But since I’m in a hurry, you won’t have to suffer through my reasons for why you should watch each game. Just the straight info. Announcer Pairings courtesy of www.the506.com, Point Spreads courtesy of BetUs.com, and the NFL Week 17 TV Schedule courtesy of good ‘ol NFL.com, with all times listed as ET.

If you want to know what needs to happen in Week 17 for your team to make the playoffs, we have breakdowns for each conference:

• NFC Week 17 Playoff Scenarios
• AFC Week 17 Playoff Scenarios

Here we go, the Week 17 TV Schedule, Announcer Pairings, and Point Spreads:

St. Louis Rams at Atlanta Falcons

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 1:00 on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• Point Spread: Atlanta Falcons -14 1/2
• Over-Under: 44 1/2

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 1:00 on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Point Spread: Tennessee Titans -3 1/2
• Over-Under: 38 1/2

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 1:00 on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
• Point Spread: Carolina Panthers -3 1/2
• Over-Under: 52 1/2
• BTW: Drew Brees needs 402 yards to break Dan Marino’s single-season record for passing yardage.

New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 1:00 on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Stockton and Brian Baldinger
• Point Spread: Minnesota Vikings -6 1/2
• Over-Under: 42 1/2

Oakland Raiders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 1:00 on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
• Point Spread: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -13 1/2
• Over-Under: 39

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 1:00 on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker
• Point Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers -10 1/2
• Over-Under: 32 1/2

Chicago Bears at Houston Texans

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 1:00 on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Matt Vasgersian and J.C. Pearson
• Point Spread: Houston Texans -3 1/2
• Over-Under: 46 1/2

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 1:00 on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
• Point Spread: New England Patriots -6 1/2
• Over-Under: 41

Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 1:00 on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Bill Macatee and Steve Beuerlein
• Point Spread: Cincinnati Bengals -3 1/2
• Over-Under: 38 1/2

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 1:00 on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Chris Rose and John Lynch
• Point Spread: Green Bay Packers -10 1/2
• Over-Under: 43

Jacksonville Jaguars at Baltimore Ravens

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 4:15 on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Enberg and Randy Cross
• Point Spread: Baltimore Ravens -12 1/2
• Over-Under: 36 1/2

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 4:15 on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Point Spread: New York Jets -2 1/2
• Over-Under: 42

Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 4:15 on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick
• Point Spread: Arizona Cardinals -6 1/2
• Over-Under: 45 1/2

Washington Redskins at San Francisco 49ers

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 4:15 on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Ron Pitts and Tony Boselli
• Point Spread: San Francisco 49ers -3 1/2
• Over-Under: 37 1/2

Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 4:15 on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
• Point Spread: Philadelphia Eagles -1 1/2
• Over-Under: 42 1/2

Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers

• Sunday, November 28th
• TV Schedule: 8:15 on NBC
• Announcer Pairing: Al Michaels and John Madden
• Point Spread: San Diego Chargers -8 1/2
• Over-Under: 50 1/2

Still, even if you are a fan of one of those teams you have to be looking forward to the final couple of weeks. Not only are so many playoff spots and positions up in the air, but there are marquee games between marquee teams sprinkled through the final two weeks of the season. Additionally, this is the time of year when we begin to get NFL games on Saturday, which is always nice.

As we always do here at Midwest Sports Fans, we get you ready for the week of NFL action with our preview and viewer guide, complete with tv schedule and announcer lineups; and, if you are into sports betting or just want to know what the experts predict will happen in the games, we bring you the point spreads, and over-under odds.

So here we go. As always, the schedule is provided by NFL.com, the announcer lineups are courtesy of the506.com, and we are switching it up this week and moving away from Danny Sheridan’s point spreads and odds to bring you the points spreads and over-unders from betus.com. (All of the lines are the early ones posted Wednesday morning. Visit their website for the most recent info as it gets closer to kickoff, or if you are looking for some free NFL picks.)

Thursday Night Football

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars

• Thursday, December 18
• TV Schedule: NFL Network at 8:15 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Bob Papa, Chris Collinsworth, Deion Sanders
• Point Spread: Indianapolis Colts -6 1/2
• Over-Under: 44
• Why You Should Watch: Not for the usual reasons when Indy and Jacksonville play, which is for a highly competitive game with AFC South implications. Jacksonville sucks this year. However, the Colts have been rolling and I believe they could both win homefield advantage in the AFC or be completely out of the playoffs depending on how the last two weeks go. That’s craziness.

Saturday Night Football

Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys

• Saturday, December 20
• TV Schedule: NFL Network at 8:15 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Bob Papa, Chris Collinsworth, Deion Sanders
• Point Spread: Dallas Cowboys -4 1/2
• Over-Under: -39 1/2
• Why You Should Watch: Two very good teams in what should be an exciting, physical game. The playoff hopes of both teams are on the line, and both need victories to maintain their pace in the Wild Card race, as neither will win its division. Both defenses are playing fantastic and there will be lots of star power on the field.

Sunday Early Games

Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: CBS at 1:00 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
• Point Spread: Cleveland Browns -3 1/2
• Over-Under: 35
• Why You Should Watch: I was going to say only if you are a Browns or Bengals fan, but would you really even want to watch it then? These two teams have been terrible all season, and if your team does lose, you’re only going to feel worse. Stay away. Stay far away.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: CBS at 1:00 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Point Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers -2 1/2
• Over-Under: 34 1/2
• Why You Should Watch: Are you kidding? This is quite possibly an AFC Championship Game preview and will determine homefield advantage. A huge and monumental game featuring two tough, physical defenses. The Steelers have gone through a gauntlet this year and somehow have come out of it with a chance at the #1 seed in the AFC. The Titans have struggled recently, and this is a chance to them to get on track at home.

