Matchups to Exploit - Week 9
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November 1, 2007 @ 16:58:31 |
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By Hot off the Wire Network Contributors
Edited by Nicholas Minnix
Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin vs Buccaneers CB Phillip Buchanon
Boldin finally came back off a hip injury in the Cards' last game to snag two touchdowns. However, his eight catches only gained 29 yards as the Cards tried to beat Washington's Cover 2 with short passes and having Boldin have lots of yards after the catch. It didn't work, but Boldin has had two more weeks to rest up. With fellow wideout Larry Fitzgerald having a Pro Bowl season, and with quarterback Kurt Warner (elbow) gaining confidence while playing with a bad left elbow, the Cards need to go after Buchanon and maybe avoid Pro Bowl cornerback Ronde Barber.
Buccaneers QB Jeff Garcia vs. Cardinals pass defense
Garcia, after avoiding interceptions the first six games of the season, has been in a bit of a slump the past couple of games. He was sloppy with his handoffs and snaps at the Detroit Lions two weeks ago; he was off the mark with most of his throws last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Cardinals offer another difficult test. They change up their defensive looks quite often, so Garcia has to be sure to read and react quickly to what the Cardinals are doing to keep the Bucs offense on the move. Cardinals strong safety Adrian Wilson believes he can raise his level of play, a notion that hit home during the Cards' bye week. Given Wilson's ability to change the complexion of a game, that would seem to be a warning for Garcia, who needs to keep an eye on wherever Wilson might be.
Buccaneers RB Earnest Graham vs. Cardinals LBs Gerald Hayes and Monty Beisel
The Bucs will try to run Graham up the middle against the Cardinals because they believe they can move nose tackle Gabe Watson out of the way. That will leave the job of stopping Graham to the inside 'backers. Hayes is especially good at shedding a block and filling a gap, so Graham is going to have to bull his way for what the defense allows and be sure to hold on to the ball. Graham has the ability to break tackles, but this is a game where he can't try to do too much.
Bengals WRs Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh vs. Bills CBs Terrence McGee and Jabari Greer
The Bills are ranked 29th in the NFL in pass defense at 253.4 yards per game. Houshmandzadeh and Johnson have combined for 102 receptions, 1,360 yards and 12 touchdown catches in seven games. The Bills could make quarterback Carson Palmer pay for errant throws, though. They have 11 interceptions as a team. Greer and McGee, the starting corners, each have two interceptions. McGee has 10 passes defensed, and Greer seven.
Bills RB Marshawn Lynch vs. Bengals LB Anthony Schlegel
We keep saying it every week: Lynch is overdue to get his first 100-yard game. The Bills will want to try to avoid a track meet shootout with quarterback Carson Palmer and the Bengals offense. Expect Lynch to get 20-plus carries this week. Even though Lynch only has 537 yards in seven games, he has played well. Schlegel is a castoff of the New York Jets, starting because of the slew of injuries to the Bengal defense. It's a good matchup for Lynch.
Bills WR Lee Evans vs. Bengals CBs Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall
The Bengals' pass defense ranks 28th in the NFL and has been giving up long gainers by the bunch, including five touchdown passes of 20 or more yards in the past three games. Evans caught an 85-yard scoring pass to clinch the Bills' win over the Jets last week, and the Bills are starting quarterback J.P. Losman, who loves to throw deep. Look for the Bills to take numerous shots downfield this week. After a horrible start, Evans has rebounded the past three weeks.
Bills KR Terrence McGee and PR Roscoe Parrish vs. Bengals coverage teams
McGee has a 28.7-yard kick return average, which is seventh in the NFL. He has one touchdown this season and five for his career. In his last game against the Bengals, a 37-27 Buffalo victory Dec. 24, 2005, McGee had 266 return yards. He had a 46-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 99-yard kickoff return for a score. He ended up with 220 kickoff return yards. His feat was the first of its kind in NFL history. Parrish leads the NFL with an average of 21 yards with one touchdown. Bengals coverage teams have player better in the past month. Bengals strong safety Herana-Daze Jones leads special teams with 13 tackles, eight more than cornerback Leon Hall, linebacker Caleb Miller and free safety Madieu Williams.
