NFL week 15 analysis (J. Dulac, Pitt post Gazette)
Steelers at Giants
Time: 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Records: Steelers (12-1); Giants (5-8)
The skinny: All attention will be focused on the two No. 1 quarterbacks, Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning, but for no good reason. Roethlisberger has won his first 11 starts, more than any quarterback in NFL history. He has a sandwich named for him in Pittsburgh. Manning has lost his first four starts, though they're considering naming a donut after him in New York to commemorate his 0.0 passer rating against Baltimore. The Giants have lost six in a row since a 5-2 start and have fallen apart faster than stale crackers. Keep an eye on Troy Polamalu, who hasn't had his hair cut in more than three years. He'll probably pay a visit or two to the [Tiki] Barber.
Prediction: Steelers, 23-8
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Redskins at 49ers
Time: Saturday, 5 p.m. at San Francisco
Records: Redskins (4-9); 49ers (2-11)
The skinny: The real 4-and-9ers are Washington, not San Francisco, which managed to win its second game of the season with an overtime victory in Arizona. The Redskins are coming off a 17-14 loss to the Eagles, marking the second time in three weeks they've held a Pennsylvania team with one defeat under 20 points and lost. It might be some intriguing foreshadowing if the Redskins can somehow manage to win their final three games of the season. In Joe Gibbs' first stint with the Redskins, he won the final three games of the 1981 season, then won Super Bowl XVII the following year. First, though, they have to beat the 49ers.
Prediction: Redskins, 16-13
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Panthers at Falcons
Time: 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Atlanta
Records: Panthers (6-7); Falcons (10-3)
The skinny: Atlanta has already clinched the NFC South, which is a good thing, considering how hard Carolina is charging. Now the Falcons have their sights set on securing a first-round bye, which, in the NFC, is all but a foregone conclusion. The Falcons can secure the bye with a victory against the Panthers, whom they have beaten, eight of the past nine meetings, and some other scenarios. But the Panthers have the third-longest winning streak (6) in the NFL, after the Steelers (11) and San Diego (7), and they're averaging 28.2 points in those six victories. Last week, they had six interceptions in a 20-7 victory against the Rams, giving them an NFL-best 22 picks. The Upset Special.
Prediction: Panthers, 20-16
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Bills at Bengals
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday at Cincinnati, Ohio
Records: Bills (7-6); Bengals (6-7)
The skinny: Only one other team since 1990 has made the playoffs after starting 0-2 and that was San Diego in 1992. But Buffalo is looking very much like a team capable of making the AFC playoffs. The Bills have won six of their past seven with an explosive offense and what has suddenly become a stingy defense. After holding Cleveland to 17 yards offense in a 37-7 victory, the Bills have scored a franchise-record 154 points in their past four games, an average of 38.5 points per outing. All of a sudden, that Jan.2 game in Buffalo against the Steelers is looming as an important game for the Bills. And not because of Mike Mularkey and Tom Donahoe.
Prediction: Bills, 31-28
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Chargers at Browns
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday at Cleveland, Ohio
Records: Chargers (10-3); Browns (3-10)
The skinny: Since Butch Davis was fired, Cleveland has scored 22 points and looked even more pathetic for interim coach Terry Robiskie. It bottomed out last week in a 37-7 loss to the Bills, when the Browns managed 17 yards offense. And it might get worse against San Diego, which has won seven in a row and remains in the hunt for a first-round playoff bye. The Chargers, though, might have a difficult time avoiding a wild-card playoff opponent because they play at Indianapolis next week and finish the regular-season with Kansas City. This is the Chargers' first 10-win season since 1994, when they finished 11-5 and, as 11-point underdogs, beat the Steelers in the AFC title game.
Prediction: Chargers, 31-10
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Texans at Bears
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday at Chicago
Records: Texans (5-8); Bears (5-8)
The skinny: Typically, Bears hibernate in the winter, but these Bears tend to come to life in December, especially in Chicago. Believe it or not, the Bears are 7-1 in their last eight home games in December. What's really in their favor, though, is the weather, which could be a little nasty for a team from Houston. The Texans will play the Bears for the first time, and they're probably feeling a little better about themselves after holding Peyton Manning to just two touchdown passes in last week's 23-14 defeat. The Bears, though, are probably ready for hibernation. Their 22-3 loss in Jacksonville all but eliminated them from contending for a wild-card playoff spot.
Prediction: Bears, 16-14
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Vikings at Lions
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday at Detroit
Records: Vikings (7-6); Lions (5-8)
The skinny: Detroit had a chance to remain alive for a wild-card spot, even perhaps the NFC North title, but letting Green Bay come back for a 16-13 victory in the final seconds really damaged the Lions chances. They are not mathematically eliminated, of course, not in the NFC, but they could enhance their chances with a victory against Minnesota. The Vikings, of course, aren't exactly charging to the playoffs, either. Their 27-23 home loss to Seattle was symptomatic of what has transpired this season - mainly that the Vikings don't win any game they need to win. That should hold true in Ford Field, even though the Vikings have won their past five against the Lions.
