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The Giants vs. the Steelers. Or sometimes referred to as the Maras against the Rooneys for their family business roots.They meet in a huge game Sunday in Pittsburgh that could clear some of the muddled playoff picture.New York (8-3) is among the hottest teams in football with six straight victories. Not that its helped the Giants move much closer to the Cowboys in the NFC East.But the Giants are in control of the NFC wild-card picture, even if their victories havent looked too pretty.We have everything right in front of us. We dont feel the need ... really inside of this locker room, we dont care about anyones opinion, running back Rashad Jennings says. Someone could put us best, someone could put us worst, it doesnt matter. We have to go out and find a way to win.The Steelers (6-5) are in a tighter spot, tied atop the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens, to whom they already have lost. When healthy, the Steelers have looked like a Super Bowl contender. But theyve also had some real duds.They will need to eliminate those stinkers and play solidly the rest of the way, Ben Roethlisberger says.Anytime you get to November, December, January football, you have to be at your best, you have to be hot, and we are playing one of the best football teams in the NFL, he says. They are coming to our place, it has a playoff feel and atmosphere, and it has to. I am sure that they feel the same way.You have to have that mentality at this time of the year because you really cant afford to lose any more games.The action began on a rare week with no division matchups, with Dallas 17-15 victory at Minnesota on Thursday night.Dez Bryant caught four passes for 84 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, helping Dallas improve to 11-1 with its 11th straight victory.Sam Bradford threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jerick McKinnon with 25 seconds to play, but the 2-point conversion failed for the Vikings (6-6). They played without coach Mike Zimmer after he had emergency eye surgery Wednesday night. Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer directed the team.Off this week are Tennessee (6-6) and Cleveland (0-12).Kansas City (8-3) at Atlanta (7-4)Several emerging players are worth watching here as the Falcons try to stay alone atop the NFC South and the Chiefs pursue the Raiders in the AFC West.Chiefs rookie WR Tyreek Hill last week became the first player since Gale Sayers in 1965 to score on a kickoff return, a run and a catch in the same game.The Falcons, known for their powerful offense, are getting strong play from LB Vic Beasley Jr., second in the NFC with 9+ sacks, and safety Keanu Neal, who leads all rookies with 72 tackles and has four forced fumbles.Denver (7-4) at Jacksonville (2-9)Look for a low-scoring affair as the Jaguars try to snap a six-game slide. They have lost all four at home this season, placing coach Gus Bradleys job in serious jeopardy. But his specialty, defense, is coming on and the Jags rank sixth overall.We all know how good Denvers D can be, and heres a stunning stat: The Broncos have scored a league-high 93 points, or 35 percent of their season total, off turnovers. They have 20 takeaways; the Jaguars are a league-worst minus-15 in turnover margin.Denver has won 28 straight games when winning the turnover battle, the longest current streak in the NFL, and it leads the league in sacks (35) and quarterback hits (89).It might need all the defense it can muster with rookie Paxton Lynch starting for injured quarterback Trevor Siemian.Tampa Bay (6-5) at San Diego (5-6)Not only have the Bucs won three in a row, but they beat Kansas City and Seattle the past two weeks, holding them to a combined 22 points. Rookie DE Noah Spence comes off a superb month in which he had 11 tackles, 2+ sacks and two forced fumbles.San Diegos Antonio Gates was blanked in the win at Houston, not even targeted for the first time in 77 games. Hes three TD catches short of breaking Tony Gonzalezs NFL record of 111 for a tight end.Los Angeles (4-7) New England (9-2)The spiraling Rams, who have given up 63 points over the past 64:02 of game action, are the perfect victim for Tom Brady to get his 201st victory, which would be an NFL record for quarterbacks. Hes currently tied with Peyton Manning.Its probably the most important stat. ... Theres no surprise, Saints QB Drew Brees says of Brady. Listen, hes earned it. He will go down as certainly one of the best, if not the best, for that reason. The guys a winner. Hes a proven winner. ... Theres been a lot of players come through there while hes been there and its been a very consistent result, all the time. Im sure theres a lot of people in that building that deserve