NFL WEEK 9 CAPSULES

SUNDAY’S GAMES

Kansas City (1-6) at Jacksonville (3-4)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Jaguars -6½ Total: 42
Weather: Low 80s
Facts: For the second straight season, the Jaguars lost to a winless team near midseason. Last week it was a 30-13 defeat at the hands of 0-6 Tennessee. In 2008, it was a 21-19 loss to 0-8 Cincinnati. ... Don’t expect an air show: Jacksonville’s David Garrard and KC.’s Matt Cassel have completed only one pass apiece of 40-plus yards this season.
Analysis: K.C. might be reduced to playing a third-string free safety, so the play-action fakes of Garrard to Maurice Jones-Drew, who has a league-best 10 rushing TDs, should be especially effective.
Forecast: Jaguars 21, Chiefs 9

Baltimore (4-3) at Cincinnati (5-2)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Raves -3 Total: 43½
TV: None RADIO: KWWN-AM (1000)
Weather: High 60s
Facts: Cedric Benson’s 37 rushes (189 yards) for Cincinnati against Chicago two weeks ago was one off his career high. ... The Ravens knocked off unbeaten Denver 30-7 last week. ... The Bengals can take a choke hold on the AFC North with victories Sunday and next week against Pittsburgh. After that, Cincinnati faces Oakland, Cleveland and Detroit.
Analysis: Baltimore’s defense has dropped the ball. In 2008, the Ravens turned the ball over to the offense 25 times in enemy territory. Over the past four games this year, that total is one. That’s a reason the Bengals held Baltimore to one offensive TD in their past meeting.
Forecast: Bengals 24, Ravens 20

Houston (5-3) at Indianapolis (7-0)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Colts -9 Total: 48
TV: CBS (Channel 8)
Weather: High 60s
Facts: The only other time Houston was two games over .500 was in 2007 (2-0). Then came a date with Indianapolis, with the Colts winning 30-24. ... Texans RB Steve Slaton was benched after his seventh fumble of the season last week at Buffalo. But big deal. In 1964, KC QB Len Dawson fumbled seven times in one game and kept his job. ... Slaton is expected to share time with Ryan Moats, who had three TDs vs. the Bills. ... Houston will be without TE Owen Daniels (knee); Indianapolis is missing SS Bob Sanders (biceps,) CB Marlin Jackson (knee) and LB Tyjuan Hagler (biceps).
Analysis: Over the past five games, Houston is giving up only 260 yards a game, which would put them atop the charts if its first three games were thrown out. But the Texans haven’t faced a QB ranked in the top 12 yet. Peyton Manning is No. 2.
Forecast: Colts 35, Texans 21

Washington (2-5) at Atlanta (4-3)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Falcons -10 Total: 42½
Facts: For the third time in four weeks, the Falcons are facing a team coming off a bye. And they’ll be doing it on short rest after their 35-27 Monday night loss at New Orleans. In the past eight years, however, such short-rested teams are 7-1 against the line . ... At this time last year, Redskins RB Clinton Portis was running away with the rushing lead with 944 yards. This year, Washington’s whole team has 654. ... Atlanta yielded four 80-yard TD drives by the Saints on Monday.
Analysis: QB Matt Ryan and the Falcons, somewhat demoralized after blowing their chance in New Orleans, must be getting tired of getting smacked in the face by fresh troops, including two weeks ago against Dallas. But they should have enough to win.
Forecast: Falcons 17, Redskins 14

Green Bay (4-3) at Tampa Bay (0-7)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Packers -9½ Total: 43½
Weather: Mid-80s
Facts: Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman will be the third rookie QB to start this season. ... Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers (probable, toe/foot), the league’s leading passer, has thrown for eight TDs on third down, also best in the NFL. ... Tampa Bay’s Raheem Morris is one of four rookie coaches this year who took over a team coming off a losing record. Those four guys have a combined 3-26 mark. The three first-year bosses with teams that were .500 or better in 2008 are a cumulative 17-5.
Analysis: The Packers, who expect to get their front-line OLTs back, lead the league in facing backup QBs, already having defeated Detroit’s Daunte Culpepper, Cleveland’s Derek Anderson and St. Louis’ Kyle Boller. Now they’ll get to put another skin on the wall.
Forecast: Packers 24, Buccaneers 10

