Peter King > WEEKEND PICKOFF

Thomas Davis one week, Jordan Gross the next. Two of the Panthers' 10 most important players are gone for the year. "We can't take another one,'' said Panthers coach John Fox. The one things he's fairly sure Carolina can do is run the ball, which is a good thing -- Miami's one of the best run-defense teams in the league. By the way, you'll be in bed on time. This game ought to be a two-hour, 50-minute job. Run, run, run.

Preview not available yet.

This strikes me as a 37-minute-possession game for the Colts, with Peyton Manning moving it at will with the Ravens' injuries on defense and their weak corners.

Posted: Wednesday November, 2009 11:05PM, Updated: Wednesday November, 2009 11:05PM

The Indianapolis Colts haven't lost in nearly 13 months, and Peyton Manning kept it that way by capitalizing on a controversial decision by the team's last opponent.

One of two remaining unbeaten teams in the NFL, the Colts will try to extend their overall winning streak to 19 games Sunday when they visit the Baltimore Ravens.

Indianapolis is 9-0 for the third time in five years, and its 18-game winning streak dating to a loss at Tennessee on Oct. 27, 2008, is three shy of New England's mark for the longest in league history.

Manning made certain the Colts' streak continued last Sunday night, connecting with wide receiver Reggie Wayne on a 1-yard TD pass with 13 seconds to play to clinch a 35-34 win over the Patriots.

The dramatic four-play, 29-yard drive came after Patriots coach Bill Belichick elected to go for it on 4th-and-2 from their own 28 with 2:08 remaining, only to have Tom Brady's pass to running back Kevin Faulk come a yard short.

"It is a huge win," Manning said. "The main reason is it's an AFC team. Teams in our division are winning. That's what we are trying to do, stay ahead of those teams."

The Colts lead the AFC South by four games over Jacksonville and Houston, which are tied for second place. They hold a two-game edge on Cincinnati in the race for home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs.

Tied with New Orleans as the only remaining unbeaten teams in the league, Indianapolis has reached this point in two of the previous four seasons with mixed results.

The Colts won their first nine games of 2006, en route to their second Super Bowl title. That came a season after they went 13-0 before losing two of their last three and falling to Pittsburgh in the divisional playoffs.

More than half of the players on this year's roster weren't around in 2006, so first-year coach Jim Caldwell and the veterans are trying to prepare the youngsters for the challenges ahead.

"For the older guys, they've been through this before," Caldwell said. "But our young guys are catching on pretty quickly. I think they've learned their lesson.

"We can't be in any better spot, that's a given. But the fact of the matter is there's still a lot of work to be done. If you take a peek in the rearview mirror, there are some teams behind us but not very far behind us, in our division even."

Manning continues to be a major part of Indianapolis' success. The three-time NFL MVP leads the league in completion percentage (69.7), passing yards (2,872) and touchdowns (20), while ranking third in passer rating (104.2).

Manning has also been sacked just eight times, and he won't have to contend with Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, who could be out for up to three weeks with a knee injury. The linebacker, second in team history with 56 1/2 sacks, was hurt on an illegal chop block by quarterback Brady Quinn following an interception during Monday night's 16-0 win at Cleveland.

Quinn was fined an undisclosed amount and apologized.

Manning has led the Colts to five consecutive wins over Baltimore (5-4), with two coming on the road. He threw three TD passes in a 31-3 victory at home on Oct. 12, 2008.

The Ravens have held opponents to an average of 158.3 passing yards over their last three games, including a season-low 99 against the Browns. They've also given up only one touchdown pass in that span, winning twice following a three-game slide.

To complement its defense, Baltimore could use some increased production from quarterback Joe Flacco, who struggled against Indianapolis as a rookie last season. He was 28 for 38 for 241 yards but threw three interceptions and no touchdowns.

Flacco completed 13 of 18 passes for 155 yards Monday after going 18 for 32 for 195 yards in a 17-7 loss to the Bengals in Week 9. He has a 66.3 passer rating over those two games after averaging 264.1 yards with 12 TDs, five picks and a 95.6 rating in his first seven.

While Flacco tries to regain that form, Ravens coach John Harbaugh hopes the team has resolved its issues at kicker after signing Billy Cundiff on Wednesday.

Cundiff, a six-year veteran, replaces Steve Hauschka, who was cut Tuesday after missing several important field goal tries - including a potential game-winner in Minnesota last month.

The pressure might be on Cundiff immediately, as Matt Stover returns to Baltimore for the first time since leaving the Ravens and signing with Indianapolis last month following an injury to Adam Vinatieri.

Stover, the Ravens' all-time leader with 1,464 points and fifth all-time with 1,975, played with the Browns before they relocated to Baltimore in 1996. His contract expired following the 2008 season, and the Ravens did not re-sign him.

Stover has made all six field goal attempts and all 13 extra points in four games with the Colts.

"I guarantee you one thing: It would be nice to have Matt Stover kicking for us right now. It just didn't work out," Harbaugh said. "We had a plan all along to bring him back if we needed him, and then the Colts signed him. And there he sits, kicking for the Colts against the Ravens. It's pretty juicy. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens."

I'm thinking of suggesting to Todd Haley that he try yoga for an hour before kickoff Sunday. Something, anything, to try to keep his head from exploding.

Posted: Friday November, 2009 03:39PM, Updated: Friday November, 2009 03:39PM

The Pittsburgh Steelers saw their high-flying offense hit a big stumbling block in their latest game, but have reason to believe it will bounce back at Arrowhead Stadium.

Pittsburgh tries to get its offense recharged Sunday by taking advantage of the lowly Kansas City Chiefs, who look to win consecutive games for the first time in more than two years.

The Steelers (6-3) had the NFL's fifth-ranked offense (403.7 yards per game) through six weeks, with Ben Roethlisberger's passing attack averaging 315.5 yards - second behind Indianapolis. The next two weeks saw Pittsburgh's rushing game take over, averaging 140.0 yards behind the emerging Rashard Mendenhall in wins over Minnesota and Denver.

But neither the ground attack nor Roethlisberger could get untracked last Sunday, when the Steelers failed to score a touchdown in an 18-12 home loss to Cincinnati. They were limited to a season-low 226 total yards and held under 27 points for the first time since Week 3, giving the Bengals a one-game lead in the NFC North and a season sweep of the Super Bowl champions.

"There was just something missing all day, I don't know what it was," said Roethlisberger, who was 20 of 40 for 174 yards and an interception. "We weren't good in the red zone, we weren't good in the run, we weren't good in the pass. ... It hurts. But how can we rebound now?"

Visiting Kansas City (2-7) could be a good way to do it. The Chiefs have allowed averages of 443.3 yards and 30.0 points in losing their last three at Arrowhead, and they are 0-4 at home for the first time since opening 0-6 in 1976.

They've given up an average of 152.3 rushing yards in the last six games overall, and that bodes well for Mendenhall after he was held to 36 yards on 13 carries last week.

However, perhaps the Steelers' two biggest problems against Cincinnati had nothing to do with their lackluster offense.

Troy Polamalu left with an injury to his left knee in his fourth game back after previously missing four games with an MCL sprain in that knee. While this injury wasn't initially considered as serious, the All-Pro safety was ruled out of this game Friday by coach Mike Tomlin.

Defensive end Travis Kirschke will miss his third consecutive game due to a torn left calf muscle.

The Steelers also need to shore up their special teams, which allowed a kick return for a touchdown for the third time in four games. It was the seventh straight they allowed a TD via defense or special teams.

Pittsburgh's defense has allowed a league-low 11 touchdowns, but a season after having the league's best kickoff coverage unit (19.1 yards per return), it's 29th (25.9 ypr) in 2009.

