PATRIOTS SEEK 12-0 START
PACKERS-COWBOYS EIGHTH 10-1 TEAMS IN HISTORY TO MEET

Heading into December, many interesting games are on the NFL Week 13 schedule.

On Thursday, only the eighth meeting in history between teams with 10-1 or better records takes place as the Green Bay Packers (10 - 1) visit the Dallas Cowboys (10 - 1).

On Monday night, the New England Patriots look to become only the sixth team in NFL history to go 12 - 0 when they visit the Baltimore Ravens (ESPN, 8:30 PM ET). The five teams to start an NFL season at 12-0 or better are:

1985 Chicago Bears (12 - 0)
1934 Chicago Bears (13 - 0)
1998 Denver Broncos (13 - 0)
2005 Indianapolis Colts (13 - 0)
1972 Miami Dolphins (14 - 0)

The top three teams in the NFL (New England, 11-0; Dallas and Green Bay, 10-1) combine for a 31-2 record, which matches 1984 (Miami, 11-0; Denver and San Francisco, 10-1) as the only NFL seasons with the top three teams with such a record through 11 games.

GREEN BAY PACKERS (10-1) at DALLAS COWBOYS (10-1)

Thursday night, NFL Network, 8:00 PM ET

Forty years after one of the NFL’s most memorable games – the 1967 “Ice Bowl” NFL title game between these two teams on December 31 -- the Cowboys and Packers meet in another 2007 “epic” game.

Two 10-1 or better teams have met only seven times before – the first in 1926 (12-1-1 Frankford vs. 11-0-2 Chicago Bears) and the last in 1990 (10-1 San Francisco vs. 10-1 New York Giants).

Thursday night is filled with scenarios: the NFL’s No. 2 offense (Cowboys) against the No. 3 offense (Packers)… Wisconsin-reared QB TONY ROMO pitted for the first time against his boyhood idol, Packers QB BRETT FAVRE. Romo was 12 when Favre made his first Green Bay start in 1992. “He just brought a flair for the game that I’ll never forget,” says Romo

Cowboys WR TERRELL OWENS, with 30 catches for 537 yards and eight touchdowns in his last four games, against one of the top CB tandems in the league, CHARLES WOODSON and AL HARRIS…and the sackers – the only teams with two players each in the top-10 in sacks in the league – Green Bay’s AARON KAMPMAN (11.0, tops in the NFL) and KABEER GBAJA-BIAMILA (9.5) against Dallas’ DE MARCUS WARE (9.0) and GREG ELLIS (8.5)

With a win and other scenarios, one of these teams will clinch its division. “It’s going to be a great game,” says Owens. “”It’s a great challenge.”

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (8-3) at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-2)

That is the situation with the Colts and Jaguars. Since the teams joined the AFC South Division in realignment in 2002, they have never met in December separated by only one game.

“We know what’s in front of us,” says Jaguars RB FRED TAYLOR. “We know what’s at stake.”

The division can be at stake. With a win and other outcomes this week, the Colts will earn their sixth consecutive playoff berth. These teams inevitably play it close. Other than the last two games between the two (a split) every Colts-Jaguars meeting since 2002 has been decided by no more than 10 points.

Jacksonville last week got its quarterback back, DAVID GARRARD, who proceeded to set a team mark for attempts without an interception at 209. The Colts kept up their passing game on Thanksgiving with the continued absence of WR MARVIN HARRISON (who they hope will return on Sunday). Rookie wideout ANTHONY GONZALEZ took up the slack with 105 yards in receptions.

Go for it: the Jaguars lead the league in fourth-down attempts with 26.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (7-4) at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-6)

Two games separate them in the NFC South. The Bucs want to pad their lead. The Saints think they can cut it in half.

“It doesn’t get any better than it’s about to get: Tampa Bay coming to our house,” says New Orleans QB DREW BREES.

Last Sunday, the Saints opened up their passing game, with Brees throwing to nine different receivers for 260 yards and three TDs. The same day, though, Tampa Bay showed its toughness on defense – it ranks No. 6 overall in the league – with six takeaways, with four leading to points.

The Saints will again have to contend with their personal nemesis – JOEY GALLOWAY. The Bucs’ WR has 23 catches for 473 yards and nine TDs in six games against New Orleans – plus a punt-return TD.

CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-7) at PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-3) (Sunday night, NBC, 8:15 PM ET)

Even if they didn’t win last week, this would be a big game, because “Bengals-Steelers” always is. But Cincinnati turned on the offense last Sunday in a 35-6 victory over Tennessee, and this AFC North rivalry that always seems to favor the road team just heated up more (nine of the last 10 games in the series have been won by the road team).

In Week 12, Cincinnati QB CARSON PALMER posted a career-high 84.2 completion percentage on 32-of-38 passing for three TDs. Those three went to WR CHAD JOHNSON on a career-high 12 catches.

But the Bengals will face the NFL’s No. 1 defense, with the top pass defense. Pittsburgh leads the league in fewest first-downs allowed (150), so Cincy might have a hard time replicating its 14-of-18 third-down conversions of last week.

Cincinnati will try to shut down RB WILLIE PARKER -- not as easy task. The No. 2 rusher in the league (1,006 yards), he has six 100-yard games this year, and 81 in the rain on Monday night.

Daunting in December: Since 2001, Pittsburgh is 23-7 in December-January regular-season games.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (11-0) at BALTIMORE RAVENS (4-7) (Monday night, ESPN, 8:30 PM ET)

It came close to working Sunday night when the Philadelphia Eagles blitzed the Patriots often. They sacked the NFL’s top-rated quarterback, TOM BRADY, three times -- tying for his most this year – while their DBs knocked their receivers off their routes. That tactic basically shut down top receiver RANDY MOSS, but WES WELKER made up for it with a career game (13 catches, 149 yards).

The tactic slowed down AFC East-champion New England in its 31-28 win, its smallest margin of victory this season. Baltimore’s strength is its defense, which is ranked No. 4 overall. One of the key people New England will be preparing for is S ED REED, who ties for third in the league with five interceptions.

New England will seek to negate the league’s No. 3 receiver DERRICK MASON (79 catches, behind Welker at 81 and T.J. HOUSHMANDZADEH at 83).

Patriots head coach BILL BELICHICK is not letting his team’s record influence his players. “Records don’t mean anything,” he says. “The only thing that matters on Monday night is how well they play and how well we play.”

Thomas returns: Patriots LB ADALIUS THOMAS, the Ravens’ No. 4 career sacker (38.5) who was signed as a UFA in the offseason, plays his first game against his former team.

LAST WEEK’S NFL RESULTS (NOVEMBER 22, 25-26)

(Home team in CAPS)

Green Bay 37, DETROIT 26
Minnesota 41, N.Y. GIANTS 17
DALLAS 34, N.Y. Jets 3
Seattle 24, ST. LOUIS 19
Indianapolis 31, ATLANTA 13
TAMPA BAY 19, Washington 13
San Francisco 37, ARIZONA 31 (OT)
CHICAGO 37, Denver 34 (OT)
New Orleans 31, CAROLINA 6
SAN DIEGO 32, Baltimore 14
CINCINNATI 35, Tennessee 6
NEW ENGLAND 31, Philadelphia 28
CLEVELAND 27, Houston 17
JACKSONVILLE 36, Buffalo 14
Oakland 20, KANSAS CITY 17
PITTSBURGH 3, Miami 0

2007 NFL WEEK 13 SCHEDULE – NOVEMBER 29, DECEMBER 2-3
(All times local)

Thursday, November 29
Green Bay at Dallas, 7:00 PM (NFL Network)

Sunday, December 2
Houston at Tennessee, 12:00 PM
Buffalo at Washington, 1:00 PM
Cleveland at Arizona, 2:05 PM
San Francisco at Carolina, 1:00 PM
Denver at Oakland, 1:05 PM
Jacksonville at Indianapolis, 1:00 PM
N.Y. Giants at Chicago, 3:15 PM
San Diego at Kansas City, 12:00 PM
Tampa Bay at New Orleans, 3:15 PM
N.Y. Jets at Miami, 1:00 PM
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 8:15 PM (NBC)
Detroit at Minnesota, 12:00 PM
Seattle at Philadelphia, 1:00 PM
Atlanta at St. Louis, 12:00 PM

Monday, December 3
New England at Baltimore, 8:30 PM (ESPN)