Took all of one week for up to be down and down to be up in the New Meadowlands, where the self-proclaimed future Super Bowl champions are suddenly sucking wind and have what has the look and feel of a must-win game against the Patriots this week.

The bloom is already off the rose in Jets World, where the franchise quarterback is spitting cotton, the starting nose tackle is injured and done for the season, the running game looks overwhelmed, the coach has lost his bombast and the NFL is investigating after reports of harassment of a female reporter. So how does that futures bet on the Jets to win the Super Bowl look right about now?

All you have to know about the State of the Jets could be seen in Rex Ryan’s post-game press conference after Monday night’s loss to Baltimore. The T-Rex was subdued almost to the point of humility, the braggadocio depressed by the knowledge that Game 2 is upcoming against the suddenly-powerful-looking Patriots, then it’s on the road for Games 3 and 4. It can’t get much worse for the Jets, who for months have bragged that they plan to both get to and win the Super Bowl and now are in the embarrassing situation of being a home underdog to a Patriots team that the entire NFL had figured would be taking a step backward this season. Bad news bombards the Jets from every corner, be it the season-ending knee injury to starting nose tackle Kris Jenkins, the Monday night implosion of quarterback Mark Sanchez or the NFL’s impending investigation of the team’s locker room harassment of a female reporter.

New York converted only one of 11 third-down plays in the opening night loss to Baltimore, and while Sanchez bears some of the responsibility, it was really a total team effort. The Jets counted on Shonn Greene to be the go-to running back, but he was in and out of the lineup as he fumbled the ball and dropped passes.

LaDainian Tomlinson is a star only in the mind of LaDainian Tomlinson. Now the Jets welcome the Patriots to Jersey. The Pats figured to have a good offense and a shaky defense this season, but if Week 1 was any indication, they will have a Great Offense and a pretty good defense. Bill Belichick has re-created his defense around young guys who fly to the ball, which is the formula that helped Indianapolis win a Super Bowl a few years ago. The Jets will get a healthy taste of that this Sunday.

There there’s the Randy Moss-Darrelle Revis game within a game. Revis pretty much nailed Moss to the wall in two games last season, although there is conflicting opinion on how much safety help the Jets gave Revis. This time around New England’s offense has more options – two young stud tight ends (Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski) who can work the middle of the field and a star wideout in the making (Brandon Tate). Wes Welker, who didn’t play in the Jets’ win over the Patriots early last season but did when NE crushed the Jets the second time they played, will be there, too. And that certain Hall of Fame quarterback is now two full years removed from ACL and ready to rock and roll like it.

It all adds up to trouble for a Jets team that may have to soon start eating its words.

With only two games left in the regular season, there are some tight conference races with teams battling for either number one seeds for their tournament or to improve their position to be able to host the opening round or two. The Big 12 conference is no different, as the two teams (both nationally ranked) Texas A&M Aggies and the Kansas Jayhawks (who will probably move up to number two tomorrow) need to come away from Phog Allen Fieldhouse (Wednesday night) with a victory. Kansas (12-2 in the Big 12; 27-2 overall) who defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 82-70 their last time out (Saturday, February 26) caught a break when conference leader Texas Longhorns (12-2 in the Big 12; 24-5 overall) couldn’t hold onto a 22-point lead and fell to Colorado 91-89. Texas holds the tie-breaker (by virtue of winning the only match-up with Kansas this year 74-63) in case of a co-champion situation meaning the Longhorns would be the number one seed in the conference tournament.

Texas plays host to Kansas State on Monday and then travels to Baylor Saturday. In the meantime, Kansas must take care of their business at hand starting with Texas A&M (9-5 in the Big 12;22-6 overall) before worrying about their final game which won’t be a walk in the park as they have to travel to (also nationally ranked in the last poll) Missouri (22-7, 8-6 in the Big 12).

Kansas will probably move up one spot in the polls due to #1 Duke losing to Virginia Tech (64-60, Saturday) comes in Wednesday’s match-up on a three game winning streak and is 9-1 in their last 10 games. Kansas, who averages 83.8 points a game which leads the Big 12 Conference and is the fourth most nationally, is 16-1 at home and 2-1 vs. the AP Top 25. Kansas’ only setbacks this year is at Kansas State (84-68) and against Texas. Kansas State was the preseason conference favorite and though they had their issues early, they are coming on having won four straight while Texas who was ranked fifth in the nation before falling to Colorado is a very good team. Defensively, Kansas is decent allowing slightly less than 65 points a game (64.9) which ranks the Jayhawks fifth in the Big 12.

