Jon Gruden

BUCCANEERS (9-4) @ PATRIOTS (8-5) TIME, TV -- 1:30 p.m., chs. 45, 5 LINE -- Patriots by 4 1/2 SKINNY -- The last time Jon Gruden visited Foxborough, the Raiders lost on the tuck rule in the playoffs and the Patriots went to the Super Bowl. He hopes history isn't repeated. His Buccaneers are 4-2 against winning teams, while the Patriots are only 2-5. And Patriots QB Tom Brady has a limp. But the key matchup is Bucs QB Chris Simms against Patriots coach Bill Belichick. PICK -- Patriots CHIEFS (8-5)

(Last week's ranking in parentheses) 1. Colts (1) Even Peyton Manning can't win them all. 2. Bears (2) New motto: "I love East Rutherford, N.J." 3. Chargers (4) Philip Rivers keeps rolling along. 4. Ravens (4) Cruising in a Jim Fassel-free zone. 5. Broncos (3) Will it be Jake Plummer or Jay Cutler? 6. Patriots (6) No chance they'd lose three straight. 7. Cowboys(11) Tony Romo is romancing Cowboys fans. 8. Panthers (12) Looking super once again. 9. Jaguars (13) Saved face against Tom Coughlin.

I was watching an ESPN Classic program on former heavyweight champion George Foreman over the weekend, and it included his 1973 demolition of Joe Frazier in Jamaica. Sitting at ringside, Howard Cosell bellowed, "He's a big, strong boy." Not quite as bad as "Look at that little monkey run," but I cringed nonetheless. Today, a comment like that would get Steve Lyons fired. Three certainties in life: death, taxes, and a television camera focusing on the head coach immediately after his kicker misses a field goal.

TURNAROUND Bills WR Eric Moulds had 10 catches and no TDs in his first four games this year. Yesterday, after the Bills switched QBs and started Kelly Holcomb, Moulds had seven catches and his first touchdown in a win over Miami. WELL-PROTECTED The Colts went deep into their 18th quarter of the season before allowing the first sack of QB Peyton Manning. Blitzing from the corner, 49ers LB Andre Carter beat Jake Scott to get the season's first takedown of Manning. GROUNDED BY JETS Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden found out why he's got to give rookie RB Carnell Williams a breather once in a while after the Williams-less Bucs couldn't sustain a running game in a 14-12 loss to the Jets.

Give Garrett fair chance Sam Farmer Los Angeles Times With Wade Phillips as coach, Cowboys fans were left to ponder the otherwise unthinkable: Does the brown paper bag go under or over the 10-gallon hat? That puts Jason Garrett in a very difficult spot because a significant portion of that fan base looks at him as part of the problem and not part of the solution. That said, if the Cowboys win five of their final eight games, I'd keep Garrett as coach for at least another season to give him a fair chance to implement his plan.

SAN DIEGO -- Heard at the Super Bowl:Does commissioner Paul Tagliabue know something about Jerry Jones' hiring plans?That's what several NFL observers were wondering yesterday after Tagliabue said the league is making progress on the minority head-coaching front.That came a day after the Raiders hired young Jon Gruden, 34, of the Philadelphia Eagles over Sherman Lewis, the Green Bay Packers' veteran offensive coordinator.Tagliabue went on to say that when he meets with the coaches in February, he'll be able to show them real change and progress.

The impact of the special teams will be measured by game-changing plays, not field position. The Ravens' special teams have changed games recently. They have delivered three touchdowns and two blocked field goals the past three weeks, manufacturing the game-winning touchdown against Tennessee off a blocked field goal. But that's been the forte of the Oakland Raiders all season. The Raiders' special teams led the NFL in blocks, with three on punts and two on field goals. That fact didn't go over too well with the Ravens, who have allowed three of their punts to be blocked in the playoffs.

Horse Racing Breeder, owner Young dead at 85; his `Cat' took 1994 Preakness William T. Young, one of thoroughbred racing's most prominent breeders and owners who won the 1994 Preakness with Tabasco Cat, died Monday in Gulf Stream, Fla. He was 85. Young, who operated Overbrook Farm in Lexington after building his fortune selling peanut butter, received an Eclipse Award in 1994 as the nation's top breeder, and in 1999 was chosen Breeder of the Year....