Broncos QB Jay Cutler vs. Lions secondary
Cutler has played 12 NFL games, and he is getting better, especially with the game on the line. He has extreme poise and confidence. Cutler didn't throw an interception against the Green Bay Packers last week. It was the first time in his career that he wasn't intercepted in a game. Detroit is ranked No. 30 in the NFL against the pass, giving up 258.3 yards a game. Cutler is spreading the ball to all of his receivers and tight ends. Expect Cutler to have a good game.
Lions WRs Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson vs. Broncos CBs Champ Bailey and Dre' Bly
This won't be easy for Bailey and Bly; they will be challenged. Thus, they will also have opportunities to make plays. Both Bailey and Bly were burned by quarterback Brett Favre in the overtime loss to Green Bay last week. Assuming Williams draws Bailey, Johnson will likely go against Bly, who will want to make an impact in his return to Detroit. Bly went to two Pro Bowls as a Lion, but he probably will be booed. Before he left town, he blamed former head coach Steve Mariucci's firing on quarterback Joey Harrington (Atlanta Falcons), since departed. Bly also was burned for a long touchdown in overtime Monday night. Both veteran corners are going to look for redemption. The Lions know Bly is a gambler and might try too hard to make a play. Lions quarterback Jon Kitna will go after both Bailey and Bly. Expect them to have a chance to make some big plays on defense.
Lions RB Kevin Jones vs. Broncos run defense
Five games into his return from a serious foot injury, Jones is running pretty well again. He ran for 105 yards Sunday against the Chicago Bears, his first 100-yard game in almost a year. The Broncos have the NFL's worst run defense, and Monday night they looked bad against Green Bay, which was the worst rushing team in the NFL. The Lions have run the ball more the last two games and might want to keep running it to control the game.
Packers RB Ryan Grant vs. Chiefs run defense
The Packers might have hit on a little something when Grant took over for injured running back DeShawn Wynn (neck) early in Monday night's win over Denver. Grant rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries - the first Packers back to top 100 yards in a game since Ahman Green, now with the Houston Texans, did it against the Jets Dec. 3 last season. Grant seems to be the best fit of all the Packers backs for head coach Mike McCarthy's zone-blocking system. Kansas City ranks 17th in the NFL in rushing defense, so this could be another team the Packers can run against after having their first good rushing game last week against the Broncos.
Chiefs RB Larry Johnson vs. Packers run defense
Johnson has gone over 100 yards in three of his last four games, but yards are still hard to come by for him. That doesn't figure to change against Green Bay. Only one opponent, the Minnesota Vikings, has truly hurt the Packers with the running game, and Johnson's strengths are far different from those of the Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. Green Bay's defensive front figures to be a difficult matchup for the Chiefs' struggling offensive line. The Chiefs will need to contend with not only a stout Green Bay line but also Nick Barnett, one of the best linebackers in the league.
Chiefs TE Tony Gonzalez vs. Packers LBs Brady Poppinga, A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett and SS Atari Bigby
The Packers have had some major problems covering good tight ends this season, and Gonzalez is among the best. New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey had five catches for 60 yards; San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, 11 for 113; Chicago Bears tight ends Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark, a combined seven for 119; and Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley, nine for 105. The Packers might slant their coverage more to Gonzalez than some of the others - once they double covered Cooley, they held him to two catches in the second half. However, Kansas City also has Johnson and a good rookie receiver in Dwayne Bowe, who will require some attention, so Gonzalez could have a big day. Neither Poppinga, the strongside linebacker, nor Bigby is any good in pass coverage. The Packers may want to consider covering Gonzalez with a cornerback like Charles Woodson. Woodson used to cover Gonzalez occasionally when he was with the Oakland Raiders.
