Cincinnati (6-2) at Pittsburgh (6-2): It's beginning to feel a lot like 2005.  Four years ago, the Steelers and Bengals both finished 11-5 and atop the AFC North.  Cincy claimed first place by virtue of their 5-1 division record before falling to Pittsburgh in the postseason after Carson Palmer's knee was shredded by a Kimo von Oelhoffen hit.  This season, both squads are 6-2 and the Bengals have a perfect 4-0 mark in the North. 

By now Cincinnati has removed all doubt that they're for real.  Win or lose, they'll remain on the relatively short list of playoff favorites in the American Conference.  Things are also looking good in the Steel City as Mike Tomlin's crew has reeled off five wins in a row.  This is a game they really need, though, as a loss would drop them into second place and give the tiebreaker to the Bengals by virtue of pulling off a sweep of the season series.  The Steelers want to prevent a replay of 2005's regular season events almost as much as Cincy wants to avoid a reenactment of what transpired that postseason.  Prediction: Pittsburgh 21, Bengals 16

Dallas (6-2) at Green Bay (4-4): This was always a big game in the days of Troy Aikmen and Brett Favre.  This rumble doesn't pack the same punch as those mid-90's clashes, but none-the-less it's a pretty significant game in the NFC.  The Cowboys are looking to take another step towards what at this point looks like a possible division title, while the Packers are trying to keep from falling hopelessly out of contention for anything besides mid-round draft pick status.

While Aikmen and Favre they're not, Tony Romo and Aaron Rodgers are two of the better young quarterbacks in the league.  And as they go, so go their teams.  Romo has thrown nine touchdowns and just one pick over the past four games.  Not coincidentally, Dallas is on a four game winning streak.  Green Bay, however, is coming off of an ugly loss to the formerly defeated Buccaneers.  Rodgers completed less than half of his passes and turned it over three times in that one.  Unless he can get back on track in a hurry, this will be the Packers last stand.  Prediction: Cowboys 27, Packers 26

Philadelphia (5-3) at San Diego (5-3):  So much promise, yet so much frustration.  That will be the epitaph on the tombstone of either one of these squads if they fail to make a deep January run.  They're both well stocked with playmakers, but neither team has been able to turn all that skill into consistent play. 

As nice as this game looks when you glance at the schedule, it just doesn't have any desperation or urgency surrounding it.  A victory gives the winner a boost, but the loser has more than enough time and talent to recover and finish strong.  That aside, things look pretty even when you break it down.  I think Phillip Rivers will be the difference, though.  He doesn't get the credit for toughness - both mental and physical - that he deserves.  He's an assassin in the fourth quarter.  Prediction:  Chargers 20, Eagles 17

New England (6-2) at Indianapolis (8-0): Year in and year out, this is one of the biggest games of the season.  Including three playoff bouts, these teams have locked horns nine times since 2003.  The Pats hold a slim 5-4 advantage, but the Colts have had more success in recent years, winning four of the past five meetings.

Death, Taxes, and Brady versus Manning.  That's what it feels like.  That's a good thing, though.  It's not often that we get to see a rivalry like this fostered in the NFL.  There are any number of intense grudge matches played out a couple times a season, such as Packers-Vikings and Chiefs-Raiders.  This one is different, however, in that it's not a natural rivalry.  These teams aren't in the same division, and they're not all that close from a geographic stand point.  This game is what it is simply because these franchises have been so good year after year and first place teams play first place teams in the league's scheduling format.  So sit back and enjoy this one.  It's special.  These are perhaps the two best quarterbacks of our generation, and two of the finest organizations in professional sports.  Prediction: Colts 24, Patriots 20

Some Jumbled Thoughts: What a difference two weeks makes.  On October 31st, San Diego trailed Denver by three games in the AFC West, and the Broncos looked like they would cruise to the division title.  Today, that lead has been trimmed to just a game with eight left to play.  It looks like we may be headed for another photo finish out west... Rodgers has got to be quicker on the trigger.  Open receivers or not, taking a half dozen sacks a game is killing the Pack.  When everyone is covered up, at some point you have to cut your losses and chuck it out of bounds... I'm afraid three of the decade's best runners are nearing the end of the line.  LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Westbrook and Larry Johnson just aren't top tier guys anymore.  They've shouldered heavy loads over the years, and it looks like it's caught up with them... From the Separated at Birth Department: Alex Rodriguez and Miles Austin.  Not only do these two at the very least look like first cousins, but both guys have had a pretty spectacular past month or so.