Last week, facing steep odds (7.5), they traveled cross country and wore down the heavily favored San Diego Chargers late with a physical running game and swarming defense.

The Indianapolis Colts road to this point has been far easier. After winning their initial 14 games, they created controversy by resting their starters and bypassing a chance at perfection in their Week 16 game against these very same Jets.

But they bounced back last week and smothered the Baltimore Ravens 20-3 in the Divisional Round.

The wonderful irony of this match-up is the Jets wouldn’t be in this situation had the Colts not given up in their Week 16 game.

Instead, they now find themselves facing this year’s Cinderella team which happens to feature the best running game and defense left in the Playoffs.

Onto the matchup:

When the Jets are on offense, not much is going to change from last week’s approach against the Chargers. They’re going to run the ball 65-70% of the time and try and keep Sanchez in manageable (3rd down) passing situations.

The Colts possess a much fiercer pass rush than the Chargers and New York doesn’t want to get into a situation where Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis can pin their ears back and come after Sanchez.

So look for rookie RB Shonn Grenne, the new star in town, to see a lot of action, and for Thomas Jones to be primarily used in short yardage situations and near the goal line.

The Jets should have success against the smaller Colts defense and once they do, look for Sanchez to locate Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller on quick passes.

In the course of the game, they’ll also take at least two shots down the field and provided they’re having success on the ground, could land one for a long TD.

QB/KR Brad Smith will also get between 3-5 direct snaps and run the Wild Cat. Indianapolis had tremendous issues stopping it vs. the Dolphins in Week 2 and could have similar problems on Sunday.

When the Colts have the ball, their offense, as usual, will run through Peyton Manning.

The Jets feature the league’s No. 8 run defense and the Colts were dead last in that department in 2009.

But the Jets are also No. 1 against the pass, so therein lies the dilemma.

For the Colts to attack this defense, they’re going to need to locate players other than Reggie Wayne. CB Darrelle Revis will be on Wayne’s side of the field and limit his effectiveness.

This means a lot of balls will be going in the direction of Dallas Clark, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. In order to beat the heavy pressure, expect a lot of slants and crossing routes.

One thing New York did last week was keep everything in front of their secondary. While this prevented the home run ball, it left huge holes open over the middle (of the field) which the Chargers exploited all afternoon.

The Colts will do the same.

And once the passing game gets going, they’ll then mix in Joseph Addai and Donald Brown in order to keep the defense honest.

Look for the draw play to be used heavily. When facing an attacking defense, if the RB can get past the first wave of players, they could find themselves running for a while.

The run will also make the play-action a little more effective, which Peyton is the master at.

We expect at least two ror three shots down the field to Garcon off of it.

When this one is in the record books, look for the Colts to advance to the Super Bowl with a 17-13 win.

While it’s very hard to pick against the Jets with the way they are playing, and this could go either way, the only reason they were able to steal last week’s game is because San Diego missed a few FGs and failed to put New York away early on when they had the chance.

Expecting that to happen two weeks in a row is too tall an order for us.

From that point on it was only a matter of running out the clock; the Pats were demoralized and stood no chance of coming back against the Ravens ferocious defense.

The Colts enter this match-up still feeling the heat from their decision to forgo the opportunity of an undefeated season in Week 16. That decision means that it’s Super Bowl or bust in 2009.

Regardless of what Bill Polian says, and while having the Super Bowl as his No. 1 priority is certainly correct, his nonchalant attitude towards history could come back to haunt him in the end.

Onto the match-up:

When the Ravens are on offense, look for them to pound the rock with Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. They’ve had all sorts of success running behind their talented offensive line, and will need to do so on Saturday.

If Joe Flacco has a repeat performance of last Sunday (4 – 10  for 34 yards and one INT), they’ve got no chance.

So look for Cam Cameron to call running plays until the Colts show they can stop it. If they can’t, Baltimore will shorten the game and keep the high powered Colts offense on the sidelines and cold.

The Ravens will try and keep Flacco in manageable passing situations at all costs, ie 3rd and 4, 2nd and 5, etc.

They don’t want to have him passing out of 3rd and long against a very opportunistic defense.

So look for a short, safe  (passing) attack, with the most potent weapon in the passing game being screens and swing passes to Ray Rice out of the backfield. He’s deadly on those and can take it to the house.