San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: FOX at 1:00 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• Point Spread: San Francisco 49ers -5 1/2
• Over-Under: 43 1/2
• Why You Should Watch: See my comments for the Browns-Bengals game. Although, in the 49ers defense, they have played much better since Mike Singletary took over and at least returned a small bit of pride to the Bay Area. Watch this game if Frank Gore is on your fantasy team…and plays. Otherwise, stay away.

San Diego Chargers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: CBS at 1:00 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
• Point Spread: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -3 1/2
• Over-Under: 42 1/2
• Why You Should Watch: San Diego and Tampa Bay are both still clinging to playoff hopes, but need to win out and get some help (at least I think so, in TB’s case) to make it. The Chargers have been pathetic this year, but the Broncos are certainly capable of throwing up two stinkers to end the season. Lots of talented, albeit old and perhaps over the hill, players will be on the field in this one.

New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: FOX at 1:00 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Ron Pitts and Tony Boselli
• Point Spread: New Orleans Saints -7 1/2
• Over-Under: 50 1/2
• Why You Should Watch: For fantasy purposes, and to see if the Lions can actually get a W. Something tells me a lot of fantasy championships will include Drew Brees and Calvin Johnson. I know they do in my case, so I will be watching this game closely, even though it means nothing in the grand scheme of the playoffs. Which is exactly why the NFL was brilliant to embrace fantasy football and, at least implicitly, gambling.

Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: CBS at 1:00 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Dick Enberg, Randy Cross, and Dan Fouts
• Point Spread: Miami Dolphins -4 1/2
• Over-Under: 40
• Why You Should Watch: Anyone else see some similarities between this year’s Dolphins team and last year’s Cleveland Browns? QB comes out of the nowhere to be team leader — check. (Who thought Chad Pennington would be on the Dolphins this offseason??) No expectations coming into the year but just hit a huge roll — check. Fattening up against a pretty weak schedule — check. There are more, but who cares. The Dolphins control their own destiny and need a W to keep pace with the Jets and Patriots.

Arizona Cardinals at New England Patriots

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: FOX at 1:00 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
• Point Spread: New England Patriots -7 1/2
• Over-Under: 44
• Why You Should Watch: I am telling you right now to bet the over. There will be a lot of scoring, as Arizona tries to avenge last week’s loss to Minnesota (and Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald win me a fantasy championship). The Patriots offense has been rolling too, with Matt Cassel throwing 4 TDs last week. I smell an exciting, down-to-the-wire shootout. The Pats will win because they are more desperate.

Sunday Afternoon Games

Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: CBS at 4:05 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Point Spread: Denver Broncos -7 1/2
• Over-Under: 44 1/2
• Why You Should Watch: Buffalo cannot find any consistent play from its QBs, while Denver cannot find any consistency at all in anything, although they sit atop the AFC West. This could be another down-to-the-wire game, and I think Denver ultimately wins. But if they don’t, and if San Diego wins, it sets up a mighty nice matchup for next week.

New York Jets at Seattle Seahawks

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: CBS at 4:05 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker
• Point Spread: New York Jets -5 1/2
• Over-Under: 44 1/2
• Why You Should Watch: The Jets are terrible when they play on the West Coast — remember the 49ers game? I am not sure the Seahawks have the horses to stay in this race, but I would not be surprised one bit to see the Jets stumble in Seattle, and put a huge dent in their playoff hopes. Regardless, watch this game for one reason and one reason only: Gus Johnson.

Houston Texans at Oakland Raiders

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: CBS at 4:05 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Bill Macatee and Steve Beuerlein
• Point Spread: Houston Texans -7 1/2
• Over-Under: 44
• Why You Should Watch: Because Andre Johnson is amazing, and the Texans have been playing really good football lately. This is the team everyone expected at the start of the year. And the Raiders are pretty much toast, so expect another win for the Texans and another offseason of people predicting them to take that “next step.” We’ll see.

Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: FOX at 4:15 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Not available as of 12/17
• Point Spread: Minnesota Vikings -3 1/2
• Over-Under: 43 1/2
• Why You Should Watch: Minnesota is trying to hang onto the NFC North lead, while the Falcons cling to their surprising playoff hopes. Any game that features Adrian Peterson and the Matt Ryan-Roddy White combo is worth watching. This should be a really good game, unless it is the one that Joe Buck is announcing.

Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: FOX at 4:15 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Not available as of 12/17, but probably the turd stew of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.
• Point Spread: Philadelphia Eagles -5 1/2
• Over-Under: 39 1/2
• Why You Should Watch: Philadelphia is still clinging to playoff hopes and needs to win out and get help. The Redskins, as they always do, have fallen apart once the games started to mean something. This could be an entertaining game, but won’t be as fun as the Minnesota-Atlanta game.

Sunday Night Football

Carolina Panthers at New York Giants

• Sunday, December 21
• TV Schedule: NBC at 8:15 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Al Michaels and John Madden
• Point Spread: New York Giants -3 1/2
• Over-Under: 39 1/2
• Why You Should Watch: As if you need more reason to watch the Primetime game on Sunday night, this one will determine homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. These have been the two best teams and they will duke it out Sunday night, although the Giants look like a different team without Plaxico Burress and Brandon Jacobs. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have become a great 1-2 punch.

Monday Night Football

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

• Monday, December 22
• TV Schedule: ESPN at 8:30 ET
• Announcer Lineup: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Tony Kornheiser
• Point Spread: Chicago Bears -4 1/2
• Over-Under: 42
• Why You Should Watch: The Bears hold playoff hopes if Minnesota slips up, plus this is a historic rivalry game. If you are a Packers fan, and the game is close in the 4th quarter, you might just want to turn off the TV and save yourself the heartache.

