The Matchups

Bills at Bears

Line: Bills by 1.

Last meeting: Bears won 20-13 in Chicago on Oct. 2, 1994.

Key stats: Bears have allowed a league-high 377 points (29 per game), just two short of the team record.

Worth watching: Bears defensive end Alonzo Spellman plays for the first time since injuring his shoulder Sept. 21. Buffalo defensive end Bruce Smith is second in the NFL with 14 sacks.

Outlook: Bills are a long, long shot for the playoffs (they finish vs. Jacksonville, at Green Bay). But they still have that hope to motivate them. How hard the Bears play in their home finale may have a lot to say about whether Dave Wannstedt can keep his job.

Broncos at Steelers

Line: Steelers by 1-1/2.

Last meeting: Broncos won 37-13 in Denver on Nov. 21, 1993.

Key stats: It’s Denver’s No. 1 rushing offense vs. Pittsburgh’s No. 2 rushing defense.

Worth watching: Denver’s Terrell Davis leads NFL with 1,647 yards; Pittsburgh’s Jerome Bettis is third with 1,460.

Outlook: Broncos may be a Super Bowl team again, but they’ve lost to the only winning team they’ve faced on the road (Kansas City). Denver needs this one to stay a game ahead of Chiefs; Steelers tied with Jacksonville for first in AFC Central, and finish the season with two road games. Intangibles give edge to Steelers.

Packers at Bucs

Line: Packers by 3-1/2.

Last meeting: Packers won 21-16 in Green Bay on Oct. 5.

Key stats: Despite his great turnaround job, Bucs coach Tony Dungy is 0-3 vs. Green Bay.

Worth watching: Green Bay running back Dorsey Levens (1,237 yards) is on a pace to erase Jim Taylor’s team rushing record (1,474 yard in a 14-game schedule in 1962). Tampa Bay needs Warrick Dunn to rush for 120 yards, as he did last week in win over Giants.

Outlook: The Packers reminded everyone last week who is the defending Super Bowl champion, routing the Vikings in Minnesota. Packers trail the 49ers by a game in the race for the home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. Packers can wrap up NFC Central title with a win; Bucs can make the playoffs for the first time since 1982 with a victory.

Patriots at Jaguars

Line: Jaguars by 4.

Last meeting: Patriots won 28-25 in OT in New England on Sept. 22, 1996.

Key stats: Jaguars have won 13 straight home games, seven this season.

Worth watching: Jacksonville running back Natrone Means averaging a modest 3.3 yards per carry, but has rushed for eight TDs, three in the last three games. New England’s leading receiver is tight end Ben Coates (51 catches, six TDs).

Outlook: Patriots may be pulling out of their midseason malaise, but a third straight victory doesn’t seem likely. Jaguars have one of the best home-field advantages in the league. Plus, they need to keep winning to keep pace with Steelers in AFC Central.

Giants at Eagles

Line: Eagles by 5.

Last meeting: Giants won 31-17 in East Rutherford on Aug. 31.

Key stats: Eagles’ offense is fourth in the NFL; Giants are 29th.

Worth watching: Two quarterbacks heading in opposite directions: Giants’ Danny Kanell is on warning to produce or head back to the bench; Eagles’ Bobby Hoying has a passer rating of 98.4, which would be second in the league if he had enough attempts to qualify.

Outlook: With Hoying, the Eagles are back in the playoff race. They can move into first-place tie with Giants with a win, but New York is ahead on tiebreakers.

Raiders at Chiefs

Line: Chiefs by 9.

Last meeting: Chiefs won 28-27 in Oakland on Sept. 8.

Key stats: Kansas City has not allowed a second-half touchdown in its last eight games.

Worth watching: Rich Gannon has guided Chiefs to 3-1 record (including victories over Denver and San Francisco) in place of injured Elvis Grbac. Raiders’ Tim Brown is second in the NFL with 84 catches and 1,165 yards.

Outlook: Chiefs headed to 13-3 finish (they finish at San Diego, home vs. New Orleans) and can clinch playoff spot with win over the Raiders. They trail Broncos by just a game and have lead in tiebreakers.

Rams at Saints

Line: Saints by 2-1/2.

