With one quarter of the NFL season complete, the phrase "on pace" becomes very popular.
For instance, Saints quarterback and NFL passing leader Drew Brees is "on pace" to throw for 5,372 yards, quite possibly by halftime Monday night.
Jets quarterback Brett Favre is "on pace" to throw 48 touchdown passes. Meanwhile, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is "on pace" to have three more injuries, thus creating a total of four possibilities in which Matt Flynn actually has to start an NFL game.
Saints running back Reggie Bush is "on pace" to catch 124 passes, quite possibly by the end of the third quarter Monday night.
Here are some other paces to watch:
IND -3 at HOU: Colts by 7. The Texans are on pace to say, "Oh, the heck with it. Minnesota, if you still want Matt Schaub, he's all yours."
TEN -3 at BAL: Titans by 6. Tennessee's LenDale White is on pace to break Earl Campbell's franchise record for rushing TDs in a season (19), thereby making those of us who grew up watching Campbell want to puke.
SD -6 1/2 at MIA: Chargers by 10. Dolphins coach Tony Sparano is on pace to say, "Can you believe I coached the pants off Bill Belichick two weeks ago!" five more times before Sunday.
KC +9 1/2 at CAR: Panthers by 14. The Chiefs are on pace to lose again after facing a team that actually plays defense.
WAS +5 1/2 at PHI: Eagles by 7. The Eagles are on pace to hospitalize someone's quarterback while breaking the franchise record of 62 sacks set in 1989. The current pace is 68.
ATL off at GRB: Packers by 7. The Packers are on pace to say something like, "Does anybody remember Daunte's e-mail address?"
SEA +7 at NYG: Giants by 10. The Giants are on pace to say, "Geez, we beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl, and it takes four weeks for you guys to realize we're the best team in the league?"
TB +3 at DEN: Broncos by 6. Brandon Marshall is on pace for a franchise-record 124 catches, barring suspensions, arrests, lawsuits, charges, fits of pouting and all other activities associated with playing receiver in the NFL.
NE -3 at SF: Patriots by 10. The Patriots defense is on pace to show J.T. O'Sullivan how unlucky and painful it is to play a well-rested New England team two weeks after it got spanked at home by the Dolphins.
BUF +1 at ARI: Bills by 3. Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt is on pace to never again come up with the dumb idea of spending an entire week between games on the East Coast.
CIN +17 at DAL: Cowboys by 21. ESPN is on pace to ask Terrell Owens a question and then follow it with 10 segments in which 1,345 of its NFL Insiders scream for him to shut up.
PIT +4 at JAX: Jaguars by 7. The Jaguars are on pace to join the rest of the league in beating the living daylights out of Ben Roethlisberger.
VIK +3 at NO: Saints by 10. The Vikings are on pace to try really hard, make lots of mistakes, lose and spend the following week telling us they tried hard but need to eliminate their mistakes.
UPSET SPECIAL
CHI -3 1/2 at DET: Lions 17, Bears 14 OT.
Matt Millen is on pace to maintain his .270 winning percentage in perpetuity.
Last week: CLE 30, CIN 24. Result: CLE 20, CIN 12. Season record: 3-1.
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