NFL MATCHUPS | Today's games

CAROLINA (8-2) at DALLAS (7-3)
Time: 1 p.m.Series history: Cowboys lead 3-2. Last meeting: Cowboys beat Panthers 14-13 on Oct. 13, 2002, at Dallas.Last week: Panthers beat Redskins 20-17. Cowboys lost to Patriots 12-0.Key matchup: Panthers RB Stephen Davis vs. Cowboys' front seven. Davis is NFL's third-leading rusher with 1,084 yards and six TDs rushing. Panthers average 148.9 yards rushing per game, third in league. Cowboys have NFL's No. 2 rushing defense, allowing only 83.1 yards per game. Davis has six 100-yard rushing games in 2003. Cowboys' defense has allowed one 100-yard rusher in past 15 games.
SEATTLE (7-3) at BALTIMORE (5-5)
Time: 1 p.m.Radio: WKST-AM (1200).Series history: Ravens lead 1-0. Last meeting: Ravens beat Seahawks 31-24 on Dec. 7, 1997, at Baltimore.Last week: Seahawks beat Lions 35-14. Ravens lost to Miami 9-6 in OT.Key matchup: Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander vs. Ravens RB Jamal Lewis. Drafted in 2000, they are first and second among RBs taken in first round of their draft class: Lewis has 3,935 yards, Alexander has 3,641. Lewis is NFL's leading rusher with 1,244 yards this season and has seven TDs rushing. Alexander has 835 yards rushing and eight TDs, and is part of a more-balanced offense. Seahawks can stack the line and try to force Ravens to pass.
NEW ENGLAND (8-2)at HOUSTON (4-6)
Time: 1 p.m.Series history: First meeting.Last week: Patriots beat Cowboys 12-0. Texans beat Bills 12-10.Key matchup: Patriots SS Rodney Harrison and ILB Tedy Bruschi vs. Texans RB Domanick Davis. Davis leads NFL rookies with 655 yards rushing and has had 100 or more yards in three of his five starts. Davis, taken No. 101 in draft, has three TDs rushing and averages 4.7 yards per carry. Harrison and Bruschi are leading tacklers on defense that allows only 91.6 yards rushing per game.
JACKSONVILLE (2-8) at N.Y. JETS (3-7)
Time: 1 p.m.Series history: Jaguars lead 3-2. Last meeting: Jaguars beat Jets 28-3 on Sept. 29, 2002 at Jacksonville.Last week: Jaguars lost to Titans 10-3. Jets lost to Colts 38-31.Key matchup: Jaguars QB Byron Leftwich vs. Jets QB Chad Pennington. Both played their college ball at Marshall and were drafted in first round: Leftwich at No. 7 in 2003 draft, Pennington at No. 18 in 2000. Leftwich has recorded a TD, either by passing or rushing, in eight of his nine games. He's thrown eight TDs and 11 INTs this year. Pennington, who broke his wrist in preseason, has thrown nine TDs and only three INTs in four games this year. For his career, he has 22 TDs and no INTs inside opponents' 20.
INDIANAPOLIS (8-2) at BUFFALO (4-6)
Time: 1 p.m.Series history: Bills lead 34-28-1. Last meeting: Colts beat Bills 30-14 on Nov. 4, 2001, at Buffalo.Last week: Colts beat Jets 38-31. Bills lost to Texans 12-10.Key matchup: Colts QB Peyton Manning vs. Bills' entire offense. Bills haven't scored TD in their past three games and turned over ball 10 times in that span. Last week against Jets, Manning threw for 401 yards and one TD. Bills have 453 yards passing total during three-game skid. Manning leads NFL with 2,876 yards passing, is tied for lead with 19 TDs passing and is second with 101.5 passer rating. Bills will need more than safeties and field goals to keep up with Manning and fast-paced Colts.
SAN FRANCISCO (5-5) at GREEN BAY (5-5)
Time: 1 p.m.TV: WYFX (17/62).Series history: Packers lead 30-26-1. Last meeting: Packers beat 49ers 20-14 on Dec. 15, 2002, at San Francisco.Last week: 49ers beat Steelers 30-14. Packers beat Buccaneers 20-13.Key matchup: 49ers WR Terrell Owens vs. Packers FS Darren Sharper. Owens had eight receptions for 155 yards and one TD on Monday night. Owens has 56 receptions in 2003, and averages 14.1 yards per catch. Since 1999, Sharper has 27 INTs, most in NFL. He has two this season. If weather in Green Bay cooperates, 49ers will try to send Owens deep and test Sharper.
DETROIT (3-7) at MINNESOTA (6-4)
Time: 1 p.m.Series history: Vikings lead 53-29-2. Last meeting: Vikings beat Lions 23-13 on Sept. 21 at Detroit.Last week: Lions lost to Seahawks 35-14. Vikings lost to Raiders 28-18.Key matchup: Lions CBs Andre' Goodman and Dre' Bly vs. Vikings WR Randy Moss. Moss is second in NFL with 67 receptions and 1,023 yards receiving. He's tied for league lead with 10 TDs receiving. In 11 career games against Lions, Moss has 63 catches for 1,024 yards. Vikings are 11-0 when Moss has 150-yard receiving game. Bly leads team with four INTs. Bly and Goodman will need to contain Moss or that streak could grow to 12 games.
NEW ORLEANS (5-5) at PHILADELPHIA (7-3)
Time: 1 p.m.Series history: Eagles lead 14-8. Last meeting: Eagles beat Saints 21-7 on Sept. 24, 2000, at New Orleans.Last week: Saints beat Falcons 23-20 in OT. Eagles beat Giants 28-10.Key matchup: Saints DE Willie Whitehead vs. Eagles OT Tra Thomas. Whitehead has already matched his career-best season total with 5 1/2 sacks in 10 games. Eagles have allowed 29 sacks this season, tied for third most in NFL. Thomas was second-team All-Pro last year and will be lined up across from Whitehead. Eagles need strong play on both edges of offensive line as Saints DE Charles Grant leads team with six sacks.
ST. LOUIS (7-3) at ARIZONA (3-7)
Time: 4:05 p.m.Series history: Rams lead 27-21-2. Last meeting: Rams beat Cardinals 37-13 on Sept. 28 at St. Louis.Last week: Rams beat Bears 23-21. Cardinals lost to Browns 44-6.Key matchup: Rams WR Torry Holt vs. Cardinals CBs Renaldo Hill and David Barrett. Holt is leading receiver in NFL this season. He leads league with 75 receptions and 1,140 yards and is tied for lead with 10 TDs receiving. He averages 15.2 yards per catch. In last meeting against Cards, he caught season-high 12 passes for 133 yards and one TD. Hill, who has two INTs on season, and Barrett will be very busy chasing Holt.
CHICAGO (3-7) at DENVER (6-4)
Time: 4:05 p.m.Series history: Broncos lead 6-5. Last meeting: Broncos beat Bears 17-12 on Nov. 10, 1996, at Denver.Last week: Bears lost to Rams 23-21. Broncos beat Chargers 37-8.Key matchup: Broncos TE Shannon Sharpe vs. Bears SS Mike Green and FS Mike Brown. Sharpe has 496 yards receiving and seven TDs, tied for fifth most in NFL and most by any tight end. He averages 12.1 yards per catch. Brown, who has two INTs, and Green (one) will need to keep tabs on Sharpe, who has a knack for finding holes in defenses. Broncos are 5-0 this year when Sharpe scores TD.
TENNESSEE (8-2) at ATLANTA (2-8)
Time: 4:15 p.m.Series history: Tied 5-5. Last meeting: Falcons beat Titans 30-17 on Dec. 19, 1999, at Tennessee.Last week: Titans beat Jaguars 10-3. Falcons lost to Saints 23-20 in OT.Key matchup: Titans QB Steve McNair vs. Falcons' porous defense. McNair leads NFL with 103.9 passer rating and is tied for second in AFC with 16 TDs passing. He has NFL's best TD-to-INT ratio at 4:1 (16 TDs, four INTs). Titans average 241.5 yards passing per game. Falcons allow NFL-worst 255.9 yards passing per game. They've allowed 18 TDs passing in 10 games, second-worst total in league.
OAKLAND (3-7)at KANSAS CITY (9-1)
Time: 4:15 p.m.Series history: Chiefs lead 44-43-2. Last meeting: Chiefs beat Raiders 17-10 on Oct. 20 at Oakland.Last week: Raiders beat Vikings 28-18. Chiefs lost to Bengals 24-19.Key matchup: Raiders' front seven vs. Chiefs RB Priest Holmes. Holmes is among NFL's top offensive threats. He leads league with 14 TDs rushing and is third in AFC with 924 yards rushing. He leads Chiefs with 45 receptions and is fourth on team with 435 yards receiving. In last meeting, he had 123 yards rushing with a TD, and four catches for 50 yards as Chiefs held on for win. Raiders will need to keep Holmes quiet.
CINCINNATI (5-5) at SAN DIEGO (2-8)
Time: 4:15 p.m.TV: WKBN (27), WOIO (19), KDKA (2)Series history: Chargers lead 17-10. Last meeting: Chargers beat Bengals 34-6 on Sept. 8, 2002, at Cincinnati.Last week: Bengals beat Chiefs 24-19. Chargers lost to Broncos 37-8.Key matchup: Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Bengals' front seven. Tomlinson is second in AFC with 971 yards rushing and tied for third with seven TDs rushing. He also leads team and is second in AFC with 57 receptions, easily the most of any RB in league. He needs 29 yards rushing for third-consecutive 1,000-yard season. Bengals have struggled to contain him previously; in last two games against them, Tomlinson has rushed for over 100 yards and TD.
WASHINGTON (4-6)at MIAMI (6-4)
Time: 8:30 p.m.TV/radio: ESPN, WBBW-AM (1240).Series history: Dolphins lead 6-4. Last meeting: Redskins beat Dolphins 21-10 on Jan. 2, 2000, at Washington.Last week: Redskins lost to Panthers 20-17. Dolphins beat Ravens 9-6 in OT.Key matchup: Redskins SS Ifeanyi Ohalete vs. Dolphins RB Ricky Williams. Williams is NFL's biggest workhorse. He leads league with 246 rushing attempts. His totals are down this season, averaging only 3.3 yards per carry and 80.2 yards per game. He still can dominate, and Redskins have been soft against run at times. They allow 126.8 yards rushing per game, and Ohalete might need to sneak close to line to keep Williams in check.
-- Associated Press