Game Day Information

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Arizona at Cincinnati (-3, 48 ½)

Arizona has only won three of eight meetings with the Bengals (3-6) and has dropped all five games at Cincinnati.

Carolina at Green Bay (-9 ½, 37 ½)

Brett Favre has thrown for 2,167 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions against Carolina in the teams' eight regular season meetings. Green Bay leads the series 5-3, but Carolina won the last matchup 32-29 on Oct. 3, 2005.

Cleveland at Baltimore (+2 ½, 43 ½)

The Ravens are 3-1 at home while the Browns are 1-3 on the road, and Baltimore has won four straight at home in this series. Cleveland is 6-11 against the Ravens since the revival of its franchise in 1999.

Kansas City at Indianapolis (-14 ½, 43 ½)

Peyton Manning had one of the biggest games of his career against the Chiefs in the teams' last regular season meeting. He threw for a career-high 472 yards with five touchdowns and an interception in a 45-35 defeat on Oct. 31, 2004. In four career regular season games against Kansas City, Manning has thrown for 1,236 yards, nine TDs and three interceptions.

Miami at Philadelphia (-10, 40 ½)

The Eagles are just 4-7 all-time against the Dolphins, but won the last meeting on Dec. 15, 2003. They have not hosted Miami (0-9) since Oct. 20, 1996 - a game Philadelphia won 35-28.

New Orleans at Houston (-1, 48)

The Texans lost their only previous meeting with the Saints 31-10 in New Orleans on Sept. 14, 2003.

Oakland at Minnesota (-5, 35 ½)

Oakland has fared well against Minnesota, winning eight of 11 meetings and two straight in the series, although the teams haven't met since 2003. The Raiders won the last matchup at the Metrodome 22-17 on Sept. 19, 1999.

San Diego at Jacksonville (-3, 40 ½)

The Jaguars and Chargers have split their two previous meetings with the home team winning each game. They haven't faced each other since a 34-21 San Diego victory on Oct. 10, 2004.

Tampa Bay at Atlanta (+3, 35 ½)

Jeff Garcia has 1,846 yards passing, 10 touchdowns and three INTs in eight games against the Falcons, and has thrown for 958 yards, eight TDs and just one pick in three games at the Georgia Dome.

New York Giants at Detroit (+3, 49)

The Lions have won the only two meetings between these teams since 2000, both at Giants Stadium. New York has won three straight in Detroit dating to 1988, but the Lions have excelled at Ford Field this year. The Giants and Lions would be the NFC's two wild-card teams if the season ended today, with both holding a one-game lead over Washington.

Pittsburgh at New York Jets (+9 ½, 40 ½)

The Jets are 2-16 all-time against the Steelers, including a 20-17 playoff loss in 2005 in the most recent meeting.

Washington at Dallas (-10 ½, 46 ½)

The Redskins have won three of the past four meetings with Dallas, although the Cowboys took 14 of 15 prior to that. Dallas leads the all-time series 55-37-2.

St. Louis at San Francisco (+3, 40)

The 49ers have won four of five against the Rams, but all five of those games were decided by seven points or fewer.

Chicago at Seattle (-6, 37 ½)

Seattle has won 30 of 37 home games since 2003, and in the only meeting between these teams at Qwest Field on Oct. 19, 2003, the Seahawks won 24-17.

New England at Buffalo (+16, 46 ½)

In their last meeting, the Patriots outgained the Bills 485-193 - 100 yards more than the Bills have allowed in any game since. In their last six contests, the Buffalo defense has allowed an average of 14.5 points. This season, the Patriots are averaging 39.4 points.

Tennessee at Denver (-2 ½, 38)

The Broncos won 37-16 in Nashville on Christmas night in 2004 in the only game between these teams since the Titans franchise moved to Tennessee in 1997.





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Sunday Line Moves

Arizona Cardinals at Cincinnati Bengals: -4 to -3 (line history)

The Bengals notched just their second cover and third win of the season last week against the Baltimore Ravens. Bettors so far have been hesitant to back the AFC’s most disappointing club.

“We put out -3 ½ and it didn’t move off that number until Tuesday,” says Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club consulting service. “I told our clients to go with – 3 ½ or -3 with juice.”

Arizona’s secondary was a bit banged up after last week’s win against the Detroit Lions. Starting cornerback Eric Green and Pro Bowl safety Adrian Wilson were both considered doubtful. Both have since been upgraded to questionable.

Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys: -10 to -11 ½ (line history)

Three weeks ago this contest looked like a balanced matchup. After being spanked 52-7 by the New England Patriots, the ‘Skins have lost their mojo. Meanwhile the Cowboys are running away in the NFC East and have covered seven out of nine times this season.

“We wanted to stay high on this one,” Korner says. “We had one guy suggest -8 ½, two at -10 and one at -11. We went with -11.

“We didn’t want to be low. We know all the money is going to be on Dallas, so that pushed us up to the higher number.”

Washington will not have starting defensive back Sean Taylor. The hard-hitting safety sprained his MCL last Sunday and won’t return for at least two weeks.

New York Giants at Detroit Lions: Pick to +3 (line history)

The G-Men and Lions are both coming off letdown losses seven days ago. Both squads should be looking to bounce back with a strong effort this time around.

“We sent out Lions -2 ½ and it was just a bad call on our part,” Korner says. “I guess the reason we liked the Lions here was the fact they’re at home. They’re just a different team when they’re on the road compared to their play at home. We’ve been taking that into account with them all season.”

Detroit is 3-0-1 against the spread and has outscored its opponents 124-67 at home this year.

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Jets loooking to get moving:

Thomas Jones is having a strange season for the New York Jets.

Acquired from the NFC champion Chicago Bears in the offseason, Jones was expected to bring stability to a mediocre running game and add a versatile weapon not seen since Curtis Martin's heyday.

He actually has done that - sort of.

Jones ranks 11th in the league with 606 yards rushing and has been the workhorse of the running game with 160 carries. The problem is, Jones hasn't had a consistent number of carries from game to game, or in crucial spots, and that's clearly affecting his impact. The Jets (1-8) are ranked dead last in rushing offense.

''You get frustrated, yeah, because things aren't going the way that you want them to go, but that's football,'' he said Friday. ''It's hard. It's not an easy game. There's 11 guys on the field and everyone has to do their job for everyone to be successful.''

The most alarming number in Jones' stat line appears in the column for touchdowns. Heading into this Sunday's game against Pittsburgh, he's still looking to get into the end zone for the first time as a member of the Jets.

''It's definitely surprising,'' he said. ''Unfortunately, we've gotten in the red zone and haven't had that many opportunities in the goal-line area. We've struggled some in the red zone. We've had some three-and-outs in situations like that. That's part of the game. You have to keep fighting and digging and doing everything that you can to get into the end zone and to win football games.''

Jones simply hasn't had enough chances to score, especially in the red zone. He has just three games in which he's carried the ball 20 or more times, and has his two 100-yard games in those situations.

''At the end of the day, I don't call the plays,'' he said. ''Any back, any receiver, any quarterback, they want to have the opportunity all the time, but I'm not the only guy out there on the field. I don't call those plays. I don't make those decisions. I take advantage of those opportunities when I have them and I'm expected to do my job and I expect to do my job to the best of my ability.''

That's the party line, but it's one Jones has been sticking to all season while carefully not coming across as a malcontent. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said he and Jones talk every day, but insists the running back hasn't complained about his role.

''Thomas wants to help us win, and he can help us win,'' Schottenheimer said. ''It's not just about number of carries, it's not just about the running game. It's any way he can help us win. He wants to win. That's the type of pro he is and that's the type of player he is. We talk all the time, but it's never about 'I need this many carries.'''

Perhaps Jones should lobby to get the ball more. There have been a number of games in which the Jets took leads and then inexplicably abandoned Jones and the run in the second half.

Also, late in a 16-9 loss to Philadelphia in Week 6, the Jets had the ball on the Eagles 4 after a 9-yard run by Jones with three chances to tie it or at least get a first down. Jones was stopped for no gain on second down, but didn't see the ball again. Schottenheimer called for a sneak by quarterback Chad Pennington, who got nothing, and then a fade pass to Laveranues Coles that was broken up in the end zone.

''There's certainly been some games where you go back and say, 'Yeah, I could've maybe run it here or there,' but nothing collectively that makes me think that we've gotten away from it,'' Schottenheimer said. ''We just have to be more consistent with it.''

The Jets have just two rushing touchdowns this season - by Pennington and backup running back Leon Washington - but that doesn't alarm coach Eric Mangini.

''It's more a question of touchdowns,'' he said. ''You're going to get them or try to get them any way you can, whether it's a huge discrepancy in rushing versus passing, or it's balanced. There's not one answer there. You're just looking for the best way to get it into the end zone.''

Scoring will be a tough task when New York takes on Pittsburgh's latest version of the Steel Curtain. The Steelers are ranked No. 1 in overall defense, rushing defense and passing defense. They also haven't allowed a 100-yard rusher in 34 games, dating to the 2005 season.

''You just stick with your game plan,'' Jones said. ''I think we have a good game plan as far as the offense goes. They're a physical team and you have to be physical with them for four quarters. We'll see how it goes. We're confident.''

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