NFL PREVIEW | Sunday's games

HOUSTON at DETROIT
When: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Texans 0-1. Lions 1-0.Series history: First meeting.Key matchup: Texans QB David Carr and K Kris Brown vs. Lions DT Shaun Rogers and S Bracy Walker. Last week, Rogers had sack and blocked field goal against Bears. Walker had INT and returned blocked field goal 92 yards for TD. Carr threw two INTs in opener, and 13 last season. Brown hasn't had a kick blocked since 2002, but he and Carr must be careful against opportunistic Lions defense.
ST. LOUIS at ATLANTA
When: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Rams 0-1. Falcons 0-1.Series history: Rams lead 46-23-2. Rams beat Falcons 36-0 on Oct. 13, 2003, at St. Louis.Key matchup: Rams RB Marshall Faulk vs. Falcons CB Kevin Mathis and SS Bryan Scott. Rams have beaten Falcons seven straight times -- scoring 30-plus points in those victories, including last year's rout. Faulk rushed for 128 yards last week. Mathis (7) and Scott (6) led Falcons in tackles in win over 49ers. They'll need strong games to keep Faulk from breaking long runs, while keeping eye on Rams' dangerous receivers like Isaac Bruce, who had 112 yards receiving and a TD last week.
CHICAGO at GREEN BAY
When: 1 p.m.
TV: WYFX (17/62), WJW (8)Record vs. spread: Packers 1-0. Bears 0-1.Series history: Bears lead 84-77-6. Packers beat Bears 34-21 on Dec. 7, 2003, at Green Bay.Key matchup: Bears WR David Terrell vs. Packers FS Mark Roman and SS Darren Sharper. Terrell led NFL with 126 yards receiving in Week 1 -- his first 100-yard game. He reached that mark on only five receptions, averaging more than 25 yards per catch. Packers allowed nearly 300 yards in the air to Panthers. At 6-foot-3, Terrell has size and speed to stretch Packers' defense.
WASHINGTON At NEW YORK GIANTS
When: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Redskins 1-0. Giants 0-1.Series history: Giants lead 81-59-4. Redskins beat Giants 20-7 on Dec. 7, 2003, at New York. Key matchup: Redskins RB Clinton Portis vs. Giants RB Tiki Barber. Giants defense looked porous in opener, allowing 330 gross yards passing and 141 rushing. Giants best hope is to keep Portis off the field. Portis had 148 yards on 29 carries in opener. Barber rushed for 125 yards on nine carries last week and should see plenty of action as Giants try to grind out yards against tough Washington defense.
DENVER at JACKSONVILLE
When: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Broncos 1-0. Jaguars 1-0.Series history: Broncos lead 3-2. Jaguars beat Broncos 27-24 on Dec. 13, 1999, at Jacksonville.Key matchup: Broncos C Tom Nalen vs. Jaguars DT Marcus Stroud. Nalen anchored NFL's No. 2 rushing attack last season, and was at it again in opener, clearing lanes for Quentin Griffin to rush for 156 yards. Stroud was a mainstay last season on second-ranked rushing defense. He had three tackles in Week 1.
INDIANAPOLIS at TENNESSEE
When: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Colts 0-0-1. Titans 1-0.Series history: Titans lead 10-9. Colts beat Titans 29-27 on Dec. 7. 2003, at Tennessee.Key matchup: Colts QB Peyton Manning vs. Titans QB Steve McNair. First meeting of the season for last year's NFL co-MVPs. Colts had NFL's top passing offense in 2003, Titans were No. 5. McNair led NFL with 100.4 passer rating, Manning was second at 99.0. Manning led NFL with 67.0 completion percentage, 379 completions and 4,267 yards. McNair led NFL by averaging 8.04 yards per attempt. In four career starts against Colts, McNair has completed 70 of 104 passes for 692 yards and five TDs with no INTs.
CAROLINA at KANSAS CITY
When: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: Panthers 0-1. Chiefs 0-1.Series history: Chiefs lead 2-0. Chiefs beat Panthers 15-14 on Dec. 10, 2000, at Kansas City. Key matchup: Panthers front seven vs. Chiefs RB Priest Holmes. In Monday night opener, Packers were able to grind out runs against Panthers, rushing 47 times for 152 yards while dominating time of possession (38:04). Holmes is among NFL's most potent offensive threats. He rushed for 151 yards and three TDs last week and could equal that total against Carolina.
