This NFL Top 10 will be based on a bettor’s perspective, rating teams not on their record, but their current strength.

1)  NEW YORK GIANTS:  Even with four starters sidelined and many others, including Eli Manning, sitting out the second half, the Giants gave the desperate Minnesota Vikings all they could handle before falling on the road 20-19 as Ryan Longwell nailed a clutch 50-yard field goal as time expired.  Running back Derrick Ward gained 77 yards on the day, giving New York a pair of 1,000 yard rushers on the year, just the fourth such tandem in NFL history.  The Giants have a bye next week.

2)  TENNESSEE:  Having locked up the AFC’s top seed last week, and with it home field advantage, Titan head coach Jeff Fisher sat eight starters and pulled quarterback Kerry Collins after just one series, in a 23-0 loss to Indianapolis.  Tennessee enjoys a bye next week.

3)  PITTSBURGH:  The Steelers closed out the regular season in fine fashion, crushing the Cleveland Browns 31-0.  The Pittsburgh defense limited qb Bruce Gradkowski and wr/qb Joshua Cribbs to a combined 6 of 18 for 26 yards.  Ben Roethlisberger sustained a concussion but is expected to be fine.  The Steelers have a bye next week.

4)  BALTIMORE:  Coming off a dismal 5-11 season and entering this year with a new head coach (Jim Harbaugh) and a rookie signal caller (Joe Flacco), the Baltimore Ravens exceeded all expectations, going 11-5 as they closed out the regular season with a dominating 27-7 win over Jacksonville, clinching the AFC’s final wild card berth with the win.  Flacco finished the day going 17 of 23 for 297 yards and no picks.  The Ravens open the playoffs at Miami next week.

5)  NEW ENGLAND:  New England defeated Buffalo 13-0 Sunday, their 11th consecutive win over the Bills, but failed to secure a 6th straight post-season berth.  The Patirots became the first NFL team with an 11-5 record to miss the playoffs since Denver in 1985.

6)  INDIANAPOLIS:  The Colts routed Tennessee in a meaningless game for both teams, 23-0, as Peyton Manning reached 4,000 yards passing for the 9th consecutive season and favorite receiver Marvin Harrison passed Cris Carter to became the NFL’s No. 2 all time pass cather.  Jim Sorgi replaced Manning in the first quarter and went 22 of 30 for 178 yards.  The Colts open the playoffs next week at San Diego .

7)  CAROLINA:  Lots of stars in Carolina’s 33-31 road win at New Orleans that clinched the NFC South title and the second seed in the conference.  Jake Delhomme went 14 of 20 for 250 yards and a score, DeAngelo Williams carried the ball 25 times for 78 yards, setting a franchise-record single season rushing record of 1,515 yards and John Kasay nailed a 42-yard field goal with one second remaining in the game.  Last week Kasay missed a 50-yard attempt near the end of regulation that would havve beaten the New York Giants and given the Panthers the NFC’s top seed.  Carolina has a bye next week.

8)  ATLANTA:  The Falcons clinched the NFC’s No. 5 seed with a 31-27 win over St. Louis.  Just like Baltimore, the Falcons came into this season off a horrible 2007 campaign (4-12) with a rookie head coach (Mike Smith) and quarterback (Matt Ryan).  Falcon running back Michael Turner carried the ball 25 times for 208 yards and a score, outdueling the Rams Steven Jackson who had 161 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.  Atlanta travels to Arizona next week in a wild card matchup.

9)  MIAMI:  A year after finishing 1-15, the Dolphins complete a remarkable turnaround by winning the AFC East, defeating the New York Jets on the road, 24-17.  Former Jet quarterback Chad Pennington went 22 of 30 for 200 yards and two touchdowns as Miami joined the 1999 Indianapolis Colts as the only teams to make a 10-game improvement from one season to the next!   The Dolphins host the Baltimore Ravens in next week’s wild card battle.

10)  SAN DIEGO:  The Chargers concluded an improbable late season rush by defeating the Denver Broncos 52-21, capturing the AFC West title on the final day.  Trailing Denver by three games with three games remaining, San Diego became the first team to win a division at 8-8 since the Cleveland Browns in  1985.  LaDainian Tomlinson had his first three-touchdown game of the season and Philip Rivers went 115 of 20 for 207 yards and two scores as the Chargers outgained the Broncos 491-406.  San Diego hosts Indianapolis next week.

Just missed:  Philadelphia

This NFL Top 10 will be based on a bettor’s perspective, rating teams not on their record, but their current strength.
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1)  NEW YORK GIANTS:  Swirling winds and freezing cold….just what the defending Super Bowl champions needed in order to break a 2-game losing streak!  Teams win bad weather contests with defense and a running game and that’s exactly what the New Yorkers delivered in a 34-28 overtime winner-take-all game for the NFC’s top seed vs the Carolina Panthers.  They out gained  the Panthers 459-343, piling up a season-high 301 yards rushing!
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2)  TENNESSEE:  The Titans thrashed the Steelers 31-14, clinching the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.  And remarkably, they did it without the services of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and dynamic end Kyle Vanden Bosch, both sidelined with injuries.  Despite their absence, the Titans sacked Ben Roethlisberger five times and forced him into four turnovers that led to 21 points.  Tennessee also became the first team all season to top 300 yards against Pittsburgh.
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3)  PITTSBURGH:  The Steelers fell 31-14 to the Tennessee Titans Sunday in a showdown for the best record in the AFC.  The loss snapped an impressive 5-game win streak that included wins over New England, Dallas and Baltimore.  Pittsburgh out first downed (23-16) and out gained (374-323) the Titans, but couldn’t overcome a 4-0 turnover deficit.
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4)  BALTIMORE:  In a must-win situation, the Ravens grabbed a critical 33-24 road win at Dallas on Saturday.  Baltimore can now lock up the AFC’s No. 6 seed with a win next week over Jacksonville.  The Ravens dominated the Cowboys overland, piling up a 265-92 rushing edge, fueled by long Willis McGahee (77 yard) and Le’Ron McClain (82 yard) touchdown runs.
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5)  NEW ENGLAND:  The Patriots continued their late season offensive rush with a 47-7 rout of visiting Arizona.  New England has now scored 47 points or more in three of their last 5 games.  Despite the win, the Patriots could become just the second team to miss the postseason with an 11-5 record since the NFL adopted a 16-game schedule in 1978.  Matt Cassell went 20 of 36 for 345 yards and three touchdowns, giving him seven scoring passes over the last two weeks.  Conversely, the Patriot defense pressured Arizona’s Kurt Warner into the worst performance of his career, as the veteran went just 6 of 18 for 30 yards!
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6)  INDIANAPOLIS:  Guided by who else but Peyton Manning, the Colts came from behind to beat Jacksonville 31-24, clinching a seventh straight trip to the playoffs this past Thursday.  Manning led Indianapolis back from 14-0 and 24-14 deficits, ending the day with 364 yards and three touchdowns.  The win gave the Colts the AFC’s No. 5 seed as they won for the eighth consecutive week.
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7)  CAROLINA:  The Panthers lost for just the second time in nine weeks, falling on the road to the New York Giants, 34-28 in overtime.  Carolina could have won the game in regulation, but John Kasay’s 50-yard field-goal attempt just missed in the waning seconds.  The Panthers can clinch the NFC South and the No. 2 seed with a win next week at New Orleans.
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8)  ATLANTA:  WOW….coming off a 4-12 season, the Atlanta Falcons moved to a surprising 10-5 on the year, and in the process, clinched a post-season berth.  Matt Ryan continued his remarkable play and the Falcon defense held Adrian Peterson, the NFL’s leading rusher, to 76 yards on 22 bruising carries.
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9)  TAMPA BAY:  The Buccaneers lost their first home game of the year, falling to the streaking San Diego Chargers, 41-24.  Tampa Bay simply couldn’t stop Philip Rivers, the NFL’s highest-rated passer, who threw for 287 yards and four touchdowns.
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10)  MIAMI:  With a game-time temperature of 10 degrees with a wind chill of minus-12, the Miami Dolphins came from behind to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 38-31 at Arrowhead Stadium.  It was the first time in NFL history that a team won 10 games after winning only one the previous season.  A win this Sunday over the New York Jets clinches the AFC East title.
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just missed:  San Diego, New Orleans and Dallas

This NFL Top 10 will be based on a bettor’s perspective, rating teams not on their record, but their current strength.

1)  PITTSBURGH: With the Giants losing to Dallas, we’ve got a new Top 10 leader in the Pittsburgh Steelers who notched a tough 13-9 road win at Baltimore.  In the battle of the NFL’s two best defenses, it was the Steelers who did not permit a touchdown in earning their first win in Baltimore since 2002.  Pittsburgh has now gone 14 straight games without allowing 300 yards, tying the Los Angeles Rams for the longest streak to start a season since 1970.

2)  NEW YORK GIANTS:  In a must-win situation, the Dallas Cowboys kept their hopes for a post season berth alive with a dramatic 20-8 win over the New York Giants.  It was New York’s second straight loss but those defeats will be quickly forgotten should they beat visiting Carolina next week and lock up the top seed in the NFC playoffs.  Dallas linebacker DeMarcus Ware led a defense that harrassed Eli Manning into a 18 of 34 day for just 191 yards and two interceptions with eight sacks.  Ware had three of the sacks, upping his NFL-leading total to 19.