I’ll update the Sunday afternoon Fox games as soon as I find out which announcer team is doing which game. Other than that, have a happy football-watching Sunday, I hope you enjoyed the Week 16 NFL Preview and TV schedules and announcer lineups and point spreads and over-unders and blah, blah, blah — we’ll have some fantasy football content up later this week to help get you ready for the championship week, if Week 16 is the final week in your league.

The Browns-Eagles game on Monday is just one of a host of key matchups in Week 15 of the 2008 NFL Season. With the playoff lives of so many teams hanging in the balance, the results of Week 15 will set us up for the final two week sprint to the playoff finish line.

As we do every week here at Midwest Sports Fans, we present you with the TV Schedule, Announcer Pairings, Point Spreads, and Over-Under odds for NFL Week 15. The announcer pairings are courtesy of the506.com and the point spreads and over-under odds are from Danny Sheridan at USA Today (and are subject to change before kickoff).

Remember, all times are ET. Here we go, the NFL Week 15 TV Schedule and Announcer Pairings:

New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears

• Thursday, December 11 — 8:15 ET — NFL Network
• Announcer Pairing: Bob Papa and Chris Collinsworth
• Point Spread: Chicago Bears -3
• Over-Under: 45
• Why you should watch: Both teams are clinging to playoff hopes, Drew Brees still has a good chance to break the single-season passing yardage record, and there are lots of exciting playmakers on the field (Devin Hester, Brian Urlacher, Brees, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, etc.). Plus, it’s Thursday night — what the hell else are you going to do?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Stockton and Brian Baldinger
• Point Spread: Atlanta Falcons -3
• Over-Under: 44 1/2
• Why you should watch: Both teams are batting for second place in the NFC South and for a wild card berth. Atlanta rookie Matt Ryan has developed an incredible rapport with Roddy White that goes well with the power run game of Michael Turner. Can Tampa Bay rebound from giving 6,000 yards rushing against Carolina?

San Francisco 49ers at Miami Dolphins

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• Point Spread: Miami Dolphins -6 1/2
• Over-Under: 42
• Why you should watch: The Miami Dolphins, 1-15 a year ago, control their own destiny in the AFC East with three weeks to go. Amazing. San Francisco has been playing much better since Mike Singletary flashed his butt cheeks to the team. This could be a very entertaining game with young stars like Patrick Willis and Frank Gore on one side, and grizzled vets like Chad Pennington and Joey Porter on the other.

Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Matt Vasgersian and J.C. Pearson
• Point Spread: No line
• Over-Under: No line
• Why you should watch: You shouldn’t. They are only playing this game because the schedule says they have to.

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
• Point Spread: New York Jets -7
• Over-Under: 41 1/2
• Why you should watch: You can pretty much stick a fork in the Bills, but it will be interesting to see how the Jets rebound from two straight losses to Denver and San Francisco. Laveraneus Coles and Brett Favre seem to not be on the same page, and the Jets D is playing much less stoutly than before.

San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Point Spread: San Diego Chargers -5
• Over-Under: 46
• Why you should watch: San Diego is still clinging to very faint playoff hopes. This is a matchup of two of the greatest tight ends ever in Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. Other than that, not much here.

Washington Redskins at Cincinnati Bengals

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
• Point Spread: Washington Redskins -7
• Over-Under: 36
• Why you should watch: If you’re a Redskins game, this is a huge must-win game against a terrible team. Otherwise, don’t waste your time.

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker
• Point Spread: Tennessee Titans -3
• Over-Under: 44 1/2
• Why you should watch: A sleeper pick for game of the week. Houston is all but eliminated from playoff contention, but they have been playing better as of late. This game features two of the most exciting young players in the league in Steve Slaton and Chris Johnson. And, of course, Gus Johnson is announcing. This game could be fun.

Green Bay Packers at Jacksonville Jaguars

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Ron Pitts and Tony Boselli
• Point Spread: Green Bay Packers -2 1/2
• Over-Under: 45
• Why you should watch: If you’re a Packers or Jaguars fan. That’s it. Both of these teams’ seasons are toast.

Detroit Lions at Indianapolis Colts

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick
• Point Spread: Indianapolis Colts -17 1/2
• Over-Under: 45
• Why you should watch: Can Detroit get the win they need to avoid being 0-16? Can the Colts actually run the ball against someone? Indianapolis has won six straight, but questions still remain about their strength for the playoffs. This should be a nice tune-up game for them. But then again, the Cleveland game was supposed to be like that also before they got on track last weekend.

Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals

• Sunday, December 14 — 4:05 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
• Point Spread: No line
• Over-Under: No line
• Why you should watch: Adrian Peterson is always worth watching, and the Vikings are fighting to stay atop the NFC North. Kurt Warner is trying to challenge Drew Brees for the single-season passing record, and it is always entertaining watching Warner throw to Fitzgerald, Boldin, and Breaston. This game could actually be a preview of a future first round playoff matchup.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

• Sunday, December 14 — 4:15 ET — CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Point Spread: Baltimore Ravens -1 1/2
• Over-Under: 34
• Why you should watch: If you’re a football fan, this is a must-watch game. Pittsburgh is winning, although they are still struggling on offense. Coming into Baltimore with an offense clicking on less than all cylinders is not usually a recipe for success. Baltimore is a fun team to watch when their D is playing inspired like it is right now. Oh, and the AFC North is on the line.

Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers

• Sunday, December 14 — 4:15 ET — CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Enberg, Randy Cross, and Dan Fouts
• Point Spread: Carolina Panthers -7 1/2
• Over-Under: 47 1/2
• Why you should watch: Carolina ran the ball for over 300 yards on Tampa Bay, one of the best defenses in the NFL. Denver boats one of the worst run defenses in the entire league. Can Carolina go for 400 this week? 500? No, this is the NFL, where randomness rules, so Denver will probably stuff Carolina and make us all scratch our heads. If Denver’s offense comes to play, this should be an entertaining, high-scoring affair.

