Week 13 Preview

Falcons WR Roddy White fails to catch the pass for
the game-winning touchdown in their first meeting.

New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons
NFL Network -- Brad Nessler, Mike Mayock
Thursday November 29, 2012 8:20pm

The first matchup between these two teams were intense and it will figure to be the same way in the Georgia Dome. The Falcons only have one loss in the season, courtesy of the Saints, so they will be looking for a little revenge. The Falcons are perfect at home, but it hasn't necessarily come easy. Close wins to bottom feeder teams have some questioning whether the Falcons are serious championship contenders. Let's see what kind of performance they give the fans tonight.

New Orleans Saints 31 Atlanta Falcons 28

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills
CBS -- Spero Dedes, Steve Buerlein
Sunday December 2, 2012 1pm

This game doesn't figure to be much of anything except two teams battling for a win for their pride. The Bills have shown promise, especially when QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is throwing the ball well. He needs to be more consistent if the Bills want to contend anytime in the future. As for the Jaguars, they have to be a little excited about their recent play. They were able to squeak out a victory against the Titans, and they made the Texans sweat a lot for their victory.

Jacksonville Jaguars 20 Buffalo Bills 16

Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears
FOX -- Chris Myers, Tim Ryan
Sunday December 2, 2012 1pm

This actually figures to be somewhat of a competitive game. While Seahawks QB Russell Wilson has looked good at home, he has not been impressive on the road. Playing against this Bears defense might rattle him a bit, but he has shown he has a tough mentality and can get past rough times. I simply do not believe in QB Jay Cutler, even if many analysts do. Cutler was applauded for getting the Bears back on the right track. Leaving QB Jason Campbell to play the Texans and 49ers is a daunting task for him. Cutler only beat the Vikings.

Seattle Seahawks 17 Chicago Bears 27

Indianapolis Colts vs. Detroit Lions
CBS -- Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
Sunday December 2, 2012 1pm

This is the last of the three game home stretch the Lions embarked upon starting November 18. Just like the first two opponents, the Colts are a playoff team looking to get as many wins as possible. They have a little hope in winning the division. They still have to play the Texans twice so it is still possible. However, the Colts have benefitted from a rather easy schedule. Even if the Lions are struggling and currently sitting at 4-7, this is an easy game for them to win.

Indianapolis Colts 20 Detroit Lions 31

Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
Sunday December 2, 2012 1pm

The Vikings had to play at Soldier Field and get demolished by the Bears. A trip to Lambeau Field follows. It doesn't get any worse for a team trying to stay above .500 and stay in the NFC North race. The Vikings have the opportunities to stay in this race, playing the Bears and Packers again after this game. I just don't think the Vikings have it all. QB Christian Ponder was decent early, but he has been ineffective as of late and RB Adrian Peterson has not been able to carry the team by himself.

Minnesota Vikings 13 Green Bay Packers 28

Carolina Panthers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
FOX -- Ron Pitts, Mike Martz
Sunday December 2, 2012 1pm

While this game may not attract fans at all, this game is somewhat interesting. The Panthers have what it takes to win this game. The Chiefs offense definitely will not challenge the Panthers defense, even if the Panthers defense aren't that good. The big question in this game is how the Panthers offense will perform against the Chiefs defense. The Chiefs have some young talent on defense. With time and maturity, they can become a much better defense. They certainly made things difficult for the Broncos last week.

Carolina Panthers 14 Kansas City Chiefs 13

New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins
CBS -- Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf
Sunday December 2, 2012 1pm

About a couple weeks ago, the Dolphins were looking like a team who could potentially contend for a Wild Card spot in the playoffs. The Jets and the Bills were playing bad football, but the Dolphins were getting solid play from rookie QB Ryan Tannehill. All of a sudden, things just changed. An embarrassing home loss to the Titans most likely brought them down, but an impressive home win against the Seahawks probably have them feeling good again. Asking them to beat the Patriots though? Out of the question.

New England Patriots 34 Miami Dolphins 17

Arizona Cardinals vs. New York Jets
FOX -- Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick
Sunday December 2, 2012 1pm

The Jets are coming off an embarrassing home performance, but things should be looking up for them. Currently at 4-7, the Jets have an easy schedule the rest of the way. I can't imagine QB Mark Sanchez leading them on a five-game winning streak the rest of the way but it's possible with their schedule. It's hard to not feel sorry for Cardinals fans. They enjoyed a 4-0 start, and the Cardinals are now sitting at 4-7. It has been a dismal season for the Cardinals, and there is very little chance of salvaging that.

Arizona Cardinals 10 New York Jets 30

San Francisco 49ers vs. St. Louis Rams
FOX -- Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa
Sunday December 2, 2012 1pm

49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh came out and said QB Colin Kaepernick would be the starting quarterback this Sunday. If Kaepernick keeps playing the way he's playing, it's hard to see when QB Alex Smith will get his job back. Harbaugh is a former longtime quarterback in this league, so one might think he would be more sympathetic for Smith. As for the game, this is a game they should win. However, the 49ers have that tie on their record because of these Rams. The Rams should've won that game. The Rams aren't that good to challenge the 49ers again.

San Francisco 49ers 27 St. Louis Rams 7

Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans
CBS -- Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots
Sunday December 2, 2012 1pm

Since the Titans have gotten QB Jake Locker back, they haven't been playing with the confidence displayed with QB Matt Hasselbeck. They're not a good team, but Hasselbeck was able to get wins that many people didn't expect for them to get. Locker was the quarterback when they trashed the Dolphins, but Locker is going to have to play better for the Titans to have any chance in this game.

Houston Texans 27 Tennessee Titans 10

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Denver Broncos
FOX -- Dick Stockton, John Lynch
Sunday December 2, 2012 4:05pm

The Buccaneers were finally cooled off by the Falcons last week, but that was a close game and they're still playing good football. Broncos QB Peyton Manning doesn't care about any of that. Giants QB Eli Manning torched the Buccaneers defense for 510 passing yards earlier this season, so his brother is watching film on that and talking to Eli to get a bunch of pointers. Eli did throw three interceptions in the first half, so it isn't like everything he did was right. However, Peyton will be ready.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20 Denver Broncos 38

WR Mike Wallace fumbles after catching a pass in their first
meeting.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens
CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
Sunday December 2, 2012 4:25pm

This game definitely depends on the status of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. If Roethlisberger is ready to go this Sunday, I believe the Steelers have an excellent chance of winning this game. If he doesn't play, I don't see how they have a chance. I will write with the assumption Roethlisberger will not play.

Pittsburgh Steelers 6 Baltimore Ravens 24

Cleveland Browns vs. Oakland Raiders
CBS -- Bill Macatee, Steve Tasker
Sunday December 2, 2012 4:25pm

It was this game for the Raiders last season when everything turned for the worse. Former Raiders QB Jason Campbell broke his collarbone against the Browns last season. It would be a game the Raiders would win to improve to 4-2. The Raiders immediately traded for former Bengals QB Carson Palmer, but that has not turned in the results the fans want. Palmer has been a turnover machine, throwing interceptions that baffle the mind sometimes. He has thrown a lot this season and has racked up a lot of passing yards so far. However, it has not translated to victories.

Cleveland Browns 20 Oakland Raiders 17

Cincinnati Bengals vs. San Diego Chargers
CBS -- Marv Albert, Rich Gannon
Sunday December 2, 2012 4:25pm

The Chargers are probably itching to get back onto the field after losing a heartbreaker to the Ravens which they gave up a first down on 4th and 29 with the game in their hands. This Bengals squad certainly isn't easy, but Bengals QB Andy Dalton is still young and still has to mature, especially on the road. The Bengals defense will give Chargers QB Philip Rivers problems as well, and Rivers has to avoid making the one dumb throw he always seems to make. If he can avoid that, the Chargers should win this game.

