By this season’s lofty standards, Week 10 doesn’t look quite as robust as some other weeks, but it does feature what might well be the game of the season: Patriots at Colts. The two greatest quarterbacks of their generation will battle Sunday night with the entire league watching. That sounds like a fun place to start our trip around Week 10:

Patriots at Colts: Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning. Two teams that really don’t like one another. Two of the hottest teams in the NFL. The Colts trying to catch New England’s record for consecutive regular-season wins. Who isn’t going to be watching this one? A Patriots win here would enable them to begin making the statement that they rule the AFC once more.

Eagles at Chargers: Philly came a few third-and-1 conversions away from standing alone atop the NFC East, while San Diego came one last-minute drive away from watching its playoff hopes take a major blow. Both of these teams are trying to be more multi-dimensional on offense and Brian Westbrook’s status will be key. The Chargers’ defense is showing more bite lately, with Shawne Merriman getting back in form.

Bengals at Steelers: Cincy wins this game and its 4-0 against Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and in the driver’s seat of a tough AFC North. Who da thunk it? Cedric Benson and the Bengals’ power running game might have some success as the Steelers have lost some front seven defenders recently. It’s a short week for the Steelers, too. Hard to see Pittsburgh dropping a vital divisional game at home, but should it happen, the 7-2 Bengals would be sitting pretty.

Cowboys at Packers: Suddenly Dallas is on top of the NFC East, and Green Bay is struggling to stay on the outside of the playoff picture. The Packers’ protection problems go beyond its tackles, and inserting Mark Tauscher at right tackle likely isn’t enough. DeMarcus Ware is back to last year’s form and Aaron Rodgers is suffering from all the hits he’s absorbed. The Packers’ talented secondary might be able to pick on Tony Romo should he falter, and this might be Green Bay’s last stand. A loss at home here would be crushing.

Bears at 49ers: Finally, our Thursday night slate of games begins and this one is in desperation city. The loser can forget about realistic playoff hopes and the winner might get a shot at redemption. It is hard to imagine Alex Smith carving up Chicago’s poor secondary too much, but TE Vernon Davis is emerging as a big-time threat. The loss of LT Joe Staley is a lot for the 49ers to overcome. Mike Singletary faces his old team with everything at stake. Good theater.

Ravens at Browns: Baltimore is another team in a must-win position should it fancy a playoff run. The Ravens can’t lose another divisional game (two meetings with Pittsburgh loom), but have found a way of giving away big games to an inferior Browns team on occasion in the past. Clevelanders still hate the Ravens for leaving for Baltimore, and the chance to undermine their playoff hopes should have the fans motivated. This very well could be Brady Quinn’s return as the starting quarterback as well.

Seahawks at Cardinals: Arizona has become fearsome on the road, but enigmatic at home. This is the type of game they have a habit of blowing, but if the Cards take care of business within the division, they’re going to repeat as NFC West champs. I figure to see Anquan Boldin back. This should be another opportunity for Arizona to keep trying to get that running game going as well. Seattle can play spoiler, and a win would at least start building some positive momentum.

Falcons at Panthers: Carolina is back to running the ball down teams’ throats, but the turnovers from the first six weeks will haunt the Panthers all season. Still, they had the Saints on the ropes and know the Falcons well. The Falcons are starting to ride Michael Turner again, which makes life much easier for Matt Ryan and will help curb his interception woes. This could be a low-scoring game.

Jaguars at Jets: Another must-win game for teams that hope to be a part of the playoff picture until the end. New York’s bye came at the right time to stop a freefall, and Mark Sanchez will try to emerge from a funk. Another matchup where both teams will look to run the ball all day. No Kris Jenkins is a big blow for the Jets, and linebackers like Bart Scott are going to have to wrap up Maurice Jones-Drew.

Buccaneers at Dolphins: Josh Freeman finally gave the Bucs something to feel good about last week, and maybe he’ll have top WR Antonio Bryant back for this one. Miami’s run of tough defeats to elite teams continued last week, and the Wildcat has been slowed recently. The push to get more passing involved in that aspect is essential, and rookie QB Pat White might end up being more of a force in this game as well.

