NFL Week 15 Capsules
SUNDAY’S GAMES
Kansas City (8-5) at St. Louis (6-7)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Pick Total: 43½
TV/RADIO: None
■ WEATHER: Indoors
■ Facts: Chiefs QB Matt Cassel (questionable, appendectomy), who missed last week’s 31-0 debacle at San Diego, will be a game-time decision. His backup, Brodie "0-10" Croyle, led Kansas City to 67 yards in his place, the lowest total offense number in the NFL since 2004. … Either team can win the AFC West by sweeping its final three games. … St. Louis, which will face the NFL’s top rushing team, is 12th on the defensive charts, yielding 105.7 yards a game, but rank 23rd in yards allowed per carry at 4.5.
■ Analysis: It all comes down to whether Cassel can play and play well, but it doesn’t sound like that’s going to happen. Considering the Chiefs, 1-5 in their past six road games, were ravaged for 207 rushing yards last week, St. Louis’ Steven Jackson, the league’s No. 8 rusher with 1,081 yards, should expect a busy day.
■ Forecast: Rams 28, Chiefs 14
Houston (5-8) at Tennessee (5-8)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Titans -1½ Total: 47
TV/RADIO: None
■ WEATHER: Low 40s, 10 percent chance of rain
■ Facts: For the fifth time in the past seven seasons, the Titans are amid a five-game losing streak. … The Texans’ average starting field position Monday against visiting Baltimore was their 16, the worst for any team the past two seasons. Houston pushed the game to OT with consecutive fourth-quarter TD drives of 99 and 95 yards. … Houston has given up at least 24 points in all but one of its past 14 games. That came three weeks ago when the Texans shut out rookie QB Rusty Smith and the Titans, 20-0. Kerry Collins has been in charge since.
■ Analysis: Both teams are technically alive in the postseason chase, but they shouldn’t be turning blue waiting for the Jaguars and Colts to collapse. Since it seems the Titans have been more self-destructive of late with a locker room torn between coach Jeff Fisher and QB Vince Young (IR), the harmonious Texans rate the edge.
■ Forecast: Texans 31, Titans 21
Jacksonville (8-5) at Indianapolis (7-6)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Colts -5 Total: 48½
TV/RADIO: CBS (8), KXNT-FM (100.5)
■ WEATHER: Mid-20s, 20 percent chance of rain
■ Facts: The Jaguars can clinch the AFC South with a victory. If Indy wins, it would gain the tiebreaker advantage over Jacksonville. … The Colts, who had no sacks in last Thursday’s 30-28 victory at Tennessee, also didn’t have any in Jacksonville’s 31-28 victory in Week 4. That game was decided by Josh Scobee’s last-second 59-yard field goal. … Teams coming off midseason Thursday games this year are 7-1 against the spread vs. opponents on normal rest. … The Jaguars’ Rashad Jennings (109 yards) and Maurice Jones-Drew (101), who gouged Oakland last week, are one of three backfield duos this season with 100-plus yards apiece in the same game.
■ Analysis: At full speed, Jones-Drew (questionable, knee) and QB David Garrard (questionable, hamstring) would give Jacksonville an edge. But not with them ailing, and not with standout LB Justin Durant (groin) and safety Courtney Greene (shoulder) both out. Maybe Colts QB Peyton Manning has a chance after all against a team with the league’s second worst defensive passer rating.
■ Forecast: Colts 38, Jaguars 21
Arizona (4-9) at Carolina (1-12)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Panthers -2½ Total: 38
TV/RADIO: None
■ WEATHER: Mid-40s, 10 percent chance of rain
■ Facts: Six rookie QBs have started this season, but only two won their debuts — Arizona teammates Max Hall (IR) and John Skelton, the latter winning last week against Denver, 43-13. Skelton goes for two straight against Carolina and Jimmy Clausen in the first game of the year matching first-year starting QBs. … Last season, the Panthers won at Arizona 34-21 as a 10-point underdog. A year earlier, the Super Bowl-bound Cardinals were 10-point ‘dogs in the wild-card round at Carolina, winning 33-13. … Last week, both teams had 200-plus rushing yards for the first time this season, but the Panthers still lost to Atlanta, 31-10.
