San Diego at Cincinnati
We all love a little drama, and that’s exactly what receiver Chad Johnson has brought to the lifeless Bengals. After last week’s 26-20 loss at the hands of the Baltimore, Johnson openly made note of his lack of involvement in the offence (only four catches in the loss), comparing himself to a Christmas decoration. You see, NFL players don’t just catch passes, they make great analogies too. Cincinnati will host the Chargers this week hoping to get their .500 season moving in the right direction, aiming to catch up with those division-leading Ravens. The Chargers are only 2-2 on the road (while a perfect 4-0 at home) and are coming off a close win over the Browns. LaDainian Tomlinson is embarrassing foes once again (seven TDs in the last three games) and getting his name mentioned in MVP chatter. I like the Bengals in an upset here. There’s a lot of pent-up emotion brewing in this locker-room and I’m confident Marvin Lewis can use it as fuel for this game.
Chicago at NY Giants
The Bears bubble has officially burst after a 31-13 loss to the Dolphins this past Sunday. Rex Grossman is falling apart (seven picks in the past three) and all that Super Bowl talk has suddenly gone. The defence wasn’t its trademark self as Ricky Williams’ replacement at running back, Ronnie Brown, went nuts for 157 yards on the ground and Joey Harrington, of all people, threw three touchdowns. The woeful Detroit Lions let this guy go for God’s sake! Meanwhile, the Giants have won five in a row and are quietly adding their name to the list of NFC title contenders. Tiki Barber has quieted the critics (who were angered by his retirement announcement earlier this year) by averaging 121 yards on the ground during the winning streak. Don’t buy the notion that the Bears’ first loss was a good one because it took away the pressures of an undefeated season. Every loss hurts, and especially a romping at the hands of such an awful team. The Giants win a close one.
New Orleans at Pittsburgh
The Super Bowl honeymoon ended a few weeks ago in Pittsburgh and the misery just keeps coming in large doses. The Steelers have lost three in a row, including a disappointing 31-20 loss to the Broncos, in which Denver WR Javon Walker burned them for three scores. Big Ben had a bizzare game where he threw three picks, but also piled up an astonishing 435 yards in the air. A positive note for the Steelers, Hines Ward is finally rounding into form and had another strong performance Sunday with seven grabs for 127 yards.
In New Orleans, Drew Brees is in the headlines with his Peyton Manning-like play. Brees has been stellar all season, completing 66 per cent of his passes while throwing nine TDs over the Saint’s last three. The Steeler’s season is effectively in the gutter, but I like them to win at home in a big upset. The offense is starting to click a bit, and the pressure of a Super Bowl repeat is gone.