Panthers WR Steve Smith vs. Titans secondary
Smith had 10 catches for 151 yards and a 67-yard touchdown pass in his only career meeting against the Titans. He has 37 catches for 514 yards this season, and he is a deep threat. He is coming off a two-catch game and wasn't happy about having a limited role in the offense last week, though. The team will make a very conscious effort to get him more involved regardless of whether the quarterback is Vinny Testaverde (Achilles') or David Carr (back). Smith has the speed to give cornerback Nick Harper all sorts of problems, but the Titans will probably do the same thing other teams have done with Smith recently and throw lots of safety help his way. The Titans will have Harper and cornerback Cortland Finnegan to battle Smith. Michael Griffin is the one to watch here, though; he'll be making just his second career start at free safety, and if the Panthers want to test him, they'll have a shot.
Titans WR Brandon Jones vs. Panthers secondary
Jones (knee) is expected to return to the lineup after missing the last three games with a knee injury. The Tennessee offense has struggled without him, as the Titans haven't scored on a passing touchdown in four straight games. Jones has good chemistry with quarterback Vince Young, who'll likely look to Jones to make things happen.
Panthers OT Travelle Wharton vs. Titans DE Kyle Vanden Bosch
Wharton has been in a very tough stretch. He faced Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney last week and gets Vanden Bosch this week. Wharton held up well against Freeney, but he's bound to be wearing down physically; Vanden Bosch presents another huge challenge because he has the speed and power to handle Wharton. The Panthers have been giving Wharton lots of help from the tight ends and running backs - that needs to continue.
Redskins TE Chris Cooley vs. Jets SS Kerry Rhodes
Cooley has 23 receptions this season, but nine for 105 yards and touchdown came against Green Bay Oct. 14. The Jets had trouble covering Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap, a player similar to Cooley. Heap had seven receptions for 76 yards, including a 37-yarder and a four-yard touchdown, in the Ravens' 20-13 victory Sept. 16. Cooley has had one touchdown reception in five of the last six games.
Jets WR Jerricho Cotchery vs. Redskins CB Shawn Springs
Springs has moved from No. 3 cornerback in Week 1 to No. 2 cornerback last week to No. 1 cornerback this week after the season-ending injury to Carlos Rogers (knee) and the leg muscle problems of Fred Smoot (hamstring). It likely now falls on Springs to play the left side. Springs has started five of seven games; he has made 32 tackles and one fumble recovery. Especially if wideout Laveranues Coles (concussion) can't play, Cotchery will be new quarterback Kellen Clemens' go-to guy. Cotchery quickly got on the same pace with Clemens when Clemens started in Week 2 against Baltimore. In that game, Cotchery had seven receptions for 165 yards, including catches of 50 and 44 yards in the fourth quarter. In that period he evaded tacklers and made numerous yards after the reception. Cotchery leads the Jets with 46 catches for 592 yards. He has only one touchdown.
Redskins OT Todd Wade vs. Jets DE Shaun Ellis
The Redskins gave up three sacks last week; all came from the right side, where New England Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel rushed and caused three fumbles. Wade wasn't at fault, though. On the first, Pats linebacker Rosevelt Colvin paved Vrabel's way by beating offensive tackle Chris Samuels. On the second, Vrabel beat fullback Mike Sellers and running back Clinton Portis. On the third, Vrabel was unblocked. Ellis has two sacks and 33 tackles this season. The Jets as a team have only eight sacks in eight games. Ellis has seven quarterback pressures. The Redskins have been giving the right side more and more help in the form of Portis and Sellers, but those two can't take on Ellis one-on-one.
Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Vikings run defense
This should be interesting. Tomlinson has rebounded from an early slow start and now finds himself fourth in the NFL in rushing with 617 yards. Now he faces his biggest test this season: a Minnesota defense that ranks third in the NFL in stopping the run. They have not allowed an individual to rush for 100 yards against them this season because the Williams Wall is often so dominant: Pro Bowl defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams are stout in the middle. It helps that middle linebacker E.J. Henderson is a virtual tackle machine. The Chargers' offensive line is one of the best units in the league in terms of opening holes on the ground, so what happens in the trenches will be hugely important in terms of whether Tomlinson can have a big day or not. It will be interesting to see whether San Diego uses Tomlinson's receiving skills to get him short passes that could turn into big gains; that would get Tomlinson around the issue of worrying about the two tackles.
Chargers TE Antonio Gates vs. Vikings LB Chad Greenway
Greenway has been getting on-the-job training at his weakside spot after missing last season because of a knee injury. That promises to continue against the NFL's best tight end, who has 46 receptions for 639 yards. The Chargers figure to try to get Gates matched up on Greenway to exploit this matchup. Overall, tight ends have caught 46 passes for 510 yards but no touchdowns against the Vikings this season. That could change considering Gates has five touchdown receptions this season. Greenway is going to have to be incredibly disciplined in his approach to this game if he wants to avoid ending up on the Sunday night highlights.
Chargers wide receivers vs. Vikings secondary
Minnesota has been horrible against the pass and ranks dead last in the NFL, so somebody from the Chargers' receiving corps should have a big day. Gates has been a nightmare for opponents. The Chargers have been splitting Gates out wide at receiver a lot, which further puts pressure on defenses and complicates the decision making in terms of whether to cover Gates with a safety, linebacker or cornerback. The team's new acquisition, wide receiver Chris Chambers, caught a touchdown pass in his Chargers debut. If too much attention is paid to Gates and Chambers, then wideout Vincent Jackson (20 receptions, 320 yards) could be in line for a productive game.
Vikings OT Ryan Cook vs. Chargers LB Shawne Merriman
Merriman is tied for the team lead with 5.5 sacks and figures to make life extremely difficult on the inexperienced Cook (shoulder). The Vikings are likely to keep tight end Jim Kleinsasser (a top-notch blocker) or tight end Visanthe Shiancoe on the line of scrimmage to try to help Cook by at least chipping Merriman when he does come on the rush. It won't help matters that Cook will be playing with a shoulder sprain he suffered last Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. If Cook can't finish the game, offensive lineman Marcus Johnson would fill in. That also would be a mismatch against Merriman.
49ers RB Frank Gore vs. Falcons run defense
Gore (ankle) admits that he thought about his ankle injury last week in the 49ers' loss against the New Orleans Saints. He ran a bit tentatively at times, but he knows he has to be able to deal with the injury because he does not plan to take a week off to allow it to heal. The 49ers have not been able to get their running game going as consistently as it was last season. They may force-feed Gore against the Falcons in order to give quarterback Alex D. Smith (shoulder) more time to recover from his shoulder woes. The 49ers would like to rev up their running game, but it remains to be seen just how effective Gore can be with his condition. He has not rushed for more than 100 yards this season after eclipsing the mark nine times last season on his way to 1,695 yards. The Falcons own the league's 23rd-ranked run defense, but their tackling has been better in recent games. They have spent much of the past two weeks preparing for the 49ers, as the Falcons are coming off a bye week.
49ers TE Vernon Davis vs. Falcons pass defense
Davis and Smith seem to be building a rapport. In Davis' past two games with Smith at quarterback, he has 10 catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. Davis was injured in the third quarter of the Sept. 23 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and missed the next two games. Smith (shoulder) was injured on the third play of the Sept. 30 game against the Seattle Seahawks and missed the next two starts. With a dearth of playmakers on offense, the 49ers want to feature Davis. He is coming off his best game of the season against the Saints. The Falcons will likely have linebacker Michael Boley line up over Davis, but the league's 20th-ranked pass defense must use defensive backs to keep up with the big and speedy Davis. Boley (ankle) has tweaked his ankle but has been a bright spot on the Falcons defense. He is tough against the run and can drop into coverage. Davis will want to work out his friend Boley, as both players have the same agent.
