Week 9 Highlights

Take a look at all the key moments from week 9 in the NFL.

Game of the Week

Colts 24 Eagles 26

The 'Game of the Week' and the late game on Sky from week 9 came from Philly.  It was a clash between the best QB in the league (Colts - Peyton Manning) and one that is probably the most exciting on his day (Eagles - Micheal Vick).  Vick was returning following a month out sidelined with a rib injury.  The Eagles were on their bye last week and had therefore had plenty of time to prepare for Manning and co.  The Colts, who had played against the Texans on Monday night, had plenty of injuries all over the field, and there was concern at the fact they had only had a short week.  The first play from scrimmage in the game seemed to show the difference in conditioning between the 2 teams as Eagles RB Lesean McCoy scampered for 62 yards, to the Indianapolis 10 yard line.  Just 2 plays later Vick found the other returning superstar WR DeSean Jackson, for a 9 yard TD pass.

The Eagles were concerned all week leading up to this game about the ability of Peyton Manning, but on just his 2nd pass of the game, CB Asante Samuel picked him off, and the Eagles turned that into a K David Akers FG, 10 - 0 Eagles, with just over 3 minutes off the clock.  The Colts did manage to sustain a bit of a drive on their next possession, but eventually had to punt.  Vick and the Eagles answered with another big play to WR Jackson, this time for 58 yards, and the Eagles were back within striking distance.  The Eagles were unable to get a TD here, even though they were in the redzone, but still had a commanding 13 - 0 lead after just 1 quarter.

Manning and the Colts then started to drive as Manning continually found TE Jacob Tamme (in for injured star TE Dallas Clark) and WR Reggie Wayne.  He eventually found Tamme from 3 yards, 13 - 7.  The Eagles though answered straight back.  Vick scrambled for 24 yards, before finding WR Jason Avant for 34 yards, and moved into the red zone.  Their red zone woes continued though and they had to settle for a 2nd David Akers FG, to give them a 9 point lead.  Manning though was in no mood to be out done, as he returned to the field with just 6 minutes till the half, but drove down field before RB Javarris James (cousin of former Colts RB Edgerrin) punched it in from the 6 yard line.  He also managed to get into position, after a poor series from the Eagles, for K Adam Vinateri to kick a FG.  17 - 16 Colts at the break.

The 3rd quarter didn't quite live up to the play in the first half, as there was only one score, another FG from the Eagles, from 44 yards.  There was quite a lot of good defence from there on in as punts rained in from both teams.  The Eagles did though start the 4th quarter with a bang as QB Vick went in on a QB keeper from 1 yard out.  Both teams had long drives that resulted in punts, before the Colts got back to within 2 points thanks to RB James going in for his 2nd TD of the day from 1 yard, but we were already after the 2 minute warning.  The Colts did get the ball back for one last chance though, but on a 3rd and 10 from their own 41 yard line, Manning was picked off for a 2nd time by CB Samuel, and the game was over.

The Eagles were very impressive in this game.  They showed they have big play ability, and can stop even the best teams.  They need to work on their red zone offence, but now have a legitimate shout at being the best team in the NFC.  The next 2 games should tell the tale for them as they play the Redskins and Giants in 2 HUGE NFC East games.  The Colts don't need to worry to much about this loss.  Even though they are banged up, and were nowhere near as fresh as the Eagles, they still managed to hang around.  Manning will win a lot of games for this team the rest of the way.

Power Rankings after week 9

1. New Orleans Saints (8 – 0)
2. Indianapolis Colts (8 – 0)
3. Minnesota Vikings (7 – 1)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (6 – 2)
5. New England Patriots (6 – 2)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (6 - 2)
7. Dallas Cowboys (6 – 2)
8. Denver Broncos (6 – 2)
9. Arizona Cardinals (5 – 3)
10. Atlanta Falcons (5 – 3)
11. San Diego Chargers (5 – 3)
12. Philadelphia Eagles (5 – 3)
13. Houston Texans (5 – 4)
14. New York Giants (5 – 4)
15. Baltimore Ravens (4 – 4)
16. Green Bay Packers (4 – 4)
17. Chicago Bears (4 – 4)
18. New York Jets (4 – 4)
19. Miami Dolphins (3 – 5)
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (4 – 4)
21. San Francisco 49’ers (3 – 5)
22. Carolina Panthers (3 – 5)
23. Buffalo Bills (3 – 5)
24. Seattle Seahawks (3 – 5)
25. Tennessee Titans (2 – 6)
26. Washington Redskins (2 – 6)
27. Oakland Raiders (2 – 6)
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 – 7)
29. Kansas City Chiefs (1 – 7)
30. St Louis Rams (1 – 7)
31. Detroit Lions (1 – 7)
32. Cleveland Browns (1 – 7)

If you have any questions / comments about these rankings, leave a comment or send emails to : nflgbview@googlemail.com.

