The Steelers won their Monday night game but lost a pair of players for the season. Starting guard Kendall Simmons and backup running back Rashard Mendenhall will be placed on IR, Coach Mike Tomlin said after Monday?s 23-20 OT victory over the Ravens. Simmons tore his right Achilles while Mendenhall, who was starting in place of the injured Willie Parker, fractured his left shoulder. The Steelers have now won 14 consecutive games on Monday night.

Rashard Mendenhall has been coy to the press, but via text messages to a friend, he expects to have a big game against the Ravens. Mendenhall texted friend Ray Rice, who passed the text message along to his teammates, who are not taking Mendenhall's proclamation lightly. "He said later that he was just joking, but it's too late," Ravens' linebacker Bart Scott said. "Thanks for the bulletin-board material, rookie."

Last Week?s forecast: 11-5, pushing the overall season mark to 31-16. The skies should be clear across the country for this weekend?s slate of games. Now that it?s officially autumn we will start seeing more cold weather games, though from now until Halloween is often ideal football weather for the East Coast and Great Lakes teams. The changing of the season also means the forecast models are more accurate, as the increased pool of game film provides more accurate readings. You?ll still see some flukish results that defy all explanation, but at least you?ll know it was a fluke. I?m sure you are familiar with the emergency alert system on television and the radio; it?s that annoying high-pitched alarm that is always followed by the ?This is a test of the emergency broadcast system. This is only a test.? Here?s an open question for the folks who operate this system: how come it never activates when there is an actual emergency? I?ve been through a couple of hurricanes, I?ve been within 500 yards of a tornado that struck both a nuclear power plant and a heavily populated resort, I?ve seen large cars swept away in floods, I?ve seen hail the size of baseballs. But not once in my life have I ever heard this supposed ?alert? system ever activate for anything but a test, and anyone who knows me will tell you I live with either the radio or television perpetually on. Either put this system to use or stop annoying the crap out of everyone with the pointless tests! Bright and sunny games Washington (14) at Dallas (1): Thanks to all the Dallas fans who continually remind me I predicted the Cowboys would miss the playoffs. I?d like to say that it?s still early, that they haven?t hit their patch of adversity yet, but I?ve got to admit they have easily been the most impressive team in the NFL thus far. The rival Skins have looked solid, playing smart and fundamentally sound on both sides of the ball. If Jason Campbell can continue to manage the offense and keep control of the ball, and the Skins can get some pass rush up the gut on Tony Romo, they can pull off the road upset. But I see Marion Barber running strong, Jason Witten exploiting the weaknesses in the Redskins back 7, and the Dallas defensive front giving trouble to the Skins solid but unspectacular line. Cowboys 30, Redskins 20. Baltimore (10) at Pittsburgh (8): Pittsburgh?s offensive line couldn?t handle the Eagles or even the Browns, and now they get the Ravens impressive pressure defense. Baltimore is very quietly playing real sound football, and the defense is playing just as well as it did during the 13-3 season of 2006. The Steelers D has paved their early road to success, and they have the ability to bring the heat themselves. But Pittsburgh will be without NT Casey Hampton and DE Brett Keisel, and S Troy Polamalu continues to nurse a thigh injury. Baltimore isn?t an explosive offense, but they do have a power running game and a young QB getting more confident each drive. It?s rare I pick against the Steelers at home, but missing RB Willie Parker seals it. Baltimore seizes control of the AFC North with a hard-fought 13-10 victory to atone for last season?s MNF gig where the Steelers embarrassed Steve McNair into retirement. Don?t think Ray Lewis & Co. have forgotten about that one... Seasonably pleasant games Atlanta (20) at Carolina (11): Very interesting game in Charlotte. The Falcons have looked good thus far, but their two wins are over punching bags Detroit and Kansas City. The Panthers have earned two wins in three games against three pretty strong defenses (alleged in the Chargers case), and the two-headed RB of Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart complements Jake Delhomme well. I like what I saw of the Panthers defense, who bottled up Adrian Peterson and the Vikings potent rushing attack nicely last week. Their LBs are tough and fast, and safety Chris Harris is quickly becoming the bedrock of a strong defense. Atlanta?s D has played well too, led by Jon Abraham, who would be