Cincinnati Bengals 17 San Diego Chargers 23

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Sunday December 2, 2012 8:20pm

I'm surprised at the NFL's decision to keep this game on primetime. Lately, these Eagles games have looked like preseason exhibitions for them, and they have looked bad. The two best games of Week 13 arguably are being played on different days. Looking at the schedule, the Seahawks-Bears matchup or Colts-Lions matchup could've replaced this game. But it's here so the fans will most likely have to suffer. That is unless the Eagles decide to fight and battle against their NFC East division rivals. Let's see if Eagles QB Michael Vick returns for this game.

Giants WR Victor Cruz scores the game-winning touchdown
in their first meeting.

New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins
ESPN -- Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden
Monday December 3, 2012 8:30pm

A week after having the most boring game, Monday Night football is bringing one of the best of Week 13. The Redskins almost beat the Giants in MetLife Stadium, if it weren't for Giants QB Eli Manning. Redskins QB Robert Griffin III got a glimpse of the Giants speed pass rushers, as he was flustered a little in the second half. However, he made the spectacular plays that almost won the Redskins the game, making this Monday night matchup at home one that will be very live. As Bart Scott once said, "Can't wait!!"

New York Giants 31 Washington Redskins 23

Week 12 Review

Texans RB Justin Forsett appears to be down, but ran for a
touchdown in controversial play.

Houston Texans 34 Detroit Lions 31

Jim Schwartz made a decision that probably cost his team the game. This doesn't mean the Lions didn't have other opportunities to win the game. This was a game the Lions desperately needed if they wanted to keep their playoff hopes alive. With seven losses, the Lions will need to win out and need some help in order to make the playoffs. Usually, fans would have sympathy for a team for what transpired after Texans RB Justin Forsett scored. However, Schwartz was the same guy ripping 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh for not knowing the rules last year during a game.

Redskins QB Robert Griffin III celebrates after the victory.

Washington Redskins 38 Dallas Cowboys 31

This was an important game for both teams, but realistically more important for the Cowboys. The Cowboys had an opportunity to improve to 6-5, and with their easy schedule, they had a chance to potentially win the NFC East. Now tied with the Redskins at 5-6, the Cowboys have put themselves in a hole once again. Kudos to Redskins QB Robert Griffin III. He has dominated so far against NFC East opponents. He has Round 2 against the defending champions next Monday.

New England Patriots 49 New York Jets 19

The fumble from Jets QB Mark Sanchez that was picked up and returned for a touchdown by S Steve Gregory is probably the most hilarious highlight of the season for any team. On the subsequent kickoff return for the Jets, RB Joe McKnight fumbled right into the hands of Patriots WR Julian Edelman, who returned that fumble for a touchdown. Patriots fans were clearly having a laugh while the Jets hit a season-low in this performance. It got so bad, fireman Ed is now calling it quits. Not because of the performance, but because of his support of Sanchez. Whatever.

Minnesota Vikings 10 Chicago Bears 28

It was reported that Vikings RB Adrian Peterson missed the team bus from the hotel to Soldier Field. That didn't affect his performance too much. Peterson still rushed for over 100 yards. However, he did lose a fumble, contributing to the Bears easy win. Many people are saying the Bears got back on track because of the return of QB Jay Cutler. Just imagine what Cutler would've done against the 49ers defense last week or the Texans defense in the second half had he not been injured. The Bears simply benefitted from an easy opponent.

Oakland Raiders 10 Cincinnati Bengals 34

That Bengals victory against the Giants two weeks ago is looking like one of the most important wins for any team this season. The Bengals were able to handle the Chiefs easily last week at Arrowhead Stadium. Handling the Raiders was just as easy. Now at 6-5, the Bengals are in the race. They are tied with the Steelers but the Steelers currently hold the tiebreaker because of their win against the Bengals earlier this season. However, if the Steelers don't get QB Ben Roethlisberger back soon, the Bengals will leap frog them and put themselves in prime position for another Wild Card playoff berth.

Pittsburgh Steelers 14 Cleveland Browns 20

Simply put, the Steelers need QB Ben Roethlisberger as soon as possible. Many people believed the Steelers can weather the storm. About three to four years ago, that may have been the case. The Steelers defense is still statistically great, but they're much older now and they need the offense to put up points in order to win games. Finally, the Browns are able to win a close one. Doing it against the Steelers must feel good to Browns fans as well. There is a little upside in Cleveland.

Buffalo Bills 13 Indianapolis Colts 20

The Colts have benefitted from a schedule that has not been tough at all, and they keep coming with the wins. It was a close one against the Bills. Colts QB Andrew Luck didn't get much help from the running game, forcing him into 37 passing attempts. The Colts have relied on his right arm and much improved defense to get by. The Bills, who haven't been to the playoffs since 1999, have to wonder what it's going to take to become a better team. Whatever they're doing now isn't working.

Tennessee Titans 19 Jacksonville Jaguars 24

The Jaguars placed QB Blaine Gabbert on injured reserve, and they probably didn't feel bad about it. After QB Chad Henne's performance against the Texans last week, the Jaguars were glad to insert him as the starter. Henne threw two touchdown passes in leading the Jaguars to a close victory over the Titans. In Titans QB Jake Locker's second game back from injury, he was certainly better than the performance against the Dolphins. Still, he threw two picks in the loss.

Denver Broncos 17 Kansas City Chiefs 9

Defensively, the Chiefs played their hearts out. If only they could get a little more out of their offense. Chiefs QB Brady Quinn only completed 13 out of 25 pass attempts for just 126 yards. It is unfortunate for the Chiefs because their only other option is to go back to QB Matt Cassel, who has not been good in his tenure with the Chiefs. They got solid production out of their run game. They just need a quarterback who can play just a little better than Cassel and Quinn.

Seattle Seahawks 21 Miami Dolphins 24

The biggest story of this game might not be the interruption of the game due to the sprinklers. It may not be the game-winning field goal by K Dan Carpenter. It may be the reported upcoming suspensions for the two starting corners of the Seahawks, CB Richard Sherman and CB Brandon Browner. It was reported immediately after the game, but the Seahawks have yet to comment on it. Sherman has stated he knows he's not guilty and everything will be fine once all the facts come out. They all say that. Whatever the truth is, it may not make a difference. They are currently appealing and are eligible to play this Sunday against the Bears.

Atlanta Falcons 24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23

Another close game for the Falcons! Another tight victory for the Falcons! This is the life of their season, and they hope to ride it out to New Orleans for the Super Bowl. It would suck for the Falcons to rack up all of these close wins in the regular season, only for them to lose a close one in the playoffs. The Buccaneers came in rolling, so credit the Falcons. However, the Buccaneers lost to the Saints at home and now the Falcons. This season looks like the 2010 season for the Buccaneers also. They are taking care of the easy teams. They are losing to the decent teams and the good teams. The Buccaneers have to get better.

Ravens RB Ray Rice picks up incredible first down on
4th and 29.

Baltimore 16 San Diego 13 OT

There's not much people know about this game except for Ravens RB Ray Rice's 4th and 29 conversion. From the logistics of it all, it appeared the referees were incorrect in their spotting of the football. It was initially marked at the 33 yard line, with the first down being at the 34 yard line. However, replays indicate Rice's knee went down at the 35, and the ball didn't go much further. After the automatic review, the referees determined the ball was at the 33 1/2 yard line when Rice went down. That sounds like a joke, but the Chargers shouldn't have put themselves in that position to give up that many yards on 4th and 29.