New England Patriots at Oakland Raiders

• Sunday, December 14 — 4:15 ET — CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
• Point Spread: New England Patriots -7
• Over-Under: 40
• Why you should watch: The Patriots need a win to keep pace with the Jets and Dolphins in the AFC East. Oakland sucks, so they should get it.

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

• Sunday, December 14 — 8:15 ET — NBC
• Announcer Pairing: Al Michaels and John Madden
• Point Spread: Dallas Cowboys -3
• Over-Under: 44 1/2
• Why you should watch: Two solid teams, and a good matchup for the primetime game. Can the Giants overcome more injuries and distractions and prove that last week was aberration? Or is New York prepping for a later season swoon…like the Cowboys did last year? The Cowboys need a win to stay in the playoff hunt.

Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles

• Monday, December 15 — 8:30 ET — ESPN
• Announcer Pairing: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Tony Kornheiser
• Point Spread: Philadelphia Eagles -14
• Over-Under: 38 1/2
• Why you should watch: This game had so much potential at the beginning of the year. But with Ken Dorsey starting, a lame-duck head coach, and the Browns possessing zero belief that they can win games, this one will be nearly impossible on the road against a time playing well and fighting for its playoff life. Sure, anything can happen in the NFL — but probably not this one for the Browns.

Enjoy your weekend of Week 15 NFL football everybody. We’ll be back next week with another TV Schedule, Announcer Pairing, Point Spread, and Over-Under breakdown.

Click here for the current NFL TV schedule and Announcer Pairings for Week 15

Are you ready for some football?

One of the best times of the sports year is coming up: the college football bowl season and the stretch run in the NFL regular season, which also means the fantasy football playoffs as well.

(By the way, follow the link if you want to see the college football TV schedule for this week, including all of the conference championship games.)

As usual, Midwest Sports Fans gets you ready for your weekend of watching football with the NFL TV Schedule, Announcer Pairings, Point Spreads, and Over-Under Odds for Week 14.

All times are ET, the announcer pairings are courtesy of the506.com, the point spreads and over-under odds are courtesy of Danny Sheridan at USA Today (and subject to change), and the commentary is courtesy of yours truly.

Here you go. Have fun watching the NFL and tracking your fantasy football rosters in Week 14:

Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers

• Thursday, December 4 — 8:15 PM
• TV: NFLN
• Announcer Pairing: Bob Papa and Chris Collinsworth
• Point Spread: San Diego Chargers -10
• Over-Under Odds: 43
• What’s at stake: Not a whole hell of a lot after the Chargers lost to Atlanta last week. Their season is pretty much dead; and Oakland’s season was never really alive.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Chicago Bears

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
• Point Spread: Chicago Bears -7
• Over-Under Odds: 40 1/2
• What’s at stake: A lot for the Bears, who remain only 1 game behind the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North. Nothing for Jacksonville, one of the most disappointing teams of 2008.

Houston Texans at Green Bay Packers

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Gus Johnson at Steve Tasker
• Point Spread: Green Bay Packers -6
• Over-Under Odds: 47 1/2
• What’s at stake: Nothing for Houston, but Green Bay still has a fighting chance in the NFC North if they win out and get some help. Gus Johnson is announcing this game though, so it may very well be the best game of the weekend.

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Stockton, Brian Baldinger, Brian Billick
• Point Spread: New Orleans Saints -3 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 52
• Unfortunately, not much for the Saints in terms of a playoff berth. The pretty dug their own grave by losing last week. Atlanta, however, is very much alive for an NFC wild card and an NFC South division title if the can win at least 3 out of the last 4 — which would put a nice cap on the most surprising season of any team this year. Also at stake is Drew Brees’ pursuit of Dan Marino’s single season passing yardage mark, for which he remains on pace.

Cleveland Browns at Tennessee Titans

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Don Criqui and Dan Fouts
• Point Spread: Tennessee Titans -14
• Over-Under Odds: 37 1/2
• What’s at stake: It pains me to say this as a Browns fan, but there is absolutely nothing at stake. Tennessee, I suppose, is still playing for homefield advantage, but they pretty much have it locked up already unless they completely collapse. Any chance the Browns can pull Dan Fouts out of the announcer booth to play QB? He might have a better arm right now that Ken Dorsey.

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa
• Point Spread: New York Giants -7
• Over-Under Odds: 44
• What’s at stake: A lot. The Giants are looking to virtually wrap up the NFC East with a win, and take one more step towards homefield advantage. The Eagles are clinging to their last chance of a playoff berth with no room for error. After the Plaxico Burress-Antonio Pierce controversy from this week I am surprised this game was not moved to the afternoon or Sunday night. Maybe it was too late to make a schedule change.

Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Point Spread: Indianapolis -14
• Over-Under Odds: -42
• What’s at stake: Nothing for Cincy, but Indianapolis is 8-4 and fighting for a Wild Card berth in the AFC. Plus, after their putrid offensive performance last week against Cleveland, I am sure that Peyton Manning is itching to get some rhythm back in the offense. This should be a good chance to get it.

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• Point Spread: Minnesota Vikings -9 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 46
• What’s at stake: Surprisingly, a decent amount — at least from a historical perspective. Detroit is 0-12 and this may be their best chance for a win. They are at home against a team that has dealt with a lot of distractions this week and could be ripe for an upset. The Vikings have a one game lead in the NFC North and could open the door wide open for the Bears and Packers should they falter in Detroit. It won’t be a pretty game though, that’s for sure.