■ Analysis: Unfortunately for Skelton, rookie starters are 0-5 this season in their first road game (1-3-1 against the spread), and for sure the Cardinals aren’t going to set him up inside the enemy 50 to start drives six more times, considering the Cardinals began only 13 possessions that deep their in first 12 games.
■ Forecast: Panthers 23, Cardinals 13
Cleveland (5-8) at Cincinnati (2-11)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Bengals -1½ Total: 40
TV/RADIO: None
■ WEATHER: Mid-20s, 20 percent chance of rain
■ Facts: Over the past two seasons, Cincinnati is 0-9 against the spread as a home favorite. This season it is 0-3 straight up in that role. … Rookie Browns QB Colt McCoy (probable, ankle), 2-3 as a starter, regains the starting job from soon-to-be-jettisoned veteran Jake Delhomme. … When these teams met in Cincinnati in 2004, the Bengals won 58-48 in the second-highest-scoring game in league history. … Cincinnati held Pittsburgh without an offensive TD last week, but lost 23-7 thanks largely to two INT scores off Carson Palmer passes.
■ Analysis: Cincinnati has scored 30-plus points three times this season, each time against a 4-3 defensive alignment. Unfortunately for the Bengals, the Browns run a 3-4, which helped them earn a 23-20 victory in Week 4 as a 3-point underdog. Plus, it’s doubtful Cleveland workhorse RB Peyton Hillis will have three fumbles again this week.
■ Forecast: Browns 24, Bengals 17
Buffalo (3-10) at Miami (7-6)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Dolphins -5½ Total: 40
TV/RADIO: None
■ WEATHER: Low 70s, 10 percent chance of rain
■ Facts: Miami beat the Jets 10-6 at the Meadowlands last week despite only 131 yards of total offense, the second-worst production for a winning team this season. … Buffalo’s largely lackluster and meaningless 13-6 victory over Cleveland last week took only 2 hours, 42 minutes, the fastest game of the season. … From 1970 to 1979, Miami won 20 straight against Buffalo, a record for one team vs. another, but the Bills are 31-20 against the Dolphins since. … The Bills are 4-0 against the spread in their past four games facing a 3-4 defense, but scored no more than 16 points in the past three.
■ Analysis: The Dolphins have struggled at home (1-5) and won on the road (6-1), so the home field doesn’t carry much clout for them. Plus, they are two games out of the wild-card hunt with three to play and the tiebreakers aren’t in their favor. Can’t see any pep talk by coach Tony Sparano changing all that.
■ Forecast: Bills 23, Dolphins 21
Philadelphia (9-4) at N.Y. Giants (9-4)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Giants -2½ Total: 46
TV: Fox (5)
■ WEATHER: Mid-30s, 30 percent chance of precipitation
■ Facts: If the Eagles win here to complete a sweep of the Giants, their magic number to clinch the NFC East will be one. If the Giants win, they would have the tentative tiebreaker edge. … Eagles WR DeSean Jackson, who had 210 receiving yards last week, is questionable (foot). … The Giants are coming off a snow-delayed 21-3 victory over Minnesota in Detroit on Monday. The last time the Giants had a short week, they followed up with a 41-9 home loss to Carolina in Week 16 of 2009.
■ Analysis: This game pits the NFL’s interception leaders — Eagles CB Asante Samuel (7) and Giants QB Eli Manning (19). But with Samuel questionable (knee) and Eagles standout LB Stewart Bradley out (elbow), the Giants should have a cleaner ride through the Eagles’ bend-and-break unit.
■ Forecast: Giants 31, Eagles 24
Washington (5-8) at Dallas (4-9)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Cowboys -6 Total: 46
TV/RADIO: None
■ WEATHER: Mid-60s, 10 percent chance of rain
■ Facts: Washington coach Mike Shanahan demoted starter Donovan McNabb to second string this week and third string thereafter, in favor of Rex Grossman, who will make his first start since 2008 with Chicago. He has a 21-13 record, but is 2-7 dating to a Super Bowl loss four seasons ago. … This marks Washington’s first visit to Dallas in four years in which it isn’t a double-digit underdog. The Redskins beat the line each time. … In 1995, Washington beat host Dallas 24-17 as a 17½-point underdog. There hasn’t been a bigger upset since. … The Cowboys are coming off a Murderers’ Row of New Orleans, Indianapolis and Philadelphia, going 1-2.