Saints at Rams: The biggest potential for a complete blowout this week. New Orleans can seemingly overcome any deficit, but the run defense has slipped in recent weeks, and Steven Jackson is the Rams’ best chance at success. I expect to see the Saints in a lot of 9-10 man fronts, given St. Louis’ aerial woes. Even coming off a bye, it is difficult to imagine the Rams being able to pull this one off.

Lions at Vikings: The other game that screams blowout. Detroit has been horrific on the road for a long, long time, and the Vikings come in off a bye, with all of Brett Favre’s various ailments allowed to heal up. Matthew Stafford has been an interception machine since returning from his injury and if Minnesota gets up early and Jared Allen goes off, Stafford stands to suffer again. Minnesota is running away with the division.

Broncos at Redskins: Washington might be stuck on two wins for quite some time, and the empty-seats ratio will likely soar as the temperature drops. Kyle Orton returns to the place of his first-ever start. Washington’s pass protection issues are epic and the Broncos could win this game without scoring an offensive point. Once Elvis (Dumervil) enters this building, you’re going to have a heck of a time getting him to leave against the worst set of tackles in the NFL.

Bills at Titans: Vince Young stands a good chance of going to 3-0 this season and continuing his sparkling winning percentage. This is going to be basic football from both sides, and yet another game where running the ball will carry the day. Trent Edwards is scheduled to return from his concussion. Maybe Buffalo found a way to get T.O. more involved during its bye week, but the Titans’ secondary is finally jumping routes and picking off passes again.

Chiefs at Raiders: There is a lot of wonderful history between these once-great teams, which is something to celebrate as the league commemorates the AFL in 2009. Beyond that, well, both of these clubs are one day closer to the NFL draft. I’ll leave it at that.

It’s been widely assumed inside the Browns organization that Brady Quinn would take over for Derek Anderson as the starting quarterback following the bye week, but coach Eric Mangini has not informed players or many other staff members of his final decision, which will be announced Wednesday.

Given Anderson’s inept play, the team’s slide and Quinn’s limited window to perform thus far since being a first-round pick, players and members of the organization said they would be very surprised if Quinn did not take over. The Browns, by playing Anderson most of the first half of the season, also avoided a cluase in Quinn’s contract which would cause his salary to soar should he take 70 percent of the snaps.

Players said there was no indication given to them by the coaches about who would be under center, and that the bye week’s practice reps didn’t indicate anything about either player starting as well. However, they were anticipating a move to Quinn.

The Browns return for a full practice Wednesday to prepare for their Monday night game against Baltimore.

The NFL made it clear back in August that it was investigating allegations that Raiders coach Tom Cable threatened and struck defensive assistant coach Randy Hanson at a training camp meeting, during which Hanson suffered a broken jaw. Here’s a look at how the alleged conduct could be a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy, which applies to “all persons associated with the NFL,” and obviously includes coaches and players.

The policy makes it clear how high the standard of conduct is, applying to “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the National Football League.” Simply not being found not guilty of a crime — the Napa D.A. filed no charges against Cable after its investigation — is “not enough,” according to the policy.

The policy explicitly notes that league discipline may be imposed in circumstances such as “the use or threat of violence,” and “violent or threatening behavior among employees,” and conduct that “imposes inherent danger to the safety and well being” of another person. All of these apply to Hanson’s claims against Cable and form the grounds for both the Napa Valley police investigation and the NFL’s internal review.

The policy also specifically applies to domestic violence and partner abuse, charges that two women have made against Cable through the media (Cable has admitted to striking an ex-wife once 20 years ago). Both the Raiders and the NFL have said that they are investigating those matters as well.

And thus, in a case such as this, the policy states that “persons charged or otherwise appearing to have engaged in conduct prohibited under the policy will be required to undergo a formal clinical evaluation.” Based on the results of those tests, the person could be “encouraged or required” to undergo counseling or treatment. It also states that the evaluation and counseling are not considered discipline. However, “failure to comply with this portion of the Policy shall itself constitute a separate and independent basis for discipline.”

