Waddle's World

Broncos at Texans

It's a battle of 6 and 7 teams clinging to playoff hopes in Houston this weekend as the Broncos visit the Texans. Both teams snapped 2 game losing streaks last week to stay alive. IT was a career day for Jay Cutler as he threw for 244 yards and 4 touchdowns against the Chiefs. He may have another big day against these Texans. They are all banged up in the secondary and very rarely get to the quarterback. They did rack up four sacks last week against the Buccaneers, but that was the exception, not the rule. For the year, the Texans rank 27th in sack percentage. They aren't real stoudt against the run either, allowing 4 and a half yards per carry. Broncos running backs rank second in the league averaging 4.6 yards per carry. I do give the Texans high marks for heart and making the most of bad situations. A number of their top weapons have spent time on the sidelines, and that's where Matt Shaub finds himself again this week with a bad shoulder. Never fear, Sage Rosenfels is here. He had a 3 touchdown afternoon against a very good Bucs defense last Sunday. I like his chances again today. The Broncos are inconsistent and struggle on the road. I say the banged up Texans get the win at home.



Bengals at 49ers

Nothing but pride on the line in San Francisco this weekend as the Bengals visit the 49ers. Its hard to say who's been a bigger disappointment. Despite an offseason spending spree, the 49ers have regressed. Since starting the season 2 and 0, the Niners have now lost 10 of their last 11. To say they have struggled offensively would be the understatement of the season. The 49ers rank dead last in total offense averaging 236 yards per game, that's 33 yards fewer than the next worst group in Kansas City. Don't blame it on Frank Gore, despite no help from the leagues weakest passing attack, Gore ranks 7th in the NFC in rushing and averages more than 4 yards per carry behind a soft offensive line. Enuff 49er bashing, let me take a few swings at these Bengals. They cant stop a belch either. The Bengals defense gets worked for 350 yards and 25 points per Sunday. If you like to throw the football, youre in luck, they don't defend the pass and they don't like to rush the passer. Offensively, don't mistake activity for accomplishment. The passing numbers are gaudy, but much of the yardage has been accumulated in garbage time. With that said, these Bengals are the lesser of two evils. They'll get the win on the road.



Jets at Patriots

This one oughta be fun in Foxboro this weekend. The Jets and Patriots meet for the second time this year, you remember their first encounter? Bill Belicheck gets caught filming the Jets coordinators as they signal in the plays. Eric Mangini cries foul and SpyGate is born. The question this time around isn't who will win, its how bad does Bellicheck want to embarrass his former pupil, and will the Jets have any Shenanigans up their collective sleeves. I wont insult your intelligence and try and convince you the Jets have a chance to keep it close. I'll just let you know that the Jets secondary is the strength of their defense. You decide how many touchdown passes Tom Brady will throw. By the way, Brady needs 5 of 'em to break Peyton Mannings single season record of 49. Im not interested in the 3 hour beating the Patriots will put on the Jets, I cant wait to see the post game handshake! If there is one. Patriots 1000 jets 3



Jaguars at Steelers

A great battle on Heinz Field this weekend as the Jaguars visit the Steelers. Both teams sit at 9 and 4, both are considered 2nd class citizens behind the Patriots and Colts. The steelers took it on the chin last Sunday in Foxboro, losing 34-13. The Jags have had their trouble with AFC Super Power number 2, losing both games to the Colts. I guess the point Im making is, this one could determine the 3rd best team in the AFC as the playoffs approach. In fact, this could be a preview of a first round playoff game. And this one should be 60 minutes of strength on strength matchups. Both teams wanna run the football , take pressure of their quarterbacks and execute their playaction passing games. Defensively, despite what you may have seen last Sunday, these Steelers are the best the NFL has to offer. They allow just 245 yards and 15 points per game. The Jags D gives up a ton more yards, but only 3 more points per contest. The numbers say the Steelers should have success throwing the ball on the Jags secondary, but Im not sure Big Ben is gonna have time. The Steelers offensive line has given up 19 sacks over the last 5 weeks. Yes, the Steelers are 7 and 0 at home this year, but these Jags are playing well, and DO NOT fear Mike Tomlin's crew. I like the jags on the road.

Colts/Raiders



It's an AFC mismatch this weekend in Oakland as the Colts visit the Raiders. The Raiders don't have a whole lot going for them, so they'll give number-one pick JaMarcus Russell some playing time. Russell will attempt to bolster the league's 29th-ranked passing attack. It's not going to be easy facing a Colts defense that ranks 1st in the league against the pass and 2nd overall. The Colts offense ain't all that bad either. Peyton Manning only needed 2 and a half quarters to throw 4 touchdown passes last Sunday Night in Baltimore, as the Colts clinched a 6th consecutive playoff appearance. He's getting huge contributions from Joseph Addai in the backfield, Reggie Wayne and rookie Anthony Gonzalez on the outside, and Dallas Clark over the middle. Oh yeah, hall-of-famer Marvin Harrison is expected to miss his 9th consecutive game with a knee injury. Who needs him?!?! Don't expect to see Harrison until the postseason. The Colts roll in Oakland.



