Peek at the Week: Testing fans' faith with fill-in quarterbacks
Game of the Week
Chicago at Oakland, 4:05 p.m. ET | 
Preview
The line: Raiders by 4½
The story: I don't know who wins this one, but I know who has already lost: That would be Chicago, which missed out on quarterback Kyle Orton this week after he was claimed on waivers by Kansas City. Orton would've been the ideal replacement for the injured Jay Cutler, but that job belongs to Caleb Hanie instead. Hanie's the guy who took over for Cutler in the second half of last season's NFC Championship Game, and he played decently.
But that was one half. Now, he may have to shoulder the burden for the second half of the season, and that won't be easy ... starting here. My nephew in Portland is a big Bears fan, and he tells me their schedule is easy ... except it's not. They're an underdog here for a reason, and that reason extends beyond the inexperience of Hanie to Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer. He's playing well, the Raiders are winning and, suddenly, Oakland is beginning to look like a conference heavyweight.
First, of course, it must win the AFC West ... and it should. Then it's a question of how deep it goes in the playoffs, and I like this team's chances. It can run, it can throw and it can play defense. The Raiders are one of the league's most physical clubs, with an offensive line and rushing attack that overwhelm opponents, and that's before they get Darren McFadden back.
But that is what's so appealing about what's going on here. The Raiders are winning without their best playmaker, which is where Palmer comes in. He's not making mistakes, he's making big throws and he's winning. In short, he finally seems comfortable in an offense he didn't join until a month ago.
But it's not Oakland that people will dissect here. It's the Bears and how they operate with Hanie. Yes, they're one of the league's strongest teams, but they might not be with Hanie. In fact, they might not even be a playoff team. That's why we're here, folks.
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Something to consider: Chicago running back Matt Forte is averaging 139.1 yards per game from scrimmage, second only to Hall of Famer Walter Payton in franchise history. Payton and Gale Sayers comprise the top nine averages in Chicago history.
Three games I'd like to see
Houston at Jacksonville, 1 p.m. ET (CBS) | Preview
The line: Texans by 3½
The story: Not only is this Matt Leinart's first start, it's our chance to measure the Texans' decision to pass on Kyle Orton. Obviously, someone there must believe in Leinart ... or, maybe, someone there believes in Arian Foster, Ben Tate, Andre Johnson (yes, he's back) and the league's No. 1-ranked defense. In any case, here's where we find out how much the Texans miss Matt Schaub and whether they made a mistake passing on the veteran Orton.
I firmly believe that the Texans make the playoffs with Leinart, then fade away. The supporting cast is too strong and too deep for Houston to collapse. Nevertheless, this game is a potential trap. Jacksonville stinks, but at least it's competitive -- especially when offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and coach Jack Del Rio agree on a play call.
The Jags have issues, and Del Rio is one of them. The countdown on his job has begun ... and for good reason. But give the guy this: He acted in the best interests of the franchise when he switched from David Garrard to rookie Blaine Gabbert. There are always growing pains with rookie quarterbacks -- which is another way of saying losses -- but Del Rio made the right move when he went to Gabbert.
My only question here is this: If Gabbert couldn't solve Cleveland and the league's 29th-ranked pass defense, how does he put a dagger in Houston? The Texans are first in yards, second in pass defense, second in scoring defense and third in third-down conversions. Plus, the Jaguars are dead last in offense, with Gabbert the league's worst-rated passer.
Something to consider: Houston not only has the league's No. 1-ranked running game, but Foster has three 100-yard receiving performances.
New England at Philadelphia, 4:15 p.m. ET (CBS) | Preview
The line: Patriots by 3½
The story: Maybe last week was the beginning of the Eagles' annual push to the playoffs. Then again, maybe it was a mirage. We've seen performances like that from Philadelphia before, and we've been hoodwinked into thinking, as the NFL Network's Steve Mariucci said after the Eagles' shredding of Dallas, that "a sleeping giant" has awakened.
Yeah, sure.
But that was then, and this is now, and now the Eagles are desperate, and desperate teams at home are dangerous teams. Philadelphia knows it can't lose again, and that makes the Eagles a team that finally, finally, finally, must play with a sense of urgency. You saw it last weekend, and you may see it again Sunday. All I know is that Andy Reid's clubs typically hold up down the stretch, though they've rarely been in this situation before.
