Much like the Bills, the Indy defense is a little puzzling. They may not have as many notable names or playmakers, but they struggle to keep the opposing score down. The Colts have been giving up an average of 20 points a game, and if not for their potent offense the Colts might be looking more like a better than average team than one of the NFL's best. Buffalo has to get their passing game back on track if they hope to win any more games at all this season. Drew Bledsoe has fallen hard from the heights on which his terrific early season play placed him. In Week 8 he threw 3 picks, and since Week 7 he's struggled to complete passes or gain significant yards (he hasn't broken 200 yards since Week 7). He's been missing his favorite target, WR Eric Moulds, due to a lingering groin problem (I would like to mention that I don't think it's fair to describe any groin injury as "lingering;" these may be football players, but a man is a man, and when there is a problem with the groin, you let him tell you when he's ok!). Without Moulds on the field, Bledsoe is void of a consistent target and is definitely without a true deep threat. Throw in some problems on the offensive line (Mike Williams, Jonas Jennings) and you have a great recipe for offensive struggles. Travis Henry has been a solid runner, and he's shown he's capable of carrying his share of the load. Unfortunately for Buffalo fans, his share is not even close to enough. Buffalo isn't capable of keeping up with the Colts on the scoreboard, and, therefore, the Colts should move on to 9 & 2.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Peyton Manning, Edge James, Marvin Harrison (Questionable), Mike Vanderjagt, Colt Defense, Travis Henry (Questionable)

2nd String: Drew Bledsoe, Reggie Wayne, Eric Moulds (Questionable), Josh Reed, Bobby Shaw, Marcus Pollard (Questionable), Dallas Clark

Prediction: Colts 27, Bills 13

Pittsburgh (3-7) at Cleveland (4-6) 1:00 PM
Pittsburgh is a team that reminds me of the that hottie in high school: as long as I've got nice things to say they keep me in hope, but once it's time to put out they never show. Pittsburgh, despite all the talent they possess on offense and all they numbers they've produced on defense, continues to lose. Not only do they lose, but they lose ugly. After watching their fall to San Fran on Monday Night, I've come to three big conclusions. (1) The running game for Pittsburgh is totally unproductive unless it's within 5 yards of the end zone. (2) Although the defensive numbers for Pitt look nice, they give up way too many big plays. (3) The offense as a whole, whether running of passing, is totally predictable. This team lacks any type of surprise. They don't run well, even when they attempt reverse or non-traditional running plays. Those plays are meant to create rushing chances for players with some actual speed, basically turning Hines Ward or Antwaan Randle El into a RB. They don't work: they are so poorly executed and so easily read by opposing defenses they never get off the ground. If it weren't for the passing game finding occasional success, this team would not produce offense at all. I don't know how they go about fixing it except to pass more. The only way to truly open things up in one move is to try a total different running game: Amos Zereoue and Jerome Bettis are decent RB's, but they are essentially the same player! You defend both guys the same way. In order for this team to give the opposition some real fear, they will have to field a game-breaking jackrabbit RB. They need plays for, say, Antwaan Randle El to line up as a true RB, and they need to hike the ball to MADDOX and let him HAND OFF to Randle El (that hiking straight to the runner crap DOES NOT WORK!). They will try to get things going against long time rival Cleveland this weekend. Cleveland is coming off a huge win over Arizona. The Cleveland D enjoyed a great game, holding Zona to just 187 yards of offense. I'd say Pittsburgh is a much more talented team on offense and should give Cleveland a tougher road to hoe, but I don't know if that is true.

I suppose I should give you all some numbers to check out, maybe some constructive preview type of stuff. I don't want to spend the whole preview ripping on Cowher's lack of variety, but it just seemed so painfully obvious this last week! I was very surprised with the sudden burst of offense from Cleveland. I was not surprised that their defense was able to hold down Zona to 6 points. I was shocked to see Kelly Holcomb throw for 392 yards on any team! Don't get me wrong: Holcomb is a nice young QB with tons of potential. However, he has struggled all year to find big yards with the passing game. The Browns are full of nice young WR's, but none have stepped up to be the man as of yet. Andre Davis may be looking to change that, and last week's game was a nice start (117 yards, 1 TD). Quincy Morgan had a hell of a game also (116 yds, 1 TD). However, it is fair to say the offense in Cleveland is very similar to that in Pittsburgh. Without Willie Green, the Browns don't have a big time rushing threat (Jackson is ok, but he's not going to go for 120 yards and 2 TD's against most teams, especially versus this Pitt D that holds teams to 100 rushing yards a game). They will have to look to Holcomb once again to carry the load. He could do it again too. The Pitt D is tough (giving up 200 yards a game), but as they showed against the Niners they are definitely vulnerable to big passing plays. If Tim Rattay can do it, Kelly Holcomb is certainly capable. I'm really torn on whom to pick in this one! I've been thinking that Pitt can win games with offense or defense, and now that faith is shaken. I'm sorry Pitt fans, but I'm taking Cleveland. I don't believe the Steelers can score enough points to win, I think the Cleveland D is too tough against the pass (only 178 yards allowed per game, only 7 passing TD's surrendered thus far), and I think Holcomb may have found his go-to guy in Andre Davis and they should find enough plays against Pittsburgh to win this game.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Hines Ward, Jeff Reed, Kelly Holcomb, Andre Davis

2nd String: Tommy Maddox, Plaxico Burress, Quincy Morgan, Pitt Defense, Jerome Bettis, Amos Zereoue, James Jackson, Dennis Northcutt, Phil Dawson, Jay Reimersma (Doubtful)

Prediction: Steelers 17, Browns 21

Carolina (8-2) at Dallas (7-3) 1:00 PM
Each of these teams comes into every week with the same saying: "Now here is a real test for this team." I've been on the Panther bandwagon for almost two years now (since they drafted Julius Peppers & DeShaun Foster; I remember Foster as last year's major rookie sleeper in the fantasy drafts before he blew his knee). I will admit that although I thought they would do well this year, I never would have predicted they would be 8 & 2 at this point, and if you had told me Stephen Davis was going to be the biggest free agent move of the season I would have laughed. The guy has been straight up money for his squad this year: you can count 3 to 5 games alone this year that you could lay at the feet of Davis as the primary reason for the win. It is an easy argument to make: Davis can run on just about any team in the NFL. He'll have his work cut out for him this week as he faces a very tough Dallas defense. Currently ranked 2nd versus the run, the Panthers may look to their surging QB Jake Delhomme to pull a little more weight this week. Delhomme has been solid thus far, and it's his play of late that has been getting the Panthers W's. More to the point, it's his lack of play that has been getting wins: he doesn't bowl you over with his skills, but he doesn't turn the ball over late in the game and he makes plays when it counts the most (late in close games). That is so much bigger to success than we can emphasize. If you look at the teams that had enjoyed early success and are now struggling to keep up with the rest of the league (i.e. Buffalo, Minnesota, Miami), they all have turnovers in common. Dallas will feast off of turnovers (thus the loss to the Pats last weekend; NE protected the ball and kept Dallas from getting extra opportunities), and if Carolina can keep the ball under wraps they will stand a good chance of winning this one.

