nfl preview \ Today’s games
nfl preview \ Today’s games
NEW YORK JETS (7-3) at TENNESSEE (10-0)
Game time: 1 p.m. Opening line: Titans by 41‚Ñ2. Record vs. spread: New York 6-4-0; Tennessee 9-0-1. Series record: Titans lead 21-15-1. Last meeting: Titans 10, Jets 6, Dec. 23, 2007. Notebook: Jets have won four straight, six of last seven. ... Jets sit alone atop AFC East for first time since 2001 when they also were 7-3. ... They are looking for fifth straight win for first time since Oct. 17, 2004. ... QB Brett Favre has three touchdowns and no interceptions over past two games. ... Favre is 0-1 at LP Field and a win in his 32nd stadium will move him past Dan Marino for most stadiums in which he won a game as starting quarterback. ... RB Thomas Jones leads AFC with 854 yards rushing and is looking for third straight 100-yard rushing game. ... Titans are looking to stretch best start in franchise history to 11-0. ... Titans have won 13 straight regular-season games dating back to Dec. 16, 2007.
NEW ENGLAND (6-4) at MIAMI (6-4)
Game time: 1 p.m. Opening line: Dolphins by 1. Record vs. spread: New England 5-5; Miami 5-5. Series record: Dolphins lead 49-37. Last meeting: Dolphins 38, Patriots 13, Sept. 21, 2008. Notebook: Since start of 2003 season, Patriots are 16-1 in games following loss. ... New England coach Bill Belichick is 9-10 against Dolphins and 124-75 against rest of NFL. ... With loss by Patriots, they would be swept by another AFC East team for first time since 2000. ... Patriots are 6-0 when they win coin toss and 0-4 when they lose it. ... QB Matt Cassel is AFC’s top-rated passer on third downs, completing 49 of 76 throws for 591 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. ... Dolphins will try to climb three games above .500 for first time since 2003.
PHILADELPHIA (5-4-1) at BALTIMORE (6-4)
Game time: 1 p.m. TV: (17/62) (8) (53) Opening line: Ravens by 1. Record vs. spread: Philadelphia 6-4, Baltimore 7-3. Series record: Eagles lead 1-0-1. Last meeting: Eagles 15, Ravens 10, Oct. 31, 2004. Notebook: Ravens coach John Harbaugh goes up against team he served on as assistant coach from 1998-2007. ... Eagles QB Donovan McNabb is 13-4-1 in last 18 starts vs. AFC and 4-0-1 in past five. ... Eagles S Brian Dawkins needs one interception to tie Eric Allen and Bill Bradley for franchise lead (34). Dawkins has 17 tackles and forced fumble in two games against Baltimore. ... Eagles’ fourth-ranked pass attack has produced 36 plays of 20 yards or more. ... Baltimore’s third-ranked rushing attack is product of RB coach Wilbert Montgomery, Philadelphia’s career rushing leader (6,538 yards). ... Ravens have won three straight and seven of eight against visiting NFC teams. They had four-game winning streak snapped last week.
SAN FRANCISCO (3-7) at DALLAS (6-4)
Game time: 1 p.m. Opening line: Cowboys by 11. Record vs. spread: San Francisco 4-6; Dallas 4-6. Series record: 49ers lead 16-14-1. Last meeting: Cowboys 34, 49ers 31, Sept. 25, 2005. Notebook: Mike Singletary, going into third game as San Francisco’s interim head coach, was among 10 candidates interviewed by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before Wade Phillips was hired in February 2007. ... RB Frank Gore is third in NFL for yards from scrimmage with 1,159. He is the 49ers’ top rusher (834 yards) and receiver (35 receptions for 325 yards). ... Justin Smith has started 117 consecutive games for San Francisco, most in NFL among active defensive ends. Dallas’ Marcus Spears is third on that list with 52. ... 49ers have allowed only 19 total points on opponents’ opening drives in first and second halves over 10 games. That’s best in NFL, half the league average. ... San Francisco has most experienced starting secondary in NFL, with Walt Harris, Nate Clement, Michael Lewis and Mark Roman combining to play in 535 games (463 starts). ... Cowboys have played in 14 NFC championship games, six against 49ers. ... Dallas is 0-2 against NFC West, having already lost to Arizona and St. Louis. ... Marion Barber needs 54 yards to become ninth Cowboys running back with 3,000 yards rushing in career. ... TE Jason Witten has 396 career receptions. If he gets four more Sunday in his 90th career game, he will match Jeremy Shockey as second-fastest TE to 400 catches. Kellen Winslow needed only 72 games.
