Waddle's World

Dolphins at Bills

Watching the Dolphins and Bills battle this Sunday may not be at the top of your "To Do List", but this one actually has some intrigue attached. At 6 and 6, the Bills are still mathematically alive in the AFC wild card race. At 0 and 12 the Dolphins are closing in on NFL history. 7 teams have started 0 and 7, none have finished 0 and 16 since the schedule was expanded. The Bills aren't likely to reach the playoffs, but they continue to be a compelling story. Trent Edwards and Fred Jackson aren't househould names, but they did just enuff to get past the Redskins last week. The Bills defense shouldn't have much trouble slowing down the Dolphins. John Beck hasn't done much with his 3 starts and Jesse Chatman has been banged up. Im certainly not cheering for the Dolphins to finish winless, but with the Ravens, Patriots, and Bengals left on the schedule, it doesn't look promising. This may be their last chance to get a "W". It should be a typical Bills-Dolphins roll in the mud. I say Buffalo gets the victory.

Rams at Bengals

A battle of underachievers in the Queen City this weekend as the Rams visit the Bengals. After starting 0 and 8, the Rams have actually won 3 of their last 4. Its no coincidence that Steven Jackson returned from injury about that time. The return of Issac Bruce, Tory Holt and Drew Bennett has done wonders for this offense as well. When completely healthy, this group is balanced and explosive. Gus Ferrotte filled in with a 3 touchdown performance last week against the Falcons, but Mark Bulger is expected back from a concussion . Surprisingly, the Bengal defense should be up for the challenge. They've been much improved over the last 4 weeks, forcing 12 turnovers and getting to opposing quarterbacks. The Bengals offense has been more explosive over the same period. The return of Chris Henry from suspension has reunited one of the best receiving trios in football, and giving Carson Palmer even more to work with. Give both Scott Linehan and Marvin Lewis credit. Despite their dreadful starts, they're still getting their guys to play hard. I say the Bengals win the battle "Couldve beens".



Cowboys at Lions

A good NFC battle in Detroit this weekend as the Cowboys visit the Lions. The 11 and 1 Cowboys look to keep their stranglehold on the #1 seed in the NFC playoff picture, while the Lions cling to their post season hopes. After a 6 and 2 start, Detroit is in the midst of a 4 game free fall. I warned all of you about these Lions, didn't I? No balance on offense and soft up front is not a playoff combination. Jon Kitna has been harassed all season to the tune of 47 sacks. Now hes without his top receiver Roy Williams whos finished with a knee injury. Listen, this ones gonna be a disaster for the Lions. DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis are gonna spend the afternoon in the Lions backfield and TO and Jason Witten are gonna get the best of Detroits 31st ranked pass defense. Tony Romo is having a career season, and will add to his league leading 33 touchdown pass total. The Cowboys win this one easily, and put to rest Kitnas training camp prediction of a 10 win season.



Raiders at packers

Should be a gimme for the Packers this weekend as the 4 and 8 Raiders visit the Frozen Tundra. Brett Farve is expecting to make his 250th consecutive regular season start and keep his streak alive. This one should be safely put away by halftime, so Brett can grab the poncho and rest the bad elbow and shoulder. I expect to see a lot of Ryan Grant in this one. The Raiders are awful defending the run, allowing 148 rushing yards per game. Keeping it on the ground is not only the most effective plan, its also the safest way to keep their high powered offense out of harms way. Defensively, the Packers are also banged up, but they have more than enuff to contain these Raiders. They will crowd the line of scrimmage with 8 man fronts to contain Justin Fargas. When Josh McCown drops back, he'll get a face full of Aaron Kampman. Inclement weather, a soft defense, and an inexperienced quarterback: smells like an Oakland nightmare to me. The packers bounce back with an easy victory.

Chargers at Titans

A good battle in Nashville this weekend as the AFC West leading Chargers visit the Titans. The Titans kept their wild card hopes alive last week with a big win over division rival Houston. They'll have their hands full with the Chargers who are starting find their stride. 2 weeks ago Philip Rivers led the way with 3 touchdown passes against the Ravens. Last week, it was LT doing the heavy lifting, rushing for 177 yards against the Chiefs. If they can get their act together at the same time, these Chargers will be a force to reckon with come playoff time. The key to this one, though may depend on the Charger defense. They, too, found their rythym last week, with 8 sacks. Getting Vince Young to the ground will be a bit more difficult. Ted Cottrell blitzed early and often against the immobile Damon Huard. The same game plan may backfire against the leagues most mobile quarterback. IF you bring 7 after Young, he's liable to burn you for 6. Young is coming off his best performance of the year in the Titans win over the Texans, but he's not gonna beat these Chargers from the pocket. He's also not gonna get much help from his slumping running game. The young QB is still a work in progress, and so are these Titans. I say the Chargers make it 3 in a row.