I love watching both of these teams. They play such exciting football, and their games are almost always close at the end! Did you see that Dallas/NE game last weekend? I got more emails about that one game than any other game this year. I knew it'd be a defensive battle, and it was a great game for those of you that like to watch defense and very few mistakes. Say what you like about Quincy Carter, but the kid has got some skills. He's not going to go an entire game without one or two mistakes, but he's got a powerful arm and he can throw any where on the field with conviction. The only aspect of the Cowboys' game that is an obvious eyesore is the rush attack. Troy Hambrick has done ok, but he's not going to scare any opposing team and he's not going to take a game over and lead the Boys to victory. Adrian Murrell has become a nice compliment to Hambrick, and although Parcells insists Hambrick is their starter it is safe to believe Murrell will at least share carries with Troy for the foreseeable future (I'd expect Murrell to get around 10-15 carries every week, depending on how Hambrick is doing). Despite the lack of positive production from the rushing game, Dallas continues to try and run the ball, and that is because Parcells knows how to play. He runs, and he runs, and he runs some more: protect the ball, keep the defense honest, eat up some clock, and wear down the defensive line. It works. It's been proven over time. That said, they will have a tough time against this Carolina defense. Carolina keeps teams on their heels. They don't give up too many scores (18 points a game), and though they give up some yards (214 passing and 101 rushing), they are very good at shutting teams down when it counts the most. They get great QB pressure, and they will keep Quincy Carter on the move. As NE showed last weekend, the key to beating Dallas is (a) good defense (Carolina's got that), and (b) keeping Carter moving and throwing out of bounds. That requires good coverage, and the Panthers will need to keep the WR's from Dallas covered well. If the words "Carter to Glenn" or "Carter to Bryant" are being spoken more than "…and Carter throws it away," then the Panthers are not doing their job. Look for this game to be close (again) and low scoring (again), and give the edge to the running game of Stephen Davis. Although Dallas may have a very slight edge defensively, you could call it a push and the Panther offense is, right now, much better than that of the Cowboys. This is going to be a great game, but put your money on the team with the better all-around game, and go with the Cats.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Jake Delhomme, Stephen Davis, Steve Smith, John Kasay, Carolina Defense, Quincy Carter, Terry Glenn, Billy Cundiff, Dallas Defense

2nd String: DeShaun Foster (Questionable), Troy Hambrick, Joey Galloway, Antonio Bryant, Muhsin Muhammed, Adrian Murrell, Richie Anderson, Jason Witten

Prediction: Panthers 17, Boys 14

Detroit (3-7) at Minnesota (6-4) 1:00 PM
Pity the Lions if you wish, but I actually give them a small thumbs up for last week's loss to Seattle. Granted, they got beat down pretty good, but all 35 of Seattle's points were scored in the first half! They scored a fat goose egg in the second half, and in a season filled with very few bright spots this could be construed as a moral victory. Admit fantasy heads: when you saw that half time score and you had Hasselback and Alexander in your lineup, tell me you weren't pissed when the final game stats came across the bottom line! This Detroit team has NOBODY defensively (ok, I'll give you Robert Porcher and Boss Bailey, but that's it!), and they have one standout player offensively (Joey Harrington is great, but like my mom always said, it's hard to fly like an eagle when you're surrounded by chickens). Who is going to score points for this team? It's all on Harrington. If you want Shawn Bryson or Olandis Gary to do anything productive, they need Harrington to get them downfield. If you want the receivers to do anything, they need Harrington to deliver the ball on time, every time, and with precision every time (trust me, Az-Zir Hakim and Bill Schroder can't make something out of nothing). It all drives off of Harrington, and that is a large load for such a young kid with no support. He'll get it done from time to time, and he's capable and will get better as his career moves on. However, this year is not going to see too many strides for the Lions, and even though they get a team that is struggling of late in Minnesota, they won't score enough points to make it very interesting.

My boss is from Minnesota. Back when the Vikes were 6 & 0, he warned me as follows. "Never mind all this sh** Bryan. It doesn't matter, because these are the Vikings and they are following this grand scheme they've followed every year they've had any potential. They are going to let us all down. Mark it now: 6 & 6." He actually said that! I laughed at the time, but it's coming to fruition. This is supposed to be the easy part of Minnesota's schedule. San Diego, Oakland, and now Detroit: a virtual cakewalk compared to the games that got Minnesota to 6 & 0. I said it earlier and I'll say it again: turnovers are killing this team. They could have won last week versus Oakland, and I know they shouldn't have been in the position of coming from behind and I know they should have rolled over the Raiders defense. However, they had a chance to come back late and steal a win, and they turned the ball over AGAIN. Culpepper put up respectable fantasy numbers, but his propensity for interceptions and fumbles is killing his team. Some have even suggested this team would be better off with Gus Frerotte back at QB! I would agree that in his time earlier this season that Gus didn't turn over the ball too often. However, I would suggest that maybe the reigns on Culpepper had been pulled too hard at one point. He's always struggled with turnovers, and some of those turnovers have come at times when Daunte has felt the pressure to force a bad pass. Why not run the ball? He used to run all day long, and now he seems very tentative to take off with the rock and run for the hills. Regardless of why he's turning the ball over, he needs to get it under control. This shouldn't be a problem this week. Daunte should enjoy a nice relaxing day behind the offensive line, as the O-Line is not only strong but the Lions don't get too much QB pressure as it is. I've said it for two weeks straight now, and been wrong, but I'll climb out on this limb again: this is a great game for Michael Bennett to get 20 carries and show his abilities. I don't see how the Lions win this game. They may make it a little interesting for a while, but look for Minnesota to get back to the win column this week.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Randy Moss, Daunte Culpepper, Moe Williams, Joey Harrington, Michael Bennett, Aaron Elling, Jason Hanson

2nd String: Nate Burleson, Kelly Campbell, Shawn Bryson, Az-Zir Hakim, Mikhael Ricks