credit, but none more so than him.As the Patriots chase home-field advantage in the AFC for the playoffs -- they lead the AFC East by two games over Miami, who they have beaten -- Brady has been sensational since returning from his four-game Deflategate suspension. Brady has 2,201 passing yards, 18 TDs, one interception and a 116.7 passer rating.Miami (7-4) at Baltimore (6-5)Miami has won six in a row, and hasnt taken seven straight since 1985, Dan Marinos third season. Solidly in the playoff race, the Dolphins are getting solid contributions from Ryan Tannehill throwing the ball and Jay Ajayi running it despite a banged-up offensive line.Baltimores defense has been superb as the Ravens have taken three of their past four games. Ranking second overall and first against the run, the Ravens will be a tough test for Ajayi especially.If it comes down to the kicking game, Baltimore has the leagues only perfect placekicker. Justin Tucker is 27 for 27 on field goals and has made all his extra points.Buffalo (6-5) at Oakland (9-2)The Black Hole is truly that for the Bills. Buffalo is 0-8 in Oakland since 1966.But a victory not only would be the Bills 400th regular-season win, it would boost their playoff chances somewhat. Remember, they havent been in the postseason since the 1999 campaign.Oaklands sensational comeback win against Carolina after blowing a huge lead kept the Raiders atop the highly competitive AFC West. It also solidified QB Derek Carrs credentials -- and guts. He left after badly damaging his right pinkie, then returned with a glove on his throwing hand to lead the rally.Detroit (7-4) at New Orleans (5-6)Matthew Stafford is having his best season, and hell need all of his skills and weapons to keep up with Drew Brees.Stafford has led seven game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime in 2016; the Lions are the first team with seven wins when trailing in the fourth quarter in the teams first 11 games of a season. No QB has had eight such drives in one season.Thats one of the rare achievements Brees hasnt managed. Last week, he passed for 310 yards with four touchdowns, and rushed for a TD. He leads the NFL with 3,587 yards and 30 TDs passing. Its Brees ninth season with at least 30 TDs passing, tied for the record, and he has a TD pass in an NFL-record 60 straight home outings.Houston (6-5) at Green Bay (5-6)The Texans have the better record and lead their division, the weak AFC South. Yet nearly everywhere the perception is Green Bay, third in the NFC North, is the better team.Houstons $72 million, four-year investment in quarterback Brock Osweiler isnt paying off, so much so that after last weekends loss, coach Bill OBrien was asked about benching Osweiler.His slump is encouraging for the Packers suspect secondary.Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers is on a terrific streak even while the running game has been mediocre and the blocking has been so-so.Indianapolis (5-6) at New York Jets (3-8), Monday nightWithout Andrew Luck, the Colts were no match for the Steelers on Thanksgiving night. Luck has gone through the NFLs concussion protocol and should be behind center for another prime-time affair.The Jets make just enough mistakes each week to be among the leagues biggest flops after going 10-6 in 2015. Many of their big-ticket players have let them down, and heres a chance to strut before a nationwide audience.Carolina (4-7) at Seattle (7-3-1)The last thing the Panthers need when facing Seattles stingy defense and strong pass rush is an injury-depleted offensive line. Unfortunately for Cam Newton and Carolina, thats the reality.Carolina stayed on the West Coast after the 35-32 loss at Oakland, while the Seahawks flew back cross-country from Tampa after a 14-5 defeat in which the offense was invisible. Russell Wilson, Doug Baldwin and Jimmy Graham should be more productive against the Panthers.Washington (6-4-1) at Arizona (4-6-1)The Redskins owned the second NFC wild-card spot heading into the weekend. Their offense has been dynamic recently, with Kirk Cousins to Jamison Crowder the main connection.Washington also can get after the quarterback, led by Ryan Kerrigan, and Carson Palmer has been sacked 32 times. Even worse for the Cardinals, inexperienced tackles D.J. Humphries and Ulrick John and guard John Wetzel figure to start.Philadelphia (5-6) at Cincinnati (3-7-1)Both teams can begin thinking about next season after recent slumps.The Eagles have lost four straight on the road, but theyre 9-1 vs. the AFC since 2014. Cincinnati is 1-5-1 in the past seven games, and a true sign of their malaise: Mike Nugent has missed his past three PAT kicks and four of the past eight.San Francisco (1-10) at Chicago (2-9)One of these teams will mess up their April draft standing by winning this. Or maybe these two will tie 0-0.