Week 13

Some beauty games today as the NFL Kicks off Week 13. Time to separate the real contenders and this is the week that the schedule does exactly that. Sunday night and Monday night marquee games as Steelers/Ravens and Jets/Pats play under the lights to determine first place in AFC North and East respectively. Lots of compelling play elsewhere this December Sunday as well including Jacksonville and Tennessee and the incredibly important Atlanta and Tampa Bay. Throw in the Cowboys @ Peyton Place and it all adds up to a dynamite day of football. For the record then:

Steelers @ Ravens- Big Ben with boot issues and Ravens at home. I like Baltimore by a field goal.

Jets @ Patriots- 9-2 both and the Jets winning every way imaginable including lucky. Without Jim Leonard, Jets lose something in the secondary and Tom Brady at home on the Monday night stage means Pats win by 4.

Jacksonville @Tennesee- so easy to overrate the Jags but they have been the team that won't go away. Marry that with a weak year from Indy and SHAZAM, Jax in first place. Think the Tennesee QB situation is ridiculous, Kerry Collins reportedly may go. Nevertheless, Jacksonsville winning all kinds of ways and it continues today- Jags by 6

Cowboys @ Colts- Indianapolis,the M*A*S*H unit of this year's NFL is still led by "The Man" and they find a way to be competitive every week, despite the 6-5 record. Jason Garrett looking to notch as many wins as possible so Jerry may consider offering him the gig full time, but this week home teams prevail, Indy by 3.

Best game no one seems to care about- Atlanta @ Tampa Bay- NFC leading Atlanta is the current media darling but Raheem Morris has the Bucs seriously in a playoff hunt as the NFC South shows its depth heading to playoff time. The term, "statement game" comes to mind for the Buccaneers but a solid Falcons team on both sides of the ball continues its run to first overall in the NFC playoff seeding. Falcons by 6