St. Louis Rams 31 Arizona Cardinals 17

The Cardinals started the season at 4-0. Everyone was getting praised about how great they were. Cardinals QB Kevin Kolb was praised for turning the corner and becoming a better quarterback. Defensive coordinator Ray Horton was praised for turning around the Cardinals defense. Seven consecutive losses later, the praise has long gone. No one even remembers when the Cardinals beat the Patriots in Gillette Stadium. It seems like it happened last season.

San Francisco 49ers 31 New Orleans Saints 21

This was the first of two NFC Divisional round rematches on this day, and the team who won the divisional game ended up winning this game as well. Remember that thought. 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick was solid, and the 49ers returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the victory. The Saints were lauded for coming back to .500 after starting the season 0-4. However, with their rough schedule, which includes games against the Falcons and the Giants, the Saints just might have to say bye to their playoff chances.

Green Bay Packers 10 New York Giants 38

This was the second NFC Divisional round rematch, and the team who won the divisional game ended up winning this game as well. I told you to remember that thought. This performance from the Giants was totally unexpected. The Giants were reeling going into their bye week. The Packers had won five straight leading up to this game. Many expected the Giants to be rejuvenated after the bye, especially with their division lead slipping. No one thought they would be this dominant. All of a sudden, the Packers are in win-now mode. Four of their next five games are against division opponents. That should win them the division.

Carolina Panthers 30 Philadelphia Eagles 22

When the regular season schedule came out and this game was placed on Monday night, it was billed as a great matchup between two teams with dynamic quarterbacks who would be in playoff contention at this point. I really don't know why people thought that about the Panthers. They got in and over their heads telling fans they will win the Super Bowl this season. The Eagles, however, have been the most disappointing team this season, and their losing streak has no end in sight. Eagles head coach Andy Reid is definitely gone after the season. He should be applauded for not giving up in the worst of times. He could've easily resigned.

Week 12 Preview

Houston Texans vs. Detroit Lions
CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
Thursday November 22, 2012 12:30pm

There used to be a time when people were calling for the NFL to remove the Lions from the annual Thanksgiving schedule. Where was the patience people? The Lions aren't necessarily a playoff team as evidenced by their 4-6 record. However, they were in the playoffs last year and they have a young nucleus that can keep them competitive for the foreseeable future. The Lions can't think about the future though. A game against the 9-1 Texans is a game to make a statement and keep your season alive. Are the Lions up to the task?

Houston Texans 31
Detroit Lions      20

Redskins QB Robert Griffin III.

Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
Thursday November 22, 2012 4:15pm

Back in 1998, a rookie by the name of WR Randy Moss played for the Minnesota Vikings against the Cowboys in the Thanksgiving game. Moss ended with only three receptions in the game. They all went for touchdowns. Another rookie will invade the Cowboys home field. He goes by the name of QB Robert Griffin III. If there was any game to make a statement on the national stage, it will be this game. There's a lot at stake here also. The Redskins are just a game behind the Cowboys in the NFC East. A road win to even up their records will make Jerry Jones sick.

Washington Redskins 27
Dallas Cowboys           21

Jets QB Mark Sanchez.

New England Patriots vs. New York Jets
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Thursday November 22, 2012 8:20pm

For the first time, NBC will carry a Thanksgiving game in prime-time. NBC used to carry annual Thanksgiving games when they had the AFC package, which ended after the 1997 season. It's good to see NBC carrying the game instead of the NFL Network because games on the NFL Network aren't as attractive as they are on NBC. Now to the game. Simply put, the Jets need to win this game or the Patriots will officially run away with the division.

New England Patriots 24
New York Jets            20

Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
FOX -- Kenny Albert, Darryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa
Sunday November 25, 2012 1pm

A lot of the blame is going to Bears QB Jason Campbell for their loss against the San Francisco 49ers Monday. Let's just say QB Jay Cutler was playing. Does anyone really believe Cutler would've came close to beating the 49ers? It is still nice to have Campbell as a backup because he can win games for the Bears like Cutler. The Bears will need to run it a lot and allow Campbell to simply manage the game. The Bears will be just fine.

Minnesota Vikings 13
Chicago Bears        24

Oakland Raiders vs. Cincinnati Bengals
CBS -- Bill Macatee, Steve Tasker
Sunday November 25, 2012 1pm

It was important for the Bengals to beat the Giants two weeks ago. An easy game against the Kansas City Chiefs followed, and now a home game against the Raiders have the Bengals feeling pretty good about jumping back into the playoff race. If the Steelers plummet without QB Ben Roethlisberger, the wild card spot is there for the taking.

Oakland Raiders    17
Cincinnati Bengals 34

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
CBS -- Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots
Sunday November 25, 2012 1pm

The Steelers have signed WR Plaxico Burress, who played his first five seasons with the Steelers. This was needed because the Steelers are starting to deal with a lot of injuries at the receiver position. That shouldn't be the main concern however. QB Charlie Batch will start in place of QB Byron Leftwich, who fractured ribs against the Ravens. Leftwich was already replacing QB Ben Roethlisberger, who's dealing with a rib injury of his own. If the Steelers don't have Roethlisberger soon, the Steelers will not make the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Steelers 10
Cleveland Browns   13

Buffalo Bills vs. Indianapolis Colts
CBS -- Marv Albert, Rich Gannon
Sunday November 25, 2012 1pm

The Colts are coming off a humbling loss to the Patriots, so that doesn't bode well for the Bills. The Colts will look to get off to a solid start and not let the Bills hang around. The Bills can hang around. They have the offensive talent to do so. That all depends on QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. When Fitzpatrick is playing well and not making mistakes, he looks awfully impressive. The problem is we don't see enough of that. Fitzpatrick makes way too many risky throws and turns the ball over. I think it'll be the same here.

Buffalo Bills          20
Indianapolis Colts 34

Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
CBS -- Spero Dedes, Steve Buerlein
Sunday November 25, 2012 1pm

The Jaguars may have given us a little reason to believe in them. They looked very impressive against the Texans, a team that has only lost once this year. When the Jaguars inserted QB Chad Henne after QB Blaine Gabbert was injured, their offense was racking up yards like they were the "Greatest Show on Turf." We've seen this many times before. The Jaguars are at home and coming off their performance last week, many people will favor the Jaguars in this one. I still don't believe in them.

Tennessee Titans      28
Jacksonville Jaguars 17

Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs
CBS -- Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf
Sunday November 25, 2012 1pm

Another easy divisional game for the Broncos that should go down as a win. What else is there to say about this game? The Chiefs fans bailed out on their team last week with about ten minutes remaining in the game. That's a lot of time left in the game, yet Chiefs fans were worried about beating traffic. Since everyone pretty much left at the same time, they created the traffic. In this game, Chiefs fans shouldn't even bother showing up.

Denver Broncos      41
Kansas City Chiefs 20

Seattle Seahawks vs. Miami Dolphins
FOX -- Chris Myers, Tim Ryan
Sunday November 25, 2012 1pm

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson looks so much better when playing at home. However, playing in Miami against the Dolphins shouldn't be a daunting task. It will be a daunting task for Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill. He has to pick which corner he wants to throw against. He has two options; CB Richard Sherman or CB Brandon Browner. Tannehill wishes there were other options, but there aren't. Let's just say whatever side WR Brian Hartline is on, he'll be looking there.

Seattle Seahawks 24
Miami Dolphins    13

Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
FOX -- Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick
Sunday November 25, 2012 1pm

This game is certainly an interesting divisional game. The Falcons lost to the Saints two weeks ago. The Buccaneers, like the Saints, have been on a roll lately. For the Buccaneers, this is a game that will determine where they are in regards to competing in their division. The Falcons have been able to escape a couple of games they probably should have lost. I think they'll look to send a message here.