Discipline for violating this policy often results in fines or suspensions, and the commissioner has the right to decide any penalties, factoring in “the actual or threatened risk,” as well as any past history of misconduct. The affected person will have the right to appeal. The DA’s lengthy examination and subsequent rebuttal of some of Hanson’s claims damaged his case, according to league sources, and reduced the likelihood of Cable facing any substantial penalties for those allegations, all of which came before the domestic abuse allegations came to light.

As stated in the policy, a clinical evaluation is a standard procedure in the league’s investigation in Cable’s case, which will help inform any decisions the league will make.

Levi Jones is set to start at left tackle for the Redskins when they face the Broncos on Sunday, according to a league source.

Jones, a former stalwart for the Bengals, was signed three weeks ago. He’s appeared in two games for the Redskins, but has yet to start.

Washington’s offensive line is arguably the worst in the NFL, and former Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels was put on IR earlier this season with a career-threatening neck injury.

Stephon Heyer has struggled on the left side and has also recently been banged up.

The ninth Sunday of NFL play shed some light on how the teams stack up. Here’s how I see it …

1. Saints — Making a habit out of overcoming double-digit second half deficits. Unreal.

2. Colts — I have a feeling their winning streak stops next week against the Pats.

3. Patriots — They could run away with their division and get ample rest before the playoffs.

4. Steelers — I like them coming off the bye in Denver tonight.

5. Vikings — So much for the NFC North being a three-team grudge match.

6. Bengals — Antwan Odom’s loss hasn’t slowed them down at all. They are already 4-0 in the division.

7. Broncos — Another team unchanged in the rankings coming out of the bye.

8. Cowboys — Have to tip your wide-brimmed hat to them. They are starting to stack up strong performances every week … But can it continue through December?

9. Cardinals — When they’re hot, they’re unstoppable, and when they’re not, they’re brutal.

10. Eagles — A few key short-yardage failures doomed them again.

11. Chargers — That late TD may have reversed the course of their season. Shawne Merriman is starting to come alive.

12. Texans — Put up a heck of a fight in defeat. I worry about the state of their run game, though.

13. Falcons — The Redskins are the perfect elixir for any decent team.

14. Dolphins — Their record should be better. The have had some very tough losses against very good teams.

15. Ravens — Their playoff odds took a major blow yesterday. Haloti Ngata is the key. The defense is slumping. Baltimore better sweep Pittsburg to make a push.

16. Giants — A failure to turn a late takeaway into seven points doomed them. Awful way to head into a bye.

17. Jets — Their ascent has more to do with the awful performances of the teams around them than anything else.

18. Packers — Merely switching tackles didn’t help their horrid pass protection. All the hits to Aaron Rodgers are taking a toll.

19. Titans — Another team not nearly as bad as its record. All Vince Young does is win football games. Well, kinda.

20. Jaguars — Gotta love Maurice Jones-Drew. He wills them to win games it seems.

21. Panthers — I really thought they would pull off that upset and continued to believe it until the second Anothy Hargrove fumble recovery. They had a 4-4 record in their grasp.

22. Bears — For all the talk about their offense, it’s the defense that’s letting them down. The secondary is a mess.

23. 49ers — They need to beat the Bears on the NFL Network this Thursday if they want to have a chance at the playoffs. I didn’t like the move to Alex Smith because of all his turnovers, which killed them Sunday.

24. Seahawks — A win is a win, I suppose.

25. Chiefs — Parting with Larry Johnson eliminates an ugly subplot.

26. Bills — Will T.O. out-produce Roy Williams? Oh, what a subplot (and one only he could concoct).

27. Rams — Steven Jackson is a beast, even in another lost season.

28. Lions — I wonder when that next road win is gonna come?

29. Buccaneers — Congrats to Raheem Morris and Josh Freeman on their first NFL wins.

30. Raiders — Another one and done for an Oakland coach, so it seems.

31. Redskins — It takes a village to call a (doomed) Redskins’ play. (Yeah, its nearly an identical comment to last week, but if the shoe fits…)

32. Browns — What the heck is going on there? In the season of front office/coaching dysfunction they take the cake.

As we reported last week, Steelers safety Ryan Clark will not play in Monday night’s game against the Denver Broncos, according to a league source.