"They're all head-scratchers. ... It's detail, it's about shedding blocks and making tackles and being schematically sound," Tomlin said. "We're in the process of looking at all elements of that unit."

No team has allowed four kickoff returns for TDs in a season since the 1998 Vikings. The Chiefs haven't had one since Dante Hall did it in 2005.

Kansas City was happy to get any sort of touchdown in Oakland last Sunday. Jamaal Charles had a 44-yard TD - the Chiefs' first on the ground this season - in a 16-10 victory, less than a week after Larry Johnson was released.

"We talked about that before the game, that one of the running backs had to go and make something happen," said Charles, who rushed for 103 yards. "It turned out to be me, and I'm blessed to be in that position."

Kansas City hasn't won back-to-back games since Oct. 14-21, 2007.

The positive feelings from the win in Oakland were dimmed Tuesday, when leading receiver Dwayne Bowe was suspended four games for violating the NFL's policy against performance-enhancing substances. Bowe, who had 466 yards and four touchdowns, took a diuretic for weight loss, according to his agent.

"It's no different than injuries," coach Todd Haley said. "When somebody goes down, somebody has to step up and that's all part of the process of us becoming a good team."

Haley has ties to Pittsburgh - he was a ball boy for the Steelers when his father, Dick, was their director of player personnel and the architect of four Super Bowl winners in the 1970s.

He also was Arizona's offensive coordinator last season, when the Cardinals scored 16 fourth-quarter points before Pittsburgh rallied to win its sixth championship, 27-23.

"I know the Super Bowl was a surreal experience, having to play of all the teams, the Steelers," Haley said. "Now we get to play them again and I'm just looking forward to the challenge."

The Chiefs and Steelers haven't met in Kansas City since 2003. Roethlisberger was 16 of 19 for 238 yards and two TDs in a 45-7 win in Pittsburgh in 2006.

The more I see of the 49ers, the more I like them long-term. I just like them in 2010, not 2009. And I may like them more with a developable quarterback in the April draft.

Posted: Wednesday November, 2009 09:59PM, Updated: Wednesday November, 2009 09:59PM

Looking for a spark in the second half of the season, the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers have been rejuvenated after recording much-needed victories last week.

Both teams look to build on that momentum while the Packers try for an eighth consecutive victory over the 49ers on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

While Green Bay (5-4) avoided a third straight loss with an aggressive defensive effort in a 17-7 win over Dallas last Sunday, San Francisco benefited from five Jay Cutler interceptions and snapped a four-game losing streak with a 10-6 win over Chicago on Nov. 12.

"It was a big relief,'' 49ers tight end Vernon Davis said. "It's truly a blessing to be able to get this. We just have to keep winning.''

The victory helped keep the 49ers (4-5) in the NFC playoff mix, one game behind the Packers, who moved into a four-way tie with Philadelphia, New York and Atlanta for the two wild card spots.

"(It) won't mean anything if we don't win (this) week,'' said Packers cornerback Charles Woodson, who forced two fumbles and had an interception against the Cowboys. "It could be fun the rest of the season. But it could also be tough if we don't do what we need to do.''

What Green Bay will try to do is continue its success over San Francisco, which hasn't beaten the Packers since a 24-20 win at Lambeau on Nov. 4, 1990.

After this contest, the Packers have a winnable game at Detroit on Thanksgiving before facing a difficult stretch against Baltimore followed by games at Chicago and Pittsburgh.

It was Green Bay's defense - ranked fourth in league allowing 282.3 yards per game - that made the difference against Dallas. The Packers sacked Tony Romo five times and allowed the Cowboys to convert only three of 12 third-down chances while holding them to 283 yards and a late fourth-quarter touchdown.

Green Bay, allowing 19.9 points per contest, had given up 76 points total in losing their previous two games to Tampa Bay and Minnesota after yielding a field goal in blowout wins over Cleveland and Detroit.

"It's well-documented what's gone on the last two weeks," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. "We were able to learn from that, carry it forward to our game (last weekend), and we need to take that forward to San Francisco.''

The Packers have a chance for another solid defensive effort against the 49ers, who rank 27th in total offense (277.9 yards per game) and 21st in scoring (20.4 points).

Green Bay's defense should get a boost with the expected return of linebacker Aaron Kampman, who sat out last weekend from the effects of a concussion.

Offensively, the Packers still need to do a better job of protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He was 25 of 36 for 189 yards and a touchdown, but was sacked four times by the Cowboys. Green Bay has a allowed a league-high 41 sacks.

It's uncertain if a knee injury will again keep veteran offensive tackle Mark Tauscher out of the lineup Sunday. McCarthy, however, felt rookie T.J. Lang played well in Tauscher's place last weekend.

Rodgers, who had thrown at least two TDs in six straight games before last week, faces a San Francisco defense which also was the difference in its latest victory.

After failing to force a turnover in their previous two games, the 49ers' recorded a season high with the five interceptions and held the Bears to 43 yards rushing.

Despite throwing for 118 yards, Alex Smith won for the first time in eight starts dating to a 17-16 win over St. Louis on Sept. 16, 2007. Frank Gore rushed 25 times for 104 yards and the game's only touchdown during his second 100-yard game of the season.

After rushing for more than 1,000 yards each of the last three seasons, Gore has gained 551 this season and scored in three straight contests.

Gore ran for 130 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries in a San Francisco's 30-19 loss to Green Bay in the teams' most recent meeting on Dec. 10, 2006.

The Vikings could go 14-2 and play the NFC Championship Game on the road. Weird year in the NFC.

Posted: Thursday November, 2009 12:55AM, Updated: Thursday November, 2009 12:55AM

Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre have helped make the Minnesota Vikings one of the top teams in the NFL, but a sloppy victory has them looking to make adjustments. The Seattle Seahawks, meanwhile, are feeling encouraged despite fading in the NFC West race.

The Vikings will try to be more efficient Sunday when they host the Seahawks for the first time in nearly five years.

Minnesota (8-1) is atop the NFC North with a three-game lead over second-place Green Bay, and just one game behind unbeaten New Orleans in the race for home-field advantage in the conference playoffs.

That success has been partly due to Peterson and Favre as the Vikings have scored 271 points, ranking only behind the Saints' 331.

Peterson is second in the NFL with 917 rushing yards and 11 TDs, while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. However, he fumbled twice and the Vikings committed a season-high 13 penalties in a 27-10 win over Detroit last week.

Minnesota, which has 10 turnovers all season to rank among the league leaders, pulled away with 10 fourth-quarter points.

"We bounced back pretty well, but we can't have that," said Peterson, who finished with 133 yards and two TDs on 18 carries. "To get the things that we want to accomplish, we have to make sure that we scratch those things out. Penalties, things we can control."

Favre is looking to continue his superb play since coming out of retirement again to join the Vikings. The future Hall of Famer leads the NFL with a 107.5 passer rating, while ranking third in completion percentage (68.1). He's also thrown 17 touchdowns with three interceptions - down from a season-high 22 last season with the New York Jets.

Favre passed for a season-high 344 yards against the Lions and Minnesota racked up 492 yards of total offense. Sidney Rice, who has emerged as Favre's top target, caught seven balls for a career-high 201 yards.

But one area of concern for the Vikings could be their recent slow starts. They've totaled 10 points during the first quarters of the last three games after getting 14 in each of the previous two.

"To be a great team, we have to come out from the jump and play all four quarters," rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin said. "We're doing some great things, but we haven't reached our peak yet."

The Vikings haven't faced the Seahawks since a 31-13 win at Seattle on Oct. 22, 2006. They haven't hosted them since falling 27-23 on Dec. 12, 2004.