Lions/Chargers



Anyone still guaranteeing 10 wins in Motown ? If so, you need to take an algebra course, cuz its no longer mathematically possible. The Lions played a great game last week against the Cowboys, but had their hearts broken by Tony Romo and Jason Witten with 18 seconds to play. The good news for Detroit? Theyre still alive in the wild card race. The bad news? The schedule doesn't get a whole lot easier this week as they travel to Qualcomm to face the 8-5 Chargers. It's the same old story for Mike Martz's offense: when they make an honest effort to run the ball, they have a chance. When Jon Kitna drops back 50 times, they have no chance. Defensively, they have big problems. They rank 31st in the league allowing over 370 yards per game. They'll face a fired-up Chargers offense that scored 20 unanswered points last week in a huge win over the Titans. LT's 16-yard td run in overtime capped the rally and should have temporarily eased the tension between he and Philip Rivers, who was lights out in the 4th quarter and overtime. Rivers should build on that success in this one. Sean Merriman wont play, but it wont matter. The Lions have lost 5 straight and hate the road. I like the Chargers to clinch the AFC West.



Eagles/Cowboys

It's an NFC East battle Sunday in Dallas as the Cowboys host the struggling Eagles. Not a lot of hope for the Eagles in Big D. The Cowboys gave them a beatdown, 38-17 in week 9, and they should get more of the same this weekend. The Eagles continue to move the ball effectively but can't punch it in the end zone, and trust me field goals aren't gonna get it done against Tony Romo. Getting the ball in the hands of Brian Westbrook is their best chance. Westbrook has been brilliant and continues to be, arguabley, the best all purpose back in football. He'll have his hands full this week facing a Cowboys defense that ranks 4th against the run and 8th overall. Offensively, the Boys are a machine. Tony Romo leads the NFC with 35 touchdown passes, thanks to an incredible group of targets. On the ground, Marion Barber is a runaway Mac Truck averaging 5 yards per carry. The Eagles will play hard as they always do, but it shouldn't matter. Dallas moves one step closer to clinching home-field advantage throughout.



Redskins/Giants



It's an NFC East matchup Sunday Night in the Meadowlands as the 6-7 Redskins come to town. The skins look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, and they'll have to do it without the services of Jason Campbell, whose season ended last Thursday. Todd Collins was brilliant in relief, and led the Skins to victory in his first appearance since 2004. He gets the call again this week, and better buckle up, as he faces a Giants defense that leads the league with 47 sacks. Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan cant wait to take a run at a 36 year old vet who hadn't thrown a pass since 2004. On the other sideline, Eli Manning has been very inconsistent, but he's made all the important throws over the last two weeks. Manning should get the best of a Redskins secondary that ranks 23rd in the league against the pass. Elation turns to frustration this week. The big win over the Bears will soon be forgotten as the Skins find themselves overmatched by these Giants. The Skins are worn out physically and emotionally. The Giants get to 10 and 4 with a win at home.



Seahawks at Panthers

Aside from the Dallas Cowboys, there is not hotter team in the NFC than the Seattle Seahawks. This week they travel to Charlotte to play the Panthers. At 5 and 8vThe Panthers have been one of the seasons biggest disappointments. These teams couldn't be any more different. The Seahawks are getting fantastic quarterback play out of Matt Hasselbeck while the Panthers have been reliant on 44 year old Vinny Testaverde. Defensively, Seattle has been destructive ranking 2nd with 41 sacks and 4th in takeaways with 31. Despite a ton of talent up front, The Panthers haven't done much of either. The Seahawks aren't nearly as dominant on the road as they are at home, but they'll have little trouble getting past Carolina. The Panthers have dropped 6 of their last 7, with the lone "W" a rout of the hapless 49ers. They're averaging just 13 and a half points per game since Jake Delhomme went done in week 3. Carolina has no answer for this red hot Seahawk passing game. I like Seattle on the road.

Ravens at Dolphins

Another shot for the Dolphins to avoid history this weekend as the Ravens come to town. At 0 and 13, the Fins have 3 final chances to get off the schnide, and with a trip to Foxboro next week, its either this week or the home finale with the Bengals. The Ravens were humiliated last Sunday night by the Colts, and have now lost 7 straight. Look for the Ravens to keep it on the ground against a Dolphins front 7 that ranks dead last in run defense and has allowed at least 140 rushing yards in 9 of their 13 games this year. It also plays into the Ravens strength, as Willis McGhee has been their only dependable weapon. McGhee has already crossed the 1000 yard mark and is averaging over 4 yards per carry. Look for the Dolphins to take the opposite approach. They don't run it well, and Cleo Lemon is their best option, especially when he gets outside the pocket. The only way the Ravens don't win this game is if they've already packed it in and fail to show up. The Dolphins will play hard, as they don't want to be the leagues first 0 and 16 team, but I just don't believe they have enuff to get a victory. I say the Ravens hand them their 14th "L" of the season.