The team said it would make an annoucment on Clark Monday night. He was officially listed as questionable.

Despite Clark lobbying the team to play, the Steelers were not inclined to let him risk potential serious complications. Clark has a rare sickle-cell trait that can trigger life-threatening complications at altitude, and had to have his spleen and gallbladder removed after he played there in 2007. Doctors, however, had already cleared Clark to participate in the game, citing a low risk of him experiencing those same chronic issues again.

If I’m running your average NFL team, I’m in no hurry to place a waiver claim on former Chiefs RB Larry Johnson. His age, the number of carries under his belt and his off-the-field issues all resonate loudly with me. I’m surprised, frankly, the Chiefs didn’t just release him in the first place and save about $300,000 in what became a drawn-out process.

I’d be surprised if anyone picked up the remainder of his $4.5 million contract in the next 24 hours on waivers.

But, this is an ultra competitive league, and with Johnson on the street as an unrestricted free agent, I’d expect someone to bring him in on the cheap. There are plenty of rudderless clubs that could use a running back. Washington has been auditioning them all season, well before Clinton Portis’ concussion. But given Johnson’s baggage and the lack of potential for some teams to salvage anything from 2009 (Cleveland and Tampa Bay have been thin in the backfield, for instance), I can’t see those teams making the move.

There are a handful of teams making a playoff push — or who hope to realistically make a playoff push — and someone from that group might go for it. Houston actually makes the most sense to me, given Steve Slaton’s fumbling issues. Ryan Moats had one big game, but as desperate as the Texans are to finally get into the postseason, I could see the allure. Green Bay recently brought back veteran Ahman Green, and Johnson should be in better game shape than he is (though Green knows the system better). As a backup to Ryan Grant, it could make some sense.

The Colts have been without rookie Donald Brown, and the run game has been very erratic. Johnson could be more of a bulldozer to at least try to get some tough yards in certain situations. Brian Westbrook’s concussion is a concern for the Eagles, and the NFC East typically becomes run dominated in the second half.  We know the Eagles are willing to take a chance on a guy (see, Michael Vick), though the degree of Johnson’s social rehabilitation remains in question.

The Chargers already have one aging former All-Pro back on the roster in LaDainian Tomlinson. It’s another team under serious heat to reach the postseason and could well kick around this idea in the front office. The Jets run the ball more than anyone in the NFL, Thomas Jones has already carried a bunch, and with Leon Washington out for the season, they could be a match. Bill Belichick has lost a bunch of RBs to injury and has been adept at picking up older players off the scrap heap, but I’m not sure ownership would want to go there on this one even if it ended up making some sense from a personnel standpoint.

Colts CB Marlin Jackson will miss the remainder of the season because of a knee injury, according to a league source, and WR Anthony Gonzalez continues to explore options for his return.

Jackson injured his anterior cruciate ligament during Wednesday’s practice and will undergo season-ending surgery.

Gonzalez has been out since suffering a knee injury during the season-opening victory over the Jaguars. He hoped to be back in six weeks but isn’t ready to play.

Gonzalez continues to rehabilitate his knee — a return for this weekend’s game against the Texans is highly unlikely — and pursue options for his knee other than surgery.

Steelers starting free safety Ryan Clark is highly unlikely to play Monday night in Denver, according to league sources, because of a rare sickle-cell trait that can trigger life-threatening complications at altitude.

Clark needed emergency surgery to remove his spleen when he played in Denver in 2007, and he also experienced serious complications from playing there with the Redskins in 2005.

Doctors cleared Clark to participate in the game, citing a low risk of him experiencing those same chronic issues again, but it can’t be ruled out entirely. Despite Clark protesting to play — I know him well, and he’s as driven an individual as you will find in this game — the Steelers are virtually certain to make an organizational decision to have him sit out the game against the Broncos, the sources said.