Arizona (4-3) at Chicago (4-3)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Bears -3 Total: 44½
TV: Fox (5)
Weather: Mid-60s
Facts: This is the teams’ first meeting since Denny Green’s bloodcurdling “They are who we thought they were!” rant in 2006. ... Bears WR/KR Devin Hester (questionable, ankle) reportedly was limping in practice. ... The Cards are the only team in the league without a running play of 20-plus yards. They had only five last season and in 2006 went the whole year without one. ... Arizona is 3-0 on the road and 1-3 at home. The greatest regular-season road/home discrepancy occurred in 1961 when the Lions were 6-0-1 away and 2-5 in Tiger Stadium.
Analysis: Last week’s 34-21 loss to Carolina was an aberration, for Arizona isn’t going to have a minus-6 turnover differential again. But what about the Bears? Giving up 25 first downs to Detroit in Week 4 and 30 to Cincinnati in Week 7 indicates defensive decay.
Forecast: Cardinals 31, Bears 20

Miami (3-4) at New England (5-2)
Time: 10 a.m. Line: Patriots -11 Total: 46½
Weather: Low 60s
Facts: New England has outscored its past two foes 94-7, but that isn’t a record two-game margin. In 1924, the fabled Cleveland Bulldogs won back-to-back games by a combined 94-0. ... In last year’s visit to New England, Miami introduced the Wildcat and beat the Patriots 38-13 as a 13½-point underdog. ... Miami foiled the Jets last week despite having only 104 yards of total offense.
Analysis: Tom Brady appears to be putting full trust in his surgically repaired knee, throwing for nine TDs over his past two games. Although Miami did intercept Drew Brees three times two weeks ago, they didn’t get any in two games against the Jets’ Mark Sanchez.
Forecast: Patriots 28, Dolphins 7

Carolina (3-4) at New Orleans (7-0)
Time: 1 p.m. Line: Saints -13½ Total: 51½
Facts: Since coach Sean Payton took over the Saints, they are 1-4 against the line when favored by more than 7 points. ... New Orleans has won the past two weeks despite committing four turnovers in each game. All other league teams with at least four giveaways are 2-20. ... Carolina is 7-0 in Louisiana since 2002. ... The Saints’ top-rated defense, based on passer rating, faces the league’s 31st-rated thrower in Jake Delhomme (probable, chest). He made the leap from 32nd the week before.
Analysis: The Saints have the NFL’s second-oldest roster, so it’s not in their best interest to be playing on short rest against a Panthers team that packs a wallop with its running game, which has generated more than 265 rushing yards twice in the past three weeks.
Forecast: Saints 28, Panthers 24

Detroit (1-6) at Seattle (2-5)
Time: 1 p.m. Line: Seahawks -10 Total: 42½
Weather: Temps in low 50s, 60 percent chance of rain
Facts: The Seahawks were trounced in Week 8 by Dallas 38-17 despite coming off a bye. For whatever reason, teams are 9-17 against the line after Week 7 byes (.345), but 109-73 (.599) after all other rest weeks. ... Go figure: Seattle is the only team in the league with two shutouts, yet is ranked only 14th defensively. ... Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck (probable, ribs) was full go in Thursday’s drills after taking it easy Wednesday. Detroit’s QB Matthew Stafford also is probable (knee).
Analysis: As a rule of thumb, it isn’t wise to pick a team with a 2-5 record that’s a double-digit favorite. Unless, of course, Daunte Culpepper is supposed to play for the other team (and he’s not).
Forecast: Seahawks 20, Lions 17
 
