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NFL week 8
I've just deleted the first incompleted post. Here's the complete break down for NFL week 8 (courtesy of USAToday.com/sports)
- also due to the length of the post, I had to delete portions of the break downs in order to be able to squeeze in all the games.
TOP GAMES
Baltimore Ravens (4-2) at New Orleans Saints (5-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Keys to the game: Ravens coach Brian Billick takes over the play-calling, but there probably won't be a major overhaul. Expect Billick to maintain the personnel packages but trim the game plan a bit. The Ravens have struggled to run the ball with any consistency, but RB Jamal Lewis must get off to a strong start because Baltimore doesn't want to expose QB Steve McNair — coming off a concussion —
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Indianapolis Colts (6-0) at Denver Broncos (5-1)
Sunday, 4:15 p.m. ET, CBS
Keys to the game: Something has to give. The Colts are averaging 28.5 points a game, while the Broncos have surrendered two touchdowns all season. Denver must find a way to contain QB Peyton Manning early and keep the game close because the Colts have outscored their opponents 101-57 in the second half. That also means a solid effort from an offense that has yet to show any consistency. It doesn't get any easier for the Broncos, who lost LT Matt Lepsis for the season and probably will move RG Cooper Carlisle to the left side to deal with Colts DE Dwight Freeney. Denver has to run the ball effectively early, which shouldn't be too difficult with Indianapolis second worst in the NFL allowing 158.0 rushing yards a game.
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Dallas Cowboys (3-3) at Carolina Panthers (4-3)
Sunday, 8:15 ET, NBC
Keys to the game: Cowboys QB Tony Romo showed promise and inexperience when he took over for benched Drew Bledsoe on Monday night. For Romo's first NFL start, Dallas must get a strong game from RB Julius Jones. One of the reasons coach Bill Parcells has turned to Romo is his mobility, which could come in handy behind a shaky line that has to contend with DE Julius Peppers.
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Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4) at Oakland Raiders (1-5)
Sunday, 4:15 ET, CBS
Keys to the game: The Raiders got their first victory of the season last week despite turning the ball over five times. That combination won't work against Pittsburgh, which has its back against the wall in the AFC and should come out motivated. The Steelers will focus on stopping the Raiders' ground game early on. Oakland must keep the game close and stick with the run, even if RB LaMont Jordan's stiff back causes him problems. Pittsburgh expects QB Ben Roethlisberger to play despite last Sunday's concussion, and he'll face a quickly improving Oakland defense. Look for the Steelers to come out running behind RB Willie Parker and only take to the air if the ground game stalls. Oakland contained Arizona WR Anquan Boldin last weekend and hopes to have the same kind of success vs. Steelers WR Hines Ward.
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BEST OF THE REST
San Francisco 49ers (2-4) at Chicago Bears (6-0)
Sunday, 1 ET, Fox
Keys to the game: It's not difficult to pinpoint the big difference between the teams — while the 49ers are allowing 242.3 passing yards a game, the Bears are giving up 243.2 total yards. San Francisco, which is giving up far too many big plays, must contend with Chicago QB Rex Grossman, who is second in the NFL at 12.71 yards a completion. Chicago's running game has muddled along, and coach Lovie Smith hinted RB Cedric Benson will be worked in early. The 49ers expect to have their starting offensive line on the field together for the first time since the first game. LG Larry Allen returns and must help control the line of scrimmage for the running game and RB Frank Gore.
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Seattle Seahawks (4-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (3-3)
Sunday, 1 ET, Fox
Keys to the game: Seahawks QB Seneca Wallace gets his first career start in place of injured Matt Hasselbeck and probably will have to make do without MVP RB Shaun Alexander and behind an offensive line that continues to struggle. Expect plenty of short passes to the running backs and TE Jerramy Stevens, who needs to be effective quickly in his second game back from injury to give Wallace a safety valve. Wallace has mobility and a strong arm, but the Chiefs will attempt to rattle him early.
