professional football

Capsule previews for Week 11 around the NFL. All times Eastern.

SUNDAY:

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (2-7), 1 p.m.

Since the middle of the 2007 season, the Chiefs are a pitiful 4-30, a record only the Lions (3-31) can eclipse for futility. Should be a nice way for QB Ben Roethlisberger to spend his first game in Arrowhead Stadium.

FOXBORO, Mass. - While many National Football League teams enjoy "Victory Mondays" -- when players get the Monday after a win off, New England Patriots Bill Belichick gave his players Monday off this week despite their loss at Indianapolis.

Thoughts on football here and abroad:

Here's a joke for you: What does HBO's training camp reality show "Hard Knocks" and the Heisman Trophy have in common?

The answer is that they're both usually considered NFL kryptonite.

Since you're probably not laughing right now, let me save myself by saying that this particular joke may not be funny, but it is true.

OWATONNA, Minn. - Minnesota Vikings owner and President Mark Wilf said Tuesday the franchise has received the boost it was looking for when it signed Brett Favre and made it clear the veteran quarterback would be welcomed back in 2010 to play the second season of the two-year, $25 million deal he received in August.

Here's the question.

If some other coach had decided to go for it on fourth-and-2 from his own 28 with 2:08 left and a six-point lead, what would you be saying?

Any coach.

At any level of football.

High school, college, NFL, any level.

What would you be saying?

INDIANAPOLIS - I'm backing Bill Belichick.

Dallas Clark has gashed many a defense over the past two-plus seasons, as the Indianapolis Colt has become one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the NFL.

He hasn't, however, gotten the best of the New England Patriots as often as he has other teams around the league -- a big part of the reason for that was the presence of Rodney Harrison.

Capsule previews for Week 10 around the NFL. All times Eastern.

SUNDAY:

Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2), 1 p.m.

Sweeping the Ravens and the Steelers in the same season? It's certainly possible for the upstart Bengals, who are unbeaten on the road (3-0) and in the division (4-0). On second thought? Nah!

Prediction: Steelers, 27-13

For the first time since he signed with the Vikings in late August, Brett Favre was able to get away from football last week. The quarterback remained in town during the team's bye week -- he did spend part of a day watching film at Winter Park -- but Favre also was able to enjoy some time in the woods, hunting.

So what did he kill? "Time," Favre said during a news conference.