When they look to go down the field, Mason will be the top target and Heap will be the No. 1 focus in the red zone.

When the Colts are on offense, everything runs through Peyton Manning. In order to beat Baltimore’s defense, he’ll need to execute a quick passing game and quicken the tempo of the offense to offset the Ravens’ pressure defense.

So Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie and Dallas Clark can expect to see plenty of balls come their way.

And when S Ed Reed creeps up to take away Clark over the middle, look for Manning to pop a long TD to Wayne or Garcon as the Ravens are vulnerable to the deep ball.

Once the passing game has found its groove, expect a healthy dose of Joseph Addai.

We saw how difficult it is for high powered offenses to succeed on the passing game alone in last week’s game; the Pats were manhandled because they were predictable.

Addai will have some success, mostly on draws, but he’ll be used primarily as a receiver out of the backfield and to keep the Ravens’ front seven honest.

The first time these teams played the Colts were fortunate to win 17-15. Flacco was picked late as the Ravens were driving for a GW FG.

This time will be close as well, with the Colts pulling away late to win 24-14.

While the Ravens are certainly capable of winning this game, there’s only one way in which they’ll be able to do so: get a lead and run the ball.

If they can, they’ll have a chance; if they don’t, Flacco and Co. will not be able to carry this team to the win.

The 6.5 point spread is a good bet as well.

Best Bet

1. New England Patriots (-3.5) vs. Baltimore Ravens

The only way Baltimore can win this game, and cover the point spread, is by establishing the running game. But Belichick is smart enough to recognize this and will scheme to take Ray Rice and Willis McGahee away.

Joe Flacco has been horrible at times down the stretch and that inconsistency will lead to a few picks on Sunday.

The Pats won’t light up the scoreboard either, but Brady and Co. will make enough plays to get it done. Keep an eye on Randy Moss whose deep speed could prove too much for the Ravens Secondary.

The Pats have been here before and are hard to beat at home in the playoffs. Look for them to win by a TD.

Next In Line

2. Arizona Cardinals (+2) vs. Green Bay Packers

This is the most difficult game on the board to pick. Both offenses are going to move the ball through the air against each other and it will come down to which team can make the big play/stop on defense.  Our money is on Arizona.

Talented S Adrian Wilson will be all over of the field and his presence in the box will ensure Ryan Grant doesn’t get going. Their creative defensive packages will also account for the Packers receivers, something very difficult to do, and although we see Rodgers and Co. having success passing the ball, we expect Arizona, playing at home, to come up big when it counts.

This team did it last year throughout the Playoffs and look poised to make a run this year too.

3. Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5) vs. New York Jets

Don’t let the 37-0 whooping mislead you; there were many reasons for that lopsided score. The bottom line is the Bengals didn’t need that game and didn’t show much in it either.

Look for Cincinnati to focus heavily on its running game (Cedric Benson) to set up the pass and for the other receivers (outside of Ochocinco), Caldwell and/or Coles, to step up and make plays in the passing game.

New York will attempt to run the ball but the Bengals will scheme to take this away. And Mark Sanchez won’t be able to beat the Bengals, and its talented CBs, through the air.

The Bengals will bounce back this week with a big 17-13 win playing in their homepark.

4. Dallas Cowboys (-3.5) vs. Philadelphia Eagles

A week ago, we chose the Eagles straight up and were burned. Dallas had their way with Philly although Reid shut things down once it was apparent that they were not going to win.

The more we analyze this match-up, it’s hard to envision the Eagles keeping this game to within a FG. They can’t  - don’t – run the ball, and by failing to do so, McNabb is put into precarious spots. DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer are then able to pin their ears back and go after No. 5.

The inability to go play-action also limits DeSean Jackson’s effectiveness.

On offense, Marion Barber and Felix Jones will run the ball at will on the Eagles smaller defense and when Philly tries to bring up Safety help, Romo will make them pay.

Look for the Cowboys to sweep all three games this season with a 24-17 win on Saturday Night.

The Ravens have been severely depleted in their secondary having lost most of their starting CBs, while the Patriots, relatively unscathed outside of a few injuries, lost one of their most valuable assets in WR Wes Welker in their regular season finale.