Cardinals at Seahawks

I love the game in Seattle this weekend as the Seahawks host the Cardinals. The Seahawks maintain a 2 game lead over the Cards in the NFC West. These two met back in week two with Arizona rallying for a 23 - 20 victory. Ten weeks later, both of these teams have undergone a facelift. The Seahawks no longer rely on the legs of Shaun Alexander, but the arm of Matt hasselbeck. Seattle has won 4 straight throwing first and running when the urge overcomes Mike Holmgren. As for the Cardinals, its 36 year old Kurt Warner running the show. The Cards have committed to the run, and Edgerrin James had his 2nd 100 yard afternoon of the season last week, but they are gonna sink or swim thru the air. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquon Bolden are a dynamic pair, but both are banged up and questionable for this one. And That may spell disaster for the Cardinals. The attacking Seahawks defense wont do Warner any favors either. They've sacked 36 quarterbacks and created 26 turnovers. The hostile environment will also play a role. The Seahawks are a different team at home, winning 21 of their last 25 in front of the Quest field crowd. I like the trend to continue. The seahawks strengthen their grip on the division lead with a big win over the cardinals.



Vikings/49ers



Four weeks ago I probably would have been laughing about a week 14 matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and the San Francisco 49ers. BUT the Vikings are red-hot. They are on a 3-game winning streak, outscoring their opponents 112-49 in the process. Brad Childress' guys are doing it the old-fashioned way: running the football and stopping the run. Adrian Peterson leads the way with just under 1200 yards and appears to be doing it with ease. His 6.5 yards per carry are mindboggling. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is also hitting his stride, as he has limited his mistakes and played very efficient football during the 3-game streak. Defensively, the Vikings are the best in the league against the run and the worst in the league against the pass. So, the good news for the 49ers is the game-plan is pretty simple: abandon the run and air it out against the Vikings secondary. The bad news, you ask: They'll be forced to do that with a Trent Dilfer-led aerial attack that ranks dead last in passing offense with a meager 145 yards per game. Something has to give in this matchup. And the 49ers have been more philanthropic giving up the football. I'll take the Vikings in a route.





Chiefs/Broncos

Anyone remember when the Chiefs and Broncos was one of the best rivalries in the NFL? Truth is, its still a very competitive rivalry, but the result doesn't usually have the grand meaning that it once did. Both teams have been a major disappointment this season . The Chiefs are currently mired in a 5-game losing streak. Their offense is awful, averaging a paltry 14 points per game. They can't throw the ball and with LJ still sidelined, they don't run the it well either. Hence the reason they don't score many points. The Broncos post season hopes are on life-support after a bad loss in Chicago 2 weeks ago and an even worse loss last week in Oakland, where they allowed 34 points to a dysfunctional Raiders offense. Jay Cutler has had a solid Sophomore season and continues to show tremendous promise. But right now hes not getting a lot of help. The expected return of Travis Henry should help. Henry won an appeal of his one-year drug suspension, and should return to the lineup. Nice to see the Broncos win something. And while we're at it…Let's give them another win this weekend against the Chiefs. The Broncos keep their VERY slim playoff hopes alive with a victory in Denver.





Steelers/Patriots



For the second time in 3 weeks, Gillette Stadium hosts the NFL game of the week as the undefeated Patriots host the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers. This game will be a war. Expect the Steelers to duplicate the Baltimore Ravens game plan from last Sunday: Load up the ground game and go right at the Patriot front seven with the league's 3rd-ranked rushing attack. The Steelers will try and control the clock and keep Tom Brady on the sidelines. Defensively, the boast the leagues top defense, and they wil be flying off the edge. They will pressure Brady and try and force him into making a rare bad decision, or two. Sure, it all looks good on paper, but executing that game plan is another story. Despite the scare Monday Night in Baltimore, the Patriots' offensive numbers continue to amaze. Tom Brady now has 41 touchdown passes as he continues to find ways to utilize different weapons each and every week. The Steelers will give the Patriots everything they want and a whole lot more, but I don't think its gonna be enough. New England gets by and keeps the dream season alive.

Browns/Jets

A decent matchup in the Meadowlands on Sunday as the 3-9 Jets host the 7-5 Browns. Cleveland is looking to bounce back after a heartbreaking 27-21 loss last weekend in the desert. Derek Anderson's prayer on the final play of the game was almost answered, but Kellen Winslow Jr. was ruled out of bounds, delivering Cleveland a gut wrenching defeat. The Browns are still in the thick of things in the AFC Wildcard picture, though. They will once again look to light up the scoreboard with their high-powered offense that averages 28 points per game. Unfortunately, they've needed every one of those points, because their defense has been extremely generous, surrendering 28.2 points per Sunday. Good news, Browns fans: they'll face an offense that can't throw the ball and doesn't run it particularly well either. Kellen Clemens has improved but let's be honest here: everyone gets healthy on the Dolphins. The Browns will get dizzy moving the ball up and down the field against the hapless Jets defense. I say the Browns to get back on track.



