The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Eagles’ defense adjusts to Giants’ changes ahead of matchup
The New York Giants’ firing of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett on Tuesday tossed a surprise twist into the Philadelphia Eagles’ preparations for Sunday’s trip up the New Jersey Turnpike. But an improving Eagles defensive corps seems confident it can adjust. Senior offensive assistant Freddie Kitchens is expected to call plays for the Giants (3-7) as they welcome the Eagles, who have won 12 of the last 14 meetings between the NFC East rivals. The Eagles (5-6) have won three of four to put themselves in the playoff mix.
PHILADELPHIA (5-6) at N.Y. GIANTS (3-7) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox
BETTING LINE: Eagles by 3 .5.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Eagles 6-5; Giants 5-5.
SERIES RECORD: Eagles lead 88-86-2.
LAST MEETING: Giants beat Eagles 27-17 on Nov. 15, 2020, at East Rutherford, New Jersey.
LAST WEEK: Eagles beat Saints 40-29; Giants lost to Buccaneers 30-10.
KEY MATCHUP: New York’s defensive line against Eagles’ multipronged rushing attack. The Eagles have 870 yards rushing in the last four games. They’ve rushed for 200-plus yards in consecutive games for the first time since 1978. Philadelphia played smashmouth football against New
Orleans, rushing 50 times, its the most since Oct. 5, 1997, against Washington.
FANTASY TIPS: Jalen Hurts became the first Eagles QB to
run for three TDs in a game last week vs. the Saints. His eight rushing TDs are the most by an Eagles player since
RB Ryan Mathews had eight in 2016. Michael Vick holds the team record for rushing TDs by a quarterback with nine in 2010.
TENNESSEE (8-3) at NEW ENGLAND (7-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
BETTING LINE: Patriots by 6.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Titans 7-4; Patriots 7-4.
SERIES RECORD: Patriots lead 25-18-1.
LAST MEETING: Titans beat Patriots 20-13 in AFC wild-card game on Jan. 4, 2020, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
LAST WEEK: Titans lost to Texans 22-13; Patriots beat Falcons 25-0.
KEY MATCHUP: Titans’ defense against rookie QB Mac Jones. Tennessee has a tradition of struggling against rookie quarterbacks, including a loss to the Jets earlier this season. The Titans did not get a sack last week for the first time in 2021 and also didn’t force a turnover.
FANTASY TIP: Patriots RB Damien Harris has rushed for a touchdown in five of his last six games and has 100-yard
efforts in his last two home games.
NEW YORK JETS (2-8) at HOUSTON (2-8) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
OPENING LINE: Jets by 2 .5.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: New York 2-8, Houston 5-5. SERIES RECORD: Jets lead 5-3.
LAST MEETING: Texans beat Jets 29-22 on Dec. 15, 2018, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
LAST WEEK: Jets lost to Dolphins 24-17; Texans beat Titans 22-13.
KEY MATCHUP: Jets rookie QB Zach Wilson returns after missing the last four games with a sprained ligament in his right knee to face a defense that tied a franchise record with four interceptions last week. Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, has thrown nine interceptions with just four touchdowns in six games.
FANTASY TIP: Houston WR Brandin Cooks leads the team with 659 yards receiving and has five catches in four of his last five games. He had 79 yards and a touchdown in his last
game against the Jets in 2017 with New England.
ATLANTA (4-6) at JACKSONVILLE (2-8) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox
OPENING LINE: Falcons by 1.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Atlanta 4-6; Jacksonville 4-6. SERIES RECORD: Falcons lead 4-3.
LAST MEETING: Falcons beat Jaguars 24-12 on Dec. 22, 2019, in Atlanta.
LAST WEEK: Falcons lost to Patriots 25-0; Jaguars lost to 49ers 30-10.
KEY MATCHUP: Jaguars RB James Robinson versus Atlanta’s porous run defense. Despite playing through knee and heel injuries, Robinson has scored in consecutive weeks and remains the key to Jacksonville’s struggling offense. The Falcons have allowed 100 yards on the ground in five consecutive weeks and eight times in 10 games this season. FANTASY TIP: Pitts and Robinson are must starts. Be careful starting anyone else in this snoozer.
TAMPA BAY (7-3) at INDIANAPOLIS (6-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox BETTING LINE: Tampa Bay by 3.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Tampa Bay 4-6; Indianapolis 7-4. SERIES RECORD: Colts lead 8-6.
LAST MEETING: Buccaneers beat Colts 38-35 on Dec. 8, 2019, in Tampa, Florida.
LAST WEEK: Buccaneers beat Giants 30-10; Colts beat Bills 41-15.
KEY MATCHUP: Taylor vs. Bucs’ run defense. After producing 185 yards rushing, 204 yards from scrimmage, and five TDs against the NFL’s No. 1 defense last week, Taylor faces another daunting challenge this week. Tampa Bay’s run defense was the league’s best each of the past two years and is yielding a league-low 78.4 yards per game this season. It should be one of this week’s feature attractions.
FANTASY TIP: Taylor has become the most consistent play over the past few weeks. Even against the Bucs’ strong defense, fantasy players would be wise to ride the hot hand again.
PITTSBURGH (5-4-1) at CINCINNATI (6-4) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
BETTING LINE: Bengals by 3 .5.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Pittsburgh 4-6; Los Angeles 5-5. SERIES RECORD: Steelers lead 67-37.
LAST MEETING: Bengals beat Steelers 24-10 on Sept. 26 in Pittsburgh.
LAST WEEK: Steelers lost to Chargers 41-37; Bengals beat Raiders 32-13.
