Nfl Week

Baltimore 24, Indianapolis 10: Terrell Suggs earns some new fans among Hoosiers in the lose-for-Luck movement. Atlanta 31, Carolina 23: Matt Ryan shows how easy it can be to mount a comeback. Houston 20, Cincinnati 19: It's only after you buy an AFC South championship T-shirt that you realize your team has no history. Detroit 34, Minnesota 28: We can only ponder what the Lions' playoff hopes might have looked like if Joe Webb hadn't fumbled the game away.

The Times' NFL writer, Sam Farmer, examines this week's matchups. Lines according to Glantz-Culver (O/U = over/under). Last week's record 10-6 (.625); season 124-68 (.646). Using the point spreads with the scores Farmer predicted, the record against the spread last week would have been 6-10 (.375); season 88-92-12 (.490). New Orleans at Tennessee — Chris Johnson has come alive over the past four games, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. But will that be enough to keep New Orleans' high-flying offense off the field?

The Denver Broncos' amazing turnaround since Tim Tebow has taken over at quarterback hasn't just resulted in a startling series of fortuitous events on the field. Now, the new co-leaders of the AFC West have gotten a break in what had been expected to be a likely nonconference defeat by the visiting Chicago Bears. Two weeks ago, the Bears were on their way to 7-3 when quarterback Jay Cutler suffered a broken thumb in the fourth quarter, forcing backup Caleb Hanie to finish the regular season.

The Times' NFL writer, Sam Farmer, examines this week's matchups. Lines according to Glantz-Culver (O/U = over/under). Last week's record 9-7 (.563); season 114-62 (.648). Using point spreads with the scores Farmer predicted, the record against the spread last week would have been 6-9-1 (.400); season 82-82-12 (.500). N.Y. Jets (6-5) at Washington (4-7) Sunday, 10 a.m. Redskins 18, Jets 17 TV: None. DirecTV: 704. Line: Jets by 3. O/U: 38. The Redskins are 2-3 at home, but one of those losses came in overtime to the solid Cowboys.

Green Bay's ongoing quest for perfection, the Dallas Cowboys' surge to the top and the Harbaugh Bowl make for a full Thanksgiving NFL schedule. As the sun sets that night, thoughts typically turn to the next holiday season. Christmas? Yes, for most. For Raider Nation, that would be the postseason. And for a franchise that has waited nearly a decade to qualify for the playoffs, the tumblers are falling into place. At 6-4, the Oakland Raiders have the comfort of knowing one of their AFC West pursuers will lose Sunday when the Denver Broncos (5-5)

The feel-good resurrection of the Cincinnati Bengals has shifted into the teeth of NFL late-November reality. The Bengals were leading the AFC North last week when they played host to the defending AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Cincinnati rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, whose ability to avoid pressure and mistakes was the top reason for the Bengals' rise, had two fourth-quarter passes intercepted in a 24-17 loss that dropped his team to second place. Now, a trip to Baltimore, another 6-3 divisional rival, awaits.