Stumbling Toward a Title

The winner claims the AFC East title, and the loser could be out of the playoffs, depending on how the Jets fare Sunday.

Both teams are 9-6 and coming off horrible games, the Patriots collapsing in the closing minutes against Pittsburgh and the Dolphins failing to make an appearance against Indianapolis.

New England beat Miami earlier this season, 27-24, and has played much better in recent weeks, but quarterback Drew Bledsoe solidified his reputation as a quarterback who cannot be relied on in pressure situations in last week’s loss to the Steelers. Miami quarterback Dan Marino, meanwhile, may be playing to keep his job with the Dolphins next year.

If the Jets win and the Patriots lose, New England gets the ultimate slap in the face, former coach Bill Parcells moving into the playoffs, while last year’s Super Bowl representative from the AFC stays home.

The line: Miami by 2.

5 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. Pittsburgh running back Jerome Bettis to sit out Sunday’s game against Tennessee, even though he is only 25 yards shy of the team’s rushing record.

Bettis has 1,665 yards rushing, the most of his career and second-most in Steeler history after Barry Foster’s 1,690 yards in 1992.

“My biggest concern is for this team,” said Bettis, and the Steelers nearly have a first-round bye locked up. “I’d rather save everything I have and give for a team effort, as opposed to give to an individual effort.”

2. Mike Holmgren to be overlooked again as NFL coach of the year.

Holmgren, who brought the Packers back as one of the game’s dominant teams, has never been selected coach of the year, and will lose out again to the New York Giants’ Jim Fassel, Tampa Bay’s Tony Dungy or Kansas City’s Marty Schottenheimer. Carolina’s Dom Capers won last year, and Bill Parcells, Dan Reeves, Ray Rhodes and Bill Cowher before him.

“Look at the people who have won it,” Packer General Manager Ron Wolf said. “You can probably take that and shove it in terms of importance.”

3. New Orleans scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against Kansas City.

The Saints have not scored a touchdown on offense in the first quarter all season long, and the Chiefs haven’t allowed a second-half touchdown in 10 consecutive games. New Orleans had better get fired up in the second quarter.

4. New Orleans rising up to beat Kansas City. The Saints have won nine of their last 10 season finales; they are also 4-1 in road games closing out the season, including two shutouts.

5. If not this game against Carolina, some day soon look for Tony Banks to be carried off the field. The Rams’ starting quarterback has played 29 games and has been sacked 90 times.

ON TV

SATURDAY

* Buffalo (6-9) at Green Bay (12-3), 9:30 a.m., Channel 4: The Packers get to rest their starters, while Buffalo wonders what it did to deserve a December trip to Green Bay instead of Tampa Bay.

The line: Green Bay by 9 1/2.

* St. Louis (4-11) at Carolina (7-8), 1 p.m., Channel 11: The Rams and Panthers have nothing to play for but pride, and how far has that carried them?

The line: Carolina by 5.

SUNDAY

* New York Giants (9-5-1) at Dallas (6-9), 10 a.m., Channel 11: The Giants have no compelling reason to win other than to heap further humiliation on the Cowboys.

The line: Dallas by 3.

* Pittsburgh (11-4) at Tennessee (7-8), 10 a.m., Channel 4: The Steelers have to lose by more than 65 points, and Jacksonville must win for the Jaguars to win the AFC Central title.

The line: Tennessee by 3.

* San Diego (4-11) at Denver (11-4), 1 p.m., Channel 4: The Broncos may not have Terrell Davis, which means San Diego loses by 21 instead of 31.

The line: Denver by 14.

* San Francisco (13-2) at Seattle (7-8), 5 p.m., ESPN: Seahawk fans may look back on this season and talk about the team’s strong finish. The 49ers will rest all their stars.

The line: San Francisco by 2.

SUNDAY’S OTHER GAMES

* Philadelphia at Washington, 10 a.m.

The line: Washington by 5 1/2.

* New Orleans at Kansas City, 10 a.m.

The line: Kansas City by 8.

* Indianapolis at Minnesota, 10 a.m.

The line: Minnesota by 6 1/2.

* Baltimore at Cincinnati, 10 a.m.

The line: Cincinnati by 6 1/2.

* Chicago at Tampa Bay, 10 a.m.

The line: Tampa Bay by 7 1/2.

* Jacksonville at Oakland, 1 p.m.

The line: Jacksonville by 3 1/2.

* N.Y. Jets at Detroit, 1 p.m.

The line: Detroit by 6 1/2.

* Atlanta at Arizona, 1 p.m.

The line: Atlanta by 2 1/2.