There have been plenty of clunkers in the history of Monday Night Football - and this week's edition looks like it has a chance to join them.
When the Arizona Cardinals host the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, it will be a matchup of two 3-7 teams that are among the league's biggest disappointments this season.
But here's the rub: The winner of the game will remain in contention for the NFC West title - and the loser is not necessarily out of the hunt for the division crown.
Such is the state of the NFC West, where the Seattle Seahawks (5-5) entered the weekend leading the pack with the St. Louis Rams (4-6) in close pursuit.
Arizona, which has won the division the past two years, actually could be in decent shape with a win Monday night thanks to a cushy schedule.
Every team on the Cardinals' remaining schedule is below .500 and the combined record among their final six opponents is a paltry 17-44.
San Francisco's schedule is a bit tougher, with four away games, but the 49ers do face the Cardinals twice, including the regular-season finale at home.
Of course, after their respective performances a week ago, neither team gave any indication that it will be left standing by the time Week 17 rolls around.
Arizona endured its fifth consecutive defeat last week with a 31-13 beating at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs. Only Dallas has allowed more than the 292 points surrendered by the Cardinals - and the Cowboys have played one more game.
Offense also has been missing for Arizona, which has never recovered from the offseason retirement of quarterback Kurt Warner. The Cardinals’ only touchdown last week came on the very last play of the game.
Arizona quarterback Derek Anderson, who has been in and out of the lineup, has completed just 53.7 percent of his passes and has thrown for seven touchdowns against eight interceptions.
Pro Bowl wideout Larry Fitzgerald, who has caught at least 96 passes and had double-digit touchdowns in each of the last three seasons, has 55 receptions and five scoring passes for the Cardinals.
The running game has also been unsteady, with 2009 first-round pick Beanie Wells continually battling injuries and unable to seize the starting job from fumble-prone Tim Hightower.
The 49ers had their modest two-game winning streak snapped last week with a humbling 21-0 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith had injected life into the offense and won his first two starts, but he was sacked six times by the Bucs as San Francisco managed only 11 first downs and 189 yards of total offense.
Running back Frank Gore, who rushed for a season-low 23 yards against Tampa Bay, might be invigorated by the sight of Arizona’s defense.
Gore has scored 10 touchdowns in eight career games against the Cardinals, including 167 yards last December that allowed the 49ers to complete a season sweep of Arizona.