NFL PREVIEW \ Today’s games

CLEVELAND (5-3) at PITTSBURGH (6-2)

Game time: 1 p.m.
TV/Radio: (27) (19) (2) (WKBN-AM 570) (WNCD-FM 93.3) (WBBG-FM 106.1)
Opening line: Steelers by 91⁄2. Record vs. spread: Browns 6-2; Steelers 6-2.
Series history: Steelers lead 56-55 (Pittsburgh leads 15-3 since 1999). Last meeting: Steelers 34, Browns 7, Sept. 9, 2007.
Notebook: This version of Cleveland Browns is 5-3 for first time despite having worst defense in NFL (411.8). ... Browns also rank last in passing defense (276.6). ... Browns have won three straight for first time in six years. ... RB Jamal Lewis rushed for career-high four TDs last week. ... Kellen Winslow, who caught career-high 11 passes for 125 yards last week, leads NFL TEs with 657 yards receiving (42 receptions). ... QB Derek Anderson has 2,108 yards passing and 17 TDs passing. ... In past seven games, WR Braylon Edwards has 687 yards receiving (98.1 per game) and nine TD catches. ... Browns, who managed seven points in Week 1 against Steelers, have averaged 35.8 points in their five wins. ... Pittsburgh has one-game AFC North lead over Cleveland. ... Pittsburgh, 4-0 at home, has won eight straight against Browns. ... Steelers lead AFC in rushing with 150.5 yards per game. ... QB Ben Roethlisberger has 20 TD passes, two more than his previous career high. He is second in NFL with 111.9 passer rating. ... Last week, LB James Harrison had 31⁄2 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an INT. ... Steelers lead league in total defense (237.8) and passing defense (161.8). ... Steelers have not allowed 100-yard rusher in 33 consecutive games. ... Pittsburgh has allowed a league-low 98 points. ... RB Willie Parker leads AFC with 768 yards rushing.

ATLANTA (2-6) at CAROLINA (4-4)

Game time: 1 p.m.
Opening line: Panthers by 41⁄2. Record vs. spread: Falcons 5-3; Panthers 4-4.
Series history: Falcons lead 15-10. Last meeting: Falcons 27, Panthers 20, Sept. 23, 2007 at Atlanta.
Notebook: Atlanta rushed for season-high 155 yards last week. ... RB Warrick Dunn (392 yards, 3.2 average) had his first 100-yard game last week. In his last game at Carolina, Dunn had 29 carries for 132 yards. Dunn needs 147 yards to reach 10,000 in his career. ... In last meeting, QB Joey Harrington passed for 361 yards with two TDs and no INTs.

MINNESOTA (3-5) at GREEN BAY (7-1)

Game time: 1 p.m.
TV: (17/62) (8) (53)
Opening line: Packers by 61⁄2. Record vs. spread: Vikings 3-3-2; Packers 6-1-1.
Series history: Packers lead 47-45-1. Last meeting: Packers 23, Vikings 17, Sept. 30, 2007 at Minnesota.
Notebook: Minnesota, behind rookie RB Adrian Peterson, leads NFL in rushing with 183.1 yards per game. Peterson rushed for NFL-record 296 yards last week. Peterson, who has 1,036 yards, is first rookie to top 200 yards twice in same year. Peterson had 112 yards on just 12 carries against Packers last time. ... WR Sidney Rice is tied for lead among rookies with 10 catches on third downs (97 yards).

DENVER (3-5) at KANSAS CITY (4-4)

Game time: 1 p.m.
Opening line: Off. Record vs. spread: Broncos 1-7; Chiefs 4-3-1.
Series history: Chiefs lead 52-42. Last meeting: Chiefs 19, Broncos 10, Nov. 23, 2006 at Kansas City.
Notebook: Home team has won nine straight regular-season games between these teams. ... Denver, losers in five of last six games, has dropped below .500 halfway through season for first time since 1999. ... Broncos have lost two games by 37 points or more for first time since 1967. ... Broncos have allowed league-high 161.5 yards per game on ground. ... In three starts vs. AFC West, QB Jay Cutler has completed 63 of 99 passes (63.6 percent) for 689 yards with three TDs and three INTs.