On to the analysis of this Wild Card match-up:

When the Patriots are on offense, look for them to attack Baltimore through the air. The one area which the Ravens are particularly strong is against the run; they’re No. 5 in the league. And New England doesn’t possess the type of power running game which can pick up tough yards against this front seven.

So once again Tom Brady will set the tone for this offense.

The Welker injury is devastating but they’ve still got plenty of weapons on the outside to get the job done. To compensate for the loss to the underneath game, rookie Julian Edelman will be used primarily on crossing patterns and 3rd downs.  Brady will also involve WR Sam Aiken and his TEs (Chris Baker, Ben Watson).

But the receiving corps will need Randy Moss to play like the star he’s been over the past 10 years to take pressure off the other guys. Baltimore doesn’t possess anyone in the secondary that can stay with him and we expect at least one long TD on Sunday.

Once they get the passing game going, look for New England to mix in the run with Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor and Kevin Faulk on 3rd downs.

When the Ravens have the ball, expect a heavy dose of Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. Joe Flacco’s play has really tailed off since his hot start to the season and Baltimore will want to keep the fate of the game out of his hands. But Belichick won’t; expect Vince Wolfork to be back and you’ll see New England bring an extra man in the box to ensure the ground game doesn’t get going.

When the Ravens are put into obvious passing situations, New England, devoid of any real pass rushing threats, will have to bring extra people to rattle Flacco and throw off his rhythm.

The one thing they’ll need to keep an eye on is Ray Rice out of the backfield because he’s extremely dangerous on screen passes and will be Baltimore’s biggest receiving threat on Sunday.

As for the skill players, Mason’s slowed down (huge drops vs. Pittsburgh) and there’s no other receiving threat, outside of TE Todd Heap in the red zone, to worry about.

When the clock hits 0:00, expect New England to pull out a 24-14 win. They’re currently only favored by a 3 point spread and that’s too low.

The Patriots are certainly not the world beaters they were for the better part of this decade, but the Ravens have been very inconsistent down the stretch and were fortunate to overcome the pathetic Raiders in Week 17 in a game they had to have.

Much of those struggles can be attributed to Flacco’s up and down play, and you can bet Belichick will have something up his sleeve to keep the 2nd year QB from regaining his early season form.

Here’s our Week 17 picks.

Best Bet

1. New York Jets (-10) vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals have nothing to play for and have added incentive to tank this game because it will mean Pittsburgh is kept out of the post season. That being said, their offense has been in a funk the past few weeks and they’ll want to work out some issues prior to Wild Card Weekend.

Expect the Bengals starters to play for about a half, and keep it close, and then for New York to pull away late en route to a two TD win.

Next In Line

2. Baltimore Ravens (-10) vs. Oakland Raiders

The Raiders have pulled off some big upsets by the bay this season (Bengals, Eagles, etc.) but those weren’t games where everything was on the line for the other team. This is. The Ravens must win on Sunday to advance to the post season.

Look for a spirited effort from Ray Lewis and Co. and for the offense, led by Ray Rice, to dominate the Raiders in the Black Hole.

3. Tennessee Titans (-4) vs. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have mailed in the season and are only playing for a higher draft selection on Sunday. The Titans on the other hand are focused on getting Chris Johnson to 2,000 yards – and the single season total yards mark – and will beat up a demoralized Seahawks squad in Week 17.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (+3) vs. Dallas Cowboys

Next In Line

Kansas City Chiefs (+13) vs. Denver Broncos

The Broncos have had an excellent season considering their expectations coming into it, but the last time they were favored by this much, the Raiders pulled off the shocking 20-19 upset two weeks ago.

They’re on the outside looking in (at the post season) and the Chiefs, with the return of WR Dwayne Bowe, are playing more competitively on offense. KC will lose, but not by 13.

Atlanta Falcons (-1.5) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers are riding high on a two game winning streak after knocking off the Seahawks and Saints in consecutive weeks. Unfortunately they won’t finish the season on a three game streak. The Falcons, re-energized with the return of Matt Ryan, will control this game offensively, and on defense, they’ll force Josh Freeman into a few turnovers.

Houston Texans (-7.5) vs. New England Patriots

This will be typical Patriots. Already having a home game in the Playoffs secured, the starters (Brady, Moss, Welker, etc) will play a quarter – maybe a half – before Belichick puts in the backups. The Texans still have an outside chance at a Wild Card and will romp at home on Sunday.