The Seahawks (3-6) appear to be gaining confidence despite losing 18 of their last 25 regular-season games.

Some optimism might be understandable, as Seattle accumulated a season-high 472 yards only to see its three-point fourth-quarter lead evaporate while giving up two fourth-quarter touchdowns in last week's 31-20 loss at Arizona.

That dropped the Seahawks three games behind of the first-place Cardinals in the West race and Arizona owns the tiebreaker by sweeping the season series.

Still, It also prompted a bold prediction from outspoken star receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who told first-year coach Jim Mora, "We're not losing another game."

Houshmandzadeh has reason to feel optimistic, getting season highs with nine catches and 165 receiving against the Cardinals. He had 169 yards with three touchdowns on 19 receptions over the previous four games.

"I'd rather hear that than, 'Oh God, what are we going to do? How are we going to win?'" Mora said of Houshmandzadeh's prediction. "You can call it false enthusiasm, false confidence, but it's certainly the mindset you want your team to have."

Seattle will try to carry that attitude on the road, where it's lost five in a row since beating St. Louis on Dec. 14. The Seahawks are 2-12 in their last 14 games as the visitor.

Still, Mora remains outwardly optimistic, and thinks his players still believe it's possible to achieve their goal of returning to the postseason after a one-year absence.

"From their reaction I got in the locker room (Sunday), I do," Mora said. "There's hope. Disappointment, but (we are) somewhat encouraged."

Matt Hasselbeck continues to play through broken ribs and a sore shoulder. The quarterback completed 26 of 52 passes for 315 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions last week after throwing for a season-high 329 yards with a score and a pick in a 32-30 win over Detroit on Nov. 8.

It doesn't appear the Seahawks will have running back Julius Jones, the team leader with 392 rushing yards and two touchdowns, after he suffered a bruised lung last week.

"At this point, I would say it would be unlikely that he would be cleared to play on Sunday," said Mora, adding that Justin Forsett and Louis Rankin will get more carries over the next few weeks.

Matt "Sophomore Slump'' Ryan's a 55 percent passer with 10 interceptions in his past five games. Playing at the bye-rested Giants, where I presume Tom Coughlin has been playing some version of the must-win song all week, is not the way for an embattled young quarterback to get well.

Posted: Friday November, 2009 09:30PM, Updated: Friday November, 2009 09:30PM

New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin gave his team four days off during its bye week. It's time to find out if the once-mighty Giants can respond and save what seemed like a promising season.

The Giants look to end their four-game slide Sunday when they host the Atlanta Falcons, who could be without top rusher Michael Turner.

New York looked dominant during a 5-0 start but hasn't won since. The Giants (5-4) were in good position to break through in their last game before allowing San Diego to drive 80 yards in the final 2 minutes for the winning touchdown in a 21-20 loss two weeks ago.

Coughlin, once known as one of the league's toughest disciplinarians, gave New York some extra time off hoping it can take the pressure off his club entering its final seven games.

"That was the purpose, obviously, and they should certainly have done that," he said. "Before they left we told them to have a good vacation and spend some time with their families, relax and get away from football, get away from the routine."

On Friday, though, New York learned linebacker and defensive captain Antonio Pierce will be out indefinitely after an MRI revealed a bulging disc in his neck. Pierce, who leads the Giants with 40 tackles and 15 assists, originally sustained a burner in a 24-17 loss to Arizona on Oct. 25, but had very little discomfort until practice this week.

New York got plenty of help during the bye as the teams above it in the NFC East - Dallas and Philadelphia - both lost. The Giants are in a second-place tie with the Eagles, one game behind the Cowboys.

"We knew we weren't in an awful situation," quarterback Eli Manning said. "It's not exactly where we wanted to be, but we knew that there were still a lot of games left, a lot of season and if we went out and handled our business and play well, got hot again and got back to winning some games, we would be very much into the playoff hunt."

The Giants got another break last Sunday when Atlanta (5-4) - a team in contention for a wild card - fell 28-19 at Carolina and suffered a bigger loss on the field. Turner, seventh in the NFL with 831 yards, sprained his right ankle and is in a walking boot.

Turner carried nine times for 111 yards last week and has amassed 428 over the last three. The Falcons are being coy about his status, calling it day to day.

"He is working extremely hard," coach Mike Smith said. "He did injure his ankle in the ballgame last week and wasn't able to finish it. But he is working extremely hard to get back as quick as possible."

Jason Snelling could start in place of Turner after he had 61 yards on 18 carries last week.

"Whether or not Michael Turner plays or not, they have a style," Coughlin said. "They play the game a certain way. They do rush the football very well."

The visiting team has won the last 12 meetings in this series, with Atlanta taking five straight at Giants Stadium. New York won 31-10 in the last matchup two seasons ago.

For the Falcons to continue their mastery in the Meadowlands, they will likely need Matt Ryan to play much better. Ryan has 12 interceptions - surpassing his total by one from his 2008 rookie season - with eight in his last four games.

"We know that Matt has got to play better," Smith said. "He knows that he has got to play better. But there is a learning curve and it is not something that happens in a very short time."

The defense Ryan will face is ranked No. 1 in the NFL despite allowing some big plays during the losing streak. That unit appears to be at its healthiest, with the possibility that cornerback Aaron Ross will make his season debut.

Linebacker Michael Boley returned in the San Diego game after missing the previous four due to knee surgery. Boley was signed as a free agent after spending the last four seasons with the Falcons, who drafted him in 2005.

The Falcons own the seventh-worst rushing defense in the league, but the Giants' normally vaunted ground game has been sporadic despite ranking seventh. Brandon Jacobs has yet to record a 100-yard effort and Ahmad Bradshaw's production is down to 35.0 yards per game during the skid compared to 75.0 in the 5-0 start.

Don't ask me how the Browns are going to score 13. I have no idea. I think Eric Mangini's going to go to the Bank of the NFL, beads of sweat dotting his forehead, and throw himself on the mercy of the loan officer and say, "Give you five years off the back end of the my life if you let us score in the teens Sunday.''

Posted: Friday November, 2009 04:47PM, Updated: Friday November, 2009 04:47PM

The Detroit Lions have allowed more points than any other team this season after nearly setting a modern era record for defensive ineptitude during their winless 2008.

Keeping the Cleveland Browns out of the end zone hasn't been much of a challenge for anyone.

The Browns are threatening to set a new mark for offensive futility after a shutout loss, and the Lions will try to become the latest defense to take advantage Sunday at Ford Field in a matchup of one-win last-place teams.

Detroit (1-8) surrendered an average of 32.3 points during its 0-16 season, one point per game fewer than the 1981 Baltimore Colts for the Super Bowl era record for defensive incompetence.

The Lions are again on pace to allow the most points in the NFL, yielding 29.3 per game after a 27-10 loss to Minnesota last Sunday, but their defensive assignment this week is far easier.

Cleveland (1-8) has scored five offensive touchdowns this season after failing to find the end zone in its final six games of 2008. The Browns wasted a solid effort from their own much-maligned defense in a 16-0 loss to Baltimore on Monday night.

"We couldn't protect well enough, we couldn't sustain drives well enough and we just missed some opportunities," coach Eric Mangini said after his offense failed to cross the Ravens' 45-yard-line. "It's disappointing."

Mangini gave Brady Quinn his first start since Sept. 27 after Derek Anderson averaged 80.0 yards passing and a 25.1 quarterback rating in his last four games, but Quinn didn't fare any better. The former first-round pick was 13 of 31 for 99 yards and two interceptions.

Cleveland's quarterbacks have thrown three touchdowns and 28 interceptions as the team has gone 1-14 since Nov. 23, 2008.