■ Analysis: Nothing will make Redskins fans appreciate the beleaguered McNabb more than seeing Grossman get sacked a half-dozen times, fumble and heave interceptions against their archrival. The Cowboys can kick back and have a kegger on the sideline and still befuddle this guy.
■ Forecast: Cowboys 34, Redskins 13
Detroit (3-10) at Tampa Bay (8-5)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Buccaneers -5½ Total: 43
TV/RADIO: None
■ WEATHER: Low 60s, 10 percent chance of rain
■ Facts: Detroit’s 7-3 home victory over Green Bay was the most lopsided loss by the Packers this season. … Even if the Bucs win out, they aren’t guaranteed a playoff berth. … The Lions have lost a record 26 straight on the road but are 4-0 against the line playing outdoors this season. … Detroit WR Calvin Johnson has 63 receptions and 12 TDs, but caught only one of eight targeted throws from third-string QB Drew Stanton last week. Stanton is the likely starter for the third straight week.
■ Analysis: The Lions were able to flummox the Packers last week largely because Green Bay lost starting QB Aaron Rodgers (concussion) in the first half. And also because Green Bay’s rush offense is non-threatening. In fact, Rodgers is the only QB in the league to have more rushing scores than any running back on his team.
■ Forecast: Buccaneers 28, Lions 14
New Orleans (10-3) at Baltimore (9-4)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Ravens -2 Total: 43½
RADIO: KWWN (1100 AM, 98.9 FM)
■ WEATHER: Mid-30s, 10 percent chance of rain
■ Facts: The Ravens were on the field for 86 defensive snaps last week in their 34-28 overtime victory at Houston, tied for second most in a game this year. … This is the first time New Orleans has been an underdog since winning last season’s Super Bowl. … After scoring three early offensive TDs on Monday, Baltimore was held scoreless on its final six possessions against Houston’s 29th-ranked defense. The Saints’ unit is rated sixth.
■ Analysis: Teams are 2-7 against the spread playing the week after facing a team that runs 80-plus plays, and not all of those squads were coming off a short work week and then facing the league’s No. 3 offense. And not all had a defensive leader (LB Ray Lewis) who is 35 years old.
■ Forecast: Saints 34, Ravens 24
Atlanta (11-2) at Seattle (6-7)
Time: 1:05 p.m. Line: Falcons -6 Total: 45
RADIO: KWWN (1100 AM, 98.9 FM)
■ WEATHER: Mid-40s, 60 percent chance of rain
■ Facts: The Seahawks are tied for first in the NFC West despite being outscored by 68 points. The worst scoring differential for any playoff team in history was minus-73 by the wild-card Rams six seasons ago. … Atlanta yielded 212 rushing yards to Carolina’s league-worst offense last week but prevailed 31-10. Teams are 3-30 when allowing 200-plus ground yards in a game this season. … Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck, the league’s 27th-rated passer, pitched four INTs last week in a 40-21 loss at San Francisco.
■ Analysis: Last week the Seahawks didn’t stand a chance after falling behind by 30-7 at halftime and with Hasselbeck missing his two most productive receivers, Mike Williams (ankle) and Ben Obomanu (hand). Both are probable for Sunday. Atlanta, after a long flight, might have more trouble than anticipated because of the electric atmosphere for a Seahawks playoff contender.
■ Forecast: Falcons 28, Seahawks 26
N.Y. Jets (9-4) at Pittsburgh (10-3)
Time: 1:15 p.m. Line: Steelers -6 Total: 36
TV/RADIO: CBS (8), KXNT-FM (100.5)
■ WEATHER: Mid-20s, 20 percent chance of snow
■ Facts: The Jets are 3-16 all-time against the Steelers, 0-7 at Pittsburgh. In fact, they are 0-11 in Pennsylvania. … Although neither team scored an offensive TD last week, at least the Steelers were victorious, beating visiting Cincinnati, 23-7, on two INT returns. … Steelers safety Troy Polamalu will probably miss the game with an ankle injury. Jets CB Darrelle Revis has been limited again by an ailing hamstring (probable). … Jets RB LaDainian Tomlinson averaged 5.7 yards a carry and 87 yards a game through Week 5, but hasn’t exceeded 57 yards in a game since, with an average of 3.4 per carry. Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall, meanwhile, is the league’s ninth-rated rusher with 1,073 yards, but in the past two games has averaged only 56 yards with no scores.