Falcons WR Roddy White vs. 49ers CB Nate Clements
White is having a breakout season. He's expecting to be covered all day by Clements. White is running his routes well in head coach Bobby Petrino's system and will have an opportunity to run away from the 49ers' 80-million man. This is White's chance to show that he is coming into his own.
Jaguars RB Fred Taylor vs. Saints defense
No one likes to be a part of history when you're on the receiving end of a historical note. But that's what the Saints defense is facing this week when Taylor comes to town needing just 67 rushing yards to become the 21st player in NFL history to reach the 10,000-yard plateau for a career. Taylor was 487 yards short coming into the season and had not figured it would take this long to get to the 10,000 mark. He has only averaged about 60 yards per game this season, and if the Saints keep him at that average, Taylor will have to wait another week. Linebackers Scott Fujita, Scott Shanle and Mark Simoneau will be focused on Taylor as well as running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who is just 13 yards behind Taylor's team-high total of 420 yards this year.
Jaguars WR Dennis Northcutt vs. Saints secondary
This won't be much of a battle if the Jaguars don't go to their passing game more this week. Northcutt failed to catch a pass last week in the Tampa Bay game after grabbing at least four passes in four of the first six games this season. He leads the team with 22 grabs despite being shut out last Sunday. That's partially because of the Jaguars' limited passing attack last week. With quarterback Quinn Gray getting his first start, the Jaguars held him to just 16 passes while running the ball 44 times. Gray should get more opportunities to show his skills this week, and Northcutt figures to be more involved.
Saints RB Reggie Bush vs. Jaguars run defense
The Jaguars get their first look at the Saints talented running back who poses more of a threat than any other back they've gone against this year. It could be Bush that has the concerns, though. The Jaguars defense, led by the linebacker trio of Mike Peterson, Daryl Smith and Clint Ingram, have allowed just one back (the Colts' Joseph Addai), who had 85 yards in 16 carries, to top more than 62 yards in a game this season after Titans running back Chris Brown burned this defense for 175 yards in the season opener. The Jaguars just this week signed humongous defensive tackle Grady Jackson, who's 6-foot-3, 362 pounds, to provide some width as well as depth for their defensive line. Just two weeks ago, Jackson was part of an Atlanta defense that limited Bush to just 54 yards on 17 carries, a 3.2 yards-per-carry average, in the Saints' 22-16 win over the Falcons. Jackson should be familiar with the Saints' running tendencies because he prepared to play against New Orleans so recently. This season, Bush has yet to find a comfortable groove as an every-down tailback since he took over that job from the injured Deuce McAllister (knee). The linebackers' toughest chore will be to keep up with Bush coming out of the backfield on pass routes, on which he has grabbed a team-high 43 catches. Jackson and the Jags' run defense should win this battle.
Saints WR Marques Colston and David Patten vs. Jaguars CBs Aaron Glenn and Rashean Mathis and FS Reggie Nelson
Colston caught three touchdown passes last week against the 49ers; Patten had five catches for 109 yards, including a 43-yarder on the Saints' first offensive play that jump-started a New Orleans offense that raced to a 24-0 lead. Colston has continued his impressive play after an outstanding rookie season in which he caught 70 balls for 1,038 yards. He leads the team in receiving yards (348) and touchdown catches (five). That's not good news for a Jaguars secondary that has now allowed a 100-yard receiver in four consecutive outings; Colston could become the fifth. The Jaguars have been burned by several long throws, and Colston certainly has the ability to free himself of defensive backs. The Jaguars may again be without cornerback Brian Williams (hamstring), which will result in the aging Glenn to get the call opposite Mathis. Nelson is a rookie that has two interceptions this season. It will be up to Nelson to keep the Saints' wide receivers from breaking a long route in a rejuvenated passing offense. If Colston gets open deep, he'll have a considerable height advantage, at 6-foot-4, against the 5-foot-11 Nelson. Patten, at 5-foot-10, gives away an inch to the rookie, but with 11 years in the league, he has far more experience.