3)  TENNESSEE:  Possibly looking ahead to this week’s showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game that will likely determine home field advantage in the AFC playoffs, the Titans fell to a resurgent Houston team, 13-12.  Tennessee simply couldn’t slow the Andre Johnson/Matt Schaub connection as Johnson had a career-high 207 yards on 11 catches and Schaub went 23 of 39 for 284 yards and a score.  Additionally, the Texans held the Titans to just 100 yards rushing on the day.

4)  BALTIMORE:  In a classic defensive struggle, the Ravens fell at home to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday 13-9, as Ben Rothlisberger connected with Santonio Holmes on a 4-yard scoring pass with just 43 seconds left in the game.  Baltimore’s defense did it’s part, limiting Pittsburgh to just 219 total yards before the Steelers went on their game-winning 92 yard drive.  But the Ravens’ offense struggled all day long, especially rookie quarterback Joe Flacco who was 11 of 28 for 115 yards and 2 interceptions.

5)  CAROLINA:  The Panthers rolled over the visiting Denver Broncos, 30-10, improving their home record to a perfect 8-0 and clinching at least a tie for the NFC South title.  The Carolina defense totally shut down the Broncos second-ranked offense, allowing just 15 first downs and only 279 total yards.  And on offense, wide receiver Steve Smith burned a Denver secondary playing without starters Champ Bailey and Marlon McCree, snagging 9 passes for 165 yards and a score.

6)  NEW ENGLAND:  The Patriots crushed the Oakland Raiders 49-26, keeping them in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC East with Miami and New York.  Matt Cassel, who’s father passed away on December 8th, threw for a career-high four touchdowns, two going to Randy Moss who was playing against Oakland for the first time being traded to New England last season.

7)  TAMPA BAY:  The Buccaneers fell at Atlanta 13-10, the first time this year they’ve had back-to-back losses.  Three factors contributed to the loss….1) a failure to stop Falcon running back Michael Turner who rushed for 152 yards, 2) they committed 11 penalties for 76 yards and 3) quarterback Jeff Garccia was sidelined with a calf injury.

8)  INDIANAPOLIS:  Two minutes into the 4th quarter and the Indianapolis Colts were in a 21-21 tie with the winless Detroit Lions.  Then Peyton Manning led the hosts on 11 and 7 play scoring drives to give Indy their 7th straight win and a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a win next week over Jacksonville.

9)  ATLANTA:  Atlanta defeated Tampa Bay 13-10, guaranteeing their first winning season since 2004.  On offense the Falcons were led by running back Michael Turner who had 32 carries for 152 yards and a touchdown.  It was Turner’s seventh 100-yard rushing game of the season.  And the defense was led by end John Abraham who had his third three-sack game of the year, giving him 15 1/2 overall.

10)  PHILADELPHIA:  The Eagles posted their third straight strong performance, slamming the Cleveland Browns on Monday night 30-10.  After impressive wins over Arizona and the New York Giants, Philadelphia rolled over the Browns as Donovan McNabb continued his hot play, throwing for 290 yards and two touchdowns.  Over the last three games McNabb has completed 72 of 104 passes for 741 yards , 7 scores and just one interception.

just missed:  Dallas and Minnesota

This NFL Top 10 will be based on a bettor’s perspective, rating teams not on their record, but their current strength.

1)  NEW YORK GIANTS:  The Giants’ seven-game win streak ended Sunday as the visiting Philadelphia Eagles surprised them 20-14.  On the day, New York had just 211 total yards.  The silver lining….the Giants clinched the NFC East title just a few hours later when the Dallas Cowboys fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

2)  PITTSBURGH:  Down 13-3 to the Dallas Cowboys in the 4th quarter….no problem for the Steelers who reeled off straight 17 points, the last seven coming on  Deshea Townsend’s interception return for a touchdown, as they won 20-13.  Next up, Sunday’s HUGE game at Baltimore where a win clinches the AFC North title for the Steelers.

3)  TENNESSEE:  The Titans won for the 15th time in 16 games, pounding Cleveland 28-9 as they won the AFC South title for the first time since 2002.  Everything clicked as Kerry Collins threw for two touchdowns, Chris Johnson ran for 136 yards and a score, LenDale White added 99 yards rushing and the Titan “D” limited the Browns to 12 first downs and only 178 total yards.

4)  BALTIMORE:  On a day when the Raven offense was limited to just 12 first downs and 281 total yards, the fierce Baltimore defense took command once again in a 24-10 win over Washington.  Ed Reed was the star as he had two interceptions and returned a fumble 22-yards for a score.  The last time these two teams played, back in 2004, Reed returned a fumble for a score, made six tackles and had a sack!  It was Baltimore’s seventh win in eight games and next Sunday can tie for the AFC North lead with a win over visting Pittsburgh.

5)  TAMPA BAY:  Tampa Bay dropped out of a tie in the NFC South when they fell on the road to Carolina 38-23.  Despite being sacked five times and harrassed throughout the game, Jeff Garcia threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns but the Buccaneer’s 4th ranked defense allowed the Panthers 464 total yards.

