Young skill players key to several Week 8 matchups

Yes, I am falling for the Texans after David Carr, Andre Johnson and Wali Lundy looked like the nucleus of a solid skills-position set last week in Houston's win over Jacksonville.

Iowa State Stat of the Week: When Seneca Wallace quarterbacked the Cyclones in 2001 and '02, he threw more interceptions (27) than touchdowns (26). If my call of this game is right, I have a feeling Mike Holmgren will have to answer this question after the game: "Any second thoughts on having a 5-foot-11 running quarterback as your insurance policy for Matt Hasselbeck?"

Two thoughts: 1) John Abraham didn't exactly turn into Cal Ripken when he migrated south, did he? This will be his 31st game missed due to injury in his seven-year career, and you can hear the Jets say "I told you so" all the way from Long Island. 2) I talked to Chad Johnson the other night, and let me just say that he's very much looking forward to lining up against DeAngelo Hall, who some would say talks a much better game than he plays. "I haven't talked very much on the field this year, but Sunday, I'm taking it to another level," Johnson said.

I don't think a bye week and Brian Billick taking over the offensive play-calling will amount to a miracle drug for the Ravens, not with Steve McNair playing like he's 46.

Lovie Smith-Mike Nolan doesn't have quite the same ring to it as Mike Ditka-Bill Walsh. Alex Smith-Rex Grossman, Joe Montana-Jim McMahon. What a difference 20 years makes.

I've got to give props to stats maven Rich Burg of the Eagles' p.r. staff for e-mailing this note: Brian Westbrook had more than 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving Sunday in Tampa. The last time that happened in an Eagles game was 20 years ago, when Herschel Walker of the Cowboys did it against the Eagles. The score of both games: 23-21.

I'm noticing one thing about Bruce Gradkowski: Every time he quarterbacks the Bucs -- Sunday will be the fourth time -- Tampa Bay is in position to win the game at the end. My bet is that Jon Gruden's flavor of the month is now the Bucs' quarterback of 2007.

For sheer excitement, no game will beat this one. I think Matt Leinart was still in the womb when Brett Favre started making fourth-quarter comebacks in the NFL, but they'll be peers up in the tundra, each throwing for 350-ish. And how about this -- the Packers with three wins before Halloween. Whoda thunk it?

If I'm the Rams, I don't like the matchup of Shawne Merriman versus pocket-passer Marc Bulger -- particularly with Merriman playing with the fire of a man about to be sitting for a month.

I'll be at NBC on Sunday around 6, the Broncos will be up 13-3 in the third quarter, and my boss, David Neal, will tap me on the shoulder. "In your segment tonight," he'll say, "you've got to translate for America why this Denver defense is the same as that of the '85 Bears."

I'm not sure this is much of an upset, though it will be perceived as such. Remember, the Jets lost 900 to nothing at Jacksonville three weeks ago, and the Dawg Pound will be revved up now that they've been emancipated from the offense of Maurice Carthon. By the way, do you realize that the best weapon in the Cleveland offense, a healthy Braylon Edwards, caught five balls for 33 yards over the last two games? One game a guy gets lost in the play-calling, I can understand. Two? Too much.

Ben or no Ben (and I am sure there will be plenty of Ben), the Steelers will roll up 400 yards on the Raiders.

It's Romo time. Bill, you did the right thing.

I thought ESPN was supposed to be buying an inferior product, a Toledo Mud Hens version of Monday Night Football. Why is it that every game they televise surpasses the ridiculous expectations set up by the most insufferable hype machine in the history of televised sports?