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (in Toronto)

• Sunday, December 7 — 4:05
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
• Point Spread: Buffalo Bills -1
• Over-Under Odds: 42 1/2
• What’s at stake: A lot. The Dolphins have surprised everyone by competing for a playoff spot after a 1-15 season. If they win out, they win the AFC East — it’s that simple. The chances of that happening may not be good, but just that it’s possible is a testament to the job done by Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano. The Bills can maintain a grip on their last gasp of playoff hope with a win.

New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers

• Sunday, December 7 — 4:05
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Point Spread: New York Jets -3 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 45
• What’s at stake: Not enough for the #1 announcing team at CBS to be calling this game. The Jets simply need to win as atonement for last week’s loss to Denver to maintain their hold on the AFC East. The 49ers, as usual in December, are playing for pride.

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos

• Sunday, December 7 — 4:05
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Bill Macatee and Steve Beuerlein
• Point Spread: Denver Broncos -9 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 48 1/2
• What’s at stake: Nothing. The Chiefs were out of it in September and Denver has the AFC West pretty much locked up. All that’s left is for Jay Cutler to show off the God-like strength of his arm. We can all watch in amazement. Is that John Elway? Brett Favre? Superman? No…it’s Jay Cutler, from Santa Claus, Indiana.

New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks

• Sunday, December 7 — 4:05
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Enberg and Randy Cross
• Point Spread: New England Patriots -4 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 43 1/2
• What’s at stake: The Patriots just to win to stay in the thick of AFC playoff race. Seattle, like the 49ers, is just playing for pride. Do you realize, though, that if Matt Cassel and Matt Hasselbeck got married, and chose to hyphenate their last names, that they would both be named Matt Cassel-Hasselbeck? Or they could fuse their last names and both be Matt Casselbeck. This is type of analysis you can only get at Midwest Sports Fans.

St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals

• Sunday, December 7 — 4:05
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Matt Vasgersian and J.C. Pearson
• Point Spread: Arizona Cardinals -13 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 48 1/2
• What’s at stake: The Cardinals pretty much have a playoff spot guaranteed because the NFC West blows. They have not been playing well lately however, so this game is a chance to right the ship. There is much more at stake in fantasy football, where many teams (like mine) have ridden Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald to the playoffs.

Dallas Cowboys at Pittsburgh Steelers

• Sunday, December 7 — 4:05
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
• Point Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers -3
• Over-Under Odds: 40 1/2
• What’s at stake: A lot. Pittsburgh is in the playoffs, but they are looking to stay on track for a bye and a home game. The Cowboys are embroiled in the think of the NFC wild card race, with the NFC East race all but over thanks to the Giants’ stellar play. Dallas needs to win this game for their confidence after feasting on turkeys the last few weeks, and to stay ahead of the pack for the Wild Card.

Washington Redskins at Baltimore Ravens

• Sunday, December 7 — 8:15
• TV: NBC
• Announcer Pairing: Al Michaels and John Madden
• Point Spread: Baltimore Ravens -5 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 36
• What’s at stake: A lot. First, there are the D.C.-Maryland area bragging rights. Then you have both teams fighting for a playoff spot in their respective conferences. And the great matchup of Clinton Portis against the Ravens run D. This should be a fun game, and meaningful to boot.

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Monday, December 8 — 8:30
• TV: ESPN
• Announcer Pairing: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Tony Kornheiser
• Point Spread: Carolina Panthers -3
• Over-Under Odds: 38 1/2
• What’s at stake: Again, a lot. Football fans and the networks struck gold with primetime games that are meaningful this week (after the dreck of Jacksonville-Houston last Monday). This game will go a long way towards determining the NFC South champion and who gets a bye and a home game in the playoffs. The Panthers run it well, the Bucs stop the run well. And that is only one instance of strength versus strength in this matchup. Should be fun.

***This post is for 2008. The 2009 Thanksgiving day football TV schedule has been posted.

Week 12 ended last night with the Saints’ demolition of the Packers, and I read somewhere that it was the highest scoring week in the history of the NFL. Pretty exciting stuff.

What will Week 13 have in store?

Well first off, the Sunday load will be a little lighter. That is because Thursday of Week 13 is also Thanksgiving, with three games on display for our viewing pleasure (after we stuff ourselves with turkey and just wanted to lay on the couch in bloated ecstasy).

Follow the link to view the NFL Thanksgiving TV Schedule and get the announcer pairings, point spreads, yada yada.

But there are plenty of interesting and meaningful matchups on Sunday, November 30 — games like the Giants visiting the Redskins, Pittsburgh at New England, New Orleans and Tampa Bay, and…wait for it…Jacksonville and Houston on Monday night! Okay, so that one sucks. Still, any Sunday of NFL games is exciting and many fantasy football league playoff positions will be determined this week.

To get you ready, we bring you the NFL Week 13 TV Schedule, Announcer Pairings, Point Spreads, and Over Under odds for all the games on Sunday, November 30 and Monday, December 1. (As always, the odds are courtesy of Danny Sheridan at USA Today and subject to change. If you’re viewing this for gambling purposes, you may want to go elsewhere later in the week.)