Week 9 Review

Redskins 17 Falcons 31
The Redskins continue their very disappointing season in Atlanta. As expected Michael Turner dominated the poor Skins run defence, running for 166 yards, which was a 9.2 average, including a 58 yard TD in the 4th quarter. As expected the young QB Matt Ryan struggled against a decent Redskins pass defence, but Turners dominance made up for that. Also the Falcons defence were on form. The sacked Skins QB Jason Campbell 5 times, and made 1 INT. 2.5 of the sacks were by Falcons DT Jonathan Babineaux. He also made 9 tackles in a dominant performance. This Atlanta team looked to be back to last year’s successful formula, of running the ball, and letting Ryan play off that. I believe that the 5 – 3 Falcons can keep the pressure on the Saints in the NFC South. The Redskins just need to get a couple of wins or so, to keep head coach Jim Zorn in a job.

Cardinals 41 Bears 21
Once again the Cardinals come out, and completely confuse everybody. I thought before last week that they were a very good team. After their loss to the Panthers, I thought their bubble had burst, and fully expected them to lose in Chicago. But here they go again, throwing a spanner in the works. They are actually now 4 – 0 on the road this season. Kurt Warner bounced back from his 5 turnover game, to post 5 TD’s and 261 yards. Four of these TD’s were in the first half, the half time score being 31 – 7. This meant the Bears had to throw, and throw alot to catch up. Cutler threw for 369 yards and 3 TD’s which was impressive, but he was not backed up by the Bears running game, as Matt Forte ran for a disappointing 33 yards. The Cardinals on the other hand had good production from their running game, Hightower and Wells had 77 and 72 yards respectively. The Cardinals will welcome divisional rivals Seattle to Arizona next week, in a huge NFC West matchup.

Texans 17 Colts 20
The Texans did fall short against their divisional rivals here, just about. This game went right down to the wire, and by that I mean a last second field goal miss by the Texans, that would’ve taken the game to overtime. As expected, the game was dominated by the passing game, with both QB’s throwing for over 310 yards. Ryan Moats did start at RB ahead of Steve Slaton for the Texans. He ran for 38 yards, but Slaton came on to score a TD in the game, so who knows who the starter will be in the next game. The difference in the game were that Schaub threw 2 INT’s to Manning’s 1, but more importantly, Addai ran the ball very well for the Colts, and Dallas Clark came up huge in a lot of important instances. These are the reasons that the Colts stay unbeaten, and move onto 8 – 0.

Chiefs 21 Jaguars 24
Well this game did eventually go the way I expected, but it was a lot closer than I thought. Jamal Charles starting in place of suspended Larry Johnson only had 6 carries for 36 yards. Matt Cassel had a decent game throwing for 262 yards and 2 TD’s. He hooked up with new addition Chris Chambers 3 times for 70 yards. The Chiefs hope that the addition of Chambers will help to open up Dwayne Bowe on the opposite side. None of this will matter though, if they don’t improve their defence. MJD ran for 97 yards and a TD, which you can live with as a defence against the Jags. What you can’t live with are the 147 yards and 1 TD Mike Sims-Walker came up with against this Chiefs secondary. This Chiefs defence needs to drastically improve, if they are to get any more wins this season.

Dolphins 17 Patriots 27
The main talk about this game before it began was, how will the Patriots deal with the’ Wildcat’? The answer to that question is ‘pretty well’ as the Patriots obviously used their bye week to their advantage, and were very well prepared. The Dolphins did use rookie Pat White a few more times from the wildcat. He adds another dimension to the formation as he was a QB at college. This passing threat will slow down teams blitzing against the formation. The difference in the game was the big play ability of Randy Moss. Going up against a very young secondary, Brady found him 6 times for 147 yards and a TD. Brady did have a big day (as usual) throwing for 332 yards and that TD. One bright spot for the Dolphins is that the young CB’s, Smith and Davis, had decent games against one of the top rated passing offenses, and will undoubtedly gained a lot of valuable experience from this. Chad Henne threw for 219 yards, but the run game didn’t have a stand out number, Brown had 48 yards, White had 45 and Williams 33 yards and a TD. The Dolphins usually rely on one of these players having a big day. The Pats RB Laurence Maroney had a big day against a tough run defence, going for 82 yards and a TD. This is a big win for the Pats, who look to be in control of the AFC East.