Colts/Ravens



Should be a good one Sunday night in Baltimore as the Ravens host the 10-2 Colts. The Colts offense returned to form last week as they knocked off a tough Jacksonville squad, 28-25, at the RCA Dome. Peyton Manning threw 4 touchdown passes, spreading the wealth all afternoon. Truth is, its been the Colts defense that has carried the load this year. They rank 3rd in the NFL allowing just 16 PPG. They will be tested this weekend as they face an irate group of Ravens. Baltimore gave it everything they had Monday night, they had the undefeated Patriots on the ropes for 59 and one-half minutes. A few questionable calls, an untimely time-out and Tom Bradys heroics ended their upset bid. It doesn't get a whole lot easier this week but you can expect "offensive genius" Brian Billick to follow a similar game plan. Pound the rock with Willis McGahee and open up the play-action pass for Kyle Boller, who actually played well in last weeks nailbiter. The Ravens are tough. And they're angry. But they're not very good, and I think they primed and ready for a letdown. I like the Colts on the road.





Saints/Falcons



Last Monday Night's game may have been the most entertaining game of the year. This week's? Not so much. The 5-7 Saints travel to the Georgia Dome to play the 3-9 Falcons. The Saints looked like they were right back in the playoff picture, and then Sean Payton and company thought it would be a good idea to run a trick play, up 3 points, with 3 minutes left in the game, against a Tampa Bay defense that was exhausted and ready to surrender. Did you get that? At any rate, Luke McCown capitalized on the Reggie Bush fumbled exchange and engineered a game-winning drive that has severely hampered the Saints playoff hopes. As for the Falcons, they have no playoff hopes. And really they don't have much hope for the immediate future. Well, check that, they will have a top-5 draft pick in April. I like the Saints on the road.

Giants at Eagles

A good NFC East tussle this weekend in Philly as the Giants visit the Eagles. The Eagles have dropped 2 straight and are clinging to post season hopes. The probable return of Donovan McNabb would give them a fighting chance. The AJ Feeley infatuation faded quick after his "welcome back to planet earth", 4 interception performance last week against the Seahawks. The Eagles are well aware that this game will be won at the line of scrimmage. The Giants sack quarterbacks better than anyone in the league, as they found out in week 4 when McNabb was taken down 12 times. Well, the heat is coming again, and Donovan is even more immobile with a bum ankle. Its gotta be a quick strike attack, 3 step drops and get it into the hands of Eagle receivers who will give a banged up Giants secondary fits. The Eales would be wise to letr rip on defense as well. Despite a tremendous 4th quarter performance last week against the Bears, Eli Manning is still a bit fragile. If Trent Cole can get to Manning early, you know he'll throw a couple up for grabs. The Giants sit at 8 and 4, but its not a "stable" 8 and 4. I think the Eagles will get to Eli, and force some mistakes. I also believe Brian Westbrook will hurt the Giants down the middle of the field. So, you guessed it….I like the Eagles at home.



Panthers at Jags

A cat fight in Jacksonville this weekend as the Panthers visit the Jaguars, and only one of these kitties has claws……Pretty good, huh?....Anyway, I don't give Carolina much of a chance in this one. They have one viable option on offense in Steve Smith, and teams have recognized that and defended him accordingly. Smith hasn't had a 100 yard receiving day since week 6. It doesn't help that Vinny Testaverde, David Carr, and Matt Moore have been the ones chucking the pill, but it is what it is. The panthers ran it for 166 yards last week against the 49ers…expect them to try and do the same in this game….to no avail of course. The Jags welcome the return of Marcus Stroud from suspension to help bolster an already solid run defense. The best way to attack these jags is thru the air, but we already established that the Panthers aren't capable of that. As for the Jacksonville offense, they will attack by land and by air. With the impressive development of David Garrard, they have become as balanced as any team in the league. The Jags should have no trouble pushing around this Carolina defense. I like Jacksonville at home.



B ucs at Texans

How bout the Tampa Bay Bucs sitting at 8 and 4 and 3 games ahead of everyone else in the NFC South. This week theyre in Houston to face the Texans who kissed their post season chances good bye with last weeks loss to the Titans. Jeff Garcia may return from injury this week, but Im not sure it matters. Luke McCown was fantastic last Sunday in his first start of the season. Regardless of who's under center, the Bucs should be able to exploit the Texans banged up secondary. They should also have all day to throw as the Texans don't rush the passer very well, despite good young talent up front. Now, don't get me wrong, these are still the Bucs and they like to run the football. And they'll do just that with Ernest Graham, whos been one of the league's most pleasant surprises . The Texans offense wont find much success working against the Buccaneer defense either. Matt Shaub separated his shoulder last week and is questionable. Sage Rosenfels is immobile and less of a threat than Shaub and should spend the afternoon on the run if he straps it on. The Texans were a cute story for awhile, but that's yesterday's news. The Bucs make it 5 in a row.