Nfl Previews

Jets at Bears

Line: Jets by 3.

Last meeting: Bears won 19-7 at New York on Sept. 25, 1994.

Key stats: Bears are the only NFL team that has not held an opponent to under 20 points this season.

Worth watching: Jets QB Glenn Foley gets second start after completing 25 of 48 for 322 yards in loss to Miami. Bears QB Erik Kramer must produce against NFL’s No. 29 defense.

Outlook: The Bears must feel great about this - underdogs at home against a team that won only once a year ago. Bill Parcells has made the Jets a playoff contender quickly, while Dave Wannstedt must start stealing wins every now and then to give Mike McCaskey a reason to keep him.

Cardinals at Giants

Line: Giants by 5.

Last meeting: Giants won 27-13 at Arizona on Oct. 12, 1997.

Key stats: Giants have scored a touchdown on a league-high 72 percent (18 of 25) of their trips inside their opponents’ 20-yard line.

Worth watching: Tyrone Wheatley continues to impress as Giants’ starting running back. He’s coming off a 13-carry, 94-yard day in last week’s loss at Tennessee. Arizona sticks with Jake Plummer at quarterback.

Outlook: Giants are 3-0 in the NFC East and have won four of their last five from Cardinals. They should be able to run the ball against the league’s No. 21 rushing defense.

Falcons at Rams

Line: Rams by 3-1/2.

Last meeting: Falcons won 34-31 at Atlanta on Nov. 2, 1997.

Key stats: Rams have lost six straight; Falcons have lost 3 of 4, beating only the Rams.

Worth watching: Rams WR Isaac Bruce will try to repeat his 10-catch, 233-yard day against Falcons two weeks ago. Atlanta’s Jamal Anderson would like to reprise his 159-yard rushing day against the Rams.

Outlook: These 2-8 teams have to play each other at some point. When two equally bad teams play each other two weeks apart, they usually split.

Panthers at 49ers

Line: 49ers by 9-1/2.

Last meeting: 49ers won 34-21 at Carolina on Sept. 29, 1997.

Key stats: Carolina is 2-0 at San Francisco.

Worth watching: San Francisco’s Dana Stubblefield has NFL-high 12-1/2 sacks and leads the No. 1 defense vs. the No. 27 offense. Can Carolina QB Kerry Collins (six TDs, 13 interceptions) get his game back?

Outlook: San Francisco just keeps rolling, and these Panthers aren’t as good as the two Carolina teams that have won at Candlestick Point. With a win, the 49ers can clinch the division title, the earliest since the Bears wrapped up the NFC Central in the 11th week in 1985.

Bengals at Steelers

Line: Steelers by 9.

Last meeting: Steelers won 26-10 at Cincinnati on Oct. 19, 1997.

Key stats: Steelers rank ninth in offense and eighth in defense.

Worth watching: Rookie Corey Dillon (220 yards, two TDs in last two games) has taken over as Bengals’ featured running back. Pittsburgh RB Jerome Bettis has rushed for 1,137 yards, second-best in the NFL.

Outlook: Pittsburgh’s defense has allowed only 10 points a game the last four weeks. Bengals have won two in a row, but handling the Colts and Chargers isn’t much preparation for a team that will be playing in January.

Broncos at Chiefs

Line: Broncos by 3-1/2.

Last meeting: Broncos won 19-3 at Denver on Aug. 31, 1997.

Key stats: Broncos have won 23 of their last 27 regular-season games.

Worth watching: Denver’s Terrell Davis continues to lead league with 1,273 yards rushing and nine rushing TDs. Chiefs need big effort from QB Rich Gannon.

Outlook: Without Elvis Grbac, the Chiefs offense hasn’t put up much of a fight. So John Elway, Terrell Davis and the NFL’s top offense should cruise.

Packers at Colts

Line: Packers by 12-1/2.

Last meeting: Packers won 14-10 at Green Bay on Nov. 24, 1991.

Key stats: Packers have won nine of their last 10 against AFC teams.

Worth watching: Paul Justin, the least-injured of the Colts’ regular QBs, gets the call. Packers could use another big game from Antonio Freeman now that Robert Brooks is out (ribs).