Kansas who is led by the Morris twins (Marcus Morris 17.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 60.9% FG, 35.9% 3-pointers; Markief Morris 13.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 60.2 FG, 41.3% 3-pointers) is the top shooting team in the nation (52.3%). Kansas also grabs an average of 38.4 rebounds (11.4 offensively) a game (30th most nationally) and dishes out 18.4 dimes (ranked first nationally). In addition, Kansas launches 19.1 three-pointers a game connecting on 7.5 (39.3%), shoots 67.5% (15.8-23.55) from the free throw stripe, commits 14 turnovers and block four shots.

The Morris twins can do everything well and have been the rock behind the Rock-Sock-Jayhawk slogan. Marcus Morris is 6’9” and is a little more athletic and more of a pure scorer than the inch taller Markief Morris (6’10”). Both Morris twins can either post-up or shoot from the perimeter though Marcus (23-64) likes to shoot the long bombs a little more Markief (19-46). While Marcus Morris is slightly more gifted offensively, Markief Morris (team high 34 blocks) leads the Big 12 conference with 11 double-doubles and is a little bigger body than Marcus. Both Morris twins make a living getting to the charity stripe as Marcus Morris is 108 for162 (66.6% )while Markief Morris is 79 for 118 (66.9%).

Reserve freshman guard Josh Selby is the only other Kansas player to score in double figures (10.4 PPG, 3.0 APG) though senior guard Tyrel Reed (who has attempted the most treys this year with 143 connecting on 39.2%; 9.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 42.9% FG ) and sophomore forward Thomas Robinson (8.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 62.8% FG) have been solid. Kansas has the talent to go nine or ten deep but with the variety of issues Kansas has dealt with this year Bill Self (Kansas coach) hasn’t been able to use his rotation like he probably would like to.

Now with the suspension of point guard and leading distributor Tyshawn Taylor (team rules violation; Taylor has missed the two previous games), Self may not have a full squad available until the conference tournament. Taylor (a junior is averaging 8.8 points a game and 4.7 assists) is extremely quick and talented but has infuriated Self with his inconsistent play.

Texas A&M enters the game Wednesday (currently ranked #21 in the AP top 25 though they might fall a couple of places when the new poll comes out) needs a victory to secure the third seed in the Big 12 Conference tournament and possibly position itself for a six or seven seed in the NCAA tournament. Texas A&M is coming off a 58-51 due to their woeful shooting performance hitting just 19 of their 54 shots (the Aggies who have connected on 44.5% of their shots this season which is 128th best in the nation). Texas A&M has a cushion of one game over Kansas State and Missouri for third place a first round bye in the Big 12 tournament. The Aggies closes the regular season out the Saturday against Texas Tech.

Texas A&M, who is 3-2 vs. the AP Top 25 and 5-3 in road games faces a tough task against the more athletic and taller Jayhawks, has had trouble scoring this season averaging 69.4 points a game (166th nationally; 5th in the Big 12). Texas A&M attempts 15.51 three-pointers a game knocking down 5.24 a game (33.8% which is well below average) however, the Aggies do get to line a decent amount (16.3-23.4) and knocks down 70% of those shots. Texas A&M is a solid defensive team surrendering only 60.5 points a game which is the second fewest in the Big 12 Conference. Also, Texas A&M does a decent job rebounding hauling in 36.8 a game (83rd nationally) but has gone to the offensive glass hard collecting 12.4 rebounds a game. Texas A&M also turns the ball over only 12.2 times a game. Due to their lack of outside shooting, Texas A&M relies on their frontcourt to provide most of their scoring punch. 6’7” sophomore forward Khris Middleton (14.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 45.6% FG and 35.6% 3-3pters) and 6’8” junior forward David Loubeau (11.2 PPG 4.9 RPG and 49.6% FG) are the Aggies only double figure scorers. Though senior guard BJ Holmes (9.5 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 42% FG) and 6’7 forward Nathan Walkup (9.7 PPG 5.8 RPG, 50.5% FG and 34.7 3-pointers) have the ability to produce.

