GAME OF THE WEEK

New England (6-3) at Miami (7-2). Every game is crucial in the AFC East, the NFL’s most competitive division, where an 11-5 record might not be good enough to make the playoffs. Damon Huard, filling in after Dan Marino left early because of neck spasms, led the Dolphins to a wild 31-30 victory last month at Foxboro, Mass. The line: Miami by 3 1/2.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Detroit (6-3) at Green Bay (4-5). The Packers used to be invincible at Lambeau Field, but if the Chicago Bears can win there, as they did two weeks ago, why not the Lions? The NFC Central leaders lost last week at Arizona, 23-19, but that was at least partly because of bonehead coaching by Bobby Ross in the fourth quarter. The line: Green Bay by 4.

POTENTIAL STAR OF THE WEEK

Quarterback Kurt Warner of the St. Louis Rams. The rising star gets his second crack at the undermanned San Francisco 49er secondary. In his first, on Oct. 10 at St. Louis, Warner passed for three touchdowns to Isaac Bruce . . . in the first quarter. All told, he completed 20 of 23 passes for 323 yards and five touchdowns, four to Bruce, in a 42-20 victory.

POTENTIAL STIFF OF THE WEEK

Monty Montgomery and/or Ramos McDonald. Claimed off waivers from other teams earlier this season,

they will become the sixth and seventh players to start at cornerback for the 49ers, who have given up a league-high 20 touchdown passes. Last month, Bruce burned the 49ers for 134 yards and four touchdowns.

THIS WEEK’S TREND

Look for Joey Galloway, after ending a contract holdout, to continue to make the Seattle Seahawks a better team. In his debut Sunday, Galloway caught four passes for 88 yards, three of the receptions leading to scores in a 20-17 victory over the Denver Broncos.

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT

The Buffalo Bills have the league’s best running attack after rushing for 177 yards in Sunday’s 23-3 rout of the Dolphins--and they love it. “There’s nothing more demoralizing to a team than to have it run down their throat,” quarterback Doug Flutie said. “You can say they got lucky and made a big play in the passing game, but there’s not a lot of luck involved in running the ball 12 times and marching 80 yards.”

AND FINALLY

Jeff George has a 106.1 passer rating in the 19 quarters he has been in charge of the Minnesota Vikings’ offense and has won four consecutive starts for the first time.

ON TV

* New England at Miami, 10 a.m., Ch. 2

Damon Huard didn’t look so good when Dolphins struggled against Bills.

Line: Miami by 3 1/2.

* Detroit at Green Bay, 10 a.m., Ch. 11

A critical game for Packers, but can they win with Brett Favre hurting?

Line: Green Bay by 4.

* St. Louis at San Francisco, 1:15 p.m., Ch. 11

Rams have lost eight in a row at San Francisco, but the worm has turned.

Line: St. Louis by 7.

* New Orleans at Jacksonville, 5:15 p.m., ESPN

The latest patsy for Jaguars on road to home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Line: Jacksonville by 12 1/2.

* Oakland at Denver, Monday, 6 p.m., Ch. 7

In competitive AFC, Raiders need all the victories they can get to make playoffs.

Line: Denver by 1 1/2.

THE REST

Atlanta at Tampa Bay, 10 a.m.

Line: Tampa Bay by 7.

Buffalo at N.Y. Jets, 10 a.m.

Line: Buffalo by 2 1/2.

Carolina at Cleveland, 10 a.m.

Line: Carolina by 5 1/2.

Indianapolis at Philadelphia, 10 a.m.

Line: Indianapolis by 7.

Pittsburgh at Tennessee, 10 a.m.

Line: Tennessee by 5 1/2.

Seattle at Kansas City, 10 a.m.

Line: Kansas City by 3.

Baltimore at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

Line: Baltimore by 5 1/2.

Chicago at San Diego, 1:15 p.m.

Line: Pick.

Dallas at Arizona, 1:15 p.m.

Line: Dallas by 2.

N.Y. Giants at Washington, 1:15 p.m.

Line: Washington by 5 1/2.