Jordan Katz:
Once a cross-state rivalry, this week’s game essentially means nothing, other than another minor obstacle to the Bengals, who will clinch the AFC North for the first time since the first Bush administration. Carson Palmer will perform like he always does – efficiently and accurately, and Chad Johnson will send the Browns scrambling for the Pepto-Bismol. Cleveland’s rookie starting QB, Charlie Frye, will play decently but won’t put up numbers big enough to get the ‘W.’ Rueben Droughns, Cleveland’s first 1000-yard RB since the year “Back to the Future” came out, will put up a solid game against a weak Bengal front line, but the Browns will need about one point twenty one giga-watts of effort from the whole team to even have a chance at this one. It pains me to say this, but the Browns will lose again.
Cincinnati 26, Cleveland 16
Alex Schwartz:
This week’s spotlight will focus on the bitter NFC East division rivalry between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Football Giants. To put it simply, however, this is not likely to be the Giants’ most difficult game of the season. The Eagles are missing WR Terrell Owens, RB Brian Westbrook, and QB Donovan McNabb. Can they still win? Well, would you want to go see The Beatles perform without Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison? It was called Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band, and history has learned to pretend it never happened. Lining up across from the cast of misfits on the Eagles offense will be the suddenly staunch and sophisticated Giant defense, which has stifled and stymied the opposition in recent games. Expect the Giants to defend their lead atop the NFC East as they roll to another victory against the Eagles.
New York 30, Philadelphia 13