NFL

The Arizona Cardinals have yet to lose on the road this season, while the Chicago Bears have won every one of their home games thus far in 2009. Only one of those undefeated records will remain intact, however, when the two playoff hopefuls get together this Sunday at Soldier Field.

When they left town as 17-14 winners on Oct. 11, the Cincinnati Bengals certainly had the attention of a stunned Baltimore Ravens squad.

Better play over their last four games has the Carolina Panthers thinking they can get back into the playoff mix. A win over the undefeated New Orleans Saints this weekend would go a long way in validating those beliefs.

Sole possession of first place in the NFC's East Division will be on the line when the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles renew their spirited rivalry with a Sunday night showdown at Lincoln Financial Field to highlight the Week 9 schedule.

It has been many suns, moons, failed draft picks, dubious coaching hires, and at least one mustachioed general manager since the Detroit Lions have won a road game in the month of November.

There will be no hats and shirts declaring that the Indianapolis Colts are AFC South champions on the premises at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday.

It's not a total loss. But it's not far off.

OK, this is an important game again. By next week, though... who knows?

Although the careers of Eli Manning and Philip Rivers will be forever intertwined, the two quarterbacks have never gone head-to-head on the playing field. That will change this Sunday, when Rivers brings the surging San Diego Chargers into the Meadowlands for a tussle with a reeling New York Giants team that will be out to stop a three-game losing streak.

With little room for error in the NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons can't be too pleased with their first two-game losing streak under head coach Mike Smith.