This week features four great divisional battles and one surprising Game of the week in my Top 5 for the NFL's Week 10.
The New Orleans Saints travel to the Georgia Dome on Sunday for yet another big game against the Falcons. The NFC South rivals have had some pivotal matchups over the past few years. This one is no exception as the winner is in first place in the division. New Orleans has had a rocky past few weeks (2W over IND & TB, 1L to STL). The Saints will most likely lean heavily on quarterback Drew Brees' arm in this one. Starting runningback Mark Ingram has missed the past two games with a heel injury and is questionable for this one. Backups Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas have only combined for a total of 658 rushing yards on the season. Atlanta ranks fourth in the NFL in rush defense giving up only 87.2 ypg. The Falcons have won three in a row and four of their last five overall, with the only loss being to still undefeated Green Bay. After missing the previous two games with a strained left hamstring, rookie wide receiver Julio Jones broke out for a big game with three catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns last week. He became the first rookie since the 1970 merger to catch touchdown passes of 80+ and 50+ yards in the same game. Prediction: Atlanta 27 New Orleans 24
4. Detroit Lions (6-2) vs. Chicago Bears (5-3) - 4:15 PM EST, FOX
On October 10, the Detroit Lions went to 5-0 on the season following an impressive MNF win over the Chicago Bears 24-13. The Bears have gone 3-0 since, including big wins over Tampa Bay and Philadelphia. Conversely, after the win, the Lions dropped two in a row to San Francisco and Atlanta before blowing out Denver last week. You can almost certainly bank on some big performances from of the teams' offensive stars. Bears runningback Matt Forte ran for 116 yards in the last matchup. The Lions have the 29th ranked rush defense in the league (137.6 ypg). Lions wide receiver Clavin Johnson caught 5 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown. The Bears have the 26th ranked pass defense in the league (264.3 ypg). My x-factor of the game is Lions runningback Jahvid Best. Best has missed the past two games with a concussion, but coming off the bye, he appears to be healthy. He ran all over the Bears in the last matchup. He had 12 carries for 163 yards and a touchdown. Prediction: Lions 24 Bears 16
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) - 1:00 PM EST, CBS
Carson Palmer refused to play and Chad Ochocinco was traded. The Cincinnati Bengals were forced to start a rookie quarterback and were picked to finish last in the AFC North. Halfway through the season, they are 6-2 and tied for the division lead. Their record might be embellished by a cupcake schedule so far, but rookie quarterback Andy Dalton has the Bengals riding their longest winning streak in more than 23 years. This Sunday they face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first of four straight divisional games. The Steelers are coming off a tough loss to the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday night. They played well in the game, but quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw a costly interception when the team was driving and the defense couldn't stop Joe Flacco and the Ravens on their final drive of the game. The Bengals always give the Steelers a tough game, especially at Paul Brown Stadium. Prediction: Steelers 20 Bengals 6
2. New England Patriots (5-3) @ New York Jets (5-3) - 8:20 PM EST, NBC
Just one month ago, the New England Patriots handed their archrival New York Jets their third straight loss. Now, the Jets have a chance to do the same to the Patriots with a win at home on Sunday night. Patriots runningback BenJarvus Green-Ellis was the star of the last matchup. He ran 27 times for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns. However, Green-Ellis has stuggled since, rushing for only a combined 119 yards over the Patriots' last 3 games. Quarterback Tom Brady has been held in check the past two weeks as well. Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis will be matchuped against Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker. This leaves Brady's other favorite target, tight end Ron Gronkowski, as my x-factor for the game. Gronkowski struggled in the previous Jets game, but is coming off three straight games of at least 7 catches and 74 receiving yards. Prediction: Jets 20 Patriots 17
1. New York Giants (6-2) @ San Francisco 49ers (7-1) - 4:15 PM EST, FOX
With all these great divisional games this week, who would have believed this would be the best game of the week at the beginning of the season? The two teams have a combined 13-3 record. First-year coach Jim Harbaugh has the 49ers at 7-1 halfway through the season. The same 49ers team that has finished at or under .500 the past eight seasons. The 49ers haven't looked dominate in most of their wins, but they are one overtime instant replay overturning against Dallas from possibly be undefeated. The Giants are coming off a big come-from-behind win over the Patriots last week. They will be without starting runningback Ahmad Bradshaw (broken bone in his right foot) again this week. The 49ers offense will most likely revolve around one of the best runningbacks in the game right now in Frank Gore. Gore has rushed for over 100 yards in five straight games and has scored four rushing touchdowns over that stretch. Prediction: 49ers 20 Giants 16
Not gonna lie, this is so helpful when I don't have time to keep up with everything! However, Steelers over Bengals 20 to 6?! Have some faith, man!
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