6)  CAROLINA:  Behind a powerful ground game, the Panthers beat Carolina 38-23 and took the lead in the NFC South.  DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart rushed for a combined for 301 yards and four touchdowns vs a Buccaneer defense that had surrendered just one rushing touchdown on the year!

7)  NEW ENGLAND:  The Patriots, down 21-13 in the 4th quarter, road Matt Cassel’s arm to a 24-21 road win over Seattle, pushing New England into a 3-way tie for first place in the AFC East with the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins.  Cassel rebounded from last week’s poor performance vs Pittsburgh by going 26 of 44 for 268 yards and a score.

8)  INDIANAPOLIS:  The Colts moved to 9-4 on the year with a 35-3 dismantling of the hapless Cincinnati Bengals.  After failing to score an offensive touchdown last week at Cleveland, Indianapolis had three touchdown drives of 69 yards or longer.

9)  ATLANTA:  The Falcons held Drew Brees to just 240 yards passing but allowed the Saints to rush for 184 yards in a critical 29-25 loss at New Orleans.  But don’t blame rookie quarterback Matt Ryan or wide receiver Roddy White.  Ryan completed 24 of 33 passes for 315 yards and White had 10 catches for a career-high 164 yards and one touchdown.

10)  PHILADELPHIA:  The Eagles once again enter the Top 10 following their impressive 20-14 road win over the New York Giants.  The Eagle defense limited New York’s league-leading ground game to just 88 yards and Brian Westbrook had a magnificent day, going for 131 yards rushing on a season-high 33 carrries and catching six passes for 88 yards.

just missed:  Dallas, Minnesota

This NFL Top 10 will be based on a bettor’s perspective, rating teams not on their record, but their current strength.

1)  NEW YORK GIANTS:  The dominating wins continue to pile up for the defending Super Bowl champs.  The latest, a 23-7 road romp over the Washington Redskins.  Seven straight wins AND covers, the last six coming vs Pittsburgh, Dallas, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Arizona and Washington, by an average score of 30-17.  This week’s highlights:  Eli Manning produces his first 300-yard passing day of the year, Brandon Jacobs returns after missing a game and goes for 71 yards on 21 carries and, last by not least, New York’s defense limits Clinton Portis to a season-low 22 yards on 11 carries!

2)  PITTSBURGH:  The Steelers move up to the number two spot in this week’s Top 10 following an impressive 33-10 road win at New England.  Pittsburgh’s top ranked defense, which hasn’t allowed more than 290 yards in any game this year, limited the high-powered Patriots to just 81 yards in the second half and just 267 on the day.

3)  TENNESSEE:  Any concerns the Titans would fade after dropping a 34-13 contest to the New York Jets were put completely to rest as they rebounded nicely by feasting of the Detroit Lions 47-10 on Thanksgiving Day.  Chris Johnson and LenDale White both topped 100 yards rushing on the afternoon and each scored a pair of touchdowns in the first half.

4)  TAMPA BAY:  With a critical Monday night showdown with Carolina looming next week, the Buccaneers edged a hot New Orlean’s team 23-20.  Tampa Bay only sacked Drew Brees once, but continually put pressure on him, and that resulted in three interceptions on the day.

5)  BALTIMORE:  The Ravens won for the sixth time in seven outings, pounding the Cincinnati Bengals 34-3.  The win kept Baltimore just one back of Pittsburgh in the AFC North.  Rookie quarterback Joe Flacco  continued his exceptional play, going 19 fo 29 for 280 yards and two touchdowns.  Over the last seven games, Flacco has 11 td passes vs just two interceptions.  And on defense, the Ravens limited the Bengals to just 6 downs and 155 total yards!

6)  DALLAS:  The Cowboys jumped out to a 24-3 second quarter lead and coasted to a 34-9 win over Seattle on Thanksgiving Day.  Dallas made life miserable for Matt Hasselbeck, sacking the Seahawk signal caller seven times — three by Marcus Ware, giving him an NFL-best 15.  It was the Cowboys’ third straight win, moving them into strong position for a wild card berth.

7)  CAROLINA:  The Panthers were out first downed (25-15), out gained (438-300) and out clocked (38-22) but still won at Green Bay 35-31.  The difference was special teams play as Carolina had 163 return yards on the day, with 42, 45 and 51 yard kick off returns setting up three touchdowns.  Huge game next week for Panthers (9-3) as Tampa Bay (9-3) comes to Charlotte for a Monday night NFC South showdown.

8)  ATLANTA:  The Falcons move into the Top 10 for the first time this year after posting a 22-16 road win at San Diego.  Atlanta has been a force at home, going 5-1 both SU and ATS, and now with this win, they evened their road record at 3-3.  Michael Turner, who left San Diego as an unrestricted free agent last year, ran for 120 yards in 30 carries and the Falcon “D” limited LaDainian Tomlinson to 24 yards in 14 carries, the second lowest total in his stellar 8-year career.  The margin of victory would have be much greater were it not for three Atlanta fumbles, which led to all of San Diego’s points.

