Each Thursday, we'll rank the games from least to most watchable. The following Tuesday, we'll re-rank the games based on what actually went down. At season's end, we'll tally up the pre- and post-game rankings from throughout the year to determine the league's most and least watchable squads -- and the 30 teams in between. All times Eastern.
ONLY IF YOUR OTHER OPTION IS YARDWORK
13. Cleveland at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m., CBS
Politically, Ohio is a battleground state and all eyes will be on it come November. Football-wise, Ohio is a playground state and you'd be better off hiding your eyes from this elementary-school battle.
12. Denver at Kansas City, 1:00 p.m., CBS
Sure, there will be points aplenty, but there won't be anything you can't wait for the Sunday night highlights for.
11. Houston at Jacksonville, 1:00 p.m., CBS
Excuse us if the Matt Schaub-Sage Rosenfels battle and the Jags' anemic offense doesn't have us making a beeline for the remote.
IT AIN'T GONNA BE EPIC, BUT HEY, IT'S FOOTBALL
10. Buffalo at St. Louis, 4:05 p.m., CBS
This game looks like a stinker since the Rams looked so overmatched during their first three games. But we're not sold on the Bills, especially on the road against a team that's made some changes in the hopes of getting its first win. Of course, that could just be the Steven Jackson fantasy owner in us talking.
9. San Diego at Oakland, 4:05 p.m., CBS
Give Lane Kiffin credit: The Raiders are a fourth-quarter defensive stand away from being 2-0 since the reports about his impending firing started flowing. The Black Hole will be raucous as this game is sold out and we expect the Chargers to have their hands full in trying to get claw back to .500.
8. Arizona at N.Y. Jets, 1:00 p.m., FOX
Kurt Warner vs. Brett Favre: Insert cliched old man/AARP/walker joke here. If you can stomach the nursing home yuks, you should see a pretty good game. Vegas thinks so, too, setting the spread at 1.5 points.
7. San Francisco at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m., FOX
Both teams like to air it out, so don't be shocked to see 700 yards of passing combined. The Saints are still without Marques Colston and now Jeremy Shockey, so the Niners come in smelling an opportunity to notch their signature win.
6. Atlanta at Carolina, 1:00 p.m., FOX
Two of the three leaders in the NFC South -- whodathunkit? The Falcons have pounded on some patsies (Lions and Chiefs) and here's their chance to prove they can do it against a real contender.
5. Philadelphia at Chicago, 8:15 p.m., NBC
Remember when the hot rumor was Donovan McNabb to Chicago? This game would have been four spots higher had that gone down. Regardless, this one should be a doozy with the Eagles facing a difficult defense for the second week in a row. If Philly's without Westbrook, Chicago could pull this off.
4. Green Bay at Tampa Bay, 1:00 p.m., FOX
The Bucs proved to be a watchable bunch in last week's thriller against the Bears. Watching Aaron Rodgers do his best Steve Young impression has been a highlight of the first three weeks. Put the two together and you've got yourself an attention-keeper.
SUPERGLUE YOURSELF TO THE COUCH
3. Minnesota at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m., FOX
We've admittedly been offense-heavy in these rankings for the first few weeks, so we thought it was time to throw defensive play a bone. No one's been better on that side of the ball than the Titans, especially against the run. Seeing how they gameplan for Adrian Peterson and company makes for must-see TV.
2. Washington at Dallas, 4:15 p.m., FOX
The Cowboys have owned the Superglue category through four weeks, but this game's watchability has just as much to do with the Redskins. Who is this team? Is it the one that laid an opening-night egg in East Rutherford, or is it the one that rebounded with two straight wins? We're betting on the latter, which should make this already intense rivalry even better.
1. Baltimore at Pittsburgh, 8:30 p.m. (Monday), ESPN
Sure, there's a good chance Joe Flacco will need a wheelchair after the game with the way the Steelers defense has been playing. But the Ravens defense always plays well in prime time. And if Joe can stay cool under the glare of the MNF spotlight, Baltimore could make things interesting against the banged-up Steelers.
Taylor Walker
Bar Refaeli
Back in Time: July 3
Manny Being Manny
Comments (24) Add A Comment
looks good
vandc
Total Comments (1)
I'm amazed you made the Ravens game #1. Recent history (c.a. 2002) show the Ravens don't play well on Nationally televised games. BigBen will get sacked 10 times ... if he lasts that long.
Baltimore Sports Fan
Total Comments (18)
The Browns-Bengals game should be a killer! Three hours of football at its absolute best!
Wow. I said that with a straight face!
ozzie moses
Kansas City , MO
Total Comments (18)
I really would have thought you'd rank Skins vs Cowboys number 1. The greatest rivalry in football in currently the toughest division and both teams are playing well. Plus it is the last time the Skins kick Cowboy butt in Texas Stadium in the regular season.
HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!!
