NFL MATCHUPS | Sunday's games

CLEVELAND at BALTIMORE
Time: 8:30 p.m.TV/radio: ESPN, WEWS (5), WKBN-AM (570), WNCD-FM (93.3)Record vs. spread: Browns 4-3, Ravens 5-2Series history: Ravens lead 7-4. Last meeting, Browns beat Ravens 20-3 on Sept. 12 at Cleveland.Key matchup: Browns DE Ebenezer Ekuban vs. Ravens RB Jamal Lewis. Lewis returns to Ravens after serving two-game suspension for violating NFL substance abuse policy. Baltimore split the two games. Last year he rushed for 500 yards in two games against Browns. In Week 1, Browns held Lewis to 57 yards rushing. Ekuban has been one of few bright spots on Cleveland's defense.Streaks, stats and notes: RBs Chester Taylor and Musa Smith filled in for Lewis, totaling 100 yards rushing against Buffalo and 103 versus Philadelphia. ... Browns QB Jeff Garcia was 37-of-54 for 546 yards and five TDs in his past two games. ... Browns have given up 21 passes of 20 yards or more compared to eight through seven games in 2003. ... After 1995 season, Browns owner Art Modell moved team from Cleveland to Baltimore. Cleveland was without NFL franchise until Browns came back as expansion team in 1999. Modell is now minority owner of Ravens.
PHILADELPHIA at PITTSBURGH
Time: 1 p.m.TV/radio: WYFX (17/62), WJW (8), WPGH (53), WBBG-FM (106.1)Record vs. spread: Eagles 5-2, Steelers 6-1Series history: Eagles lead 46-26-3. Last meeting, Eagles beat Steelers 26-23 in OT on Nov. 12, 2000, at Pittsburgh.Key matchup: Eagles LDE Jevon Kearse vs. Steelers RT Oliver Ross. Kearse had two sacks last week and is tied for third in NFC with six. Eagles lead NFL with 25 sacks in seven games, with Kearse's presence helping others on D-line. Steelers have allowed only 11 sacks. Ross, a 317-pounder, has done well to protect rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger, who has been sacked just seven times.Streaks, stats and notes: Steelers ended Patriots' 21-game winning streak. ... Roethlisberger is 5-0 as starter in his rookie season, and with win he will tie former Steeler Mike Kruczek for most consecutive wins by NFL rookie QB since 1970. ... Eagles QB Donovan McNabb, NFL's fifth-ranked passer, faces league's fifth-ranked defense which has 17 takeaways, tied for second in league. ... Steelers RB Duce Staley had three 1,000-yard seasons in his seven years with Eagles and faces old team for first time. ... Steelers are fourth team in NFL history to face unbeaten teams with six or more wins in back-to-back weeks and first since 1934. None has defeated unbeatens in consecutive weeks this late in season.
SEATTLE at SAN FRANCISCO
Time: 4:05 p.m.Record vs. spread: Seahawks 3-4, 49ers 4-3Series history: 49ers lead 6-5. Last meeting, Seahawks beat 49ers 34-0 on Sept. 26 at Seattle.Key matchup: Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander vs. 49ers' front seven. Seahawks WRs Jerry Rice, Bobby Engram and Darrell Jackson all are listed as questionable with ankle sprains. Coach Mike Holmgren may have to troll waiver wire to find healthy pass catchers for QB Matt Hasselbeck. Niners' pass defense is ray of mediocrity in otherwise awful season. They allow just 200.6 yards passing per game, 10th best in league. With untested receivers likely to play, Seattle must rely on Alexander to carry offense. He rushed for 195 yards last week.
DALLAS at CINCINNATI
Time: 1 p.m.Radio: WBBW-AM (1240)Record vs. spread: Cowboys 3-4, Bengals 1-5Series history: Cowboys lead 5-3. Last meeting, Cowboys beat Bengals 23-6 on Nov. 12, 2000, at Dallas.Key matchup: Cowboys RB Eddie George vs. Bengals MLB Landon Johnson. Bengals have NFL's worst rush defense, allowing 155.4 yards per game. Regular MLB Nate Webster is out for season, and Johnson, a rookie, fills in. Bengals DL Tony Williams is also out for year. George has been somewhat disappointing in first year in Dallas, with 349 yards in seven games. But he rushed for 99 last week, and could break 100 against beat-up Bengals.
WASHINGTON at DETROIT
Time: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Redskins 2-5, Lions 4-2Series history: Redskins lead 27-10. Last meeting, Lions beat Redskins 15-10 on Sept. 10, 2000, at Detroit.Key matchup: Redskins QB Mark Brunell vs. Lions CB Dre' Bly. Last week, Redskins fans were booing Brunell and calling for backup Patrick Ramsey. Coach Joe Gibbs is sticking with Brunell, although he has completed just two passes of more than 40 yards, his 52.4 completion percentage is last in league, and his 5.33 yards per attempt is next to last. Last week, Bly had two INTs for second time in career. He had 85 yards on INT returns, including 55-yard TD.