9)  NEW ENGLAND:  The Patriots entered last week’s clash with Pittsburgh having topped 500 yards of total offense in consecutive contests.  Not this week as the NFL’s top defense sacked Matt Cassel 5 times and held New England to 267 total yards on the day.  The loss kept the Patriots from moving into a tie in the AFC East with the New York Jets.

10)  INDIANAPOLIS:  How’s this for a change of pace.  The Colts win a game not win their offense, but with defense!  With Peyton Manning throwing for just 125 yards, a season low and only the 10th time in 172 career starts he’s been held to less than 150 yards, Indy relied on a defense that held the Cleveland Browns to just 3 field goals and only 193 yards of offense.

just missed:  New York Jets, Washington, Philadelphia and Minnesota

This NFL Top 10 will be based on a bettor’s perspective, rating teams not on their record, but their current strength.

1)  NEW YORK GIANTS:  The Giants dominating run continued Sunday as they got an easy 37-29 road win at Arizona, breaking the Cardinals seven-game home winning streak.  Playing on the same field that he won the Super Bowl MVP trophy, Eli Manning was razor sharp, going 26 of 33 for 240 yards and 3 touchdowns.

2)  TAMPA BAY:  Even an early 17-0 deficit couldn’t keep the Buccaneers from winning their 3rd straight game, as they came back to crush Detroit 38-20.  The win moved Tampa Bay into a tie with Carolina in the NFC South at 8-3.

3)  PITTSBURGH:  The Steelers slammed visiting Cincinnati last Thursday night 27-10.  Despite a game time temperature of 32 degrees with high winds and swirling snow, Ben Roethlisberger played flawlessly, going 17 of 30 for 243 yards, running and throwing for a score.  And the NFL’s top ranked defense limited the Bengals to 11 first downs and just 208 total yards.  The win allowed Pittsburgh to remain one game up on Baltimore in the tight AFC North

4)  TENNESSEE:  The Titans, just the 11th team since 1970 to open the season with 10 straight victories, fell to the New York Jets last week.  And the margin would have been even larger were it not for yet another strong performance from Kerry Collins who completed 21 of 39 passes for 243 yards and a score.  And his numbers would have been even better had not his receivers dropped 6 passes.

5) BALTIMORE:  The Ravens topped visiting Philadelphia 36-7, keeping them just one game back of Pittsburgh in the AFC South.  Ed Reed led the dominate Raven “D”, intercepting two passes, returning one of those for an NFL-record 108 yards.  The Eagles only score came on a 100-yard kickoff return by rookie Quintin Demps.

6)  DALLAS:  Most of the headlines in Dallas this week heralded the “return” of Terrell Owens.  Newsflash….T.O. has always been around.  It’s the return of Tony Romo that’s the difference between Cowboy wins and losses.  The All-Pro signal caller was outstanding in a 35-22 win over San Francisco, going 23 of 39 for 341 yards and 3 touchdowns!  Look for Romo to have another huge game this week as he goes up against a porous Seattle secondary.

7)  NEW ENGLAND:  Quick, name the only quarterback in the NFL who NEVER started a college game.  That’s right….Matt Cassel who’s now had back-to-back 400 yard passing days for the Patriots.  He also threw for three scores, all to Randy Moss, as New England paid back the Miami Dolphins for an earlier loss in September.  The Patriots have now topped 500 total yards in consecutive weeks.

8)  NEW YORK JETS:  The Jets moved into the Top 10 this week following their impressive win over previously unbeaten Tennessee.  New York has now won five straight games for the first time since October 2004, keeping them atop the AFC East.  It was just the 3rd time in NFL history featuring two starting quarterbacks (Favre and Collins) with more than 100,000 combined yards passing!

9)  CAROLINA:  Jake Delhomme went 21 of 35 for 295 yards, helping the Panthers roll up 22 first downs and 408 yard of offense but it wasn’t enough as Atlanta’s Michael Turner blasted his way for four touchdowns, picking up 117 yards on 24 bruising carries in a 45-28 Falcon win.

10)  WASHINGTON:  Led by Clinton Portis’ 143 yards rushing and another strong performance by a Redskin stop unit that held Seattle to 13 first downs and just 228 total yards, Washington captured a 20-17 road win.  That ended a 2-game losing steak for the Redskins who host the New York Giants this Sunday.

just missed:  Arizona, Atlanta

This NFL Top 10 will be based on a bettor’s perspective, rating teams not on their record, but their current strength.

1)  NEW YORK GIANTS:   WOW….what a run for the defending Super Bowl champs!  Over the past 4 weeks the Giants have defeated Pittsburgh, Dallas, Philadelphia and Baltimore by a combined score of 122-69, outgaining that powerful foursome 1,455-1,007, out first downing them, 85-58 and out-clocking them by better than 9 minutes a game!