Outlook: Colts’ quest for their first victory continues. The Packers aren’t a good dome team, but they don’t have to be to handle Colts, who have shot at being the NFL’s first 0-16 team.

Oilers at Jaguars

Line: Jaguars by 6.

Last meeting: Jaguars won 30-24 at Houston on Nov. 2, 1997.

Key stats: Jaguars have won 11 straight at home.

Worth watching: Oilers RB Eddie George is coming off 122-yard game, and is averaging 4.2 yards a carry. Jaguar Mark Brunell isn’t putting up the numbers he did a year ago, but has impressive TD-INT ratio of 11-4.

Outlook: Oilers’ only loss in last five weeks was to Jaguars. Their chances of an upset hinge on running against injury-depleted Jacksonville line, where rookie Renaldo Wynn of Notre Dame is getting a chance to play a key role.

Vikings at Lions

Line: Vikings by 2.

Last meeting: Vikings won 24-22 at Detroit on Dec. 8, 1996.

Key stats: The Vikings’ six-game winning streak is their longest since they took 10 straight in 1975.

Worth watching: Detroit must block Minnesota DT John Randle (10-1/2 sacks). Lions go with Frank Reich at quarterback (Scott Mitchell doubtful with a hamstring injury).

Outlook: Vikings keep passing the tests in the NFC Central. This week, they play a team that has lost three straight and they may get RB Robert Smith back from a sprained ankle.

Patriots at Buccaneers

Line: Patriots by 2.

Last meeting: Patriots won 10-7 in New England on Dec. 11, 1988.

Key stats: A win will guarantee Tampa Bay its first .500-or-better season since 1982.

Worth watching: Tampa Bay QB Trent Dilfer must continue to run an efficient offense - he has thrown only six interceptions, none in last three games. Patriots’ Drew Bledsoe must make some big plays.

Outlook: Despite Bucs’ resurgence, they need a win over a solid team like the Patriots. Their last victory over a playoff contender was Sept. 21 against Miami. Patriots had lost three in a row until beating fading Bills last week.

Eagles at Ravens

Line: Ravens by 2-1/2.

Last meeting: Ravens (then Browns) won 26-7 at Philadelphia on Nov. 13, 1994.

Key stats: Eagles are third in the NFL offense; Ravens are seventh.

Worth watching: Philadelphia turns to second-year QB Bobby Hoying in an effort to generate a passing game. Ravens RB Bam Morris has averaged 87.2 yards rushing in his five starts.

Outlook: Eagles still reeling after abysmal showing in Monday night loss to 49ers. Their offense gets yards, but not points, so Hoying gets a chance.

Redskins at Cowboys

Line: Cowboys by 6.

Last meeting: Redskins won 21-16 at Washington on Oct. 13, 1997.

Key stats: Under Norv Turner, Redskins are 4-3 against the Barry Switzer-coached Cowboys.

Worth watching: Washington’s Terry Allen has rushed for 219 yards in the last two games. Cowboy Emmitt Smith averages 4.1 yards a carry.

Outlook: Redskins have won two straight by combined scores of 61-15. And with Allen playing, they’re 6-1. However, this week they’re facing the league’s No. 2 defense. Plus, the Cowboys are 4-0 at Texas Stadium.

Raiders at Chargers

Line: Pick ‘em.

Last meeting: Chargers won 25-10 at Oakland on Oct. 5, 1997.

Key stats: Chargers have won three of their last four from the Raiders.

Worth watching: Craig Whelihan gets his second start for the Chargers after throwing for two TDs in 37-31 loss to Seattle last week. Raiders’ Jeff George leads AFC in passing and has thrown 20 TDs and only six interceptions.

Outlook: Looks like your basic, old-fashioned, AFC West shootout. Whelihan showed promise in first start.

Bills at Dolphins (Monday night)

Line: Dolphins by 5-1/2.

Last meeting: Bills won 9-6 at Buffalo on Nov. 2, 1997.

Key stats: Miami has won five of last six at home (loss was to Bears) and six in row at home vs. AFC East foes.

Worth watching: Miami’s Karim Abdul-Jabbar shares NFL lead with nine rushing touchdowns. Buffalo’s Bruce Smith leads the league with 11 sacks.

Outlook: Bills have lost four of last five. Their offense has managed only 19 points in losing the last two.