touted as an MVP candidate if he played in Dallas or New York. Most of the forecast models indicate a big day for Steve Smith and the Panthers TEs and a learning-curve game for young Matt Ryan, who hasn?t seen anything like Julius Peppers or the strong Carolina secondary. Panthers 24, Falcons 17. San Francisco (18) at New Orleans (16): I exchanged emails with a 49er this week, and his team is flying high with confidence and optimism, something they haven?t had under Coach Nolan. Other than nickel back Shawntae Spencer (now on IR), they?re pretty healthy and are coming off an easy win over Detroit where they didn?t have to open up the playbook much. The Saints dropped a shootout in Denver, and they?re fooling themselves if they think they can continue to give up over 20 first downs per game. They rank near the bottom in sacks, turnovers, yards per attempt, yards per 1st down snap, and points per game. That does not bode well against a Mike Martz offense with self-confidence. What bodes even worse is the loss of G Jamar Nesbit, the best interior run blocker on the team. However, the Saints have won the last 4 meetings by an average score of 34-22, and two of those games came in years where the Saints were worse than this year. We?ve seen the Niners start strong before and quickly wilt, and I think this game begins the wilting. New Orleans 34, San Francisco 24. Green Bay (5) at Tampa Bay (19): Tampa will need to improve their pass coverage if they have any shot, because last week the Bears had little trouble moving the ball and the Packers are better at every offensive spot than Chicago. Aaron Rodgers needs to have a big game, as RB Ryan Grant is looking like a half-year wonder the more he plays. Even though they threw the ball 67 times last week, the Bucs aerial attack doesn?t scare defenses unless TE Jerramy Stevens has his head (and hands) in the game. Green Bay hasn?t successfully covered the TE all season, and that gives the Bucs hope. Tampa?s kicker Matt Bryant lost his infant son this week, and that unspeakable tragedy could either be a rallying point for the Bucs or cost them in special teams. I?m betting on the former, as Bryant is as popular with his teammates as any kicker in the league. Tampa Bay 27, Green Bay 24. Philadelphia (4) at Chicago (23): The Eagles defense terrorized Pittsburgh last week, netting 9 sacks and snuffing out the potent Steelers run game. That?s a major problem for the blocking-challenged Bears offense. Chicago rookie RB Matt Forte is playing very well, and QB Kyle Orton appears to finally have a go-to WR in Brandon Lloyd. That provides hope for Chicago, but the Bears undisciplined, underachieving defense looks like they?re in for a long night against a rejuvenated Donovan McNabb and his increasingly healthier WRs. I expect a better showing from Urlacher & Co., but I just don?t see the Chicago offense able to score enough (if at all) to make it matter. Special mention to the Bears special teams, proving that the injured Devin Hester was far from a one-man gang. Eagles 20, Bears 6. Cool with wind and light rain games San Diego (6) at Oakland (24): You saw a real tale of two teams last week. San Diego regrouped with a laser-sharp focus and took the Jets behind the woodshed. Oakland played perhaps their best overall game of their last 10 outings but found a way to choke away a victory against the Bills. Good teams find ways to win, bad teams find ways to lose. These Raiders are probably better than you think they are, but they?re still not a good team. San Diego keeps rolling with a 33-13 victory. Arizona (13) at New York Jets (25): Kudos to the Cardinals for trying something new in their quest to break their East Coast futility. After playing in Washington last week, the team stayed East instead of returning to Arizona in preparation for the reeling Jets. Those Jets are returning from their drubbing in San Diego on Monday night, so they get the cross-country travel on a short week. Savvy move by Ken Whisenhunt & Co., and I bet it pays off. Obligatory Brett Favre name drop: Favre is just 3-7 in his last 10 starts against 3-4 defenses, though one of those wins came against Arizona. For as much talent as the Jets have in their secondary they sure struggle to stop the pass, and that?s a very real problem when facing Kurt Warner and the dynamic duo of Fitzgerald and Boldin. The Jets haven?t beaten an NFC team in nearly two years, and that drought continues in a 33-17 Cardinals victory. Minnesota (21) at Tennessee (3): The Titans defense has dominated thus far, and they present an interesting challenge to the Vikings. Minnesota is built to win by running wild with Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor, and stopping the opponent from doing the same. But the Tennessee defense aggressively attacks the run, and their excellent LBs often get clean shots at ballcarriers thanks