A final decision hasn’t been made, and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has said he wouldn’t make any further statements on the matter until Thursday at the earliest, but internally, there is a strong feeling that protecting Clark is paramount. If this was the AFC Championship Game, the Steelers might be more inclined to let Clark make the call, but that is highly doubtful in this circumstance.

Clark, who hits hard and plays well above his modest 5-foot-11 stature, is having what might be his best season. The eighth-year NFL veteran is eligible for unrestricted free agency in March should the sides not reach an extension agreement before then.

When it comes to organizational dysfunction, the Cleveland Browns are now right there with the Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins. This week’s events in Cleveland have thrust the team into a vortex of bizarre moves.

Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised by a rookie general manager being ousted at the midpoint of his first season in a league where preseason coordinator changes became all the rage for struggling franchises.

I posted a longer piece today on George Kokinis, Eric Mangini and the situation in Cleveland on NFL.com. You can read that full version here.

I’ll also be on NFL Total Access today discussing many of these same issues with host Fran Charles and analysts Charles Davis and Trent Green. We’ll break down how the Browns got in this mess, and where they go from here. We’ll also discuss a few injuries on the Giants and Eagles, Tuesday’s StarCaps hearings and why Darren Sharper of the Saints is playing so well. Total Access airs on NFL Network starting at 7 p.m. ET.

Week 9 is no slouch. Another week where roughly half the schedule is comprised of five-star games, including four divisional tilts that are full of playoff ramifications. As always, we’ll start with the best and work our way down.

Here’s a preview of Week 9:

Cowboys at Eagles: Another Sunday night spectacle for a glamour division. The Cowboys are making a move, but haven’t faced a divisional foe since losing at home to the Giants in Week 2. The Eagles share first place in the division with the Cowboys. The Giants are sliding and the Redskins are three games back. I’m not sure Dallas’ secondary matches up well with speedster DeSean Jackson, and Philly is hopeful of getting Brian Westbrook back. If the Eagles generate anything close to the pass rush they mustered against Eli Manning, it could be tough for the Cowboys to overcome on the road. Cornerbacks like Asante Samuel are adept at reading eyes and jumping routes, and we’ll see if Tony Romo continues protecting the ball as he has lately.

Ravens at Bengals: These two produced an epic in Week 5, with a last-second Carson Palmer drive beating the Ravens at home. Expect Baltimore to blitz him more this time around, and also establish the run game. Cedric Benson became the first back in three years to rush for over 100 yards against Baltimore in the first meeting, and he should be fresh off a bye. How will the Cincy pass rush hold up with Antwan Odom gone for the season? Can Benson keep up this pace? If the Bengals win here, they force Baltimore to chase them down the stretch. A win by the Ravens puts them even with Cincy and on Pittsburgh’s heels.

Texans at Colts: If the Texans are truly for real, this is the showcase game to prove it. Both teams are playing much improved defense lately, but with Peyton Manning and Matt Schaub on the field, the possibility of a shootout is always high. If either team can establish the run, it might tilt the game. The loss of Owen Daniels allows teams to focus more on Andre Johnson without worrying about as much underneath. If the Colts stay unbeaten here, you can just about hand them the AFC South title.

Steelers at Broncos: Pittsburgh comes in off a bye after regaining its form, while Denver tries to rebound from its first loss of the season. Baltimore showed you could out-physical the Broncos’ defense if need be, and I expect the Steelers to take that same approach. Broncos QB Kyle Orton has only lost twice at home in his career. Troy Polamalu should be ready after getting the extra week to nurse his ailing knee. Denver could look suddenly vulnerable, and coach Josh McDaniels is dealing with some in-season adversity for the first time.

Dolphins at Patriots: If any team can muster a divisional threat to New England, it’s Miami. This whole Wildcat craze got going at the Pats’ expense early last season. With the Bills at the bottom and the Jets in a free-fall, this is a game that could put Miami in position to be a playoff factor. The Dolphins should have beaten the Colts and Saints already. You can’t expect Ted Ginn to go bonkers in the return game, though, and Chad Henne hasn’t been as sharp now that there is more recent game film of him floating around. It’s hard not to like the Pats off a bye. Maybe it saps some of the offensive momentum they were mounting, though, I doubt it.