Quarterback Michael Vick is iffy, and he did not practice this week. If he can't go, it's Vince Young all over again, and normally I would say the Eagles were cooked. But Young was OK last weekend when it counted, and these are the Patriots. I worry about Tom Brady and the damage he can ... and will ... inflict on the Eagles' secondary, especially with Nnamdi Asomugha hurt. Reports indicate Asomugha's knee injury isn't serious, but if he can't go the Eagles would be crippled at a position where Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie is sidelined by a high ankle sprain -- and that's a potential speed bump for Philadelphia.
What I don't worry about what is what Vick, Young or Mike Kafka can do to the league's worst pass defense. Pure and simple, New England doesn't have the defenders to hold up in big games, and while this isn't exactly a big game for the Pats it is for Philadelphia. Another loss and its playoff hopes are all but toast. The Eagles know it. Reid knows it. And fans know it. Look for Philadelphia to play with an intensity that was missing in losses to Arizona and Buffalo, and look for Vick/Young to test the Patriots' secondary early and often.
Both quarterbacks can run as well as throw, and that will be a problem for New England. Granted, Young isn't the most accurate passer on the planet, but he was good enough to beat the Giants.
The Patriots must worry about containing the ends, which slows down the rush, allows Vick/Young time to find targets and, presto, you may be looking at Pittsburgh all over again. Like the Steelers, the Eagles must be patient on offense, and they can. Running back LeSean McCoy is more effective than Rashard Mendenhall, which means they can defend Brady as Pittsburgh did ... by keeping him off the field.
Something to consider: New England's Bill Belichick is 3-0 vs. Philadelphia, including the playoffs, and has won nine of his past 10 vs. the NFC on the road.
Denver at San Diego, 4:15 p.m. ET (CBS) | Preview
The line: Chargers by 6½
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| Tim Tebow nearly rallied the Broncos to victory vs. the Bolts in Week 5, and hasn't left the lineup since. (Getty Images) |
Contrast that to what's going on in Denver, where Tebow and a resilient defense have resurrected the Broncos. Tebow is 4-1, and the defense hasn't allowed more than 13 points in three of the club's past four wins. But let's not forget coach John Fox. He was smart enough to realize Tebow has a unique set of talents and that a conventional offense wouldn't work for him. So he tore up what he had, put in the option and you've seen the results.
This is San Diego's second look at Tebow this season, with Denver wheeling him out in the second half of a 29-24 loss at home. That's the game that launched Tebow, with the quarterback rallying a listless club with frantic fourth-period drives. Critics want to shred the guy because he throws more like Ginger Rogers than Aaron Rodgers, but they ignore the facts -- and the facts are that three times he has rallied his teammates to fourth-quarter, come-from-behind victories.
That's not how it has been in San Diego, where the Chargers can't buy a break. Rivers leads the league in interceptions, the club is tied for the lead in turnovers and his wide receivers can't get the separation needed for Rivers to make plays. Furthermore, the running game is little more than ordinary, and there's not a defensive playmaker to be found.
In short, this is a team caught in a spin cycle.
Maybe this game will be different. The club is wearing its powder blue jerseys to make something, anything, happen, and maybe it will. Plus, as I said, the Chargers are a desperate team at home, and that combination makes them dangerous. But I've seen too much of these guys to know better.
Historically, they're tough down the stretch, but not this year. There is something missing, and maybe it's a pulse.
Something to consider: Rivers is 9-2 vs. Denver, with 19 touchdown passes and six interceptions.
Monday night lights
N.Y. Giants at New Orleans, 8:30 p.m. ET | Preview
The line: Saints by 7½
The story: Seldom have I heard coach Tom Coughlin more disappointed, more upset, more downright angry than he was following last weekend's loss to Philadelphia. Most of that was due to the Giants' performance. They stunk. But I would wager a week's pay that some of it had to do with what's ahead, and what's ahead are the Saints and Packers.
The Giants won't say it, but they would welcome a split. New Orleans hasn't lost at home and the Packers haven't lost anywhere. It's a brutal schedule, and it might be the beginning of the end for Coughlin and Big Blue. I just see people wondering if this is the start of a second-half meltdown, and it's a fair question given the strength of the upcoming schedule.
