NFL PREVIEW | Today's games

CLEVELAND at HOUSTON
Time: 1 p.m.TV/radio: (27); WKBN-AM (570)Key matchup: Red zone offense. Houston, off to worst start in its four-season history, has NFL's worst offense (203 yards per game) and has scored league-low 74 points. Texans have only gotten inside opponents' 20-yard line nines times. Good news is Texans have scored six touchdowns and three field goals in those trips. Cleveland also has only nine trips inside opponents' 20 and has come away with just one TD and eight field goals. Cleveland's offense has been regressing at alarming rate. Since 26-24 victory over Green Bay in Week 2, Browns have failed to score an offensive TD in three of past four games. Cleveland's only touchdown last week came on rookie Joshua Cribbs' 90-yard kickoff return in second quarter. Things could change this week because Texans have worst defense (380.2 yards per game) in AFC.Streaks, stats and notes: Cleveland QB Trent Dilfer will start. In past three games, he has thrown six INTs, fumbled twice, completed 49 of 83 passes for 438 yards (a 51.2 QB rating) and been sacked 10 times. ... Rookie WR Braylon Edwards returned last week (3 catches for 30 yards). ... LB Andra Davis leads team in tackles (91). ... Houston's defense has only three takeaways all season. ... QB David Carr has been sacked 35 times. ... WR-KR Jerome Mathis returned kickoff for TD last week, franchise's first. Mathis is second in NFL with 29.1 return average. ... Houston has minus-7 in turnover margin.
CHICAGO at DETROIT
Time: 1 p.m.Key matchup: Chicago pass defense vs. QB Jeff Garcia. Garcia, making his first start this season in place of Joey Harrington, led Lions to win against his old team. Lions coach Steve Mariucci demoted Harrington after 37 straight starts. Garcia now faces league's stingiest defense, which has best average for points allowed at 10.3 per game. In this year's first meeting, Harrington threw five interceptions. The 38 points were most Bears scored since 47-17 victory over Tampa Bay in 1993.
ARIZONA at DALLAS
Time: 1 p.m.Key matchup: Arizona QB Josh McCown vs. Dallas defense. McCown had frustrating day against Tennessee (12-for-28 for 140 yards) after two big outings. Arizona was able to convert three turnovers into 17 points. Anquan Boldin was held without catch after consecutive 100-yard receiving games. Cowboys throttled NFL's leading rusher, Shaun Alexander, and strong-armed league's top offense as Matt Hasselbeck went 23-of-42 for 224 yards with the one touchdown and two interceptions.
OAKLAND at TENNESSEE
Time: 1 p.m.Key matchup: Oakland secondary vs. Tennessee QB Steve McNair. McNair should start against Oakland after sitting out a game to rest sore back. McNair, 4-1 vs. Oakland, has missed five practices over last two weeks and didn't play in Sunday's loss in Arizona. Raiders were forced to rely on rookies and special teams players to fill holes in secondary when Charles Woodson (broken right leg) and Derrick Gibson (dislocated left wrist) went down in first quarter. Oakland will have to count on much more from players like Fabian Washington, Stanford Routt and Jarrod Cooper with Woodson and Gibson possibly out for two months. Raiders limited Kelly Holcomb to 159 yards passing and Willis McGahee to 50 yards on 16 carries, despite losing Woodson and Gibson.
WASHINGTON at NEW YORK GIANTS
Time: 1 p.m.Key matchup: Washington offense vs. New York defense. Redskins had 448 total yards and scored on seven of first nine possessions to snap two-game losing streak. The 52 points were most for Redskins since 56-17 win over Atlanta on Nov. 10, 1991. Redskins had 447 yards at Denver and 398 at Kansas City, but lost both games because they wilted in red zone and committed untimely turnovers. Redskins now face Giants, who lead NFC with plus-9 turnover differential. Also Eli Manning, a second-year quarterback, is developing flair for the dramatic finish. For second week in row and third time in 13 starts dating to middle of last season, Manning brought Giants back from fourth-quarter deficit on final drive.
JACKSONVILLE at ST. LOUIS
Time: 1 p.m.Radio: WBBW-AM (1240)Key matchup: Jacksonville defense vs. St. Louis QB Jamie Martin. Rams could be without quarterback Marc Bulger and receivers Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce. Last week, Bulger was out with sprained shoulder and Holt (knee) and Bruce (turf toe) also did not dress, robbing Rams of considerable firepower. In last four games, the Jaguars are 3-1 and haven't faced a team at full strength for four quarters during that stretch. Jaguars' stout defensive unit has forced opponents to play close to the vest and take chances at end of games. Martin made his first start of season last week, passing for 198 yards with no interceptions. Jaguars have second-best pass defense (153.5) in AFC.