The Browns are averaging 8.7 points, on pace for the third-worst average in the modern era. The 1977 Buccaneers averaged 7.4 and the '74 Falcons 7.9, but those came in 14-game schedules. The '92 Seahawks have the lowest average in a 16-game season - 8.8.

That futility has Mangini looking for help anywhere he can find it. A day after Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James - an all-state wide receiver in high school - said he could be a good football player if he committed to it, Mangini welcomed the idea.

"I think he should come on down," Mangini said.

The '77 Bucs also hold the record for the fewest touchdowns with 11.

Cleveland should have Josh Cribbs in the lineup Sunday, as the Pro Bowl returner said Friday that he expects to play. Cribbs, who has returned a punt and a kick for TDs this season, was briefly hospitalized with a possible neck injury and concussion after being injured on the final play of the loss to Baltimore.

Cleveland is last in the league in total defense, allowing 394.1 yards per game despite the presence of nose tackle Shaun Rogers, who returns to Detroit after spending his first seven seasons with the Lions.

Detroit's defense gives up 386.2 yards per game to rank 31st and was gouged for 492 last Sunday despite forcing two turnovers for the third time in four games.

"You see the progress and see that we're improving," linebacker Julian Peterson said. "We just can't get over that extra hump."

Matthew Stafford threw for 224 yards and a touchdown and was far better than he'd been in the past two weeks, when he threw six interceptions. Still, the rookie often had little time to throw and was sacked three times.

"Matt's a tough player, and yes, he battled like crazy in that game," said coach Jim Schwartz, an assistant with Mangini in Baltimore in 1996 and a scout for Cleveland when Mangini was an intern.

"The whole team battled, but that's not enough. It's about production. It's about the score on the scoreboard. I don't want to give people gold stars for someone playing tough."

Stafford's struggles and Detroit's protection issues also have severely limited Calvin Johnson's production. Tied for the league lead with 12 touchdown receptions last season, Johnson has one TD in 2009, though that's one more than Cleveland's wideouts.

The Browns haven't visited Detroit since 1995 and haven't won there since 1983.

Detroit will be trying to avoid becoming the first team to lose 32 times in 34 games Sunday.

The Mike Shanahan Bowl (loser's one step closer to the well-tanned one) won't be much of a contest unless Tony Romo allows it to be one. I say he shrugs off The Nightmare on Lombardi Avenue and finds Miles Austin for a pair of TDs.

Posted: Thursday November, 2009 04:49PM, Updated: Thursday November, 2009 04:49PM

While the first-place Dallas Cowboys have major aspirations and the last-place Washington Redskins continue to have questions, none of that matters to the participants in one of the league's fiercest rivalries.

Dallas and Washington meet for the first time at the new Cowboys Stadium on Sunday, with the Cowboys looking to maintain their division lead and the Redskins entering off a rare victory.

The fact that Dallas (6-3) is on top of the NFC East and Washington (3-6) is at the bottom doesn't seem to matter, especially since the Redskins have won five of the last eight meetings. Washington angered many Dallas fans with its 26-24 win last year in its final visit to Texas Stadium.

"Regardless of who it is, what better team to get one on and that's Dallas," Redskins receiver Santana Moss said. "And so it makes that week special regardless of what the situation is, as far as the lineup or what we're going through."

The Cowboys had a four-game win streak snapped with last week's 17-7 loss at Green Bay. They're one game ahead of Philadelphia and New York in the East, and this game is crucial because of division tiebreaker ramifications.

"Nobody really cares about the records and we always want to beat each other," Dallas guard Leonard Davis said. "It's just the NFC East and every divisional game is important."

This edition of the rivalry provides the first meeting between Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth and Cowboys center Andre Gurode since Gurode was cleated in the face by the then-Titans tackle three years ago.

Haynesworth publicly apologized to Gurode days after the incident that drew him a five-game suspension and says the two have seen each other at the Pro Bowl the last two years. Haynesworth says the two "are cool."

Dallas needed a last-minute touchdown pass from Tony Romo to Roy Williams last week to avoid its first shutout since Nov. 16, 2003. The Cowboys had a season-low 61 yards rushing.

"You can fight hard and play hard, but you've got to execute," coach Wade Phillips said. "We went all the way down the field late in the game, but we needed to do that early in the game."

Romo will be facing the top-ranked passing defense in the league as well as one of the NFL's most improved pass rushes. The Redskins had 24 sacks last season to tie for the third-worst mark in the league, and have already matched that total.

Linebacker Brian Orakpo, the No. 13 overall draft pick, leads all rookies with seven sacks and veteran Andre Carter has eight. Last season, the Redskins failed to sack Romo.

"Last year I felt we had some QBs feel very comfortable in the pocket," coach Jim Zorn said. "And this year we are making quarterbacks uncomfortable in the pocket."

That pass rush could be even more potent with Doug Free expected to make his first career start Sunday at right tackle for Dallas in place of Mark Colombo, who had started 57 consecutive games. Colombo had surgery after he broke his left leg and suffered ligament damage in his ankle against Green Bay.

The Cowboys considered moving Davis to tackle but opted to keep the Pro Bowl guard at his regular spot.

Washington won't have Clinton Portis available for the second straight game. Portis suffered a concussion in a loss at Atlanta on Nov. 8 and had his streak of 40 straight starts end in last Sunday's 27-17 win over Denver.

Ladell Betts replaced Portis last weekend and was outstanding, rushing for 114 yards on 26 carries and one touchdown. He has started once against Dallas.

"It's intense. Everything is a little bit more magnified as far as assignments and techniques," Betts said. "Because this means a lot to this city and this whole area. So we're going to try to get a 'W' for everybody around."

Moss has excelled in past meetings with Dallas, amassing at least 115 receiving yards four times in his last seven games. He's topped that figure twice in his last 21 games overall and has two touchdowns this season.

Josh Freeman is going to have some very good games this season, I can see this being one of them. With the Saints' secondary ravaged by injuries, I say Freeman pushes this game to the brink at home.

Posted: Saturday November, 2009 12:51PM, Updated: Saturday November, 2009 12:51PM

Injuries have started to pile up for the New Orleans Saints' defense, and their offense has had trouble taking care of the ball.

Those factors, along with some recent close calls and their struggles of late against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, make Sunday's matchup far from a sure thing for the Saints even though they're facing one of the league's worst teams.

New Orleans (9-0) will be missing at least one and perhaps three defensive starters - defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis is out with a knee injury, while cornerback Jabari Greer (groin) and cornerback Tracy Porter (left knee) are questionable.

Safety Darren Sharper, however, may return after missing last Sunday's 28-23 win at St. Louis with a left knee injury. Plus, the Saints signed former Pro Bowl cornerback Chris McAlister on Wednesday after losing Porter against the Rams.

Even with those defensive starters playing, the Saints nearly ended their perfect run against an equally meek opponent as the Bucs (1-8).

The Rams cut an 11-point deficit to five with 2:44 remaining, and got the ball back 23 seconds later. That drive ended at New Orleans' 32-yard line with a fourth-down incompletion in the end zone as time expired.

"I was proud we responded with both corners being out for a good portion of that game. Obviously our defensive tackle, Darren Sharper, our safety - we overcame some things against a team that was coming off a bye and a win," coach Sean Payton said. "We can play better football, yet I think the team we played is getting better."

The Saints committed three turnovers, giving them 13 in the last four games.

Drew Brees has seven interceptions and three fumbles in that span as New Orleans has survived some close calls. The Saints overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win at Miami and struggled to win two home games - they led by four for much of the final quarter against Atlanta and were tied until 4:36 to play against Carolina - before holding off the Rams.