Prediction: Lions 13, Vikings 28

Jacksonville (2-8) at NY Jets (3-7) 1:00 PM
The Jags are in for a rough ride, but what else is new. Give them some credit: they are a team that is down but they aren't out for the count. They are improving both offensively and defensively. They won't show too much improvement this year, but give them another year or so and they'll be in the mix. For now, they are 2 & 8 and struggling to score enough points to win from week to week. They are becoming a team I like to call the fantasy façade: they want you to believe they are a good team to start your fantasy guys against (a la Steve McNair last week), then they come out and play competitive football and you sit there wondering, "Where are McNair's points?" They can keep games interesting, and they have some offensive punch to add to the mix. Byron Leftwich is getting better with every game. I would suggest checking him out if you get the chance. He's a throw back to the old days: pocket passer, rocket arm, and he takes a hit with the best of 'em. He'll be one of those guys all of us fantasy heads love: just take four steps, take a look, and throw the damn ball! He could find some mild success versus a struggling Jets backfield, though he is still prone to rookie mistakes and interceptions. Fred Taylor is still a top NFL RB when healthy, and once again I have to add "healthy" as Freddie screwed up not one but both knees last week (MRI's came back negative, but Taylor has some pain and is seeking more testing). If he can't go, you can look at backup rookie LaBrandon Toefield to come in and do some nice work. He's not at the same level as Taylor, but Toefield can play. He's going to have to be the focal point for the Jags this weekend: the Jets have the worst rush D in the land and, as Edge James showed us all last week, if you want to beat the Jets right now you better be able to run the ball. This could be a great look at a future NFL stud (potentially) in Toefield, and he better bring it and bring it hard to keep his team up with the Jets.

If you are not convinced that Chad Pennington is the real deal and the MVP of the Jets, you need to check into the local clinic and either have your head examined or see about rehab, because you might be hittin' the bottle just a little to heavy. He's the freakin' man! You have to believe the Jets' record would be a little different if he'd been healthy all year. Last week, the Colts jumped out to a quick and comfortable lead over the Jets. Most of you moved on to the Green Bay-Tampa game, or maybe the Minny-Oakland match up. If you left the Jets for 20 minutes, you missed it all as Penny led them downfield not once, not twice, but three times! He's made Santana Moss look like the Siamese twin of Randy, separated at the pinky at birth thus they got an equal share of the DNA and important stuff (didn't know I was a genealogist in my spare time, did ya'?). He's helped revitalize Curtis Martin, who seems to be running on someone else's 25-year-old legs after struggling earlier in the season without Penny. It's undeniable: the return of Chad Pennington has turned this offense around 180° and they've become a much tougher opponent for every team left on the schedule. They will give the Jags fits: the Jacksonville D gives up an average of 215 yards through the air a week as well as 89 yards on the ground (pretty good rushing number to be honest). The Jets have looked solid on offense, and if Curtis Martin can continue playing like the Curtis Martin of old (ok, maybe he's not THAT good lately, but he's much more like the C-Mart of 25 years old than the C-Mart of 30). If they can throw a 31 on Indy, they can definitely throw up a similar number on the Jags. Take the Jets and look for them to play well from here on out.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Chad Pennington, Santana Moss, LaBrandon Toefield, Curtis Martin, Anthony Becht, Doug Brien Seth Marler

2nd String: Byron Leftwich, Jimmy Smith, Curtis Conway, Kevin Johnson, Kyle Brady

Prediction: Jags 13, Jets 27

New Orleans (5-5) at Philadelphia (7-3) 1:00 PM
Is it just me or does anyone else notice a pattern to the Saints in overtime? I love Deuce McAllister, think he's one of the best RB's in the game today. However, it seems like he has a problem holding on to the ball in OT. Twice now I've watched this guy lead his team downfield in OT, get the Saints in FG position, then cough up the ball. Granted, the Saints won and it was a big come-from-behind victory over division rival Atlanta. This team is loaded with offensive studs, and they are sitting at .500, so they could still make a play for a wild card (sorry, but I'm ready to hand the division to Carolina). If they hope to do this in the crazy NFC, they need to find a way to pull this team together and bring it all versus the streaking Eagles. The potential is there: a passing game with a nice QB in Brooks, two good WR's in Horn and Stallworth (Horn is a warrior; he's been injured for weeks but still gets on the field and makes big time plays), and the running game is very solid with Deuce. Despite all this power, they have struggled to put up points. The Saints average 21 points a game, not a bad number but a little lower than you might expect (especially when you consider they play half of their games in a dome on turf). The facts are against them in this one: Philly is on a roll having won their last 5 games, they will be in Philly (it will be cold, and they will be on grass), and they are playing a team that can battle defensively (208 yards passing & 112 yards rushing allowed a game, both respectable numbers considering). Throw in the fact Philly is battling to take over Dallas for the division lead (behind by only one game and Dallas playing a tough Carolina team), and the outlook for New Orleans isn't so good. They will need big games from Deuce and Brooks, and that might not be enough to guarantee a win.

I've been as hard on Philly as, well, the Philly fans are on themselves. Granted, I haven't attended any games or chucked any batteries at the team yet, but I have been late to give this team some overdue props. Despite the injuries and early season struggles, they have battled and are only one game behind division leading Dallas. I give credit to Coach Andy Reid. Fashion guru he is not (would someone please tell this guy he's not a sherpa, and the oversized parka is not flattering to a man of his girth), but he's done a great job with this team and he's brought a great game plan to every opponent. They aren't 7 & 3 because they blow teams away. Until last week's blowout of Giants, they had been uncomfortably close in every game. Donovan McNabb seems to have found his game again, having reached the 300 yard mark last week as well as THROWING a couple of TD's. Normally, the RB-by-committee isn't a great plan of attack, but in Philly it has paid nice dividends, as both Correll Buckhalter and Brian Westbrook have proven worthy of time and capable of good runs and scores. Right now, this team looks solid and they have planted their name among the favorites to win their division. A win over New Orleans would be a key step in the right direction. The Saints aren't so good at keeping teams off the scoreboard: they give up an average of about 23 points a game. The conditions are in their favor: at home, on grass (the turf, get your mind out of the gutter!), and the weather is likely to be fit for a northern team. You've got to like Philly in this one: the Saints have struggled against much lesser teams, the Eagles are playing great team football right now, and the Eagles have too much to gain with a win. Take the Eagles.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Donovan McNabb, Deuce McAllister, Brian Westbrook, Correll Buckhalter, Joe Horn (Questionable), David Akers

2nd String: Aaron Brooks, Donte Stallworth (Questionable), James Thrash, Todd Pinkston, LJ Smith (Questionable), Chad Lewis, Philly Defense, John Carney