BUFFALO (4-4) at MIAMI (0-8)

Game time: 1 p.m.
Opening line: Bills by 3. Record vs. spread: Bills 6-2; Dolphins 2-4-2.
Series history: Dolphins lead 50-35-2. Last meeting: Bills 21, Dolphins 0, Dec. 17, 2006 at Buffalo.
Notebook: Buffalo has won three straight. ... Bills haven’t won four straight since Dec. 12, 2004. ... Last week, Bills produced 479 yards, their most in five years, and 33 points, their most since 37-27 win at Cincinnati on Dec. 24, 2005. ... QB J.P. Losman went 24-for-34 for 295 yards and a TD in his first start in five weeks while filling in for injured rookie Trent Edwards. ... RB Marshawn Lynch leads AFC rookies with 177 rushing attempts for 690 yards (3.9 average) with five TDs. Lynch posted first 100-yard game last week (153).

ST. LOUIS (0-8) at NEW ORLEANS (4-4)

Game time: 1 p.m.
Opening line: Saints by 12. Record vs. spread: Rams 1-7; Saints 3-5.
Series history: Rams lead 37-30. Last meeting: Rams 28, New Orleans 17, Oct. 23, 2005 at St. Louis.
Notebook: St. Louis has worst turnover margin (minus-13) in NFL. Rams are tied with Houston for most giveaways (24). ... St. Louis has one TD rushing this season. ... RB Steven Jackson (bulging disc) is set to return. ... Brian Leonard is second among NFC rookie RBs with 405 yards from scrimmage (276 rushing, 129 receiving).

JACKSONVILLE (5-3) at TENNESSEE (6-2)

Game time: 1 p.m.
Opening line: Off. Record vs. spread: Jaguars 4-4; Titans 5-3.
Series history: Titans lead 15-11. Last meeting: Titans 13, Jaguars 10, Sept. 9, 2007 at Jacksonville.
Notebook: Jacksonville DT Marcus Stroud was suspended for four games for violating NFL’s steroids and related substances policy. ... Rookie LB Justin Durant and OT Richard Collier were suspended another game by coach Jack Del Rio following their arrests last weekend. ... In two career starts, QB Quinn Gray has completed 27 of 49 passes (55.1 percent) for 454 yards with three TDs and three INTs. ... RB Fred Taylor needs 13 yards rushing to become 21st player in NFL history to reach 10,000.

PHILADELPHIA (3-5) at WASHINGTON (5-3)

Game time: 1 p.m.
Opening line: Redskins by 3. Record vs. spread: Eagles 3-5; Redskins 2-4-2.
Series history: Redskins lead 76-64-5. Last meeting: Redskins 20, Eagles 12, Sept. 17, 2007 at Philadelphia.
Notebook: Their 3-5 start is worst start for Eagles since Andy Reid became coach in 1999. ... QB Donovan McNabb has won seven of past nine starts vs. Washington with 2,209 yards passing, 16 TDs and eight INTs. McNabb needs 19 completions to pass Ron Jaworski (2,088) for most in team history. ... Last week, RB Brian Westbrook tied team record with 14 catches (90 yards). He has 1,036 yards from scrimmage (601 rushing, 435 receiving).

CINCINNATI (2-6) at BALTIMORE (4-4)

Game time: 4:05 p.m.
Opening line: Ravens by 51⁄2. Record vs. spread: Bengals 2-5-1; Ravens 1-7.
Series history: Ravens lead 14-9. Last meeting: Ravens 27, Bengals 20, Sept. 10, 2007 at Cincinnati.
Notebook: Cincinnati has lost six of seven, six straight on road, dating to last season. ... Bengals are off to worst start since going 1-13 in 2002. ... WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, with a 15-yard TD, extended his scoring streak to eight games, longest to start season since Elroy Hirsch scored in 10 straight games with Los Angeles Rams in 1961. Houshmandzadeh is tied for NFL lead with 62 receptions (674 yards).

