After a week in London where the team seemed to take a step back, the Jaguars are off this week to hopefully rest, recuperate and rebound.  While bye weeks tend to suck when it comes to following your team, it also gives you more time to throw eggs at your rivals (not literal eggs).

 

With this in mind...

 

Houston (4-5) at Cleveland (6-3)-For the first time in a long time, mid November rolls around with Cleveland Browns fans actually having legitimate hope in a Browns playoff berth, as they host Houston, who, coming off the bye, is trotting out Ryan Mallett for his first start at QB.  While I think using the bye to prepare Mallett for the start is smart, starting him on the road in Cleveland is tough.  Cleveland's defense, while not dominant, is decent against the pass.  That, the weather (snow forecast?) and the probable absence of Arian Foster will make things harder for Mallett.  Meanwhile, the Texans, while doubling their win total from last year, have not managed to generate the kind of pass rush they envisioned when they drafted Clowney to go along with Watt, generating a middle of the pack 19 sacks, and ranking 29th against the pass.  The weather...the playoff push...Mallett getting the first start of the year..too many things for the Texans to overcome.  Cleveland wins 23-17.

 

New England (7-2) at Indy (6-3)-one of the most important conference rivalries over the last 15 years renews again.  After a relatively slow start for both teams, both the Pats and Colts have bounced back to lead their respective divisions and are clear playoff contenders.  Despite an insane amount of turnover and no names at receiver, Brady and the Pats keep chugging along, thanks in large part to the return of Gronkowski.  Indy, despite looking like they would have no pass rush once Mathis went down with season ending injury, have actually produced a respectable 24 sacks, tying them for 10th, and unlike the bulk of the Manning era, Luck actually has a respectable defense at his disposal.  Indy wins a shootout 31-27.

 

Pittsburgh (6-4) at Tennessee (2-7)-though these are not your father's steelers, or even your older brother's Steelers, they are better than the tacks, who present to HOF defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau another rookie QB-Zack Mettenberger-to befuddle.  In prime time, and fighting for a playoff spot,   Steelers win a battle of loathsome and contemptible franchises 23-10. 

 

Last week:  1-1

Overall:  21-11

---