Week 13 Breakdown

MIAMI AT BUFFALO

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Miami by 2 1/2.

Quick slant: Hard to beat a good team twice. But it’s December in Buffalo.

Plot: Miami is 7-4 and leads the AFC East. Buffalo has lost three in a row and is 3-7 in its last 10 games against AFC East opponents. But Sunday is Dec. 1, known by Dolphin and Bill fans as the great equalizer. The Dolphins are 1-4 in their last five December visits to Buffalo -- and that has been with quarterbacks named Dan Marino and Jay Fiedler, not Ray Lucas, who had his infamous “worst game ever played” in a 23-10 loss to Buffalo on Oct. 20. Lucas, 2-2 since, gets one last chance before Fiedler and his healed broken thumb return to the lineup Dec. 9. Miami battle cry: One For The Thumb!

Monday’s headline: “Bills All Thumbs As Dolphins Earn Split”

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CHICAGO AT GREEN BAY

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

TV: Channel 11.

The line: Green Bay by 9 1/2.

Quick slant: Packers officially caught looking ahead.

Plot: Bears-Packers used to be the fiercest rivalry in pro football, but the Packers have seen the Bears this season, and thus spent all week talking about Warren Sapp’s season-ending hit on Green Bay offensive tackle Chad Clifton and what might happen to Sapp the next time the Packers play Tampa Bay. After Green Bay offensive line coach Larry Beightol phoned Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin to warn that Sapp “could be cut-blocked next time we see him,” Commissioner Paul Tagliabue issued a memo to cease and desist. An ideal upset opportunity for the Bears. Except, they’re the Bears.

Monday’s headline: “Bears Barely Register On Packers’ Radar Screen”

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TENNESSEE AT NEW YORK GIANTS

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: New York by 3

Quick slant: Their own worst enemies.

Plot: Never mind what the marquee says. Sunday, it’s the Titans against the Titans and the Giants against the Giants, same as it was last weekend, when the two playoff contenders took to the road to carbo-load for the stretch run -- and both went hungry. The Giants turned the ball over three times in a 16-14 loss to the expansion Houston Texans. The Titans outgained Baltimore, 402 yards to 199, but gave away the ball four times, along with the game, 13-12. Tennessee’s Eddie George, three yards shy of Earl Campbell’s franchise rushing record (8,574), could run wild against the Giants’ injury-riddled defense.

Monday’s headline: “Titans Try To Give It Away but Giants Refuse”

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ARIZONA AT KANSAS CITY

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Kansas City by 9 1/2.

Quick slant: Hold that call.

Plot: The-dog-ate-my-playbook probably wasn’t going to fool anyone, so credit Arizona running back Thomas Jones with creativity, if nothing else, for getting out of the rest of the season by claiming he broke his hand while attempting to answer the phone. Are the Cardinals really buying that one? Well, they’ve seen Jones handle the football, so, theoretically, such an accident is plausible. But the Cardinals won’t be paying for it. The team has placed Jones on the reserve/non-football injury list, meaning they don’t have to pay him for the last five games. Including the next Cardinal defeat, coming up on Sunday.

Monday’s headline: “Cardinals Phone It In”

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BALTIMORE AT CINCINNATI

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Baltimore by 3.

Quick slant: Lucky man, that Michael Westbrook.

Plot: Westbrook never fulfilled the promise he brought with him into the NFL in 1995, so his off-season signing with the Pro Football Hall of Underachievement, also known as the Cincinnati Bengals, seemed a perfect fit. Alas, the Bengals were too maddening for even Westbrook, who lobbied for and finally received his release from the team Wednesday. On the Bengals’ Web site, Westbrook described the move as “a combination of them giving up on me and my heart not being into it. I don’t know if I’ll play again. I’m just going to go home and play with the kids and laugh about the situation.”

Monday’s headline: “Bengals Lose, Go Home, Laugh About The Situation”

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CAROLINA AT CLEVELAND

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Cleveland by 7 1/2.

Quick slant: Dwayne Rudd rears his ugly helmet again.

Plot: Not to beat this into the ground or anything, but if Rudd hadn’t beaten his helmet prematurely into the ground and negated a season-opening victory over Kansas City, the Browns would be 7-4 and alone atop the AFC North standings. As it is, Cleveland is a half-game behind Pittsburgh after putting together the league’s quietest 4-1 run while averaging 26 points a game. Carolina, meanwhile, is 0-8 since being 3-0 -- the league’s longest losing streak. Coach John Fox hasn’t given up on the season, sticking with quarterback Rodney Peete. Which means he has given up on Chris Weinke.

Monday’s headline: “Browns Wild-Card Worthy, but Don’t Tell Anyone”

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PITTSBURGH AT JACKSONVILLE

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Pittsburgh by 3

Quick slant: Is it Maddox or Stewart? Wouldn’t the Jaguars like to know?

Plot: Doctors have cleared Tommy Maddox to play Sunday, but Steeler Coach Bill Cowher is not giving away any edge he might hold. He hasn’t named a starting quarterback for the Jacksonville game, giving Kordell Stewart the majority of the early-week practice snaps. This, Cowher believes, complicates things for the Jaguars, who have to prepare for two styles. Will it be Maddox’s quick-release drop-back approach? Or Stewart’s out-of-the-pocket stylings? Really, it’s apples and oranges. Or touchdown passes and interceptions. More than likely, Cowher will go for the touchdowns.

Monday’s headline: “Maddox Starts, Finishes Off Jaguars”

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ATLANTA AT MINNESOTA

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Atlanta by 3 1/2.

Quick slant: Two 0-2 teams, believe it or not, once upon a time.