Chargers at Giants: Okay, no divisional ramifications here, but two teams that badly need a win. The Giants’ 5-0 start seems like ancient history, their secondary is pathetic at this point and the pass rush is not ferocious enough. Philip Rivers is the kind of guy who can exploit that struggling coverage, and target safety C.C. Brown in particular. The Giants badly need to get Chris Canty, Aaron Ross and Michael Boley on the field, immediately. Doubt the Chargers do much on the ground here, but this game could be won one-dimensionally given the state of New York’s pass coverage. San Diego’s defense is shaky as well, but you have to wonder if Eli’s foot and heel are bothering him, with balls sailing high and long on him.

Cardinals at Bears: Neither team has been capable of putting its best foot forward with great regularity. Nor has either been balanced on offense. Kurt Warner is coming off a five-interception outing, while Jay Cutler has turned it over far too much this season. It seems like the kind of game the Cards often lose. Larry Fitzgerald hasn’t quite been himself and Anquan Boldin is banged up, again. Another game where, if either team can play ball control and establish a run game, I give them the edge.

Panthers at Saints: This is a trap game to me. The Panthers have been bad, QB Jake Delhomme is beat up and Carolina is coming in off a win. If the Saints let their focus slip, this is a team that knows them well and could tear off some of the long outside runs that have occasionally given New Orleans trouble. But the Saints can beat you in many ways: With long drives, quick strikes or by scoring on defense. And Delhomme is more prone to handing the ball to the wrong team than pretty much anyone in the NFL.

Packers at Bucs: Will Tampa Bay go 0-16? Can the Packers put together a stretch of three or four solid performances to get going? You would expect the Bucs to attack Aaron Rodgers like crazy given Green Bay’s protection issues and with the Bucs having nothing to lose. It would also help to give Josh Freeman some short fields in his first NFL start.

Titans at 49ers: Vince Young was not too shabby in his ‘09 debut, eh? The formula for the Titans is pretty simple, and the lack of the vertical element in the passing game is nothing new. Defenses have to respect his scrambling ability and running the ball is by far what the team does best anyway. Tennessee is not as bad as its record. In San Fran, the change at quarterback to Alex Smith might not be enough. I’ll call for Michael Crabtree to get his first NFL TD and for Vernon Davis to have a good game as well. Frank Gore vs. Chris Johnson gives us a matchup of the two best backs in the league at taking a carry 50 yards or more to the house.

Chiefs at Jaguars: This is a must-win game for the Jags if they are to remain on the periphery of the playoff scene. The Chiefs get their first taste of taking the field without Larry Johnson around, which will become the norm by 2010.

Redskins at Falcons: The Redskins might not win again this season. The schedule is tough and the malaise there is thick, especially with Chris Cooley gone for a while. This looks like a great opportunity for Atlanta to capitalize on the many mistakes Washington’s offense is prone to.

Lions at Seahawks: Both teams are struggling to be competitive. Detroit’s lone win since 2007 came at home and, even with an injury-depleted team on the field, Seattle is a tough place to play.

The eighth Sunday of NFL play shed some light on how the teams stack up. Here’s how I see it …

1. Saints — You don’t drop from the top without losing, and you don’t get off the bottom without winning. La Canfora’s rules of rankings.

