Buffalo Rising Online

Dec 16th 2006, 7:39pm By Dave Staba

Fewer than 75,000 people in Western New York and Southern Ontario will see Sunday,Aeos annual visit to Orchard Park by the Miami Dolphins, thanks to the National Football League,Aeos antiquated blackout policy.

The dictate ,Aei which might as well be called ,AeuThe Buffalo Rule,,Aeu since it hasn,Aeot been invoked anywhere else all season ,Aei dates to the days when televisions had antennas on top of them and computers used cards with little holes punched in them.

The policy served the league well over the years, but its usefulness has long expired. In an age when teams play their games in stadiums with values measured in fractions of a billion, most funded largely or, in the case of Ralph Wilson Stadium, completely by taxpayer money, the blackout is little more than a symptom of the NFL,Aeos arrogance.

Giddy with the uninterrupted growth of the past four decades, the league,Aeos owners are all but daring Congress to revoke or amend the limited anti-trust exemption it was granted in 1961.

Earlier this month, Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter threatened to introduce legislation repealing the exemption if the NFL continues to air live games on its own network while refusing to make the channel available to cable providers at a price that won,Aeot elevate rates for consumers. (Uneducated Guess is refusing to offer expert predictions on the NFL Network,Aeos Thursday and Saturday games in protest.)

While he,Aeos at it, Specter should take a look at the blackout rule. If there,Aeos anything less consumer-friendly than not letting them watch a game at a facility they paid for, I can,Aeot think of it.

That the game didn,Aeot sell out by 1 p.m. Friday (even with an extension from the league) hints at general customer dissatisfaction locally, even with Buffalo having won four of six and facing their alleged archrival.

It,Aeos also a statement on the state of the rivalry. The last time a Bills-Dolphins game in Western New York didn,Aeot sell out was in 1987. The Bills on their way to their sixth straight losing season and the meeting was the first week both rosters were filled with real players, following three weeks of the scab ball foisted on the public by owners during the league,Aeos last player,Aeos strike.

That doesn,Aeot mean it won,Aeot be a good game. Both teams are hot after dismal starts, with Buffalo, a one-point favorite, 4-2 over the last six weeks, while Miami is 5-1 during the same stretch.

You can,Aeot discount the level Miami,Aeos defense is playing at, as evidenced by their 21-0 win over New England last week. But I,Aeom going to anyway.

Even the best Miami defenses rarely play at their peak up here late in the season, even when it,Aeos not particularly wintery.

Because of the defense, the Dolphins have been getting away with barely adequate play from quarterback Joey Harrington, which, to be fair, is about the best he can do. That,Aeos due in large part to Sammy Morris. It,Aeos probably just a coincidence that the long-ago Bills special teams demon is having the most productive stretch of his career as a runner after missing the season,Aeos first four games after testing positive for steroids. Which, I,Aeove heard, make you faster and stronger.

But, again, it,Aeos probably just a coincidence. Like the way San Diego,Aeos Shawne Merriman spent the day chasing J.P. Losman all over the field in his first game after his steroid suspension.

Whoever wins this one gets to cling to mathematically intricate playoff hopes for another week, if enough of the right other teams lose.

More important in the big picture, the victor retains a shot at a winning season. Because Harrington can be counted on to stink it up and the Miami defense is due for a least a slight letdown, the Bills should give fans who don,Aeot make it to the game good reason to be even madder about the blackout.

Bills, 23-20.

N.Y. Jets at Minnesota (-3.5): The Jets are still alive, even after getting blasted by Buffalo last week (you can relive the Bills,Aeo best all-around performance of the year here).

Jets, 17-16.

Cleveland at Baltimore (-11): I hate double-digit favorites, but am starting to hate the Browns more. Ravens, 23-6.

Houston at New England (-11): Too many points for the way the Pats have been playing. Patriots, 24-19.

Pittsburgh at Carolina (no line): No spread due to the uncertainty over who will QB the Panthers. The way the rest of the team is going, it won,Aeot matter. Steelers, 21-11.

Washington at New Orleans (-9.5): Another big spread, but the NFC,Aeos best team should be good for it. Saints, 37-20.

Jacksonville (-3.5) at Tennessee: After running all over Indy, the Jaguars should come right out and start resting on their laurels. (It should be noted that UG came within a single point, denied by the rule that forbids kicking an extra point after an overtime touchdown, of predicting the EXACT SCORE of last week,Aeos Tennessee-Houston game.) Titans, 21-17.

Tampa Bay at Chicago (-13.5): Can Rex Grossman not stink for two weeks in a row? Bears, 13-7.

Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants (-5.5): Beating Carolina did not fix New York,Aeos many problems. Let the Tom Coughlin Firing Watch begin. Eagles, 28-23.

Detroit at Green Bay (-5): Brett Favre gets to throw a few more meaningless touchdown passes. Packers, 31-20.

Denver (-2.5) at Arizona: Boy, is Mike Shanahan smart. Cardinals, 27-19.

Kansas City at San Diego (-8.5): Chargers are due for some Marty Ball. Chargers, 26-23.

St. Louis at Oakland (-3): There,Aeos probably some reason the Raiders are favored. Rams, 34-10.

Cincinnati at Indianapolis (-3): Easily the best game of the week, not to mention ESPN,Aeos entire Monday Night schedule. Bengals, 47-44.

(Last week: 9-6 overall, 9-6 against the spread. Season: 74-57 overall, 62-61-8 against the spread.)