Packers 28 Buccaneers 38
Well here is the shock of the day. The Buccaneers, coming off a bye, with a new starting QB pull the upset on the Packers. Josh Freeman threw for 205 yards and 3 TD’s on his debut for the Buccs. The Packers actually led this game 28 – 17 in the 4th quarter, but failed to get the job done. Aaron Rodgers struggled to stay upright again as the offensive line problems continued. He was sacked 6 times and threw 3 picks in a bad game for him. This is a bad loss for the Packers as they now trail the Vikings by 3 games, not to mention the tie break. It’s going to be a long way back for the Packers. The Buccs have to be pleased with the poise of their new QB. Also his escape ability will help them create plays out of nothing. He is defiantly a work in progress, but looks a clear upgrade at the moment.

Panthers 20 Saints 30
The Saints remain unbeaten after an early scare. The score was 17 – 6 at half time as the Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams had 2 TD runs early. The Panthers are defiantly a lot better football team when Williams is on fire, and he certainly was in this game, rushing for 149 yards and those 2 TD’s. This helps keep the pressure off Delhomme, who didn’t have an INT again this week. The Saints though came storming back in the 2nd half. Brees started to pick holes in the Panthers defence, and started to move the ball down the field. He also threw in the odd vertical threat, one of which was caught by Meachem, for a 54 yard TD. The run game wasn’t great for the Saints, but Reggie Bush had a decent game catching the ball out of the backfield. Once again the Saints show their versatility and strength as a team, and continue to be the number one team in the NFL.

Lions 20 Seahawks 32
I said in the preview for this game that it may be a poor game, and the Lions young rookie QB Matthew Stafford may struggle in the lively away stadium. At the end of the 1st quarter my prediction looked pretty ridiculous as the Lions led 17 – 0. The TD’s were both passes from Stafford to Pettigrew and Bryant Johnson respectively. Stafford ended up with 203 yards and 2 TD’s, but he also had 5 INT’s and the Seahawks made the mistakes count, as they had a great comeback win. The main reason for this comeback was Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck, who completed 39 of 51 passes for 329 yards and 1 TD. He was required to put up these numbers as the running game was almost nonexistent. This is a good comeback victory for the injury hit Seahawks, who can now try and push on in the NFC West. For the Lions, this is a very poor defeat, especially from the position they were in.

Chargers 21 Giants 20
So this vitally important game for both sides was decided by some last minute heroics from Phillip Rivers, and the Chargers offense. I thought the key to this game was the run offense of both teams. The Giants won that battle 116 – 34. So how did they manage to lose this game?? The answer is penalties (9 for 109 yards) and sacks allowed (5). These stats helped to keep the Chargers close, before there last gasp heroics. Phillip Rivers didn’t have a stand out game, but managed to throw for 209 yards and a TD. On that last drive though, he looked pretty special. He picked the Giants pass coverage apart as they drove down the field. In the passing game as Gates had 67 yards, and Jackson 58 yards and 2 TD’s. The Chargers had a poor running game again, LT going for just 22 yards. This may catch up with them down the line, but at the moment, this was a huge win, and after the result from Monday, puts them right back in the thick of things in the AFC West. The Giants are in free fall, losing their last 4 games, and now go on their bye. They welcome Atlanta to New York in week 11.

Titans 34 49’ers 27
So the Titans comeback may really be on. After starting 0 – 6 the Titans change their QB and have since won their 2 games. VY has not thrown an interception in the 2 games, and the Titans RB Chris Johnson has been huge. In this game Johnson ran for 135 yards and 2 TD’s. This output by Johnson is both caused by the elusiveness of VY, and also helps VY in the passing game. With the Bills coming to Tennessee next week, you can perhaps see them extending this unbeaten run, and if they do get on a role, look out, because this team certainly has talent. The 49’ers played quite well in this game. Frank Gore ran for 83 yards and a TD, as well as receiving 7 passes for 75 yards. Smith threw for 286 yards and 2 TD’s, but also 3 INT’s. These turnovers were the difference in the game, along with the ineffectiveness of the defence.