BUFFALO (5-5) at KANSAS CITY (1-9)
Game time: 1 p.m. Opening line: Bills by 3. Record vs. spread: Buffalo 4-6, Kansas City 5-5. Series record: Bills lead 19-16-1. Last meeting: Bills 14, Chiefs 3, Nov. 13, 2004. Notebook: Home team has won 10 of last 11 between these two charter members of AFL. ... Head coaches Herm Edwards and Dick Jauron were both standout defensive backs who had 63 NFL interceptions between them. ... Chiefs have been milestone team in Jauron’s coaching career. They were opponent in his first and last games as head coach of Bears. ... Bills are 8-13 on road under Jauron, including three straight losses.
MINNESOTA (5-5) at JACKSONVILLE (4-6)
Game time: 1 p.m. Opening line: Jaguars by 1. Record vs. spread: Minnesota 3-7; Jacksonville 3-7. Series record: Vikings lead 2-1. Last meeting: Vikings 27, Jaguars 16, Nov. 28, 2004. Notebook: Adrian Peterson needs 59 yards rushing to become 14th player in NFL history to gain 2,500 yards in first two seasons. ... DT Kevin Williams scored his first career touchdown against Jacksonville, returning fumble 77 yards with 1:59 remaining in 2004. ... QB Gus Frerotte won his only start against Jaguars. Playing with Washington, Frerotte threw for 244 yards and three scores in 1997. ... Vikings are 1-4 on road. ... Jaguars are 1-4 at home. Three Jaguars will be facing their former team: assistant coach Mike Tice, CB Brian Williams and WR Troy Williamson. Still upset about getting fined a game check last year while attending grandmother’s funeral, Williamson wants to “duke it out” with Vikings coach Brad Childress. Childress rescinded fine, but Williamson still harbors resentment.
TAMPA BAY (7-3) at DETROIT (0-10)
Game time: 1 p.m. Opening line: Buccaneers by 9. Record vs. spread: Tampa Bay 6-4; Detroit 4-6. Series record: Lions lead 27-24. Last meeting: Lions 23, Bucs 16, Oct. 21, 2007. Notebook: Tampa Bay has won four of last five in series, but lost by TD last year at Detroit despite outgaining Lions 422-278 because it lost two fumbles and had punt blocked. ... Bucs RB Earnest Graham had season-ending injury last week, leaving Warrick Dunn to start and perhaps put Carnell “Cadillac” Williams on field for first time since early last season. ... Bucs DE Kevin Carter had sack last week and ranks second among active players with 1031‚Ñ2 sacks.
CHICAGO (5-5) at ST. LOUIS (2-8)
Game time: 1 p.m. Opening line: Bears by 81‚Ñ2. Record vs. spread: Chicago 4-5-1, St. Louis 3-7. Series record: Bears lead 49-35-2. Last meeting: Bears 42, Rams 27, Dec. 11, 2006. Notebook: Bears coach Lovie Smith was with Rams as defensive coordinator from 2001-03. ... Bears are 2-3 on road, and in middle game of three straight on road. ... Bears rookie RB Matt Forte has 777 yards rushing, 3.8-yard average, 4 TDs, and leads team with 43 receptions for 7.5-yard average and three TDs. He’s totaled 100 yards from scrimmage in seven games and leads rookies with 1,099 yards.
WASHINGTON (6-4) at SEATTLE (2-8)
Game time: 4:15 p.m. Opening line: Redskins by 3. Record vs. spread: Washington 5-5, Seattle 4-6. Series record: Redskins lead 9-4. Last meeting: Seahawks 35, Redskins 14, NFC wild-card playoffs, Jan. 5, 2008. Notebook: Redskins have won four straight in series in regular season, dating to Seattle’s win in 1998 at Kingdome. But Seahawks have won last two playoff meetings, both in Seattle at end of 2005 and 2007 seasons. ... Redskins were first team in NFL history to play first five games without turnover, but have lost five fumbles and three INTs in last four games.