Recap of the Last Game

Kansas 82 Oklahoma 70

The Kansas Jayhawks got a huge game from the Morris twins who combined for 42 points and 19 rebounds (Marcus Morris 23 points and 9 rebounds; Markief Morris chipped in with 19 points and 10 rebounds to win their third straight game 82-70 over the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman (Oklahoma) Saturday. Kansas who shot 56.8% (25-44) from the field, which marks the 21st time this season Kansas has connected on over 50% of their shots, defeated Oklahoma for the seventh straight time in the series. Kansas knocked down 6 of their 14 shots from beyond the arc, went to the line an astounding 35 times (making 26) and collected 11 offensive caroms. Kansas did turn the ball over 13 times while forcing just six Oklahoma miscues. Oklahoma connected on just two less field than the Jayhawks (23-50; 46%) and the same number of shots from long distance six (6-19). The main difference in the game was the disparity in free throws. The Sooners who connected on a slightly better percentage (78% to 74) from the line had 12 fewer attempts producing eight less points than Kansas (18-23).

Kansas, without Taylor (as mentioned above), got a scare when Johnson (five points in 16 minutes)left the game with about 12½ minutes left to play with a neck injury. However, according to Kansas Coach Bill Self, Johnson’s x-rays revealed no damage and he could’ve returned to game if needed. Kansas who outrebounded Oklahoma 33 to 14, led 45-33 at halftime. Besides the Morris twins, Reed (11 points) was the only other Jayhawk to reach double-figures in scoring.

Baylor 58 Texas A&M 51

Texas A&M traveled to Waco on Saturday night and came away disappointed falling to the Baylor Bears 58-51. Texas A&M as usual played solid defense but like so many times this year the Aggies had trouble scoring. Texas A&M shot just 35% from the floor which was their third lowest shooting performance of the year. Texas A&M also only knocked down 5 of their 22 (22.7%) shots from beyond the three-point arc and committed 13 turnovers while only dishing out 6 assists.

The Aggies defense held Baylor to 19 of 48 shooting (39.6%) and 4-15 (26.7%) from beyond arc while forcing 14 turnovers. However, Texas A&M committed 21 fouls putting the Baylor at the line 24 times (9 more free-throws then the Aggies attempted which resulted in an 8 point difference; Baylor was 16-24 from the charity stripe while A&M was 8-15).

Baylor who was up 32-28 at halftime, got hot early in the second half and built a 41-32 lead with 10:29 left. The Aggies then went on 7-0 run but Baylor had answer hitting two three-pointers and four foul shots to regain control of the contest 53-43. Middleton put up a double-double (12 points and 10 boards) for the Aggies but was on 4 for 12 from the floor (33%) and connected on just two of his seven three point shots (28.5%). Forward David Loubeau also hit double figures with 14 points on 6-8 shooting.

Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon disappointed with the Aggies offense credited Baylor’s defense, “Their zone was fantastic. It was like they had six guys out there. They were everywhere. And our zone attack wasn’t very good.”

Final Analysis

Kansas is rolling after their misstep against Kansas State and according to Reed are on a mission, “Every year, we go in wanting to win the Big 12 and win the Big 12 Tournament and then have the best opportunity for a number one seed. We’ve got two more games and I guess the balls in our court and we’ve got to take care of business.” In addition, Kansas seldom loses at Phog Allen Fieldhouse, winning 94.8% of their games there under Self (128-7).

Though Kansas is not as good defensively as Texas A&M, the Jayhawks just have too much firepower as either Morris twin (Marcus is the more likely one), Selby, Reed, Taylor (if his suspension is lifted), senior Mario Little or Reed and senior Brady Morningstar (if they get hot) can carry the offensive load. In conference play, Kansas (averaging 81.64) has only been held under 80 points three times. Defensively, Kansas (72.07) has allowed their Big 12 brethren to put up 65 or more points 12 times.

Texas A&M (averaging 64.92 points a game in conference) doesn’t have the shooting ability or firepower to get into a transition game with Kansas, though Holmes who has knocked down 41% of his three-pointers (41-100) and has gotten to the line 104 times (hitting 80 of them) could cause the Jayhawks problems. Otherwise, the Aggies (given up 63.35 points a game in conference play) will have to slow the game down by working the ball inside to Middleton, Loubeau and Walkup and play typical Texas A&M defense.

