Week 13 in the NFL

1 PM Games

New York Jets (2-9, 0-5 on the road) at Miami Dolphins (0-11, 0-5 at home)
Last Week: New York lost to Dallas, 34-3; Miami lost to Pittsburgh, 3-0.

Since the Jets made a change at quarterback from Chad Pennington to Kellen Clemens, not much has really changed. The Jets offense is still anemic, averaging 16.5 points per contest. Clemens hasn't exactly been atrocious, but he has little help around him. Coach Eric Mangini's defense isn't stopping people either. What does all this mean? This could very possibly be the week Miami wins. The Dolphins defense showed signs of life last week, so if the offense can avoid back-breaking turnovers, they may be able to pull this one out.

Who will win: Miami (1)

Detroit Lions (6-5, 2-3 on the road) at Minnesota Vikings (5-6, 3-2 at home)
Last Week: Detroit lost to Green Bay, 37-26; Minnesota beat New York Giants, 41-17.

Did you hear that? That was the sound of countless bandwagon Lions fans hitting the ground. The Lions have looked very vulnerable the last 3 weeks. Their biggest weakness - the inability to protect QB Jon Kitna - has been obvious to everyone. The defense was playing at an acceptable level - until the Packers scorched them on Thanksgiving. The Vikings are playing well lately, and this game could see the return of running back Adrian Peterson. This loss should continue Detroit's downward spiral.

Who will win: Minnesota (5)

Seattle Seahawks (7-4, 2-3 on the road) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-6, 2-3 at home)
Last Week: Seattle beat St Louis, 24-19; Philadelphia lost to New England, 31-28.

Seattle may have been lucky to escape St Louis with a victory, but a win is a win. With the Cardinals losing, the 'Hawks are now in the driver's seat in the quest for the NFC West crown, as they enjoy a 2-game lead. A win vs Philadelphia would all but seal the division title. Meanwhile, the Eagles nearly pulled off the upset of the millennium last Sunday night, but fell short. I wouldn't be drinking the AJ Feeley Kool-Aid. Sorry, but he's a career back-up quarterback for a reason.

Who will win: Seattle (4)

Houston Texans (5-6, 2-4 on the road) at Tennessee Titans (6-5, 3-2 at home)
Last Week: Houston lost to Cleveland, 27-17; Tennessee lost to Cincinnati, 35-6.

If the Titans front office didn't think free agent to-be Albert Haynesworth wasn't the most valuable player of their defense, the last 3 weeks should persuade them. The Titans have lost all 3 games, and the mammoth defensive tackle has been sorely missed. Haynesworth returns this week, and could give the team a big boost. Tennessee still has a shot at a wild card spot, but a win this week is crucial. The Texans have had a respectable season, but I just think the Titans are due for a great all-around performance.

Who will win: Tennessee (12)

Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3, 4-1 on the road) at Indianapolis Colts (9-2, 4-1 at home)
Last Week: Jacksonville beat Buffalo, 36-14; Indianapolis beat Atlanta, 31-13.

Everyone seems to think the Jaguars always have the Colts number. That's not really the case. Since coach Jack Del Rio took over in 2003, the Jags are only 3-6 against the Colts. They always seem to slow down Peyton Manning's offense - they just never stop him. Jacksonville used to be able to count on running the ball on the Colts, but Indianapolis has shored up their run defense. In the friendly confines of the RCA Dome, and with a well-rested team, Indianapolis could dominate like they haven't since early in the season.

Who will win: Indianapolis (11)

Buffalo Bills (5-6, 2-3 on the road) at Washington Redskins (5-6, 3-2 at home)
Last Week: Buffalo lost to Jacksonville, 36-14; Washington lost to Tampa Bay, 19-13.

Buffalo made the quarterback switch from JP Losman to Trent Edwards. To quote a comedian from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour: "that's like putting a new chandelier up in an old haunted house". *drum hit* thank you, thank you. All lame jokes aside, the Bills offense have no explosion. When your best receiver - Lee Evans - doesn't catch a pass until the final minute of a game, you know you have problems. The Redskins will be playing at the end of a long, emotional week, as the team dealt with the murder of safety Sean Taylor. One of two things can happen: the team can be wiped out, and have nothing in the tank, OR they could play their best game of the season. I'm betting on the latter.

Who will win: Washington (13)

San Diego Chargers (6-5, 1-4 on the road) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-7, 2-4 at home)
Last Week: San Diego beat Baltimore, 32-14; Kansas City lost to Oakland, 20-17.

San Diego is back to it's 2005 form: a team with loads of talent that can look great one week, and woeful the next. It seems like they are destined for another underachieving season. Then again, the Chiefs are a ripe target. Kansas City is down to their 3rd string running back, and their fabled home field advantage is a thing of the past. San Diego needs this game much more than the Chiefs do, and I expect the outcome to show that.

Who will win: San Diego (9)

San Francisco 49ers (3-8, 2-4 on the road) at Carolina Panthers (4-7, 0-5 at home)
Last Week: San Francisco beat Arizona, 37-31; Carolina lost to New Orleans, 31-6.

