The game before that the Steelers gave up 27 points at home to the Raiders. The Raiders average like 12 points a game on offense. They are on the bottom of about every offensive category.

This is a team one year removed from a superbowl and they are coming off a long break. Maybe those extra days help them get it back on track but this team has some real issues right now. This seems to me like a team that likes to look at that big shiny ring on their finger and doesn’t seem real interested in fighting out a lost season.

On the other hand this is an important game for this Packer’s team. Are they peaking and a contender or do they still belong in that 2nd tier of NFC teams? I expect them to come out sharp and finally put together four good quarters. I’ll take the .5 points and bet on Green Bay.

–AZ @ Det: Don’t make too much of last weeks’ game. Cardinals will bounce back and take care of business.

–Phil @ SF: I’ve been back and forth on the 49ers this season. But one fact remains unassailable: the 49ers have only won once on the road (@ AZ), and only two wins outside the division. On the other hand, the 49ers have not lost by more than 7, so Eagles win a close one

–GB @ Pitt: A tough game with the Packers playing another opponent facing elimination. But have the Steelers even won a single game when Polamalu’s been out this year?

D∈T

i know i only have a decade or so of real nfl awareness under my belt, but i don’t know if i’ve ever seen a bigger dumpster fire than the browns this year. they play football for a living (and make pretty good money from what i hear) and they just look like they dread going to work more than i do. mangina is just a caricature. i heard holmgren is coming on as director of football operations or some such position. man he must really love football, and he must really love ordering incompetent people around… and then probably firing most of them. the closest thing i’ve seen in recent years to a sports team in as rough shape as the browns was the knicks a few years ago under isiah thomas.