2)  TENNESSEE:  Trailing Jacksonville 14-3 at the half, Tennessee’s undefeated 9-0 start was in jeopardy.  But once again, unsung hero Kerry Collins stepped up and led the Titans to a 24-14 win.  Collins threw three touchdown passes, two coming as he directed consecutive scoring drives to open the second half.  And the Tennessee defense, still without DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, totally shutdown the Jaguars in the second half as Albert Haynesworth had 7 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble on the day.

3)  TAMPA BAY:  The Buccaneers topped 100 yards rushing vs the rugged Minnesota defense and Jeff Garcia threw for 255 yards as Tampa Bay defeated the Vikings 19-13.  Minnesota’s running back Adrian Peterson, who entered this contest having rushed for over 100 yards in four straight games, was limited to 85 yards on 19 carries.

4)  CAROLINA:  After getting key wins the past three weeks vs Tampa Bay, New Orleans and Arizona, the Panthers took the hapless Detroit Lions lightly and had to hold on for a 31-22 win on Sunday.  Jake Delhomme pretty much had the day off (10 of 19 for 98 yards and one touchdown) as Carolina’s ground game dominated.  Johathan Steward slammed his way for a career-high 130 yards and DeAngelo Williams added 120 as the Panthers rushed for a team-record 264 yards, averaging 8.3 ypc!  Next up for Carolina…a key matchup with the Atlanta Falcons.

5)  PITTSBURGH:  If there’s a tougher quarterback in the NFL than Brett Favre, it would have to be Ben Roethlisberger.  The Steeler signal caller, playing despite a painful separated shoulder, went 31 of 41 for 308 yards on the day, helping to make up for a ridiculous 13 Pittsburgh penalties, resulting in 115 yards.  And the Steeler overland game, averaging just 70 ypg the last three contests, got a huge lift as Willie Parker, sidelined with knee and shoulder injuries, returned and sliced his way for 115 yards on 25 carries.

6)  BALTIMORE:  The Ravens became yet another tough football team to fall to the seemingly invincible New York Giants, losing 30-10 on the road last week.  The fierce Baltimore defense, led by Ray Lewis, had allowed just 65 yards rushing per game on the year.  But New York ground game piled up 207 yards on a stop unit that hadn’t surrendered more than 76 yards all season long.

7)  DALLAS:  Tony Romo is back and so are the Cowboys.  The Dallas signal caller overcame a pair of first half interceptions to lead his team to a critical 14-10 win over Washington.  The victory pushes the Cowboys to 6-4 on the year, putting them one game behind  Tampa Bay and tying them with Washington in the race for a wild card spot.

8)  WASHINGTON:  With offensive catalysist Clinton Portis slowed by a sprained knee and Jason Campbell getting pressured all game long (sacked 3 times), the Redskins fell to the Dallas Cowboys and Tony Romo in a defensive struggle, 14-10.

9)  GREEN BAY:  The Packers reenter the Top 10 rankings after crushing the Chicago Bears 37-3, moving into a 3-way tie for first in the NFC North Division with Minnesota and Chicago..  The Pack was in total control, grinding out 24-9 edge in first downs and outgaining the Bears 427-234.  Ryan Grant blasted his way to a season-high 145 yards on 25 bruising carries and Aaron Rodgers went 23 of 30 for 227 yards.  A big Monday night clash with New Orleans is next.

10)  ARIZONA:  The Cardinals join Green Bay as new members of the Top 10 following their dominating 26-20 road win over the Seattle Seahawks.  Even the return of Seahawk quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, out the last six weeks with a bulging disc, couldn’t stop Arizona from moving to 7-3 on the year, their best start since 1977.  Arizona led 26-7 in the 4th quarter before Seattle made a belated run.  Kurt Warner, who has to get some votes as this year’s MVP, dissected the Seahawk secondary, completing 19 of his first 21 throws and ended the day 32 of 44 for 395 yards and a score….his franchise-record 4th straight 300-yard game!

just missed:  Indianapolis, New York Jets, New England, Philadelphia

This NFL Top 10 will be based on a bettor’s perspective, rating teams not on their record, but their current strength.

1)  NEW YORK GIANTS:   The Giant’s dynamic performance at Philadelphia Sunday night allows them to leapfrog the Tennessee Titans in this week’s NFL Top 10.  New York held the ball for an incredible 39 minutes, rolling up big edges in first downs (26-17) and total yards (401-300) in a 36-31 shootout.

2)  TENNESSEE:  The Titans, 3rd in the NFL in rushing, were limited to just 20 yards on the ground by the Chicago Bears, yet still won in the Windy City on Sunday 21-14 as Kerry Collins sliced and diced the Bear’s secondary, going 30 of 41 for a season-high 289 yards and two scores!  And as usual, Tennessee’s dominating defense came up big, limiting the hosts to just 243 total yards on the day.