San Francisco won for the first time since Week 2 last Sunday. The offense bay area fans were expecting finally showed up. Too bad they waited until Week 12. Don't be surprised to see the 49ers go into tank mode so they can try to get a higher pick in next April's draft. The Panthers are dreadful, just DREADFUL. Unfortunately, I'm going to keep picking them to win at home until they get off the snide. Here's hoping this is the week.

Who will win: Carolina (3)

Atlanta Falcons (3-8, 1-4 on the road) at St Louis Rams (2-9, 0-5 at home)
Last Week: Atlanta lost to Indianapolis, 31-13; St Louis lost to Seattle, 24-19.

Atlanta got fans at the Georgia Dome very excited on Thanksgiving night, as they built a 10 point lead. Then, they remembered they were the Atlanta Falcons, and stumbled miserably. I can't think of anything interesting to say about this game. St Louis is too talented of a team to be 0-5 at home. They could be riding a 3-game winning streak, if not for a fumbled snap at the end of the 4th quarter last week. St Louis is the better team. 'Nuff said.

Who will win: St Louis (7)

4 PM Games

Cleveland Browns (7-4, 2-3 on the road) at Arizona Cardinals (5-6, 3-2 at home)
Last Week: Cleveland beat Houston, 27-17; Arizona lost to San Francisco, 37-31.

As long as they don't completely self-destruct, the Browns will make the playoffs. This game could still be a challenge, however, as Arizona has the weapons to expose the Browns' biggest weakness - their pass defense. Yes, the Browns are winning football games, but they have had a hard time against good passing offenses. The Cardinals certainly fall into that category, as QB Kurt Warner has been playing very well, and three wide receivers - Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Bryant Johnson - are all talented. Still, I can't see the Browns losing this 'trap game'.

Who will win: Cleveland (6)

Denver Broncos (5-6, 2-3 on the road) at Oakland Raiders (3-8, 1-4 on the road)
Last Week: Denver lost to Chicago, 37-34; Oakland beat Kansas City, 20-17.

Denver should be 6-5, but they decided it would be a good idea to kick to Bears' return ace Devin Hester. 2 touchdowns later, it's obvious that may have been the second worse decision of the 2007 NFL season, followed by Dallas coach Wade Phillips' decision to force Tom Brady to beat him. Thankfully, Denver had coach Mike Shanahan to point out everyone else's mistakes, because he clearly didn't make any. All that aside, Denver should bounce back this weekend vs the lowly Raiders. Look for QB Jay Cutler to shred a weak Oakland secondary.

Who will win: Denver (14)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-4, 2-3 on the road) at New Orleans Saints (5-6, 2-3 at home)
Last Week: Tampa Bay beat Washington, 19-13; New Orleans beat Carolina, 31-6.

Winning in the NFL isn't supposed to be particularly easy, but Tampa Bay makes it look excruciatingly difficult. It will get harder if QB Jeff Garcia - a game time decision - is unable to suit up. Tampa has big play receiver Joey Galloway, but can back up quarterback Bruce Gradkowski get him the ball deep down field? Doubtful. The Saints defense is notorious for giving up big plays, so that aspect can not be overlooked. New Orleans needs this game desperately if they want to stay in playoff contention. I'd look for coach Sean Payton to develop a great game plan, and the Saints will be able to do just enough to take this one. Plus, they're playing at home.

Who will win: New Orleans (2)

New York Giants (7-4, 4-1 on the road) at Chicago Bears (5-6, 2-3 at home)
Last Week: New York lost to Minnesota, 41-17; Chicago beat Denver, 37-34.

The Giants are officially in the midst of their annual second half collapse. The bad Eli Manning showed up last Sunday, and the G-Men were blown out. New York definitely has the talent to reverse previous trends, though they are dealing with injuries. The Bears have Devin Hester to thank for their remarkable comeback win last Sunday. The Bears are a shell of their 2006 selves, and they will not be able to harass Manning into mistakes like the Vikings.

Who will win: New York (10)

Sunday Night Game

Cincinnati Bengals (4-7, 1-4 on the road) at Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3, 6-0 at home)
Last Week: Cincinnati beat Tennessee, 35-6; Pittsburgh beat Miami, 3-0.

The Bengals finally got the offensive output they had been waiting for last Sunday. The defense actually showed up too, which was nice. The Steelers' pressure will be overwhelming, however, and won't allow Bengals QB Carson Palmer to get into any sort of a rhythm. It's another prime time game at home for Pittsburgh - you have to like their chances.

Who will win: Pittsburgh (15)

Monday Night Game

New England Patriots (11-0, 6-0 on the road) at Baltimore Ravens (4-7, 3-2 at home)
Last Week: New England beat Philadelphia, 31-28; Baltimore lost to San Diego, 32-14.

The Patriots survived their biggest scare of the 2007 season last Sunday. You can't beat everyone by three touchdowns, right? The Patriots CAN definitely beat Baltimore by three scores. Forget about Baltimore having a lot of 'proud veterans'. They haven't played well defensively vs a decent offense yet. Why would that start now? Even if they do play their best defense of the season, the Ravens are going to have to rely on QB Kyle Boller to direct them to a victory. Baltimore may keep it close for a few quarters, but the Patriots should ultimately cover the spread.

Who will win: New England (16)