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Atlanta Falcons (4-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)
Sunday, 1 ET, Fox
Keys to the game: There will be a critical battle of backups in the trenches when the Bengals have the ball. Cincinnati is without injured LT Levi Jones, replaced by rookie Andrew Whitworth. He will have to deal with DE Patrick Kerney, who slides from the left to the right side of Atlanta's line because John Abraham is out along with DT Rod Coleman. The Falcons were still able to stuff Pittsburgh's running game last weekend with fill-in starters Chauncey Davis and Jonathan Babineaux combining for nine tackles and two sacks. If the Bengals are able to put drives together, they are difficult to stop, with a 62.5 TD percentage inside the red zone, where they have scored on all 16 trips.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-4) at New York Giants (4-2)
Sunday, 1 ET, Fox
Keys to the game: With a short week after a big Monday night win at Dallas and facing a three-game home stretch, the Giants' chief concern has to be avoiding a letdown. The Bucs have produced 23 offensive points in the last two games and are starting rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski. The Giants are also battling several injuries along their defensive line and lost OLB LaVar Arrington for the season. Tampa Bay's defense essentially won the game last weekend, but it still is showing its age and will have a difficult time slowing the Giants' balanced attack. The Bucs must deal with the league's leading rusher, RB Tiki Barber.
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Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (4-3)
Sunday, 1 ET, CBS
Keys to the game: The Eagles are hardly pressing the panic button — all three losses have come on the final play of the game. What they are focusing on is tightening up a few areas, including their pass rush. Jaguars QB Byron Leftwich has a sore ankle and must prove to coach Jack Del Rio he is healthy before getting the nod. Backup David Garrard provides far more mobility. The Jaguars don't want to get caught up in a scoring duel and need RBs Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew to control the field position. Jacksonville's defense could be without DT Marcus Stroud for a third consecutive game.
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St. Louis Rams (4-2) at San Diego Chargers (4-2)
Sunday, 4:05 ET, Fox
Keys to the game: Many experts are pointing to this game as a litmus test for the Rams, but the Chargers have an identical record and an opponents' combined record of 13-24 compared with St. Louis' 15-23. With the Chargers failing to rush for 100 yards in either of their last two games, expect them to lean more on RB LaDainian Tomlinson and attack an undersized Rams defense allowing an average of 121 rushing yards. -----------
New England Patriots (5-1) at Minnesota Vikings (4-2)
Monday, 8:30 ET, ESPN
Keys to the game: The Patriots are averaging 131.5 rushing yards a game but are the only team among the top 11 in the league averaging less than 4.0 yards a carry. Meanwhile, the Vikings have the top-ranked run defense for the first time since 1994. QB Tom Brady will need to continue to spread the ball around and has appeared more comfortable with his revamped receiving corps each week. The Vikings' Tampa-2 defense is designed to prevent big pass plays, so Brady will have to be patient. Minnesota finally started to show confidence offensively last Sunday in Seattle, with RB Chester Taylor getting in sync behind LT Bryant McKinnie and LG Steve Hutchinson. But the Patriots are also very solid against the run and QB Brad Johnson has to make some plays downfield to open up running lanes for Taylor.
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OTHER MATCHUPS
Arizona Cardinals (1-6) at Green Bay Packers (2-4)
Sunday, 1 ET, Fox
Keys to the game: With the Cardinals and Packers combining to allow 518.3 passing yards a game, balls will be flying all over Lambeau Field. But the team that can mount the better running attack might prove to be the victor. While the Packers received their first 100-yard rushing game of the season last weekend from RB Ahman Green, Cardinals RB Edgerrin James continues to voice frustration that he has gone longer than ever without a 100-yard game to start a season.
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Houston Texans (2-4) at Tennessee Titans (1-5)
Sunday, 1 ET, CBS
Keys to the game: Texans QB David Carr has an NFL-best 70.3 completion percentage, and Titans rookie Vince Young is at 47.5 — ahead of only Kerry Collins, whom he replaced three games ago. Young should benefit from extra practices over the bye week, and he returns to Texas. He led the Longhorns to the national championship in January. But it's been the running game that has allowed Tennessee to be competitive in its last two games. Houston needs to focus on containing RB Travis Henry so it can pressure Young into mistakes. Young has mobility, but he has also fumbled five times, losing three to go along with four interceptions.
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New York Jets (4-3) at Cleveland Browns (1-5)
Sunday, 4:15 ET, CBS
Keys to the game: Jets coach Eric Mangini and Browns coach Romeo Crennel are friends, but Mangini is having far more success than Crennel, who this week lost offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon; Jeff Davidson takes over play-calling. Davidson should stick with the ground game: The Jets allow 142.2 rushing yards a game. Cleveland has to find a way to better protect QB Charlie Frye. New York will try to exploit the secondary with three-receiver sets. With rookie Leon Washington providing a strong ground presence, Jets QB Chad Pennington should have success off play-action.
Last edited by MillerLite : 10-28-2006 at 01:31 PM.
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