Chargers-49ers

• Two battered teams face each other….QB-Philip Rivers limited in practice with either bruised back or disc damage in back…Took part in 2-walkthrus and 2 limited individual throwing drills….Rivers had not missed a practice since 2007 season….Rivers numbers dropped dramatically over last six weeks…dating back to the shutout loss in Miami (6G-7TD-8Int-16Sacks-35Hits)...his QB Rating has gone from 109-to-88…Chargers without Ryan Mathews-Keenan Allen-now becoming a 6-and-8 yard offense….not much of as running game with Donald Brown-Branden Oliver…49ers in midst of 3G-losing streak…roster imploding because of injuries…15-on IR-including 3-starting LBs….Front office imploding with Jim Harbaugh’s tense relationship with GM-Trent Baalke and owner Jed York….QB-Colin Kaeperneck regressing too….Niners offense has 3-TD in last 3-Games…Kaeperneck QB-rating 81-54-36 in last three games…has been sacked 49X this year….in 3-game losing streak (1TD-4Int-15QBX)….San Francisco virtually nothing out of RB-Frank Gore…plodding offense without much deep speed at WR….Bolts can probably win and keep their feint hopes alive in playoffs.

Seahawks-Arizona

• Will the injuries finally catch up to the Cardinals?….Can Arizona’s defense slow down a suddenly very hot Seattle offense?…Lots of questions in this game…Without QBs-Carson Palmer-Drew Stanton…young Ryan Lindley, rifle arm but questionable accuracy, gets the start…Career numbers (0TD-7 Int)…Russell Wilson-Marshawn Lynch back to being very dangerous every snap…Legion of Boom has finally gotten healthy on defense…Seattle wins and Arizona in jeopardy.

Denver-Cincinnati

• Peyton Manning is not vintage Peyton Manning despite (37TD)…nursing thigh injury suffered last week…reliance on RB-CJ Anderson has been the key to Denver’s continued win streak…Another week to get TE-Juilus Thomas healthy should help Em Sanders-Demaryius Thomas-Wes Welker…Battered LB-corps big problem…Andy Dalton production down from last year (15TD) though Bengals running ball more and still very aggressive on defense…Manning in good weather just may have too much firepower for Bengals defense in the jungle.

Steelers-Chiefs

• What a matchup …Blazing hot Ben Roethlisberger (4415P-29TD) against a limited Chiefs Alex Smith-led offense….RB-Jamal Charles production dropping off-nicked up….Huge key-can Tamba Hali-Justin Houston knock down the Oak Tree sized Pittsburgh quarterback…Chiefs need a win to lock up an AFC wildcard race…they lose they could be dead….Same thing for Pittsburgh in that tight fit AFC-North race….Too many big play capabilities for Steelers…Pittsburgh wins..Andy Reid’s team falters at end of season for second year in a row.

Colts-Cowboys

• Two big throwing quarterbacks, both with injured running games…Some interesting battle considering Andrew Luck has been carrying Indianapolis much of year without run game…Now Cowboys have RB-DeMarco Murray coming off fractured hand surgery-and will attempt to play with plastic protective shield on left hand….Luck (38TD)-vs-Tony Romo (25TD)….but Murray (1687R) makes lots of things happen…Can Dallas win if offense is strictly Romo to Dez Bryant?…Close game…How productive-how long Murray stays on the field is the key….Picking Colts.

Eagles-Redskins

• QB-Mark Sanchez needs bounce back game, so Washington is the right team to get it back together again…RG3 starts for Washington at QB-but erratic passing and QB-sacks real problem…Philadelphia has to win, if not for division crown, then for wildcard spot, that could be in jeopardy.  Green beats.Burgundy & Gold.

Baltimore-Houston

• This could be a much tougher game than expected for Joe Flacco and Ravens run game…Houston playing strong defense despite woes at QB…Expect heavy dose of RB-Arian Foster to help 3rd string QB-Case Keenum survive this…..Ravens (9-5) have to keep pace with top teams in AFC-North.

Green Bay-Tampa Bay

• Aaron Rodgers bounces back after last week’s stunning (17-42) passing day in Buffalo…Good weather on Suncoast should help…Rodgers will improve on 35TD passing total…Bucs in total disarray…Packers get to (11-4).

Detroit-Chicago

• Lions staying tough despite lots of nagging injuries to offense, but defense still getting it done…Implosion time in Chicago…Front-office..on offense..and maybe locker-room…Jay Cutler benched for journeyman Jimmy Clausen (3TD-9Int) in career….this will be ugly for Bears, but entire (5-9) season has been…Marc Trestman at end of road at Soldier Field.

Minnesota-Miami

• Vikings seem to be making progress with QB-Teddy Bridgewater, despite not having much of a run game, and streaky play at WR….Dolphins have plateaued, and Coach Joe Philbin now joins group on coaching hot seat.  Miami could win, but so could Vikings.  Neither is a complete team.

Cleveland-Carolina

• Cam Newton may start coming off that back roll-over truck accident with two minor fractures in back…Johnny Manziel will start after last week’s 80Y-passing performance…both QBs have had good week of practice…Interesting to see if Johnny Football is more productive, less panic-stricken this weekend…or whether he really is Johnny-Bust?

Saints-Falcons

• Neither defense is worth very much right now, in a battle to see which bad team can win the NFC-South and earn a playoff spot….Drew Brees or Matt Ryan could throw for nearly 500-yards this weekend-actually both could…2-disappointing franchises…Assume changes are coming on both staffs….Saints outgun Falcons.

Giants-Rams

• Two teams playing really hard…Rams growing together under a good coach Jeff Fisher….Giants playing hard-wanting to save Tom Coughlin’s job…real chemistry stories how Eli Manning hold team together in NY (3590-26TD) and emergence of WR-Odell Beckham….Rams defense carrying an anemic offense and keeping St. Louis in games.

Patriots-Jets

• Once upon a time the ‘Border War’ was pretty good football, now just another game on the calendar as they get ready to make coaching change to replace Rex Ryan….Tom Brady (32TD) relentless as Pats want to keep home field advantage thru entire AFC playoff run..Assume Rex will blitz and blitz and blitz, but it is still a Belicheck “kiss my ring’ victory.

Bills-Raiders

• Buffalo doesn’t play well on the West Coast-they better this weekend to keep playoff hopes alive…Nasty defense designed by coordinator Jim Schwartz will go after QB-Derek Carr…Doug Marrone plays close to the vest-close games, so field goals and turnovers decide this….Buffalo  has to get to (9-6) to stay in wildcard race.

– Thursday Night Football –

• Jacksonville-W-Titans (21-13)…RB-Jordan Todman bursts 62-yards for a TD to break open a close game…QB-Blake Bortels (155P)…QB-Charley Whitehurst threw (278P) but struggled to get Titans into end zone…2-QBs sacked a combined 8X…Jacksonville (3-12)….Titans (2-13).

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