction: Jaguars 19, Chargers 18
Washington at Dallas
2:15 p.m., Cowboys by 10-1/2
Last meeting: Redskins won 22-19 at Washington on Nov. 5, 2006.
Joe Gibbs, on the Cowboys: “They’re stomping on everyone.” Ya think? ‘Boys on pace for 500-plus points. T.O. asked us to tell you that he leads the NFC in receiving yardage (855) and TD catches (eight). Washington QB Jason Campbell coming off first three-TD game. Now for the fine print: ‘Skins lost to Eagles. Who knew? Cowboys TB Marion Barber has scored 20 rushing TDs in past 24 games.
Prediction: Cowboys 34, Redskins 16
New England at Buffalo
6:15 p.m., Patriots by 16
Last meeting: Patriots won 38-7 at New England on Sept. 23.
Bills have won four straight and are more than two-TD underdogs. Any more questions from the congregation? Pats have won 12 straight regular-season games dating to last season. Randy Moss has 12 TD catches, tying Stanley Morgan for franchise record. Tom Brady completed 23-of-29 for four TDs in first meeting. And the scary part is, that’s average for him this season. Buffalo WR Lee Evans in past four: 466 receiving yards.
Prediction: Patriots 38, Bills 7
Worth the Electricity
Cleveland at Baltimore
11 a.m., Browns by 3
Last meeting: Browns won 27-14 at Cleveland on Sept. 30.
Browns favored by three points on the road. Any more questions from the audience? … Ravens’ offense qualifies for handout from FEMA. Steve McNair has thrown only two TD passes in 205 attempts. … Browns have five W’s and one moral victory. Any questions about them were answered last Sunday, when they took the Steelers to the wire at Pittsburgh.
Prediction: Browns 20, Ravens 16
N.Y. Giants at Detroit
11 a.m., Giants by 3
Last meeting: Lions won 28-13 at the Meadowlands on Oct. 24, 2004.
Lions back where they belong. They’re 4-0 at Ford Field, 2-3 on the road, where they’ve allowed 121 points in three losses. … Lions QB Jon Kitna leads NFC with .678 completion pct. … Lions are plus-7 in turnovers, G-Men even. … Giants had six-game W streak snapped vs. Cowboys. … Vegas wiseguys all over this one. Game opened at Lions minus-2 1/2, but has moved to Giants minus-3.
Prediction: Giants 27, Lions 24
Carolina at Green Bay
11 a.m., Packers by 9 1/2
Last meeting: Panthers won 32-29 at Carolina on Oct. 3, 2005.
Must be the pillow mints: Panthers 4-5 – 4-1 on the road, 0-4 at home. … This just in: Brett Favre isn’t washed up. Dude leads NFC with 2,757 passing yards. … Packers’ running game coming around. Ryan Grant coming off career-high 119 yards vs. usually stingy Minnesota D. … So who will start at QB for Panthers? Tell ya what, bubba. You take heads and we’ll take tails.
Prediction: Packers 34, Panthers 0
Kansas City at Indianapolis
11 a.m., Colts by 14 1/2
Last meeting: Chiefs won 45-35 at Kansas City on Oct. 31, 2004.
Those 45 points Chiefs put up on Colts in the last meeting? That’s a good month for them these days. … Game features meeting between Herm Edwards and his coaching mentor, Tony Dungy. … Chiefs have handed keys to QB Brodie Croyle after 11-point outburst vs. Broncos. … Colts have issues of their own, what with Marvin Harrison and Dallas Clark battling injuries.
Prediction: Colts 34, Chiefs 17
Beats Cleaning the Garage
Tampa Bay at Atlanta
11 a.m., Buccaneers by 3
Last meeting: Falcons won 17-6 at Tampa on Dec. 10, 2006.
And now for a sentence you don’t see every day: Joey Harrington in search of his third straight W. … Dirty Birds won at Carolina last Sunday. But then, who doesn’t? Panthers 4-5 – 4-1 on road, 0-4 at home. … Don’t ask how, but Falcons plus-8 in turnovers. … Bucs don’t beat themselves. To wit: Jeff Garcia has thrown an INT in one of nine games.
