Week 14
By Terry Bannon, Chicago Tribune
Bears (5-7) at Jaguars (6-6)
Time: 10 a.m. Sunday.
Line: Jaguars by 7 1/2 .
Last meeting: Bears won 33-13 at Soldier Field on Jan. 6, 2002.
Key stat: Bears have won last four games Brian Urlacher has started.
Players to watch: Chad Hutchinson, coming off three-TD performance in Bears debut, goes for encore. Fred Taylor averaging 4.5 yards per carry for Jaguars.
The buzz: With Urlacher, Bears’ defense capable of holding this offense down. Jaguars having trouble scoring.
Raiders (4-8) at Falcons (9-3)
Time: 10 a.m. Sunday.
Line: Falcons by 7 1/2 .
Last meeting: Raiders won 41-14 at Oakland on Nov. 26, 2000.
Key stat: Falcons are 5-1 at home, with three straight wins.
Players to watch: Raiders’ Kerry Collins has thrown nine TD passes vs. two interceptions in last three games. Ex-Chicago player Dez White is third on Falcons with 22 catches, one for TD.
The buzz: Falcons, who lead NFL in rushing thanks in part to the Warrick Dunn-T. J. Duckett tandem, should be able to keep the ball away from Collins and Raiders’ improving passing game.
Saints (4-8) at Cowboys (5-7)
Time: 10 a.m. Sunday.
Line: Cowboys by 7 1/2 .
Last meeting: Saints won 13-7 at New Orleans on Dec. 28, 2003.
Key stat: Saints are last in the NFL in rushing defense, passing defense and total defense.
Players to watch: Saints’ Joe Horn tied for NFL lead with 76 catches, eight for TDs. Cowboys rookie Julius Jones has carried 93 times in last three games, averaging 4.6 per carry.
The buzz: Impressive win over Seahawks on Monday night has thrown the Cowboys in the long-shot playoff hunt. Jones and Vinny Testaverde should have their way against horrid defense.
Browns (3-9) at Bills (6-6)
Time: 10 a.m. Sunday.
Line: Bills by 11 1/2 .
Last meeting: First meeting since Browns rejoined NFL as expansion team in 1999.
Key stat: Bills have won three straight by average score of 39-19.
Players to watch: Browns rookie Luke McCown, who threw two TDs and two interceptions in loss to New England, gets another shot. Willis McGahee averaging 98.4 rushing yards in seven starts.
The buzz: Bills are one of the NFL’s hottest teams, with five wins in six games. It may be too late for playoffs this year, but first-year coach Mike Mularkey is building program.
Giants (5-7) at Ravens (7-5)
Time: 10 a.m. Sunday.
Line: Ravens by 10.
Last meeting: Ravens won 34-7 in Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa on Jan. 28, 2001.
Key stat: Giants have scored 23 points in Eli Manning’s three starts.
Players to watch: Tiki Barber averaging 4.9 yards per carry for Giants. He’ll run into Ravens MLB Ray Lewis, having another dominating season.
The buzz: Ravens’ reliable defense faded in loss to Bengals last week, so Manning and Giants may pay the price. Giants are building for 2005 by playing Manning.
Colts (9-3) at Texans (5-7)
Time: 10 a.m. Sunday.
Line: Colts by 10 1/2 .
Last meeting: Colts won 49-14 at Indianapolis on Nov. 14, 2004.
Key stat: Colts have averaged 45.5 points in last four games.
Players to watch: Colts’ Peyton Manning needs five TD passes to break Dan Marino’s season record of 48. Texans’ David Carr has 12 TD passes vs. 11 interceptions.
The buzz: Colts and Manning are on offensive roll, winning five straight and scoring at least 41 in their last four. Colts will have hard time getting playoff bye, but need to win out for chance at the No. 3 seed.
Bengals (6-6) at Patriots (11-1)
Time: 10 a.m. Sunday.
Line: Patriots by 11.
Last meeting: Bengals won 23-17 at Cincinnati on Sept. 9, 2001.
Key stat: Pats have scored first in NFL-record 17 straight games.
Players to watch: Pats’ Corey Dillon, averaging 4.8 per carry, faces the team he forced to trade him. Bengals’ Rudi Johnson averaging 4.1.
The buzz: Feisty Bengals, fresh off upset of Ravens, may make Pats work for this one. But New England has eye on home-field advantage again, and they finish with Dolphins, Jets and 49ers.
Jets (9-3) at Steelers (11-1)
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday.
Line: Steelers by 6.
Last meeting: Jets won 6-0 at New York on Dec. 14, 2003.