The Aggies do have a wildcard (Holmes could be considered one but I’m sure the Jayhawks are aware of him) and that is freshman forward Kourtney Robinson (12.9 MPG, 5.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG and 60% FG). Robinson who is athletic and provides depth for the Aggies frontline could be a difficult match-up for the Jayhawks frontline if the Aggies can get the Morris twins into foul trouble.

After beating the wounded Colts, can the Jets press their bet and win this coming Sunday against a Patriots team has a better quarterback, is better coach, is rested and almost never loses at home?

The answer probably lies somewhere in the netherworld between what-are-you-smoking? and maybe. The Jets will be pinning their hopes on the combination of good defense and bravado, although the D wasn’t much in evidence last month when the team met in the regular season, and the 45-3 beatdown forced the Jets to dial down the trash talk a bit.

The Jets can take comfort in the fact that they have played New England to a 2-2 draw in games this season and last, but location matters -- NY’s two wins came at the Meadowlands, while in games in New England, the Patriots have shown little mercy. Last year New England picked off Mark Sanchez four times in a 31-14 thumping.

New York’s chances also could be intertwined with the weather. Sanchez is a warm-weather California kid, while the Patriots are nearly invincible when the temperatures plummet and the snow is falling in Foxboro. But even if Sanchez doesn’t freak out, the Jets defense will still have to deal with a Patriots offense that rarely turns over the ball and a future Hall of Fame quarterback who has 36 TDs passes and only four interceptions this season.

IN PITTSBURGH, the Ravens and Steelers play what is in essence the tie-breaker after battling through two field goal games this season. Baltimore’s easy victory over Kansas City helped blunt one of Pittsburgh’s biggest advantages -- sitting last week courtesy of winning the No. 2 seed in the AFC.

Neither team was able to gain much separation in the two games played this season, but Baltimore has shown over the years -- and in Pittsburgh earlier this year -- that they know how to win on the road in the playoffs. But Pittsburgh will not make the mistakes that Kansas City did, and the Steeler defense gave up fewer points than any team in the league this season.

The Chicago Bears must feel like they have a lottery ticket with all the right numbers. Expecting a tough fight against the Saints or Eagles in the division playoff round, the Bears instead catch the Seahawks, who are clearly the slowest wildebeest in the playoff herd. Seattle won only twice on the road this season (actually an improvement from a year ago, when they won only once). That one of the two victories came over the Bears (23-20, in Week 6) is probably not a concern for the Bears.

How Chicago wound up with No. 2 seed is a story in itself, the Bears taking advantage of chaos in the NFC East and West, the Vikings’ fall of a steep cliff, and Tampa Bay’s decline after a quick start. The Bears snuck in at 11-5 and the reward was a home game against the worst road team still alive. Life is good.

Seattle’s hopes lie in harassing the occasionally-schizophrenic Jay Cutler into a bad passing game. Cutler hasn’t completed 60 percent of his passes in a game since Week 13 indoors in Detroit, and in the four games since that game has six interceptions.

Neither Matt Ryan nor Aaron Rodgers is at Brady/Manning Level yet, but the two quarterbacks are in the next tier down, and one will emerge with tons of street cred after their game next weekend in Atlanta. Only Philadelphia scored more points that Atlanta in the NFC this season, and the unassuming Ryan is the perfect poster boy for the unassuming and under-the-radar Falcons.

Atlanta is the best home team in the NFC, and the Falcons have enough receivers to deal with Green Bay’s sophisticated defensive schemes. And Michael Turner was purposely held back in the last two games (only 34 total carries) to keep his legs fresh for the playoffs. If Atlanta gets ahead, Turner should get a lot of touches.

Green Bay, meanwhile, emerged from the victory over Philadelphia healthy and well on the way toward making amends for that wild 51-45 playoff loss in Arizona last season.

Ranking the AFC playoff teams:

1. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (14-2) -- There’s a sea of rookies on the defensive side of the ball and the offense was re-invented in mid-stream when Randy Moss was let go. Yet somehow, some way New England climbed its way to the top of the league after a shaky start that included losses to the Jets and – of all teams – the Browns.

How they win it all -- If you have one game to win and one coach/quarterback combination to do it with, you might pick Lombardi/Starr and you might pick Walsh/Montana. But Belichick/Brady also has to be part of the conversation.

How they could lose -- New England’s defense is like no other in that it gives up large amounts of yardage and then relies on someone making a big play. This could prove difficult against teams not prone to make mistakes, like Baltimore.

2. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (12-4) -- The Steelers got a pretty good indication early on that this would be a good season, winning three of four games while they waited for Ben Roethlisberger to return from his suspension. Except for the New England game, Pittsburgh’s defense has been dominant -- the Steelers allowed the fewest points in the league.

How they win it all -- With two weeks to rest their ailing defense, the Steelers get healthy and overwhelm a weakened Indianapolis in the division round. They harass Brady and New England in the AFC Championship Game, winning a squeaker in Foxboro.

How they could lose -- What are the odds on beating Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in consecutive weeks?

3. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (10-6) -- Even in the darkest of days in late November/early December, when the Colts were losing to New England, San Diego and Dallas in consecutive weeks, did anyone think that Indy would not get to the tournament? It’s the playoffs, and Manning belongs in the playoffs. End of story.

How they win it all -- Quite simply, Manning gets so hot he’s uncontrollable. The Jets overplay their hand and try to blitz him, but he easily handles that before shredding the Steelers in Pittsburgh. That sets up an AFC winner-take-all in Foxboro, where the Colts were one pass away from beating the Pats in late November.

How they could lose -- Manning is a not a cold-weather quarterback, and back-to-back games in Pittsburgh and Foxboro prove too much for him.

4. BALTIMORE RAVENS (12-4) -- Not a bad record for a wild card team. In fact, 12-4 would have been good enough to win five other divisions. The Ravens are a little long in the tooth on the defensive side of the ball, but they gave up pretty much the same number of points this season (270) as they did in 2009 (261).

How they win it all -- The Ravens should get to the division round against a skittish Chiefs team getting its first taste of the playoffs. They have proven they can beat Pittsburgh, and played the Patriots tougher (23-20 loss) than any other playoff teams did. Baltimore has a solid offense that can use 5 wideouts or jam it tight and pound the ball.

How they could lose -- The stress of beating three solid teams in three weeks may be a little too much for the Ravens.

5.  NEW YORK JETS (11-5) -- It was this time last year that the Jets surprised everyone with a couple of playoff wins (Cincinnati, San Diego) on the way to the AFC title game. Whether they can do it again, given their wild inconsistency, is problematic.

How they win it all -- Somehow Mark Sanchez figures out a way to string three solid games together and the attacking defense which got the Jets off to such a fast start re-assembles. Momentum from a big road victory over Indy carries over for two more weeks.

How they could lose -- They won two road games last season, and would need to win three (at Indianapolis and probably at Pittsburgh and at New England) to get to the Super Bowl. Any takers on that?

6. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (10-6) -- The Chiefs deserve hearty applause from going worst to first in the AFC West, and the reward is a playoff home game. But a lot of the oxygen was sucked out of the air by KC’s loss to Oakland in the season finale, and doubts about the Chiefs are bound to surface.

How they win it all -- Quite simply, the Chiefs need to overachieve here. Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis, who have been through the playoff wars, get the team ready for post-season intensity and the Chiefs build on a home win over the Ravens to an upset of the Pats the following week. After that, anything goes.

How they could lose -- Very easily. Matt Cassel wilts under tremendous defensive pressure from the Ravens, and Jamaal Charles can’t get going on the ground. Baltimore bounces KC out before the Chiefs can get into second gear.

Ranking the NFC playoff teams:

1. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (11-5) -- Losing two of its last three shouldn’t concern Saints fans all that much. Last season they limped into the playoffs with three straight losses (after 13 wins) and we all know how that turned out.

How they win it all -- Wild card teams have a tougher road to the Super Bowl, but it can be done (1980 Raiders, 1997 Broncos, 2000 Ravens, 2005 Steelers and 2007 Giants). The Saints have the weapons to do it. They should not be overtaxed too much in taking care of Seattle in the first round.

How they could lose -- Exhibit A is the loss to Tampa Bay in Week 17. The Saints turned over the ball three times (one INT, two fumbles lost) and just looked out of sync against the Buccaneers. **it happens.

2. ATLANTA FALCONS (13-3) -- These guys are the Rodney Dangerfield on the NFL -- without the bug eyes, of course. As the top seed they will not have to play another road game, and they were 7-1 at home this season. But for some reason they are considered bogus. The Falcons will be trying to erase memories of their last playoff game -- that upset loss at home to Arizona two years ago.