■ Analysis: Don’t blame the Jets’ defense for last week’s 10-6 loss to Miami. It forced nine three-and-outs and allowed six first downs. On the other hand, when New York QB Mark Sanchez wasn’t pitching balls into the ground, he was getting sacked six times. With lousy weather forecast and a noisy Heinz Field throng, it’s going to be too tough for the visitors to hang close.
■ Forecast: Steelers 20, Jets 7
Denver (3-10) at Oakland (6-7)
Time: 1:15 p.m. Line: Off Total: Off
TV/RADIO: None
■ WEATHER: Mid-50s, 70 percent chance of rain
■ Facts: Denver was routed 43-13 at Arizona last week in Eric Studesville’s first game as interim coach. Join the club: In 2008, in Oakland coach Tom Cable’s first game as interim boss, the Raiders lost 44-7 at the Giants. … Denver rookie QB Tim Tebow might get his first start in place of Kyle Orton, who is injured (questionable, ribs) and ineffective. … In the teams’ Week 7 meeting at Denver, the Broncos lost 59-14, the most lopsided defeat by a favorite the past two years. … If Denver gains revenge for its 45-point loss, it won’t be a record turnabout. In 1979, The Patriots beat the Jets by 53 points (56-3), but later that year lost to New York, 27-26.
■ Analysis: Denver allowed 211 yards rushing last week to a Cardinals team that entered ranked next to last at 80.3 per game. There’s a good chance Oakland could have a quality day Sunday, considering it had a league season-high 328 ground yards in that Week 7 smackdown at Denver.
■ Forecast: Raiders 35, Broncos 21
Green Bay (8-5) at New England (11-2)
Time: 5:20 p.m. Line: Off Total: Off
TV/RADIO: NBC (3), KWWN (1100 AM, 98.9 FM)
■ WEATHER: Mid-30s, 50 percent chance of precipitation
■ Facts: The 45-game starting streak for Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers (doubtful, concussion) is in jeopardy. Third-year QB Matt Flynn will probably get his first start. … New England, which ran more offensive plays than its opponents in each of the previous three seasons, had a 36-play edge in its 36-7 rout of the Bears at snowy Soldier Field last week. That’s the fourth-biggest gap this season. … The last time the Packers were shut out was in 2006 at home against the Patriots, 35-0, one of only two times a Brett Favre team went scoreless in one of his starts.
■ Analysis: Even before Rodgers got hurt, the Packers were going nowhere against a pedestrian Lions defense that held his offense to two first downs in his seven series. This could be a game in which Patriots RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis gets more than his 18-carry norm and grinds through a beat-up Packers defensive line.
■ Forecast: Patriots 41, Packers 10
MONDAY’S GAME
Chicago (9-4) at Minnesota (5-8)
Time: 5:30 p.m. Line: Off Total: Off
TV/RADIO: ESPN (30), KWWN (1100 AM, 98.9 FM)
■ WEATHER: High teens, 60 percent of snow
■ Facts: Who’s going to play QB for Minnesota? Last week’s starter, Tarvaris Jackson, went on IR (toe) and Brett Favre (questionable) is hurting all over. Next in line is rookie third-stringer Joe Webb out of Alabama-Birmingham and off-the-street signee Patrick Ramsey. … The Vikings are scheduled to host an outdoor game for the first time since losing to Kansas City 10-6 in the 1981 season finale at old Metropolitan Stadium. … In last week’s blizzard, the Bears yielded five drives of 10-plus plays to New England in a 36-7 loss, the most by any team this season. … Vikings RB Adrian Peterson (questionable, ankle/knee) had 26 yards on 14 carries with Favre out last week.
■ Analysis: Not even the Amazing Kreskin saw this scenario coming — Favre’s watching from the sideline as the Vikings, eliminated from postseason contention, host an outdoor game. There can’t be a better scenario to honor the top 50 Vikings of all-time. However, all this won’t be enough to spur the home team to victory.
■ Forecast: Bears 23, Vikings 10
Last week: 9-6-1 vs. spread; 9-7 straight up
Season total: 110-91-7 (.547) vs. spread; 128-80 (.615) straight up