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Stockton and Brian Baldinger
• Point Spread: No Line (as of Tuesday at 5:00 PM)
• Over-Under odds: No line (as of Tuesday at 5:00 PM)

New York Giants at Washington Redskins

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
• Point Spread: New York Giants -3
• Over-Under odds: 42

San Francisco 49ers at Buffalo Bills

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Ron Pitts and Tony Boselli
• Point Spread: Buffalo Bills -7
• Over-Under odds: 43

Indianapolis Colts at Cleveland Browns

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Enberg and Randy Cross
• Point Spread: Indianapolis Colts -4 1/2 (that’s it!!!??? wow.)
• Over-Under odds: 45 1/2

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Point Spread: Baltimore Ravens -7
• Over-Under odds: 36 1/2

Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• Point Spread: No Line (as of Tuesday at 5:00 PM)
• Over-Under odds: No line (as of Tuesday at 5:00 PM)

Miami Dolphins at St. Louis Rams

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker
• Point Spread: No Line (as of Tuesday at 5:00 PM)
• Over-Under odds: No line (as of Tuesday at 5:00 PM)

Atlanta Falcons at San Diego Chargers

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 4:05 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Matt Vasgersian and J.C. Pearson
• Point Spread: San Diego Chargers -5
• Over-Under odds: 49

Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 4:15 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
• Point Spread: New England Patriots -1 1/2
• Over-Under odds: 40

Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 4:15 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Bill Macatee and Steve Beuerlein
• Point Spread: Oakland Raiders -3
• Over-Under odds: 41

Denver Broncos at New York Jets

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 4:15 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
• Point Spread: New York Jets -7 1/2
• Over-Under odds: 47 1/2

Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 8:15 ET on NBC
• Announcer Pairing: Al Michaels and John Madden
• Point Spread: Minnesota Vikings -3 1/2
• Over-Under odds: 42 1/2

Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans

• TV: Monday, December 1 at 8:30 ET on ESPN
• Announcer Pairing: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Tony Kornheiser
• Point Spread: Houston Texans -3 1/2
• Over-Under odds: 48 1/2

[tags]nfl tv schedule[/tags]

As noted in a few other recent posts here at Midwest Sports Fans, week 13 of the 2008 college football season is filled with exciting and meaningful matchups. Thus, you may have found yourself asking the following questions:

–Who is favored in the monster Texas Tech-Oklahoma game?

–What is the point spread for Michigan-Ohio State? And will Ohio State and the Tresselinator trounce Michigan like they trounced Michigan State?

–I heard that Penn State is favored by two touchdowns over Michigan State, and that Joe Paterno is actually the human embodiment of the legendary mythical creature, the phoenix. Is this true?

–Did Ron Zook have a Fu Manchu mustache back in the 70s?

The answers to the first three questions are all contained in this post: the College Football Week 13 Point Spreads. (To find out the hilarious answer to the fourth question, you will have to jump over to Chad Baalman’s post about the Illinois Fighting Illini and Ron Zook fighting for their postseason lives this weekend against Northwestern.)

After you are done reviewing the point spreads, hop on over to the College Football Week 13 TV Schedule to plan out your Saturday of watching college football.

Without any further rambling by yours truly, here are the college football Week 13 point spreads (taken from the Danny Sheridan page at USAToday.com on Friday morning; so these are subject to change):

Click here for the current NFL TV schedule and Announcer Pairings for Week 15

Week 12 is upon us in the 2008 NFL season and the margin of error for many teams (like the Cleveland Browns) grows slimmer by the week. Teams with 5 or 6 losses already can see their playoff hopes be all but eliminated with a loss this week.

As always, Midwest Sports Fans brings you the NFL TV schedule, complete with announcer pairings and point spreads. These point spreads and the over-under for each game are from Danny Sheridan at USA Today and do not update automatically. They are current as of the date and time this was posted. They are for “entertainment” and “information” purposes only.

(FYI…as of this posting, the announcer pairings had not been announced yet for the Fox games. I’ll update as the information becomes available.)

Enough blabbering. Onto the NFL TV Schedule, Announcer Parings, and Point Spreads for Week 12. Al times are ET:

Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers

• Thursday, November 20 at 8:15
• TV: NFL Network
• Announcer Pairing: Bob Papa and Chris Collinsworth
• Point Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers -11
• Over-Under: 34 1/2

Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens

• Sunday, November 23 at 1:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing:
• Point Spread: Baltimore Ravens -1
• Over-Under: 39 1/2

Chicago Bears at St. Louis Rams

• Sunday, November 23 at 1:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing:
• Point Spread: Chicago Bears -9
• Over-Under: 43

New York Jets at Tennessee Titans

• Sunday, November 23 at 1:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Point Spread: Tennessee Titans -5 1/2
• Over-Under: 41

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins

• Sunday, November 23 at 1:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
• Point Spread: Miami Dolphins -1 1/2
• Over-Under: 41 1/2

Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns

• Sunday, November 23 at 1:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
• Point Spread: Cleveland Browns -3
• Over-Under: 49 1/2

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions

• Sunday, November 23 at 1:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing:
• Point Spread: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -9
• Over-Under: 41 1/2

Minnesota Vikings at Jacksonville Jaguars

• Sunday, November 23 at 1:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing:
• Point Spread: Jacksonville Jaguars -2 1/2
• Over-Under: 40

Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs

• Sunday, November 23 at 1:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Point Spread: Buffalo Bills -3
• Over-Under: 43 1/2

San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys

• Sunday, November 23 at 1:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing:
• Point Spread: Dallas Cowboys -10 1/2
• Over-Under: 47

Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos

• Sunday, November 23 at 4:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Enberg and Randy Cross
• Point Spread: Denver Broncos -10
• Over-Under: 43

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons

• Sunday, November 23 at 4:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing:
• Point Spread: Atlanta Falcons -1
• Over-Under: 42 1/2

New York Giants at Arizona Cardinals

• Sunday, November 23 at 4:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing:
• Point Spread: New York Giants -3
• Over-Under: 48 1/2

Washington Redskins at Seattle Seahawks

• Sunday, November 23 at 4:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing:
• Point Spread: Washington Redskins -3
• Over-Under: 41 1/2

Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers

• Sunday, November 23 at 8:15
• TV: NBC
• Announcer Pairing: Al Michaels and John Madden
• Point Spread: San Diego Chargers -3
• Over-Under: 49 1/2

Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints

• Monday, November 24 at 8:30
• TV: ESPN
• Announcer Pairing: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Tony Kornheiser
• Point Spread: New Orleans Saints -2 1/2
• Over-Under: 52 1/2

[tags]nfl tv schedule, nfl week 12[/tags]

Click here for the current NFL TV schedule and Announcer Pairings for Week 15

(If you have any last minute lineup questions, head over to the Start Em, Sit Em Live Chat being held between 9:00 and 11:00 ET Sunday morning. You can go early and submit your question, just make sure to check back after 9:00 to get your answer.)

