PREVIEW | Today's games

MIAMI at CLEVELAND
Time: 1 p.m.Radio: (19) WKBN-AM (570), WNCD-FM (93.3)Key matchup: Miami QBs vs. Cleveland pass defense. Backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels took most of the snaps in practice Wednesday because Gus Frerotte is nursing sprained right index finger and listed as questionable. Frerotte hurt his finger, received injection at halftime, threw 30 times in second half and finished with 360 yards passing, his highest total in five years. There have been calls for Rosenfels to replace Frerotte in Miami, which ranks 28th in passing. Cleveland's red zone defense is No. 1 in AFC, allowing 12 TDs on 28 trips (42.9 percent).Streaks, stats and notes: Miami has lost five of last six games. ... LB Zach Thomas has 10-plus tackles in 24 of past 26 games. ... Coach Nick Saban was defensive coordinator (1991-94) under Bill Belichick at Cleveland. ... Cleveland is one win from matching last year's total. ... QB Trent Dilfer has won six consecutive November home starts and is 11-3 (.786) in career in November home starts. ... RB Reuben Droughns (702) is fifth in AFC rushing. He is one of five players with 700-plus yards rushing and 200-plus yards receiving. ... Coach Romeo Crennel was defensive coordinator (2001-04) under Belichick at New England.
PITTSBURGH at BALTIMORE
Time: 1 p.m.TV/radio: (27) (2) WBBG-FM (106.1)Key matchup: Pittsburgh QBs vs. Baltimore pass defense. Tommy Maddox, who lost starter's job a year ago to Ben Roethlisberger, will start. Pittsburgh has had its starting quarterback hurt last three times it played Baltimore. Left tackle Marvel Smith, who protects quarterback's blind side, is questionable with a sore ankle.Streaks, stats and notes: Pittsburgh has won six of last eight against Ravens. ... Coach Bill Cowher is 14-6 vs. Baltimore. ... Steelers are looking for 12th consecutive win on road. ... Defense (12) has allowed fewest 100-yard rushers since start of 2000 season. ... Steelers are third in NFL in rushing defense (82.0). ... Maddox is 7-4 in 11 career starts vs. AFC North. ... Baltimore handed Steelers last road loss on Sept. 19, 2004. ... Baltimore's offense hasn't scored TD in 11 quarters and is averaging horrid 11.1 points per game. ... WR Derrick Mason (53) is tied for second-most receptions in AFC. ... Ravens allowing fewest total yards in AFC (270.9) and holding opponents to AFC's fourth-lowest third down percentage, 36.8 (43 for 117). ... B.J. Sams leads NFL with 12.0 punt return average.
DETROIT at DALLAS
Time: 1 p.m.Key matchup: Detroit QBs vs. Dallas defense. Jeff Garcia is still Detroit's No. 1 quarterback, even after Joey Harrington's three-touchdown performance in Sunday's victory over Arizona. Lions coach Steve Mariucci hopes to have Garcia back against Cowboys. Garcia has missed last two games with soreness in his leg. Whoever starts, he will come up against defense that ranks third in league, allowing 15.3 first downs per game. Cowboys stole win from Eagles, who even without Terrell Owens controlled game until closing minutes.
CAROLINA at CHICAGO
Time: 1 p.m.Radio: WBBW-AM (1240)Key matchup: Carolina's red zone offense vs. Chicago's red zone defense. Carolina ranks first in NFL inside opponent's 20 with 73.3 touchdown percentage. Panthers have 22 touchdowns and six field goals in 30 attempts. Bears are first in defense inside their 20. Chicago has held opponents to 18.2 touchdown rate, allowing just four touchdowns and 11 field goals in 22 tries. Both teams come in with winning streaks, Panthers six straight and Bears five straight.
OAKLAND at WASHINGTON
Time: 1 p.m.Key matchup: Oakland secondary vs. Washington QB Marc Brunell. Brunell has five interceptions in 290 attempts for 1.7 percentage, fourth best in NFL. Raiders have only two interceptions -- one by defensive tackle Warren Sapp and the other on end-of-half desperation pass by Charles Woodson.
ARIZONA at ST. LOUIS
Time: 1 p.m.Key matchup: Arizona running game vs. St. Louis defensive front. Arizona's offensive line, depleted by injuries, has had trouble run-blocking all season. Cardinals rushed for 36 yards on 18 carries last week. Latest blow: starting left guard Reggie Wells is out for season after fracturing and dislocating left ankle. Rams' defense had mixed day against Shaun Alexander, who gashed them for 95 yards on five of his carries, but was held to 70 on the other 28.
TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA
Time: 1 p.m.Key matchup: Lefty vs. Lefty. Atlanta's Michael Vick has established himself as one of NFL's most versatile, exciting quarterbacks. He is 29-14-1 (.670) as starter in his five years. Vick is 21-6 (.778) as starter indoors. Tampa Bay's Chris Simms is coming off tremendous game where he led Bucs to win over Washington. Simms threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.
JACKSONVILLE at TENNESSEE
Time: 1 p.m.Key matchup: Tennessee offensive line vs. Jacksonville defensive line. Jaguars' pass defense has been stingiest in NFL, allowing only 156.4 yards per game. Large part of credit goes to defensive line. Reggie Hayward and Paul Spicer, each with 5 1/2 sacks, anchor line. Throw in linebacker Mike Peterson, who has a sack in three consecutive games, and Titans' line will be busy. Peterson also has led Jaguars in tackles in all nine games.
PHILADELPHIA at NEW YORK GIANTS
Time: 1 p.m.TV: (17/62)Key matchup: Philadelphia QB Mike McMahon vs. New York defense. McMahon, who had been third-string quarterback, will get start over backup Koy Detmer for the Eagles. Donovan McNabb will miss game with groin injury. Despite McNabb's ailments and suspension of WR Terrell Owens, Eagles are averaging 354.3 yards per game, third best in NFC. Giants' defense that has not allowed more than 138 total yards (and no 100-yard rusher or receiver) to each of past three foes goes against offense that has averaged 348.7 yards in its last three. New York DEs Osi Umenyiora (8) and Michael Strahan (7 1/2) are only teammates with 7 1/2-plus sacks.
NEW ORLEANS at NEW ENGLAND
Time: 1 p.m.Key matchup: New Orleans QB Aaron Brooks vs. New England pass defense. Brooks will look to get passing game back on track after he was held under 200 yards for second straight week. He completed 16 of 26 passes for 170 yards against Bears, throwing one touchdown and two interceptions. Brooks has passed for 200-plus yards only three times this season after accomplishing feat on 12 occasions in 2004. Patriots have given up average of 378.1 yards per game, better only than San Francisco 49ers (397.1). Randall Gay became New England's sixth defensive back placed on injured reserve, yet another blow for defense.
SEATTLE at SAN FRANCISCO
Time: 4:05 p.m.Key matchup: Seattle RB Shaun Alexander vs. San Francisco run defense. Alexander leads NFL with 17 touchdowns rushing, most by a player in season's first nine games in history. Alexander also leads league with 1,114 yards rushing (5.4 per rush). 49ers' defense gives up 397.1 yards (117 on ground) and league-high 29.2 points per game.
BUFFALO at SAN DIEGO
Time: 4:15 p.m.Key matchup: Buffalo RB Willis McGahee vs. San Diego run defense. McGahee is fourth in AFC yards (973) from scrimmage, including 856 on ground. He has four 100-yard rushing games in season. San Diego allows fewest yards rushing per game (79.6) in league. McGahee has not rushed for touchdown in his last three games and was held to 66 yards Sunday. He also struggled against another tough run defense in Week 2 this year, managing just 34 yards against Tampa Bay.
NEW YORK JETS at DENVER
Time: 4:15 p.m.Key matchup: New York RB Curtis Martin vs. Denver rushing defense. Martin has 58 career 100-yard games and can tie Jim Brown for sixth all-time with 100-yard game. It won't be easy against NFL's fourth-best run defense. Broncos allow 85.1 yards per game. Martin has only one 100-yard game this season and is averaging 65.4 yards per game. Broncos have never allowed Martin 100 yards rushing.
INDIANAPOLIS at CINCINNATI
Time: 4:15 p.m.TV: (27) (19) (2)Key matchup: Peyton Manning-Marvin Harrison duo vs. Carson Palmer-Chad Johnson duo. Manning threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns, and Harrison caught seven passes for 108 yards. Manning's 30-yard touchdown pass to Harrison made them first duo in NFL history to account for 10,000 yards. Tandem has 755 completions for 10,034 yards and 90 touchdowns -- all NFL records. Palmer and Johnson are beginning to draw comparisons to Manning-Harrison tandem. Johnson tops AFC with 808 yards receiving and has five touchdowns, Palmer is fifth in NFL with 2,285 yards passing and has thrown league-leading 18 TD passes.
KANSAS CITY at HOUSTON
Time: 8:30 p.m.TV/radio: ESPN, WBBW-AM (1240)Key matchup: Kansas City RB Larry Johnson vs. Texans' run defense. Johnson is coming off 132-yard game against Bills, who have league's second-worst run defense. Johnson has 638 yards on 124 carries (5.1 average) with six touchdowns. Third-year back also adds 14 catches for 161 yards (11.5 per catch). Texans have allowed six 100-yard rushers in nine games.
Associated Press
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