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DECK UPSET OF
THE WEEK Rare air for NFC
The NFC has long been stereotyped as the power conference and the AFC the finesse conference. That goes back to the 1960s, when the AFL was a bombs-away league and the NFL was dominated by the rushing attacks of the Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers. Times have changed. There have been 39 100-yard receiving games this season, and 28 have been turned in by NFC receivers. There have been 18 300-yard passing games, and 13 have been turned in by NFC quarterbacks. New Orleans QB Drew Brees has more 300-yard passing games (three) than the AFC East, North and South combined (two).
Hurting up front
Pittsburgh's long-time offensive line coach Russ Grimm left for Arizona in 2007, and Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca left for the Jets in free agency in 2008. The Steelers miss them both - badly. QB Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 15 times in September, with a pair of five-sack games at home, and Pittsburgh's top two running backs - Willie Parker (knee) and Rashard Mendenhall (shoulder) - have been knocked from the lineup with injuries. If you can't block, your stars get beaten up.
Pats in a tough state
In 1985, the wild-card New England Patriots upset the Los Angeles Raiders in the AFC playoffs on their way to a Super Bowl. But the Patriots have won in California only three times in 12 visits since then. The Patriots traveled to California twice in the same season only once since then - 2002, when the Patriots lost to both the Chargers and Raiders. New England has three games in California in 2008 but is going to make only two cross-country trips. The Patriots visit San Francisco on Sunday, then will stay in San Jose all week before a game next Sunday in San Diego.
The Patriots will play a third game in California on Dec. 14 when they visit Oakland.
Under Mike Shanahan, Denver has carved out the best home record in the NFL at 79-45 during the last 14 seasons. Shanahan's coaching and that mile-high altitude make the Broncos a formidable foe for any visitor. But Shanahan was always able to mix in a little defense with his offensive expertise. Not so this season. The Broncos are dreadful on defense - only two teams have allowed more yards, and only one has allowed more points. Denver needs to generate points in bunches to win, but the 3-1 Bucs have the defense to slow down even the best offenses. Tampa Bay is a three-point underdog. Go with the Bucs.
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(c) 2008, The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Mclatchy-Tribune News Service.