Maybe that's why Coughlin lit into his players because it's now or never ... for both of them. If the club fails to make the playoffs again, it would mark the third year in a row and probably signal the end to Coughlin's reign in New York -- and that would be a shame. The guy has done a credible job here, and his team pulled the mother of all upsets when it toppled New England in Super Bowl XLII.
But it's all about now, and the Giants are in the midst of a two-game losing streak, with the Saints and Packers ahead. I don't think I need to draw you a picture. Eli Manning must play better than he did last weekend, and that's always tough when you don't have a running game ... which the Giants don't. They rank 31st in the league, and I don't care if it's the offensive line or the loss of Ahmad Bradshaw or what. They're not getting it done where they have in past seasons. That has put the heat on Manning, and you saw what happened vs. San Francisco and Philadelphia.
New York can't afford to get into a track meet with Drew Brees. Instead, the Giants must be patient, extend drives and keep Brees and the high-flying Saints off the field. I have no doubt they pressure Brees with their pass rush, but I'm not so confident about the secondary covering his receivers or the Giants' linebackers/safeties doing much of anything with Darren Sproles.
Something to consider: Manning leads the league in fourth-quarter passing with a rating of 120.5 and 10 touchdowns.
Crummy game of the week
Carolina at Indianapolis, 1 p.m. ET | Preview
The line: Panthers by 3½
The story: Cam Newton is an icon. No, he's an entertainer. No, no, he's 2-8. Well, here's a game he should win, and if he doesn't there might be some tight jaws in Nap Town. The Colts seem locked and loaded for Andrew Luck, losing as they seldom lost before, and their timing is perfect: The worse they are the better their chances of getting the best college quarterback prospect since ... well, since Peyton Manning.
Not only are they losing now, but they're losing by such wide margins it's hard to believe they get up for anything other than Luck. The betting line here is surprisingly small, but that's because nobody trusts Carolina or its porous defense. Me? I don't trust the quarterback, either. He can run. He can pass. But he can't win. In fact, Carolina reject Matt Moore has more victories in fewer starts with a Miami team that lost its first seven.
I look at Newton's past two games and wonder if the pro game isn't catching up to him. Maybe, maybe not. All I know is that if the Colts catch up to him, you know the learning curve has won.
Something to consider: With nine rushing touchdowns, Newton is within three of the NFL record for quarterbacks, set by New England's Steve Grogan in 1976.
Upset of the week
Philadelphia (+3½) over New England | Prisco: Patriots 33, Eagles 27
The story: I'm taking the bait. I believe what I saw last week was the beginning of a late-season push that could put the Eagles back into contention in the NFC East. I know, I should be cautious ... but I'm not. People tell me these Eagles lack the heart of past clubs; that they're not resilient and don't respond to pressure as other Philadelphia teams have, and maybe they're right. All I know is that desperate teams at home are teams I favor, especially when Andy Reid coaches them.
Granted, Philadelphia stinks at home. Its 1-4 record is among the league's worst. But Reid's history down the stretch is well documented, and I saw him pull a late-season miracle in 2006 with Jeff Garcia as his quarterback and saw him pull an encore two years later after he benched Donovan McNabb for a half.
He knows how to win big games, and every Sunday is big for Philadelphia from here on in. The Eagles will struggle with Brady, but the Patriots are the league's worst pass defense for a reason: They don't have the players on the back end to make plays, and that will hurt them here.
Bottom line: I like Philadelphia because, basically, it's now or never for these guys. It's a one-game season, and the Eagles know it. I say they play like they know it.
Five guys I'd like to be
1. Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan: He's 23-5 at home, with 41 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions. When he has a passer rating of 100 or better the Falcons are 19-0.
2. Houston linebacker Brooks Reed: He aims for his fifth straight game with a sack.
3. New England quarterback Tom Brady: He's 3-0 vs. Philadelphia, with six touchdown passes, no interceptions and a 100.4 passer rating. In his past three starts this season on the road, Brady has seven touchdown passes and no interceptions.