Prediction: Saints 14, Eagles 23

San Francisco (5-5) at Green Bay (5-5) 1:00 PM
Every week I'm ready to treat the Niners like my extended family: keeping them at arm's length is still too close, and I don't trust 'em any farther than I can throw 'em. They are 5 & 5, a sure sign of their inconsistency. I will say this: their defense looks better every week. However, I don't know what to say about their offense. It'd be a lie to say they haven't looked good under Tim Rattay at QB. The kid has a nice arm, and he has no fear when going downfield. Terrell Owens loves him, and he's made no bones that he's happier when Rattay is on the field. The offensive line is the key: did you see that big run Kevan Barlow busted on the Steelers? All praise due to the O-line on that one, make no bones about it. Coach Dennis Erickson has said he's sticking with Jeff Garcia, but I don't know if that will last through the week. You can't deny the performance of Rattay, and the entire team seems to have benefited from his play. The running game has more room to produce, TO is back to his All-Pro status and back in the fantasy lineups, and they are putting up the points they need to win. This week's game with Green Bay will be a great test, and I'd like to see the Niners stick with Rattay for this one. Although the Packers' D has improved in recent weeks, they are still very vulnerable to the deep passing game. Why fix it is it isn't broke? The Pack is giving up 224 yards passing a game, and if the Niners want to take advantage they would be better with Rattay going deep with reckless abandon. If the Packers come at the Niners the way they've come at every team (Ahman Green), they need to take full advantage of every opportunity they are afforded.

It's not a big secret that Ahman Green is going to run the ball. It doesn't matter who the opponent is, how good the defense is, the weather, the turf, the whatever: Ahman gets his carries and he can light up any team on the planet. He's on pace to reach 2000 yards and has lead his team to the top position on rushing stat board (overtaking the Ravens just this last week). Right now, the Niners sport the 4th best rushing D in the NFL, giving up just 87 yards a game. However, one might argue they have yet to face a big-time RB (they did face Shaun Alexander and held him to 77, but Marcel Shipp lit 'em up for 165 yards just 4 weeks ago). I'm tempted to lean towards Green on this one. He's just been too good lately and you know he'll get his carries. The real key for the Pack in this game is the passing game. San Fran is giving up 211 yards passing a game, and they've allowed 14 TD's through the air thus far. Favre is capable of finding success on anyone, and he's going to take aim in this game as well. If his receivers can find a way to get the ball in the end zone, it will help the Packer's cause. Surprisingly, the Pack have launched 18 TD's through the air thus far, and they'll need those numbers to improve if they want to keep their defense out of a tough position. With both teams fighting for the division lead and playoff hopes, this could be a tough game. Key stat in the game: both teams have allowed 14 passing TD's thus far, but the 49ers have 29 sacks to the Pack's 18. This would lead you to believe I'm going to take the Niners. Screw that! This is the Pack on the Frozen Tundra, and I feel the Niners' recent performances versus the run are a better judge of the struggles they will face in this game. I think Ahman will come out firing on all cylinders, I think the Niners are likely to throw Garcia out on the field (at least to start) and this will help the Packers' D, and I think the Packers will continue their good fortune. I know it: I never pick the Niners, and I'll have to beg forgiveness and understanding from you West Coasters. If this game was in San Fran, I might pick different. But all signs I have at this time point to the Packers, and I'm callin' like I see it. Take the Packers.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Ahman Green, Terrell Owens, Brett Favre, Ryan Longwell

2nd String: Jeff Garcia/Tim Rattay, Garrison Hearst, Kevan Barlow, Tai Streets, Donald Driver, Javon Walker, Bubba Franks, Packer Defense

Prediction: 49ers 17, Packers 23

Seattle (7-3) at Baltimore (5-5) 1:00 PM
The Seahawks are 7 & 3. How did that happen? I didn't think they had it in 'em! Not that they don't have the players, I just didn't think they had the defense or fire power to win so many games by this point. They don't run a lot, they have struggled a bit on the passing side, yet they've put up points and won games. They rank 7th in the NFL for scoring offense (about 24 points a game), but the stat is a little misleading. They've gathered 3 TD's thus far on fumble recoveries (only a few teams have one, and no other team has two). They will need their offense clicking well this weekend as they come into a tough defense in Baltimore. The Ravens are solid: they are giving up 98 yards rushing a game and only 171 yards passing a game, both putting them in the top 10 in the NFL. This is a great game for Seattle to show they deserve that record! Take a look at that Seattle schedule: they haven't faced a top dog defense yet (Pittsburgh is ok, and Cincy isn't horrible, but that's as tough as it's been for these guys). I don't doubt the Ravens can stop anyone, and Seattle better be careful to protect the ball. If you give Baltimore 2 turnovers, you help relieve the stress of scoring on offense, and that is the real problem with Baltimore. Look for Seattle to take their typical approach: 20 carries by Alexander, a handful to Maurice Morris, and then passing West Coast style the remainder of the game. However, don't expect that 24 points they normally average.

If the Ravens could score with any consistency, this game would be an easy pick for the upset. However, they don't score on offense very easily. Even with Jamal Lewis running the rock, the Ravens scored only 6 points last week, and although they had gotten their average to 21 points a game it is hard to put your money on QB Anthony Wright. They need to pass the ball and Wright doesn't give the Ravens a good chance to do so. Kyle Boller had just started to find success when he was lost for the season two weeks ago. They are one of only 6 NFL teams that have recorded more rushing TD's than passing, and that is the biggest point of concern I have about the Ravens. I know they can defend, I know they can run, but if they can't pass the ability to do the others is greatly hampered. Last week's game was a big disappointment: they held the Dolphins to 9 points and LOST. I felt that upset was a lock: just one TD, just one freakin' Jamal Lewis TD and a couple of FG's and they would have had it. It's hard to pick against them this week. Here's some good stats to ponder: (1) Miami gives up the fewest points in the league (14.7 a game) and, thus, kept the Ravens off the board, whereas Seattle gives up about 19 a game (not a big difference, but big enough to rank Seattle 12 spots lower in the stat); (2) Seattle gives up about 115 yards rushing a game (about 30 more than Miami), and they've struggled against tougher RB's (101 to Rudi Johnson, 118 to Ahman Green); (3) Baltimore has 25 sacks thus far (tied for 4th in the NFL), and 14 interceptions to boot. I think the Baltimore D may be too tough for Seattle. I think the Seachickens won't have an answer for Jamal Lewis. I think Baltimore is due for a win, I think Seattle is due for a tough loss, and I'm going with the hometown upset. I'll take a good running game and a stellar defense over a passing game (that has been struggling with passed balls of late) and a West Coast offense almost any day of the week. As I always say, call me crazy but I'm taking Baltimore and I'm taking the under (whatever it may be).