How they win it all -- Everyone has flaws in the NFC, but the Falcons appear to have fewer than most. Matt Ryan is able to control the ball, and Atlanta’s underrated defense (which ranked 16th in yards allowed but 5th in points allowed) steps it up at home.

How they could lose -- Nightmare scenario for the owner Arthur Blanc. Philadelphia defeats Green Bay this coming weekend, then takes care of Atlanta the following week, setting up a Michael Vick-returns-to-Atlanta NFC winner-take-all for the NFC Championship. Atlanta struggles against Vick on turf.

3. CHICAGO BEARS (11-5) -- What to make of the Bears? Are they as good as they look when things are going good or as bad as they look when they aren’t? The answer is somewhere in the middle, and if they can get some decent yardage out of Matt Forte and protect Jay Cutler for the rest of the month, maybe they can slide past a few teams and be an unlikely Super Bowl participant.

How they win it all -- Soldier Field in January is no country for old men, and the Bears have a huge advantage after spending next weekend getting healthy. If Philadelphia survives against Green Bay, Vick returns to Chicago, where his spotty performance on a slick field in Week 12 was a costly loss for the Eagles.

How they could lose -- Start with their occasional but maddening inability to protect Cutler, who was sacked 6 times and slammed to the ground 3 or 4 more times last weekend in Green Bay. Cutler himself is somewhat of an enigma, and could implode if things go bad.

4. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-6) -- Give credit to Andy Reid for keeping things together. No one else believed Vick could become what he has become, namely the expected No. 2 in the MVP voting this season. Vick has a ways to go (the Eagles are concerned about his inability to recognize blitz packages), but they got a starting QB/major impact player for nada.

How they win it all -- Vick’s running ability gives the Packers trouble this coming weekend, then the Eagles take advantage of a dry field and beat the Bears in Chicago. Vick then goes nuts against Falcons indoors.

How they could lose -- Any team capable of losing to the likes of Washington, Houston and Minnesota (throw out the Week 17 Green Bay defeat) is no lock. The Eagles give up 24 points a game, which puts pressure on the big-play offense.

5. GREEN BAY (10-6) -- It’s been an up-and-down season for the Packers, who figured to take control of the NFC North with the Vikings taking a huge step back. But the Bears surprised everyone and now the Pack face the prospect of winning three consecutive road games in order to get to the Super Bowl.

How they win it all -- They have the weapons on offense, but defensively the Packers have earned plenty of cred. They gave up the fewest points in the NFC (15 a game), and the 3-4 D installed by coordinator Dom Capers is perfectly designed to contain Vick this coming weekend. And if they catch the Bears the following week, they’ve already shown they can put Cutler on the ground.

How they could lose -- The road has a way of wearing down teams in the playoffs, and it just seems implausible that they could win at Philadelphia, at Chicago and (probably) at Atlanta in consecutive weeks.

6. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (7-9) -- Oh yeah, the Seahawks are in this too, aren’t they? Really? For a week, anyway. Fans in Seattle are so pessimistic about their team’s chances that a poll showed they wanted the Seahawks to miss the playoffs so they would get a higher draft pick.

How they win it all -- Phew. Pete Carroll no doubt is digging around for video of the 2008-09 Arizona Cardinals, who defied expectations and then bumbled and stumbled their way to the Super Bowl.

How they could lose -- As Dennis Green famously said, “They are who we thought they were.”

Do. Not. Panic.

Rinse, then say it again, Saints fans. It is way too early to run into the streets screaming over a single loss, even a loss to a team coached by Eric Mangini. The NFL is just too balanced this season, and the gap between 10-6 and 4-12 is about the width of an envelope. Losses to teams like the Browns happen, even if it difficult to watch when the league’s No. 1 team plays like it is running into piles of No. 2.

That said, the Saints’ 30-17 loss to the Browns in New Orleans was definitely a head-scratcher. Four Drew Brees interceptions, two of them brought back for touchdowns. Cleveland, of all teams, using razzle-dazzle plays that confounded the NO defense. Sean Payton on the sidelines doing a Norv Turner imitation. All weird stuff, one week in advance of Halloween.