Week 11 of the NFL season begins tonight as the New York Jets battle the New England Patriots. As usual, we get you ready for all the weekend NFL action with our comprehensive listing of the TV Schedule, announcer lineup, point spreads, and other key game notes.

Feel free to jaunt over to the506.com to see the distribution map for all of Sunday’s games so you know what games will be shown in your area. Later in the weekend I’ll add updated injury reports to the listings. If you’re impatient and want injury information now, tough titties. Just kidding — go to www.nfl.com/injuries.

Also, while you’re here, you might as well participate in our Midwest Sports Fans NFL Pick ‘Em contest. If you haven’t already submitted picks, this is the last week to get started as you must pick at least seven weeks’ worth of games to eligible for whatever prize we award.

Here we go. The Week 11 NFL Schedule:

New York Jets at New England Patriots

• Thursday, November 13 – 8:15 ET – NFL Network – Bob Papa and Chris Collinsworth
• Point Spread: New England -3 1/2 | Over/Under: 41 1/2

Baltimore Ravens at New York GIants

• Sunday, November 16 – 1:00 ET – CBS – Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
• Point Spread: New York -6 1/2 | Over/Under: 42

Denver Broncos at Atlanta Falcons

• Sunday, November 16 – 1:00 ET – CBS – Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon
• Point Spread: Atlanta -5 1/2 | Over/Under: 51

Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts

• Sunday, November 16 – 1:00 ET – CBS – GUS JOHNSON!!! and Steve Tasker
• Point Spread: Indianapolis -8 1/2 | Over/Under: 50 1/2

Oakland Raiders at Miami Dolphins

• Sunday, November 16 – 1:00 ET – CBS – Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Point Spread: Miami -10 1/2 | Over/Under: 38 1/2

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers

• Sunday, November 16 – 1:00 ET – FOX – Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
• Point Spread: Green Bay -3 1/2 | Over/Under: 44

Philadelphia Eagles at Cincinnati Bengals

• Sunday, November 16 – 1:00 ET – FOX – Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
• Point Spread: Philadelphia -9 1/2 | Over/Under: 42 1/2

Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Sunday, November 16 – 1:00 ET – FOX – Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• Point Spread: Tampa Bay -4 | Over/Under: 39

New Orleans Saints at Kansas City Chiefs

• Sunday, November 16 – 1:00 ET – FOX – Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick
• Point Spread: New Orleans -5 | Over/Under: 49 1/2

Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers

• Sunday, November 16 – 1:00 ET – FOX – Ron Pitts and Tony Boselli
• Point Spread: Carolina -14 | Over/Under: 39 1/2

Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks

• Sunday, November 16 – 4:00 ET – FOX – Dick Stockton and Brian Baldinger
• Point Spread: Arizona -2 1/2 | Over/Under: 48

St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers

• Sunday, November 16 – 4:00 ET – FOX – Matt Vasgersian and J.C. Pearson
• Point Spread: San Francisco -6 | Over/Under: 44 1/2

San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers

• Sunday, November 16 – 4:00 ET – CBS – Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Point Spread: Pittsburgh -4 1/2 | Over/Under: 43 1/2

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars

• Sunday, November 16 – 4:00 ET – CBS – Dick Enberg and Randy Cross
• Point Spread: Tennessee -3 | Over/Under: 39

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins

• Sunday, November 16 – 8:15 ET – NBC – Al Michaels and John Madden
• Point Spread: Dallas -2 1/2 | Over/Under: 45 1/2

Cleveland Browns at Buffalo Bills

• Monday, November 17 – 8:30 ET – ESPN – Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Tony Kornheiser
• Point Spread: Buffalo -4 1/2 | Over/Under: 42 1/2

Stay up to date with the latest Week 11 Fantasy Football information over at the Fantasy Sports Blog by Midwest Sports Fans.

Click here for the current NFL TV schedule and Announcer Pairings for Week 15

Let’s discuss Week 8 of the NFL season, with all of the necessary information about odds, point spreads, TV schedule, announcers, and injuries you need to be ready for another beautiful Sunday of watching football.

First, take some of Kurt’s advice if you need a last minute sleeper for your fantasy team. Or, if you feel like joining us for the first week of our Pick ‘em contest, hop on over and submit your picks.

And now, here is a brief outline of everything you need to know about this Sunday’s Week 8 NFL action. (All information current as of the time post was published. Point spread used is Danny Sheridan’s line, published in the USA Today. For the latest or more complete injury updates, go to NFL.com/injuries.)

Oakland Raiders (2-4) at Baltimore Ravens (3-3)

• Point Spread: Baltimore Ravens by 7
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 1:00 on CBS | Ian Eagle and Soloman Wilcots
• Key injuries: Dawan Landry, Samari Rolle, Adam Terry out for Baltimore; Darren McFadden questionable for Oakland
• Watch this game if: You like the suspense of someone potentially committing a homicide on the field.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2) at Dallas Cowboys (4-3)

• Point Spread:Dallas Cowboys by 2 1/2
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 1:00 on Fox | Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa
• Key injuries: Ike Hilliard is questionable for the Buccaneers; Felix Jones, Terrence Newman, Kyle Kosier, Tony Romo, Anthony Spencer, and Jerry Jones’ pride are all out for the Cowboys.
• Watch this game if: You enjoy witnessing the very public implosion of the Cowboys’ and Jerry Jones’ Super Bowl dreams.

