Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens and
New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles
By Judi Vitale

Some hot divisional rivalries are shaping up in Week 8 of NFL action. In the AFC, Baltimore's trying to cling to a tenuous lead in the North Division, while in the NFC we have Philadelphia beginning to emerge as the top dog in the East. In both divisions, some major contenders, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants, will take a crack at first place in their divisions. Both games will involve towns and teams that have traditional rivalries, and the outcomes could change the standings of each division. So let's look at the stars and who will be doing the fist-pumping once the dust has settled.

PITTSBURGH AT BALTIMORE
Sunday October 27th, 2002 1 PM EST
Although the Ravens lead the North Division, they haven't exactly been dominating their opponents, especially in the last two games. This past Sunday, they were almost knocked off their first place perch by the so-so Jacksonville Jaguars. A last-minute goal line turnover (by Will Demps, a Scorpio) saved the day. Plain, dumb luck? We think so.

JUPITER'S MAGIC TOUCH BOOSTED BALTIMORE
Many of the Ravens were born under the sign of Aquarius. Jupiter, the Santa Claus of the planets, has a strong influence on Aquarius now and could be gift-giving a little earlier than usual from its lofty perch in Leo. Jupiter also harmonized well with the rest of last Sunday's astro-weather, so that could be why things turned out so well for Baltimore.

QB COMPATIBILITY IMPORTANT FOR PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh has a solid 3-3 record after its Monday night romp over Indianapolis. Their offense has improved greatly since they changed QBs a few weeks back. The Steelers have a large number of Virgo players, and they need a strong leader with the same kind of practical and precise style as the rest of the team. (Kordell Stewart, a Libra, was a bit too much of a generalist for the rest of the squad. Although he could be a tremendous player, he'd probably have a better chance at greatness with another team.)

Tommy Maddox is a Virgo, and since he took over as Steelers QB, the way his Sun sign matches up with the rest of the team seems to be creating harmony that helps the Steelers live up to their potential. His clean, technically sound style will keep the Steeler's machinery humming.

OUCH- INJURIES!!
Meanwhile, Baltimore's defense is hurting. Ray Lewis has a bad shoulder and Marques Douglas is out with a bad knee. Even one of the kickers (both are Aquarians) J.R. Jenkins has an injured leg. And - by the way - the calf muscles are ruled by Aquarius!

Injuries become a factor every year around this time, and they can make or break a team. The reason Baltimore's got so many banged-up players is that bone-breaking Uranus is in the team's dominant sign (Aquarius), and the Sun is in Scorpio, making a nasty angle to it. Those injuries could begin to really cost the Ravens some games now.

BAD GUYS TURN GOOD ON GAME DAY
The astro-conditions on Sunday indicate that this meeting between Baltimore and Pittsburgh will start out in a calm atmosphere. Saturn (usually a negative factor) will be in a more helpful mood than usual. One of the signs it rules, Capricorn, is rising at kickoff time. Things will start off slowly, then for the first quarter it'll look like it's the Ravens' game. But once the second half rolls around (and Pisces rises on the horizon), Pittsburgh could take over.

Penalties and turnovers should be the factor that changes the course of the game, since the Moon will be in volatile Cancer. The impulse to display emotion is likely to possess even the most sportsmanlike players, making for some interesting replays and challenges - but squandering the players' talents.

The Ravens seem to be a more hot-headed team than the Steelers, so it looks as though this factor will definitely add to Baltimore's vulnerability.

BOTTOM LINE: STEELERS BY 3.
With Maddox at the helm, the Steelers could pull this one off. It looks like a close game, so the kickers could also be a factor. There are three of them between the two teams, and ALL of them are Aquarians. They all will be affected positively by Jupiter, so they'll all be "lucky". But luck, like talent, is a relative measure, and the best luck will fall in with the player whose Sun is closest to where Jupiter will be on Sunday.

Both Matt Stoyer and J.R. Jenkins of the Ravens had their maximum luck days earlier this season. Todd Peterson of the Steelers, on the other hand, will be having his peak lucky day this Sunday, with Jupiter positioned exactly across the zodiac from his Sun. With that kind of mojo, this guy could kick one to the moon - and score.

So...if you're watching and there's only 35 seconds left in the game, and Peterson tees up the 59-yarder, and you're thinking, "NO WAY...", remember: Jupiter says: Yesssss!

NEW YORK at PHILADELPHIA
Monday October 28th, 2002 9:00 PM EST

These two teams have a history of going for each other's throats, but in years past it's been more like they were fighting over LAST place in their division. This year, things are different. Philadelphia's playing some fine football. And although the Giants haven't exactly dazzled their fans, they've managed to keep a grip on second place.

BLUE AND GREEN MADNESS
The road from New York to Philadelphia is short enough to allow plenty of rabid Giants fans to invade the City of Brotherly Love. The stadium will be on fire with cheers and jeers. In fact, the whole game will be governed by signs related to fire. It's not surprising to see that both teams have Fire signs- Aries in New York and Sagittarius in Philadelphia- dominating their respective rosters.

THE BOY WITH THE BEST BIRTHDAY WILL WIN
In terms of the stars, this one's not as easy a pick as most. Since we're looking to see which team has the best prospects, let's check out which players will be able to benefit from the strong energy emanating from Jupiter and Pluto Monday night. The two candidates with the closest match for each team are Running Back Tiki Barber for New York and Al Harris, Cornerback for the Eagles. Look to hear both of these players' names over and over during the play-by-play.
The Giants are coming off a BYE week, so they'll be well-rested for the game. Philly has just played Tampa Bay, and they impressed most gridiron gurus with strong defensive play. If the Eagles can stop Tiki Monday night , the game will be really close.

BOTTOM LINE: Giants by 1.
The Eagles have been strong this year, and there's no reason to believe that they won't be next Monday night. But from the stargazer's position, it looks like the Giants might pull this one out. The strength of Jupiter and Pluto lining up with Tiki Barber's Sun looks too powerful to overcome. But because Philly has such a strong team, this will be a squeaker, probably with the Giants pulling up from behind to win - if only by 1.