SAN FRANCISCO at NEW ORLEANS
When: 1 p.m.Record vs. spread: 49ers 1-0. Saints 0-1.Series history: 49ers lead 45-19-2. Saints beat 49ers 35-27 on Oct. 20, 2002, at New Orleans.
Key matchup: 49ers QB Ken Dorsey vs. Saints DBs Ashley Ambrose and Jay Bellamy. Dorsey is expected to make his first NFL start because Tim Rattay has a separated shoulder. Dorsey will face a veteran secondary. Bellamy is in his 11th season and has 24 INTs. Ambrose is in his 13th NFL season and has 40 INTs, including one last week against 2003 Pro Bowler Matt Hasselbeck. After Rattay was hurt, Dorsey led two scoring drives in his first NFL action last week, but got a stinger in his right shoulder late in the third quarter and Rattay returned.
SEATTLE at TAMPA BAY
When: 4:05 p.m.Record vs. spread: Seahawks 1-0. Buccaneers 0-1.Series history: Seahawks lead 4-1. Buccaneers beat Seahawks 16-3 on Nov. 28, 1999, at Seattle.Key matchup: Seahawks G Steve Hutchinson and OT Walter Jones vs. Bucs DE Simeon Rice. Seahawks may be without RB Shaun Alexander (questionable, knee). Their offensive line may have to work harder to open holes for less experienced backs Maurice Morris and Kerry Carter. Hutchinson was a first-team All Pro last year. He and Jones at times may double-team Rice, a second-team All Pro.
NEW YORK JETS at SAN DIEGO
When: 4:15 p.m.Record vs. spread: Jets 0-0. Chargers 1-0.Series history: Chargers lead 17-10-1. Jets beat Chargers 44-13 on Nov. 3, 2002, at San Diego.Key matchup: Jets RB Curtis Martin vs. Chargers RB LaDanian Tomlinson. Jets were ranked 28th against the run in 2003, while Chargers were tied for 25th. Martin had third-best rushing performance in Jets' history last week, 196 yards. Tomlinson had 121 yards, averaging 4.7 yards per carry compared to 6.8 for Martin. Both defenses were better against the run last week than last year, and will need to contain their opponent's top back to win.
BUFFALO at OAKLAND
When: 4:15 p.m.Record vs. spread: Bills 0-1. Raiders 0-1.Series history: Tied 17-17. Raiders beat Bills 49-31 on Oct. 6, 2002, at Buffalo.Key matchup: Raiders QB Rich Gannon vs. Bills FS Izell Reese and SS Coy Wire. In last meeting, Gannon completed 23 passes for 357 yards and three TDs, and rushed for a TD, too. Lawyer Milloy, Buffalo's regular strong safety, is out with a broken forearm. Bills pass defense was superb in Week 1 until the last two minutes when Jaguars drove 80 yards for winning TD.
NEW ENGLAND at ARIZONA
When: 4:15 p.m.Record vs. spread: Patriots 0-0. Arizona 1-0.Series history: Cardinals lead 6-4. Patriots beat Cardinals 27-3 on Oct. 31, 1999, at Arizona.
Key matchup: Patriots QB Tom Brady vs. Cardinals secondary. In Week 1, Cardinals struggled to stop Mark Bulger and the Rams. Bulger threw for 272 yards, while WR Isaac Bruce had nine receptions for 112 yards and a TD. Brady threw for 335 yards and three TDs in his opener, and with his bevy of capable targets, could shred the Cardinals for another big day.
MIAMI at CINCINNATI
When: 8:30 p.m.TV/radio: ESPN, WBBW-AM (1240).Record vs. spread: Dolphins 0-1. Bengals 0-0.Series history: Dolphins lead 13-3. Dolphins beat Bengals 31-16 on Oct. 1, 2000, at Cincinnati.
Key matchup: Ricky Williams' replacements at RB vs. Bengals' front seven. Williams retired right before the season in the prime of his career. He was Dolphins' workhorse for past two years, carrying the ball 775 times. Dolphins rank near the bottom of league in rushing after one week. Lamar Gordon led the team with 32 yards, and Travis Minor had 25. Bengals allowed over 200 yards rushing against Jets.
Source: Associated Press
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