Money Line

Philadelphia Eagles (+140) vs. Dallas Cowboys

A lot is at stake when these two teams meet in Week 17. The Cowboys with a win will win the NFC East outright. The Eagles, thanks to the collapse of the Vikings, currently are the No. 2 seed in the NFC and with a win will lock down that first round bye in addition to the NFC East.

Offensively, look for Reid to try and re-establish the Eagles running game. The Eagles have gotten away from that in recent weeks but with the return of Westbrook, to go along with McCoy and Weaver, now’s a good time to begin balancing out the team’s play-calling.

An effective running game will also keep DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer off McNabb and open up the passing game to DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek.

Defensively, look for the Eagles to blitz Dallas to keep the offense under control. When Romo has time, he can deliver the ball to Austin and Witten and is extremely effective. When he’s pressured, he makes mistakes. Dallas also tends to get away from the running game when Romo is off so expect the Eagles to bring as much pressure as possible.

In their last game, playing a straight up defense hurt Philly as Romo was able to locate Miles Austin on a  GW 49 yard TD pass late in the game. They won’t make the same mistake again.

Andy Reid has strong record in Dallas and he’ll continue that success with a win on Sunday as the Eagles will wrap up a bye in the Playoffs.

1. Minnesota Vikings

The Panthers passing game has never really found its groove in 2009 and the Vikings are one of the best in the business at stopping the run. Expect another dominant effort by Jared Allen and Co. when Minnesota heads down to Carolina on Sunday Night.

2. Denver Broncos vs. Oakland Raiders

If the Raiders go back to JaMarcus Russell, this is a no brainer. He’ll be sacked numerous times and turn the ball over. If they go with Charlie Frye, the results won’t be much better. Either way, Denver’s a great fantasy football play in Week 15.

3. Baltimore Ravens vs. Chicago Bears

The Bears have traveled poorly all season and face a hungry Ravens D in Baltimore on Sunday. The Ravens still have something to play for. Expect Ray Lewis and Co. to come out fired up and keep the Bears to under 10 points. Cutler will add to his league leading INT total.

4. New York Jets vs. Atlanta Falcons

The Jets D has rediscovered its mojo the past three games and seem poised for another strong showing in the Meadowlands on Sunday. Check back to see if  Matt Ryan and Michael Turner will play, but regardless, expect New York to keep Atlanta to under 13 points on the day.

Sleepers

1. Houston Texans vs. St. Louis Rams

The Rams were relegated to their 3rd string QB who promptly threw 5 picks vs. the Titans on Sunday. With no one else to worry about aside from Steven Jackson, expect Houston to put on another top effort. They’re a great fantasy sleeper in Week 15.

2. Seattle Seahawks vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Seahawks, good at home, terrible on the road, will feast on a struggling Bucs offense in Week 15. Look for Seattle, playing with the 12th man, to force QB Josh Freeman into multiple turnovers and a few sacks.

Others We Like

Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are in an offensive funk right now and just scored six points against Cleveland. Green Bay has righted its ship and will have another strong performance in Week 15.

New Orleans Saints vs. Dallas Cowboys

The Saints should be able to take an early lead and force the Cowboys to become one dimensional. Once that occurs, look for New Orleans to sack Romo and force him into turnovers.

San Diego Chargers vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals offense has failed to find its rhythm the past few weeks and relied more on its defense in their victories than its offense. And heading out west to face a resurgent Chargers squad, expect another sup bar performance against Merriman and Co.

A Few More

Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Francisco 49ers

Arizona Cardinals vs. Detroit Lions

New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills

1. Antonio Gate

Gates continued his hot season in Dallas with another score on Sunday. He should make an even bigger impact vs. Cincinnati. The Bengals have one of the top CB duos in the league and will force Rivers to look to his TE. Expect at least 75 yards and 1 TD.

2. Dallas Clark vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

It appears as if the Colts plan to play their starters the entire game on Thursday. So, Clark, being healthy, should be good for an entire game and reach the end zone again.

3. Vernon Davis vs. Philadelphia Eagles

While Davis is still prone to drops, he’s been able to overcome them with some amazing performances.  He’s scored TDs in four consecutive games and will make if five in Philly. The Eagles, as the Giants showed on Sunday, are vulnerable to against pass.

