Last week’s record: 11-5
Season record: 120-72
*** = BANNON’S BEST GAMES
MATCHUP: BEARS (5-7) AT JAGUARS (6-6)
Noon Sunday
TV/radio: WFLD-Ch. 32, WBBM-AM 780
Line: Jaguars by 7 1/2
Last meeting: Bears won 33-13 at Soldier Field on Jan. 6, 2002
KEY STAT: Bears have won last 4 games
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Brian Urlacher has started. Chad Hutchinson, coming off 3-TD performance in Bears debut, goes for encore. Fred Taylor averaging 4.5 yards per carry for Jaguars.
THE BUZZ: With Urlacher, Bears defense capable of holding this offense down. Jaguars having trouble scoring.
THE PICK: Bears 20 Jaguars 17
MATCHUP: RAIDERS (4-8) AT FALCONS (9-3)
Noon Sunday
Line: Falcons by 7 1/2
Last meeting: Raiders won 41-14 at Oakland on Nov. 26, 2000
KEY STAT: Falcons are 5-1 at home, with 3 straight wins.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Raiders’ Kerry Collins has thrown 9 TD passes vs. 2 interceptions in last 3 games. Ex-Bear Dez White is third on Falcons with 22 catches, 1 for TD.
THE BUZZ: Falcons, who lead NFL in rushing thanks in part to Warrick Dunn-T. J. Duckett tandem, should be able to keep ball away from Collins and Raiders’ improving passing game.
THE PICK: Falcons 24 Raiders 16
MATCHUP: SAINTS (4-8) AT COWBOYS (5-7)
Noon Sunday
Line: Cowboys by 7 1/2
Last meeting: Saints won 13-7 at New Orleans on Dec. 28, 2003
KEY STAT: Saints are last in NFL in rushing defense, passing defense and total defense.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Saints’ Joe Horn tied for NFL lead with 76 catches, 8 for TDs. Cowboys rookie Julius Jones has carried 93 times in last 3 games, averaging 4.6 per carry.
THE BUZZ: Impressive win over Seahawks Monday night has thrown Cowboys into long-shot playoff hunt. Jones and Vinny Testaverde should have their way against horrid defense.
THE PICK: Cowboys 27 Saints 17
MATCHUP: BROWNS (3-9) AT BILLS (6-6)
Noon Sunday
Line: Bills by 11 1/2
Last meeting: First meeting since Browns rejoined NFL as expansion team in 1999
KEY STAT: Bills have won 3 straight by average score of 39-19.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Browns rookie Luke McCown, who threw 2 TDs and 2 interceptions in loss to New England, gets another shot. Bills’ Willis McGahee averaging 98.4 rushing yards in 7 starts.
THE BUZZ: Bills are 1 of NFL’s hottest teams, with 5 wins in 6 games. It may be too late for playoffs this year, but first-year coach Mike Mularkey is building program.
THE PICK: Bills 31 Browns 13
MATCHUP: GIANTS (5-7) AT RAVENS (7-5)
Noon Sunday
Line: Ravens by 10
Last meeting: Ravens won 34-7 in Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa on Jan. 28, 2001
KEY STAT: Giants have scored only 23 points in Eli Manning’s 3 starts.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Tiki Barber averaging 4.9 yards per carry for Giants. He’ll run into Ravens MLB Ray Lewis, having another dominating season.
THE BUZZ: Ravens’ reliable defense faded in loss to Bengals last week, so Manning and Giants may pay price. Giants building for ’05 by playing Manning.
THE PICK: Ravens 23 Giants 9
MATCHUP: COLTS (9-3) AT TEXANS (5-7)
Noon Sunday
Line: Colts by 10 1/2
Last meeting: Colts won 49-14 at Indianapolis on Nov. 14, 2004
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KEY STAT: Colts have averaged 45.5 points in last 4 games.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Colts’ Peyton Manning needs 5 TD passes to break Dan Marino’s season record of 48. Texans’ David Carr has 12 TD passes vs. 11 interceptions.
THE BUZZ: Colts and Manning are on offensive roll, winning 5 straight and scoring at least 41 in last 4. Colts will have hard time getting playoff bye, but need to win out for chance at No. 3 seed.
THE PICK: Colts 41 Texans 27
*** MATCHUP: BENGALS (6-6) AT PATRIOTS (11-1)
Noon Sunday
Line: Patriots by 11
Last meeting: Bengals won 23-17 at Cincinnati on Sept. 9, 2001
KEY STAT: Pats have scored first in NFL record 17 straight games.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Pats’ Corey Dillon, averaging 4.8 per carry, faces team he forced to trade him. Bengals’ Rudi Johnson averaging 4.1.
THE BUZZ: Feisty Bengals, fresh off upset of Ravens, may make Pats work. But New England has eye on home-field advantage again, and it finishes with Dolphins, Jets and 49ers.
THE PICK: Patriots 30 Bengals 20
*** MATCHUP: SEAHAWKS (6-6) AT VIKINGS (7-5)
Noon Sunday
Line: Vikings by 6 1/2
Last meeting: Vikings won 34-7 at Minnesota on Dec. 7, 2003
KEY STAT: Seahawks lead NFL with 19 interceptions.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Seahawks’ Shaun Alexander has rushed for 749 yards in last 6 games. Vikings’ Kevin Williams leads NFL defensive tackles with 9 sacks.
THE BUZZ: The Seahawks now have blown 2 games in final minutes, and are league’s biggest disappointment. Vikings are only 3-4 since Randy Moss hurt his hamstring-he’s still not 100 percent-but Seahawks aren’t tough enough to win.