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Jamal Lewis, Shaun Alexander, Baltimore Defense Todd Heap, Josh Brown

2nd String: Matt Hasselback, Maurice Morris, Darrell Jackson, Koren Robinson, Itula Mili, Anthony Wright, Travis Taylor, Matt Stover

Prediction: Seahawks 13, Ravens 17

New England (8-2) at Houston (4-6) 1:00 PM
All praises to Tom Brady. He did what I didn't think he could do: he went deep on Dallas, just enough to get the one TD and 2 FG's. What a great game, and Tom Brady was brilliant. Mistake free football: it's a rarity, especially versus an extremely tough D like Dallas. As a reward, he gets to face Houston, one of the worst passing D's in all the land. Now that I've said this, let's add some wrinkles. The Pats have little to no running game. The Texans have improved, little bits at a time, on the passing D. Well, maybe just a couple of wrinkles! If Brady can play half as well as he did last week it should be enough to beat the Texans. Houston is improving, but it's no secret they need to keep the scores LOW to give their team a realistic chance to win. I sincerely doubt they can keep Brady under wraps. The pass rush is weak at best, their coverage isn't as good as it will need to be, and the Pats are loaded with great young talent at WR that will stretch the field and go over the middle all game long. David Givens has put together two great games in a row, and along with Deion Branch and Troy Brown, the group will eat up this Houston backfield.

Now for the real meat of this game: I'll have some brats with a side of brat, and then I'll top it off with another brat. Just kidding; I'm hurting for humor this week and you'll have to excuse my sorry attempt to lighten the conversation a touch. It's just that this game seems like a lock, and it's due to the New England defense. Let me give you a name, a name that should sound familiar with you old time NFL fans: Klecko. Dan Klecko is a rookie, son of Joe Klecko, and he's been a stud on defense (and a little offense; he gets in at FB from time to time, and has a TD) and he will make you want to watch. This team is loaded with injuries, but it hasn't mattered. This team game plans as well as any other team in the NFL, and it was never more evident than last week versus Dallas. They shut down the Dallas run (not so hard to be honest), but they won the game with the pass coverage. Ty Law is a true defensive stud, and along with guys like Klecko, Richard Seymour, Mike Vrabel, and Willie McGinest rushing the QB, they cause all kinds of havoc on the field. They just don't allow the big playmaker to get off, and they keep the rest of the team guessing. Houston is going with Tony Banks again, and it sounds like David Carr may be out for the rest of the season. Banks is a nice backup, but let's not go crazy. He needs to hand off to Domanick Davis, and he needs to find Andre Johnson and Jabar Gaffney, and he needs to do all three A LOT if Houston is going to stand a chance in this one. The Pats are not 8 & 2 for nothing. They play great team ball, and most importantly, they play extremely tough defense. They are too tough for this Texan team, they won't allow this team too score too often, and as long as Brady can find a couple of TD's it should be enough to win.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Patriot Defense, Tom Brady, Deion Branch, David Givens (Questionable)

2nd String: Tony Banks, Domanick Davis, Andre Johnson, Kevin Faulk, Troy Brown (Questionable), Jabar Gaffney, Billy Miller, Daniel Graham, Adam Vinatieri, Kris Brown

Prediction: Pats 20, Texans 9

St. Louis (7-3) at Arizona (3-7) 4:05 PM
I'm sorry. I'm apologizing now, because I'm going to go off on a rant. I hate Mike Martz, and all of you in fantasy land should too. Why, in the name of all that is holy and good in the NFL, would you continue to screw with this QB situation? Give me one good reason to go with Kurt Warner right now. Just one. He's sucked when he's played. He's been awful. Marc Bulger continues to win, and the interceptions aren't anything new. Here's the hot phrase: "Well, the guy has thrown 6 interceptions in the last 3 games." AND. He has 11 interceptions with 12 touchdowns. The interceptions aren't new my friends. What's new is the inability of the defense to keep opponents out of the end zone. But all of a sudden Martz falls back on his "Let's blame it all on the QB and switch AGAIN." It's just plain stupid. I wish they would put in Warner. He'll be just as bad, opponents will score just as often, and the problem will HAVE to fall on the coach sooner or later. It's that simple. Stop the other team from scoring. Chris Chandler ate up this Rams' defense like he was freakin' Bart Starr last week. Ask any Bears fan (like myself) if Chris Chandler should be able to throw downfield like that, and they will LAUGH. From what I hear, Martz was ready to put Warner in! Kurt Warner himself said, "Coach, don't do it to the kid. Let him work it out." Is it really a good sign when the backup QB can do a better job managing a come-from-behind situation than the freakin' coach? Give some credit to Kurt, and let's hope Martz figures it out. This week should be easy pickins' for the Rams. This is a Zona team that just let Kelly Holcomb throw for huge yards. They couldn't keep James Jackson out of the end zone. They couldn't stop Andre Davis and Quincy Morgan. SO, how do you suppose they will stop Marc Bulger, Torry Holt, and Marshall Faulk?

Let's take a look at the numbers since the NFL is nice enough to provide all of us that wager and obsess with the proper tools to do so. Arizona is not a good team: give up 104 yards rushing a game, give up 215 yards passing a game, they give up 28 points a game. Nothing too good there to hang your hat on. Here's some more: they score less than 14 points a game (13.6 to be exact), they've thrown 15 interceptions thus far (2nd worst in the NFL), they have collected a grand total of 5 interceptions thus far (tied for worst in the NFL), and they have 9 sacks (easily the worst in the NFL). There is no reason to believe they will get to Marc Bulger behind the line or in the field. They won't cover Torry Holt. I don't see how they stop Marshall Faulk, who is hungry for a big game and wants to plant his name back in the heads of football fans as an NFL great. Zona's best hope for offense has been Marcel Shipp, but the Rams are pretty tough on D and give up 111 yards rushing a game: not horrible, not impressive, but more than good enough to keep Shipp from beating them. Many will point to the close win over Chicago last week and say, "This team is struggling and they will be ripe for a loss." Uh, no. The Rams are fighting to win the division, currently tied for 1st with Seattle. Zona is an important win: a division team and a team that cannot stand up to this offense. Take the Rams. This should be a boring game, and even if Bulger finds a way to throw a couple of bad balls, I doubt Zona could take advantage.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Torry Holt, Marc Bulger, Marshall Faulk, Marcel Shipp, Rams Defense

2nd String: Anquan Boldin, Isaac Bruce, Dane Looker, Brandon Maneamula, Jeff Wilkens, Jeff Blake, Bryant Johnson, Freddie Jones

