Don’t bet the house (or Dolphins)
Bengals over 49ers
* Three signs that you know your season is over 10 days before Christmas: 1) Your offense is averaging a league-low 13.2 points a game; 2) You just signed Chris Weinke; 3) You just announced that Shaun Hill is your new starting quarterback.
Ravens over Dolphins
* About that fan currently camping out on the roof of a Baltimore bar until the Ravens fire Coach Brian Billick: Billick isn’t upset about it. To the contrary, he just sent out a scout to ask the guy if he could suit up and play quarterback on Sunday.
Packers over Rams
* More bad news for the Dolphins: With 184 more passing yards, Brett Favre breaks Dan Marino’s career record. Favre is playing against the Rams. Dan, your record might not last another quarter.
Patriots over Jets
* The oddsmakers did Eric Mangini and the Jets no favors by setting the point spread at 23 points. Bill Belichick no doubt views that number as a glove-slapping insult across the faces of his coaching staff, his players, his franchise, his family, his community, his legacy and his three Super Bowl titles. Patriots, 59-3.
Browns over Bills
* Take an undrafted quarterback from Stanford, take an undrafted quarterback from Oregon State, put them into the starting lineups of the Buffalo Bills and the Cleveland Browns, put the Bills and Browns inside the same stadium, hold a coin toss and a kickoff. What do you get? The most important game of Week 15.
Saints over Cardinals
* Believe it or not, this is another game with playoff implications. What has happened to this league?
Seahawks over Panthers
* Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has 24 touchdown passes for the Seahawks, who just clinched their fourth consecutive NFC West title with their fifth victory in a row. Seahawks Coach Mike Holmgren told the Seattle Times this week that when Hasselbeck starts to run he really worries about him. You guys have seen gooney birds land on lakes and things like that? Meanwhile, the Panthers, who are contemplating starting Matt Moore at quarterback, are wondering what’s so funny about that.
Titans over Chiefs
* Advisory on Norm Chow’s UCLA head coaching candidacy: Chow is currently the offensive coordinator for a Titans team that is 1-4 in its last five games and has scored more than 20 points only three times this season.
Steelers over Jaguars
* Steelers win the AFC North title, Jaguars grab a wild card, and they get to do this all over again in three weeks.
Buccaneers over Falcons
* When you break it down, the timing of Bobby Petrino’s bail-and-bolt to Arkansas makes sense. Clearly, he decided to quit on his team before his team quit on him.
Colts over Raiders
* It has been almost 30 years -- Dec. 24, 1977 -- since the Raiders beat the Colts on Dave Casper’s “Ghost to the Post” in double overtime in one of the greatest postseason games played. To commemorate the anniversary, the Raiders apologize in advance for not being able to come up with anything better than this.
Cowboys over Eagles
* Cowboys can clinch a first-round bye with a victory. Eagles say what’s the big deal, we’re taking off the first weekend in January too.
Chargers over Lions
* Way back when the Lions were 6-2 and talking playoffs, the Chargers’ LaDainian Tomlinson was averaging barely 80 rushing yards a game and fantasy league owners were talking trade! Will listen to any offer! Now the Lions are 6-7 and LT has rushed for 323 yards in his last two starts.
Giants over Redskins
* Redskins quarterback Todd Collins will make his first start in 10 years against the Giants, who wish this sort of news would make them feel better than they do about Eli Manning.
Vikings over Bears
* Adrian Peterson in prime time! Sometimes Monday Night Football does get lucky, even in December. Kyle Orton to start at quarterback for the Bears! And then again . . .
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