PREVIEW | Sunday's games

DETROIT at ATLANTA
Time: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Lions 2-1, Falcons 2-2Series history: Lions lead 21-8. Last meeting: Falcons beat Lions 36-15 on Dec. 22, 2002, at Atlanta.Key matchup: Falcons DE Patrick Kerney vs. Lions RT Stockar McDougle. Kerney leads NFL with seven sacks, and Falcons rank second among NFL teams with 16. When Kerney or other rushers don't get to quarterback, their secondary has been suspect, giving up 247 yards per game. If Lions QB Joey Harrington has time to throw, he'll look to WR Roy Williams, who leads NFL rookies with 277 yards receiving and has four TD catches.
NEW YORK GIANTS at DALLAS
Time: 1 p.m.TV: WYFX (17/62), WJW (8)Record vs. spread: Giants 3-1, Cowboys 2-1Series history: Cowboys lead 50-31-2. Last meeting: Cowboys beat Giants 19-3 on Dec. 21, 2003, at Dallas.Key matchup: Giants RB Tiki Barber vs. Cowboys MLB Dat Nguyen. Barber averages 6.2 yards per carry, tops in NFL among rushers with at least 40 carries. He has rushed for 100 yards in three of four games, including 182 yards last week. He leads NFL with four runs of 20-plus yards. Nguyen is second on team with 12 tackles. Barber has three TDs rushing, while Nguyen anchors front seven that has not allowed TD on ground this year.
OAKLAND at INDIANAPOLIS
Time: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Raiders 1-3, Colts 3-0Series history: Raiders lead 8-3. Last meeting: Raiders beat Colts 23-18 on Oct. 14, 2001, at Indianapolis.Key matchup: Raiders WRs Ronald Curry and Jerry Porter vs. Colts' injured secondary. Colts S Idrees Bashir has injured groin, and other starting safety, Mike Doss, hasn't played since opener (hamstring). CB Joseph Jefferson hasn't played this season (knee). Their top draft pick, DB Bob Sanders, has not played after lengthy holdout. Colts have NFL's worst pass defense, and Raiders WRs will need to exploit it to keep up with Peyton Manning's offense.
MINNESOTA at HOUSTON
Time: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Vikings 1-2, Texans 2-2Series history: First meetingKey matchup: Vikings WR Randy Moss vs. Texans CBs Dunta Robinson and Aaron Glenn. Moss has TD catch in eight straight games and 12 TDs in that span. Vikings are 28-11 when Moss tops 100 yards receiving. Robinson is rookie, while Glenn is in 11th season. Texans have allowed 100-yard receiver in two games this season.
MIAMI at NEW ENGLAND
Time: 1 p.m.Radio: WBBW-AM (1240)Record vs. spread: Dolphins 1-3, Patriots 2-0Series history: Dolphins lead 45-32. Last meeting: Patriots beat Dolphins 12-0 on Dec. 7, 2003, at New England.Key matchup: Dolphins' crew of RBs vs. New England front seven. Since Ricky Williams left team just before preseason, Dolphins have struggled offensively. RB Leonard Henry leads team with 126 yards rushing. Dolphins are last in NFL with 239 yards rushing; 21 individual RBs on other teams have more. Passing game has been almost as inept with porous offensive line protecting struggling QBs Jay Fiedler and A.J. Feeley. Patriots use front seven to throw opponents off-balance.
TAMPA BAY at NEW ORLEANS
Time: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Buccaneers 0-3, Saints 1-3Series history: Saints lead 16-8. Last meeting: Buccaneers beat Saints 14-7 on Dec. 7, 2003, at New Orleans.Key matchup: Buccaneers RB Michael Pittman vs. Saints front seven. Saints were overpowered by lowly Cardinals last week, allowing 211 yards rushing, including 127 by aging star Emmitt Smith. Saints allow 159.5 yards rushing per game, second most in league. Pittman missed first three games serving suspension for violating NFL's personal conduct policy, and took over for injured Charlie Garner last week. Bucs offense has just three TDs, and Tampa is one of four NFL teams without a TD rushing.