4. Brent Celek vs. San Francisco 49ers

Already one of McNabb’s top targets, his role becomes more important with the loss of Jeremy Maclin to this offense. Look for McNabb to target him early and often and for Celek to reach the end zone for third straight week.

Sleepers

1. Jermichael Finley vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

If the Steelers bring a heavy pass rush, Rodgers will be forced to dump the ball off early. In that case, Finley will be his safety valve. Look for Finley, much faster than most LBers who cover him, to excel in Pittsburgh and he’s a great fantasy sleeper in Week 15.

2. Fred Davis vs. New York Giants

The Giants, thanks to Ray Handley Jr. (Bill Sheridan) as the defensive coordinator, have gaping holes in it secondary and still can’t figure out who to cover. This bodes well for Davis who should be open all night.

Others We Like

Tony Gonzalez vs. New York Jets

Darrelle Revis should render Roddy White useless in this one. So expect Redman, or Ryan if he’s back, to focus their attention towards Gonzalez on Sunday.

Visanthe Schiancoe vs. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers’ CBs are pretty strong and this, along with the possibility Harvin can’t play, should have Favre looking in his TEs direction. Look for another red zone score on Sunday Night.

John Carlson vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Carlson’s been a colossal fantasy football bust in 2009 and failed to live up to his pre-season billing. But if he wants to make up for it, a good game in the playoff round would go a long way towards that. Tampa’s a joke as a franchise and Carlson should find the end zone on Sunday.

A Few More

Kevin Boss vs. Washington Redskins

Heath Miller vs. Green Bay Packers

Greg Olsen vs. Baltimore Ravens

Jason Witten vs. New Orleans

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers will probably shake up its lineup after the disappointing loss to the Oakland Raiders. The team knows it’s now or never in 2009, so expect a spirited effort on Thursday Night with multiple turnovers and sacks.

2. New York Jets vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Jets defense has turned in back-to-back impressive fantasy football performances and this is another tasty matchup for the unit. Rookie QB Josh Freeman tossed 5 picks on Sunday and the Jets have one of the better secondaries in the league. Look for a low scoring affair with multiple turnovers.

3. New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons

If Chris Redman is the starter, the Saints D will dominate the Falcons. Especially if Michael Turner is forced to sit again. Regardless, the Saints should be able to jump out to a commanding lead and turn the Falcons one dimensional, which is when the sacks and turnovers begin…

4. Baltimore Ravens vs. Detroit Lions

The weather should be just right for the Ravens D on Sunday. The Lions, a dome team, will find moving the ball a bit more difficult in the cold and wind and we expect Ray Lewis and Co. to have a dominating effort after their poor showing on Monday Night.

Sleepers

1. New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers

The embattled Patriots defense comes into this game after two poor performances. Their lack of a pass rush against better teams exposes their pass defense. Carolina is not one of those “better” teams, so expect the Pats to be a nice fantasy sleeper play in Week 14.

2. Washington Redskins vs. Oakland Raiders

The Skins gave up 33 points to the Saints on Sunday but these are the Raiders, who have been inept offensively outside of a few recent games. Look for the Skins corners to do a better job of containing Louis Murphy and the passing game and the D should be able to keep points off the board.

Others We Like

Tennessee Titans vs. St. Louis Rams

The Titans playoff hopes may have been dashed on Sunday but they’re technically still alive. The Rams, outside of Steven Jackson, have very little in the way of an offense and the Titans will put on an impressive performance at home.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Denver Broncos

The Broncos offense has feasted on a slumping Giants unit and the Chiefs the past two games but will have a substantially more difficult time moving the ball against Indy. Look for Freeney and Co. to sack Orton and force turnovers.

Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers

The Cardinals defense is playing strong as a unit and matchup well against the 49ers. They’re excellent at stopping the run and their young corners have stepped up their respective games. Look for Dockett and Co. to have a big evening and force Smith into sacks and a few turnovers.

A Few More

Minnesota Vikings vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Minnesota Vikings

1. QB Aaron Rodgers vs. Baltimore Ravens

The one area of weakness on the Ravens defense in 2009 has been its pass defense. This is somewhat hard to believe considering S Ed Reed is back there, but there’s been a noticeable drop off in play at the CB position. Rogers has continuously put up big fantasy numbers behind a suspect offensive line and will do so again on Monday Night.