GREEN BAY at CINCINNATI
Time: 1 p.m.TV: (17/62)Key matchup: Cincinnati defense vs. Green Bay QB Brett Favre. All 22 eyes will be focused on Favre because there's no one else to worry about. Packers are without top two running backs and three of their top receivers. Favre's arsenal now features third-down back Tony Fisher, who has rushed for 20 yards on 14 carries this season, and newcomer ReShard Lee (seven carries for 7 yards) and a receiving corps that consists of 5-foot-8 kick returner Antonio Chatman (10 catches) and 2004 practice squad member Andrae Thurman (zero catches) behind Donald Driver, who will surely see more double teams.
MINNESOTA at CAROLINA
Time: 1 p.m.Key matchup: Minnesota vs. the road. Having been outscored 58-13 in back-to-back losses and looking anything but competitive on the road against Atlanta and Chicago, Vikings returned home to Metrodome and rallied from 17-point halftime deficit for sorely needed confidence boost. It's back to road, where Vikings have 9-31 record in regular season since October 2000. Panthers, 2-1 at home, are coming off bye week and linebacker Dan Morgan (shoulder) and defensive end Julius Peppers (hand) are expected to play.
MIAMI vs. NEW ORLEANSat Baton Rouge, La.
Time: 4:05 p.m.Key matchup: Miami pass defense vs. New Orleans QB Aaron Brooks. Miami's secondary is injury-riddled. Safety Tebucky Jones had surgery to repair torn right chest muscle in latest problem, and is expected to miss rest of season. Saints average 21.7 first downs per game, fourth in NFL. Brooks needs one 300-yard passing game to pass Archie Manning (9) for most in club history. He also needs three touchdowns passes to pass Manning (115) for team record. Brooks also leads league with 8 yards per carry.
KANSAS CITY at SAN DIEGO
Time: 4:05 p.m.Key matchup: Kansas City running backs vs. San Diego rushing defense. Last week, two veteran Pro Bowlers, left tackle Willie Roaf and right guard Will Shields, helped anchor offensive line that played its best game in a month. Behind dominating blocking, Larry Johnson rushed for 93 yards and Priest Holmes for 90. Chargers have No. 2 defense against run, allowing just 76.0 yards per game.
PHILADELPHIA at DENVER
Time: 4:15 p.m.Radio: (17/62)Key matchup: Philadelphia passing offense vs. Denver passing defense. Philadelphia coach Andy Reid promised to call more running plays last week. Well, 58 of 68 offensive plays, excluding three kneel-downs at end, were passes. Eagles average 299.7 yards passing per game, tops in NFL. Expect same this week, as Eagles face 26th-ranked defense (240.6 yards per game) against pass. Denver's defense is also last in sacks with eight, including none in last three weeks. Of 383 total plays Philadelphia has run from scrimmage, just 86 have been rushes by running backs. That's an astounding 22.4 percent, down from 32.8 percent last season. Brian Westbrook, a Pro Bowl running back last year, has just 65 carries for 256 yards. However, Westbrook leads NFL running backs with 367 yards receiving (35 catches) and three touchdowns.
TAMPA BAY at SAN FRANCISCO
Time: 4:15 p.m.Key matchup: Tampa Bay QB Chris Simms vs. San Francisco QBs Alex Smith or Ken Dorsey. With quarterback Brian Griese out for year, third-year pro Simms takes over offense. Simms had two weeks to prepare for third NFL start. 49ers have lost five straight by average of nearly 24 points as multiple injuries to linebackers and defensive backs have taken toll. No. 1 overall pick Smith may not make third start for 49ers, after spraining right knee in first quarter of last week's game. 49ers traded Tim Rattay, Smith's veteran backup, to Buccaneers last week. That left Dorsey and Cody Pickett as only backups for 21-year-old rookie. Bucs have limited opponents to league-low 233.3 yards per game.
BUFFALO at NEW ENGLAND
Time: 8:30 p.m.TV/radio: ESPN, WBBW-AM (1240)Key matchup: Buffalo run defense vs. New England RB Corey Dillon. It used to be rare occurrence for anyone to break 100 yards rushing against Bills, a team that gave up only three such games last year. Bills have given up 11 touchdowns rushing this season -- and six in last two games. Buffalo allowed only six all last year. And Bills are only NFL team to have allowed more first downs by rushing (63) than passing (58). Patriots are allowing 27.3 points a game, more than any AFC team except winless Texans. Establishing running game early behind Dillon (96 carries, 329 yards, 3.4 average) will use up clock and keep Bills' offense on sidelines.
Associated Press