Prediction: Buccaneers 17, Falcons 16
Arizona at Cincinnati
11 a.m., Bengals by 3
Last meeting: Cardinals won 17-14 at Arizona on Nov. 2, 2003.
Bengals’ D finally came alive vs. Baltimore, holding Ravens to seven points. … Cincy coach Marvin Lewis says club still could make the playoffs. Yeah, well, you and I still could be Mr. Cindy Crawford, too. … Cardinals minus-8 in turnovers, Bengals plus-4. … ‘Zona D held Lions to minus-18 rushing yards.
Prediction: Bengals 31, Cardinals 20
New Orleans at Houston
11 a.m., Texans by 1 1/2
Last meeting: Saints won 31-10 at New Orleans on Sept. 14, 2003.
First meeting between teams at Houston. … Drew Brees during season-opening four-game losing streak: 1 TD pass, 9 INTs. Since then: 13 and 3. … Rookie DT Amobi Okoye, too young to celebrate a W with a brewski, leads Texans with 5.0 sacks. … Texans coming off bye week. Saints took last weekend off, too, losing at home to Performers Formerly Known as Rams.
Prediction: Saints 31, Texans 29
Pittsburgh at N.Y. Jets
2:05 p.m., Steelers by 9 1/2
Last meeting: Steelers won 17-6 at Pittsburgh on Dec. 12, 2004.
OK, so he doesn’t have a famous ex-QB for a father or an underwear model for a girlfriend. That’s about all Ben Roethlisberger has done wrong lately: 22 TD passes, 7 INTs. … Technically, this is a home game for Jets, but if they fall behind, there will be enough boobirds around to remake a Hitchcock movie. … Steelers LB James Harrison has forced six fumbles in his past three games. … Jets QB Kellen Clemens will make third career start in this one.
Prediction: Steelers 31, Jets 13
Chicago at Seattle
2:15 p.m., Seahawks by 5 1/2
Last meeting: Bears won 37-6 at Chicago on Oct. 1, 2006.
It’s official. Bears will return keys to offense to Rex Grossman. Hey, you in the peanut gallery. Lose the laughter, will ya? … Bears TB Cedric Benson down to 3.0 yards per carry. Makes you wonder: Is there a Mendoza Line for running backs? … Bears minus-7 in turnovers, Seahawks plus-6. … How the mighty have fallen. Game is a rematch of past two NFC champions – Seahawks in ’05, Bears in ’06.
Prediction: Seahawks 23, Bears 15
Get A Life, Bubba
Oakland at Minnesota
11 a.m., Vikings by 5
Last meeting: Raiders won 28-18 at Oakland on Nov. 16, 2003.
Talk about an exciting matchup. Teams combined for six points last weekend – all six by the Silver ‘n’ Bleak. … Offensive rookie of the year-in-waiting Adrian Peterson will sit out this one. Enter Chester Taylor, averaging a cool 5.0 yards per. … … Vikings still playing musical chairs at QB. Tarvaris Jackson will return for this one, sending Brooks Bollinger to the clipboard.
Prediction: Vikings 20, Raiders 9
Miami at Philadelphia
11 a.m., Eagles by 10
Last meeting: Eagles won 34-27 at Miami on Dec. 15, 2003.
For a guy who doesn’t get the love in his own town, Donovan McNabb sure puts up some numbers: 13 TD passes, 4 INTs. … Can it be? Dolphins in the same season could lose out and have the Pats match the ’72 Dolphins’ perfect season. … Miami, with nothing left to lose, will turn to rookie QB John Beck to start this one.
Prediction: Eagles 31, Dolphins 10
St. Louis at San Francisco
2:15 p.m., Rams by 3
Last meeting: Niners won 17-16 at St. Louis on Sept. 16.
Talk about sheer excitement. Teams have been outscored by a combined 218 points. … Niners have scored league-worst 104 points. … Rams minus-11 in turnovers, 49ers minus-7. … Niners have won four of past five in series. … Rams broke into W column last weekend with 37-29 win at N’Awlins. Niners? They scored 37 fewer points at Seattle.
Prediction: Rams 24, 49ers 23
