The Week Ahead

Falcons at Bears. A matchup for the '90s. Atlanta 's up-and-coming passing game—Chris Miller throwing to Andre Rison , Michael Haynes , Shawn Collins, Floyd Dixon and Steve Broussard—ranks fourth in the league. What's more, Miller and his five targets average only 24 years of age. Chicago 's tough, five-deep secondary-safeties Mark Carrier and Shaun Gayle , cornerbacks Donnell Woolford, Lemuel Stinson and Vestee Jackson—averages 25 years old. "Even though we're young," says Gayle , 28, the Bears' oldest defensive back, "we've had a good deal of experience. Last year, as a rookie, Donnell took on the other team's best wide receiver every game." All that practice will come in handy on Sunday. Rison is second in the league in catches (49) and receiving yards (778).

Packers at Raiders . Every day, when Green Bay coach Lindy Infante walks from the practice field to the club offices at Lambeau Field , he looks at the stadium and muses on the Packers of yesteryear. "I think, Wow, I'm pretty lucky," says Infante , who is in his second year with the Pack. "I want to help this franchise continue its great past." He can start by winning this game. Vince Lombardi is spinning in his grave over what this series has become since Super Bowl II, on Jan. 14, 1968. That day at the Orange Bowl, in Lombardi 's last game as Green Bay 's coach, the Packers routed the Raiders 33-14. Since then the Raiders have won all five meetings of the two teams, by a combined score of 114-38.

Vikings at Lions. "This is a season from hell," says injured Minnesota quarterback Wade Wilson . If Detroit wins, the Lions will have swept the season series for the first time since 1962, when their current coach, Wayne Fontes , was a rookie defensive back with the Jets.