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24 Hours 'Til Sunday — Andy Richardson

There's been a lot of talk about Brett Favre calling Tony Romo this week, offering encouragement or whatever. I can't help but wonder if that's actually what he did. Maybe he just called him and said, "Hey Tony -- MAN UP! It's a pinky finger. I played with a thumb so badly injured it was flopping about like a fish the entire season, and we were even a blown 4th and 26 away from the NFC Championship Game. I think I heard a story about some kid having his removed so it wouldn't hamper his throwing the ball. Throw some tape around the thing and call it good." If Romo plays, I'm betting that's what happened. Or Jessica Simpson guilted him into showing some guts 'cause that's what girlfriends do sometimes, I don't know.

On the bright side, you won't have to hear me talk about my suicide pool any more, since I picked Washington. This week I would have picked Tampa Bay, so look for Seattle to spring the latest "upset of the season." OK, on to the games....

San Diego at Buffalo: The virus taking out Seattle wide receivers has apparently moved south, with Chris Chambers and Craig Davis now both hurt, making Vincent Jackson a great play (and a guy I shouldn't have traded away three weeks ago) and Malcom Floyd a reasonable spot start. Speaking of Davis, some sites call him "Buster." The Chargers themselves don't. I am trying to figure out if those calling him Buster have him confused with the "Buster" Davis the Cardinals drafted a couple of years ago. If I find out I'll let you know. Anyway, he's not playing. Sounds like Trent Edwards will. I'm hoping for a breakout game from Marshawn Lynch, who's due, but the Chargers are a little softer against the pass.

New Orleans at Carolina: Colston and Shockey are good to go for the Saints; both are listed as probable. I'm a little wary of both considering how the Saints are spreading it around, and I think Colston is a little more likely to play full-time...maybe they bring Shockey or both back slowly. When you've got a QB throwing for 300-plus yards a game every game, though, maybe they'll be OK. Sounds like Reggie Bush, who's accounting for a lot of that yardage, will also play. This seems like one of those really good games where somebody's going to win in the final minute, plus this game will probably be huge for the division. The 3-3 Saints are the only team in this division that's not over .500, which is remarkable; maybe the NFC East won't have both wildcard teams after all.

Minnesota at Chicago: One of these teams will be alone in first place in the NFC North after winning here while the Packers lose to the Colts. Is it the team coming off a miracle win or a miracle loss? Bears are better. I think they win this one going away -- which is what Vikings fans want out of Brad Childress. I'm not sure what took them so long; for me, limiting Adrian Peterson to 10ish carries in some games early last year was enough of a reason to conclude the guy was a halfwit. Sidney Rice says he's playing; I can't trust him. What a disappointment he and James Jones have been for me as "sleeper" wideouts this year.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati: Sideline shot of Carson Palmer and brother Jordan Palmer last week had me uncertain which was which. At some point this year, Jordan will be starting, and we'll see a guy out there with Palmer on the back of his jersey and maybe we'll think it's Carson. Anyway, I don't see this game going very well for Cincinnati with Fitzpatrick. Willie Parker won't play, so Mewelde Moore seems like a very nice start.

Tennessee at Kansas City: Larry Johnson is out, Kolby Smith is in. As is Brodie Croyle. Pass on Kansas City players this week. Justins Gage and McCareins (are they different people?) won't play in all likelihood, and they won't be very busy if they do. I've got the over-under for combined Chris Johnson-LenDale White carries at about 38, if you want to make some bets in the comfort of your own living room.

Baltimore at Miami: John Harbaugh carelessly trashed the Dolphins this week. Praised Cam Cameron for "what he had to work with" in Miami. Ouch. Considering Cameron reportedly had a lot to do with the Ted Ginn pick ("We're drafting the entire Ginn family"), he's got some nerve. Baltimore's defense is banged-up (two DBs either won't play or won't be 100 percent) and Miami is playing with confidence.

San Francisco at N.Y. Giants: NFL Network has been replaying the wildest of wild card games involving these teams from January 2003, which I remember watching in a stupor since it was the day after the Packers had been kicked to the curb at Lambeau Field by some young whippersnapper named Michael Vick. Now we've got sack- and turnover-prone J.T. O'Sullivan facing an angry Giants defense on the road. Start the Giants D, absolutely, and avoid all Niners.

Dallas at St. Louis: OK, I know a lot of people like the Cowboys, but enough already. Pacman Jones isn't that great a player. His suspension isn't that surprising, and it's not like he was making Dallas' defense any better anyway. He's suspended, too bad for him, but it's not that big a deal. As for Romo, Jerry Jones suggests he'll play and Wade Phillips suggests he won't. Since Jones writes the checks, he's probably correct, but the two really ought to sit down and get their story straight at some point. No way I would start him, even against the Rams, with his grip on the ball uncertain. As for Roy Williams, I'm hoping to trade him away before people realize he'll only be the No. 3 target in this passing game, but he should at least be better than Patrick Crayton.

Detroit at Houston: I'm going with Mike Furrey, not Shaun McDonald, as the No. 2 in Detroit. That's my guess anyway. Watching my tape of the Lions-Vikings game last week, I noticed that Dan Orlovsky almost stepped out of the back of the end zone two plays before his safety last week. At that point, somebody should have said to him, hey Dan, be careful. Good game here for Steve Slaton, Andre Johnson, probably Matt Schaub, Kevin Walter....let's just say everyone associated with the Texans should do pretty well this week. Rudi Johnson and Kevin Smith should split carries at running back for Detroit.

Indianapolis at Green Bay: THIS should be the Sunday night game, because it's going to be a fun, high-scoring affair. I don't think Green Bay's defense can handle the Colts offense, no way shape or form. James Jones won't play, so Jordy Nelson should be pretty good as the No. 3. Dominic Rhodes should be very good for the Colts replacing Joseph Addai -- let's face it, Addai wasn't exactly tearing up the league anyway. Lots of points here for both running and passing games.

N.Y. Jets at Oakland: Brett Favre is back in Oakland after that memorable game 5 years ago. Raiders, oddly, are worse against the pass than the run right now, so another good game is in store for Favre and Co. How can anyone bet on the Raiders offense doing anything, ever, with JaMarcus Russell throwing it and his stone-fingered receivers trying to catch it? What a mess.

Cleveland at Washington: Back to earth for the Cleveland offense, although getting Eric Steinbach back on the o-line is an underrated element of their performance last Monday. Kellen Winslow should be able to play, although check the inactives Sunday morning just in case. Clinton Portis is a little banged up but will play - he has to. Other options are Rock Cartwright and Shaun Alexander this week.

Seattle at Tampa Bay: This is the Sunday night game. Think NBC wishes the "Flex Scheduling" that enables them to pull a game from the day schedule, which doesn't start for a few weeks yet, had already begun? Of course, New England at San Diego seemed like a good game when the schedule game out, and that was unwatchable, so you never know. Anyway, the Seattle players who aren't playing (Hasselbeck, Branch, McMullen) are only marginally less appealing than the ones who are (Wallace, Engram, Robinson). Bad matchup for Seattle's offense, beware. Joey Galloway figures to be a gametime decision, which basically means most owners can't use him, because it's the Sunday night game and you can't wait that long to fill out a lineup spot. I like Earnest Graham and maybe Jerramy Stevens here, that's about it.

Denver at New England: Monday game. The Broncos and Patriots have played some really great games over the years (and some one-sided blowouts). I tend to think this will be the latter, or else New England's defense will play well enough that it will be kind of an ugly, lower-scoring game than expected. Brandon Stokley probably won't play, Eddie Royal will. Michael Pittman should be featured, but New England is still pretty tough on the run. (The Miami game excepted.) Denver can't stop anything, so Sammy Morris (with Maroney and Jordan probably both out) is a guy I'd start if I had him. Maybe Randy Moss will turn in a fine Monday night game, although betting on Matt Cassel to find him is shaky.

Enjoy the games.

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