Cowboys 20 Eagles 16
This was a huge game in the NFC East, especially after the Giants lost earlier in the day. The winner would be the outright leader, in arguably the toughest division in football. This game was nip and tuck the whole way, but in the end the Cowboys managed to sneak it, and continue their very impressive run of late. Both defences played well, sacking the opposing QB 4 times a piece. The difference in the game was the depth of Dallas. I have said time and time again that Dallas has so many options on offence, that if someone struggles in a game, someone else will always step up. Most of the year its been Roy Williams struggling and Miles Austin picking up the slack. Here however it was role reversal as Williams and also TE Jason Witten helped out as Austin only managed 1 catch (which actually went 49 yards for the game winning TD). The Cowboys depth makes them really dangerous the rest of the year. The Eagles struggled slightly on offence without Westbrook, who hopefully will be back next week against the Chargers. They will push the Cowboys all the way, on this rush for the division title.

Steelers 28 Broncos 10
Monday night football was a real interesting clash. How would the Broncos respond following their first loss? Well in the 1st quarter they looked very good. They took the ball, marched down the field behind 3 big catches by Eddie Royal, but eventually had to settle for a FG. They then had 2 sacks on defence as the Steelers struggled. Momentum changed though as Orton through 1 of his 3 INT’s at the beginning of the 2nd, which was returned for a TD by Steelers safety Tyrone Carter. At the start of the 2nd half, with Pittsburgh looking in control, the Broncos had their own defensive TD. DE Robert Ayers took in a 54 yard fumble return. The Steelers did then take control of the game behind RB Rashard Mendenhall, who had 155 yards and is undoubtedly the Steelers number one option at RB. The Steelers had TD’s from Ward (x2) and Wallace, to wrap up this game. This was a very impressive win for the Steelers, on the road, against a very good team. This sets up nicely for their home game next week against the Bengals, both teams tied (6 - 2) at the top of the AFC North.

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Ravens 7 Bengals 17

So your Game of the Week was a clash at the top of the AFC North, and what a great game it turned out to be. The Ravens went into Cincinnati, looking for revenge following their Week 5 loss to the Bengals. The Bengals were coming of the bye, and had therefore had two full weeks to prepare for the visiting Baltimore team. The Ravens had just last week snapped a 3 game losing streak, and were looking to get a winning streak started here. I believed before the game that a key to this game was the battle between Bengals RB Cedrick Benson (who has had an excellent year so far), against the Ravens 4th ranked rush defence. That battle did in the end give the advantage to the Bengals, and they managed to get the win off that advantage.

From the very first drive of the game the Bengals looked in control behind Benson’s 117 yards and 1 TD. They drove down the field, including a big gain by Chad Ochocinco, who had 5 catches for 66 yards, and eventually got the first TD when Carson Palmer found Andre Caldwell from 6 yards. The Bengals defence had a very good game. They only allowed 215 yards, against the Ravens, who have been one of the top offenses this season. That defence got the ball back for the Bengals, who drove again, and the Player of the Game Cedrick Benson punched it in from 1 yard.

In the second quarter the Bengals continued to dominate the time of possession stat, eventually winning it 40.00 to 20.00. They managed to tack on 3 more points and went in at half time leading 17 – 0. The Ravens were being dominated, and embarrassed once again by the Bengals. You would believe that the Ravens would come out in the second half and get some points on the board very quickly. This did not happen though, and at the end of the 3rd quarter, the score was still 17 – 0. In the fourth quarter the Ravens finally managed to trouble the scorers as the impressive RB Ray Rice got in from 2 yards. The Ravens needed to get the ball back quick, and their prayers were answered as Ochocinco caught the ball and fought off one defender, before Ed Reed stripped the ball off him as he tried to stiff arm the Ravens safety. Now the Ravens had a chance, didn’t they? Unfortunately for them they didn’t, as their drive stuttered into a 4th and 25 situation, where Bengals DE Jonathan Fanene sacked Joe Flacco with 1.50 remaining and effectively ended the game.

This was a great win for the Bengals as they moved 2 games clear of the Ravens, and have completed the sweep of them. Their main competition for the AFC North title and a playoff place now are the reigning Superbowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. This should be a great battle to watch, especially this weekend as the Bengals travel to Heinz Field, in what may well be this weeks ‘Game of the Week’.

