RATING THE GAMES

**** Makings of a classic

*** Smash-mouth football

** Good for an end around

* Strictly fantasy fodder

* Minnesota (5-10) at Detroit (3-12), 10 a.m.: Viking Coach Mike Tice is safe, so the only suspense will be waiting to see what becomes of Lion Coach Marty Mornhinweg and General Manager Matt Millen. At least they can tell the unemployment office that they have experience now. LINE: Minnesota by 3 1/2.

** Dallas (5-10) at Washington (6-9), 10 a.m.: Reasons to watch? There are plenty. Darrell Green’s final game. Emmitt Smith needing 38 yards to reach 1,000 for the 12th consecutive season. Dave Campo keeping an eye out for a Bill Parcells sighting in the tunnel. LINE: Washington by 7.

* Tennessee (10-5) at Houston (4-11), 10 a.m.: It’s not how you start, but how you finish, right? If Texans can somehow bookend their season-opening victory over Dallas with a victory over the playoff-bound former Houston Oilers, those shredded Enron documents can be put to use for a ticker-tape parade. LINE: Tennessee by 9.

**** Miami (9-6) at New England (8-7), 10 a.m., Channel 2, KNX (1070): Quick trivia question: Which team has the longest current streak of reaching the playoffs? If you said the Miami Dolphins, five seasons, you’re right. If you say the Miami Dolphins after today, there’s a good chance you’ll be wrong. LINE: Miami by 1.

** Baltimore (7-8) at Pittsburgh (9-5-1), 10 a.m.: Steelers hinting that a loss wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing since their momentum wouldn’t be slowed for the playoffs. But with no break between conference title games and Super Bowl, players might want to rethink that mentality. LINE: Pittsburgh by 7 1/2.

* Cincinnati (2-13) at Buffalo (7-8), 10 a.m.: High drama for the Bengals as they try to prevent themselves from becoming the worst version in team history. Never has Cincinnati won fewer than three games in a season. LINE: Buffalo by 7.

*** Atlanta (9-5-1) at Cleveland (8-7), 10 a.m., Channel 11: Oddsmakers were at a loss this week trying to figure out the last time a visiting team with only one more victory than the home team was favored to win. Then again, Browns only have victories over Cincinnati and Houston at home this season. LINE: Atlanta by 3.

** Carolina (6-9) at New Orleans (9-6), 10 a.m.: Said Saint center Jerry Fontenot: “We can’t blame anybody else for us being where we are.” Saints are 5-0 against first-place teams and 0-2 against last-place teams. The Panthers are a last-place team. LINE: New Orleans by 7.

** Jacksonville (6-9) at Indianapolis (9-6), 1 p.m.: Thank goodness for Colts they have clinched a postseason spot since they have looked like anything but a playoff team lately, losing two of their last three. One thing they don’t need this week is a must-win situation. LINE: No line.

*** Green Bay (12-3) at New York Jets (8-7), 1:15 p.m., Channel 11, KNX (1070): If after all the morning games the Jets still have a chance for a playoff spot, look for that fourth-quarter push. New York is 6-2 in its last eight and has outscored its opponents, 63-9, in the final quarter during that span. LINE: New York by 1.

** Seattle (6-9) at San Diego (8-7), 1:15 p.m.: After such a promising start (6-1) fizzled for the Chargers, here’s some more feel-good news: If not for missed field-goal attempts in overtime by San Francisco’s Jose Cortez and Denver’s Jason Elam, San Diego would be riding an eight-game losing streak. LINE: San Diego by 3.

** Arizona (5-10) at Denver (8-7), 1:15 p.m.: Shannon Sharpe is in cheerleader mode, needing Atlanta, Green Bay and Miami to win this week for the Broncos to have a chance at the postseason. “You’ll pull for almost anybody to get you where you need to be.” That’s the spirit. LINE: Denver by 11.

** Tampa Bay (11-4) at Chicago (4-11), 5:30 p.m., ESPN, KLSX-FM (97.1): Warren Sapp knows where he’ll be all day as the playoff scenarios unfold, but don’t expect the Champaign, Ill., Chamber of Commerce to hire him as spokesman any time soon: “They say there’s not a lot to do in Champaign, other than watch TV.” LINE: Tampa Bay by 7.

* San Francisco (10-5) at St. Louis (6-9), Monday, 6 p.m., Channel 7, KNX (1070): Even Ram quarterback Jamie Martin doesn’t sound convincing when trying to build up a game that defines the term “meaningless”: “Everyone’s going to be watching, it’s the last game of the year, all that stuff.” LINE: No line.

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-- Jim Barrero