ARIZONA at MIAMI
Time: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Cardinals 4-3, Dolphins 2-6Series history: Dolphins lead 8-0. Last meeting, Dolphins beat Cardinals 19-16 on Sept. 19, 1999, at Miami.Key matchup: Cardinals P Scott Player vs. Dolphins P Matt Turk. With two of NFL's worst offensive teams meeting, field position could make difference. Only Washington (50) has punted more than these teams (46 each), although Dolphins have played an extra game. Both punters average about 41 yards per punt. Turk has better net average (36.8) than Player (33.7), who ranks near bottom in that category. Both are among top 10 in NFL in punts placed inside the 20, because their teams punt from midfield often, instead of advancing into scoring range.
NEW YORK JETS at BUFFALO
Time: 1 p.m.TV: WKBN (27), WOIO (19)Record vs. spread: Jets 3-2, Bills 4-3Series history: Bills lead 48-40. Last meeting, Jets beat Bills 16-14 on Oct. 10 at Jets.Key matchup: Bills RB Willis McGahee vs. Jets' front seven. McGahee ran for 102 yards and two TDs last week -- first scored of his career and first TDs rushing in 10 games for Buffalo. His performance came same week coach Mike Mularkey announced McGahee would start over Travis Henry. In two starts this season, McGahee has two 100-yard games and has led Bills to both victories. He had 42 yards rushing against Jets in last meeting. Jets allow just 101.6 yards rushing per game.
OAKLAND at CAROLINA
Time: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Raiders 1-7, Panthers 3-4Series history: Tied 1-1. Last meeting, Raiders beat Panthers 52-9 on Dec. 24, 2000, at Oakland.Key matchup: Raiders P Shane Lechler vs. Panther P Todd Sauerbrun. Game features two of NFL's best punters in matchup of two of NFL's worst teams. Lechler was first-team All-Pro in 2003 and leads NFL with 47.9-yard gross punting average. Sauerbrun, second-team All-Pro last year, averages 43.1 yards per kick and leads NFL with 17 punts inside the 20.
KANSAS CITY at TAMPA BAY
Time: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Chiefs 3-4, Bucs 2-4Series history: Chiefs lead 5-3. Last meeting, Buccaneers beat Chiefs 17-10 on Nov. 14, 1999, at Tampa Bay.Key matchup: Chiefs RB Priest Holmes vs. Buccaneers OLB Derrick Brooks. Holmes leads NFL with 14 TDs, four more than anyone else. He leads NFL with 833 yards rushing and has rushed for at least 125 yards in five of seven games this season. Brooks is one of mainstays on a Bucs defense that excels against pass, but is vulnerable against run, allowing 117.6 yards rushing per game.
NEW ORLEANS at SAN DIEGO
Time: 4:05 p.m.Record vs. spread: Saints 2-5, Chargers 6-1Series history: Chargers lead 6-2. Last meeting, Saints beat Chargers 28-27 on Sept. 10, 2000, at San Diego.Key matchup: Saints RB Deuce McAllister vs. Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson. First NFL meeting of top two RB selections from 2001 draft. Tomlinson was taken No. 5, while McAllister was No. 23. Tomlinson is tied for third in NFL with seven TDs rushing and gets to face porous Saints, who allow 141.3 yards rushing per game and let 35-year-old Emmitt Smith run for 127 in Week 4. McAllister has topped 100 yards in 18 of 36 games since becoming full-time starter in 2002, but has struggled with injuries this season.
CHICAGO at NEW YORK GIANTS
Time: 4:05 p.m.Record vs. spread: Bears 3-4, Giants 5-2Series history: Bears lead 30-20-2. Last meeting, Giants beat Bears 14-7 on Sept. 17, 2000, at Chicago.Key matchup: Bears QB Craig Krenzel vs. Giants DE Michael Strahan. Krenzel, a rookie, made first NFL start last week, completing 13 of 25 passes for 168 yards with one TD and one INT. He was also sacked five times. Strahan, first-team All-Pro in 2003, leads Giants with three sacks. While Krenzel was not spectacular against lowly 49ers, he was good enough to win. He'll need better performance against Strahan and hungry New York defense.
HOUSTON at DENVER
Time: 4:15 p.m.Record vs. spread: Texans 4-3, Broncos 2-4Series history: First meeting.Key matchup: Texans CB Demarcus Faggins vs. Broncos QB Jake Plummer. Faggins returned INT 43 yards for touchdown with 42 seconds left last week to seal win. Plummer last week completed 31 of 55 passes for 499 yards, posting his career high, a Denver franchise record and best mark in NFL this season. He threw four TD passes, but also three INTs, which doomed Denver's attempts to rally. He's thrown 10 INTs this year, tied for third most in league.
NEW ENGLAND at ST. LOUIS
Time: 4:15 p.m.TV/radio: WKBN (27), WOIO (19), KDKA (2), WBBW-AM (1240)Record vs. spread: Patriots 4-1, Rams 3-4Series history: Rams lead 5-4. Last meeting, Patriots beat Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl on Feb. 3, 2002, at New Orleans.Key matchup: Patriots RB Corey Dillon vs. Rams' front seven. Dillon was averaging more than 100 yards per contest, but he was scratched before last week game with thigh injury. He's questionable this week. Patriots ran ball only six times for 5 yards in last week's loss, and offense was forced to rely entirely on passing game. Rams defense allows 129.7 yards rushing per game and will need to make Patriots one-dimensional to win.
Associated Press
Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.