DETROIT (6-2) at ARIZONA (3-5)

Game time: 4:15 p.m.
Opening line: Lions by 1. Record vs. spread: Lions 5-2-1; Cardinals 4-3-1.
Series history: Lions lead 31-22-5. Last meeting: Cardinals 17, Lions 10, Nov. 19, 2006 at Arizona.
Notebook: Detroit is coming off biggest win since beating Jacksonville 44-0 in 1995. ... Detroit is 6-2 for first time since 1999, last season it made playoffs. ... Lions have first three-game winning streak in seven years. ... 1993 was last time Lions started 7-2. ... Detroit has NFL-high 24 takeaways and plus-8 in turnover margin. ... QB Jon Kitna has completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 2,000 yards and 10 TDs. He has not thrown an INT in the last three games. ... WR Roy Williams has 43 receptions for 568 yards. ... Lions have worst defense in NFC, allowing 359.2 yards per game.

DALLAS (7-1) at NEW YORK GIANTS (6-2)

Game time: 4:15 p.m.
TV: (17/62) (8) (53)
Opening line: Cowboys by 1. Record vs. spread: Cowboys 6-2; Giants 5-3.
Series history: Cowboys lead 53-35-2. Last meeting: Cowboys 45, Giants 35, Sept. 9, 2007 at Dallas.
Notebook: Dallas improved to 7-1 for first time since 1995, its last Super Bowl winning season. ... Cowboys lead NFC in total offense (406.0). ... QB Tony Romo, 13-5 as a starter in his career, has 2,308 yards passing, an NFC-best 19 TDs and 10 INTs this year. Romo has highest average gain (8.74) and passer rating (100.4) in NFC. ... Jason Witten leads NFC TEs in catches (45) and yards (617), and had six catches for 116 yards and a TD in Week 1. ... WR Terrell Owens, who had two TD catches in last game against New York, had 10 catches for 174 yards and a TD last week. He has 740 yards receiving (44 catches).

CHICAGO (3-5) at OAKLAND (2-6)

Game time: 4:15 p.m.
Opening line: Bears by 3. Record vs. spread: Bears 2-6; Raiders 3-5.
Series history: Raiders lead 6-5. Last meeting: Bears 24, Raiders 21, Oct. 5, 2003 at Chicago.
Notebook: Two of Chicago’s three wins have come on road. ... Only five teams have made playoffs after 3-5 start. ... RB Cedric Benson has 466 yards on 149 attempts, a 3.1 average. ... Bears rank 31st in NFL, averaging 78.9 yards on ground. ... Bears have forced 13 turnovers and committed 23, a minus-10 differential tied with Houston for second worst in league.

INDIANAPOLIS (7-1) at SAN DIEGO (4-4)

Game time: 8:15 p.m.
TV: (21) (3) (11)
Opening line: Colts by 3. Record vs. spread: Colts 6-2; Chargers 4-4.
Series history: Chargers lead 13-9. Last meeting: Chargers 26, Colts 17, Dec. 18, 2005 at Indianapolis.
Notebook: Indianapolis took its earliest loss in three years last week after going 13-0 and 9-0 the past two seasons. ... Colts have lost ball a league-low seven times (4 INTs, 3 fumbles) and are tied for league-lead in turnover margin at plus-11. ... QB Peyton Manning is 3-1 vs. San Diego and has completed 94 of 166 passes (56.6 percent) for 1,260 yards with six TDs and five INTs. With WR Marvin Harrison out (three weeks), Manning has completed fewer than 20 passes each of past two weeks and has averaged less than 250 yards and thrown five TDs. ... WR Reggie Wayne has 730 yards receiving on 49 catches. ... RB Joseph Addai (704 yards rushing, 4.7 average) became first Colts player to top 100 yards rushing (112) and receiving (114) in same game last week.

Associated Press