Washington Redskins (5-2) at Detroit Marinellis (0-6)

• Point Spread: Washington Redskins by 7 1/2
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 1:00 on Fox | Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick, Charissa Thompson
• Key injuries: Ladell Betts, Shawn Springs, Malcolm Kelly, Cornelius Griffin are out for the Redskins, while Clinton Portis, Jason Taylor, and LaRon Landry are questionable; Matt Millen is out for the Lions.
• Watch this game if: You don’t have a fork to stick in your eye instead

Buffalo Bills (5-1) at Miami Dolphins (2-4)

• Point Spread: Buffalo Bills by 1
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 1:00 on CBS | Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
• Key injuries: Aaron Schoebel is out for the Bills
• Watch this game if: You want to see one of Week 8’s upset specials.

St. Louis Rams (2-4) at New England Patriots (4-2)

• Point Spread: New England Patriots by 7 1/2
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 1:00 on Fox | Chris Rose, JC Pearson, Nischelle Turner
• Key injuries: The Rams’ pride is probable and has shown improved mobility over the past two weeks, while Steven Jackson is questionable but expected to play; Rodney Harrison is out for the season and Sammy Morris is uncertain for the Patriots.
• Watch this game if: You want to see an end to the two-game run of excitement for the Rams

San Diego Chargers (3-4) at New Orleans Saints (3-4) – at Wembley Stadium in London

• Point Spread: San Diego Chargers by 3
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 1:00 on CBS | Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Key injuries: Craig Davis is out, Antonio Cromartie and Chris Chambers are questionable for the Chargers; Reggie Bush is out for the Saints
• Watch this game if: You want to see one of the most competitive games of the week, as two desperate teams provide an entertaining show to an international audience.

Atlanta Falcons (4-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-3)

• Point Spread: Philadelphia Eagles by 9
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 1:00 on Fox | Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• Key injuries: Sam Baker and Brent Grimes are questionable for the Falcons; Shawn Andrews is out six weeks for the Eagles while Reggie Brown is questionable
• Watch this game if: You want to see the desperate Eagles remind the Falcons that they are, in fact, the Falcons and that they start a rookie QB (not a good thing against a Jim Johnson defense)

Kansas City Chiefs (1-5) at New York Jets (3-3)

• Point Spread: New York Jets by 13 1/2
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 1:00 on CBS | Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
• Key injuries: Mike Nugent is out, Jerricho Cotchery, Chris Baker and Damien Woody are questionable for the Jets; Dustin Colquitt is questionable for the Chiefs
• Watch this game if: You want to see the Chiefs play to win the game (but ultimately lose) against Herman Edwards’ old team

Arizona Cardinals (4-2) at Carolina Panthers (5-2)

• Point Spread: Carolina Panthers by 4
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 1:00 on Fox | Matt Vasgersian, Brian Baldinger, Laura Okmin
• Key injuries: Leonard Pope is out, Anquan Boldin and Travis LaBoy are out for the Cardinals; Ryan Kalil and Jeff Otah are doubtful for the Panthers
• Watch this game if: You want to see very strong teams play a great game that could go either way

Cincinnati Bengals (0-7) at Houston Texans (2-4)

• Point Spread: Houston Texans by 9
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 4:05 on CBS | Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker
• Key injuries: Carson Palmer is out for the Bengals and a lot of other players are dinged up but questionable; Dominique Barber and Andre Davis are out for the Texans.
• Watch this game if: You hate yourself

Seattle Seahawks (1-5) at San Francisco 49ers (2-5)

• Point Spread: San Francisco 49ers by 5 1/2
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 4:15 on Fox | Ron Pitts, Tony Boselli, Danyelle Sargent
• Key injuries: Matt Hasselfavre and Will Heller are out for the Seahawks; Dashon Goldson, Jonas Jennings and Ray McDonald are out for the 49ers.
• Watch this game if: You hate yourself a little less than the people watching the Bengals and Texans; or if you love Mike Singletary as this is his first game as head coach

Cleveland Browns (2-4) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)

• Point Spread: Jacksonville Jaguars by 7
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 4:05 on CBS | Dick Enberg and Randy Cross
• Key injuries: Kellen Winslow and Shuan Smith are out, Ryan Tucker is doubtful, Mike Adams and Corey Williams are questionable for the Browns; Matt Jones will play for the Jaguars.
• Watch this game if: You want to see two pretty desperate teams scratch, claw, and fight for a W that each needs badly

New York Giants (5-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (5-1)

• Point Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers by 3
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 4:15 on Fox | Dick Stockton, Troy Aikman, Pam Oliver
• Key injuries: Gerris Wilkinson is out for the Giants; Santonio Holmes and Bryant McFadden are out, Willie Parker is not expected to play for the Steelers.
• Watch this game if: You want to see an outstanding football game, or if you are a Browns fan and want to see the Steelers lose at home

Indianapolis Colts (3-3) at Tennessee Titans (6-0)

• Point Spread: Tennessee Titans by 3 1/2
• TV Schedule and Announcers: 8:30 Monday night on ESPN | Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Tony Kornheiser, Suzy Namath, Michelle Tafoya
• Key injuries: Joseph Addai, Kelvin Hayden (likely out), Bob Sanders (likely out), and Marlin Jackson are questionable for the Colts; Kyle Vanden Bosch, Justin Gage, and Justin McCareins are questionable for the Titans.
• Watch this game if: You want to see the Colts try to stay alive in the AFC South race; should be a good one.

FYI – There is no game on Sunday night because of the World Series.

[tags]nfl, point spreads, nfl week 8[/tags]