to the best DL in football. That means the Vikings will have to throw to win, and I don?t trust Gus Frerotte to beat the opportunistic Titans secondary, certainly not with the WRs at his disposal. Kerry Collins and the Tennessee offense will find equally tough sledding against a Vikings D that also features great LB play behind a dominant DL. But I do trust Collins to make less mistakes than Frerotte, and I also like K Rod Bironas at home. Titans in a game that screams for you to bet the under, 16-13. Tornado in the trailer park games Houston (27) at Jacksonville (22): Several readers have been quick to criticize my criticism of the Jaguars. To you Jacksonville supporters, I give the team loads of credit for the gut-check victory and the fantastic 2-minute drill to earn that victory on the road in Indy. I still don?t believe that the offensive line or wide receivers/tight ends are good enough to win more than they lose unless David Garrard is near-perfect. Except for that last drive against Indy, aided by a couple of legit but iffy penalties, Garrard has been very ordinary, as has the running game. That?s still better than the Texans, who have the worst 1st down offense in the league even after Steve Slaton?s 50-yard scamper. Their defense is devoid of any playmakers other than Mario Williams; Demeco Ryans is a great tackler, but he doesn?t make plays in the backfield and doesn?t force turnovers. Jags CB Rashean Mathis is a nightmare matchup for Texans QB Matt Schaub, who leads the league in INTs despite playing one fewer game than everyone else. Jaguars get back into the playoff mix while burying the Texans firmly in the AFC South cellar. Jacksonville 24, Houston 13. Cleveland (28) at Cincinnati (29): Lost in Derek Anderson?s rapid decline for the Browns is the stunning disappearance of OLB Kamerion Wimbley. Bursting onto the scene with 11 sacks and 62 tackles as a rookie in 2006, Wimbley has just 5 sacks since, and just 2 in the last 12 games. That absent pass rush from a player who looked poised to be the next DeMarcus Ware is as much what ails the Browns as their sputtering offense. It will be interesting to see which Bengals team shows up, the one that showed little effort or emotion in the first two weeks or the inspired group that nearly beat the Giants last week. Because it?s at home and it?s the rival Browns, I see a repeat of the latter. It won?t matter if the Browns skill players on offense, not to mention Wimbley, get their acts together, but nothing we?ve seen this year indicates that forecast model is realistic. Bengals bury the Browns 33-24. Denver (7) at Kansas City (31): Astute reader Ryan Hansen pointed out to me that even though I?m one of the very few people who picked the Broncos to make the playoffs, I have yet to pick them to win any of their games. Ryan--this one?s for you! Denver 37, Kansas City 20. Buffalo (9) at St. Louis (32): How messed up are the Rams? Embattled coach Scott Linehan benches the highest paid player on the team, QB Marc Bulger, in favor of scrambled-brained fogie Trent Green. Green does offer better mobility, but that doesn?t help a lot when nobody is open and the pressure comes from all sides. The Bills survived a clunker against a game Raiders team, but the feeling around Orchard Park is that those are games that good teams win and bad teams find ways to lose. This Buffalo unit clearly believes in itself, and more people around the country are jumping on the bandwagon. That scares me to some degree, because the game that seemed like the biggest lock in each of the three prior weeks has wound up bombing. Keep that in mind before you use the Bills in those elimination fantasy games. Buffalo wins 30-17. Bye Week: Detroit (30), Miami (26), Seattle (15), New England (12), Indianapolis (17), NY Giants (2) Drinking in the Dorm Room Games 3-1 last week, 14-2 on the season. Note that I do not advocate breaking campus drinking laws, but rather strongly advocate the revocation of those laws on the basis they encourage binge drinking and irresponsible behavior. Enjoy alcohol in moderation, never alone, and never mixed with drugs. Moms everywhere, you?re welcome! - Georgia 27, Alabama 25. Just a hunch and my admitted anti-Saban bias bleeding through. - Penn State 40, Illinois 29. The Nittany Lions very quietly have great offensive talent across the board, and the Illini have major defensive problems despite the outstanding play of Vontae Davis, the best cover man in the country so far. - USC 44, Oregon State 17. The Trojans have stumbled in roadies like this recently, but not this year. - Wisconsin 20, Michigan 16. The Wolverines offense has to prove they can complete a pass for more than 8 yards before the Badger defense will stop flooding the box and stuffing the run. Thus far they haven?t shown that ability, and their OL faces their biggest test yet. Jeff.Risdon@RealGM.com

Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis believes that the Steelers are a better team with Willie Parker in the backfield, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I haven't seen that much of [rookie running back Rashard] Mendenhall, but I just think that Willie is one of those warriors who is going to come and play the game right. ... When you lose a guy like that, I don't think that you try to replace him," Lewis said. "I think that they did a great job drafting Mendenhall. At the same time, I don't know the difference between him and Parker just yet. I think that losing what you lose with Willie is a lot of speed from the running back position." Mendenhall, who will start against the Ravens this weekend, is familiar with Lewis. "Oh, man I used to play with him on video games, so I know a lot about Ray Lewis. I mean, he's a great player, there's no doubt about it," Mendenhall said. "In this league, in this business, you're going to face great players every week. He's a great player, I look forward to playing against him."

The Ravens believe that the Browns intentionally tried to hurt running back Willis McGahee on Sunday, according to Baltimore Sun. The team has even submitted a tape to the NFL for review. The league could levy fines if there is evidence that the Browns purposely hurt McGahee. "We asked them for their opinion on what happened," Harbaugh said. "We're waiting to hear back on it."

The Houston Texans' home game against the Baltimore Ravens has been postponed until Nov. 9 because of hurricane-related damage to Reliant Stadium, according to ESPN.com. Hurricane Ike originally pushed the game from Sunday afternoon to Monday night. The Nov. 9 game will be held during the Ravens' bye week. The Texans' home game against the Cincinnati Bengals, originally scheduled for Nov. 9, will be moved to Oct. 26, which was the bye week for both of those teams. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those who have been impacted by this hurricane. We will adjust," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "Our focus now turns to preparing for the Browns.

Damage caused by Hurricane Ike will likely lead to the postponement of Monday night?s game at Reliant Stadium between the Ravens and the Texans, according to an Associated Press report. The storm tore chunks off the stadium?s retractable roof, and the damage can?t be fixed in time to host the game, said Shea Guinn, the president and GM of Reliant Park. ?There is no way this stadium will host a game on Monday night,? Guinn said Saturday. ?There are parts of the roof that are completely gone.? An announcement was expected later Saturday, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. ?It certainly appears that the stadium is not going to be able to be used on Monday night,? Aiello said.

Willis McGahee has been criticized for not showing commitment to the Ravens and may have to learn by sharing time with other running backs, according to Baltimore Sun. McGahee is expected to make his first appearance for the team this season on Monday night against Houston after missing the team's opener with a knee injury. "I want a full workload, but that's something the coaches have to figure out," McGahee said. Baltimore appears primed to use a running back-by-committee system for the time-being. "As of today, he's got a role in this game," Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron said Thursday. "We ultimately aren't going to know until he's practiced through the end of the week."

The Week Two matchup between the Ravens and Texans in Houston this weekend has been pushed back to Monday night because of Hurricane Ike, according to Baltimore Sun. Ike is expected to make landfall in Texas this weekend, striking somewhere between Houston and Corpus Christi. "This was the league's recommendation, and we agreed," Ravens President Dick Cass said. "We understand completely why the change had to be made," Ravens Coach John Harbaugh said. "We'll adjust our schedules."

Ravens' linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo was cut by the team in 2001 and spent two years playing in the Canadian Football League. "It was like being paid to play junior-college football," said Ayanbadejo. "Junior college was fun, but it was definitely not as serious as Division I, and the CFL is definitely not nearly as serious as the NFL. You get paid to do it, and you have fun and travel around Canada and learn about other people and other customs."