Atlanta Falcons               30
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20

Baltimore Ravens vs. San Diego Chargers
CBS -- Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
Sunday November 25, 2012 4:05pm

Ted Cottrell, who was the arbitrator for the punishment handed down to Ravens S Ed Reed, decided to eliminate Reed's suspension and just hand him a $50K fine. Some people joked Cottrell did this because he used to be the defensive coordinator for the Chargers and wanted to get back at them by letting Reed take the field and hurt them. Reed is clearly the Ravens best defensive player, even before LB Ray Lewis and CB Lardarius Webb went down with season-ending injuries. The Ravens defense has not looked sharp like in years past. Losing Reed would've been a problem.

Baltimore Ravens    24
San Diego Chargers 23

St. Louis Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals
FOX -- Dick Stockton, John Lynch
Sunday November 25, 2012 4:25pm

The Rams followed up an impressive road performance against the 49ers with a dud at home against the Jets. Rams QB Sam Bradford has not shown enough consistency, something the Rams are desperately looking for from him so they can continue to get better. Even though Jeff Fisher spent many years with the Oilers/Titans, it is not necessarily a good thing for Bradford that he's the coach. Fisher brings toughness and smart energy, but he is not a quarterback guru. Brian Schottenheimer has not received criticism, probably because he isn't with the Jets anymore. He needs to get better at playcalling.

St. Louis Rams     13
Arizona Cardinals 27

49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh

San Francisco 49ers vs. New Orleans Saints
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
Sunday November 25, 2012 4:25pm

All of a sudden, the Saints are back in the thick of things after starting the season 0-4. The 49ers are a good football team, but I don't think Jim Harbaugh and his 49ers have played in an environment quite like what they will play in this Sunday. The Superdome can get loud. The Saints offense thrives indoors and on their home turf. The Saints are looking to continue their push to acquire a playoff spot. The 49ers have decisions to make. Should they go with QB Colin Kaepernick or bring back QB Alex Smith? Decisions, decisions.

San Francisco 49ers 23
New Orleans Saints 27

Giants QB Eli Manning.

Green Bay Packers vs. New York Giants
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Sunday November 25, 2012 8:20pm

Clearly the game of the week, the Giants will look to bounce back after two straight losses that has everyone believing they're cursed in the month of November. The Packers are riding high, suddenly tied with the Bears in the NFC North. The bye week couldn't have come at a better time for the Giants. They're going into the home stretch and they have a difficult schedule on deck. Creeping behind them are the Cowboys in the NFC East standings. This is a statement game. The Giants have made many statements before. They will again.

Green Bay Packers 31
New York Giants     35

Carolina Panthers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
ESPN -- Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden
Monday November 26, 2012

When ESPN and the NFL released the Monday night schedule, they looked at this game with lots of potential. Panthers QB Cam Newton against Eagles QB Michael Vick! Instead, this game is probably the laughingstock of the weekend. The Eagles have already given up, and the Panthers continue to lose close games someway somehow. There is nothing to take from this game. You hope both teams haven't quit on their season already.

Carolina Panthers    17
Philadelphia Eagles 20

Week 11 Recap

Miami Dolphins 14 Buffalo Bills 19

There was a special teams touchdown from both teams, but other than that, this was an uninteresting Thursday night game. It was somewhat important however because both teams are battling for the second spot in the AFC East along with the New York Jets. Both quarterbacks were less than stellar, but Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick didn't make any mistakes.

Arizona Cardinals 19 Atlanta Falcons 23

I said this was a game that could be a trap game for the Falcons. Actually, I shouldn't have labeled it that way because the Falcons aren't really that good. However, the Cardinals are really that bad. The defense was able to come away with five interceptions, yet you still lose the football game. I don't even know if that has ever happened before. The depressing slide continues for the Cardinals.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27 Carolina Panthers 21 OT

Panthers QB Cam Newton was solid throwing the football and it appeared the Panthers would definitely walk away with a win. However, a lucky catch made in between three defenders for Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson brought the game within two. They obviously needed a two point conversion for the tie. The Panthers gave that up as well. To put the icing on the cake, the Panthers allowed the Buccaneers to score a touchdown on the opening overtime possession, ending the game. That's depressing.

Cowboys WR Dez Bryant catches a pass for a touchdown.

Cleveland Browns 20 Dallas Cowboys 23 OT

The Cowboys simply don't have the offensive talent most analysts seem to brag about. It's no surprise this game was being dominated by the Browns in the first half and some of the the second half. As has been the case all season, the Browns did everything but win the football game. Are Browns fans encouraged by that or do they want to see those efforts turned into wins?

Green Bay Packers 24 Detroit Lions 20

This is the start of a three-game home stretch for the Lions, all against teams over .500. Coming out of this game with a victory would've been a plus. It didn't happen. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers made the plays down the stretch, including throwing the game-winning pass to WR Randall Cobb with just over two minutes left. The Lions, a playoff team a year ago, are now 4-6. They're going to need to buckle down from here until the end of the season if they want to make the playoffs.

Texans WR Andre Johnson scores the game-winning touchdown
in overtime.

Jacksonville Jaguars 37 Houston Texans 43 OT

This was easily the biggest surprise of the day. This actually could've been the biggest surprise of the season. Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert went out early with an injury, and in came QB Chad Henne. Henne completed just under 50% of his passes, but threw for four touchdowns and zero interceptions. The Texans, who have been dominant for most of the season, were down 14 at home to the Jaguars. Not many people predicted that scenario playing out. The Texans were able to survive thanks to 527 passing yards and five touchdowns from QB Matt Schaub. Nice escape!

Cincinnati Bengals 28 Kansas City Chiefs 6

The Chiefs fans were not impressed with the product that took the field. What were they expecting? After responding so well to Romeo Crennel after Todd Haley was fired last season, it seems as if Crennel has lost the pulse of the team. He will most likely be gone at the end of the season as well. Chiefs QB Matt Cassel should never be a starter in this league again. He has not done anything, including their 10-6 2010 season, to prove he belongs as a starter in this league.

New York Jets 27 St. Louis Rams 13

I certainly had my doubts as to whether the Jets will step up and take care of an opponent they're supposed to take care of. This Rams team isn't a slouch though. They battled with the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park, and if it wasn't for a couple of untimely and unfortunate penalties, they would've came out with the win. Sanchez was efficient, completing 15 of 20 pass attempts for 178 yards and a touchdown. It seems when the Jets win, Sanchez is never in the way.

Philadelphia Eagles 6 Washington Redskins 31

Going into every season, you always hear Eagles coach Andy Reid being on the hot seat. Every year, he does just enough to prove he should stick around. That time has come to an end. Reid will most definitely be let go at the end of the season, ending what was a great tenure with the Eagles. Reid did everything but win the Super Bowl, and Eagles fans probably don't appreciate what Reid has done for the team because he didn't win a championship. QB Michael Vick was concussed so he didn't play yesterday. It's safe to say his career as a starting quarterback is coming to an end. His only chance at sticking around with any team will be as a backup.

New Orleans Saints 38 Oakland Raiders 17

Saints head coach Joe Vitt made sure he got the message across to his team to not sleep on the Raiders. The Raiders were coming off of an embarrassing loss to the Baltimore Ravens, where they gave up 55 points. Naturally, the Raiders would come out angry and try to take it out on the Saints. That didn't happen. Saints jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead and it was pretty much over from there. The Saints have gotten back to .500 after starting the season 0-4. That's kind of remarkable.