2. Colts — We probably aren’t giving their defense enough respect.

3. Patriots — They should be hitting peak post-bye.

4. Steelers — Come out of the bye with a big game at Denver.

5. Vikings — Gotta give it up to Brett Favre. Four TDs in that atmosphere is something else.

6. Eagles — DeSean Jackson is scary fast. If they keep getting after the quarterback they’ll be a tough out.

7. Broncos — Tough gig going on the road against a desperate Ravens team. Second half will be a big test.

8. Bengals — Stay where they were on the bye.

9. Ravens — Much needed aggression from the D. Very formidable team when they bring that approach.

10. Cowboys — Hard to jump on this bandwagon til I see them do it in winter.

11. Giants — The collpase of the secondary has been tough, but they’ll get healthier.

12. Cardinals — Yes, I know they beat the Giants; I’m still putting ‘em one spot lower.

13. Texans — Could they finally be putting it all together? Love how rookie Brian Cushing is playing.

14. Falcons — Division title hopes probably on the line tonight.

15. Chargers — Inability to run the ball is a big concern.

16. Packers — If they could just protect Aaron Rodgers, even a little bit …

17. Bears — I still like them being in the playoff conversation.

18. Dolphins — If nothing else comes of this season, they dominated the smack-talk bowl with the Jets.

19. 49ers — Gave the Colts a good fight, and Michael Crabtree keeps progressing.

20. Jets — Don’t see them overcoming that Kris Jenkins injury. Swagger is gone.

21. Jaguars — Can’t get over the hump.

22. Titans — Change to Vince Young came at least a week too late.

23. Panthers — Can still pound it on the ground when all else fails.

24. Seahawks — Injuries leading to another lost season.

25. Bills — Well, at least TO got in the end zone.

26. Lions — Time off for Matthew Stafford was never gonna be a good thing, but escaping major injury is a huge boost.

27. Chiefs — If nothing else, they worked out a settlement with Larry Johnson during the bye week.

28. Rams — Congrats on ending a 17-week slide.

29. Raiders — Not sure what they do well right now.

30. Browns — The big-boy portion of their schedule is about to begin. Yikes.

31. Redskins — It takes a village to call a Redskins play.

32. Buccaneers — When do they get a W?

NFL Network’s Jason LaCanfora reports that Jets WRs Jerricho Cotchery and David Clowney, along with DE Shaun Ellis and LB Bart Scott, are expected to play against the Dolphins on Sunday.

CB Lito Sheppard remains very doubtful.

Cotchery, the team’s leading receiver, was injured in practice three weeks ago. He played in the loss at Miami on Oct. 12, then sat out a loss to Buffalo and a win at Oakland.

Here’s some information on two league fines to pass along.

Cardinals S Antrel Rolle was fined $7,500 by the NFL Friday for unnecessary roughness for striking a defenseless receiver, Giants TE Kevin Boss, in Week 7, according to a league source.

The league also fined Colts CB Jacob Lacey $10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct, according to league source. Lacey participated in an illegal celebration by going to the ground after a touchdown against the Rams.

I’m calling it right now: Blowout week is over. We got that out of our system. Week 8’s slate of games is pretty exciting. Out of 13 games, there are six that are highly compelling. Not a bad ratio at all.

As always, we’ll start at the top. Here’s a preview of Week 8:

Vikings at Packers: Favre Bowl II, this time it’s outdoors! All-time cable TV viewing records were set when Brett Favre faced the Packers on Monday Night Football a few weeks back, but now he returns to Green Bay, to a scorned fan base that once adored him. The Vikings are no longer undefeated, and had a fourth-quarter that did not break perfectly for them. The Packers can’t let Jared Allen rampage their QB the way it went down last time. Maybe LT Chad Clifton returns. It’s going to be some kind of charged atmosphere.

Broncos at Ravens: Both teams are coming off a bye. Baltimore’s struggling defense needs to get its pass coverage straightened out, while Mike Nolan, one of the Ravens’ former defensive coaches, has Denver playing the best D in the league. The Ravens have lost three in a row. Conversely, the Broncos have yet to lose despite playing some heavy-duty foes. Joe Flacco has been worse at home than on the road in his career, and with Pittsburgh and Cincy charging, the Ravens need this game.

Falcons at Saints: New Orleans could dang near wrap up the NFC South with a win. The second-half comeback last week was amazing, and the Falcons have to find a way to play some ball control against them. The Saints already have 72 points off turnovers and lead the NFL in takeaways — a complete turnaround from last season. Darren Sharper has a way with feasting on young QBs. Matt Ryan is special, but he’s going into the belly of the beast this week.

