Each week I try to pick the weekend’s most competitive games. Each week I seem to go 3-2. Last week was no different. I am now 24-17 for the season. Philadelphia Eagles fans can tell me just how short Donovan McNabb came up last weekend against the Dallas Cowboys. I thought Norv Turner’s decision-making would cost the San Diego Chargers against the New York Giants. Little did I know it would be Tom Coughlin’s choices that would cost the home team.  The Pittsburgh Steelers came through on the road against the back-to-earth Denver Broncos.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Jets are both 4-4. Neither team is in a great position to take a wild card berth. So this contest is more about respectability and setting up for next year. The last win for the Jets was against a bad Oakland Raiders team. Last win for the Jags was against a bad Kansas City Chiefs team. Mild weather conditions are expected in NJ. Mark Sanchez can handle that, right? Go with the Jets.

The NFC West is far from being decided. The Seattle Seahawks need to beat the Arizona Cardinals this weekend if they have any chance at taking the division (and having the right to lose in the first round of the playoffs). They already lost to the Cardinals once…and that game was in Seattle. Home team Arizona wins one of the few they’ve won at home this weekend.

One team is rising - the San Diego Chargers. The other team is on a downturn - the Eagles. The Chargers will have a huge home-field advantage as the team is welcomed back as conquering heroes. Philly’s season will hit a bump again.

The Cincinnati Bengals-Pittsburgh Steelers contest will make/or break the Bengals’ season. Can Cincinnati beat the Steelers in Steeltown? Yes. Have the Steelers found their rhythm and can they be counted on to roll into the playoffs? Yes and yes as their remaining competition includes the Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins.  Is this the upset of the weekend? No.

No extra hype here: Peyton Manning will expose the weak New England Patriots secondary in Sunday’s big game. The Indianapolis Colts win big over New England.

Not one of our games to pick, but Vince Young will have another opportunity to grow with his Tennessee Titans at home this weekend against the Buffalo Bills. But then it’s on to a Monday night contest against the Houston Texans that will be a better test of his mettle.