"We're not content with where we're at, and we're certainly not content with the way we've played these last few weeks," said Brees, tied for second in the NFL with 19 touchdown passes. "We need to close the game out when we're given the opportunity."

The Saints now go for the longest winning streak in franchise history as they visit Tampa, where they have lost three of their last four visits.

In New Orleans' previous trip Nov. 30, Brees was intercepted three times, including twice in the final three minutes, as the Buccaneers pulled out a 23-20 victory.

It was the Saints' third loss in their last four games overall against Tampa Bay, which has held Brees below 300 yards in each victory. The Bucs have won seven of 11 in the series, and only one of the Saints' last 10 wins over Tampa Bay was decided by more than a touchdown.

New Orleans will be without running back Reggie Bush, who missed two practices this week as the team tries to rest his surgically repaired left knee and did not travel with the team to Tampa Bay.

Additionally, New Orleans is facing a Tampa Bay team that's made strides since losing its first seven games by an average of 15.3 points.

The Buccaneers (1-8) barely missed back-to-back victories after rallying from a 13-point deficit last week at Miami. They took the lead on Carnell Williams' 1-yard run with 1:14 left but lost 25-23 on a field goal with 10 seconds remaining.

Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris will face the Saints for the first time as will quarterback Josh Freeman, the 17th overall pick in this year's draft.

In his first career start Nov. 8 against Green Bay, Freeman led Tampa Bay's comeback in a 38-28 victory with two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. He threw another one in the fourth last week and finished 16 of 28 for 196 yards.

"When you see Josh go out and have two comebacks like he did, that's a lift," Morris said. "You see the defense starting to get better ... You do feel this team starting to get stronger."

Somehow, I don't think the Bills players are going to huddle up before kickoff and go, "One-two-three! Win one for Perry!''

Posted: Thursday November, 2009 03:04PM, Updated: Thursday November, 2009 03:04PM

A controversial call by Jack Del Rio may have saved the Jacksonville Jaguars' season. Dick Jauron just couldn't get enough of his decisions to work out with the Buffalo Bills.

The Jaguars look to win three straight for the first time in nearly two years Sunday as they host a Bills team in disarray following the firing of Jauron.

At a critical point in its season last Sunday, Jacksonville (5-4) pulled out a 24-22 win over the New York Jets to move above .500 for the first time since 2007. A win against the Bills (3-6) would give the Jaguars three straight for the first time since Dec. 9-23, 2007.

Del Rio made an unconventional move late in the game, telling running back Maurice Jones-Drew to take a knee at the 1-yard line with less than 2 minutes left rather than score and give the Jets the ball with a chance to win.

The Jets had no timeouts left, so Jaguars quarterback David Garrard took a knee on the next two plays before Josh Scobee made a 21-yard field goal as time ran out.

Del Rio believes the "book" that dictates what coaches should do in certain situations is outdated.

"Books have been updated," he said. "I really don't have an answer to when it's changed and how it's changed. It has changed. There are things that you kind of learn that the so-called book percentages don't always apply.

"For us, we just want to do the best things we can for our football team to help us win games. That's really all we're after."

Jauron was highly criticized for a debatable call against the Jets on Dec. 14, 2008, calling a pass instead of running out the clock with Buffalo up 27-24 and less than 2 minutes left. J.P. Losman ended up fumbling on a sack and New York recovered and returned it 11 yards for the go-ahead score to win 31-27.

Buffalo ended up finishing its third straight 7-9 season under Jauron, and many expected the coach to be fired. Turns out that wouldn't happen until the midpoint of this season.

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell was selected by owner Ralph Wilson to take over as interim coach following Jauron's firing Tuesday. The final straw for Wilson was a 41-17 loss at Tennessee last Sunday.

Jauron failed to get much out of the offense, even though it has big-play threats at wide receiver in Lee Evans and Terrell Owens.

Fewell has done a respectable job of keeping the defense competitive despite multiple injuries, but he faces a daunting task in trying to fix Buffalo's many problems.

"We are who we are," said Fewell, in his 12th NFL season and fourth with Buffalo as a coordinator. "We have that identity. We're going to try to give a little spark, but we are who we are."

On Wednesday, Fewell named Ryan Fitzpatrick the starting quarterback over Trent Edwards. Fitzpatrick is 1-1 in two starts and also rallied the Bills to a 16-13 overtime win over the Jets on Oct. 18, after Edwards was knocked out of the game.

Buffalo is averaging 15.5 points per game, failing to generate 300 yards in eight of nine. Evans, who had two touchdown catches versus the Titans, expressed his support for Fewell.

"The way our defense is playing with all the injuries, it's a testament to him. They've done a great job of keeping us in games," Evans said. "I think this is a great opportunity for him. ... I think he should try to stick with the things that made him the coach he is, rally the team and keep us on the same page."

The defense has been resilient under Fewell, finishing 14th in the NFL in yards allowed last season. The Bills rank 26th in that category, but they've been without as many as six regulars and have two starters on injured reserve.

Jacksonville will be without top cornerback Rashean Mathis, who injured his groin against New York.

The Jaguars struggled without Mathis in a 30-13 loss at Tennessee on Nov. 1. With Mathis nursing a broken finger on his left hand, safety Reggie Nelson was moved to cornerback and he missed several tackles and got beat for a score.

"I get a sense that Reggie Nelson is a proud guy who's working hard, wants to be better and the only issues he had were tackling," Del Rio said Wednesday. "I think he's tackled better the last two weeks and we're going to continue to grow there."

Jacksonville might also be missing linebacker Justin Durant, second on the team with 83 tackles. Durant said he suffered a "mild concussion" in the third quarter last week.

Edwards went 20 of 25 for 239 yards and a TD in Buffalo's 20-16 win at Jacksonville on Sept. 14, 2008. Evans averaged 19.3 yards on four catches.

Jones-Drew was held to 17 yards on seven carries.

"There are moments I really think I want to play some more, and moments when I don't want to go through it all again,'' Kurt Warner told me last week. Not to get all sentimental, and I do think he'll be back next season, but this game is in the Jones Dome, where Warner triggered the Greatest Show On Turf, and I'm just saying when he walks off the field Sunday, you fans might want to hang around and show him a little love. By the way, the past three home foes for the Rams are a combined 26-1 (Vikes, Saints, Colts). They get a huge break playing a 6-3 team here.

Posted: Wednesday November, 2009 02:11PM, Updated: Wednesday November, 2009 02:11PM

While Kurt Warner was a former league MVP and Super Bowl champion with the St. Louis Rams a decade ago, he may also be remembered for his role in helping the Arizona Cardinals reach the sport's pinnacle.

Warner and the Cardinals look to improve to 5-0 on the road for the first time in 61 years Sunday when they try to drop the NFC West rival Rams to 0-5 at home.

Once an NFL castoff who played overseas and even supported himself by working in a supermarket, Warner became a star with the Rams in 1999, earning MVP honors and leading the franchise to its only Super Bowl victory. He was named MVP again in 2001, when the Rams fell short of a second championship with a 20-17 Super Bowl loss to New England.

Many figured that would be the final Super Bowl for Warner as he lasted one season with the Giants in 2004 and came to Arizona a year later - one year before the Cardinals drafted Matt Leinart with the intention of building the franchise around the former USC star.

Warner, though, beat out Leinart for the starting job in Ken Whisenhunt's first season as coach in 2008 and guided the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl and a last-minute loss to Pittsburgh.

Warner is showing that the Cardinals weren't a fluke. He has 18 touchdown passes to rank fourth in the league and Arizona (6-3) owns a two-game West lead over San Francisco.