Dandencan
Pittsburgh, PA
Total Comments (4)
BSF, your comment is somewhat contradictory......are you saying that the Ravens WILL play well this Monday? Your prediction of 10 sacks for Big Ben sounds easy, given the Eagle's game history still fresh in memory. I don't think that we'll see the "same old, same old" when the Steelers line up. Don't be surprised to see a spread formation with BB in the gun, so as to take away the short blitz lanes and to put pressure on the Ravens #4 and possibly #5 DBs or LB if they are brave enough to leave them on the field. Ravens don't have that athletic LB that can cover a speedy wideout 1/1 since AT left for the PATS. Mendenhall is also a much bigger, stronger back than "Fast Willie" and more likely to break an initial tackle or 2 at the line, raising the possibility of the big play from the running game. Look for the Ravens to get a dose of their own medicine on offense as Troy Polamalu is back and blitzes will be coming fast and furious from LeBeau. A good test for both teams to be sure, under the Monday Night lights!!!
IRONMAN
Total Comments (111)
I'd give the Bucs-Packers game a little more credit. And I'd put it on national TV. It'll be a good one
Gruden
Elizabeth, CO
Total Comments (20051)
I agree.
PackersLP21
Titletown, WI
Total Comments (14582)
Put the Bucs-Packers game at #3.
PackersLP21
Titletown, WI
Total Comments (14582)
I love the non-attention that Buffalo is getting to this point in the season...so much easier to address what needs to be done without all the media hype. It will be something to be 5-0 going into the bye week.
1n354a
Cortland , NY
Total Comments (10)
Id put both the packers bucs game and the niners saints game in super glue and make 5 of them. The niners saints should be an exciting shootout game. The niners have recieved incredibly little attention this season but this game should show America that they are ready to compete once again. 28-24 49ers win it YOU HEARD IT HERE!!!!!!!
49ers Go
San Jose , CA
Total Comments (286)
Dont pat yourself on the back too hard Billy boy. This Bill cupcake schedule thus far proves one thing: the Bills are just a little bit better than the WORST teams in the NFL.
Cassidy's House:…
Whatsittoya, NO
Total Comments (16675)
You say that no one is better then Tenn. against the run? I think they are about to meet a team better at it. Slaton went for 104 last week. This should be a great game. 6-3 could be a finale.
nortong
Total Comments (1)
It's making me really nervous how many people say the Rams have a shot against the Bills. I suppose "any given sunday" and all, but man, I really want Buffalo to be 4-0.
On a completely unrelated note, let me just speak out about the NFL commercials using a cover version of the Morrissey song "Every Day Is Like Sunday". Now, that is a great song. But I wonder how many people who hear the commercial know that the next line is "Every day is silent and gray".
"The coastal town that they forgot to bomb
Come, come, come, nuclear bomb"
Yeah, those are some cheery let's-go-watch-some-football lyrics. <eyeroll>
jaysweet
Rochester , NY
Total Comments (451)
Have you already forgotten how close they came to beating the Patriots last year? I think that was one of the most exciting games I've ever seen.
And as a die-hard Bills fan... yes, our schedule has been a bit soft, but we had the hardest schedule last year. It's just karma, and it all equals out in the end. I've been saying it all along: no matter what happens now, NEXT year will be the true test for the Bills, because we'll finish high in the division this year and end up with a more difficult schedule.
Egon196
Rochester, NY
Total Comments (135)
I hope Atlanta stomps Carolina. They need to prove that they are for real in the NFC South.
BigFletchDog
Total Comments (3022)
Quote #4
I really would have thought you'd rank Skins vs Cowboys number 1. The greatest rivalry in football in currently the toughest division and both teams are playing well. Plus it is the last time the Skins kick Cowboy butt in Texas Stadium in the regular season.
As much as I hate to ever agree with a Redskin fan, (and looking at his home town, his 2nd team is probably the Stinkin no good Steelers), I have to agree that this should've been rated number #1. Even in years like this one when the Deadskins really have nothing to play for even after only 3 weeks, the Cowboys Redkins rivalry rarely disappoints. Even though I think the Boys will dominate this weekend, in the back of your mind there is always that bit of nervousness that the underdog in a rivalry like this will rise up and play over their heads...
Texas-Homer
Total Comments (12)
Dallas by 12 over the stinkskins
BIGGIED- made it to…
Clearfield , UT
Total Comments (915)
Redskins by 10 over the Dall **** cowgirl pukes
burgnd
Silver Spring , MD
Total Comments (1)
deadskins will be lucky to score ten points, fat chance that they win by 10
Cowboys 31
Deadskins 6
HoofHearted
Total Comments (58)
NOWAY THE COWGIRLS PULL THIS ONE OUT, T.O CRIES TO MUCH, PACMAN WILL NEED MORE POWER PILLETS, AND ROMO IS A **** AND JESSICA IS TO DUMB TO SEE HE'S GAY!
SKINS- 27
COWSKIRTS- 17
D.C ALLDAY
CITYDWELLER01
Washington , DC
Total Comments (2)
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