Tennessee at Cincinnati
11 a.m., Titans by 1 1/2
Bengals coming off home loss to Cardinals, basically ending playoff hopes. … Cincy 31st in league in D. … No truth to rumors that presses stopped at Nashville newspaper after Vince Young threw a TD pass vs. Broncos. V.Y. has five TD tosses, 12 INTs. … Tenn TE Bo Scaife, Our Town’s Own, has three-plus first-down catches in each of past three.
Prediction: Titans 24, Bengals 23
Philadelphia at New England
6:15 p.m., KUSA-9, Patriots by 24
Las Vegas can’t get enough of $1.99 prime rib or the Pats. Line opened at 17 1/2, but has jumped to 24. Apparently, stuff happens when you’re coming off a 56-10 cliffhanger. Rich get richer: Pats lead league in turnover differential, too, at plus-13. N.E. can become fourth team since 1978 to clinch division title by Game 11 (’85 Bears, ’97 49ers, ’04 Eagles).
Prediction: Patriots 46, Eagles 10
Houston at Cleveland
11 a.m., Browns by 3
Browns kicked away last year’s game with three TOs, including a FR for a TD. No typo, just fact: Browns in search of fifth straight dubya at home. Texans a different club with WR Andre Johnson around. A.J. in three games this season: three 100-yard days, four TDs.
Prediction: Texans 20, Browns 19
Washington at Tampa Bay
11 a.m., Buccaneers by 3
Re: last year’s meeting. Clinton Portis was on IR list and Jason Campbell was making first career start at QB for ‘Skins. Campbell last week at Dallas: 33-for-54, 384 yards. Who knew? Bucs fifth in the league in D. Campbell: 11 TD passes, eight INTs.
Prediction: Buccaneers 23, Redskins 17
Buffalo at Jacksonville
11 a.m., Jaguars by 8
Bills coach Dick Jauron 2-0 career vs. Jags. Buffalo coming off 46-point loss to Pats, and it coulda been worse. Let’s Go .500 despite ranking 31st in offense. Jax QB David Garrard: 8 TD passes, no picks. Jags TB Maurice Jones-Drew not just another pretty face with a hyphen in his name. Dude has scored 23 TDs in past 24 games.
Prediction: Jaguars 23, Bills 20
Minnesota at N.Y. Giants
11 a.m., KDVR-31, Giants by 7
Talk about a one-sided affair. Vikes No. 1 in the league in rushing, 30th in passing. Giants TB Brandon Jacobs averaging a cool 5.2 yards per. Vikings DE Brian Robison leads team, NFC rookies with 4.5 sacks. Vikings rookie WR Sidney Rice among league passing leaders. Huh? He completed two outta two last week for 94 yards.
Prediction: Giants 26, Vikings 16
Seattle at St. Louis
11 a.m., Seahawks by 3
Rams on a roll, having won two straight. St. Looie 0-4 vs. point spread at home. Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck has won four straight vs. Rams. Seattle LB Julian Peterson has racked up 8.0 sacks. Tale of two teams’ turnovers: Seahawks plus-6, Rams minus-9.
Prediction: Rams 27, Seahawks 23
Baltimore at San Diego
2:15 p.m., Chargers by 8 1/2
Most disappointing team in the blocking-and-tackling bid’ness? It’s gotta be the Ravens. They’re 4-6 — 1-9 vs. point spread. Unless, of course, it’s the Chargers, who are .500 after 14-2 slate in 2006. Kyle Boller: the man, the myth, the myth. Ravens expected to let him go after the season.
Prediction: Chargers 27, Ravens 10
Miami at Pittsburgh
6:30 p.m. Monday, ESPN, Steelers by 16
Steelers miffed after embarrassing loss to Jets, when Pitt OL got punked for seven sacks. Dolphins rookie QB John Beck making second career start. In the immortal words of the guy in the movie “Jaws”, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat,” kid.
Prediction: Steelers 34, Dolphins 0
New Orleans at Carolina
11 a.m., Saints by 2
What, you think the Dolphins need a W? The Panthers haven’t won at home. They’re 4-6 — 4-2 on the road, 0-4 at home. Saints seventh in the league in offense, but minus-10 in turnovers. Recent soil samples suggest Panthers QB Vinny Testaverde is older than dirt at team’s stadium.
Prediction: Panthers 20, Saints 19
Oakland at Kansas City
11 a.m., KCNC-4, Chiefs by 5
K.C. has won nine straight in series, Raiders’ longest losing streak ever vs. an opponent. Brodie Croyle in charge for Chiefs. Croyle in first career start: 19-for-27, with a TD. KC DE Jared Allen a beast coming off the corner. He’s tied for league lead with 9.5 sacks. He has 6.0 career vs. Raiders, most vs. any opponent. When it rains, it pours: Raiders 31st in the league in run D.
Prediction: Chiefs 16, Raiders 10
San Francisco at Arizona
2 p.m., Cardinals by 10 1/2
Niners QB Alex Smith’s shoulder woes figure to keep him out of this one. Question is, is that a bad thing or a good thing? How shaky are 49ers? They have yet to reach 300 yards in total offense this season. … ‘Zona QB Kurt Warner 7-0 career vs. SF.
Prediction: Cardinals 31, 49ers 16