San Diego Chargers 23 Denver Broncos 30

This game was certainly closer than I expected. The Chargers seem to be reeling at this point, so I thought the Broncos would be able to win this rather easily. The Chargers put up a valiant effort, but fell short. The Broncos will most likely continue to roll with their easy schedule. The Broncos will be without RB Willis McGahee for six to eight weeks after he tore a ligament in his right knee during this game.

Indianapolis Colts 24 New England Patriots 59

It appeared to me the Patriots were running up the score. The game seemed to be in hand by the start of the fourth quarter, yet they were still throwing the football. Well, the Patriots were doing a little too much and it cost TE Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski was blocking for the extra point on the Patriots last touchdown when he broke his forearm. He will be out for approximately six weeks, hurting the Patriots offense a bit. When you have QB Tom Brady, you can pretty much roll any wide receiver or tight end out there and turn you into an All-Pro.

Ravens WR Jacoby Jones returns a punt for a touchdown.

Baltimore Ravens 13 Pittsburgh Steelers 10

I know the Ravens defense has definitely not been a dominating one. However, if they were to give up more than 14 points to Steelers QB Byron Leftwich, they should've been ashamed of themselves. Leftwich had a lucky touchdown run that got the scoring started early. It was looking like the Ravens could potentially be embarrassed by Leftwich. However, the Steelers offense sputtered as expected without QB Ben Roethlisberger. They definitely need him back.

Chicago Bears 7 San Francisco 49ers 32

Many people may come away surprised at the outcome of this game. I don't think it mattered that both teams were without their starting quarterbacks. 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick played performed well probably like QB Alex Smith would've. Bears QB Jason Campbell performed poorly, most likely like QB Jay Cutler would've. The Bears have feasted on easy opponents. They are not Super Bowl contenders because of games like this.

Week 11 Preview

Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills
NFL Network -- Brad Nessler, Mike Mayock
Thursday November 15, 2012 8:30pm

A game separates these two teams in the AFC East standings so this game is important for both. The Dolphins had a home game they should've won to create some separation between themselves and the Bills and Jets. They were embarrassed by the Titans. The Dolphins are certainly capable of going into Buffalo and getting a victory. The Bills weren't bad last week against the Patriots surprisingly. If they play like that against the Dolphins, they should get the victory.

Miami Dolphins 21 Buffalo Bills 27

Arizona Cardinals vs. Atlanta Falcons
FOX -- Kenny Albert, Darryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa
Sunday November 18, 2012 1pm

This is one game you see on the schedule and many people would think this will be an easy win for the Falcons. Not so fast! While the Falcons are 8-1, they barely squeaked out victories against the Raiders and Panthers at home, two teams who are not good. The Cardinals needed the bye week they just had. After winning their first four games, including a road win against the Patriots, they have lost five straight. There is still no timetable for QB Kevin Kolb's return, so another week of QB John Skelton may not be good for their chances.

Arizona Cardinals 27 Atlanta Falcons 30

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers
FOX -- Chris Myers, Tim Ryan
Sunday November 18, 2012 1pm

The Panthers didn't play well against the Broncos, but that was expected. Their defense has looked decent as of late. In the beginning of the season, they were looking like the worst defense in the league. They face a red-hot Buccaneers team who began the first part of the season just trying to improve upon last season's results. They are now second in the division and Greg Schiano has his team playing with confidence. They can be a playoff team if they keep it up.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23 Carolina Panthers 17

Cleveland Browns vs. Dallas Cowboys
CBS -- Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf
Sunday November 18, 2012 1pm

This game continues an easy stretch of games for the Cowboys where they can catch up with the Giants in the NFC East standings. The Browns aren't that easy however. Their record stands at 2-7, but they have played hard in most of their games and have made teams sweat out victories. This could very well be a danger game and an upset alert for the Cowboys, as they have not been very good at home. The Cowboys have an excellent opportunity to win games and possibly win the division or make the playoffs. If they don't, Jason Garrett really deserves to be fired.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers.

Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
Sunday November 18, 2012 1pm

This game begins a stretch of three consecutive home games for the Lions. However, after this game, they have the Texans and Colts at home as well. If they playoffs were to begin today, all three teams would be in the playoffs. This could turn out to be a disastrous home stretch for the Lions. That is why it was imperative for them to get a victory against the Vikings this past Sunday. After this stretch is done, the Lions could very well have eliminated themselves from playoff contention.

Green Bay Packers 31 Detroit Lions 28

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Houston Texans
CBS -- Bill Macatee, Steve Tasker
Sunday November 18, 2012 1pm

If you saw the Jaguars play the Colts last Thursday, they looked beaten and helpless. Playing the Texans in Houston is definitely not a game to turn that around. Simply put, the Jaguars are in trouble. The Texans are riding high after winning in Soldier Field this past Sunday. The Texans are not a team that will overlook this game just because the Jaguars are playing football. They will look to jump on them early.

Jacksonville Jaguars 13 Houston Texans 34

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs
CBS -- Marv Albert, Rich Gannon
Sunday November 18, 2012 1pm

This game can definitely be a trap game for the Bengals. The Bengals are riding high after beating the defending champion Giants this past Sunday. If they think they're going to stroll into Arrowhead and easily beat the Chiefs, they might be in for a surprise. QB Matt Cassel hasn't played well at all this season, but the Chiefs have a number of solid players. Turnovers have hurt them dearly. If the Chiefs can limit the amount of turnovers in this game, they can come away with a home victory.

Cincinnati Bengals 17 Kansas City Chiefs 20

New York Jets vs. St. Louis Rams
CBS -- Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
Sunday November 18, 2012 1pm

The Jets have yet another controversy this week. It almost appears as if the goal for the Jets is to make the tabloids and not worry too much about winning football games. This is a manageable game for the Jets, but they haven't even given fans a reason to believe they'll get a win Sunday against the Rams. The Rams defense isn't really that good, so the Jets need to score points. If the Jets struggle to score points in this game as well, it might be time to start looking at other options at quarterback not just for the rest of this season, but going beyond this season.

New York Jets 16 St. Louis Rams 14

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Redskins
FOX -- Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick
Sunday November 18, 2012 1pm

This is another game where both teams are reeling coming into the game. The Eagles lost a home division game to the Cowboys and lost their embattled quarterback in the process. They will now go with QB Nick Foles. Let's see how this works out. For the Redskins, QB Robert Griffin III hasn't been bad in recent weeks, but the overall performance of the team has been poor. They find themselves in last place in the division yet again because Mike Shanahan continues to believe he can live off of reputation. If the Redskins don't make an improvement in these final seven games, Shanahan should be gone in the offseason.

Philadelphia Eagles 20 Washington Redskins 30

New Orleans Saints vs. Oakland Raiders
FOX -- Dick Stockton, John Lynch
Sunday November 18, 2012 4:05pm

The Saints are coming off a big win against the previously undefeated Falcons. They still have time to get back in the thick of things and try to at least secure a Wild Card spot. Getting a win in Oakland will be needed. That shouldn't be hard. There aren't many teams in the NFL like the Raiders. They constantly make themselves look bad with mistakes and costly turnovers, something Dennis Allen has not changed. The Raiders need to consider drafting a franchise quarterback. Who can they get?

New Orleans Saints 38 Oakland Raiders 21

San Diego Chargers vs. Denver Broncos
CBS -- Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots
Sunday November 18, 2012 4:25pm

The Chargers are most likely still pissed at blowing a 24-0 halftime lead and losing to the Broncos on Monday night earlier this season. The Chargers have the opportunity to take out their anger on the Broncos in their home. I don't think that'll be happening. QB Philip Rivers makes too many mistakes and QB Peyton Manning will carve up the Chargers defense. This is just another game for the easy road for the Broncos.