There isn’t much time for the Saints to contemplate their navels, however, as the 5-1 Steelers come to town for a Sunday nighter in what probably passes for the biggest game so far in a season in which no clear favorite to win the Super Bowl has emerged. If Cleveland can win in New Orleans, then what will the Steelers do? (Las Vegas oddsmaker Peter Korner, however, points out frequently that every game in every season is situational, and it makes no sense to shoot at shadows. Pittsburgh, for the record, opened as a 1-point favorite, which means the books have no clue who will win this one.)

If there is a high ground in the one-size-fits-all NFL, it is occupied by the Steelers. They have their quarterback back, they are once again death to run against, and the remainder of the schedule has enough two-foot putts to allow for an occasional slipup. Ben Roethlisberger brings fresh legs (and hopefully a fresh off-the-field persona) to the game. He has thrown 5 TDs passes in two games since returning from the suspension, and his quarterback rating (122) would be by far the best in the league if he had played in enough games.

The Steelers treat opponents in pretty much the same way that Attila the Hun dealt with terrified villagers, so it’s incumbent on the Saints to be able to get down and dirty in this one. Chris Ivory has been NO’s best runner this season, but he was stuffed by the Browns, and once Cleveland got the Saints running game under control, they teed off on Brees. Ivory won’t run for 100 yards -- no one does that against Pittsbrugh -- but if he can give the Saints offense a viable alternative, it can keep Brees on his feet and out of the hospital.

There are still miles to go before the AFC North and NFC are put to bed, but this game will help give one of these two teams a big lift headed into the final two months of the season.

Early public opinion indicates that fans in New England are split about 70-30 against the trade of Randy Moss to the Vikings, but in Minnesota there is unanimity -- Moss is welcomed back to the fold with open arms after a 5-year absence. Assuming he keeps the bitching and moaning to moderate levels and shakes the team down for a contract fat with zeroes, he could be what gives the Vikes at least a fighting chance in the NFC this season.

It was clear that something had to be done in Minnesota. The Vikings lost their first two games, and only getting the equivalent of a gimmee putt -- Detroit at home in Week 3 -- was able to save them from complete eradication. The arrival of Moss now gives Brett Favre a reason to get up in the morning, should open up tons of space for Percy Harvin’s short stuff over the middle and gives jealous Green Bay fans something to worry about again.

Assuming Moss doesn’t pull a hamstring in any practice that he chooses to attend in the next few days, it also makes the mercurial wideout the answer to a great trivia question -- who is the only player ever to play in back-to-back Monday night games?

But Monday night in New Jersey could bring the Vikings back down to earth. They get 4 from the Jets in a game that has oversized significance to both teams and will definitely impact the developing playoff picture in both conferences. Going 1-2 makes things hard. Starting out 1-3 is another story entirely, and with a schedule created by the devil himself (Dallas at home the next week, followed by trips to Green Bay and New England) the Vikings have to stiffen their spines in this one.

It’s doubtful that the high-flying Jets will make things too easy for the Vikings. New York has already cleaned house in the AFC East with consecutive victories over the Patriots, Dolphins and Bills, and that loss to the Ravens on opening day now seems about at bothersome as a mosquito in mid-January. Plus, any concerns that Mark Sanchez is not ready for prime time have been laid to rest in the wake of three solid performances in a row -- while no one was watching, Sanchez has moved up the QB ladder and now has the 4th-best QB rating in the league (105.3). And there is none of the confusion that was so evident in the middle of last season -- he has thrown 8 TD passes and exactly zero interceptions.

And if the prospect of another Moss/Darrelle Revis matchup is not juicy enough, consider the fun inherent in the return of Favre to New York. Favre’s last effort in New York was marked by a slew of interceptions and the Jets’ lying about his injuries, and it’s not likely he’ll get a warm welcome from Fireman Ed and the other 70,000 or so fans who’ll be on hand.

Favre. Moss. Sanchez. Revis. Harvin. Rex Ryan. Adrian Peterson. LaDainian Tomlinson. Monday night.

Does it get any better than this?

In the Peyton Manning era the Colts just do whatever it takes to win.

If they need to pass the ball 35-40 times a game, they do it.

If they need to run the ball, they do it.

If they need a stop on defense, they do it.

One thing the Colts don’t do is panic, so you won’t see the players jumping off bridges after a surprising 2-2 start that has given life and hope to fan bases in Jacksonville, Tennessee and Houston. One-quarter of the season is in the bank, and the division still hasn’t sorted itself out.