Bucs/Falcons



What a week for the Atlanta Falcons! Their franchise quarterback is sentenced to 23 months in a federal prison. They get their brains beaten in front of a half-full Georgia Dome crowd on Monday Night Football. Their rookie coach quits abruptly and goes to ARKANSAS, for crying out loud! And now they get to face a divisional rival that embarrassed them just 4 weeks ago. Enough about them. Lets talk about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who are sitting pretty, atop the NFC South with a 2 game lead. It's pretty simple for Chucky's guys: with a win, they clinch the division and the right to host a playoff game. To do this, they will pound the rock with Ernest Graham and with Jeff Garcia returning to the lineup, they'll look for big plays from Joey Galloway . Defensively, their 2nd-ranked defense will come after Chris Redman and register a few sacks and create a few turnovers. . Guess who I like in this one? Yep, youre brilliant…. the Bucs roll

Packers at Rams

The Packers and Rams meet this weekend in St Louis, and it looks like the Brock Berlin era has come and gone. Mark Bulger is expected back in the lineup, which means the Rams should give the Pack a bit of a fight. The Rams are obviously a much different team with Bulger under center. They are at their best when Steven Jackson gets rolling early, defenses adjust, and oldie but goodies Torry Holt and Issac Bruce are left alone outside. Unfortunately, the Rams also must send their defense onto the field, and they have no answer for the Packers attack. Brett Farve's year has been well documented, but the emergence of Ryan Grant is what everyone in the football universe is talking about. Since week 7, no back in the National Football League has rushed for more yards than Grants. Many of us "experts" thought Brett Farve and these Packers would fizzle without a running game. Guess what, they're as balanced as any team in football right now, And, they play excellent defense. Despite Farve's dislike of domes, the Packers shouldn't have much trouble with these Rams. I like the Packers on the road.

Cardinals at Saints

A battle of wild card hopefuls in the Superdome this weekend as the Cardinals visit the Saints. And if their respective seasons are any indication, expect the unexpected. The loser is cooked, while the winner needs the Vikings to stumble down the stretch. Neither of these teams has the body language of a playoff contender, as neither has been able to sustain momentum. Location shouldn't be a factor either. The Cardinals aren't a very good road team, but the Saints are a pitiful 2 and 4 at home. Injuries are an issue. Both Anquan Bolden and Larry Fitzgerald are banged up, while Reggie Bush is sidelined with a knee sprain. Who knows what we'll see from Kurt Warner and Drew Brees. Brees has thrown 5 touchdown passes the last 2 weeks, Warner threw 5 picks last Sunday in Seattle. I guess what Im saying is, I really don't know how this ones gonna a play out. Im not fond of these saints, I think all of the injuries are finally taking a toll on the Cardinals. Against my better judgement, I say the Saint get the win at home.

Titans at Chiefs

Add the Chiefs to the list of the seasons biggest disappointments. No one was suggesting they would compete with the Patriots, but 4 and 9 and a current 6 game losing streak was NOT expected. This week they host the Titans, who aren't real happy with themselves at the moment either. After a 6 and 2 start, the Titans have lost 4 of their last 5, including a heartbreaker last Sunday at home to the Chargers. At 7 and 6, they cant afford another loss, and shouldn't suffer one against this reeling Chiefs team. With Larry Johnson still sidelined, the Chiefs have no identity on offense, especially with an inexperienced Brodie Croyle under center. The defense isn't holding up their end of the bargain lately either. They're allowing 186 yards rushing yards per game the last 3 weeks, on 5.9 yards per carry. And that has LenDale White, Chris Brown and Vince Young smiling. Young has to get back to what made him dangerous if the Titans are gonna stay in this race. He's not gonna beat teams from the pocket, so tucking and running for the time being has to be an option. The Titans will keep it simple: running the football and getting after Croyle. And that should be enuff. The Titans should win big..

Bills at Browns

A good one in Cleveland this weekend as the Browns host the Bills. Few expected this game to have playoff implications at the beginning of the season , but this one is huge in the AFC Wild Card race. The Bills sit at 7 and 6 while the Browns are a game better at 8 and 5. That means the Bills are a little more desperate. And a lot less explosive….Usually……last week was an exception to that rule as rookie Trent Edwards threw 4 touchdown passes and both Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch ran for more than 100 yards. Im not expecting a repeat performance, but the Bills should be able to move the ball on the Browns 32nd ranked defense. The Browns don't pressure the quarterback or cover receivers, which isn't a real good combination. The Bills will get their, but Im not sure its gonna be enuff to top the Browns who will also get theirs. The Bills try hard, but they are severely undermanned in the secondary and wont be able to contain Derek Anderson and his group of targets. On paper, the Browns look to be a lock, but don't EVER count out these scrappy Bills. I say the home team scratches out a last second win.