CAROLINA (8-2) at ATLANTA (6-4)
Game time: 4:15 p.m. Opening line: Falcons by 1. Record vs. spread: Carolina 5-4-1; Atlanta 6-4. Series record: Falcons lead 16-11. Last meeting: Panthers 24, Falcons 9, Sept. 28, 2008. Notebook: Panthers are 2-2 on road. ... Carolina held Falcons QB Matt Ryan to 158 yards in first meeting against Atlanta this season, matching his season low. ... Panthers rushed for franchise-record 264 yards in victory over woeful Detroit. Jonathan Stewart ripped off 130 yards and DeAngelo Williams added 120, first time in team history two backs eclipsed 100 yards in same game. ... Williams has three straight 100-yard games. ... Rookie Ryan is averaging 259.2 yards passing over last five games, with seven touchdowns and three interceptions. ... Falcons RB Michael Turner is on cusp of his first 1,000-yard season. Fifth-year back ranks third in league with 971 yards, trailing Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson and Washington’s Clinton Portis. ... Turner leads league with 227 carries, two more than Peterson. ... Falcons won first four games at home this year before Broncos handed them first loss at Georgia Dome.
NEW YORK GIANTS (9-1) at ARIZONA (7-3)
Game time: 4:15 p.m. TV: (17/62) (8) (53) Opening line: Giants by 3. Record vs. spread: New York 8-2, Arizona 7-3. Series record: Giants lead 79-41-2. Last meeting: Giants 42, Cardinals 19, Sept. 11, 2005. Notebook: Giants have won five straight and Cardinals three in row. ... New York has scored 101 points in its last three games. Arizona has scored 23 or more in every game but one this season. ... Cardinals, because of many years in NFC East, have played Giants more times than they have any other NFL team. ... Among active players, Giants safety Sammy Knight is third in interceptions (42) and cornerback Sam Madison is sixth (38). ... New York’s Super Bowl victory makes Giants only team other than Arizona to win at University of Phoenix Stadium since Nov. 25 of last year. ... Eli Manning is on pace for third consecutive 3,000-yard, 20-touchdown passing season. He would join Phil Simms as only Giants QBs to do so. ... Cardinals clinch NFC West with victory over Giants, a San Francisco loss at Dallas and a Seattle loss or tie against Washington. ... Cardinals have won seven in row at home, longest streak since 1925, and are 11-2 there since Ken Whisenhunt became coach ... Arizona leads NFL in takeaways with 22: 12 fumble recoveries and 10 interceptions. ... Arizona QB Kurt Warner threw three interceptions against Jets and a combined four in other nine games.
OAKLAND (2-8) at DENVER (6-4)
Game time: 4:05 p.m. Opening line: Broncos by 91‚Ñ2. Record vs. spread: Denver 3-6-1, Oakland 4-6. Series record: Raiders lead 54-40-2. Last meeting: Broncos 41, Oakland 14, Sept. 8, 2008. Notebook: RB Justin Fargas has averaged 121.5 yards rushing over his last two games against Denver. ... P Shane Lechler’s booming foot has uncorked at least one 50-yard boot in every game this season. His long is 70-yarder against San Diego. ...Johnnie Lee Higgins’ 93-yard punt return for touchdown last week was second longest in team history. ... WR Ashley Lelie spent four years in Denver before being jettisoned to Atlanta. Lelie has caught seven passes for 105 yards for Oakland this season. ... Raiders have lost six of last seven to Denver. TE Zach Miller is averaging 14.8 yards a catch, tops among tight ends.
INDIANAPOLIS (6-4) at SAN DIEGO (4-6)
Game time: 8:15 p.m. TV: (21) (3) (11) Opening line: Chargers by 3. Record vs. spread: Indianapolis 3-7, San Diego 4-5-1. Series record: Chargers lead 15-9. Last meeting: Chargers 23, Colts 21, Nov. 11, 2007. Notebook: Colts looking for revenge after losing twice to Bolts last year, including 28-24 in divisional playoffs. ... Indy has won three straight after starting 3-4. ... Peyton Manning threw franchise-record six interceptions vs. Chargers last year in San Diego, including three by Antonio Cromartie.
Associated Press