4. Arizona defensive end Calais Campbell: He aims for his fifth straight game vs. St. Louis with a sack.
5. Chicago defensive end Julius Peppers: He has five sacks in two starts vs. Oakland.
Five best matchups
1. N.Y. Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez vs. coach Rex Ryan: Ryan this week gave Mark Brunell a handful of first-team snaps to shake up his starter, and why not? Ryan did it last year after back-to-back losses to New England and Miami, and it shook Sanchez out of his funk.
2. Denver quarterback Tim Tebow vs. John Elway: Elway, the Broncos' executive VP of football operations, did some serious backpedaling this week after saying that the club was still looking for its next franchise QB. That was a shot at Tebow, who's 4-1 as a starter and clearly not Elway's idea of a quarterback. So Elway clarified his comments, saying he was "very hopeful that Tim Tebow is our guy." Please. Elway knows he's not. He just doesn't have to say it. Instead, John, just let Tebow play and enjoy the results.
3. Oakland vs. officials: The Raiders annually are among the league leaders in penalties, so it comes as no surprise that they're in front of the field again this season, with an NFL-high 103 for 892 yards. No, what's new is that the Raiders are complaining -- with coach Hue Jackson this week saying he reached his "boiling point" after his club was called for 12 more fouls vs. Minnesota. "All that I ask," he said, "is that when people deal with our football team, it's done fairly." Let's see ... the Raiders and fairness? Uh-uh, not going to happen.
4. Philadelphia vs. the fourth quarter: The Eagles are 4-5 in games where they led after three periods, dodging a bullet last weekend when the Giants' last-minute drive was stopped by a Jason Babin sack-and-strip of Eli Manning. Still, the Eagles have been outscored by 47 points in the fourth quarter, the worst point differential in the league.
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5. The New York Giants vs. a second-half collapse: Defensive end Justin Tuck warned Giants fans not to expect too much, not with the schedule these guys face. Though he said he's not "worried" about what's ahead -- using the word "cautious" -- he did warn about the dangers of a meltdown. "If we get down to the Saints," he said, "it could be an historical second-half collapse ... We've got to figure things out right and figure it out now."
Five things that may interest only me
1. Tennessee has won eight of its past nine at home vs. NFC opponents and is 6-0 at home vs. Tampa Bay.
2. Since 2001 nobody is better closing the season than New England. The Patriots are an NFL-best 61-15 on or after Thanksgiving (including postseason) and 6-1 in 2010. Pittsburgh has the second-best record (53-22) over that period and Philadelphia (48-27) is third.
3. Houston's defense has a takeaway in every game this season and has an interception in its past nine starts.
4. The Raiders lead the league with 58 plays of 20 or more yards, including 19 by Carson Palmer in just 99 passing attempts.
5. Four quarterbacks (Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers) have thrown for 3,000 yards this season, the first time in league history that four have done that through the first 10 games.
Numbers on the wall
1: Quarterbacks with 300 yards passing on Pittsburgh this season
5: Tim Tebow touchdowns in his past two games vs. San Diego
7-10: Matt Leinart's record as a starter
10-3: Michael Vick in his past 13 starts vs. the AFC
15: Chicago takeaways in the Bears' past four games
20-8: Ben Roethlisberger in primetime games, including 7-5 on Sunday nights
30: Consecutive games with Drew Brees completing at least 20 passes, a league record
37: Consecutive games with a Brees touchdown pass, 10 short of the NFL record
• Atlanta: Dome
• Cincinnati: Thundershowers, high of 54
• Indianapolis: Showers, high of 46 (retractable roof)
• Jacksonville, Fla.: Cloudy, high of 77
• East Rutherford, N.J.: Cloudy, high of 60
• St. Louis: Dome
• Nashville, Tenn.: Thundershowers, high of 51
• Oakland, Calif.: Mostly cloudy, high of 68
• Seattle: Showers, high of 48
• Philadelphia: Cloudy, high of 62
• San Diego: Sunny, high of 74
• Kansas City, Mo.: Partly cloudy, high of 42
Where we will be
• I'll be in Philadelphia on Sunday to worship at Todd Rundgren's place in Upper Darby.
• Pete Prisco will be in New Orleans Monday to drive the Welcome Wagon for Eli Manning.
• Mike Freeman will be at MetLife Stadium to keep Ryan's postgame speech from going Rex-Rated.