Week 9 Preview

Washington Redskins @ Atlanta Falcons

The 2 – 5 Redskins travel to Atlanta to take on the 4 – 3 Falcons. The Redskins are without doubt one of the most disappointing teams this season. With all the money spent in the off season, they were expecting a run at the playoffs, maybe even a Superbowl. The offense has been the major problem for the Skins, which is surprising as head coach Jim Zorn is supposedly an offensive genius. This has hardly panned out though, as the Skins rank 29th in the NFL in points scored, and 24th in offensive yards. The defence though is quite impressive, ranking in the top 3 in most defensive categories; the exception to this is they really struggle against the run. This may fall right into the hands of the Falcons, as their star RB Michael Turner, averages 4 yards per rush this year. If Turner manages to get the running game going, look for Matt Ryan to get play action pass game going. If this happens, the Falcons (at home) will have way too much for the Redskins.

Lee’s Prediction: Redskins 10 Falcons 21

Arizona Cardinals @ Chicago Bears

The 4 – 3 Bears welcome the 4 – 3 Cardinals to Chicago. This has all the ingredients to be a really interesting game. The Bears are 3 – 0 at home this year, the Cardinals (usually a poor road team) are actually 3 – 0 on the road. The Bears are reasonably good at defending the pass, which we all know is Arizona’s game, and the Cardinals can certainly stop the run. I also believe that the Cardinals, after last week when they got ran all over by the Panthers, will have a point to prove in that area. The key to the game to me is Bears QB Jay Cutler. He has had his problems this season with 11 INT’s, but only 1 of these has come at Soldier Field. I believe that the fact the game is going to be in chilly Chicago will see the home team through, just.

Lee’s Prediction: Cardinals 14 Bears 17

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals

The first of the really big games this weekend. Division rivals Ravens (4 – 3) and Bengals (5 – 2) clash in a HUGE AFC North matchup. The Bengals (coming off a bye) will be boosted by the fact that in week 5, they went into Baltimore and won. This though will be a huge motivating factor for the Ravens. Last week they snapped a 3 game losing streak, with an impressive 30 – 7 win over the previously undefeated Broncos. I believe the key to this game will be the effectiveness of Bengals RB Cedrick Benson. It is no secret that his performances this season have allowed the Bengals to be as successful as they have been this season. He posted 120 yards against the Ravens in week 5. For this reason though, expect the 4th ranked rush defence of the Ravens to be out, looking for revenge. The game is really hard to call, so here goes:

Lee’s Prediction: Ravens 21 Bengals 17

Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts

Another big divisional game here in the AFC South as the in-form Texans (5 – 3), travel to their division leaders, the undefeated 7 – 0 Colts. If the Texans hope to take the divisional title this season, they will need to get the ‘W’ here. Expect a lot of pass plays in this game. These teams are the 1st and 3rd pass offenses in the league. The other thing to consider though is that the Colts are much better defensively against the pass. There are injury concerns on either side here. Texans TE Owen Daniels is a big loss in their pass offence. Colts Safety Bob Sanders is also done for the year. This may help the Texans in the run game, but after Steve Slaton’s benching last week, where does that stand? I believe that the Texans will fall short here.

Lee’s Prediction: Texans 17 Colts 28

Kansas City Chiefs @ Jacksonville Jaguars

The 3 – 4 Jaguars welcome the 1 – 6 Chiefs to Jacksonville. This game is not very appealing. Jamaal Charles will start at RB for the Chiefs in place of the suspended Larry Johnson. Charles can be very explosive, and the Chiefs will hope this may spark what is a very struggling offence. The Jaguars don’t struggle in the run game, thanks to pocket rocket MJD. The Jags rank 8th in the run game, and this against the poor Chiefs defence should get the job done.

Lee’s Prediction: Chiefs 7 Jaguars 14

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots

Another massive divisional game as the 5 – 2 Patriots host the 3 – 4 Dolphins. If the Dolphins want to get back to the playoffs and retain their AFC East crown, they need to win this game. Joey Porter has already stirred up this game with his comments about Tom Brady this week. The Patriots, coming off a bye, will be looking for revenge as the Dolphins humiliated them at Gillette Stadium last season. The key factors in this game will be how can the Dolphins youngsters in the secondary cope with the Pats high powered passing offence? Also how does the Patriots average rush defence cope with the Dolphins rushing attack (including the wildcat). The only chance that the Phins have is to control the game clock, keep Brady on the sideline by effectively running the ball. The Pats will look to stop the run, and then look to pressure the young QB Henne into mistakes. Another hard game to call.