Prediction: Rams 32, Cards 12

Chicago (3-7) at Denver (6-4) 4:05 PM
What a let down for the Bears! I think Steve Bartman was there last week, playing DE for the Bears and letting Bulger go downfield unchallenged. If the Bears win that game, you might be looking at this game wondering if this could be the upset of the week. Oh well. Back to reality. The biggest joke in Chicago is Kordell Stewart. It all starts with a reported "swollen leg" to keep him on the sidelines. Amazingly, Chris Chandler is still in and no one seems to care if Stewart is hurt or not! There is more talk about Rex Grossman, why he's been dropped below Kordell to third string, and what it will take for Dick Jauron to understand and realize the Bears are in fact out of the playoff picture and it's ok to get the rook a few snaps. That's a whole subject in and of itself, let's stick to the game. There is no denying the Bears have been playing better and many point to Chris Chandler. I point to Anthony Thomas. The kid has been solid, regaining his rookie form and giving the Bears a whole new approach on offense. They can play Chicago football: smash mouth, run right at you, eat up the clock and punish the defense football. It's been fun to watch if you are into running style football. Unfortunately, it has not been enough to guarantee wins. They still lost a tough game to the Detroit Lions, and they lost the heartbreaker to St. Lou last week. The Bears are a team that is improving and can give opponents problems. The true weakness is the pass coverage: these guys can get after the QB ok, but they struggle to cover downfield and their youth at cornerback is often the target of many opposing teams. The Bears have only 10 interceptions, and for a team that forces you to throw that is not a good sign. Add the fact they give up over 120 yards rushing a game, and any team with a nice balance of offense (like Denver) should do well versus these Bears.

Did you see Denver last week? I mean it was the real Broncos: Jake Plummer was back. Plummer looked good too, and you better believe he made the whole team better. I'll give you this: they were playing the powerhouse San Diego defense! However, a nice day is a nice day, and anyone who watched the game would tell you that Plummer looked good. They will have a little tougher time with Chicago, as the Bears do keep opposing passers under 200 yards more often than not. However, the real weapon and fantasy stud of this game should be Clinton Portis. Portis is a guy that needs a good passing game to keep the LB's at bay and give him a takeoff ramp. Chicago has struggled to stop the rush, and Portis should take advantage. He's due for a big game, and I mean a BIG game. By the way, keep an eye on the weather in Denver this weekend: projected snow and highs in the 30's! I know Chicago should be accustomed, but the point is that the running game becomes that much more important. You want to see an Anthony Thomas versus Clinton Portis showdown, and it looks like the teams will oblige. It's not secret the Broncos like to pass, usually short and let the guys like Shannon Sharpe do the damage after the catch. The Bears don't have the backfield to stop it. If Portis goes off like he is capable, this could be ugly. The weather may keep the score down, but the Broncos will look to drive it up regardless. The Broncos are hoping to make the postseason, and with KC firmly planted in first they need to chase the wild card. Every game is important, and the Broncos will come correct. Take the Broncos, make sure you have Portis in your lineup, and let's enjoy a nice winter weather old-fashioned football game! The Bears may battle, they may make it more interesting than you might expect, but the smart money is on the Broncos to win convincingly.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Clinton Portis, Anthony Thomas, Jake Plummer, Shannon Sharpe

2nd String: Rod Smith, Ashley Lelie, Chris Chandler, Marty Booker, Dez White, Justin Gage, Paul Edinger

Prediction: Bears 14, Broncos 28

Cincinnati (5-5) at San Diego (2-8) 4:15 PM
How about them Bengals? Many of us figured they would have a much tougher time last week against KC, especially after Chad Johnson put some nice bulletin board material in the papers. We knew they could pass the ball, but I didn't know the KC defense would struggle so badly! Peter Warrick looked more like Dante Hall, well, Dante Hall. I've been very impressed with Rudi Johnson. Many of you emailed me and I was smart enough to stay off the bandwagon with Johnson. Sorry guys! Corey who? Maybe we'll hear about a Corey Dillon-Keyshawn Johnson sighting this week, out fishing and working on their resumes, hoping to the almighty (that would be Bill Parcells, just to clarify) for a job with Dallas! Cincy gets to run and gun again this week as they come into San Diego to face what is probably the worst team in the NFL. The San Diego D is just horrible: they give up 134 rushing yards a game (27th in the NFL), they are even worse against the pass (31st in the NFL, giving away 235 yards a game), and they can't keep anyone from scoring (dead last in the NFL, allowing 28 points a game). They are just too young, they don't cover well, they don't tackle well at all, and Cincy can take it to them in all aspects. It's looking good for another Bengal's win this week, and Marv Lewis is looking more and more like the Coach of the Year. I don't know if Dillon will see much time for the rest of the season, barring injury to Rudi. By the way, please send me your emails this week about Johnson: I'll say start him for sure, and then I can look like a genius for once.

The San Diego offense is almost as bad as their defensive counterpart. I guess Doug Flutie can't walk on water: 9 of 25 for 70 yards, and that was against a Denver team with a not so hot passing D. Start Brees, start Flutie, it doesn't matter (I'll jump right back on that statement; I made it two weeks ago and looked like a fool after Flutie tore up Minnesota, but now I'm back to being right!). This Cincy defense is playing better than the Broncos, and if Denver can keep Flutie to such anemic numbers and keep LT to 8 carries then Bolt fans had better start stenciling the paper bags now. It would be nice gesture: Cincy is used to seeing their fans with the paper bag garb! Let's take a look: Cincy currently ranks 22nd versus the rush (121 yards a game) and 16th versus the pass (209 yards a game). Though the numbers don't strike fear right away, you should look at their more recent games to get a better gauge at the improvements: they held the almighty Priest Holmes to 62 yards and 0 TD's, they kept David Carr to 146 yards (though they did give up some points in that game), and in the win over Seattle they picked off Matt Hasselback 3 times. I should note Cincy is giving up an average of 21 points a game, and this could work against them when you consider what Tomlinson is capable of doing. If Cincy is going to pick up win #6, they need to find a way to shut down LT, and they are capable (like I noted, they did an awesome job versus Priest last week). However, in truth the Bolts have struggled to win even when Tomlinson has gotten his yards. This Cincy team is too good right now for the Chargers. With the defensive problems the Bolts have shown, there is no reason to believe they can stop Cincy in any way, and therefore the smart money is on the mighty Bengals.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Chad Johnson, Jon Kitna, LaDainian Tomlinson, Rudi Johnson

2nd String: Peter Warrick, Matt Schobel, Shayne Graham, Cincy Defense, Drew Brees/Doug Flutie, David Boston, Eric Parker, Steve Christie

Prediction: Bengals 24, Bolts 40 seeks.