Indianapolis hosts undefeated (3-0) Kansas City this week, and if the Colts are in a free-fall and the Chiefs are on the rise, you wouldn’t know it from the line. Indy is a solid 8-point favorite, which is one indication that not everyone is convinced that the Colts’ season is already in the dumper.

“We’re a .500 team,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell earlier this week before adding the Yogi Berra-type caveat, “but I don’t think that’s who we are.”

Huh? We think Caldwell means that his guys are a better team than they’ve showed, especially in the opening-day loss to the Texans and in last week’s bizarre defeat in Jacksonville, when the horses were taken out on a 59-yard field goal at the final gun. If Caldwell is right, Indy needs to start getting things right this week against the Chiefs, because with two division losses already the Colts are in essence dead last in the four-team pack.

KC’s fans, meanwhile, are giddy with the team’s best start in over a decade and loving every minute of it as the team once again becomes relevant in an AFC West that is clearly up for grabs. It matters not a bit that the Chiefs scored the early-season hat trick by surprising a perennially slow-starting San Diego team on opening day, then got fat with victories over weak sisters Cleveland and San Francisco. Like in golf, in the NFL they don’t ask how, just how many, and at last check KC was the last remaining undefeated team in the league, even if the 2007 Patriots aren’t much concerned about them tying their 16-0 regular-season record.

The Chiefs have had a few weeks to get ready for Peyton Manning, who is the top-ranked passer in the league (112.2 rating) and has 11 TD passes in four games. Manning is capable of taking care of the over total (it’s 44.5) all by himself and the Chiefs have some kids in the secondary. Usually that’s a lethal mix, but KC is confident and coming off its bye week has had two weeks to rest up and prepare.

One thing to keep an eye on is how well KC’s offense is able to move the ball against a Colt defense that has been hit hard by injuries. Bob Sanders, Indy’s best defender, is done for the season, and earlier this week yet another safety, Melvin Bulitt, joined Sanders on injured reserve. In 2006 the Colts survived with a porous defense and went on to win the Super Bowl. This year just getting to the playoffs might be a chore.

The NFL world changes at warp speed. Both the Colts and Giants are amending their business models and dealing with injuries as they prepare for Manning Bowl II, Sunday night in Indianapolis.

New York tight end Kevin Boss will miss the game after suffering a concussion in the Week 1 victory over Carolina, an absence that will affect both the passing game and the running game. Boss’s blocking is important if not vital to the Giants’ running game, and New York is expected to pound the ball on the ground early and often against a Colt defense that gave up 231 yards and three TDs to undrafted free agent Arian Foster in a stunning opening-day loss to Houston.

Indianapolis has had issues against the run for years, and NFL analysts are still trying to figure out how the Colts repaired their run defense on the way to winning the Super Bowl in the 2006-07 season. A lot of it had to do with the return from injury by safety Bob Sanders, which brings up another problem: Sanders is hurt again, so badly that no one really knows when he’ll return from what is believed to be a torn bicep tendon. He’s spending the week visiting doctors, which is never a good thing, and he will definitely miss the Giants game.

The Colts’ loss to Houston in the opener has fueled speculation that at long last there might be a changing of the guard atop the AFC South, which has long been the domain of Peyton Manning. No one is ready to put Manning out to pasture, and anyone who can throw for 433 yards and three TDs (even in a loss) still has game. But unless the Colt figure out a way to put a reasonably successful run defense on the field, Manning will have the ball less and less this season as teams grind clock. The Texans feel like their due to collect on a long-overdue long, and they will keep knocking on the door.

Which brings up the Giants, and near and dear to coach Tom Coughlin’s heart is the presence of a power running game that can wear down teams. Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are as good a pair of RBs as it gets in the NFC East, and they both appear to have set aside a squabble about who will start and get the most carries. For the record, Bradshaw got 20 to Jacobs’s 12 on opening day, but Jacobs had the edge in touches (224-162) last season. So who knows? While the game will be won, lost or tied based on whether the Colts have more success stopping the run, TV will focus its attention on the Manning Battle. The brothers met one other time, on opening day 2006, and Peyton and the Colts got the last laugh, 26-21, in a game in which the QB siblings pretty much played to a standoff. The Colts were just a bit better. Since then the Giants have come to realize that the best they can hope for out of Peyton’s younger brother is a solid QB who can give NY some offensive balance to a power running game. And Sunday night, that might be enough.