The 38-year-old Warner has been at his best on the road, with a league-leading 72.6 completion percentage, 10 touchdowns and only two of his 11 interceptions. He's 3-0 as a visitor in St. Louis, throwing for an average of 272.7 yards with six touchdowns and one interception.

Warner became the 29th player in NFL history to throw 200 touchdown passes last Sunday, as he finished with 340 yards passing and two scores to help Arizona rally from an early 14-0 deficit to defeat Seattle 31-20.

"Parts of the first half seemed so difficult for us to do anything," Warner said, "then we came back in the second half and sometimes it seemed almost easy."

The Cardinals have gotten strong work on the ground from rookie Beanie Wells, who rushed for 75 yards on 10 carries with two touchdowns in the second half last week. Wells has averaged 67.8 yards in his last four games, but Whisenhunt has decided not to make him the starter yet.

"That's an issue that when it comes, it comes," Whisenhunt said. "I think that we have always said and have been consistent that when we feel like it's time to make a change with those things we will do it if that's deserved. We're not going to make Beanie the starter just to make Beanie the starter."

St. Louis (1-8) features the fifth-worst defense in the league, and the Rams are facing a high-powered offense for the second straight week. They fell 28-23 to unbeaten New Orleans last Sunday, allowing 420 yards and seeing a potential game-winning drive stall in the last minute.

It was the Rams' first game since their bye and coach Steve Spagnuolo's first win, 17-10 at Detroit on Nov. 1. Spagnuolo is seeing improvement from his club.

"We won the total yardage battle (434-420) and we won the turnover battle (3-1)," he said about Sunday's loss. "Those are two key things in trying to win a football game. There are some other areas we needed to do better at that might have changed the outcome but we didn't."

One of the positives for his club is running back Stephen Jackson, who has gone over 130 yards for three straight games. He is third in the league with 915 yards and has scored in consecutive games after going the first seven without reaching the end zone.

The Rams are trying to end a 10-game division losing streak, and Arizona represents the fourth straight unbeaten road team to visit St. Louis.

"Hey, all of them we play ... will be a tough battle," Spagnuolo said. "It'll be another big challenge."

The Cardinals franchise hasn't opened with five straight road wins since it won all seven of its away games while based in Chicago in 1948.

The game of the day's not going to be a very good game, unfortunately. If Kyle Orton were mobile and efficient, maybe. But as I write this, it looks very iffy that he'll play, and an accurate Orton who can get out of his own way is Denver's only chance here.

Posted: Thursday November, 2009 07:17PM, Updated: Thursday November, 2009 07:17PM

San Diego's chances for a fourth consecutive AFC West title looked slim, at best, following its home loss to Denver last month.

However, the Chargers are undefeated since then and back in the hunt for the divisional crown while the Broncos are falling fast since their 6-0 start.

San Diego looks to win its fifth straight and move into sole possession of first place in the West on Sunday when it faces a slumping Denver team that could be without its starting quarterback.

With a 34-23 loss to the visiting Broncos on Oct. 19, the three-time defending AFC West champion Chargers (6-3) fell 3 1/2 games behind Denver for the division lead.

San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers acknowledged it would be tough to catch up, but the Chargers have done so remarkably quickly. They've beaten Kansas City, Oakland, the New York Giants and Philadelphia over the last month to move into a first-place tie with Denver (6-3).

"We didn't know it would happen like this, or this fast, that we would be sitting here with the same record, but we believed we could get ourselves back in it because we were talking about 11 more ballgames," Rivers said after completing 20 of 25 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns in last Sunday's 31-23 victory over the Eagles.

The Chargers' last four-game winning streak was over the final four games of last season, which they finished 8-8. San Diego became the first team to go from 4-8 to the playoffs with a 52-21 victory over Denver in the regular-season finale.

The Broncos lost their final three games in 2008, becoming the first team since divisional play started in 1967 to fail to make the playoffs after holding a three-game lead with three games left.

With a fourth straight defeat Sunday, Denver would drop in the division standings and move closer to missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Only two teams in the Super Bowl era have failed to advance to the postseason after opening 6-0.

"Crisis? No. Tough spot? Absolutely,'' Broncos safety Brian Dawkins said after Sunday's 27-17 loss at Washington. "You can't sit there and dwell on the piddly-poo of tears and worry about the last game. You have to move forward and that's what we're going to do."

The Broncos, though, may have to push ahead without starting quarterback Kyle Orton, who left Sunday's game at the end of the first half with a sprained left ankle.

"I was hoping to come back out and I just wasn't able to," said Orton, who completed 11 of 18 passes for 193 yards and two TDs to Brandon Marshall. "So hopefully I'll be able to go next week.''

Backup Chris Simms, however, took the snaps during practice Wednesday and Thursday, making it increasingly likely he'll start. Making his first appearance of the season after Orton got hurt Sunday, Simms was 3 of 13 for 13 yards with an interception.

Simms hasn't started since Sept. 24, 2006, when he played for Tampa Bay and was battered so badly by Carolina that he needed emergency surgery to remove his spleen.

``His outlook, I'm sure, was probably affected by that, and I think he enjoys every day that he's here and he takes advantage of it,'' coach Josh McDaniels said. ``That's why our team embraces him in his role and would embrace him in whatever role he would serve for us.''

While Denver looks to improve an offense that had just 36 second-half yards last Sunday, the Broncos might also need to work on defending the run.

After Denver allowed 79.7 rushing yards per game during its 6-0 start, opponents are averaging 157.3 yards on the ground versus the Broncos in the last three weeks.

That could be good news for Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who rushed for a season-high 96 yards and two TDs last week.

After learning before the game that his wife LaTorsha was pregnant with the couple's first child, Tomlinson moved into 12th-place all-time with 12,145 rushing yards and third all-time with 146 touchdowns, trailing Hall-of-Famers Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith.

"I grew up watching all those guys," said Tomlinson, who carried 18 times for 70 yards last month versus Denver. "It's mind-boggling that I am third all-time.''

Sunday marks San Diego's first visit to Denver since a controversial 39-38 loss on Sept.14, 2008. Two plays after referee Ed Hochuli incorrectly ruled Jay Cutler's lost fumble was an incompletion, the former Broncos quarterback found wide receiver Eddie Royal for a four-yard TD on fourth down with 24 seconds left. Royal caught the ensuing two-point conversion.

In last month's victory in San Diego, Royal became the first Bronco to return a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in the same game.

Chargers running back Darren Sproles returned a punt 77 yards for a score in that contest.

There are many reasons why I like the Patriots, but the biggest is that all the statisticians of the world got together the other day and ran all the Pats/Jets numbers through a computer the size of Niagara Falls, and this is the score that came out. And if the last week of Belichickian analysis has taught me nothing else, it's that football games really are played on paper, not in real life.

Posted: Thursday November, 2009 11:52PM, Updated: Thursday November, 2009 11:52PM

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has been the talk of the NFL this week following his controversial fourth-down call that led to a gut-wrenching loss.

His critics around Foxborough may be willing to forgive him quickly if his Patriots achieve a different kind of redemption Sunday.

After their offense sputtered in a loss to the rival New York Jets two months ago, the Patriots will have a chance to all but bury the struggling Jets in the AFC East if they can improve to 6-0 at home.

Belichick took plenty of heat following last Sunday night's wild 35-34 loss to Indianapolis, stemming from his decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 from the Patriots' own 28-yard line with just over 2 minutes to go and his team leading 34-28.

Tom Brady's pass to Kevin Faulk came up short and the Colts cruised in for the winning touchdown.

"I thought it was our best chance to win," Belichick said. "I thought we needed to make that one play and then we could basically run out the clock. We weren't able to make it."