Oakland (3-7) at Kansas City (9-1) 4:15 PM
Here we have a game of intrigue, excitement brewing over all edges of this one as the fans have been yelling for this match up all year in hopes of finally being given the greatest possible game ever possibly conceived by the gods of football - wait…… sorry, I don't know what I was looking at! This is the RAIDERS and the CHIEFS! Best AFC West team versus the worst. Other than the division, these teams have very little in common. The Raiders are actually coming off a huge win over Minnesota. They've got the RB-by -committee working well and Rick Mirer has performed well for a 3rd string QB. They will need to find someway to get every weapon they have working as a team and scoring points as they go into Arrowhead Stadium in hopes of pulling a huge upset. The Chiefs defense has been struggling: they are ranked 21st in the NFL for passing defense (allowing opponents 210 yards a game, but they do have 19 interceptions to show for their efforts, which is the most in the NFL) and they sit at 25th in the NFL for rushing defense (giving up 130 yards a game on the ground). The Raiders aren't hard to figure out: if they can get to Rick Mirer they can create all kinds of problems for this Raiders team. The Chiefs have 26 sacks thus far, one of the better numbers in the NFL, and this is a good sign they should be able to get to Mirer and create the havoc they need to perform well defensively.

The Chiefs have to be a little chaffed about the loss to Cincinnati last week. They couldn't get the offense going at the level they have grown accustomed to and the defense couldn't stop the Bengals from making big plays. These Raiders are not nearly as dangerous, especially when they are being run by the third string QB. However, the real problem with this Raiders team is the defense. They are improving, but they are still atrocious. They currently rank 23rd against the pass, giving up 216 yards a game, having allowed 12 passing TD's thus far, and only 14 sacks thus far. The numbers against the run look even worse: 30th in the NFL, giving up 147 yards rushing a game. Put those numbers together and you can understand the record they have compiled. If they had not received so many gifts from Minnesota last week (turnovers were dropping like rain last week in that game), they would not have won, and they almost blew it anyway! This Chiefs team will not allow this game to get away from them. They are looking to take the wax to someone to release the stress from the loss last week: Holmes will find his A game once again and should light these guys up, Trent Green should show and prove why he's a top QB in the NFL, and the defense should show better against a much less effective passing game. Every thing points to the Chiefs and for good reason. They may have lost last week, but they are still the best all-around team in the NFL, and they will make sure to remind us all of that this weekend by winning, and winning big.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Trent Green, Priest Holmes, Tony Gonzalez, KC Defense

2nd String: Rick Mirer, Charlie Garner (Doubtful), Tyrone Wheatley, Jerry Porter, Johnnie Morton, Eddie Kennison, Tim Brown, Morten Andersen, Sebastian Janikowski

Prediction: Raiders 13, Chiefs 34

Tennessee (8-2) at Atlanta (2-8) 4:15 PM
Once again we've come to a game that titillates us all with such excitement and anticipation that we just can't wait for Sunday to come upon us so that we might….. I need to apologize. I dropped some ecstasy before I started the column to try and get my juices flowing, and you'd do the same if you were suffering through the same slump I am enduring. This game appears to be another snoozer, but maybe it will be better than expected. Tennessee hasn't played as well in the last couple of weeks, at least they are not playing at the level we've come to expect. Atlanta has suddenly found a way to score points and make games interesting as well. That said, they've decided to change QB's again and go with Doug Johnson, and I don't think Sling can get it done any better than Kittner (and Kittner was not good, but he's essentially a rookie so cut him some slack). The Titan's defense has been great thus far and they will try to make sure Atlanta continues down the bumpy road of failure. Ranked #1 in the NFL versus the rush, they have kept opponents to just 79 yards rushing a game. However, here's a picture of irony: this same defense is ranked 30th against the pass, allowing 233 yards a game. However, they will eat up Sling for lunch: despite the ability to give up major passing yards, they have collected 26 sacks thus far (4th best in the NFL), and Sling has shown a propensity for failure under pressure thus far. Warrick Dunn has been a stud these last few weeks, looking like the Warrick Dunn of younger years during his time in Tampa. However, he won't run on the Titans, the Falcons won't pass, and this game isn't likely to be very competitive.

Steve McNair could use a good game, and this is a week ripe for such an occasion. Atlanta is the proud owner of the worst defense in all of sports: they rank dead last versus the pass (256 yards a game, 14 TD's allowed) and they rank 2nd to last versus the run (151 yards a game, 16 TD's allowed). It is safe to say the Dirty Birds may struggle to contain the potential MVP from getting some points on the board. The Birds give up 27 points a game (only 1 point less than the league high for the stat). The Titans average The Titans score, guess what, about 27 points a game against the AVERAGE opponent. I would venture to say the Falcons are not an average opponent: I'd say they are far below average, and the Titans should hang at least 35 on 'em. Otherwise, they should march home on foot from Atlanta to Memphis, hanging their heads in shame. Here is what I would really like to see: this could be a great opportunity for the Titans and their fans to see what rookie RB Chris Brown can do. He's a promising young rookie, and with Eddie George struggling so hard this year it would be nice to see what the kid can do. Otherwise, this should be a big game all around: McNair should throw and spread the wealth, whoever runs the ball should play well, and the Titan D will have another great day. Go with the Titans.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Steve McNair, Derrick Mason, Gary Anderson, Titan Defense, Jay Feeley

2nd String: Eddie George, Chris Brown, Justin McCareins, Tyler Calico, Doug Johnson, Warrick Dunn, Peerless Price, Quentin McCord, Alge Crumpler,

Prediction: Titans 26, Dirty Birds 10

Washington (4-6) at Miami (6-4) 8:30 PM
The Redskins are a tough bunch to figure out. I really like their QB: Ramsey is a tough kid with a great arm and great leadership qualities. Hopefully he can get through the season without losing any major appendages. His offensive line can do well, but more often than not they give up way too many sacks and let Ramsey take too much abuse. Then, we could talk about the running game. Personally, in the games I've watched, I don't understand the fascination with Trung Candidate. I've been impressed with Rock Cartwright. I think he's been a solid runner, and though I don't see him breaking out too many 60-yard TD runs, I think he's the most consistent and steady runner they have on the team. Regardless of what they do at RB, they need to open things up and give Ramsey some breathing room. Nothing helps a good passer like a good running game. I've heard Madden say that for years now, and it's as true as Madden is overweight (I know most of you out there hate Madden, but I love him and consider him the pinnacle in the business of football commentary). I think Spurrier has brought a great game plan into the league this year, and though they may not be happy with 6 losses it's not so bad considering the personnel. They will be rigidly tested versus Miami this weekend. The Fins have some major players on defense, most notably Jason Taylor, possibly the best DE in the game. They rank 3rd against the run, allowing only 85 yards a game and having surrendered only 5 rushing TD's thus far. Now, for the good news Skin fans: the Fins rank 26th versus the pass, having allowed 221 yards a game. However, they have allowed only 7 TD's through the air so far this year, not to mention they've racked up 24 sacks. They will be all over Ramsey, and the Skins can't run the ball at all to help relieve some of the stress. This game could be ugly for Ramsey, and it could be a long Sunday night for the kid.

