San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Seahawks-Rams a top-drawer matchup
It’s prettymuch impossible to argue that the NFC West isn’t the league’s best division, even with the fading 49ers plagued by injuries. Two of its powers face off Sunday when the firstplace Seahawks visit the runner-up Rams.
These teams have been a bit schizophrenic in 2020. Seattle (6-2) can outscore most opponents, and it needs to weekly because it has the worst pass defense in the league, giving up 362.1yards per game. Three quarterbacks have thrown for more than 400 yards against Seattle this season.
While the Rams (5-3) have been solid on defense, with tackle Aaron Donald the NFL’s most dominant player on that side of the ball, their offense has been inconsistent. They are 21st in the NFL with 24.1 points per game — only Chicago has a winning record and scores less often.
Regardless, this is a topdrawer matchup.
The action began with Indianapolis moving into a tie with Tennessee atop the AFC South with a 34-17 victory Thursday night featuring a blocked punt for a touchdown.
Off this week are Dallas (2-7), Atlanta (3-6), Kansas City (8-1) and the New York Jets (0-9).
BUFFALO (7-2) AT ARIZONA (5-3)
A shootout in the Valley of the Sun is highly likely.
Arizona’s top-ranked offense is averaging 422 total yards and has had at least 400 yards six times. It’s defense has been filled with holes, though.
Arizona’s Kyler Murray and Buffalo’s Josh Allen are the only two quarterbacks who have thrown for at least 15 touchdowns and run for at least five touchdowns this season.
L.A. CHARGERS (2-6) AT MIAMI (5-3)
Another enticing Kid QB matchup: L.A.’s Justin Herbert, who went sixth in the April draft, one spot after Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa.
Herbert has thrown for 10 touchdowns and only three interceptions in three road starts and has multiple touchdown passes and more than 250 yards in his past five games. But the Chargers can’t hold leads; their defeats are by a combined 24 points.
Tagovailoa has won both of his starts since replacing Ryan Fitzpatrick. Miami has won four in a row, and for the first time since 1977 has scored at least 21 points in the first half of four consecutive games.
BALTIMORE (6-2) AT NEW ENGLAND (3-5)
The Ravens, who have neverwon a regular-season game in Gillette Stadium, have won 10 straight road games, the longest active streak in the NFL. Baltimore is allowing a leaguelow 17.8 points per game, has forced a turnover in 21 consecutive games, and has reached100 yards rushing in 31 straight outings the third-longest streak in NFL history.
New England eked out a victory on Monday night at the winless Jets to snap a four-game slide.
MINNESOTA (3-5) AT CHICAGO (5-4) (MON.)
The Bears have won four straight over the Vikings, but it’s Minnesota that is on the rise. Running back Dalvin Cook has 478 yards and six TDs from scrimmage over the past two weeks, both wins. He leads the NFL with 858 rushing yards despitemissing a game to a groin injury.
Chicago’s standout linebacker Khalil Mack has five sacks and four forced fumbles in five career Monday night games.
CINCINNATI (2-5-1) AT PITTSBURGH (8-0)
Top overall draft pick Joe Burrow’s 221 completions for the Bengals are the most by a rookie over the first half of a season. Protection of Burrow will be a key against the sacks-happy Steelers:
He’s been sacked once in Cincinnati’s two victories compared to 27 sacks in the other six games. The Steelers lead the NFL in sacks (32) and have at least one sack in 65 straight games, the second-longest streak in NFL history.
SAN FRANCISCO (4-5) AT NEW ORLEANS (6-2)
New Orleans has won five straight and leads the NFC South, which it has won each of the past three seasons. Saints receiver Emmanuel Sanders had his third TDreceiving lastweek after missing the Saints’ previous two games on the COVID-19 reserve list.
The battered Niners did discover a new playmaker in a loss to Green Bay: Richie James Jr. had three catches for at least 40 yards in that game, the first player since Tyreek Hill in 2017 to do that, and the first 49er since some guy named Jerry Rice in 1995.
TAMPA BAY (6-3) AT CAROLINA (3-6)
Tampa Bay’s defense is ranked No. 1 against the run, allowing 75.3 yards a game. The Bucs also lead the NFL with 16 takeaways and are second with 29 sacks and 101 quarterback pressures.
That doesn’t bode well for Teddy Bridgewater as the Panthers try to snap a four-game slide. They won’t have star running back Christian McCaffrey, who returned last week from a high ankle sprain that cost him six games, but hurt his shoulder late in a close loss at Kansas City.
DENVER (3-5) AT LAS VEGAS (5-3)
Strangely — well, maybe not in 2020, when road teams have an overall winning record — the Raiders are 1-2 at home, but 4-1 away from the desert. They have won their first two division games, both on the road, for the first time since sweeping the AFC West in 2010.
Broncos RB Melvin Gordon has scored a touchdown against the Raiders the past four times he’s faced them.
JACKSONVILLE (1-7) AT GREEN BAY (6-2)
The top and the bottom. The Packers, who lead the league in ball control (33:19 time of possession average) are 6-2 after going 7-1 through their first eight games last year. It’s the first time the Packers have started 6-2 or better in back-toback seasons since 200102.
Jacksonville started rookies at quarterback ( Jake Luton), running back ( James Robinson) and receiver (Laviska Shenault Jr.) in a loss to Houston. Jacksonville is the only NFL teamto do that this season.
Talk about rebuilds.
PHILADELPHIA (3-4-1) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (2-7)
Philly gets a bit healthy after a bye and has won eight consecutive games against the Giants, and 12 of the previous13 in the series. The defense seems to be coming around for the Eagles, who lead — yes, lead — the NFC East.
Receiver Golden Tate could return after being benched for comments about not having enough passes thrown his way. He had a TD catch against the Eagles last month.
WASHINGTON (2-6) AT DETROIT (3-5)
Alex Smith’s courageous comeback continues when he makes his first NFL start since breaking his right tibia and fibula on Nov. 18, 2018. Smith has made two relief appearances this season because of injuries to starter Kyle Allen.
Detroit has scored 19 more points than opponents in the first period and has been outscored by 62 points over the next three quarters.