Cleveland at Baltimore
11 a.m., Browns by 3
Browns favored on the road. No misprint, just fact. … Ravens’ offense uglier than the price of gas. Steve McNair: two TD passes in 205 attempts. … Jamal Lewis returns to Baltimore to face ex-teammates. … Browns averaging 35.8 ppg in their five W’s.
Prediction: Browns 20, Ravens 16
N.Y. Giants at Detroit
11 a.m., Giants by 3
Lions 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 67.8 completion pct. … Lions plus-7 in turnovers, G-Men even. … Vegas wise guys all over this one. Game opened at Lions minus-2 1/2, but moved to Giants minus-3.
Prediction: Giants 27, Lions 24
Carolina at Green Bay
11 a.m., KDVR-31, Packers by 9 1/2
Go figure those feisty Panthers. They’re 4-5 – 4-1 on the road, 0-4 at home. … This just in: Brett Favre isn’t washed up after all. Dude leads the NFC with 2,757 passing yards. … Julius Peppers the not-so-proud owner of 1.5 sacks.
Prediction: Packers 34, Panthers 0
Kansas City at Indianapolis
11 a.m., KCNC-4, Colts by 14 1/2
Those 45 points Chiefs put up on Colts in last meeting? That’s a good month for them this year. … Game features meeting between KC coach Herm Edwards and his mentor, Tony Dungy. … Chiefs have handed keys to Brodie Croyle after epic 11-point outburst vs. Bronx.
Prediction: Colts 34, Chiefs 17
Tampa Bay at Atlanta
11 a.m., Buccaneers by 3
Joey Harrington in search of his third straight W. Like you’ve ever read that sentence before. … Don’t ask how, but Dirty Birds are plus-9 in turnovers. … Bucs lose their share, but they don’t beat themselves. 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
Bengals’ D finally came alive vs. Baltimore, holding Ravens to seven points. But then, who doesn’t? … Cincy coach Marvin Lewis says club could make the playoffs. Yeah, well, I could be Mr. Jessica Alba, too. … House of Cards minus-8 in turnovers, Bengals plus-5. … Arizona D held Lions to minus-18 rushing yards last week.
Prediction: Bengals 31, Cardinals 20
New Orleans at Houston
11 a.m., Texans by 1
First meeting between teams at Houston. … Drew Brees during season-opening four-game losing streak: one TD pass, nine INTs. Since then: 13 and three. … Rookie DT Amobi Okoye the real deal. At 20, he leads Texans with 5.0 sacks. … Texans coming off bye week. Saints took last weekend off, too, losing at home to dog-bottom Rams.
Prediction: Saints 31, Texans 29
Oakland at Minnesota
11 a.m., Vikings by 5
Talk about your matchups for the ages. Teams combined for six points last weekend – none by Vikes. … Offensive rookie of the year-in-waiting Adrian Peterson will miss this one. Enter Chester Taylor, averaging a stellar 5.0 yards per. … Raiders minus-11 in turnovers, Vikings plus-5.
Prediction: Vikings 20, Raiders 9
Miami at Philadelphia
11 a.m., Eagles by 9 1/2
For a guy who doesn’t get the love in Philly, Donovan McNabb puts up some serious numbers: 13 TD passes, four INTs. … Dolphins could lose out and have the Pats match the ’72 ‘Phins’ perfect season. … Miami handing the keys to QB John Beck, a second-rounder from BYU.
Prediction: Eagles 31, Dolphins 10
Washington at Dallas
2:15 p.m., KDVR-31, Cowboys by 10 1/2
Joe Gibbs on the Cowboys: “They’re stomping on everyone.” Ya think? ‘Boys on pace for 500-plus points, putting them, like, 200 behind the Pats. … T.O. asked us to remind everyone 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 got caught looking ahead to ‘Boys, losing to Eagles.
Prediction: Cowboys 34, Redskins 16
New England at Buffalo
6:15 p.m., KUSA-9, Patriots by 16
Bills have won four straight and are heavy underdogs. … 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. Not only that, he spent Pats’ bye week with a Victoria’s Secret model.
Prediction: Patriots 38, Bills 7
Pittsburgh at N.Y. Jets
2 p.m., Steelers by 9 1/2
Ben Roethlisberger by the numbers: 22 TD passes, seven INTs, no motorcycle crashes. … Random thought du jour: If Jets fall behind, there will be enough boobirds around to remake a Hitchcock movie. … Steelers LB James Harrison collects stamps and forces fumbles. Dude has five in his past three games.
Prediction: Steelers 31, Jets 13
Chicago at Seattle
2:15 p.m., Seahawks by 5 1/2
It’s official. Bears going back to “Train” Rex Grossman, he of the 10 turnovers in three starts. … Bears TB Cedric Benson down to 3.0 yards per. One more lousy game and he’ll be below the Mendoza Line for RBs. … Bears minus-7 in turnovers, Seahawks plus-6. … Game is a rematch of past two NFC champions – Seahawks in 2005, Bears in ’06.
Prediction: Seahawks 23, Bears 15
St. Louis at San Francisco
2:15 p.m., Rams by 3
Niners have scored league-worst 104 points. … 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 were whitewashed by Seahawks, 24-0.
Prediction: Rams 24, 49ers 23
San Diego at Jacksonville
11 a.m., Jaguars by 3
David Garrard – he of the six TD passes, no INTs – will return for this one. … Chargers tied for league lead with plus-11 turnover ranking. The other club at plus-11? Um, what part of Patriots rule don’t you get? … Bolts QB Philip Rivers a snapshot of mediocrity: 10 TD passes, 10 INTs.
Prediction: Jaguars 19, Chargers 18
