PITTSBURGH AT BALTIMORE
3:25 p.m. Sunday
TV: KOTV-6
Radio: KYAL fm97.1
The Ravens won in Pittsburgh two weeks ago and the Steelers are reeling with no passing offense as Ben Roethlisberger recovers from shoulder and rib injuries. This is one of the NFL's most intense rivalries, and the last thing the Steelers want is to put Baltimore in position to grab the AFC North championship.
"This is what you play for. This is what you prepare for," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "It's what we are all in this for, it's what we work so hard for (are) these opportunities to be playing relevant and meaningful games in December and playing meaningful games in your division against your biggest rival. That's what it's all about."
Ray Rice gained 30 yards on fourth-and-29 with the game on the line in last week's Ravens win at San Diego. No matter what the Ravens do Sunday - or for the rest of the season for that matter - that figures to go down as the play of the year.
TAMPA BAY AT DENVER
3:05 p.m. Sunday
Peyton Manning's first season in Denver has been a mile high success by all measurements, and clinching the division seems a mere formality. If Manning gets nine completions he will pass Dan Marino for second behind Brett Favre for his illustrious career.
Denver's defense has solidified and linebacker Von Miller is playing as well as anyone in the league, on offense or defense. His unit will be tested by a Bucs offense that has not scored fewer than 22 points since Week 3, with rookie running back Doug Martin and wideouts Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams particularly effective complementing QB Josh Freeman.
NEW ENGLAND AT MIAMI
Noon Sunday TV: KOTV-6
An unstoppable offense (407 points, 80 more than the next team), incredible turnover margin (plus-24, AFC-high 32 takeaways and conference-low eight giveaways) and a five-game winning streak have lifted the Patriots back to their accustomed role as a Super Bowl favorite.
The Dolphins rarely challenge the Patriots, who have won 12 in a row overall in December. In their last four wins at Miami, the Pats have averaged 44 points a game.
"Plus 24 is what I see," Dolphins coach Joe Philbin says of the Patriots' mastery in the division. They take the ball away ... and then they lead the league with only eight giveaways. That's a great place to start if you want to talk about winning football games in the National Football League."
CINCINNATI AT SAN DIEGO
3:25 p.m. Sunday
If the Bengals don't stumble against weak competition, they will go into the final two weeks of the schedule with a great shot at a wild card. They've done well so far during this hiatus from tough competition, beating Kansas City and Oakland, and they finish their stint in the AFC West against the spiraling Chargers, who have lost three straight and six of seven.
Dallas and Philadelphia follow for the Bengals before they close with division rivals Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
"We're just going to keep our heads down and keep grinding," star receiver A.J. Green said. "We have to give ourselves a chance to win games and that's what we're focusing on. I think that we just started doing little things and then the big things just took care of themselves."
San Diego seems to invent new ways to flop. If the Chargers get Cincinnati in a fourth-and-29, they are doomed.
HOUSTON AT TENNESSEE
Noon Sunday
When the Texans won 10 times last year, making the playoffs for the first time, it was a franchise record. They are on pace to shatter that and are the league's only unbeaten team on the road at 5-0.
"Yeah, we've never been in this position before as a team," receiver Andre Johnson said. "At the same time, we're learning as we go through this experience, but we know every game gets bigger and that because you have a chance to fight to be the top of the AFC. We know how big that could be for us if we're able to get that accomplished."
The Titans need not worry about such lofty things. After losing at Jacksonville, their playoff chances are just about gone.
SEATTLE AT CHICAGO
Noon Sunday Radio: KYAL am1550
The Seahawks are the most schizophrenic team in the league, going 5-0 at home and 1-5 away. Their loss at Miami last Sunday, in which they faded down the stretch, means a victory at Soldier Field is even more important for them to stay in control of the final wild-card spot. Seattle has won three of the last four regular-season matchups.
Chicago won't be at full strength after a slew of injuries hit in last weekend's win over Minnesota. But if the revamped offensive line can give Jay Cutler enough time to throw, and the defense does its usual job of applying pressure to the quarterback - in this case, rookie Russell Wilson - the Bears should be in good shape.
MINNESOTA AT GREEN BAY
Noon Sunday TV: KOKI-5/23
Green Bay leads the NFC wild-card chase and is one game in back of Chicago in the NFC North, but it could be a rough go the last month for the Packers if they don't get healthy. They barely showed up at the Giants last week, and with Clay Matthews, Greg Jennings and Charles Woodson hobbled, their depth is being tested.
The Vikings figure to hand off to Adrian Peterson as much as possible, and if the Packers can't slow him down, then not having a fully healthy Percy Harvin at wideout won't be critical for Minnesota.
Minnesota DE Jared Allen has had some of his best sacks performances against the Pack.
N.Y. GIANTS AT WASHINGTON
7:30 p.m. Monday TV: ESPN-25
These teams staged one of the season's best games at the Meadowlands, a 27-23 Giants win on Oct. 21. Robert Griffin III has helped the Redskins climb back into wild-card contention, and a victory here would put them one game behind the defending Super Bowl champions in the NFC East.
"At the end of the day, you have to step up and play at a certain level," Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said. "Our focus right now is to play our best football. We understand where our record is and what we have to do, but that is what our goal is. Our goal is to win the NFC East and to do that, we have to play well."
INDIANAPOLIS AT DETROIT
Noon Sunday
The Colts can reach eight wins one season after going 2-14 and earning the top selection in the draft. Quarterback Andrew Luck has been superb at home, but is 2-3 on the road.
Luck certainly has the playmakers to match up with Detroit's second-ranked offense in veteran Reggie Wayne and emerging youngsters T.Y. Hilton and Dwayne Allen. And the Colts have been far more disciplined than the Lions, who are fortunate that DT Ndamukong Suh was only fined and not suspended for kicking Houston quarterback Matt Schaub in the groin on Thanksgiving Day.
ARIZONA AT N.Y. JETS
Noon Sunday
What does it say about Arizona's offense when the best quarterback on the field at the Meadowlands will be Mark Sanchez?
The Cardinals, despite having star receiver Larry Fitzgerald and the return of running back Beanie Wells from injury, are impotent. They rank 31st overall with the ball and have scored a measly 180 points, better than only Kansas City. Sanchez will try not to run into any of his offensive linemen this week as the Jets attempt to avoid the turnovers that have helped derail their season.
JACKSONVILLE AT BUFFALO
Noon Sunday
Chad Henne has provided some spark to a previously dormant offense, and that's gotten top draft pick Justin Blackmon more involved. Second-year receiver Cecil Shorts III also has emerged.
But the Jaguars still are a weak team, and the Bills can be productive with the ball at home, where they begin a three-game stand - albeit the Dec. 16 match with Seattle is in Toronto. Buffalo has averaged 29 points a game at Orchard Park, where the potentially icy conditions wouldn't help Jacksonville a bit.
CLEVELAND AT OAKLAND
3:25 p.m. Sunday
Not much to pump up here, although the Browns could win a second straight game for the first time since Sept. 25 - of last year. Trent Richardson is closing in on the rookie rushing mark for the Browns, held by Jim Brown (942 yards in 1957).
He could have a romp through the most porous defense in the league: Oakland has yielded 169 points in dropping its last four games.
