I shall dub this Week 6, "Divisional Desperation," because, well, everything needs a cutesy name to be branded these days, right? Isn't that how it works in sports?
Anywho, it's time for a few teams with Super Bowl aspirations -- the Bears and Eagles -- to put up or shut up. Chicago faces division-rival Minnesota knowing that a loss drops the Bears to 2-4 in a division with two unbeaten teams already. Lose and it's lights out.
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The Eagles face the Redskins; Philly loses and it falls to 1-5, while the 'Skins would be 4-1. That's likely too much ground to start making up, and now you're begging and hoping other teams collapse just to be a factor in your own division. And don't forget about the Falcons, who also had designs on Indy in February, but face a dangerous Panthers team Sunday. The Falcons are hoping not to fall to 2-4 and perhaps getting too far off the pace in a more competitive NFC this season.
So that's how I see it. Remember, the Cardinals, Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Seahawks and Titans are on byes this week. Also, games here are rated as either a footlong, a six-inch, a pita or a finger sandwich.
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New Orleans at Tampa Bay
Sun 4:15 p.m. ET, FOX Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
The upstart Buccaneers know that they'll need as many division wins and tiebreaker help as possible after missing the playoffs despite 10 wins a year ago. The Saints know at some point they're going to have to tighten up the defense if they're gonna get back to the Super Bowl. -
Inside slant:
The Buccaneers beat the Saints to end the 2010 season, and last week Cam Newton -- a QB with some of the same physical gifts as Josh Freeman -- gave the Saints all they could handle. Steve Smith is scorching corners and safeties every week, and the Saints are ceding yards in bunches. Shootout, anyone? -
Rating:
Footlong - Watch: Game Preview
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Houston at Baltimore
Sun 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
These two teams played a thrilling Monday night game late last season, which Baltimore won on an interception return for a TD in overtime. This also pits Arian Foster vs. the NFL's second-best rushing defense. -
Inside slant:
Timing is everything. Baltimore getting healthy off a bye and should get four key starters/contributors back. The Texans face their third straight very physical team and are starting to get beat up, losing Mario Williams and Andre Johnson recently. The helter-skelter Texans could make a big statement here, winning in a place that is very hostile to visitors. -
Rating:
Footlong - Watch: Game Preview
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Philadelphia at Washington
Sun 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
Philly's trainwreck start rolls on, in what is now a vital divisional game against first-place Washington. The Redskins are coming off a bye and need to see more of "good" Rex Grossman, because "bad" Rex has been creeping up far too often. -
Inside slant:
A year ago on a Monday night, the Eagles ran the Redskins outta FedEx Field, with Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson each unstoppable, on the day the 'Skins gave an ill-fated contract extension to then-QB Donovan McNabb. The fortunes of these two teams couldn't look much different exactly 11 months later. -
Rating:
Footlong - Watch: Game Preview
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San Francisco at Detroit
Sun 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
Could this be a divisional round playoff preview? What were the odds on that? These are two teams that have made huge strides this season and seem primed to be part of the playoff equation. There is just one combined loss between these teams, and that one loss could have easily been a San Francisco win. -
Inside slant:
Alex Smith has been a turnover magnet at times in the past, and facing the Detroit pass rush on the road in that dome could bring some old bugaboos back. He's been extremely efficient with the ball in 2011. Do the 49ers have anyone who can match up with Megatron? -
Rating:
Footlong - Watch: Game Preview
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Carolina at Atlanta
Sun 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
With the Cam Newton-to-Steve Smith connection, the Panthers don't ever seem to be really out of a game. They just have to find ways, as a young rebuilding team, to seize the moment in the fourth quarter. Matt Ryan is renowned as "Matty Ice," but the late-game heroics have been missing in 2011. -
Inside slant:
For all of the explosive plays the Falcons were coveting with the drafting of Julio Jones, Ryan is tied for 22nd in NFL with 13 passes of 20 yards or more. Newton has 29, trailing only Tom Brady (30). Newton has a rating of 84.3. Ryan has a rating of 79.9. -
Rating:
Footlong - Watch: Game Preview
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Dallas at New England
Sun 4:15 p.m. ET, FOX Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
Cowboys hope to have a fairly healthy Miles Austin on the field at the same time as a fairly healthy Dez Bryant, and the Patriots' secondary has been downright abysmal. Tony Romo's Shakespearean highs and lows make for much-see theatre. -
Inside slant:
One week after getting the better of Jets coach Rex Ryan, Bill Belichick gets to match strategy with Ryan's brother, Rob. That has to aid preparation, with the Ryan brothers espousing similar styles of defensive play. -
Rating:
Six-inch - Watch: Game Preview
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Buffalo at New York
Sun 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
Watching the Bills is just plain fun. And the Giants have been involved in some of the strangest finishes and wacky plays all season long (Victor Cruz "downing himself" in Arizona; returning a lateral for TD vs. Rams; the INT return for a TD off Cruz at end of the loss to Seattle). You have to think the bizarre could be the norm here. -
Inside slant:
Could the Giants get Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck on the field at the same time? They better, because their struggles against the pass could become a big issue in this game against the go-go Bills. On top of that dangerous Bills passing game, running back Fred Jackson just keeps humming along. -
Rating:
Six-inch - Watch: Game Preview
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Minnesota at Chicago
Sun 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
Dare I call it a must-win for the Bears? An 0-3 divisional start would be tough to overcome, especially with Detroit and Green Bay soaring. Adrian Peterson comes in off his first signature game of the season, with those three early TDs. Can Donovan McNabb hold off calls for rookie Christian Ponder to take over soon? -
Inside slant:
The Vikings can still get after the passer, and the Bears' offensive line remains a concern. Jared Allen loves the big stage and Sunday night could be right up his alley. It seems like Devin Hester takes one to the house whenever he is in primetime as well (five return touchdowns in six Monday night games). -
Rating:
Six-inch - Watch: Game Preview
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Cleveland at Oakland
Sun 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
These are two more teams that have been involved in their fair share of crazy finishes, but are seemingly headed in opposite directions. The Raiders hope to have top receiver Louis Murphy back and the Browns, if nothing else, get to come in off the bye week. All of the drama swirling around Peyton Hillis will put the Cleveland running back under the microscope here. -
Inside slant:
The Raiders play their first home game without the ultimate Raider, Al Davis, with them, a week after he passed away. The atmosphere there will be amped, to say nothing of the chance for Oakland to go 4-2 and keep piling up AFC wins. -
Rating:
Six-inch - Watch: Game Preview
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Miami at New York
Mon 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
These two teams come in on streaks of seven collective consecutive losses, so something has to give, right? Miami, off a bye, turns to Matt Moore at quarterback, while the Jets look to restore some bite in that defense and might have found the perfect opponent to feast on. -
Inside slant:
Ex-Jet and current Dolphin, again, Jason Taylor said now-injured QB Chad Henne is better than Mark Sanchez. Rex Ryan loves bulletin board material and Sanchez gets some for a big game. New York's receivers, now minus Derrick Mason, are not getting involved or making a mark. Miami's secondary has been as bad as any in football, though. -
Rating:
Pita - Watch: Game Preview
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St. Louis at Green Bay
Sun 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
One of the remaining winless teams faces an undefeated squad. Could the Packers have this big of a letdown game after the hard-fought Sunday night comeback in Atlanta? Have the Rams made some sage adjustments out of the bye? -
Inside slant:
The Packers' maligned offensive line is going to be tested now again with left tackle Chad Clifton out for awhile and right tackle Bryan Bulaga an injury concern as well. Steve Spagnuolo loves to attack the passer. And turnovers can always be the great equalizer. -
Rating:
Finger sandwich - Watch: Game Preview
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Jacksonville at Pittsburgh
Sun 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
This game looks like a mismatch, but the Steelers have been vulnerable to outside run plays and Maurice Jones-Drew can still break them off. If the blowout losses mount, the calls for Jack Del Rio to be replaced would only grow louder. -
Inside slant:
It's hard to imagine seeing Blaine Gabbert holding up against a Dick LeBeau defense. -
Rating:
Finger sandwich - Watch: Game Preview
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Indianapolis at Cincinnati
Sun 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS Get Tickets -
Why to watch:
So the Colts have thrown their hats firmly in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes, eh? With that total collapse against the Chiefs last week, that wasn't much in doubt. The Bengals have been playing very physical football this season, and Colts quarterback Curtis Painter has to bring the show out of the dome and on the road. -
Inside slant:
Andy Dalton is having a very strong rookie campaign and is not turning the ball over. Cedric Benson gets to keep playing as long as his suspension appeal is still under review. -
Rating:
Finger sandwich - Watch: Game Preview
Follow Jason La Canfora on Twitter @jasonlacanfora.