The move also prompted questions about the coach's confidence level in his young defense. New England opponents are averaging 16.7 points - third-lowest in the NFL - but the team has been using an inexperienced group as it tries to replace several departed veterans.

"We would play well for a series, play real well, and then the next series (with) similar calls and we just maybe didn't play them quite as well," defensive coordinator Dean Pees said. "We're a little bit inconsistent at this point in time, and that's across the board basically with the young guys, and no particular guy."

The defeat ended New England's three-game winning streak and put a dent in its chances of gaining a first-round playoff bye, but the Patriots (6-3) still hold a two-game lead on New York in the East as they try to reclaim the division they won five straight times from 2003-07.

Miami moved into sole possession of second place in the division with a 24-17 win over Carolina on Thursday night.

A victory over the Jets (4-5) would give New England a three-game advantage and the tiebreaker over New York. The Patriots will be especially hungry after a 16-9 loss at Giants Stadium on Sept. 20, when they were held below 10 points for the first time since 2006.

That was Brady's second regular-season game following his return from major knee surgery, and the 2007 NFL MVP seems to have regained his swagger. He's passed for more than 300 yards in four straight games, throwing 13 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Randy Moss has been the biggest beneficiary lately, racking up 524 receiving yards and six touchdowns in the four contests.

Moss was held to four catches for 24 yards by the Jets and standout cornerback Darrelle Revis earlier this season, and New York consistently applied pressure to Brady.

"We're going to see how well we prepare and how much better we understand what they're doing," Brady said. "It's a good scheme, and it's been proven for a lot of years that it's a good scheme, and the players of the Jets have really seemed to adapt to it."

New York's defense hasn't been as dominant since an impressive 3-0 start under new coach Rex Ryan, the longtime Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator. While the Jets still rank second in the NFL in total defense, they struggled to slow down Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew in a 24-22 loss last Sunday.

The Jets' last six opponents have averaged 126.0 yards on the ground, with the team going 1-5.

"We're humbled, of course," linebacker Bart Scott said. "Nobody expects anything out of us. We've just got to go about our business."

The unit hasn't been getting much help from the NFL's 27th-ranked pass offense, and even New York's top-ranked rushing attack has been held under 4.0 yards per carry the last two weeks.

Rookie Mark Sanchez ranks 27th in the NFL with a 66.5 passer rating, but Ryan continues to loudly profess his confidence in his team.

"At the end of the day, I always say somebody is going to have egg on their face," Ryan said Monday. "So far, it looks like me. But, I'm betting on me. I'm betting on our football team.

"Trust me, I'm going to work to the best of my ability to find answers. Whatever it is, I believe we'll find them. I know our task is hard, but it's not impossible."

No visiting team has been able to win at Gillette Stadium this season, but the Jets have won two of their last three in Foxborough. They beat a Brady-less team 34-31 last Nov. 13.

New York is trying to win three straight overall against the Patriots for the first time since a four-game run from 1999-2001.

Raiders season-ticket holder called our Sirius NFL Radio show the other morning. Pleaded with me to tell him what to do to try to appeal to the Raiders to change administrations and get someone in there to replace Al Davis. I had no answers. Because there are none. Oakland's on an insane merry-go-round. Al, I assume, will fire Tom Cable and hire another coach ill-equipped to deal with Weirdville out there.

Posted: Wednesday November, 2009 03:38PM, Updated: Wednesday November, 2009 03:38PM

Larry Johnson would like to help immediately after signing with the AFC North-leading Cincinnati Bengals. His experience playing in Oakland and Cedric Benson's sore hip may allow him to do so.

Following another big win, the Bengals could get their newly signed former Pro Bowl running back involved earlier than expected as they try to end their road struggles against the Raiders on Sunday.

After going 4-11-1 last season, Cincinnati (7-2) is in command atop the AFC North. The Bengals beat Pittsburgh 18-12 last Sunday, giving them four total wins over the Steelers and Baltimore.

"It's scary because everybody's going to be patting us on the back, telling us how good we are," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "We're not good enough to win the Super Bowl right now. We have a long way to go. We're not good enough to make a dominant playoff run, we have a long way to go."

The Bengals appear to have a good opportunity to extend a three-game winning streak, as they face teams with a combined four victories over the next three weeks. Cincinnati, though, has lost four straight and 13 of 14 road matchups with the Raiders (2-7), including two playoff defeats.

However, the Bengals are rolling, and they now have a running back who knows Oakland well. Johnson was signed Tuesday to back up Benson after being banished from Kansas City for bad behavior.

Johnson would like to play as quickly as possible, and he may get his wish versus the Raiders. He has never lost at Oakland, rushing for 498 yards and five touchdowns in five games there, and Benson is nursing a strained hip.

"I'm not saying that it can't happen, I'm not saying that it will happen, but stay tuned," Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said. "He'd like to play, I know that. And we'll see what happens as we go through the week, as I said earlier, regarding Cedric with his injury."

Johnson was signed eight days after the Chiefs released him following his second suspension in 12 months. He was benched for three games in 2008 by former coach Herm Edwards for violating team rules, and later sentenced to two years' probation after pleading guilty to disturbing the peace at a bar in Kansas City.

Three weeks ago, Johnson was suspended for two weeks after posting a gay slur on his Twitter account.

Johnson, who had back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons for Kansas City in 2005 and '06, is the latest player with a history of trouble to be given a chance by the Bengals.

Benson was signed to one-year deal last season despite two alcohol-related arrests in Texas. Grand juries declined to indict, and the cases were dropped.

Benson has gone on to revitalize his career in Cincinnati, ranking sixth in the NFL in rushing with 859 yards. He had 22 yards on seven carries versus the Steelers before leaving due to the hip injury.

Raiders coach Tom Cable has faced his own legal troubles. He had charges dropped against him Oct. 23 for an alleged assault on a former assistant.

His biggest problem right now is trying to decide on a starting quarterback. He benched JaMarcus Russell twice in the last three games, and has yet to determine whether the 2007 No. 1 overall draft pick, Bruce Gradkowski or Charlie Frye will start against the Bengals.

"I'm just waiting to kind of put all my facts together here and make a good decision for this team," Cable said. "It will be focused on winning, period, what gives us the best chance to win."

Russell was pulled late in the third quarter of last Sunday's 16-10 loss to Kansas City after going 8 for 23 for 64 yards. Gradkowski replaced him and was picked off twice before straining a hamstring.

Russell was also taken out in the first half of a 38-0 loss to the New York Jets on Oct. 25. He has struggled all season, throwing two touchdowns with nine interceptions and a 47.1 completion percentage.

Gradkowski, signed by Oakland in the offseason, has started 12 games in his career. Cable, though, said the fourth-year veteran's injury may keep him from playing.

Cable hasn't ruled out the possibility of starting Frye, the team's emergency quarterback all season. Frye has 20 career starts - 13 with Cleveland in 2006.

Whoever starts under center for the Raiders will lead a team that is 31st in the league with 9.8 points per game.

Oakland lost 27-10 at Cincinnati in the clubs' most recent meeting Dec. 10, 2006. The Raiders had won three straight against the Bengals.

To quote the Soldier Field crowd when Jay Cutler jogs out of the tunnel Sunday night: "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.''

Posted: Thursday November, 2009 02:21AM, Updated: Thursday November, 2009 02:21AM

Without Brian Westbrook, the Philadelphia Eagles will likely have to rely heavily on Donovan McNabb as they try to get their season back on track this weekend.

The Chicago Bears aren't sure how much they can count on their quarterback.

With both teams describing it as a must-win game, the Eagles and Bears face off at Soldier Field on Sunday night, each trying to avoid a third straight loss.