THE PICK: Vikings 28 Seahawks 17
GAME of the WEEK
*** MATCHUP: JETS (9-3) AT STEELERS (11-1)
3:05 p.m. Sunday
TV: WBBM-Ch. 2
Line: Steelers by 6
Last meeting: Jets won 6-0 at New York on Dec. 14, 2003
KEY STAT: Jets defense has allowed only 2 TDs and 17 points in last three games.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Jets’ Curtis Martin leads NFL with 1,305 rushing yards, averaging 4.6. Duce Staley getting 4.5 for Steelers.
THE BUZZ: Steelers trying to hold on to No. 1 seed in AFC playoffs and need this one badly because Ravens and surging Bills are still on schedule. Jets can pull off the upset if they can control ball with Martin.
THE PICK: Steelers 23 Jets 20
MATCHUP: DOLPHINS (2-10) AT BRONCOS (7-5)
3:05 p.m. Sunday
Line: Broncos by 11 1/2
Last meeting: Dolphins won 24-22 at Denver on Oct. 13, 2002
KEY STAT: Broncos have lost 2 straight by total of 4 points.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Dolphins’ A.J. Feeley has miserable TD-interception ratio (8-14). Broncos’ Jake Plummer has thrown 22 TD passes vs. 15 interceptions.
THE BUZZ: Feeley is getting chance to show he can be Dolphins’ long-term quarterback and isn’t making most of it. Broncos have shot to chase wild-card berth.
THE PICK: Broncos 30 Dolphins 17
MATCHUP: LIONS (5-7) AT PACKERS (7-5)
3:15 p.m. Sunday
TV: WFLD-Ch. 32
Line: Packers by 9 1/2
Last meeting: Packers won 38-10 at Detroit on Oct. 17, 2004
KEY STAT: Packers have won 12 straight home games vs. Lions.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Lions rookie Kevin Jones has rushed for 476 yards in last 4 games. Javon Walker having big season for Packers with 67 catches, 10 TDs.
THE BUZZ: Packers figure to take care of business after embarrassing loss in Philadelphia. Only Packers defense can keep Lions in game.
THE PICK: Packers 28 Lions 20
MATCHUP: RAMS (6-6) AT PANTHERS (5-7)
3:15 p.m. Sunday
Radio: WMVP-AM 1000
Line: Panthers by 7
Last meeting: Panthers won 29-23 in double overtime at St. Louis in NFC divisional playoff on Jan. 10, 2004
KEY STAT: Panthers have won 4 in row by average of 13.3 points.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Ex-Bear Chris Chandler gets first start of season for Rams. Jake Delhomme has thrown 20 TD passes vs. 13 interceptions.
THE BUZZ: Without Marc Bulger, Rams will have trouble keeping up with Panthers. Delhomme is hot, and Nick Goings has given Carolina running game.
THE PICK: Panthers 26 Rams 17
MATCHUP: 49ERS (1-11) AT CARDINALS (4-8)
3:15 p.m. Sunday
Line: Cardinals by 7
Last meeting: 49ers won 31-28 in overtime at San Francisco on Oct. 10, 2004
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KEY STAT: Cardinals have lost 3 straight by average of 16.3 points.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Struggling young QBs: 49ers’ Ken Dorsey has thrown zero TD passes vs. 4 interceptions. Josh McCown has thrown 6 TD passes vs. 6 interceptions.
THE BUZZ: Injuries forcing 49ers to start Dorsey and running back Maurice Hicks, who was in camp with Bears in ’02 and ’03. Cardinals, with McCown back in lineup, look stable by comparison.
THE PICK: Cardinals 21 49ers 13
MATCHUP: BUCS (5-7) AT CHARGERS (9-3)
3:15 p.m. Sunday
Radio: WJOL-AM 1340
Line: Chargers by 5 1/2
Last meeting: Bucs won 25-17 at San Diego on Nov. 17, 1996
KEY STAT: Bucs have gone 5-3 after 0-4 start.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Brian Griese has thrown at least 1 TD pass in all 8 games he’s played. Chargers’ Drew Brees has 21 TD passes vs. 4 interceptions.
THE BUZZ: Will Bucs be able to sustain momentum after last week’s upset of Atlanta at home? Can their defense stop Brees and ex-Bucs receiver Keenan McCardell?
THE PICK: Chargers 27 Bucs 23
MATCHUP: EAGLES (11-1) AT REDSKINS (4-8)
7:30 p.m. Sunday
TV/radio: ESPN, WSCR-AM 670
Line: Eagles by 9
Last meeting: Eagles won 28-6 at Philadelphia on Nov. 21, 2004
KEY STAT: Eagles have won last 6 meetings.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Eagles’ Donovan McNabb has thrown 28 TD passes vs. only 5 interceptions. Redskins’ Patrick Ramsey has thrown 4 TD passes vs. 2 interceptions in 3 starts.
THE BUZZ: With 4 straight wins, all by at least 3 TDs, Eagles are playing like team that will finally get to Super Bowl. They’ll clinch first-round bye with win.
THE PICK: Eagles 30 Redskins 9
MATCHUP: CHIEFS (4-8) AT TITANS (4-8)
8 p.m. Monday
TV/radio: WLS-Ch. 7, WSCR-AM 670
Line: Off
Last meeting: Titans won 17-14 in overtime at Tennessee on Sept. 10, 2000
KEY STAT: Titans have lost 3 of 4 since their week off.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Chiefs’ tight end Tony Gonzalez quietly having another fine year with 67 catches, 5 TDs. Titans’ Derrick Mason tied for NFL lead with 76 catches, 5 for TDs.
THE BUZZ: This matchup looked great when schedule came out. At least it features 2 of game’s top coaches, Dick Vermeil and Jeff Fisher.
THE PICK: Titans 23 Chiefs 20