Vikings (8-5) at Bears (5-8)
Time: Noon, WFLD-Ch. 32, WBBM-AM 780.
Line: Vikings by 3.
Last meeting: Vikings won 24-13 at Minnesota on Sept. 14, 2003.
Key stat: The teams the Bears have beaten have a winning percentage of .323, worst in the NFL.
Players to watch: First-round pick Rex Grossman gets his first start for the Bears. Vikings’ Daunte Culpepper has thrown 20 TDs, 8 INTs.
The buzz: Grossman will no doubt see all kinds of blitzes from the Vikings, so the short-passing game will be key. Bears need to keep Randy Moss from adding to his league-leading 13 TD passes and control the running game at the same time. It’s a long to-do list.
Pick: Vikings 21, Bears 17.
49ers (6-7) at Bengals (7-6)
Time: Noon.
Line: Bengals by 3.
Last meeting: Bengals won 44-30 at Cincinnati on Dec. 5, 1999.
Key stat: 49ers are 0-6 on the road.
Players to watch: Bengals’ Jon Kitna tied for NFL lead with 23 TD passes. Ex-Bear Tony Parrish has 7 interceptions, including one in five straight games.
The buzz: San Francisco hasn’t played well on the road, with a 38-point loss at Baltimore and a 28-point collapse at Minnesota. Unless Bengals are down after losing pivotal game to Ravens last week, they should survive.
Pick: Bengals 23, 49ers 17.
Falcons (3-10) at Colts (10-3)
Time: Noon.
Line: Colts by 7 1/2.
Last meeting: Colts won 41-27 at Atlanta on Dec. 16, 2001.
Key stat: Colts are 4-2 at home, losing only to Pats and Panthers (in OT).
Players to watch: Can Michael Vick account for 320 yards of offense for the second week in a row? Colts’ Dwight Freeney has 11 sacks–24 in his 28-game career.
The buzz: Colts trail Chiefs by a game in race for No. 2 seed in AFC playoffs. It’s not likely, but it gives them incentive down the stretch now that the AFC South title is all but clinched. Falcons have little to play for but pride.
Pick: Colts 27, Falcons 17.
Lions (4-9) at Chiefs (11-2)
Time: Noon.
Line: Chiefs by 14.
Last meeting: Chiefs won 31-21 at Kansas City on Sept. 26, 1999.
Key stat: Lions have lost 22 straight on the road.
Players to watch: Chiefs’ Trent Green has thrown at least 2 TD passes in six of last nine games. Lions’ Joey Harrington, who continues to endure dropped passes, has 13 TD passes vs. 20 interceptions.
The buzz: Chiefs finish out the season vs. NFC North (Vikings, Bears next) as they chase Patriots for top seed in AFC playoffs. They also have to be sure Colts don’t pass them for No. 2 seed and a bye. They have incentive.
Pick: Chiefs 30, Lions 13.
Jaguars (4-9) at Patriots (11-2)
Time: Noon.
Line: Patriots by 7.
Last meeting: Patriots won 26-20 at Jacksonville on Dec. 7, 1997.
Key stat: Patriots have allowed 9 points in last four home games.
Players to watch: Patriots’ Richard Seymour and Mike Vrabel each have 6 1/2 sacks.
The buzz: Patriots have won last two home games (Cowboys, Dolphins) by 12-0 score and are in a can’t-do-anything-wrong mode. This will be a good education for Jaguars rookie QB Byron Leftwich.
Pick: Patriots 15, Jaguars 0.
Steelers (5-8) at Jets (5-8)
Time: Noon.
Line: Jets by 3.
Last meeting: Steelers won 18-7 at Pittsburgh on Dec. 9, 2001.
Key stat: Jets have won seven of their last eight post-Nov. 1 home games.
Players to watch: Jerome Bettis, who rushed for season-high 106 yards in last week’s win over Raiders, is averaging 3.3 per carry for the season. Curtis Martin getting 3.9 for Jets.
The buzz: Jets’ offense has been struggling and Steelers’ has been improving. Pittsburgh’s Tommy Maddox, with 15 TD passes vs. 14 INTs, may do some damage.
Pick: Steelers 20, Jets 17.
Seahawks (8-5) at Rams (10-3)
Time: Noon.
Line: Rams by 7.
Last meeting: Seahawks won 24-23 at Seattle on Sept. 21, 2003.
Key stat: Rams have won 12 straight home games, six this season.
Players to watch: Rams’ Marshall Faulk is going for his fifth straight 100-yard rushing game. Seahawks Matt Hasselbeck has thrown 22 TD passes vs. 11 interceptions.
The buzz: A good home team meets a terrible (1-5) road team. If the Seahawks could have won at Minnesota last week, this would have been a pivotal NFC West contest. Rams chasing NFC’s top seed.
Pick: Rams 28, Seahawks 17.
Texans (5-8) at Bucs (6-7)
Time: Noon.
Line: Off.
Last meeting: First meeting.
Key stat: Bucs have scored more than 19 points only once in the last eight games.
Players to watch: Bucs’ Thomas Jones playing a larger role, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Domanick Davis averaging 4.4 for Texans.
The buzz: A disappointing season for the Bucs, who have only long-shot playoff hopes. Still, their defense should control this game.
Pick: Bucs 19, Texans 14.
Bills (6-7) at Titans (9-4)
Time: Noon.
Line: Off.
Last meeting: Bills won 16-13 at Buffalo on Sept. 3, 2000.
Key stat: Bills have won two in a row (Giants, Jets) by combined score of 41-13.