3)  TAMPA BAY:  bye

4)  BALTIMORE:  The suddenly offensively potent Ravens won their 4th straight Sunday, dismantling Houston 41-13 on the road.  The Ravens have scored at least 27 points in all four victories, guided by rookie Joe Flacco who kept his composure despite being under constant pressure all day long.  On the afternoon, Flacco, went 15 of 23 for 185 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.  Over the last four games he’s 61 of 99 with six touchdown passes and NO interceptions!

5)  PHILADELPHIA:  The Eagles fell to the Giants 36-31 in their key Sunday night showdown.  The difference in the game:  New York’s Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward combined for 179 yards rushing on 39 carries while Philadelphia’s offensive catalyst, Brian Westbrook was held to 26 yards on 13 carries.

6)  WASHINGTON:  bye

7)  CAROLINA:  Jake Delhomme suffered through his worst game ever as a professional, going a miserable 7 of 27 for just 72 yards with FOUR interceptions in a sloppy 17-6 road win!  Fortunately for the Panthers, they were playing the hapless Oakland Raiders who failed for the second game in a row to score a touchdown.  Oakland has just nine touchdowns on the year and none in it’s last 135:36 of game action!

8)  PITTSBURGH:  The Indianapolis Colts turned turned a pair of Steeler turnovers into 14 points in route to a 24-20 win at Pittsburgh.  Ben Roethlisberger, playing despite a separated shoulder that kept him from practicing until Friday, had three interceptions on the day.

9)  DALLAS:  bye

10)  NEW ENGLAND:  The Patriots are back in the Top 10 following their impressive 20-10 dismantling of the Buffalo Bills.  Matt Cassel had his day ever as a pro, going 23 of 34 for 234 yards and a score.  Fourth-string unning back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, starting due to injuries to Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan, ran for a carrer-high 105 yards.  And the New England defense, limited the Bills to just 10 first downs and 168 total yards.  Over the last 4 games Bill Belichick’s club has surrendered just 51 points.  Next up….a Thursday night showdown with the New York Jets!

just missed:  Arizona, Indy, New York Jets

This NFL Top 10 will be based on a bettor’s perspective, rating teams not on their record, but their current strength.

1)  TENNESSEE:   The NFL’s only unbeaten team slipped by Green Bay 19-16, winning with their standard formula….defense and error-free play by quarterback Kerry Collins.  The Titans’ powerful defense limited the Pack to just one touchdown and has allowed just 103 points on the year.  And Collins once again played within his limits, going 18 of 37 for 180 yards AND NO INTERCEPTIONS.

2)  NEW YORK GIANTS:  The streaking Giants totally dismantled the visiting Dallas Cowboys 35-14, opening up a three-game lead over the defending NFC East champs.  With Tony Romo still sidelined, New York picked off three passes, all leading to touchdowns.  On the day, the Giants out first downed the Cowboys 23-11 and outgained them 319-183.

3)  PHILADELPHIA:  The Eagles remained just two games back of the Giants in the NFC East race with an impressive 26-7 road win over Seattle.  Seneca Wallace connected with Koren Robinson for a team-record 90-yard touchdown pass on the game’s first play from scrimmage.  From that point on the Eagles completely shut down the Seattle offense, limiting them to  just 143 yards over their final 54 plays!  It’s showdown time next Sunday night as Philadelphia plays host to the Giants.

4)  PITTSBURGH:  In a gutsy Monday night performance, the Steelers took down the streaking Washinton Redskins 23-6 in the nation’s capitol.  Ben Roethlisberger reinjured his right shoulder as he scored on a 1-yard sneak with under a minute to go in the second quarter, giving Pittsburgh a 10-6 halftime lead.  Then backup Byron Leftwich led the Steelers on a pair of 2nd half touchdown drives.

5)  TAMPA BAY:  Even with numerous starters sidelined for the game and a huge 4-0 turnover deficit, the Buccaneers recovered from a late second quarter 24-3 deficit to defeat Kansas City 30-27 in overtime.  Jeff Garcia, who has provided a tremendous boost to Tampa following Brian Griese’s injury, was 31 of 43 for 339 yards and a score.

6)  WASHINGTON:  The Redskins fell on Monday night to the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers 23-6.  Pittsburgh’s top rated defense had seven sacks, became the first team to intercept Jason Campbell this year and halted Clinton Portis’ 5-game steak of 120+ rushing yards, limiting him to just 51.  The setback dropped the Skins 1 1/2 games back of the New York Giants in the NFC East.

