NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- The New Orleans Saints spoiled Jon Gruden's first game as coach at Tampa Bay Buccaneers but now, nearly three months later, the Bucs are dreaming of homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
Sunday night, the Buccaneers (9-2) will visit New Orleans (7-3) in a rematch of the NFC South rivals to highlight Week 13 of the NFL.
The Denver Broncos (7-4) and San Diego Chargers (7-4), who are locked in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC West, also will stage a rematch in Sunday's other marquee game.
In the season opener, the Saints pulled out a 26-20 overtime win at Tampa Bay, thanks to a big play on special teams. Bucs punter Tom Tupa attempted to avert a safety in overtime after being wrapped up by Fred McAfee and was intercepted in the end zone by linebacker James Allen.
But the Bucs have recovered rather well from that loss, winning nine of their next 10 games, including their last four. The price of four high draft picks and $8 million to wrest Gruden from Oakland looks like a bargain now for the Bucs, who are 9-2 for the first time and own the NFL's best record.
Like in previous seasons, the Bucs have been carried by their defense, which ranks first in the league, allowing 11.5 points per game and 253.5 yards per contest. But in the season opener against New Orleans' offensive weapons, the Bucs' defense struggled, allowing 368 total yards and 21 first downs.
However, the Saints have lost three of their last four after a 6-1 start and slipped into third place in the division, two games behind the Bucs and one-half game in back of the Atlanta Falcons (7-3-1).
The Saints hope Deuce McAllister, who has six 100-yard rushing games this season, will return on Sunday. He missed last week's loss to Cleveland with a sprained ankle and is listed as questionable.
The Falcons, who are unbeaten in their last seven games after a 1-3 start, visit the Minnesota Vikings (3-8) on Sunday before playing at Tampa Bay the following week.
In his first full season as the starter, Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick has passed for 1,821 yards and nine touchdowns with just two interceptions and rushed for 475 yards and two scores. He likely will provide major headaches for the Vikings, who rank 29th in the NFL in total defense.
A return to the cold weather at Lambeau Field and the sight of the Chicago Bears should be enough for Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers (8-3) to clinch the NFC Central Division title on Sunday.
Favre threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone as the Packers rolled to a 34-21 victory over the Bears on Oct. 7. He finished with 359 yards through the air in improving to 17-4 in his career against Chicago.
The three-time MVP sports a 32-0 record at Lambeau Field when the temperature is below 34 degrees.
Favre was intercepted seven times over the last two weeks in losses at Minnesota and Tampa Bay. Although the Packers are on the verge of clinching the division, those losses dropped them behind Tampa Bay in the race for homefield advantage.
San Diego shares first place with the Broncos and Oakland Raiders (7-4) in the AFC West and hosts both of them over the next two weeks.
Sunday, San Diego will try to avenge a 26-9 loss at Denver on Oct. 6. Brian Griese threw for 316 yards to lead the Broncos to that win, but he is questionable for this contest with a sprained MCL in his left knee. He missed last Sunday's overtime loss against Indianapolis.
Making his first start as a Bronco, Steve Beuerlein filled in for Griese and completed 15-of-24 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. Denver, which is first in the league against the run, also succeeded in holding LaDainian Tomlinson, the NFL's second-leading rusher, to 48 yards on 14 carries.
The Raiders will host the New York Jets (6-5), who have won four straight, in the Monday night game. Last season, the Jets and Raiders were involved in two critical games at Oakland in a span of six days. They met in the final week of the regular season before playing again in the wild card round.
John Hall ensured the teams would meet in the playoffs, kicking a 53-yard field goal with 59 seconds remaining, lifting the Jets to a 24-22 victory.
That defeat cost Oakland a first-round bye, but in the playoff game, the Raiders got their revenge as Jerry Rice had nine catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-24 victory. Rich Gannon passed for 294 yards and two scores.
The postseason looked like it was going to be an afterthought for the Jets this season following a 2-5 start. But thanks to quarterback Chad Pennington and an improving defense, they are back in the playoff race, one game behind the Miami Dolphins (7-4) and a half-game behind the New England Patriots (7-5) in the AFC East.
