TODAY’S GAMES

ON TV

Washington at Minnesota

* Kickoff: 10 a.m.

* TV: Channel 11.

* Records: Redskins 0-6; Vikings 5-0.

* Story line: The Vikings are 5-0 for the first time since 1975, when they started 10-0. But it’s their most recent victory, a 37-24 Monday night decision over the Packers at Green Bay, that has everybody in the Twin Cities talking Super Bowl. Quarterback Randall Cunningham, who passed for 442 yards and four touchdowns against the Packers, has thrown for 10 touchdowns, with no interceptions, and leads the league with a 127.8 passing efficiency rating. In Washington, former 49ers Dana Stubblefield and Rod Milstead are learning how the other half lives. “This is the other side, the side that we always used to joke about,” Milstead says. “It’s tough.”

* Line: Vikings by 13 1/2

*

Indianapolis at San Francisco

* Kickoff: 1 p.m.

* TV: Channel 2.

* Records: Colts 1-5; 49ers 4-1.

* Story line: The 49ers’ Steve Young can set an NFL record with his sixth consecutive 300-yard game. He also has passed for at least three touchdowns in five consecutive games and has a 108.3 passing efficiency rating. His Colt counterpart, rookie Peyton Manning, has had an NFL-high 14 passes intercepted, but seems to be improving. He leads the AFC with 1,364 yards passing. The Colts’ only victory, though, was over the short-circuiting Chargers.

* Line: 49ers by 17 1/2

*

Dallas at Chicago

* Kickoff: 1:15 p.m.

* TV: Channel 11.

* Records: Cowboys 4-2; Bears 1-5.

* Story line: The Cowboys’ Emmitt Smith, who rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown in last week’s 27-20 victory over the Panthers, leads the NFC with 529 yards rushing and has put together consecutive 100-yard games for the first time since 1995. And teammate Michael Irvin leads the NFC with 516 yards receiving. They’ve helped ease the way for quarterback Jason Garrett, who is 3-1 in relief of Troy Aikman.

* Line: Cowboys by 3 1/2

THE REST

Jacksonville at Buffalo

* Kickoff: 10 a.m.

* Records: Jaguars 5-0; Bills 2-3.

* Story line: With Rob Johnson sidelined because of a rib injury, Doug Flutie will start for the Bills against Johnson’s former team. Flutie was brilliant in last week’s 31-24 victory over the Colts, completing 23 of 28 passes for a career-high 213 yards and two touchdowns. The Jaguars, who play the Broncos next week, may be without running back Fred Taylor, who sat out the last quarter of Monday night’s 28-21 victory over the Dolphins because of a sprained left shoulder.

* Line: Jaguars by 3

*

Cincinnati at Tennessee

* Kickoff: 10 a.m.

* Records: Bengals 2-3; Oilers 2-3.

* Story line: With the Bengal passing game in high gear, Carl Pickens leads the NFL with 40 receptions and 526 yards receiving. He had a team-record 13 catches for a career-high 204 yards in last week’s 25-20 victory over the Steelers as quarterback Neil O’Donnell completed 20 of 26 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns. The Bengal defense, however, ranks 29th in the league. It may have trouble containing Eddie George, who ran for 121 yards last week in the Oilers’ 12-8 victory over the Ravens.

* Line: Oilers by 3

*

Carolina at Tampa Bay

* Kickoff: 10 a.m.

* Records: Panthers 0-5; Buccaneers 2-3.

* Story line: The Buccaneers, mentioned as possible Super Bowl contenders before the season, rank second in the league in defense but 28th in offense. They limited the Giants to 135 total yards two weeks ago in a 20-3 victory. The Panthers waived reluctant Kerry Collins after Steve Beuerlein passed for 286 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s 27-20 loss to the Cowboys.

* Line: Buccaneers by 7

*

Arizona at N.Y. Giants

* Kickoff: 10 a.m.

* Records: Cardinals 3-3; Giants 2-4.

* Story line: The Cardinal defense came up big last week, limiting the Bears to 66 yards rushing and forcing eight turnovers in a 20-7 victory. And today they face Danny Kanell, whose passing efficiency rating is the worst among NFC starters. Kanell lost two fumbles and was sacked five times in last week’s 34-20 loss to the Falcons.

* Line: Giants by 2 1/2

*

Baltimore at Pittsburgh

* Kickoff: 10 a.m.

* Records: Ravens 2-3; Steelers 3-2.

* Story line: Both teams are coming off forgettable losses. The Ravens were held to a team-record low of 36 yards rushing and were one for 15 on third-down conversions in a 12-8 loss to the Oilers. The Steelers were the victims of trickery in a 25-20 loss to the Bengals, losing when Bengal quarterback Neil O’Donnell faked a spike and instead lofted a game-winning 25-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds to play.

* Line: Steelers by 5 1/2

*

New Orleans at Atlanta

* Kickoff: 10 a.m.

* Records: Saints 3-2; Falcons 4-1.

* Story line: The Saints’ 3-0 start has been all but forgotten in the wake of last week’s 31-0 loss to the 49ers, who limited New Orleans to 32 yards rushing and sacked quarterback Danny Wuerffel six times. Although the Saints recently acquired former Panther quarterback Kerry Collins, backup Billy Joe Tolliver will start against the Falcons, who have lost only to the 49ers. Falcon quarterback Chris Chandler, who passed for 266 yards and two touchdowns last week in a 34-20 victory over the Giants, has passed for at least one touchdown in a team-record 17 consecutive games.

* Line: Falcons by 7

*

Philadelphia at San Diego

* Kickoff: 1:15 p.m.

* Records: Eagles 1-5; Chargers 2-4.

* Story line: Other than maybe the Redskins, the Chargers couldn’t have picked a better opponent for their first game under interim Coach June Jones, who took over after Kevin Gilbride was fired last week. Ryan Leaf, pulled late in the third quarter of last week’s 7-6 loss to the Raiders, again will start for the Chargers. The Eagles ended an eight-game losing streak with last week’s 17-12 victory over the Redskins.

* Line: Chargers by 3

*

St. Louis at Miami

* Kickoff: 1:15 p.m.

* Records: Rams 2-3; Dolphins 3-2.

* Story line: Dan Marino showed flashes of his old brilliance Monday night, passing for 323 yards and two touchdowns in the Dolphins’ 28-21 loss to the Jaguars. The Rams forced five turnovers and held the Jets to 54 yards rushing in a 30-10 rout. Ram quarterback Tony Banks, who set an NFL record with 21 fumbles in his rookie season and had 15 last season, had his first of the season in the second quarter last week.

* Line: Dolphins by 7