First Place in the NFC South Could Get a Little Crowded

In the NFL’s tightest division race, three teams could be tied for the NFC South lead Sunday before ESPN begins replaying the day’s highlights.

For that to happen, however, the tied-for-second-place Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers would have to win on the road, the Falcons over the division-leading Carolina Panthers at Charlotte, N.C., and the Buccaneers over the struggling New Orleans Saints at Baton Rouge, La.

The Falcons (7-4) clearly face the more formidable task -- they’re three-point underdogs -- but recent history suggests they might be up to the challenge.

They’ve won 12 of their last 14 games against the Panthers, whose 8-3 record has them atop the division race for the time being, and have won four of five road games this season, four in a row since losing at Seattle on Sept. 18.

“We’re road warriors,” tight end Alge Crumpler said.

On the other hand, the Panthers haven’t lost at home since Sept. 11, when a 47-yard field goal with three seconds to play gave the Saints a 23-20 victory.

Back home after losing at Chicago two weeks ago and winning Sunday at Buffalo, the Panthers are 7-1 since a 1-2 start.

Their fifth-ranked defense has given up only 82.2 yards a game on the ground, third-best in the league.

But they have yet to face the Falcons’ running attack, the best in the NFL, led by quarterback Michael Vick and running backs Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett.

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Elsewhere:

Tampa Bay (7-4), minus 3 1/2 , vs. New Orleans (3-8) at Baton Rouge, La., Sunday, 10 a.m. -- The Buccaneers, trying to keep pace with the Panthers and Falcons, open a stretch of three consecutive road games against the only foe they’ll be favored to beat. Up next: the Panthers and New England Patriots.

Buffalo (4-7), plus 4, at Miami (4-7), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- The Bills have lost four of five, the Dolphins six of eight, though the Dolphins did end a three-game losing streak with Sunday’s victory over the Raiders.

Minnesota (6-5), minus 3, at Detroit (4-7), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- Brad Johnson and the resurgent Vikings, 4-0 after a 2-5 start, look to stretch their winning streak against a Lion team playing its first game since it fired Steve Mariucci as coach, and since Dre’ Bly blamed that decision on Joey Harrington.

Dallas (7-4), plus 3, at N.Y. Giants (7-4), Sunday, 10 a.m., Channel 11 -- In a battle of division co-leaders, the Giants hope to atone for a 16-13 October loss at Dallas in which they tied the score in the final seconds before a field goal beat them in overtime.

Green Bay (2-9), plus 7, at Chicago (8-3), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- The streaking Bears have won seven in a row, but they haven’t won at home against Brett Favre and the Packers since Dec. 5, 1993, a string of 11 losses, and Favre has passed for at least one touchdown in all 26 games he has played against the Bears.

Houston (1-10), plus 8, at Baltimore (3-8), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- Keeping Reggie Bush squarely in their sights, the Texans have lost four in a row, including squandering a 21-point halftime lead in Sunday’s overtime loss to the St. Louis Rams.

Tennessee (3-8), plus 16, at Indianapolis (11-0), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- The Colts, who have won a club-record 10 in a row at home, can clinch a playoff berth and, if Jacksonville loses, wrap up their third consecutive AFC South championship. The Colts beat the Titans on Oct. 2 at Nashville, 31-10.

Cincinnati (8-3), plus 3 1/2 , at Pittsburgh (7-4), Sunday, 10 a.m., Channel 2 -- Carson Palmer has posted a passer rating of at least 100 in 10 of the Bengals’ 11 games. The lone exception: a 27-13 loss to the Steelers, who need another victory over the Bengals to maintain a realistic hope of catching the AFC North leaders.

Jacksonville (8-3), minus 3, at Cleveland (4-7), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- Backup quarterback David Garrard, filling in while Byron Leftwich recovers from a broken ankle suffered in Sunday’s victory over the Arizona Cardinals, tries to keep the streaking Jaguars in line for their first playoff appearance since 1999.

Washington (5-6), minus 3, at St. Louis (5-6), Sunday, 1 p.m. -- Rookie Ryan Fitzpatrick, the first Harvard quarterback to play in the NFL, continues his education after rallying the Rams to Sunday’s overtime victory over the Texans.

Arizona (3-8), minus 3, at San Francisco (2-9), Sunday, 1 p.m. -- The 49ers have turned over the NFL’s worst offense to rookie Alex Smith, back in the lineup after sitting out five games because of a knee injury.

Denver (9-2), minus 1, at Kansas City (7-4), Sunday, 1:15 p.m., Channel 2 -- The Chiefs, who need a victory to keep their division-title hopes alive, haven’t lost a home game in December since 1996, a string of 16 victories, and are 12-1 in their last 13 December home games against the Broncos.

N.Y. Jets (2-9), plus 10, at New England (6-5), Sunday, 1:15 p.m. -- The Patriots, who have scored 243 points and given up 279, could become only the fourth team to win a division title, despite being outscored.

Oakland (4-7), plus 11 1/2 , at San Diego (7-4), Sunday, 5:30 p.m., ESPN -- LaDainian Tomlinson, coming off a 184-yard effort in last Sunday’s overtime victory over the Redskins, has rushed for an average of 125.4 yards and scored 11 touchdowns in nine games against the Raiders.

Seattle (9-2), minus 4, at Philadelphia (5-6), Monday, 6 p.m., Channel 7 -- The Seahawks have won eight in a row, one short of the franchise record, to match the best start in club history and replace the Eagles as the NFC’s best team.