Seahawks Shaun Alexander RB vs. Browns run defense
Alexander (wrist) has only two touchdowns and none over the past five games. He has rushed for 460 yards and a 3.4-yard average, but he hasn't averaged more than 3.1 yards per carry since Week 3. He hasn't been above 47 yards or a 2.5 average since Week 4. He still has a cast on his left wrist due to a fractured bone, and despite being right-handed, he loves carrying the ball in his left hand, which may explain why he has struggled this season. The offensive line has been ineffective in run blocking, so this is the kind of week, coming off the bye, where they have to re-establish the run. They are 22nd in the NFL running the ball, but the Browns are 29th (139.4 yards allowed per game) when it comes to defending the run, and they have allowed a 100-yard rusher in six of seven games. The string ended Sunday versus the St. Louis Rams, but a first quarter injury to running back Steven Jackson (back) played a large role in that. Internally, the Seahawks believe this game could change their season, just for the confidence a good game running the football could bring to the offense. If it doesn't happen this week, it probably won't happen.
Browns WRs Braylon Edwards and Joe Jurevicius and TE Kellen Winslow vs. Seahawks secondary
Quarterback Derek Anderson has been exceptional at picking apart defenses. In addition, the Browns' receivers are exceptionally big for the Seahawks' undersized cornerbacks, Marcus Trufant and Kelly Jennings. Seahawks free safety Brian Russell is eminently familiar with them, though, considering he played for the Browns the past two seasons. Plus, strong safety Deon Grant was in the AFC his entire career before signing with the Seahawks this past offseason. They are both 6-foot-3, strong and savvy. Edwards ripped Russell to the media last year for a legal hit on Bengals receiver Chad Johnson - that was while Russell and Edwards were Browns teammates. That didn't go over well with Russell, who will be looking to keep Edwards from getting deep, while hoping to deliver a big hit. No one has had much success slowing Edwards this year. He has 37 catches for 669 yards, an 18.1-yard average and nine scores, including five in the last two games. The Seahawks have had issues on third-and-long situations this season; the Browns have been exceptional time and again making big third-down plays. This will be the story of the game.
Patriots WRs Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Donte' Stallworth vs. Colts CBs Tim Jennings, Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden
We're not entirely sure on each play where they will line up, but know this about the Colts: Jennings is the nickel back and lines up far right on defense; Hayden is far left; Jackson is in the slot. The thought is that Moss will be lined up on Hayden, to take advantage of the height advantage with Moss at 6-foot-4 and Hayden listed at 6-foot. Jennings is just 5-foot-8, 185 pounds, if that, though, and he expects to see Moss on his side in the three-receiver sets. The likely matchup of Jackson versus Welker will be interesting. Both have been outstanding. Welker is destroying defenses over the middle, but Jackson has speed to go with physical skills. Look for Jackson to jam Welker, who is expected to see a lot of short, quick-hit passes. When Jennings isn't on Moss, which could be often, he will likely draw Stallworth, which equates more to speed-versus-speed and is a wash. Jennings is undersized compared to Stallworth (6-foot), too. In games where teams have done well against Moss, Stallworth has risen to the occasion: Against Cleveland, he had four catches for 65 yards and a touchdown; against Dallas, he had seven catches for 136 yards.