Philadelphia (5-4) followed a 20-16 defeat against Dallas with a 31-23 loss at San Diego last Sunday. The Eagles were held to three field goals through the first three quarters before McNabb threw touchdowns to Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to five points. The Chargers, though, tacked on a 29-yard field goal with 30 seconds remaining.

McNabb threw for a season-high 450 yards, going 35 of 55. He was intercepted in the end zone on the game's last play, though, and struggled repeatedly in the red zone.

"When you have those opportunities to score we have to pound it in there," McNabb said.

Despite the consecutive losses, McNabb and the Eagles are still in contention for a playoff spot, trailing NFC East-leading Dallas by one game.

McNabb will try to help Philadelphia make a play on first place, but he won't have Westbrook in the backfield. The two-time Pro Bowl running back was ruled out after suffering his second concussion in three weeks.

Westbrook was on the sidelines for the second half of last Sunday's game, and Philadelphia was held to a season-worst 29 yards rushing overall, averaging 2.2 yards per carry.

"It takes something away because you're talking about one of the best backs in the league and now we don't have him," fullback Leonard Weaver said. "We're going to have to step up. We've done it before."

LeSean McCoy will take over as the team's primary back. The rookie leads the Eagles with 353 yards and two touchdowns and now has the tough task of re-energizing the Eagles' struggling running game. They're averaging 102.1 yards this season, but have run for 65.8 in the four losses.

"I just want to help out the offense as much as possible," McCoy, the 21st pick in the second round of the 2009 draft, said. "I never really expected to play a big role like this. But I got drafted for a reason. I have my chance, my opportunity and I have to make the best of it."

With the running game shaky, the Eagles will turn to McNabb, who has been inconsistent this season. He recognizes the importance of Sunday night's game and believes despite Westbrook's injury, the team will come out fighting.

"This is a game that we need to win," McNabb told the Eagles' official Web site. "That's the way I'm approaching it and that's the way the other guys are approaching it as well."

As difficult as McNabb found it to get the Eagles into the end zone last weekend, his counterpart on the Bears is coming off an even worse performance. Jay Cutler threw a career-high five interceptions in Chicago's 10-6 loss at San Francisco on Nov. 12. The Bears (4-5) outgained the Niners 350-216 but settled for two field goals.

Cutler, who threw 18 interceptions while with Denver last season, already has a league-leading 17. All five picks last week were in San Francisco territory, including one to end the game with the Bears at the 49ers 12-yard line.

Chicago, though, isn't putting the blame solely on Cutler.

"It's different in each one," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "I look at three of them - and I'm not blaming anyone else, I'm just making a point it's a team game. I couldn't really say, 'Jay, you need to do something different on those plays.'"

Cutler has been forced to carry the offense because of an ineffective running game. Chicago is 30th in the NFL at 85.2 yards rushing per game. Matt Forte, who rushed for 1,238 yards as a rookie in 2008, has been held to 482 yards this season.

A division title is almost out of the question given that Minnesota has a four-game lead over Chicago in the NFC North. The Bears still believe a playoff berth as a wild-card team is possible, but they also recognize they will have to play much better down the stretch.

"We have no room for any more losses," defensive tackle Tommie Harris said. "If you lose, you're going to be hoping another team loses so you can get in. You don't want to do that. ... It is basically in our hands right now. We have to do a better job and everybody has to step up.''

The Bears have won the last two meetings against the Eagles, including a 24-20 victory at home last season.

Talked to Vince Young on Wednesday about his rebirth, and he said every right thing he could say -- including that sitting behind Kerry Collins was actually a good thing for him. I'm not sure I believe that he believes that, but there's absolutely no question in my mind it's true. I say this 66-percent passer over the past three weeks makes enough plays in his old hometown to win.

Posted: Wednesday November, 2009 06:56PM, Updated: Wednesday November, 2009 06:56PM

While the Houston Texans emerge from their bye week firmly in the hunt for the first playoff berth in franchise history, their next opponent is already relishing its role as a spoiler.

The Texans will be the latest team to attempt to slow down the NFL's leading rusher, but Chris Johnson hopes to carry the Tennessee Titans to a fourth straight victory in Monday night's AFC South matchup.

An improved defense and a prolific passing game led by Matt Schaub have helped Houston (5-4) to a winning record through nine games for the first time in its eight seasons.

Perhaps the biggest sign of progress was the Texans' reaction following a 20-17 loss at Indianapolis on Nov. 8 before their week off. Kris Brown missed a 42-yard field goal as time expired, and Houston wasn't happy merely coming close to beating the undefeated Colts.

"There are no moral victories," wide receiver Andre Johnson said. "Are we getting better? I think we are. The biggest thing is just winning. You can get better all you want, but if you're not winning, it really doesn't matter."

Houston needs victories in order to keep pace in a crowded wild-card race, but a win over the Titans looks like a much tougher task than it did a few weeks ago.

Tennessee (3-6) has gotten healthier on defense and regained its confidence after a disastrous start, going 3-0 since Vince Young replaced Kerry Collins at quarterback.

"Right now we are in a situation where we just have to play the rest of our games and if we win them all, maybe something good will happen," linebacker Keith Bulluck said. "We're trying to stand in anyone's way who is trying to go to the postseason, so it makes it fun for us."

The matchup may hinge on Houston's ability to contain Johnson, who has totaled 495 rushing yards, 136 receiving yards and six touchdowns during the winning streak.

The Texans are well aware after Johnson racked up 197 yards on 16 carries and added nine catches for 87 yards against them in Week 2, also scoring three touchdowns. Houston still managed a 34-31 victory, thanks to Schaub's 357 passing yards and four touchdowns.

The Texans would prefer to prevent a similar effort by Johnson, which seems possible considering they have held their last six opponents to an average of 60.5 rushing yards - the fewest in the NFL in that stretch.

"The defense, they've come a long way," coach Gary Kubiak said. "To me, they're just getting better and better. They're the strength of our football team right now, the way they're playing."

Schaub has also gained attention for his strong play, ranking third in the NFL behind Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in passing yards. The only drawback has been his nine interceptions, contributing to Houston's 16 turnovers - six of which have come in the last two games.

Steve Slaton was benched due to fumbling problems Nov. 1 at Buffalo, leaving the Texans' running back situation complicated after Ryan Moats was held to 38 yards on 16 carries by Indianapolis.

"The turnovers have to be fixed in order for us to get where we want to go," Johnson said. "It's kind of crazy. We are turning the ball over, but we are still putting ourselves in situations to win games."

Tennessee has an 8-1 edge in turnover margin during its win streak, with Young playing responsibly. After struggling with interceptions earlier in his career, the Houston native and former Texas star has been picked off once in 62 attempts since getting the starting job back.

While his numbers haven't been prolific, his total of passing yards has increased each week and he has completed 71.0 percent of his throws.

That has been enough with Johnson in the backfield. Johnson is the third player in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards and average at least 6.4 per carry through nine games, joining Jim Brown (1963) and Adrian Peterson (2007).

He had 132 rushing yards and 100 receiving in last Sunday's 41-17 home win over Buffalo.

"I would say I'm the best back in the league, but that is not my situation to argue about that," Johnson said. "I just got to go out there on the field and prove that."

Young won his only previous professional start in his hometown with a 39-yard touchdown run in overtime for a 26-20 Titans victory Dec. 10, 2006. Since the Texans' inception, Tennessee is 5-2 in the city that the former Oilers used to call home.

Titans owner Bud Adams, who founded the franchise and moved it to Nashville in 1997, was fined $250,000 this week after cameras showed the 86-year-old making obscene gestures toward Bills fans last Sunday.