Pennington leads the AFC with a 99.8 quarterback rating, just ahead of Gannon (99.1). Pennington is 5-2 since replacing Vinny Testaverde as the starter, completing 70.2 percent (172-of-245) of his passes, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Dolphins middle linebacker Zach Thomas has payback on his mind when his club battles the Buffalo Bills (5-6) on Sunday in a key AFC East matchup. Thomas' anger stems from the first meeting between the teams this season at Pro Player Stadium when the Bills intercepted Ray Lucas four times in a 23-10 victory.
Lucas' debacle against the Bills was his first start since the 1999 season. He is 2-3 as the starter since replacing Jay Fiedler, who is close to returning from a thumb injury. After committing nine turnovers in losing his first three starts, Lucas has been mistake-free in two straight wins, completing 32-of-49 passes for 415 yards and a touchdown.
The Patriots posted a 20-12 victory over the Detroit Lions (3-9) on Thanksgiving Day.
The Philadelphia Eagles (8-3) have adjusted to life without Donovan McNabb. Now, they must adjust to life without Koy Detmer when they battle the St. Louis Rams on Sunday in a rematch of last season's NFC championship game.
After losing McNabb for possibly the remainder of the season with a broken foot two weeks ago, the Eagles' offense was dealt another blow in Monday night's win against the San Francisco 49ers. Making his first start since 1999, Detmer suffered a dislocated left elbow in the third quarter and will be sidelined for at least two weeks.
Prior to getting hurt, Detmer was outstanding against the Niners, completing 18-of-26 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns. He also scored on a one-yard sneak as the Eagles rolled to a 38-17 victory.
Without McNabb or Detmer, the Eagles' playoff hopes rest on A.J. Feeley, a 2001 fifth-round pick who has thrown 14 passes in his career. The Eagles have a bit of a cushion to work with, holding a two-game lead over the New York Giants (6-5) in the East.
The Rams (5-6), whose playoff hopes have reached the critical stage, could be without Pro Bowl running back Marshall Faulk for the third straight game due to a high right ankle sprain.
In the championship game last season, Faulk was the best player on the field, rushing for a career playoff-high 159 yards and two touchdowns, lifting the Rams to a 29-24 victory.
The 49ers (7-4) have a two-game lead over St. Louis in the NFC West and will host the Seattle Seahawks (4-7) on Sunday. Niners star receiver Terrell Owens incurred the wrath of Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren when he turned one of his two touchdown catches into a souvenir in a 28-20 victory at Seattle on Oct. 14.
With the 49ers nursing a one-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, Owens hauled in a 37-yard touchdown pass, beating Shawn Springs with a leaping catch down the left sideline. Owens pranced into the end zone, grabbed a marker from his sock, autographed the football and handed it to his financial adviser sitting in the stands.
The Indianapolis Colts (7-4) have a one-game lead over the Tennessee Titans in the AFC South and the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4-1) are one-half game ahead of the Cleveland Browns (6-5) in the AFC North.
The Colts host the expansion Houston Texans (3-8) on Sunday and the Titans visit the Giants. Indianapolis will play at Tennessee next week.
The Steelers visit the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-6) and the Browns host the Carolina Panthers (3-8), who have lost eight in a row.
Tommy Maddox has vowed to return at quarterback for the Steelers on Sunday. Just two weeks ago, Maddox suffered a concussion and a spinal cord injury in a loss at Tennessee. But after sitting out last Sunday's game against Cincinnati, Maddox has said that he's ready to return.
Filling in for Maddox against the Bengals, former starter Kordell Stewart completed 22-of-26 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown in a 29-21 victory.
In other games, the Kansas City Chiefs (5-6) host the Arizona Cardinals (4-7), who have dropped five straight, and the Baltimore Ravens (5-6) meet Cincinnati (1-10).
The Dallas Cowboys (5-7) beat the Washington Redskins (5-7) for the 10th straight time and virtually ended their playoff hopes with a 27-20 victory on Thanksgiving Day.