Dolphin fans have to be worried about Ricky Williams. He did finally break the century mark last week, the first time in six weeks he's put up his "normal" yard production. The Fins are banking on Ricky ruling the field. He moves the chains, he eats up the clock, he wears on the defensive line, he opens up the passing lanes for Brian Griese, and he is the heart and soul of the team. If he can't get off, the whole team suffers (as we've seen in recent games as the Fins have struggled to score and get separation from opponents on the scoreboard). This weekend it could be similar. The Fin defense should do well against the Redskins; however, if the offense can't put the rock in the end zone, it won't do a whole lot of good. Miami was lucky to escape with a win last week against the Ravens in a game ruled by kickers (the worst kind of football game in my book; nothing worse than winning on a kick for my viewing pleasure; just a personal opinion). If Miami is going to win, they have to throw the ball and they have to get Ricky Williams plenty of carries. The carries I'm not worried about, but he production of Williams matched with the production of the passing game concerns me. This game could be close: if Ramsey can stay loose in the pocket and Laveranues Coles can get some open balls downfield, they Skins could pull out an upset. I'm guessing the Dolphin defense will be too tough. I don't think Ramsey will spend too much time upright on Sunday night, and I believe Ricky would like to use Sunday night on ESPN to announce his continued dominance to the football world. I'm taking the Dolphins, and I'll keep the score close but not too close.

Key Fantasy Players
1st String: Fin Defense, Patrick Ramsey (Questionable), Laveranues Coles, John Hall, Ricky Williams, Chris Chambers, Randy McMichael

2nd String: Brian Griese, Trung Candidate, Rock Cartwright (Questionable), Rod Gardner, James McKnight, Darnerien McCants, Olindo Mare

Prediction: Skins 14, Fins 20

NY Giants (4-6) at Tampa Bay (4-6) Mon 9:00 PM
This game is not what the network was hoping for at the beginning of the season. The Bucs are the defending champs, and the Giants looked like a team ready to fight for this year's title. Instead, we are looking at two teams that are 2 games under .500 and are, essentially, one win away from being eliminated from post-season play. Let's take a look at the Giants first. This team is so unbelievably unstable it's impossible to pick their wins and losses. They started the Minnesota Vikings' losing streak with a surprise victory. However, the same team that scored 29 versus Minnesota somehow managed only 7 versus Atlanta just last week. If you look at the Giants' games since Week 4 (their bye week) the Giants offense is averaging only 15 points a game, and have scored more than 10 points only twice. That is a big sign of offensive instability. Amani Toomer is the only stable weapon on this team, and because he is a wide receiver and is totally in the hands of Collins, he is unable to have too much effect on the score if he can't get the passes. If this team cannot score, and they cannot keep the ball away from their opponents (Kerry Collins and Tiki Barber both love to give the ball away), they will continue to lose games and struggle to score. Collins has 13 interceptions thus far (versus 12 TD's), and that is horrible. Tiki has 4 fumbles, having lost all 4 of them, and that is also horrible. You put the two together, and you might consider the Giants lucky to have 4 wins. I do. Now, I realize the Tampa defense has really struggled of late in many ways. They are no longer able to shut down the rushing attack like they once could. They are struggling to cover in the backfield and have allowed some big pass plays in recent games. Tampa is still ranked 4th versus the pass, giving up only 176 yards a game through the air, and having allowed only 9 passing TD's thus far, they are still a force in that aspect. 21 sacks, 17 interceptions: you can try to go deep on Tampa, and it can be done, but you better be on or they will make you pay. Collins is not a good guy to bet on in these situations. I don't believe Tiki can run productively against anyone: he may get his yards, but he will fumble at least once along the way, and his yards and TD's are not plentiful enough to make up for those mistakes. I realize the Bucs' D is not what it once was, but they are still a formidable opponent and they will take the fight to the Giants this week.

The offense has been the real letdown in Tampa these last few weeks. Brad Johnson started the season on roll, throwing TD's at a killer pace and was the NFL's best QB for a few weeks. Despite those efforts, he has struggled lately to get the ball around the field without making mistakes. His turnover ratio has risen a bit, and it seems he has a tendency to make these mistakes are crucial points of these games. I still maintain the loss of Mike Alstott has been bigger to this team than they can image. The running game has sputtered as well. Michael Pittman, though he has run well and put up some nice yards, has no TD's to show for it (he has 2 RECEIVING TD's, but none from his feet). Thomas Jones finally got a true opportunity to take the lead back position this last week, and he performed well (134 yds). Whether it's Jones or Pittman, they need to get more scoring out of the position: Tampa has only 2 rushing TD's to 19 passing TD's. This is against the norm not only for the NFL but also for the Bucs, thus my contention that they miss Alstott more than they may think. They did get Joe Jurivicius back, and they let Keyshawn take a seat (I'm not getting into it; I'll say I totally agree with the move, but it has it's problems and if you want to hear my take on it drop me an email). Face it: you can count on one hand the number of impact games Key has had the last two years, and Keenan McCardell and Jurivicius are the true weapons of this team. They will have a tough go as the Giants' defense isn't too shabby. They currently rank 18th versus the rush, giving up 117 yards a game. They rank 15th against the pass, giving up 209 yards a game. They've gathered 28 sacks, a nice number, but they've only gotten 8 interceptions thus far. If they want to beat the Bucs, they have to get some turnovers. They need to force fumbles and they need to get after Brad Johnson. QB pressure will definitely be a factor, and the Giants can bring the pain. I believe the Bucs can handle it. Having Jurivicius back is the x factor: Joe is a big time play maker, and along with McCardell, they can make plays and help Johnson move the chains in just about any situation. I expect the Bucs' D to come out in support of their coach and they will bring the heat on Collins and Barber. It's fair to expect at least 2 turnovers from the Giants, and that could be enough to bring the Bucs a win. If Thomas Jones and/or Michael Pittman can find any running yards, I feel the Bucs could finally put an end to the losing streak and could get some confidence back in their game. It's Monday Night, and when you get down to it, I'm not betting against Jon Gruden or Derrick Brooks on Monday Night. Take the Bucs in a comfortable but respectable win.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Brad Johnson, Keenan McCardell, Amani Toomer, Joe Jurivicius, Buc Defense

2nd String: Michael Pittman, Giant Defense, Kerry Collins, Tiki Barber, Ike Hilliard (Questionable), Matt Bryant, Todd Yoder, Martin Gramatica

Prediction: Giants 17, Bucs 24