Colts TE Dallas Clark vs. Patriots LBs Mike Vrabel and Rosevelt Colvin and SS Rodney Harrison
It's not certain who the Patriots will put on Clark, but it's doubtful any of the linebackers have the speed to stay with him for an entire game. Clark is having a breakout, Pro Bowl-caliber season with 32 catches for 388 yards and a team-high six touchdown catches. Near the line, Harrison helped contain Dallas tight end Jason Witten. Witten had three catches, all on the same drive. It's hard to believe the Patriots will use one safety to neutralize Clark. If that happens, then that leaves one safety to help with receivers Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison (knee), assuming the latter plays. Wayne, make no mistake, will burn Pats cornerback Ellis Hobbs one-on-one if left alone long enough. Harrison against cornerback Asante Samuel one-on-one may not be much of an advantage for the Colts. However, Samuel can't go to sleep on this future Hall of Famer, who is coming off a bruised knee but has been outstanding against the Patriots in recent regular season games.
Patriots OT Matt Light vs. Colts DE Dwight Freeney
Light has had trouble with Freeney in the past, although the Patriots' offensive line has held up extremely well this season. They're giving quarterback Tom Brady plenty of time to throw to his arsenal of receivers and opening up holes for the running game. If Light can neutralize Freeney - and two weeks ago he did a good job against Miami Dolphins linebacker Jason Taylor, another player who historically has wreaked havoc against the Pats - it will go a long way toward helping New England's cause.
Texans QB Sage Rosenfels vs. Raiders LB Thomas Howard
Rosenfels, who is expected to start in place of quarterback Matt Schaub (concussion), will concentrate on holding on to the ball this week after throwing five interceptions in the last two weeks. Howard is second in the NFL with four interceptions this season. Rosenfels is hardly known for his interceptions. He has just 15 in his seven-year career. In the past, though, he has entered games in which the score has been out of hand, and he has tried to force the issue. If he tries to force any throws against the Raiders, it will likely be costly for the Texans. The Raiders have 10 interceptions this season, putting them in a tie for sixth in the NFL.
Texans RBs Ron Dayne and Adimchinobi Echemandu vs. Raiders run defense
Since offenses have struggled to have success passing against the Raiders, the running game could be critical. Of course, the only problem with that for the Texans is that Dayne is their only completely healthy running back. Five opposing rushers have run for 100 yards or more on an Oakland defense that is ranked 30th in rushing yards per game allowed (148.9) and 32nd in yards per carry against (5.3). In last year's game in Oakland, the Texans had minus-5 net yards passing, but Dayne ran into the heart of the defense 18 times for 95 yards, 83 of which came in the second half; Houston won 23-14. Echemandu (hamstring), assuming he recovers from a slight hamstring pull, should run with purpose since the Raiders waived him after running back Dominic Rhodes came back from suspension. Echemandu had 10 carries for 62 yards against San Diego in his Texans debut.
Raiders WR Ronald Curry vs. Texans CB Dunta Robinson
Curry (foot) is by a considerable margin the Raiders' most reliable receiver. He has a team-leading 29 receptions, with 22 of those going for first downs. Curry's 12 first-down catches on third down place him among the league leaders. The Raiders have trouble moving the chains regularly anyway, but if Robinson can help remove Curry from the equation, things would get even more difficult. Curry has a foot injury that could limit him, too.
Cowboys WR Terrell Owens vs. Eagles CBs Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown
Owens' return to Philadelphia was less than satisfying. He caught three passes for 45 yards and had a big sideline blowup asking, "Why am I here?" to anybody that would listen. While the drama of his return this year is lessened, he still wants to do well against his former team. Owens leads the Cowboys with five touchdown catches, but he has not been a featured part of the offense the last few weeks. Brown and Sheppard know what Owens does and doesn't like, so that will be an advantage. Sheppard is only two games into a recovery from an MCL injury suffered in the opener; he might not be 100 percent. Owens and Sheppard had some spirited practice battles when Owens was an Eagle; they were pretty good friends off the field. The Eagles pretty much keep Sheppard on the left side and Brown on the right, regardless of where the wideouts are, so Sheppard will probably only be head-to-head when Owens lines up left. Owens is much bigger, but Sheppard is fearless and can make a play, as the Cowboys know - against them, since 2003, he has six picks against them, the most of any Dallas opponent in that span. Sheppard is the only NFL player to return two interceptions for 100 yards or more; he did it against Dallas both times, in 2004 and 2006 (101 and 102 yards, both for touchdowns, of course.) The Eagles have been spotty against the pass this season, especially in the second half. The key will be for quarterback Tony Romo to not force the action to Owens.