Last meeting: Rams won 38-24 in St. Louis on Aug. 31.

Key stats: Saints are sixth in the NFL in total defense.

Worth watching: New Orleans quarterback Billy Joe Hobert goes for his second straight win. Rams’ leading receiver is running back Amp Lee (51 catches, three for TDs).

Outlook: In life sometimes there are surprises. Mike Ditka’s Saints have won three of four, are favored in this one and still play Arizona. Seven wins and a second-place finish in the weak NFC West is a possibility.

Falcons at Chargers

Line: Falcons by 2.

Last meeting: Falcons won 10-9 in Atlanta on Nov. 6, 1994.

Key stats: Atlanta is 27th in offense; San Diego is 28th.

Worth watching: Atlanta quarterback Chris Chandler is second in the NFC in passing with a rating of 94.8 (16 TDs, six interceptions). Gary Brown leads San Diego running attack with 837 yards (3.8 average).

Outlook: Falcons playing well when it doesn’t count, with consecutive victories over St. Louis, New Orleans and Seattle. Late finish may save Dan Reeves’ job and give Falcons something to build on for next season. They finish vs. Philadelphia and at Arizona.

Colts at Jets

Line: Jets by 6-1/2.

Last meeting: Jets won 16-12 in Indianapolis on Oct. 5.

Key stats: Seven of the Colts’ losses have been by six points or less.

Worth watching: Two quarterbacks who have struggled but returned to starting jobs: Colts’ Jim Harbaugh and Jets’ Neil O’Donnell.

Outlook: Jets’ loss at Buffalo last week put them in a position to have to win two of their final three to make the playoffs.

Vikings at 49ers Line: 49ers by 9.

Last meeting: 49ers won 37-30 in San Francisco on Dec. 18, 1995.

Key stats: San Francisco has outscored opponents 191-84 in the first half.

Worth watching: Two new starters will have a lot to say about their teams’ fates down the stretch. With Minnesota quarterback Brad Johnson out for the season with a neck injury, Randall Cunningham makes his first start since 1995. With running back Garrison Hearst out until the playoffs with a collarbone injury, 49ers turn to Terry Kirby.

Outlook: Just a couple of weeks ago, the Vikings had a shot at one of the top two seeds in the NFC playoffs. Now, without Johnson, they may miss the playoffs. The 49ers’ No.1-ranked defense will lead them to their first victory over a team that currently has a winning record.

Redskins at Cardinals

Line: Cardinals by 1-1/2.

Last meeting: Redskins won 19-13 in Washington on Aug. 31.

Key stats: Six of the Cardinals’ losses have been by a combined 20 points.

Worth watching: Jeff Hostetler, who once won a Super Bowl with the Giants, takes over for Gus Frerotte (broken hip) at quarterback for Washington. Arizona’s Rob Moore is third in the NFL with 81 catches and first with 1,348 receiving yards.

Outlook: Redskins (0-2-1 last three weeks) fading quickly in the East. Now they must go without Frerotte as well as running back Terry Allen (ankle).

Lions at Dolphins

Line: Dolphins by 3.

Last meeting: Dolphins won 27-20 in Miami on Dec. 25, 1994.

Key stats: It’s Detroit’s No. 3 offense vs. Miami’s No. 25 defense.

Worth watching: Detroit’s Barry Sanders has rushed for 11 straight 100-yard games, tying the NFL record of Marcus Allen. Miami’s Karim Abdul-Jabbar leads league with 14 rushing touchdowns.

Outlook: Dolphins in three-way tie for first in AFC East and take on a Detroit team that has won three straight (all at home). Detroit’s defense has been a key in the winning streak, but Dan Marino should find O.J. McDuffie open.

Panthers at Cowboys (Monday night)

Line: Cowboys by 6-1/2.

Last meeting: This is their first regular-season meeting.

Key stats: Carolina has not beaten a team that currently has a winning record.

Worth watching: Physical questions loom about both starting quarterbacks. Cowboys’ Troy Aikman has a sore back; Panthers’ Kerry Collins is coming off a concussion.

Outlook: Dallas defense should get a boost from the return of tackle Leon Lett from suspension. If Cowboys can’t win, look out Barry Switzer.