With their big match up against the Patriots a week away the Colts have to be on guard for the let down against the Panthers. Had they had a tougher game on Monday and the Panthers been completely healthy it would be more dangerous, but with the Panthers QB in the air look for the Colts to win going away.
At 3-4 the Bears can still turn their season around, especially after their dramatic game winning drive last week. A win here and the Bears will be back at water level, but a loss could drown them. Look for the Bears to avenge a loss in Detroit last month by shutting down the Lions.
Last week the Bengals defense was abused in the first half allowing 20 points as they fell behind 23-10 against the Jets, they would be able to come back and win, but against the Steelers this week they won’t be as lucky as the Bengals flaws are plentiful, as their playoff hopes evaporate against the Steelers.
This game is in London, and used to win more fans in Europe, unfortunately we are sending the Dolphins, who could not beat the London Silly Nannies at this point let alone the Giants. Already the Dolphins lost their top RB to injury, traded their to WR, and their starting QB is on dream street, with a defense that looks like Swiss cheese, the road to 0-16 is clear.
There are some wins that are season savers, and some losses that are season killers. Last week the Eagles suffered a season killer as they lost a must win game to the Bears in heartbreaking style on the road this week, don’t look for them to recover as the Vikings keep their playoff chances alive, with another big day by Adrian Peterson.
With RB Stephen Jackson set to return, and the Rams hosting a putrid team all the ingredients are ripe for the Rams to get off the winless snide. Look for Jackson to have a strong game as the Rams offense looks capable at least for 60 minutes, in a stung home win against the Browns.
Last week it was no Vince Young, no problem as the Titans overcame a near disastrous meltdown to beat the Texans on the road, with Rob Bironas hitting a record 8 Field Goals. This week it won’t be as tough, as Young returns, while the Titans are home for an easy win against the Raiders.
At 1-6 the Jets season is a certifiable disaster, especially after their loss to the Bengals last week. Despite that loss the Jets overall played well, meaning they are due for a win, and home against the Bills, that win will come as the Jets look more like the 2006 version then the 2007 team.
With the location of this game up in the air just days before the game due to the California Wild Fires, it could be a tough week for both teams. Look for defense and the running game to play a key role no matter where it’s played and that edge goes to the Chargers.
Worse then the loss to the Colts, last week was the loss of QB David Garrard for the Jaguars, as it will leave them without a capable starting Quarterback for the next few weeks, against tough defenses like the Bucs on the road that equals certain defeat as the Jags will be lucky not to be shut out.
With a win this week, the Saints could be on the verge of turning their season around, as they will be back to with in one game of .500, while the 49ers welcoming back QB Alex Smith just need to stop the bleeding. Smith returning could help the 49ers down the line but the Saints look good for another road win this week in the NFC West.
With a week before a big game against the Colts, the Pats could be guilty of looking ahead, but that usually does not happen with Bill Belichick who with spy cam can see every team. While the 5-2 Redskins are good in their own right with a solid defense, the only solace they will be able to take away after this one, is they won’t allow 30 points.
A win last week against the Steelers may have been just the tonic the Broncos needed to revive their season, as they can get back over .500 with a Monday Night win against the Packers. The Packers should play right in the Broncos hands as the Broncos defense is great against the pass, while the Packers running offense has sputtered.