BUFFALO at NEW YORK JETS
Time: 4:05 p.m.Record vs. spread: Bills 1-2, Jets 2-0Series history: Bills lead 48-39. Last meeting: Bills beat Jets 17-6 on Dec. 7, 2003, at Buffalo.Key matchup: Bills MLB London Fletcher vs. Jets RB Curtis Martin. Last week, Martin passed former Bills great Thurman Thomas to move into 10th place all-time with 12,094 yards rushing. He has rushed for 1,487 yards against Bills in career and has five 100-yard games. He's started season with three straight 100-yard games and leads NFL by averaging 141.7 yards per game. Fletcher is Bills' leading tackler and will need to plug holes Martin has been running through.
JACKSONVILLE at SAN DIEGO
Time: 4:05 p.m.Record vs. spread: Jaguars 3-1, Chargers 2-1Series history: Jaguars lead 1-0. Last meeting: Jaguars beat Chargers 27-21 on Oct. 5, 2003, at Jacksonville.Key matchup: Jaguars LT Ephraim Salaam vs. Chargers DE Igor Olshansky. Jaguars starting LT Mike Pearson tore ligaments in left knee last week and is out for season. Salaam is expected to step in. He's started 90 games in last six seasons for Atlanta and Denver. Olshansky, a 6-foot-6 rookie out of Oregon, has started all four games this season.
ST. LOUIS at SEATTLE
Time: 4:15 p.m.TV: WYFX (17/62), WJW (8)Record vs. spread: Rams 1-3, Seahawks 3-0Series history: Rams lead 7-4. Last meeting: Rams beat Seahawks 27-22 on Dec. 14, 2003, at St. Louis.Key matchup: Rams RB Marshall Faulk vs. Seahawks front seven. The sometimes pass-happy Rams are most effective when they use balanced attack, like last week when they jumped out to 24-0 halftime lead after calling 19 running plays and 18 passes. Seahawks have NFL's top defense and have allowed just 13 points. But Seahawks have faced weak or one-dimensional offenses against Saints, Bucs, and 49ers. Rams, and especially Faulk, will provide stronger challenge.
ARIZONA at SAN FRANCISCO
Time: 4:15 p.m.Record vs. spread: Cardinals 3-1, 49ers 2-2Series history: 49ers lead 15-10. Last meeting: 49ers beat Cardinals 50-14 on Dec. 7, 2003, at San Francisco.Key matchup: San Francisco defensive front seven vs. RB Emmitt Smith. Cardinals produced 211 yards on ground last week (Smith 127 yards, one TD). The total was team's highest since rushing for 221 yards last year in 16-13 overtime win over San Francisco. SF front line has been decimated by injuries.
CAROLINA at DENVER
Time: 4:15 p.m.Radio: WBBW-AM (1240)Record vs. spread: Panthers 1-2, Broncos 1-1Series history: Broncos lead 1-0. Last meeting: Broncos beat Panthers 34-0 on Nov. 9, 1997, at Denver.Key matchup: Broncos offensive line vs. Panthers defensive line. Denver has allowed just two sacks this season, tied for fewest in NFL (Colts). Panthers DL has 75 1/2 sacks since 2002, second most in NFL (Miami, 88).
BALTIMORE at WASHINGTON
Time: 8:30 p.m.TV/radio: ESPN, WBBW-AM (1240)Record vs. spread: Ravens 2-2, Redskins 1-3Series history: Tied 1-1. Last meeting: Redskins beat Ravens 10-3 on Oct. 15, 2000, at Washington.Key matchup: Baltimore RB Jamal Lewis vs. Washington's run defense. Lewis is expected to play. Ravens are No. 4 in NFL in rushing, averaging 148.5 yards per game. Redskins have not allowed 100-yard rusher in five consecutive games and have NFL's best run defense, surrendering 59.5 yards per game.
Associated Press
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