Suffolk News-Herald

Tampa Bay 31, New York Giants 16. San Francisco pulled off the second-biggest comeback in NFL history last week, scoring 25 unanswered points in a 39-38 defeat of the New York Giants. But that’s not going to happen against the best defense in the NFL, so if Jeff Garcia (hampered with a cold) doesn’t get hot early, the Bucs will take this one handily. A Tampa Bay defense that stole 31 interceptions and recorded 43 sacks this season will be daring Garcia and Terrell Owens to look at them wrong. On the other hand, the Bucs have never been known for their offensive prowess, and Brad Johnson’s back kept him out of the last two games. He says he’s fine now, but that’s what Kurt Warner said about his ribs before New England shut him down in last year’s Super Bowl. Tampa Bay still gets the Pick, but this one won’t be an upset either way.

New York Jets 30, Oakland 6. It’s time to be a little daring. The Jets have won in Oakland just once in the past 41 years, and they’re on the hot streak of a lifetime after winning seven of their last nine games to reach the playoffs and destroying Indianapolis last week. Chad Pennington has been a welcome sensation in the NFL, going from the bench to becoming the NFL’s highest-rated passer (104.2), with a league-leading completion percentage (68.9) and an 8-4 record as a starter. Sure, the Raiders have league MVP Rich Gannon, future Hall of Fame receivers Tim Brown and Jerry Rice, and Charlie Garner, who racked up 1,903 all-purpose yards this season, so anything less than a Super Bowl title will be a huge disappointment. The

ending for this one could come from nowhere.