San Diego Chargers 17 Denver Broncos 30



Patriots QB Tom Brady (left) and Colts QB Andrew Luck (right).

Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
Sunday November 18, 2012 4:25pm

This is a very intriguing matchup. Rookie QB Andrew Luck has turned out to be everything plus more for the Colts. Currently sitting at 6-3, the Colts are in position to make the playoffs, something Colts fans probably didn't see after getting rid of QB Peyton Manning. The Patriots are starting to run away with their division yet again. The Patriots aren't as dominant as they once were, so it's definitely plausible for the Colts to march into Gillette Stadium and get a win.

Indianapolis Colts 20 New England Patriots 24

Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Sunday November 18, 2012 8:30pm

It's looking like QB Ben Roethlisberger won't be able to go in this game, which pretty much ends the Steelers chances of winning this game. Simply put, QB Byron Leftwich is not a starting quarterback in this league. The Ravens defense is nowhere close to the dominating unit they used to be. However, this should be their easy task. All they have to do is make sure the running game is taken care of and they will be fine.

Baltimore Ravens 20 Pittsburgh Steelers 13

49ers LB Patrick Willis and LB Aldon Smith.

Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers
ESPN -- Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden
Monday November 19, 2012 8:30pm

What a game! The 49ers are coming off of a disappointing home performance against the Rams, while the Bears are coming off a home loss to the Texans. Both teams will be angry coming into this game. The contrasting styles of play from the defense of both teams will be very interesting to watch. The 49ers are extremely physical, making sure every hit to an opponent hurts a little. The Bears are a finesse defense who relies on creating turnovers. This should be scrappy.

Chicago Bears 17 San Francisco 49ers 24

Week 10 Recap

Indianapolis Colts 27 Jacksonville Jaguars 10

The Colts came out and played like they were angry and upset at the way the first matchup turned out. If you remember back in September, an 80-yard touchdown pass from Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert to WR Cecil Shorts with under a minute to play won the Jaguars the game. This time around, that wasn't happening. The Colts had firm control throughout the course of the game, and the Jaguars were getting frustrated at a couple of calls that didn't go their way. More than halfway through the season, the Jaguars are closer to decison-making time. Is Gabbert a franchise quarterback?

Oakland Raiders 20 Baltimore Ravens 55

Ravens QB Joe Flacco threw an incompletion to WR Anquan Boldin, and Raiders CB Joselio Hanson saw fit to let Boldin know he just shut him down on the play. Boldin quickly gave him a reminder; look at the scoreboard. Hanson didn't seem to care, so the Ravens decided to make sure the entire Raiders team cared. On the ensuing fourth down up 41-17, the Ravens did a fake field goal run and scored a touchdown, to the dismay of Raiders coach Dennis Allen. You just have to feel sorry for the Raiders.

Denver Broncos 36 Carolina Panthers 14

The Broncos continue to roll in a stretch of easy games that should take them to the end of the season in pretty good shape. Many people, including myself, forgot it was Broncos coach John Fox's homecoming. Fox coached the Panthers for many years, leading them to the Super Bowl and another NFC Championship Game appearance during his time there. Now Fox may have the best quarterback in the game and has a good chance at getting back to the Super Bowl. On a historical note, QB Peyton Manning threw his 420th touchdown pass, moving him into second place all-time behind Brett Favre.

New York Giants 13 Cincinnati Bengals 31

Bengals WR A.J. Green said there would be holes in the defense. It didn't take him long to find it and exploit it. A quick 14-0 lead had the defending champs on the ropes. The Giants were looking to get back in it in the third quarter. A fumble by Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw, then two subsequent interceptions by QB Eli Manning effectively ended whatever chance they had at getting back in the game. The Bengals needed this game more than the Giants. Losers of four straight, their playoff hopes were slowly dwindling. Now they have hope.

Tennessee Titans 37 Miami Dolphins 3

The Dolphins suffered their most lopsided loss at home in over 40 years, and it came against an unlikely opponent. The Dolphins came into this game at 4-4 but they looked decent in their loss to the Colts last week. WIth the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets struggling a bit, the Dolphins could've used this home game to get over .500 going into a divisional matchup against the Bills. Four turnovers and four quarters of sloppy play prevented that from happening.

Detroit Lions 24 Minnesota Vikings 34

The Lions blew a huge opportunity to continue to gain ground in their division. With the Vikings reeling in recent weeks, a win for the Lions would've put them ahead of the Vikings in the NFC North standings. The Lions got a big day from WR Calvin Johnson. The Vikings got a big day from RB Adrian Peterson, which turned out to be the difference. The Lions have two home games coming up against the Green Bay Packers and the Houston Texans. They definitely could've used a victory here.

Buffalo Bills 31 New England Patriots 37

Many were probably surprised to see the Bills had a chance to win the game in their final drive. I don't think many people were expecting Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to lead a game-winning touchdown drive. The ending was what everyone expected. CB Devin McCourty intercepted Fitzpatrick in the end zone with under a minute to go to seal the victory for the Patriots. The Patriots have now won three straight and are separating themselves from the rest of the division, as expected.



Saints WR Marques Colston scores a touchdown.

Atlanta Falcons 27 New Orleans Saints 31

Someone forgot to tell Falcons WR Roddy White that he and his teammates have zero championship rings. White came out and stated the Falcons let the Saints win the football game. Saints LB Scott Shanle stated the Falcons were being disrespectful in pre-game to former Falcons LB Curtis Lofton. The Falcons seem to think they've already won the championship. If they recall just two years prior, it was the Saints who beat them in the Georgia Dome late in the season during their spectacular 13-3 season. About a month later, they were run out of their home stadium by a 10-6 team. I'm just saying!

San Diego Chargers 24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34

Chargers QB Philip Rivers averages about one bone-headed play a week. That bone-headed play this week turned out to be an interception return for a touchdown for CB Leonard Johnson. Buccaneers QB Josh Freeman was economical in this game, completing 14 of his 20 attempts for 210 yards and two touchdowns. RB Doug Martin, who had 250 yards last week against the Raiders, only rushed for 68 yards this time around. You can't always have a big game!

New York Jets 7 Seattle Seahawks 28

Jets DE Muhammad Wilkerson returned a fumble from Seahawks QB Russell Wilson for a touchdown to tie the game at seven. The Jets were looking fresh coming off the bye week. The offense had the ball at the one-yard line ready to punch it in with QB Tim Tebow. TE Dustin Keller commits a false start penalty, backs them up to the six-yard line. Tebow comes out and in returns QB Mark Sanchez. Sanchez throws an interception on the very next play, killing a great opportunity they would not see for the rest of the game. It's just that kind of season for the Jets.



Eagles QB Michael Vick leaves the field after suffering concussion.

Dallas Cowboys 38 Philadelphia Eagles 23

No one wants to see anyone get hurt, but Eagles fans were probably a little happy to see QB Nick Foles replace QB Michael Vick. Vick suffered a concussion from numerous blows to the head bouncing it off the ground. Foles came in and threw a touchdown pass to WR Jeremy Maclin that looked like a beauty. That was the only highlight for the rookie. The Eagles gave up an offensive touchdown, a special teams touchdown, and two defensive touchdowns to the Cowboys late in the second half to effectively put this game away. This was a game both teams needed. The Cowboys are thrilled to get the victory.

49ers K David Akers and P Andy Lee react after Akers misses
game-winning field goal.

St. Louis Rams 24 San Francisco 49ers 24 OT

This is the first tie in the NFL since 2008, when the Eagles and the Bengals tied each other up. There were chances from both teams to win the game. On the very first play in overtime, WR Danny Amendola caught a pass from QB Sam Bradford and raced down the sideline, getting pushed out by S Donte Whitner inside the five-yard line. It was called back because of an illegal formation. Bummer! The 49ers had a chance to win with a field goal from K David Akers. He missed it. The Rams had another opportunity for the win. K Greg Zuerlein missed a 58-yard field goal, after making a 53-yard field goal for the win. The problem is they got the snap off too late, resulting in a delay of game penalty. Mental mistakes will kill you.

Houston Texans 13 Chicago Bears 6

Some people were writing this as a Super Bowl preview. Both teams did come into the game at 7-1, so it's possible. In what became of theme of Week 10, Bears QB Jay Cutler left the game with a concussion. The Bears were struggling to move the ball on the Texans defense at that point. When QB Jason Campbell came in to relieve Cutler, it was even more difficult. The Texans didn't do much offensively either. Bears CB Tim Jennings now has eight interceptions, with seven games to go. Wow!

Kansas City Chiefs 13 Pittsburgh Steelers 16 OT

This was probably the game everyone knew would be a sleeper and an easy one for the Steelers. It didn't turn out that way at all. The Chiefs jumped out to a 10-0 lead, and Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was struggling before getting injured. QB Byron Leftwich came in to relieve him, and he obviously wasn't much better either. However, the Steelers relied on their defense to keep them even with the Chiefs. Chiefs QB Matt Cassel led a game-tying drive with under a minute to go, but promptly threw an interception in the opening minute of overtime to give it to the Steelers in excellent scoring position. It sucks to be a Chiefs fan!

Week 10 Preview

Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
NFL Network -- Brad Nessler, Mike Mayock
Thursday November 8, 2012 8:30pm

The Jaguars are tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the worst record in football, and just like the Chiefs, they have not been too competitive at all. The Colts are coming into this game riding high, currently on a three-game winning streak and an emotional speech from their head coach following their last game. If you remember, the Jaguars only win of the season came against these Colts. A last-minute 80-yard touchdown reception from Jaguars WR Cecil Shorts won them the game. The Colts will be looking for revenge.

Indianapolis Colts 27 Jacksonville Jaguars 17

Tennessee Titans vs. Miami Dolphins
CBS -- Spero Dedes, Steve Tasker
Sunday November 11, 2012 1pm

Both teams are coming off of losses, but the Dolphins were pretty competitive in their last game. The Titans were blitzed by the Chicago Bears on their home turf. The Dolphins are at home so they will be looking to bounce back. They are second in the AFC East division with a chance to make the playoffs. No one predicted that coming into the season.

Tennessee Titans 20 Miami Dolphins 24

Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
FOX -- Dick Stockton, John Lynch
Sunday November 11, 2012 1pm

The Vikings won the first matchup between these two teams in Detroit. At that time, it was clear the Lions were struggling offensively, while the Vikings were riding high after their victory against the San Francisco 49ers. Things are different now. The Vikings have come back down to earth. The Lions are playing much better football now. A win from the Lions puts them ahead of the Vikings in the NFC North, which seemed unlikely just a couple of weeks ago. The Vikings are playing bad football, led by QB Christian Ponder. If they don't turn it around soon, they may not win another game.

Detroit Lions 34 Minnesota Vikings 17

New York Giants vs. Cincinnati Bengals
FOX -- Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick
Sunday November 11, 2012 1pm

The Giants' offense has certainly struggled as of late. That is most likely because of the injuries limiting Giants WR Hakeem Nicks. He was put on the injury list again with a knee issue. In three of the past four games, Giants QB Eli Manning failed to throw for more than 200 yards. He looked awful last week, only throwing for 125 yards and completing well under 50% of his passes. The Bengals defense isn't as tough, but they shouldn't be slept on either. If the Bengals want to keep their playoff hopes alive, they need to win this game.

New York Giants 30 Cincinnati Bengals 23

Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots
CBS -- Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
Sunday November 11, 2012 1pm

The Bills should probably be encouraged by the fact they weren't blown out last week in Houston. Still, things have not looked good all season for the Bills. When these two teams played earlier this season, the Bills gave up 31 points in the fourth quarter. Going into Gillette Stadium, this is probably the easiest pick of the weekend. No way the Bills have a chance against the Patriots.

Buffalo Bills 17 New England Patriots 41

Falcons QB Matt Ryan and Saints QB Drew Brees will do battle
this Sunday.

Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints
FOX -- Kenny Albert, Darryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa
Sunday November 11, 2012 1pm

The Falcons streak continues. The road to an undefeated season must pass through the Superdome because these two are division foes. The Saints got off to an uncharacteristically bad start, one they look to try and recover from. Time is ticking on their season. If they don't get wins, they'll definitely be missing the postseason. The Falcons have been been beaten pretty good by the Saints in the past. I expect the Saints to give them their first loss.

Atlanta Falcons 31 New Orleans 34

San Diego Chargers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
CBS -- Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots
Sunday November 11, 2012 1pm
What can Buccaneers RB Doug Martin do for an encore? I doubt he'll rush for 250 yards again, but he can run for at least 100 yards. The Chargers don't have a strong defense, and if it wasn't for playing the Chiefs at home last week, the Chargers would still probably be in a funk. This is a reunion for Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson. Jackson spent his first several seasons with the Chargers, providing Rivers with a big target. This game isn't in San Diego so Jackson probably won't be as pumped.

San Diego Chargers 13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24

Peyton Manning, now in a Broncos uniform, will go against
the young phenom in Carolina.

Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers
CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
Sunday November 11, 2012 1pm
The Panthers got a surprising win in the nation's capital last week, and they'll look to build on that win. It's kind of hard to build on that when Broncos QB Peyton Manning is your next opponent. The Panthers defense has been decent as of late. I don't think decent is good enough to beat Manning. The Broncos are in the easy stretch of their schedule. They are very capable of limiting Panthers QB Cam Newton also. This won't be good for him.

Denver Broncos 30 Carolina Panthers 13

Oakland Raiders vs. Baltimore Ravens
CBS -- Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf
Sunday November 11, 2012 1pm

The Ravens are 6-2, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are getting hot so the Ravens must continue to win to stay in the driver's seat. Nothing like a game at home against the Raiders to ensure that. The Raiders gave up 250 rushing yards to a rookie running back last week. Having to face Ravens RB Ray Rice is a tall order. What hasn't been talked about is the play of Ravens QB Joe Flacco. He was expected to take the leap to star quarterback this season. He certainly hasn't done so. He should play like a star in this game.

Oakland Raiders 20 Baltimore Ravens 35

New York Jets vs. Seattle Seahawks
CBS -- Marv Albert, Rich Gannon
Sunday November 11, 2012 4:05pm

Jets' head coach Rex Ryan was voted the most overrated coach in a poll of a select number of NFL players this past week. Ryan took it and laughed it off. If Ryan doesn't want to continue to be labeled that way, he's going to have to start winning games. Their bye week last week was much needed after the embarrassing performance they put forth against the Dolphins. CB Antonio Cromartie came out today and said the Jets will make the playoffs. The Jets are doing an awful lot of talking. What's new?

New York Jets 14 Seattle Seahawks 23

St. Louis Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers
FOX -- Chris Myers, Tim Ryan
Sunday November 11, 2012 4:25pm

The 49ers play the Bears at Candlestick Park a week after this game, so they might want to handle business easily so they can prepare for them. The Rams have some decent players, but they're simply no match for the 49ers. Maybe in St. Louis they can pull off an upset victory. That's not happening in San Francisco.

