For the unbeaten Indianapolis Colts (10-0), the beat goes on. They are the first NFL team since the 1998 Broncos to go 10-0, they struggled to outscore the Bengals in a shootout last Sunday and now they face a Pittsburgh Steelers team (7-3) that expects the return of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
The path to perfection will not be easy. Over the next four weeks, they will play the Jaguars, the Chargers and the Seahawks. So as quarterback Peyton Manning said, "You don't have time to think about the record. The games are going to keep getting better and better."
They have not been bad so far. When the Bengals tried to stop the run first, Manning kept throwing to his horde of gifted receivers. The Colts gained 300 yards in the first half alone, and Manning finished the game with 365 yards and three touchdowns passing.
Despite the Bengals' 37 points, the Colts have a tough defense. It starts with the ends: Robert Mathis with 10 sacks and Dwight Freeney with seven. This week, their target is almost sure to be Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers quarterback, who has missed three games after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.
The Steelers need a healthy Ben. One backup, Charlie Batch, has a broken right hand and the other, Tommy Maddox, was immobile and suffered six sacks in last week's overtime loss to the Ravens.
Over the last two seasons, the Steelers have been 18-1 when Roethlisberger starts, 2-3 when Maddox starts. Against the Ravens' battered defense, the Steelers scored only one touchdown and gained only 70 yards rushing, a pittance for a team that thrives on pounding the ball.
The Steelers will surely make the playoffs, but coach Bill Cowher said, "Right now it's a six-game season. That's how we have to look at it."
First, they must stop the Colts' seemingly unstoppable offense. As Chad Johnson, the Bengals' receiver, said after last week's game, "Looking at that offense from the sideline, it's unfair."
Giants (7-3) at Seattle (8-2)
After the Giants had finished off the Eagles, the Seahawks struggled to beat the lowly 49ers on a field goal with 28 seconds left. Still, the Seahawks have won six straight, they have the NFC's best record and they can clinch a division title if they win and the Rams lose to the Texans.
Coach Tom Coughlin of the Giants said of the playoff scramble, "It's right back where it was X amount of years ago when week in and week out everyone's scratching, fighting and biting just to try and get ahead of the other guy."
Chicago (7-3) at Tampa Bay (7-3)
The Bears, with the league's top-ranked defense, have won six in a row, mostly against weaker teams, and have allowed only nine touchdowns. Last week, they sacked Jake Delhomme of the Panthers eight times.
But coach Lovie Smith is not celebrating yet, saying, "We haven't done enough to expect people to really give us a lot of respect right now."
The Buccaneers, with Cadillac Williams running for 116 yards, just got by Atlanta, and Chris Simms is becoming a reliable quarterback.
Carolina (7-3) at Buffalo (4-6)
After six straight victories, the Panthers rushed for only 55 yards and lost to the Bears. The Panthers offense was unproductive except for Steve Smith's 14 receptions, his most ever.
The Bills lost to the Chargers, who sacked J.R. Losman six times and held Willlis McGahee to 39 yards rushing. The Bills have records of 4-1 at home and 0-5 on the road, and their offense has become hit and miss.
Baltimore (3-7) at Cincinnati (7-3)
Until the Ravens upset the Steelers in overtime, they had lost four straight and had gone 12 quarters without a touchdown. They have lost eight road games in a row and now face a Bengals team that scored 37 points and gained 492 yards in losing to the Colts.
Cleveland (4-6) at Minnesota (5-5)
Even after the Browns shut out the Dolphins, quarterback Trent Dilfer was unhappy because rookie Charlie Frye, who needs game time, got in for three series in the second quarter. The Vikings rolled up 491 yards in edging the Packers on Monday night.
New England (6-4) at
Kansas City (6-4)
The Patriots, for all their problems, lead the AFC East by two games, but last week they beat the weak Saints with an end-zone interception on the last play.
Tom Brady, the Patriots' quarterback, said, "We are so far away compared to a Super Bowl team."
In routing the Bears, the Chiefs rushed for 226 yards (211 by Larry Johnson) and passed for 220. The Chiefs can do well in the playoffs if only they get there. Their six remaining games are against winning teams, including five division leaders.
San Diego (6-4) at Washington (5-5)
The Chargers routed the Bills behind Drew Brees' passing (338 yards, four touchdowns). Now they worry about tight end Antonio Gates' sprained right foot. The Redskins have lost their last two games, but quarterback Mark Brunell said, "Hope is not lost."
San Francisco (2-8) at
Tennessee (2-8)
Last week, the 49ers lost the game (when a two-point conversion attempt against the Seahawks failed) and their best defensive lineman (Bryant Young, who tore a knee ligament). The Titans, trying to survive with inexperienced cornerbacks, have lost five in a row.
St. Louis (4-6) at Houston (1-9)
In the Rams' loss to the Cardinals, quarterback Marc Bulger bruised his throwing shoulder, sidelining him at least two weeks. Jamie Martin will start.
After the Texans lost to the Chiefs, quarterback David Carr said, "We had higher expectations than this."
Jacksonville (7-3) at Arizona (3-7)
The Jaguars are on a three-game winning streak, and quarterback Byron Leftwich survived constant blitzing in getting by the Titans.
The Cardinals overcame the Rams, partly because their defense held the dangerous Steven Jackson to 6 yards on 12 carries.
Miami (3-7) at Oakland (4-6)
The Dolphins have lost six of their last seven games, the latest a shutout by the Browns. As defensive end Jason Taylor of the Dolphins said, "We got pushed around."
The Raiders just beat the Redskins, so they are still clinging to slim playoff hopes.
Green Bay (2-8) at
Philadelphia (4-6)
In bowing to the Vikings on Monday night, the Packers gave up 491 yards. They ran for only 21 yards, and not even Brett Favre can win with that.
The Eagles have lost four straight games, quarterback Donovan McNabb and cornerback Lito Sheppard.
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