Giants at Eagles: The top two teams in the NFC East are limping into this one. Philly’s offense has not looked right for a few weeks now, and Brian Westbrook is a concussion concern. Eli Manning is sputtering some, and the defense — pass D in particular — is looking poor. The Giants need to get guys like Aaron Ross and Michael Boley back, ASAP. It’s another opportunity for Michael Vick to perhaps show something — it’s been stale thus far, though,, his old burst finally shined briefly on one third-down run Monday night. The Giants have to contain DeSean Jackson’s big-play tendencies, or they could end up in a shootout they can’t win.

Dolphins at Jets: Can Miami gash New York with the Wildcat again just a few weeks after doing so on Monday Night Football? You would think Rex Ryan would pick up something from the approach Gregg Williams took with the formation last week — more attack, less two-gap — but with no Kris Jenkins that power game is going to be tough to stop. New York still doesn’t have much of a vertical attack, but it’s hard to imagine the Jets getting swept by the Dolphins and being a real playoff factor. We also get another chance to watch clips of all the jawing between Ryan and Channing Crowder from the offseason, which never gets old.

49ers at Colts: Suddenly the 49ers are sputtering and will have a new QB under center. Michael Crabtree was quietly effective in his debut and Vernon Davis seems to have something going with Alex Smith. But can the 49ers contain the Colts? They did well to stop the bleeding against a high-powered Houston attack, but couldn’t pull the upset. Perhaps a bit of a trap game for the undefeated Colts, but with Indy getting healthier, it’s hard not to like what the team has cooking.

Seahawks at Cowboys: Seattle is getting bodies back on defense, but with big Walter Jones possibly staring at IR, the protection issues still loom large. DeMarcus Ware, freshly paid, might go off on Matt Hasselbeck. Miles Austin will be looking for his third straight monster game, but Dallas has a way of sapping its own momentum. It’s a must-win game for the Seahawks, who have not been good on the road.

Panthers at Cardinals: There is a possibility Matt Moore gets the start at QB for the Panthers. Carolina lacks weapons in the passing game at this point and Arizona is hitting its stride, on a 4-1 tear. This could be a game where Arizona establishes more of a running presence. With the 49ers at Indy, this is a crucial opportunity for the Cardinals to start putting some distance between them and the only team in the NFC West that seems capable of mounting a threat.

Jaguars at Titans: The Titans have to win a game here soon, right? And Vince Young has to play in something other than garbage time, maybe even in a Wildcat setting? Coming out of a bye without a win and with all that time to prepare for a division opponent, they must have a trick up their sleeve, right? Hard to fathom Tennessee could be top-5 in rushing average and rushing average against, yet without a victory. The Jags rely on the power run game but it could be tough sledding out there.

Texans at Bills: Buffalo fans surely hope Mother Nature plays a role and helps derail the Houston’s attack. The Bills have been doing anything but rolling over for coach Dick Jauron, despite mounting injuries. They’ll be without QB Trent Edwards again, and it hasn’t been pretty with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. T.O. might not make a big play this season, but winning ugly is plenty pretty. The Texans are notorious for letdown games that end up costing the team dearly come January. Can’t afford one here.

Browns at Bears: What the heck happened to Chicago last week? That was a total devastation at the hands of the Bengals. You would have to think there is no way they let Derek Anderson and any tailback currently on Cleveland’s roster duplicate what Carson Palmer/Cedric Benson accomplished Sunday. Jay Cutler’s turnover rate has been alarming and Matt Forte just can’t get going. The Bears have played a very tough schedule, however, and this might be the springboard they need into the second half.

Raiders at Chargers: Remember that season-opening Monday night game between these teams, and how the Raiders beat the snot out of the Chargers on both sides of the ball? They lost, but still won, at least in all ways not pertaining to the actual scoreboard. It made for compelling watching, if nothing else, and hopefully we get another dose of that Raiders team as opposed to the one on display most weeks. The Chargers can’t afford any slipups, but when you can’t run the ball or usually stop anyone on defense, there’s always a chance you might lose to an inferior team.

Rams at Lions: St. Louis has lost 17 games in a row dating back to last season, and is 2-21 since the start of the 2008 season. The Lions lost all 16 games last season and are 1-21 since the start of 2008. Are you ready for some football?