Lee’s Prediction: Dolphins 21 Patriots 17

Green Bay Packers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa, the last remaining team without a win (0 – 7), host the 4 – 3 Packers. Josh Freeman will make his first start for the Buccs, coming off their bye. This is not the best game for him to come in as the Packers are one of the top defensive units. The Packers will be smarting after last week’s defeat against the Vikings. Again they had problems on the offensive line, and as a consequence, Aaron Rodgers now has a slight knock. This should not be a problem here though, as the Buccs defence is not good.

Lee’s Prediction: Packers 28 Buccs 6

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints

The undefeated 7 – 0 Saints, welcome division rivals 3 – 4 Panthers. This should be interesting as the Panthers last week finally got back to their best last week, which is run first. QB Jake Delhomme did not throw an interception, as he was not asked to win the game by himself. The Saints run defence is average at best, but their offence usually gets to many points for the opponent to keep up. This week though, they come up against the number 1 defence in the NFL against the pass. Therefore expect the Saints to try and run the ball in this game, which they can do effectively. If the Saints do need to pass, look for Carolina DE Julius Peppers, who looks back near his best. I think whichever team gets out in front early will win this game.

Lee’s Prediction: Panthers 14 Saints 21

Detroit Lions @ Seattle Seahawks

This is another game that is not particularly appealing. The 2 – 5 Seahawks host the 1 – 6 Lions (who lost to the RAMS last week). Matthew Stafford is back under centre for the Lions, but he may struggle here in a very lively away stadium. The Seahawks fans certainly know how to make some noise, and will try to rattle the rookie here. The Seahawks have a lot of injuries, but have to win this game if they want to make a fight of making the playoffs.

Lee’s Prediction: Lions 7 Seahawks 17

San Diego Chargers @ New York Giants

This is a massively important game for both teams. The 5 – 3 Giants host the 4 – 3 Chargers and neither can afford the loss here. The Giants are a team on the slide as they have lost their last 3 games after starting 5 – 0. The Chargers had a poor start to the season, but have won their last 2 games. Eli Manning is obviously struggling with the foot injury he has, throwing 6 INT’s in the last 3 games. This is not good against the 6th ranked Charger pass defence. Therefore the key to the game will be if the Giants can get their running game going against the poor Charger run defence. This statement is also true on the other side of the ball as the impressive Chargers pass offence, goes against the 3rd rank Giants pass defence. So who will be able to get their run game going?? You would think the Giants would have a better chance, but if the game comes down to which QB is better, you would have to side with Phillip Rivers. Again, another tough game to call.

Lee’s Prediction: Chargers 21 Giants 17

Tennessee Titans @ San Francisco 49’ers

After finally getting their 1st win of the season last week the 1 – 6 Titans go to the 3 – 4 49’ers. Last week the Titans got back to what they do well, run the ball, and move VY around in the pocket. Chris Johnson was really explosive running for 228 yards, and containing him is a must for the 49’ers. The 49’er defence played really well last week against the Colts and Peyton Manning, who is obviously a lot more composed than VY. The Titans need another spectacular performance from Johnson to get anything here. The improving 49’er pass attack could take full advantage of the dead last ranked pass defence of the Titans.

Lee’s Prediction: Titans 10 49’ers 17

Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday night football is back, and what a game this should be. The really competitive NFC East will be shaken up here as the 5 – 2 Eagles host the 5 – 2 Cowboys. The winner of this game will take control of the division. Both teams have been improving in the past few weeks. The Cowboys have weapons all over the field and have many players that can put points on the board. The Eagles are full of game changing players, and can come up with a big play at any moment. The difference in the game could be the performance of the defensive units. The Cowboys have been getting a lot of pressure onto opposing QB’s recently, but this may not be a factor against McNabb, as he gets rid of the ball quickly in the west coast offence. The Eagles are pretty solid across the board in the defensive stats. I believe the big play ability of Jackson, Maclin and co will help the home team come through, but its a close call.

Lee’s Prediction: Cowboys 24 Eagles 31

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos

Monday night football is another very competitive game between two great teams. The 5 – 2 Steelers travel to Mile High to play the 6 – 1 Broncos. The big question is how will the Broncos respond to their first loss of the year last week against the Ravens. ? Last week the Ravens managed to get pressure on Kyle Orton, and there is no doubt that the Steelers will be able to do that. The question is will the impressive Broncos defence be able to contain ‘Big Ben’ and co. I personally believe that the loss last week will effect the confidence of the Broncos, and this will allow the Steelers to get the victory on the road.

Lee’s Prediction: Steelers 17 Broncos 10