Prediction: Lions, 24-23
Steelers at Giants
Time: 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Records: Steelers (12-1); Giants (5-8)
The skinny: All attention will be focused on the two No. 1 quarterbacks, Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning, but for no good reason. Roethlisberger has won his first 11 starts, more than any quarterback in NFL history. He has a sandwich named for him in Pittsburgh. Manning has lost his first four starts, though they're considering naming a donut after him in New York to commemorate his 0.0 passer rating against Baltimore. The Giants have lost six in a row since a 5-2 start and have fallen apart faster than stale crackers. Keep an eye on Troy Polamalu, who hasn't had his hair cut in more than three years. He'll probably pay a visit or two to the [Tiki] Barber.
Prediction: Steelers, 23-8
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Redskins at 49ers
Time: Saturday, 5 p.m. at San Francisco
Records: Redskins (4-9); 49ers (2-11)
The skinny: The real 4-and-9ers are Washington, not San Francisco, which managed to win its second game of the season with an overtime victory in Arizona. The Redskins are coming off a 17-14 loss to the Eagles, marking the second time in three weeks they've held a Pennsylvania team with one defeat under 20 points and lost. It might be some intriguing foreshadowing if the Redskins can somehow manage to win their final three games of the season. In Joe Gibbs' first stint with the Redskins, he won the final three games of the 1981 season, then won Super Bowl XVII the following year. First, though, they have to beat the 49ers.
Prediction: Redskins, 16-13
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Panthers at Falcons
Time: 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Atlanta
Records: Panthers (6-7); Falcons (10-3)
The skinny: Atlanta has already clinched the NFC South, which is a good thing, considering how hard Carolina is charging. Now the Falcons have their sights set on securing a first-round bye, which, in the NFC, is all but a foregone conclusion. The Falcons can secure the bye with a victory against the Panthers, whom they have beaten, eight of the past nine meetings, and some other scenarios. But the Panthers have the third-longest winning streak (6) in the NFL, after the Steelers (11) and San Diego (7), and they're averaging 28.2 points in those six victories. Last week, they had six interceptions in a 20-7 victory against the Rams, giving them an NFL-best 22 picks. The Upset Special.
Prediction: Panthers, 20-16
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Bills at Bengals
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday at Cincinnati, Ohio
Records: Bills (7-6); Bengals (6-7)
The skinny: Only one other team since 1990 has made the playoffs after starting 0-2 and that was San Diego in 1992. But Buffalo is looking very much like a team capable of making the AFC playoffs. The Bills have won six of their past seven with an explosive offense and what has suddenly become a stingy defense. After holding Cleveland to 17 yards offense in a 37-7 victory, the Bills have scored a franchise-record 154 points in their past four games, an average of 38.5 points per outing. All of a sudden, that Jan.2 game in Buffalo against the Steelers is looming as an important game for the Bills. And not because of Mike Mularkey and Tom Donahoe.
Prediction: Bills, 31-28
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Chargers at Browns
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday at Cleveland, Ohio
Records: Chargers (10-3); Browns (3-10)
The skinny: Since Butch Davis was fired, Cleveland has scored 22 points and looked even more pathetic for interim coach Terry Robiskie. It bottomed out last week in a 37-7 loss to the Bills, when the Browns managed 17 yards offense. And it might get worse against San Diego, which has won seven in a row and remains in the hunt for a first-round playoff bye. The Chargers, though, might have a difficult time avoiding a wild-card playoff opponent because they play at Indianapolis next week and finish the regular-season with Kansas City. This is the Chargers' first 10-win season since 1994, when they finished 11-5 and, as 11-point underdogs, beat the Steelers in the AFC title game.
Prediction: Chargers, 31-10
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Texans at Bears
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday at Chicago
Records: Texans (5-8); Bears (5-8)
The skinny: Typically, Bears hibernate in the winter, but these Bears tend to come to life in December, especially in Chicago. Believe it or not, the Bears are 7-1 in their last eight home games in December. What's really in their favor, though, is the weather, which could be a little nasty for a team from Houston. The Texans will play the Bears for the first time, and they're probably feeling a little better about themselves after holding Peyton Manning to just two touchdown passes in last week's 23-14 defeat. The Bears, though, are probably ready for hibernation. Their 22-3 loss in Jacksonville all but eliminated them from contending for a wild-card playoff spot.
Prediction: Bears, 16-14
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Vikings at Lions
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday at Detroit
Records: Vikings (7-6); Lions (5-8)
The skinny: Detroit had a chance to remain alive for a wild-card spot, even perhaps the NFC North title, but letting Green Bay come back for a 16-13 victory in the final seconds really damaged the Lions chances. They are not mathematically eliminated, of course, not in the NFC, but they could enhance their chances with a victory against Minnesota. The Vikings, of course, aren't exactly charging to the playoffs, either. Their 27-23 home loss to Seattle was symptomatic of what has transpired this season - mainly that the Vikings don't win any game they need to win. That should hold true in Ford Field, even though the Vikings have won their past five against the Lions.
Prediction: Lions, 24-23
