NFL PREVIEWS | Today's games

ARIZONA (1-2) at ST. LOUIS (1-2)
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Rams lead 26-21-2. Last meeting: Rams beat Cardinals 30-28 on Dec. 15, 2002, at St. Louis.
Last week: Cardinals beat Packers 20-13. Rams lost to Seahawks 24-23.
Key matchup: Cardinals LB Raynoch Thompson vs. Rams RB Lamar Gordon. With star RB Marshall Faulk out for a few weeks, Gordon fills in. In three games, Faulk has 116 yards rushing, more than half team's total. Gordon has 72 yards on 14 carries. Rams have yet to record more than 90 yards rushing in game this season. Thompson, who leads Cardinals in tackles, will look to continue that streak.
JACKSONVILLE (0-3) at HOUSTON (1-2)
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Series tied 1-1. Last meeting: Jaguars beat Texans 24-21 on Nov. 17, 2002, at Houston.
Last week: Jaguars lost to Colts 23-13. Texans lost to Chiefs 42-14.
Key matchup: Jaguars QBs Mark Brunell and Byron Leftwich vs. Texans CB Marcus Coleman. Brunell, questionable with an elbow injury, is one of three NFL starters without an INT this season. He has NFL's best completion percentage at 65.9. Coleman is tied for NFL lead with three INTs. If Brunell can't play, Leftwich, who is 11-of-13 with two TDs and no INTs in limited action this season, will fill in.
PHILADELPHIA (0-2) at BUFFALO (2-1)
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Bills lead 5-4. Last meeting: Bills beat Eagles 26-0 on Sept. 26, 1999, at Buffalo.
Last week: Eagles had bye, lost to Patriots 31-10 in Week 2. Bills lost to Dolphins 17-7.
Key matchup: Eagles RBs Duce Staley and Brian Westbrook vs. Bills' front seven. Eagles RBs have struggled in first two games, gaining only 65 yards. QB Donovan McNabb leads team with 109 yards on 10 rushes, while WR James Thrash has 47 yards on one end-around. Staley and Westbrook could bounce back against Bills, who have struggled against the run. Last week, Miami's Ricky Williams racked up 153 yards, and opponents are averaging 122 yards rushing per game against Bills.
SAN FRANCISCO (1-2)at MINNESOTA (3-0)
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: 49ers lead 21-18-1. Last meeting: Vikings beat 49ers 40-16 on Oct. 24, 1999, at Minnesota.
Last week: 49ers lost to Browns 13-12. Vikings beat Lions 23-13.
Key matchup: 49ers LB Derek Smith vs. Vikings QB Gus Frerotte. With starting QB Daunte Culpepper doubtful with cracked bones in back, Frerotte may have to step in. Frerotte threw for 184 yards and TD last week after Culpepper hurt back. Frerotte is not as mobile as Culpepper and will have to face SF defense tied for the NFL lead with 13 sacks. Smith leads 49ers with 2 1/2 sacks and anchors defense that allows only 154 yards passing per game.
KANSAS CITY (3-0) at BALTIMORE (2-1)
Time: 4:05 p.m.
Series history: Chiefs lead 1-0. Last meeting: Chiefs beat Ravens 35-8 on Oct. 21, 1999, at Baltimore.
Last week: Chiefs beat Texans 42-14. Ravens beat Chargers 24-10.
Key matchup: Chiefs RB Priest Holmes vs. Ravens RB Jamal Lewis. Lewis was a rookie in Holmes' last year with Baltimore, when team won Super Bowl. Lewis is No. 1 rusher in Ravens history (3,187), and Holmes is No. 2. Lewis set NFL single-game rushing record with 295 yards against Cleveland two weeks ago. Holmes is NFL's leading scorer with 42 points (seven TDs). Together, Lewis and Holmes have accounted for 11 TDs rushing this season, three more than combined totals of other top 10 AFC rushers. Lewis leads NFL with 496 yards rushing, Holmes is third with 296.
SAN DIEGO (0-3) at OAKLAND (1-2)
Time: 4:05 p.m.
Series history: Raiders lead 54-31-2. Last meeting: Raiders beat Chargers 27-7 on Dec. 8, 2002, at Oakland.
Last week: Chargers lost to Ravens 24-10. Raiders lost to Broncos 31-10.
Key matchup: Chargers P Darren Bennett vs. Raiders P Shane Lechler. With two struggling offenses, both punters could be busy. Lechler leads NFL with 52.2-yard gross average and is tied for league lead with most punts, 21. Bennett is third in NFL with 40.4-yard net average and has punted 16 times. Raiders' struggling offense averages paltry 237.3 yards per game and Chargers QB Drew Brees has lowly 58.6 rating.
DALLAS (1-1) at NEW YORK JETS (0-3)
Time: 4:15 p.m.
Series history: Cowboys lead 5-2. Last meeting: Jets beat Cowboys 22-21 on Dec. 19, 1999, at Dallas.
Last week: Cowboys had bye, beat Giants 35-32 in OT in Week 2. Jets lost to Patriots 23-16.
Key matchup: Cowboys WR Joey Galloway vs. Jets CBs Ray Mickens and Aaron Beasley. Galloway ranks seventh in NFL, averaging 91 yards receiving per game. He averages 18.2 yards per catch and is one of QB Quincy Carter's favorite targets on offense that averages league-best 275 yards passing in two games. Mickens, subbing for injured Donnie Abraham, and Beasley will need to close off Galloway to give Jets' sputtering offense a chance.
ATLANTA (1-2) at CAROLINA (2-0)
Time: 4:15 p.m.
Series history: Falcons lead 11-5. Last meeting: Falcons beat Panthers 41-0 on Nov. 24, 2002, at Carolina.
Last week: Falcons lost to Buccaneers 31-10. Panthers had bye, beat Buccaneers 12-9 in Week 2.
Key matchup: Falcons QB Doug Johnson vs. Carolina secondary. Johnson, subbing for injured Michael Vick, has not had much success. He's thrown six INTs in three games and is averaging 160.7 yards passing, although he has thrown four TDs. He might not get much resistance from Panthers' shaky pass defense, which has only one INT and allowed nearly 300 yards passing per game.
DETROIT (1-2) at DENVER (3-0)
Time: 4:15 p.m.
Series history: Lions lead 9-8. Last meeting: Broncos beat Lions 17-7 on Dec. 25, 1999, at Detroit.
Last week: Lions lost to Vikings 23-13. Broncos beat Raiders 31-10.
Key matchup: Lions DTs Kelvin Pritchett and Shaun Rogers vs. Broncos C Tom Nalen. Nalen, four-time Pro Bowler, and rest of offensive line have cleared holes for 1,000-yard rushers in seven of last eight years. No matter which RB plays for Denver -- Clinton Portis is questionable (chest); Mike Anderson is probable (knee) -- Broncos should run well on Lions, who allow 5.5 yards per carry.
INDIANAPOLIS (3-0)at NEW ORLEANS (1-2)
Time: 8:30 p.m.
TV/radio: ESPN, WBBW-AM (1240).
Series history: Saints lead 5-3. Last meeting: Saints beat Colts 34-20 on Nov. 18, 2001 at New Orleans.
Last week: Colts beat Jaguars 23-13. Saints lost to Titans 27-12.
Key matchup: Colts CB Nick Harper vs. Saints QB Aaron Brooks. Brooks is off to decent start, completing 62 of 97 passes for 648 yards with four TDs for a QB rating of 92.6. He's thrown only one INT in three games, but might find it tough going against Colts. Harper has three INTs (tied for NFL lead), and Colts have allowed only 26 points in three games (best in AFC).
-- Associated Press