NFL Review

While it was not quite a “best of times/worst of times” Charles Dickens’ NFL Sunday, all four AFC division leaders won on Sunday and none of the four NFC division leaders could manage victory. The San Francisco 49ers, salvaging a very rare tie vs the St. Louis Rams, were the only NFC division leaders to avoid defeat.

The (8-1) Houston Texans prevailed in an inter conference battle of division leaders winning vs the NFC North leaders, the Chicago Bears on Sunday night. Elsewhere while AFC division leaders the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos won comfortably, the AFC East leading New England Patriots struggled to beat the Buffalo Bills (37-31). The Patriots were just under two touchdown favorites in the game.

In other games involving NFC division leaders, the Cincinnati Bengals, with local Cincinnati Reds’ telecaster Thom Brennaman, another of the broadcasting “nepotism cases” assigned to the national broadcast, eased vs the NFC East leading New York Giants. The New Orleans Saints handed the Atlanta Falcons their first loss while the NFC West leading SF 49ers could manage only a tie in a home game vs the St. Louis Rams. The Niners were 13 point favorites in the game.

Tonight the Pittsburgh Steelers hope to move within a game of the AFC North leading Ravens when they host the Kansas City Chiefs. The Steelers host the Ravens in next week’s Sunday night game.