Plot: Incredible but true: On the evening of Sept. 15, both the Falcons and the Vikings stood at 0-2. More incredible but still true: During the first two weeks of the 2002 season, both the Falcons and the Vikings lost to the Bears. Since then, the teams have provided case studies in how to turn your season around and how to fold it in. Atlanta owns the NFL’s longest unbeaten streak at 6-0-1 and is coming off a 41-0 rout of Carolina. Minnesota is 3-8 overall, Randy Moss regressing to where he now physically takes himself out of big plays, handing over the title of “Best Young Player” to Michael Vick.

Monday’s headline: “Remember the ’98 NFC Final? Vikings Can’t”

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HOUSTON AT INDIANAPOLIS

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Indianapolis by 11 1/2.

Quick slant: Premature publication.

Plot: Today at Reliant Stadium, Houston Texan Coach Dom Capers will sign copies of the just-published quickie coffee table book, “Opening Night,” a 144-page retrospective of the Texans’ inaugural game on Sept. 8, a 19-10 upset victory over Dallas. No kidding. The book, expected to be a popular Christmas gift around Houston, sells for $30. No kidding. Later, Capers and his team will fly to Indianapolis for the 12th game in their history, against the Colts, 7-4 after last week’s overtime victory over Denver and trying to write their ticket to playoffs. Working title: “Sunday Bloody Sunday.”

Monday’s headline: “Colts Throw Book at Texans”

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DENVER AT SAN DIEGO

Kickoff: Sunday, 1 p.m.

TV: Channel 2.

The line: Denver by 3

Quick slant: Portis heads for big day.

Plot: The Broncos have won 20 consecutive games when one of their running backs rushes for 100 yards -- and they have just seen the game films of Ricky Williams pounding the Charger defense in last Sunday’s 30-3 Miami victory. Look for more of the same from Denver’s Clinton Portis, who heads all rookie running backs with 836 yards rushing. The great San Diego revival has lost much of its early sweetness; the Chargers were 1-3 in November, including one-sided losses to the Jets (44-13) and the Dolphins. Worse still for San Diego: The Broncos are 9-2 in their last 11 games against the Chargers.

Monday’s headline: “Sour Times for San Diego”

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ST. LOUIS AT PHILADELPHIA

Kickoff: Sunday, 1:15 p.m.

TV: Channel 11.

The line: St. Louis by 2 1/2.

Quick slant: Who is A.J. Feeley, and what is he doing quarterbacking the Eagles in December?

Plot: In a span of eight days, Donovan McNabb breaks an ankle and Koy Detmer dislocates an elbow and just like that, A.J. Feeley, a second-year third stringer who last started a game in 1999 -- as a college junior -- is in the Eagles’ starting lineup. A fifth-round draft choice in 2001, Feeley preceded Joey Harrington as the starting quarterback at Oregon before getting injured. He was the backup to Harrington as a senior. His 2002 passing: three for three, 17 yards and a touchdown. In other quarterbacking news, Kurt Warner goes for his first win of the season for the Rams.

Monday’s headline: “Christmas Comes Early: Warner Wins!”

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SEATTLE AT SAN FRANCISCO

Kickoff: Sunday, 1:15 p.m.

The line: San Francisco by 9

Quick slant: Sharpie: The Sequel.

Plot: The Seahawks have had this date circled on the calendar -- in red, Sharpie felt tip -- since Oct. 14, the night they were embarrassed on national TV by Terrell Owens and his hideaway pen. Obviously, Seattle’s defenders will be fired up for the rematch. Question is: What can they do about it? The Seahawks are 3-3 in their last six, including last Sunday’s 39-32 victory over Kansas City. But worth noting: the Seahawks were outgained, 552-534, by the Chiefs. San Francisco squandered a Monday night gimme, losing to the Eagles’ No. 2 and 3 quarterbacks, 38-17, and can’t afford to throw away another.

Monday’s headline: “49ers Write On in Easy Victory”

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TAMPA BAY AT NEW ORLEANS

Kickoff: Sunday, 5:30 p.m.

TV: ESPN

The line: Tampa Bay by 1.

Quick slant: New Orleans, not exactly peaking at the right time.

Plot: Tampa Bay is the NFL’s only two-loss team -- and one of those defeats came against the Saints, who got the Jon Gruden era off to a clattering start with a 26-20 victory over the Buccaneers in the season opener. The Buccaneers are 9-1 since then and lead the NFL in team defense, holding opponents to an average of 11.5 points. The Saints haven’t held anyone below 20 points all season, are coming off consecutive losses to Atlanta and Cleveland and have a battered running back in Deuce McAllister. Another loss Sunday and the Saints will spend December chasing the last wild card.

Monday’s headline: “Saints Can’t Turn Back The Clock”

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NEW YORK JETS AT OAKLAND

Kickoff: Monday, 6 p.m.

TV: Channel 7

The line: Oakland by 6

Quick slant: Two teams on a roll, but one stops here.

Plot: “Even when we were 2-5,” Jet quarterback Chad Pennington says, “it was like, ‘Why not us? Why can’t we make history?’ ” Here are a few reasons: The Jets, 4-0 since then, run into the Raiders on Monday. The Raiders have won their last three games by an average of 17 points. The Raiders beat the Jets, 38-24, the last time the two teams met, in last season’s playoffs. The Raiders have a quarterback, Rich Gannon, on pace to break the league’s single-season passing yardage record. And after the Raiders, the Jets will play Denver, Chicago, New England and Green Bay. Wait till next year.

Tuesday’s headline: “Future Is Now for Raiders, 2003 for Jets”