Key stat: Jets’ defense has allowed two TDs and 17 points in last three games.
Players to watch: Jets’ Curtis Martin leads NFL with 1,305 rushing yards, averaging 4.6. Duce Staley getting 4.5 for Steelers.
The buzz: Steelers trying to hold on to No. 1 seed in AFC playoffs and need this one badly because Ravens and surging Bills are still on the schedule. Jets can pull off the upset if they can control the ball with Martin.
Dolphins (2-10) at Broncos (7-5)
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday
Line: Broncos by 11 1/2 .
Last meeting: Dolphins won 24-22 at Denver on Oct. 13, 2002.
Key stat: Broncos have lost two straight by total of four points.
Players to watch: Dolphins’ A.J. Feeley has miserable TD-interception ratio (8-14). Broncos’ Jake Plummer has thrown 22 TD passes vs. 15 interceptions.
The buzz: Feeley is getting chance to show he can be the Dolphins’ long-term quarterback and isn’t making the most of it. Broncos have shot at wild-card berth.
Lions (5-7) at Packers (7-5)
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday.
Line: Packers by 9 1/2 .
Last meeting: Packers won 38-10 at Detroit on Oct. 17, 2004.
Key stat: Packers have won 12 straight home games vs. Lions.
Players to watch: Lions rookie Kevin Jones has rushed for 476 yards in last four games. Javon Walker having big season for Packers with 67 catches, 10 TDs.
The buzz: Packers figure to take care of business after embarrassing loss in Philadelphia. Only Packers’ defense can keep Lions in the game.
Rams (6-6) at Panthers (5-7)
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday.
Line: Panthers by 7.
Last meeting: Panthers won 29-23 in double overtime at St. Louis in NFC divisional playoff on Jan. 10, 2004.
Key stat: Panthers have won four in row by average of 13.3 points.
Players to watch: Ex-Bears player Chris Chandler gets first start of season for Rams. Jake Delhomme has thrown 20 TD passes vs. 13 interceptions.
The buzz: Without Marc Bulger, Rams will have trouble keeping up with the Panthers. Delhomme is hot, and Nick Goings has given Carolina running game.
49ers (1-11) at Cardinals (4-8)
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday
Line: Cardinals by 7.
Last meeting: 49ers won 31-28 in overtime at San Francisco on Oct. 10, 2004.
Key stat: Cardinals have lost three straight by average of 16.3 points.
Players to watch: The struggling young QBs: 49ers’ Ken Dorsey has thrown zero TD passes vs. four interceptions. Josh McCown has thrown six TD passes vs. six interceptions.
The buzz: Injuries forcing 49ers to start Dorsey and running back Maurice Hicks, who was in camp with Bears in 2002 and `03. Cardinals, with McCown back in the lineup, look stable by comparison.
Bucs (5-7) at Chargers (9-3)
Time: 1:15 p.m. Sunday.
Line: Chargers by 5 1/2 .
Last meeting: Bucs won 25-17 at San Diego on Nov. 17, 1996.
Key stat: Bucs have gone 5-3 after 0-4 start.
Players to watch: Brian Griese has thrown at least one TD pass in all eight games he’s played. Chargers’ Drew Brees has 21 TD passes vs. four interceptions.
The buzz: Will the Bucs be able to sustain momentum after last week’s upset of Atlanta at home? Can their defense stop Brees and ex-Bucs receiver Keenan McCardell?
Eagles (11-1) at Redskins (4-8)
Time: 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
Line: Eagles by 9.
Last meeting: Eagles won 28-6 at Philadelphia on Nov. 21, 2004.
Key stat: Eagles have won last six meetings.
Players to watch: Eagles’ Donovan McNabb has thrown 28 TD passes vs. only five interceptions. Redskins’ Patrick Ramsey has thrown four TD passes vs. two interceptions in three starts.
The buzz: With four straight wins, all by at least three TDs, Eagles are playing like team that will finally get to Super Bowl. They’ll clinch first-round bye with win.
Chiefs (4-8) at Titans (4-8)
Time: 5 p.m. Monday.
Line: 1 1/2 .
Last meeting: Titans won 17-14 in overtime at Tennessee on Sept. 10, 2000.
Key stat: Titans have lost three of four since their week off.
Players to watch: Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez quietly having another fine year with 67 catches, five TDs. Titans’ Derrick Mason tied for NFL lead with 76 catches, five for TDs.
The buzz: This matchup looked great when the schedule came out. At least it features two of the game’s top coaches, Dick Vermeil and Jeff Fisher.