Cowboys TE Jason Witten vs. Eagles safeties and linebackers
Witten is Dallas' leading receiver, with 42 catches for 540 yards. The Birds have been vulnerable to tight ends down the middle in recent weeks, particularly when playing eight in the box to stop the run. Last week, Minnesota tight end Visanthe Shiancoe caught five passes for 51 yards and the Vikings' only touchdown.
Eagles OT William Thomas vs. Cowboys LB DeMarcus Ware
Ware has been a terror against Philadelphia. He has given Thomas and right offensive tackle Jon Runyan fits. Against Philadelphia, he has 15 tackles, two tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. With quarterback Donovan McNabb moving around better, the Cowboys need Ware to be a force from the edge but also be willing to contain McNabb and not let him move around outside the pocket.
Ravens RB Willis McGahee vs. Steelers run defense
Even though Pittsburgh is tough against the run, McGahee could have a surprisingly good game because he plays well against 3-4 defenses. Besides receiver Derrick Mason, McGahee has been the Ravens' most consistent offensive player. He has gained at least 77 yards in all but one game. Pittsburgh gives up an average of 77.7 yards rushing and has allowed one rushing touchdown. The Steelers gave up a 15-yard run last Sunday, the longest by a halfback against Pittsburgh this season.
Ravens TE Todd Heap vs. Steelers linebackers
Heap (hamstring) is still nursing a hamstring injury and won't be at full strength. He has been limited in practice, which could affect his timing with the offense. That doesn't bode well for him against a Steelers team he has struggled against. In 12 games against Pittsburgh, Heap has averaged 3.9 catches but for only 41.6 yards per game and two touchdowns. He has only one touchdown in six trips to Pittsburgh.
Steelers RB Willie Parker vs. Ravens run defense
The most consistent part of the Ravens this season has been their run defense. They have limited starting running backs this season to 56 yards per game and a total of two rushing touchdowns. The Ravens' quick pursuit has traditionally allowed them to shut down Parker. In two meetings against the Ravens, he ran for a combined 53 yards on 23 carries. In his 14 other games, Parker averaged 103 yards.
Ravens OTs Jonathan Ogden and Adam Terry vs. Steelers LB James Harrison
The Ravens must secure the left side of their offensive line against Harrison, who has ably replaced linebacker Joey Porter (Dolphins) in the Steelers' defense. The veteran Ogden (toe) is in the twilight of an outstanding career in Baltimore, but he has been slowed by injuries and has given way in five games this season to three-year vet Terry. Meanwhile, Harrison has been the Steelers' most effective defender, leading the team in tackles (37) while adding 2.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. Harrison (6-foot) is shorter than most good NFL pass rushers, but he is quick, plays with good leverage and is seldom out of position.
Steelers OT Marvel Smith vs. Ravens DE Terrell Suggs and LB Bart Scott
It may not be a coincidence that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has developed a decided knack for avoiding pass rushers and still making plays less than a season after the Ravens nearly bent him in half in Baltimore. Roethlisberger was sacked nine times the last time, and the Steelers suffered their most lopsided loss in nine years, 27-0, after getting only 37 yards of total offense in the first half. The nine sacks included a vicious hit by Scott that forced Roethlisberger from the game. The Steelers will counter Suggs and Scott, who have combined for only three sacks this season, with Smith (back), who is a former Pro Bowl player (2004). Smith has played with a bad back this season, though. Plus, Roethlisberger's improved ability to escapte can't be denied. Big and strong, he has completed several passes this season with rushers hanging on him.