St. Louis Rams 3 San Francisco 49ers 28

These two coaches will be on the hot seat if they don't turn
things around this season.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
Sunday November 11, 2012 4:25pm

This game certainly has to be an entertaining one. These are the two teams in the league who do everything in their power to lose games. The Eagles started the season winning all the close matchups, but they started losing the close matchups by blowing leads. Now, the Eagles look downright bad. The Cowboys have been in most of their games also, just to see something unfortunate unfold and cost them the game. It's a very difficult season for both teams. With Sean Payton being a free agent in the offseason, Jason Garrett's and Andy Reid's jobs are on the line.

Dallas Cowboys 23 Philadelphia Eagles 26

Bears CB Charles Tillman says his wife will deliver their child
on Monday and he will play.

Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Sunday November 11, 2012 8:30pm

This is a great matchup between two teams who will definitely be in the playoffs. The last time the Texans had a reality check game, they were trashed in their own stadium by the Green Bay Packers. They probably won't get trashed here, but expect this to be another reality check game for the Texans as well. This is most certainly a game the Texans can win, as the Bears have a lot more to show to the fans before we can really say they're an elite football team.

Houston Texans 21 Chicago Bears 24

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
ESPN -- Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden
Monday November 12, 2012 8:30pm

The Steelers are coming off a very impressive victory against the defending champions in their stadium. They follow that up with a home game against the Chiefs. It doesn't get much easier than that. There are some nice subplots to this game however. Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley was fired by the Chiefs last December, and the team rallied around interim head coach Romeo Crennel and played hard for him. Now, going into this game, Crennel announced that he will not be calling the defensive plays anymore, handing those duties over to linebackers coach Gary Gibbs. Let's see how Haley reacts to seeing the team that fired him on the opposing sidelines.

Kansas City Chiefs 10 Pittsburgh Steelers 27

Week 9 Review

Kansas City Chiefs 13 San Diego Chargers 31

In a game that was close in the first half and much of the third quarter, four total turnovers from the Chiefs put them in a tough position to win the game. The Chargers blew the game open in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Chiefs 21-7 in the final quarter. Chargers QB Philip Rivers threw an interception, but that was one of two total incompletions the entire game for Rivers.

Broncos QB Peyton Manning and Bengals QB Andy Dalton
embrace after the Broncos' win.

Denver Broncos 31 Cincinnati Bengals 23

Broncos QB Peyton Manning threw two second half interceptions, but saved his best for the final quarter. The Broncos this season have been dominant in the final quarter, and it was the same for this game. The Bengals played their best game in quite a while, but still came up short. They are in a slide and they have to face the defending champions next week. Things aren't looking good for the Bengals.

Baltimore Ravens 25 Cleveland Browns 15

The Browns made many trips into the red zone. Yet, they were unable to come away with a single touchdown in the loss. The Browns were very competitive once again. They took a 15-14 lead, but the Ravens were able to take the lead again and hold it for good. Even though the Browns are losing, they should be encouraged by the fact their young team is competing.

Arizona Cardinals 17 Green Bay Packers 31

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers completed less than 50% of his passes, but it was a couple of plays that made the difference for the Packers. Rodgers had four touchdown passes en route to the victory. Cardinals QB John Skelton wasn't bad, but he didn't make the plays necessary to keep up with the Packers scoring. After winning the first four games, the Cardinals have now lost five straight to drop under .500. It appears the Cardinals need QB Kevin Kolb back.

Buffalo Bills 9 Houston Texans 21

Bills DE Mario Williams returned to Reliant Stadium to face his former team since he signed for $100 million with the Bills. The Texans are much better and Williams is probably feeling some sort of way about it. The way the Bills have been dominated in their losses this season, it was kind of surprising the score was a little close. The stars for the Texans came through. RB Arian Foster rushed for 111 yards and WR Andre Johnson caught eight passes for 118 yards.

Colts head coach Chuck Pagano addresses team. He is battling
leukemia.

Miami Dolphins 20 Indianapolis Colts 23

There are several big stories coming out of this game. After the narrow victory, the Colts are now 5-3, a season after only going 2-14. The Colts are slowly showing it wasn't a bad idea to get rid of QB Peyton Manning and draft QB Andrew Luck. The bigger story was the appearance of head coach Chuck Pagano in the locker room after the game. Pagano is currently under going treatment for leukemia. His speech touched millions of football fans across the country.

Detroit Lions 31 Jacksonville Jaguars 14

The Lions dominated from start to finish as RB Mikel Leshoure capped off a personal big weekend with three touchdown runs. Leshoure's girlfriend gave birth to their first child earlier in the week. Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert threw two interceptions in the loss. Jaguars fans have to continue to wonder whether Gabbert will be a franchise quarterback.

Chicago Bears 51 Tennessee Titans 20

CB Charles Tillman was literally on fire forcing turnovers. He forced four fumbles alone, and the Bears created five turnovers in winning big in Tennessee. This is their sixth straight victory for the Bears. The Bears do have two big tests coming up against the Houston Texans and the San Francisco 49ers. This should determine whether the Bears are legit or not.

Carolina Panthers 21 Washington Redskins 13

This was a shocker to some, as the Panthers have not shown the ability to go on the road and win. Panthers QB Cam Newton was able to put a decent game together, and the Panthers pass rush got to Redskins QB Robert Griffin III. After the game, Redskins coach Mike Shanahan suggested the team is looking beyond this season and evaluating talent instead of trying to win football games. Many thought this would create a divide in the locker room. Apparently, it hasn't done so yet.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 42 Oakland Raiders 32

The only headline in this game was the performance of Buccaneers rookie RB Doug Martin. Martin rushed for 251 yards and four touchdowns. He set an NFL record by having three touchdown runs of 40+ yards in the same game. That about explains the state of the Raiders. They need to fix their defense. They need to fix their offense. They need to fix everything. I think it starts with getting a new quarterback.

Minnesota Vikings 20 Seattle Seahawks 30

Both quarterbacks did not do much in the stat sheet. Vikings QB Christian Ponder only threw for 63 yards, while Seahawks QB Russell Wilson threw for 173 yards. Wilson did have three touchdowns however, and that was enough for the victory. The Vikings were also a team who started out hot, but have gone ice cold in recent weeks. The Detroit Lions improved to 4-4, and the Lions can leap over the Vikings when the two teams meet next week.

Steelers LB Lamar Woodley strips Giants QB Eli Manning of
the football.

Pittsburgh Steelers 24 New York Giants 20

There were a couple of questionable calls that seem to have gone in the Giants favor. The Steelers still came out on top. Their aggressive defense in the pass game severely limited Giants QB Eli Manning in what was his worst game in about four years. The Giants receivers struggled to free themselves of press coverage. Manning admits the Giants aren't playing good football. We all know their second half history. This may be the start of something bigger. Maybe.

Dallas Cowboys 13 Atlanta Falcons 19

The Cowboys kept the game close. They lost again. In what has become a common theme for the Cowboys, they did some good things in order to stay in the game. However, they didn't make enough plays to win. The Cowboys defense continues to impress, but the offense isn't getting enough production. In the fourth quarter, QB Tony Romo was able to engineer their only touchdown drive, courtesy of the no-huddle offense. The Cowboys defense failed to make a stop to get the Cowboys the ball back with enough time to potentially score another touchdown.

Philadelphia Eagles 13 New Orleans Saints 28

Eagles QB Michael Vick's brother tweeted the Eagles should trade him because he isn't getting any help from the offensive line. Vick was made aware of the tweet after the game, in which he look disgusted his brother would do that. This episode takes away from what occurred in the game. The Eagles had chances again for scores. An interception in the red zone that was returned for a touchdown by Saints CB Patrick Robinson was the deflating blow, and that occurred in the first half.