KFFL Blog - Sleepers Around the NBA
By: Ryan Dodson

Tonight is opening night for the majority of teams in the National
Basketball League, and it's good to see some round ball while
hardball has just concluded. The big news over the first two nights
has been the non-trade of Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. There
was a deal being talked about, which would have sent Bryant to the
Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings small forward Ron Artest and Chicago
Bulls center Ben Wallace to the Lakers, and guard Ben Gordon and
power forward P.J. Brown (salary dump) to the Kings. It appears that
deal - and all deals for Bryant - are dead.

Another twist was the ineffectiveness of Cleveland Cavaliers forward
LeBron James last night. The Dallas Mavericks held James to 10 points
on just 2-for-11 shooting, and it was the first time in James' career
he was shut out in the first half of a game. Nothing to worry about
here; James just had an off night. Altogether, it wasn't THAT bad
because he pitched in five rebounds and four assists.


Continue reading KFFL Blog...


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Matchups to Exploit - Week 9
By: Hot off the Wire Network; Edited by: KFFL Staff

Arizona Cardinals at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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.

Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills
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.

Denver Broncos at Detroit Lions
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.

Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs
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.

Carolina Panthers at Tennessee Titans
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.

Washington Redskins at New York Jets
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.

San Diego Chargers at Minnesota Vikings
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.

San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons
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.

Jacksonville Jaguars at New Orleans Saints
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.

Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns
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.

New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts
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.

Houston Texans at Oakland Raiders
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.

Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
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.

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
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.


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