Players to watch: Linebacker London Fletcher (team-high 108 tackles) leads defense that has allowed only 15.4 points per game. Titans’ Steve McNair has thrown 22 TD passes vs. 6 interceptions.
The buzz: McNair is questionable with ankle and calf injuries, but the Titans should have enough to win at home. Titans need to win to stay in the lead for the AFC’s No. 5 seed, which will mean opening the playoffs at home.
Pick: Titans 21, Bills 17.
Browns (4-9) at Broncos (8-5)
Time: 3:05 p.m., WBBM-Ch. 2.
Line: Broncos by 10 1/2.
Last meeting: Broncos won 44-10 at Denver on Oct. 15, 2000.
Key stat: Broncos are 7-2 in games started by Jake Plummer.
Players to watch: Broncos’ Clinton Portis averaging a stunning 5.8 yards per carry, and is second in NFL with 12 rushing TDs. Tim Couch gets another chance for the Browns.
The buzz: Broncos finish with road games against Colts and Packers, so they need this one badly to stay in the race for a wild-card berth. Browns will be hard-pressed to do much against Broncos’ defense.
Pick: Broncos 24, Browns 16.
Ravens (8-5) at Raiders (3-10)
Time: 3:05 p.m.
Line: Ravens by 6 1/2.
Last meeting: Ravens won 16-3 in AFC title game at Oakland on Jan. 14, 2001.
Key stat: Ravens have won three straight, the last two by a combined 56 points (49ers, Bengals).
Players to watch: Ravens’ rookie linebacker Terrell Suggs (10 sacks) moves into the starting lineup. Raiders’ Sebastian Janikowski has made 19-of-20 FGs inside 50 yards.
The buzz: Jamal Lewis, who leads NFL with 1,622 yards rushing, should pad his stats against the fading Raiders.
Pick: Ravens 20, Raiders 16.
Panthers (8-5) at Cards (3-10)
Time: 3:15 p.m.
Line: Panthers by 6 1/2.
Last meeting: Cardinals won 16-13 at Carolina on Oct. 6, 2002.
Key stat: Panthers have won six games by three points or less, one short of NFL record set by Cardinals in 1998.
Players to watch: Cardinals’ QB Josh McCown, a third-round pick in 2002, gets first start. Stephen Davis, with 1,339 yards, averaging 4.6 per carry for Panthers.
The buzz: The Panthers can wrap up the NFC South with a win. McCown gets a chance to show the Cardinals don’t have to draft a quarterback next year.
Pick: Panthers 20, Cardinals 17.
Packers (7-6) at Chargers (3-10)
Time: 3:15 p.m., WFLD-Ch. 32.
Line: Packers by 5.
Last meeting: Packers won 31-3 at San Diego on Oct. 24, 1999.
Key stat: Packers 3-3 on the road.
Players to watch: LaDainian Tomlinson leads Chargers in rushing (1,260 yards) and receiving (75 catches). Ahman Green leads Packers in rushing (1,463 yards) and receiving (47 catches).
The buzz: In the last month, Chargers have been more competitive than their record indicates, and Packers aren’t a great road team. Still Brett Favre and Green should make the difference.
Pick: Packers 24, Chargers 20.
Cowboys (8-5) at Redskins (5-8)
Time: 3:15 p.m., WMVP-AM 1000 (joined in progress).
Line: Pick ’em.
Last meeting: Cowboys won 21-14 at Dallas on Nov. 20, 2003.
Key stat: Cowboys have won 11 of last 12 meetings.
Players to watch: Redskins’ Tim Hasselbeck threw for 2 TDs in victory over Giants in his first start last week. Cowboys’ Quincy Carter has thrown 14 TDs vs. 18 INTs.
The buzz: Cowboys have lost three of their last four as their top-ranked defense has showed some cracks while trying to carry the offense–Cowboys have allowed 96 points in last three games.
Pick: Redskins 20, Cowboys 17.
Giants (4-9) at Saints (6-7)
Time: 7:30 p.m., ESPN, WMVP-AM 1000.
Line: Saints by 7.
Last meeting: Giants won 21-13 at New York on Sept. 30, 2001.
Key stat: Giants have lost five straight by an average of 14.8 points.
Players to watch: Jesse Palmer expected to start at quarterback in place of the injured Kerry Collins for Giants. Saints’ Aaron Brooks has thrown 16 TDs, 8 interceptions.
The buzz: Giants are reeling as the last days of the Jim Fassel era play out. They haven’t scored more than 13 points in last five games.
Pick: Saints 21, Giants 12.
GAME OF WEEK: EAGLES (10-3) AT DOLPHINS (8-5)
Limit Williams, and Eagles get 9th straight
Time: 8 p.m. Monday, WLS-Ch. 7, WSCR-AM 670.
Line: Dolphins by 2.
Last meeting: Dolphins won 16-13 at Miami on Oct. 24, 1999.
Key stat: Dolphins are only 3-3 at home, the wins coming by a total of 14 points.
Players to watch: Ricky Williams needs to get more than his 3.3-yard average for Dolphins to win. Eagles’ Brian Westbrook averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
The buzz: With an 8-game winning streak, the Eagles are the NFC’s hottest team, and Donovan McNabb the hottest quarterback. Eagles’ run defense may give Williams an opportunity, but Philadelphia has incentive to maintain lead for No. 1 seed in NFC playoffs.
Pick: Eagles 20, Dolphins 17.
Last week (straight-up): 9-7.
Season-to-date (straight-up): 136-72.