7)  CAROLINA:  bye

8)  ARIZONA:  The Cardinals put a 34-13 hurt on the St. Louis Rams Sunday as Kurt Warner went 22 of 33 for 343 yards and two scores.  Warner, who led the Rams to Super Bowl appearances in 2000 and 2002 and won two NFL Most Valuable Player Awards with them, ran off the field to cheers after the game.  The win pushed Arizona to 5-3, giving them a commanding 3-game lead over Seattle, San Francisco and St. Louis in the NFC West.

9)  BALTIMORE:  Off their 37-27 road win at Cleveland, the Ravens reenter the Top 10 at #9.  Baltimore scored 24 unanswered points in the final 16 minutes to move to 5-3, just one game back of the Steelers in the AFC North race.  Rookie Joe Flacco had his best day as a pro, throwing for 248 yards and two touchdowns and completing 17 of 29 passes.  Another first-year player, running back Ray Rice out of Rutgers, had 154 yards on 21 carries.

10)  DALLAS:  The Cowboys fell on the road to the New York Giants 35-14, their 3rd loss in 4 games.   Dallas again struggled without the presence quarterback Tony Romo, with his replacements going a combined 14 of 27 for 102 yards and three interceptions.  The Cowboys draw a welcome bye this week and expect Romo to return the following week vs Washington.

just missed:  New Orleans, New England

This NFL Top 10 will be based on a bettor’s perspective, rating teams not on their record, but their current strength.

1)  TENNESSEE:  The Titans validated their Top 10 ranking with a 31-21 win over Indianapolis on Monday night.  Titan quarterback Kerry Collins once again did what a signal caller playing with a team that owns a solid running game and a stingy defense should do….simply not make any mistakes, going 24 of 37 for 193 yards AND NO INTERCEPTIONS.

2)  NEW YORK GIANTS:  In a classic defensive struggle, the defending Super Bowl champs outscored the injury-ridden but game Pittsburgh Steelers 12-0 in the 4th quarter, retaining their slim lead over the Washington Redskins in the NFC East.

3)  PHILADELPHIA:  Talk about a difference maker….Philadelphia welcomes back a healthy Brian Westbrook and suddenly the Eagle attack once again becomes explosive!  Philly’s true offensive catalyst ignited an offense that piled up 24 first downs and 432 total yards in a 27-14 win over Atlanta.  On the day Westbrook caught 6 passes for 42 yards and rushed for a season-high 167 yards and two scores.

4)  DALLAS:  Playing without All-Pro quarterback Tony Romo for the second straight week, the Cowboys gutted out a 13-9 win over the rugged Tampa Bay Buccaneers, breaking a 2-game losing streak.  Dallas had only 172 total yards vs Tampa’s stubborn “D”, their fewest ever in a victory!

5)  WASHINGTON:  The Redskins won for the 5th time in 6 games, rolling over the hapless Detroit Lions 25-17.  Quarterback Jason Campbell went 23 of 28 for a season-high 328 yards and a touchdown and has yet to throw an interception on the year!  Clinton Portis, who enter the contest as the NFL’s leading rusher (117 yrpg) ran for 126 yards and became just the second back to rush for 120 yards in five straight games on two occasions, joining O.J. Simpson.

6)  PITTSBURGH:  The Steelers, devastated by injuries, fell in a dramatic defensive struggle to the New York Giants, 21-14.  Ben Roethlisberger was sacked five times as the aggressive New York pass rush rush capitalized on the absence of offensive left tackle Marvel Smith and left guard Kendall Simmons.

7)  TAMPA BAY:  The Buccaneers had a great shot of getting the road upset at Dallas Sunday but numerous red zone failures ended their hopes in a 13-9 setback.  With a chance to put the “Romo-less” Cowboys in a big hole, Tampa Bay twice had to settle for short field goals in the first quarter.  Then, Jeff Garcia, who was a solid 28 of 44 for 228 yards on the day, got picked off on the Dallas 18 with just seconds left in the game.

8)  NEW ENGLAND:  The Patriots moved back into their accustomed first place position in the AFC East as they rallied for a 23-16 win over visiting St. Louis on Sunday.  With starter Laurence Maroney out for the season and his two top backups, Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan, also sidelined, New England turned to veteran Kevin Faulk who make a great catch barely inbounds for the winning score with just three minutes left in the game.

9)  CAROLINA:  Jake Delhomme threw for 248 yards and two scores to lead the Panther’s to a 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals, pusing their record as a host to 5-0.  Carolina needed all they could get from their signal caller as Kurt Warner also had a huge day, going 35 of 49 for 381 yards and two touchdowns.

10)  BUFFALO:  The Bills couldn’t overcome 4 fourth quarter turnovers Sunday and lost to the Miami Dolphins 25-16, falling into a first place tie in the AFC East with the New England Patriots.  Buffalo blew a 9-point lead with 10 minutes left in the game as the secondary simply couldn’t cover Miami wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. who pulled in 7 passes for a career-high 175 yards.

just missed:  Arizona, Green Bay, New Orleans and Baltimore