Tennessee (1-6) at San Francisco (3-4)
Time: 1:15 p.m. Line: 49ers -4 Total: 41
Weather: Mid-60s
Facts: Tennessee, which had 305 ground yards in Week 8 against Jacksonville, is led by NFL rushing leader Chris Johnson, who averages 6.9 yards. The best average by a rushing champ since 1934 is Jim Brown’s 6.4 in 1963. ... San Francisco is the only team to allow a 100-yard receiver in each of its past three games. Tennessee, meanwhile, has averaged 88 yards in the air in its past three.
Analysis: QB Vince Young had a successful return last week thanks to the Titans’ robust running game. His warts will show this week against a team that has allowed only one team to rush for 100 in a game all season.
Forecast: 49ers 28, Titans 17

San Diego (4-3) at N.Y. Giants (5-3)
Time: 1:15 p.m. Line: Giants -5 Total: 47
TV: CBS (8) RADIO: KWWN-AM (1000)
Weather: Mid-60s
Facts: The Giants have returned to earth at warp speed after a 5-0 start. The Chargers have won two straight since Denver knocked their tans off in Week 6. ... Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes leads the league in scoring with 74 points, thanks largely to a league-best 17 field goals. ... San Diego WR Vincent Jackson is having a career year with five TDs and a league-best four 100-yard receiving days. ... Over past 11 quarters, New York has given up 15 TDs on 32 enemy possessions. It gave up 31 all last year.
Analysis: San Diego’s skyscraper receivers, led by 6-foot-5-inch Jackson, should be able to find success against a secondary that has been abused the past three weeks by Drew Brees, Kurt Warner and Donovan McNabb. Now QB Philip Rivers takes a stab.
Forecast: Chargers 34, Giants 27

Dallas (5-2) at Philadelphia (5-2)
Time: 5:15 p.m. Line: Eagles -3 Total: 49
TV: NBC (3) RADIO: KWWN-AM (1100)
Weather: Low 60s
Facts: The Eagles have given the Cowboys their most lopsided loss in five of the past eight seasons, including last year’s 44-6 rout in the season finale. ... Dallas QB Tony Romo had his second-worst game of the year in 2008 in that loss in Philadelphia (based on passer rating). But in Week 2 he had his best game in a 41-37 victory over the Eagles (312 yards, three TDs). ... Dallas’ Patrick Crayton has returned a punt for a score in his past two games. ... Two more 50-yard scores for Eagles WR/KR DeSean Jackson and he ties the NFL season record of eight.
Analysis: It appears the light has come on a little earlier than usual for the Eagles, who rebounded with authority last week against the Giants after that inexplicable loss in Oakland. If Philadelphia shuts down WR Miles Austin, the Cowboys’ head dies.
Forecast: Eagles 31, Cowboys 21

MONDAY’S GAME

Pittsburgh (5-2) at Denver (6-1)
Time: 5:30 p.m. Line: Steelers -3 Total: 39
TV: ESPN (30) RADIO: KWWN-AM (1100)
Weather: High 40s
Facts: When these teams last met, on Monday night at midseason in 2007, the Broncos were coming off a 41-3 loss to San Diego and beat Pittsburgh 31-28, as a 3½-point underdog. ... Denver is the only team in the league not to allow a 300-yard passer, a 100-yard receiver or a 100-yard rusher. ... Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger has been sacked at least three times the past four games, but all were Steelers victories.
Analysis: There seems to be a sense of relief from Broncos camp that they’re no longer lugging around the improbable hopes of a perfect season. An energized Broncos crowd should cause communication problems for Pittsburgh’s offensive line and make for a long night for Big Ben.
Forecast: Broncos 27, Steelers 23

Byes: Buffalo, Cleveland, Minnesota, N.Y. Jets, Oakland, St. Louis.

Last week: 8-5 vs. spread; 8-5 straight up
Season record: 58-56-2 vs. spread; 68-48 straight up