Can the Saints sweep the Panthers?

The last time the Saints played the Panthers, the Saints were 0-2 and 5½-point underdogs at Carolina. They won 34-13 on their way to eight straight wins. Sunday, they'll play host to the Panthers in a game that will establish the front-runner in the NFL's best division, the NFC South. The Panthers have won four straight but are sputtering offensively. In the first meeting Drew Brees threw three TDs, while Cam Newton tossed three INTs.

Will the Chiefs find life in MetLife?

Normally, you'd think a division leader that's down on its luck would be in good shape playing the Jets at MetLife Stadium. But the Chiefs couldn't even beat the Giants there two weeks ago. After a 5-0 start, K.C. is 1-5 and has scored 19 points in losses to the Giants and Bills the past two weeks. The Jets also are in a 1-5 slide. We'll find out which team is glad to see the other.

Can Steelers keep control in weak AFC?

We all know the AFC is a two-team race to see whether the title game is played in Pittsburgh or New England. The Steelers hold the edge now on tiebreakers. They have a scary game at Cincinnati on Monday night. Playing down to its competition, Pittsburgh needed last-second field goals to beat the Colts and Packers the past three weeks. Meanwhile, Cincinnati, at 5-6, is still in the playoff mix in the AFC.

Can Eagles win their 10th game in a row?

The Eagles have won nine straight. They have the league's best record (10-1) and rank No. 1 in scoring (31.9). But they've also beaten one team that now has a winning record. Seattle is 6-2 in its last eight games, but, strangely, it's 0-2 in its last two home games. A Sunday night crowd in Seattle will be pumped to make things difficult for an Eagles team that's favored by 5½ points.

Can Lions stay in the hunt at Baltimore?

A Lions loss and a Vikings win officially eliminates Detroit in the NFC North race. Realistically, Detroit heads to Baltimore just hoping to stay in the wild-card picture. The Lions are 4-1 on the road. The Ravens are 2-2 at home. The Lions have no running game and must ride QB Matthew Stafford. Baltimore is below average offensively but has three shutouts this season and two in the past four games.

Mark Craig

Carson Wentz