2. RB DeAngelo Williams vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

With Matt Moore at QB, the Panthers will feed the ball to Williams who will easily top 100 yards with a few scores. The Bucs possess little in the way of run defense and are 0 for the season on the road.

3. WR Reggie Wayne vs. Tennessee Titans

The Titans pass defense ranks among the worst in the league and they’ve continued to struggle stopping it during their five game winning streak. Manning will locate Wayne all afternoon for over 100 yards and another trip to the end zone.

Fantasy Busts

1. QB Joe Flacco vs. Green Bay Packers

Flacco’s production has tapered off since his incredibly hot start to the season. And now he faces a Packers defense that has cleaned up its act since the shellacking they received at Tampa. Expect Flacco to disappoint once again (fantasy wise) as Lambeau is a tough place to play for opposing QBs in December.

2. RB Brandon Jacobs vs. Dallas Cowboys

Perhaps the reason Brandon Jacobs looks so slow and tentative this year is because Kevin Gilbride consistently calls runs off the edge rather than powering the ball up the middle. He doesn’t possess the speed to get outside and his numbers have reflected this. Over the past six week, the Giants have also abandoned the run early in games so it’s best to look elsewhere here.

3. WR Roddy White vs. Philadelphia Eagles.

The first reason to sit White is Matt Ryan’s out. There’s a HUGE drop off to Chris Redman. The second is that CB Asante Samuel will be covering him all afternoon. That’s not a healthy combination for fantasy football success.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are on a three-game losing streak which is bad news for the Raiders. They’re heading out to Pittsburgh and will get absolutely pummeled. Expect multiple sacks and turnovers with a probable defensive score from our top ranked fantasy football D/ST unit in Week 13.

2. San Diego Chargers vs. Cleveland Browns

The anemic Browns managed seven points vs. the Bengals and Brady Quinn finished just 15 for 34 for 100 yards. The Chargers defense is playing much better and they’re getting help from their offense; the big leads are allowing Merriman, Phillips and Co. to pin their ears back and attack opposing QBs. They’ll force Quinn into mistakes.

3. New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills

The Jets defense got back on track with a dominating effort against the hapless Panthers. They’ll make that two stellar efforts in a row when they head on the road to face Buffalo. While T.O.s been hot the past two games, Revis will shut him down, and the rest of the Jets front seven will force Fitzpatrick into turnovers.

4. Cincinnati Bengals vs. Detroit Lions

The Bengals pass defense is one of the best in the business and their run defense has been great the past few weeks too. The Lions, playing with rookie QB Matt Stafford, come into this hurting at the skill positions; TE Brandon Pettigrew is out for the year and WR Calvin Johnson’s knee is still banged up. Look for a top effort by Cincy on Sunday.

Sleepers

1. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos

Throughout the years, the Chiefs have always played the Broncos tough in Arrowhead. And while the 2009 version of the Chiefs are a work in progress, they did manage double digit fantasy points against the Raiders and Steelers and we still feel that the Broncos have issues on the offensive side of the ball. Expect a solid effort out Kansas City and they’re an excellent fantasy sleeper in Week 13.

2. Chicago Bears vs. St. Louis Rams

Kyle Boller makes the Bears an attractive option alone. He’s usually good for two turnovers per game. While the Bears have been average defensively in 2009, playing this one at home, on what could be a cold, windy day, should provide enough of an advantage for a strong defensive effort.

Others We Like

Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants

Aside from the Falcons game, the Giants have abandoned the run in each of their five losses this season. They become completely one dimensional and OC Kevin Gilbride’s lack of creativity makes them an easy offense to scheme against. Look for DeMarcus Ware and Co. to get after Manning and rack up a few sacks in the Meadowlands.

Green Bay Packers vs. Baltimore Ravens

The Packers are a resilient bunch. Players keep going down yet they keep getting better as a unit. Expect a strong effort against a solid Ravens team on Monday Night in Lambeau. The cold should limit Joe Flacco’s effectiveness allowing the Packers to key in on Ray Rice.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are already without QB Matt Ryan and could be without RB Michael Turner too. Chris Redman is an easy target and we see DE Trent Cole all over him on Sunday.

A Few More

Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs

New Orleans Saints vs. Washington Redskins

San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks