PREVIEW | Today's games

DETROIT (3-11) at ATLANTA (8-5-1)
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Lions lead 21-7. Lions beat Falcons 13-10 on Nov. 12, 2000, at Detroit.
Last week: Lions lost to Buccaneers 23-20; Falcons lost to Seahawks 30-24 in OT.
Key matchup: Detroit defense vs. Falcons QB Michael Vick. Vick leads NFL QBs with 697 yards rushing and eight TDs rushing. He seldom throws INTs (only six ) and completes over 56 percent of his passes. Lions defense is softer against pass than against run, so Vick might have more success in air than on ground.
BUFFALO (7-7) at GREEN BAY (11-3)
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Bills lead 6-2. Bills beat Packers 27-18 on Sept. 10, 2000, at Buffalo.
Last week: Bills beat Chargers 20-13; Packers beat 49ers 20-14.
Key matchup: Bills QB Drew Bledsoe vs. Packers QB Brett Favre. A rematch of starting QBs from 1997 Super Bowl, when Favre's Packers beat Bledsoe's Patriots 35-21. Bledsoe ranks second in NFL with 3,949 yards passing, eclipsing Jim Kelly's team record. Favre ranks sixth with 3,372 yards and has 34-10 record as starter in December.
HOUSTON (4-10) at WASHINGTON (5-9)
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: First meeting.
Last week: Texans lost to Ravens 23-19; Redskins lost to Eagles 34-21.
Key matchup: Texans QB David Carr vs. Redskins DE Bruce Smith. Carr has taken every snap in Texans' first season and has been sacked 70 times in 14 games, leaving him two shy of Randall Cunningham's record 72 takedowns in 1986. Smith has 192 career sacks, six this season, and needs 6 1/2 more to pass Reggie White for first place.
CHICAGO (4-10) at CAROLINA (5-9)
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Bears lead 1-0. Bears beat Panthers 31-27
Last week: Bears beat Jets 20-13; Panthers lost to Steelers 30-14.
Key matchup: Bears P Brad Maynard vs. Panthers P Todd Sauerbrun. Sauerbrun was selected by Bears in second round of 1995 draft. Now in second season with Carolina, he leads NFL with 46.4-yard gross average and 39.2-yard net average. Due to weak offenses, both rank in top 10 for most punts -- Sauerbrun with 85 and Maynard with 71. Maynard ranks eighth in NFL with 37.0-yard net average.
NEW YORK GIANTS (8-6)at INDIANAPOLIS (9-5)
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Colts lead 8-5. Colts beat Giants 27-19 on Nov. 14, 1999, at Giants.
Last week: Giants beat Cowboys 37-7; Colts beat Browns 28-23.
Key matchup: Giants CBs Will Allen and William Peterson vs. Colts WR Marvin Harrison. Last week, Harrison set NFL record for most receptions in a season. He's looking to add to league-leading totals of 127 receptions and 1,566 yards. His 10 TDs receiving rank third in league. Only Bills have fewer INTs than Giants. For Giants to win, Allen and Peterson must contain Harrison.
TENNESSEE (9-5)at JACKSONVILLE (6-8)
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Titans lead 9-7. Titans beat Jaguars 23-14 on Oct. 13 at Tennessee.
Last week: Titans beat Patriots 24-7; Jaguars beat Bengals 29-15.
Key matchup: Titans QB Steve McNair vs. Jaguars FS Marlon McCree. A versatile threat, McNair has 379 yards rushing (fourth among NFL QBs) and 21 TDs passing (ninth). If McCree doesn't have to tackle McNair, he might be grabbing his passes. McNair has thrown 15 INTs (tied for sixth worst), while McCree has intercepted six, tied for NFL lead.
SAN DIEGO (8-6) at KANSAS CITY (7-7)
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Chiefs lead 44-40-1. Chargers beat Chiefs 35-34 on Oct. 13 at San Diego.
Last week: Chargers lost to Bills 20-13; Chiefs lost to Broncos 31-24.
Key matchup: Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Chiefs defense. Fans might be denied matchup of two of NFL's top backs, with Chiefs RB Priest Holmes doubtful with hip injury. Still, Chiefs' porous defense must contain Tomlinson, who ranks third with 1,485 yards and tied for second with 14 TDs rushing. He also leads Chargers with 67 receptions.
NEW ORLEANS (9-5)at CINCINNATI (1-13)
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Saints lead 5-4. Bengals beat Saints 30-15 on Sept. 15, 1996, at Cincinnati.
Last week: Saints lost to Vikings 32-31; Bengals lost to Jaguars 29-15.
Key matchup: Saints QB Aaron Brooks vs. Bengals defense. Brooks is tied for second in NFL with TD pass every 5.7 attempts and leads NFL with 26 TD passes. Bengals are tied with Vikings for NFL's most-scored-upon pass defense, having given up 28 TDs. Brooks needs one TD pass to set team season record and should find little resistance from Bengals.
ST. LOUIS (6-8) at SEATTLE (5-9)
Time: 4:05 p.m.
Series history: Rams lead 6-2. Rams beat Seahawks 37-20 on Oct. 20 at St. Louis.
Last week: Rams beat Cardinals 30-28; Seahawks beat Falcons 30-24 in OT.
Key matchup: Rams RB Marshall Faulk vs. Seahawks defense. Though Rams are in down year, Faulk still ranks in top 20 in yards from scrimmage. Faulk averages 4.7 yards per carry and needs 103 yards rushing for his sixth consecutive 1,000-yard season. Seahawks will provide only marginal resistance, as they have NFL's worst rushing defense, allowing 166.9 yards rushing per game and 5.0 yards per carry.
DENVER (8-6) at OAKLAND (9-5)
Time: 4:15 p.m.
Series history: Raiders lead 52-32-2. Raiders beat Broncos 34-10 on Nov. 11 at Denver.
Last week: Broncos beat Chiefs 31-24; Raiders lost to Dolphins 23-17.
Key matchup: Denver pass rush vs. Raiders QB Rich Gannon. In Week 10 vs. Denver, Gannon set NFL record, completing 21 consecutive passes. He leads NFL with 4,409 yards passing and ranks third in passer rating. He has been sacked 31 times, though, fifth most in NFL. Denver's defense, tied for 12th with 33 sacks, must pressure Gannon.
NEW YORK JETS (7-7)at NEW ENGLAND (8-6)
Time: 8:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN.
Series history: Jets lead 46-38-1. Patriots beat Jets 44-7 on Sept. 15 at Jets.
Last week: Jets lost to Bears 20-13; Patriots lost to Titans 24-7.
Key matchup: Jets RB Curtis Martin vs. Patriots defense. Martin, who rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons with Patriots (1995-97), is 95 yards from his eighth straight 1,000-yard season. Nursing a sore ankle in Week 2 vs. Patriots, Martin rushed for only 5 yards on four carries. This time he's healthy and looking to punish the Patriots, who allow 131 yards rushing per game.
-- Associated Press