SUNDAY (1PM): All Games - PART I

GAME CHART
8-5 (3-3 away)	nyg		@		ATL		11-2 (6-0 home)
avg DEF ppg		20.8		25.9		avg OFF ppg
avg OFF ppg		28.7		19,9		avg DEF ppg
pass DEF rank		27th		4th		pass OFF rank
rush DEF rank		22nd		28th		rush OFF rank
pass OFF rank		9th		16th		pass DEF rank
rush OFF rank		15th		23rd		rush DEF rank
defensive formation		4-3		4-3		defensive formation
S Phillips (OUT) CB Amukamara (OUT) RB Bradshaw (OUT) S Sash (OUT)		key injuries				none
FORECAST
N/A
STAT ALERT
-          ATL has won 11 straight home games; have won 32 of 36 home games with Matt Ryan at QB -          NYG defence tied for 2nd in NFL with 34 takeaways -          ATL has 11 turnovers in past 5 games -          NYG RB Wilson had 100 rush yds, 2 TD & a Kick Return TD in week 14 vs NOW -          ATL defence allowing 4.9 rush yds per carry (2nd worst in NFL)
ANALYST INSIGHT
ATL QB Matt Ryan hasn’t been great in the Georgia Dome this season, but Atlanta’s defense plays a lot better there – V. IYER Price appears cheap to take ATL at home – R. THE HANDLE
FINAL PREDICTION
NYG		SU		vs SPR		NYG (+0.5)
The Giants don’t have the luxury of losing this game. The Falcons have already sewn up the NFC South division crown and are likely a win away from ensuring a first-round playoff bye and home field advantage for the 2012-13 campaign. With the way the Dirty Birds have won of late, sloppiness being their calling card, bet on recent Super Bowl champs NYGs offensive/defensive heavyweights to come through when it counts this Sunday at the Georgia Dome and for ATL to procure their playoff bye on the road vs DET next Saturday night in primetime.

GAME CHART
10-3 (5-2 away)	den		@		BAL		9-4 (5-1 home)
avg DEF ppg		19.8		25.5		avg OFF ppg
avg OFF ppg		28.8		21.0		avg DEF ppg
pass DEF rank		7th		16th		pass OFF rank
rush DEF rank		6th		17th		rush OFF rank
pass OFF rank		6th		23rd		pass DEF rank
rush OFF rank		20th		25th		rush DEF rank
defensive formation		4-3		3-4		defensive formation
none		key injuries				LB McClain (OUT) TE Dickson (DOUB)
FORECAST
Cloudy with a chance of showers
STAT ALERT
-          BAL has won 15 of their past 16 home games -          DEN has won 8 straight games
ANALYST INSIGHT
With more help from RB Ray Rice, BAL QB Joe Flacco will hold up well in his duel with DEN QB Manning—and a big play by BAL S Ed Reed will allow the Ravens to steal this one – V. IYER The Ravens know they’re not as good as the three elite teams in the AFC, and the Broncos are going to demonstrate that on Sunday in Baltimore - M.D. SMITH The Ravens don’t match up well against DEN QB Peyton Manning – M. FLORIO
FINAL PREDICTION
DEN		SU		vs SPR		BAL (+3.5)
Two weeks back, Baltimore chalked up their first loss at M&T Bank Stadium in over two years. As strong as the Ravens home stand was during that stretch, their newly minted loss is likely to extend itself  to two games this weekend when the powerhouse Broncos make a trip to Maryland. BAL simply cannot line up with the talent currently on display by this DEN ball club. The rush attack will be the Ravens only glimpse at a victory in this spot and, seeing as the window is so tight, the AFC North will likely be up for grabs for near all participants by 4PM this coming Sunday.

GAME CHART
9-4 (3-3 away)	gb		@		CHI		8-5 (5-2 home)
avg DEF ppg		21.5		23.7		avg OFF ppg
avg OFF ppg		24.8		16.8		avg DEF ppg
pass DEF rank		17th		27th		pass OFF rank
rush DEF rank		15th		10th		rush OFF rank
pass OFF rank		12th		6th		pass DEF rank
rush OFF rank		18th		12th		rush DEF rank
defensive formation		3-4		4-3		defensive formation
WR Nelson (OUT) DE Wilson (OUT) S Woodson (OUT) RB Starks (OUT)		key injuries				DT Melton (DOUB) LB Urlacher (OUT) CB Jennings (OUT) WR Bennett (OUT) DE McClellin (DOUB)
FORECAST
Cloudy with a chance of showers
STAT ALERT
-          CHI QB Cutler week 2 vs GB: 11-27, 126 pass yds, 1 TD, 4 INT, 28.2 QB rating
ANALYST INSIGHT
GB QB Aaron Rodgers is getting more help from his backfield and has a lot more options in the passing game to methodically move the ball against Chicago’s injury-hampered zone defense – V. IYER If the Bears stick to their strengths of running the ball and playing good defence, they’ll keep this one close – R. THE HANDLE CIH QB Jay Cutler is banged up, the Pack is getting LB Clay Matthews back and the Bears are sliding at the worst possible time – D. BILICKI
FINAL PREDICTION
GB		SU		vs SPR		CHI (+4.0)
There are huge playoff implications surrounding this matchup and that fact will not be lost on the home club Bears. A win in this spot will push CHI into a tie for first place in the NFC North and will assure they are competitive if and when needed for the approaching Wild Card race. Nevertheless, CHI-town’s passing offence remains atrocious and, when squared up against a division opponent coming off a fairly recent Super Bowl victory, take the game-on-the-line experience of GB QB Aaron Rodgers & Co. to get the job done when it counts here.

GAME CHART
7-6 (3-3 away)	was		@		CLE		5-8 (4-3 home)
avg DEF ppg		25.3		19.9		avg OFF ppg
avg OFF ppg		26.4		20.9		avg DEF ppg
pass DEF rank		31st		20th		pass OFF rank
rush DEF rank		7th		24th		rush OFF rank
pass OFF rank		21st		21st		pass DEF rank
rush OFF rank		1st		18th		rush DEF rank
defensive formation		3-4		4-3		defensive formation
none		key injuries				none
FORECAST
Cloudy with a chance of showers
STAT ALERT
-          38% of WAS QB RGIIIs points have come via the rush
ANALYST INSIGHT
I like the Browns to win a close, low-scoring game – M.D. SMITH
FINAL PREDICTION
WAS		SU		vs SPR		WAS (-0.5)
No matter who plays at QB this weekend for WAS, expect the Redskins to win this game outright. CLE has overachieved of late and appears on the verge of a competitive ball club for years to come. Nevertheless, the Browns are still mired in the 2012-13 campaign and, in spite of some strong positional presences throughout their lineup, remain exceptionally susceptible in certain areas particularly passing offence. The run attack of WAS RB Alfred Morris will challenge the mid-pack CLE rush defence all afternoon in this contest. On the other side of the coin, the Skins ability to shut down opposing run offences will push CLE rookie QB Brandon Weeden into bad throwing situations that, regardless of the lacklustre capabilities of the WAS pass defence, no one QB can overcome when fielding such a faulty receiving corp.