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Vapormax Flyknit 2 Ale . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. Nike Vapormax Kengät . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. http://www.vapormaxsuomi.com/ . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. Myydään Vapormax . Coach Tom Thibodeau says the former MVP will probably start travelling with the team in the next few weeks. Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Bulls. Nike Vapormax Suomi . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans Saints center Max Unger finally gets to play against a defense he knows so well in a game that counts.Its just a lot of memories of playing the defense in practice, Unger said when asked what he finds most compelling about the chance to play Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, the team with which he spent his first six NFL seasons.Unger, who was popular both in the Seahawks locker room and with Seattle fans, concedes that he was caught off guard by the 2015 trade that sent him to New Orleans, along with a first-round draft choice, in exchange for star tight end Jimmy Graham. But if the Unger is motivated personally by the prospect of making the Seahawks pay for uprooting him from a community he liked living in and playing for, hes not letting on about it.Theres a lot of emotions, obviously, that go across when you get traded, Unger said. You kind of have to remove that personal element. ... Im not the first player to ever play against their former team. It happens weekly in this locker room. So its funny to hear the stories and so this will be another one.While the Hawaii native and former second-round draft choice out of Oregon wasnt entirely thrilled by having to leave the West Coast, he was curious about the culture and history of New Orleans and eager to experience something different. He figured hed get a lot out of playing with record-setting quarterback Drew Brees, and he at least knew the Saints really valued him; they must have to trade a star as prolific as Graham for him.After practice Thursday, Unger went so far as to say he couldnt be happier than he is right now as an offensive leader with the Saints, who named him a captain this season.I take a lot of pride in that, Unger said. Its just a testament to doing the right things.When Unger was traded to New Orleans, right tackle Zach Strief reached out almost immediately, inviting Unger to watch a round of New Orleans annual PGA Tour event, the Zurich Classic, in the spring of 2015. Strief said it makes sense that Unger would be appreciated by fans in Seattle -- or anywhere.Fans can see and understand and respect tough guys, juust like he is here.dddddddddddd Hes tough and hes steady and gives you everything you want out of a lineman, Strief said. Hes not a big talker. Hes not someone whos going to ask to have his face put many places, but at the same time I think people very quickly get a feel for the type of person he is by how he plays and the kind of guy he is around the locker room.In New Orleans, anyone who succeeds in protecting Brees is bound to be respected. Unger has fortified the front and center of the pocket, Brees said, and the results are self-evident. Brees led the NFL in passing last season. Through six games this season, he is averaging an NFL-leading 350.2 yards per game, putting him on pace for what would be an NFL single-season record of 5,603 yards passing.Max has been as good as I ever could have imagined, not only just his production, but his leadership ability and his toughness and the presence he brings to the locker room and to that offensive line room and to our team, Brees said.Even though the Seahawks were willing to part with Unger to get an elite pass-catcher like Graham, it is also apparent they miss their former offensive lineman -- and not just because theyve had a little more trouble than usual running the ball and protecting quarterback Russell Wilson.Hes awesome, one of our all-time favorite guys, Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. Its who he is -- his character, his competitiveness, the smarts that he brings just a great team guy.Unger said he still follows how the Seahawks are doing, still has a number of friends on the team and -- with the exception of this week -- still enjoys seeing them succeed.It sounds like the feeling is mutual.He is an incredible leader and he is an incredible ballplayer, Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman said of Unger. He is reliable and he is a fantastic teammate. He is one of the better teammates that you could ask for. I think that everybody was surprised when that trade went down.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '