NFL PREVIEW \ Sunday's games

CLEVELAND at MIAMI
Time: 8:30 p.m.
TV/radio: ESPN, WKBN-AM (570), WNCD-FM (93.3)
Series history: Dolphins lead 8-4. Last meeting: Dolphins beat Browns 24-14 on Oct. 10, 1993, at Cleveland.
Key matchup: Browns CB Anthony Henry vs. Dolphins SS Sammy Knight. With two struggling QBs, defensive backs are almost as likely as receivers to catch passes. Both Henry and Knight lead their teams with four INTs. Browns rookie QB Luke McCown has thrown five INTs in three starts and has anemic 51.2 passer rating. Dolphins QB A.J. Feeley led team to comeback win last Monday against Patriots. Still, in his seven starts he's thrown 13 INTs and has 59.8 passer rating, worst in NFL among QBs with at least 200 attempts.
Streaks, stats and notes: Browns and Dolphins are two of five AFC teams eliminated from playoff contention. ... Dolphins have won last five against Browns. Browns last beat Dolphins in 1986. Browns last played in Miami in 1989. ... Browns have lost eight straight. ... Interim coaches meet. Cleveland's Terry Robiskie took over for Butch Davis on Nov. 30. Miami's Jim Bates took over for Dave Wannstedt on Nov. 9. Browns have lost all three games under Robiskie. Dolphins are 2-3 under Bates. ... Browns have minus-9 turnover differential. Dolphins are tied for third worst with minus-16 differential.
BALTIMORE at PITTSBURGH
Time: 1 p.m.
TV/radio: WKBN (27), WOIO (19), KDKA (2), WBBG-FM (106.1)
Series history: Steelers lead 12-6. Last meeting: Ravens beat Steelers 30-13 on Sept. 19 at Baltimore.
Key matchup: Ravens MLB Ray Lewis and SS Ed Reed vs. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh's rookie gets to start against one of NFL's top defenses. Roethlisberger replaced injured Tommy Maddox in Week 2, but entered game when score was already 20-0 for Baltimore. Now he'll have chance to avenge Steelers' only loss and keep alive his streak of wins (12) as starter. Lewis has had an INT in two of his last three games against Steelers, while Reed leads NFL with eight INTs. Ravens are 14-3 when Reed has INT.
Streaks, stats and notes: Steelers last two regular-season losses were against Ravens. They lost 13-10 in OT in Week 17 last year. ... Reed needs 33 INT return yards to break single-season record of 349 set by Charlie McNeil of San Diego in 1961. ... Steelers have NFL's top defense, allowing 285.5 yards per game. Ravens have one of NFL's worst offenses, gaining just 271.1 yards per contest. ... QBs facing Ravens have league-low passer rating of 67.7. Roethlisberger is seventh-ranked QB in NFL with 96.3 rating.
NEW YORK GIANTS at CINCINNATI
Time: 1 p.m.
TV: WYFX (17/62), WJW (8)
Series history: Bengals lead 4-2. Last meeting: Giants beat Bengals 29-27 on Oct. 26, 1997, at Giants.
Key matchup: Giants' front seven vs. Bengals RB Rudi Johnson. Giants have NFL's fourth-worst rush defense, allowing 139.1 yards per game. Johnson has 1,324 yards rushing and is on pace to break Bengals' single-season record of 1,435 set by Corey Dillon in 2000. Johnson ranks fourth in AFC with 65 first downs rushing. Giants have lost seven straight games, and allowed an opposing RB to reach 100 yards in five of those games.
BUFFALO at SAN FRANCISCO
Time: 4:05 p.m.
Series history: Tied 4-4. Last meeting: 49ers beat Bills 35-0 on Dec. 2, 2001, at
Key matchup: Bills WR Lee Evans vs. SF secondary. Evans has had over 100 yards receiving in two of last three games. Drafted No. 13 overall, rookie is first player to catch four 50-yard passes from QB Drew Bledsoe in one season. 49ers have injured-plagued secondary. Both opening day CBs, Ahmed Plummer and Mike Rumph, were done for year after Week 6. Opponents have completed 62.4 percent of passes against Niners, fifth in league. With top RBs Willis McGahee and Travis Henry questionable with injuries, Bills' inconsistent passing game will have to carry more of offensive load.
CHICAGO at DETROIT
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Bears lead 83-61-5. Last meeting: Lions beat Bears 20-16 on Sept. 12 at Chicago.
Key matchup: Bears K Paul Edinger vs. Lions K Jason Hanson. Points have been hard to come by for these teams. Bears are lowest-scoring team in league, averaging 14.6 points per game, including total of eight over last two weeks. Lions average 18.4 per game. Bears have only 22 TDs this season, Lions have 29. Edinger has made 62.5 percent of his field goals (15-of-24), worst percentage of any regular kicker in league. Hanson is better at 81.8 percent (18-of-22). Whoever is most accurate in windless Ford Field could determine winner.
SAN DIEGO at INDIANAPOLIS
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Chargers lead 12-8. Last meeting: Colts beat Chargers 27-19 on Sept. 26, 1999, at San Diego.
Key matchup: Chargers QB Drew Brees vs. Colts QB Peyton Manning. Manning has thrown at least two TD passes in every game this season, except last week against Baltimore. He is one TD pass short of tying Dan Marino's record of 48 in a season set in 1984. Manning leads NFL with 4,168 yards passing and 123.9 passer rating. He's thrown only nine INTs this season, but remarkably, Brees has lower interception percentage (1.6 to Manning's 2.0). Brees is AFC's second-rated passer. Neither team has good pass defense, so Brees will need to be at his best to keep up with Manning and high-scoring Colts.
HOUSTON at JACKSONVILLE
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Texans lead 3-2. Last meeting: Texans beat Jaguars 20-6 on Oct. 31 at Houston.
Key matchup: Texans RB Domanick Davis vs. Jaguars DT Marcus Stroud. Davis has run for TD in six of his last seven games. He has 11 TDs rushing this season, tied for sixth in league. He leads all AFC RBs with 515 yards receiving. Stroud was Jaguars' only Pro Bowl selection. He's anchor on their defensive line, and will look to plug middle, forcing Davis to run outside.
ATLANTA at NEW ORLEANS
Time: 1 p.m.
Series history: Falcons lead 42-29. Last meeting: Falcons beat Saints 24-21 on Nov. 28 at Atlanta.
Key matchup: Falcons CBs Allen Rossum and DeAngelo Hall vs. Saints WR Joe Horn. With CBs Kevin Mathis and Jason Webster questionable with injuries, Falcons may have piecemeal secondary. Horn leads NFL with 1,248 yards receiving and is second with 85 receptions. In last meeting, Horn had nine receptions for 101 yards and TD, but Falcons still won, thanks in part to two INTs -- one each from Hall and Rossum.
NEW ENGLAND at NEW YORK JETS
Time: 4:05 p.m.
Series history: Jets lead 47-41-1. Last meeting: Patriots beat Jets 13-7 on Oct. 24 at New England.
Key matchup: Patriots RB Corey Dillon vs. Jets RB Curtis Martin. Martin leads NFL with 1,511 yards rushing. Dillon is fourth with 1,430. Dillon has rushed for at least 100 yards in eight games. Patriots' season record is nine 100-yard games, set by Martin in 1995. Martin, who played for Patriots from 1995-97, is tied for fourth in NFL in 2004 with 12 TDs rushing. Dillon is one back with 11. Martin has six 100-yard games against Patriots, and Jets are 6-0 in those games. Both teams excel at running and stopping run, and have had inconsistent passing games in recent weeks.
ARIZONA at SEATTLE
Time: 4:15 p.m.
Series history: Cardinals lead 7-4. Last meeting: Cardinals beat Seahawks 25-17 on Oct. 24 at Arizona.
Key matchup: Cardinals' front seven vs. Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander. Alexander is third in NFL with 1,462 yards rushing. He needs 84 yards to break Chris Warren's single-season record set in 1994. He's tied for NFL lead with 16 TDs, including 12 rushing -- more than 20 teams have on ground. Cardinals have given up just nine TDs rushing this season. In last meeting, Cardinals held Alexander to 57 yards rushing, most of which came on 34-yard run. They'll need similar performance this time to keep slim playoff hopes alive.
WASHINGTON at DALLAS
Time: 4:15 p.m.
Radio: WBBW-AM (1240)
Series history: Cowboys lead 53-34-2. Last meeting: Cowboys beat Redskins 21-18 on Sept. 27 at Washington.
Key matchup: Redskins RB Clinton Portis vs. Cowboys MLB Dat Nguyen. Redskins are 5-0 when Portis rushes for 100 yards. He's third in NFC with 1,283 yards rushing and needs 217 in final two games to become first player in NFL history with three consecutive 1,500-yard seasons to start career. Cowboys give up only 113 yards rushing per game. Nguyen leads Dallas with 89 total tackles and will need to contain Portis to force Redskins to rely on weak passing attack.
CAROLINA at TAMPA BAY
Time: 4:15 p.m.
TV: WYFX (17/62), WJW (8), WPGH (53)
Series history: Tied 4-4. Last meeting: Panthers beat Buccaneers 21-14 on Nov. 28 at Carolina.
Key matchup: Panthers WRs Muhsin Muhammad and Keary Colbert vs. Buccaneers CBs Brian Kelly and Ronde Barber. Muhammad has career-high 12 TD receptions, tied for third in NFL, and 10 in last eight games. He's averaged 113 yards per game in his last eight contests. Colbert is third in NFL among rookies with 711 yards receiving and caught game-winning pass with 20 seconds left in November against Bucs. Tampa allows only 161.2 yards passing per game, best in NFL. Kelly leads team with four INTs. Panthers average 225.9 yards passing per game.
Associated Press
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