KEY MATCHUP: QB Ben Roethlisberger and Pittsburgh passing game against Bengals’ defense. Big Ben threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns as Pittsburgh put up a seasonhigh 37 points in losing a shootout to the Los Angeles Chargers. Diontae Johnson, Eric Ebron, and Pat Freiermuth each had scoring catches. Meanwhile, the Bengals limited the Raiders to 278 yards, the second time this season they held an opponent to fewer than 300 yards in a game. Cornerback Eli Apple had a key fourth-quarter interception.
FANTASY TIP: WR Ja’Marr Chase hasn’t put up huge numbers in the past three games, but don’t count out the terrific rookie. He’s due. Chase had only three catches against the Raiders, but one was an outstanding grab in the back corner of the end zone that opened a 22-13 lead for Cincinnati with five
minutes left in the game. A contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year, he leads all such players with eight TD catches.
CAROLINA (5-6) at MIAMI (4-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox
BETTING LINE: Carolina by 1 .5.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Carolina 5-6; Miami 5-5-1.
SERIES RECORD: Dolphins lead 4-2.
LAST MEETING: Panthers beat Dolphins 45-21 on Nov. 13, 2017, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
LAST WEEK: Panthers lost to Washington 27-21; Dolphins defeated the New York Jets 24-17.
KEY MATCHUP: Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey vs. Miami’s front seven. Since 2018, McCaffrey has averaged 134.1 yards from scrimmage per game, the most in the NFL. His 11 career 100-yard receiving games are the most by any NFL running back in history. The Dolphins rank 29th in the league in yards allowed -- but have tightened up considerably in the last three weeks.
FANTASY TIP: Newton has looked great since rejoining the Panthers, but bear in mind that the Dolphins have allowed only
12 points per game during their three-game winning streak.
L.A. CHARGERS (6-4) at DENVER (5-5)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST, CBS
BETTING LINE: Chargers by 2.5.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: L.A. Chargers 5-5; Denver 5-5. SERIES RECORD: Broncos lead 69-53-1.
LAST MEETING: Chargers beat Broncos 19-16 on Dec. 27, 2020, at SoFi Stadium.
LAST WEEK: Chargers beat the Steelers 41-37, Broncos had a bye, lost 30-13 to Eagles on Nov. 14.
KEY MATCHUP: Chargers WR Keenan Allen versus Broncos CB Kyle Fuller, who’s filling in for Bryce Callahan (hyperextended
knee). Coach Vic Fangio will be tempted to move rookie CB Patrick Surtain II inside to cover Allen because a bigger body with a longer reach is a better matchup. Otherwise, Fuller will have to jam Allen at the line, always a dangerous proposition. FANTASY TIP: Ekeler is the hottest hand in this matchup.
MINNESOTA (5-5) at SAN FRANCISCO (5-5)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, Fox
BETTING LINE: 49ers by 3.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Minnesota 6-4; San Francisco 4-6. SERIES RECORD: 49ers lead 24-23-1.
LAST MEETING: 49ers beat Vikings 27-10 on Jan. 11, 2020, at home in a divisional playoff game.
LAST WEEK: Vikings beat Packers 34-31; 49ers beat Jaguars 30-10.
KEY MATCHUP: Vikings WR Justin Jefferson vs. 49ers CBs Emmanuel Moseley and Josh Norman. The Niners have had issues in the secondary this season and will have their hands full with Jefferson, who had 169 yards receiving last week. FANTASY TIP: Niners TE George Kittle has TD catches in three straight games since returning from injured reserve.
Kittle had only three TD catches in his previous 15 games.
L.A. RAMS (7-3) at GREEN BAY (8-3)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, Fox
OPENING LINE: Packers by 1.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Rams 4-6; Packers 9-2
SERIES RECORD: Tied 47-47-2.
LAST MEETING: Packers beat Rams 32-18 in NFC divisional playoff game Jan. 16 at Lambeau Field.
LAST WEEK: Rams had a bye, lost 31-10 at San Francisco on Nov. 15; Packers lost 34-31 at Minnesota.
KEY MATCHUP: Packers WR Davante Adams vs. Rams CB Jalen Ramsey. This matchup features two of the league’s top players at their respective positions. Both were All-Pros
last season. Adams has 72 catches for 979 yards and five TDs this season. Ramsey has picked off three passes. FANTASY TIP: Green Bay K Mason Crosby has missed eight of his last 14 field-goal attempts. He had made a franchiserecord 27 straight before this slump.
CLEVELAND (6-5) at BALTIMORE (7-3)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC
BETTING LINE: Ravens by 3 .5.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Browns 5-6, Ravens 4-6.
SERIES RECORD: Ravens lead 33-11.
LAST MEETING: Ravens beat Browns 47-42 on Dec. 14, 2020, at Cleveland.
LAST WEEK: Ravens beat Bears 16-13; Browns beat Lions 13-10. KEY MATCHUP: Chubb vs. the Baltimore defensive front. Chubb ranks third in the NFL in rushing and the Browns are No.
1 in the team category after Baltimore led the league the past two seasons. The Ravens have been vulnerable to big plays defensively this year, but they have been strong against the run. FANTASY TIP: The Browns have traditionally struggled
against quality tight ends and Baltimore’s Mark Andrews is certainly one of them. He’s feasted on Cleveland, scoring
five touchdowns in six career games.
SEATTLE (3-7) at WASHINGTON (4-6) Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ESPN
BETTING LINE: Washington by 1.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Seahawks 5-5; Washington 3-7. SERIES RECORD: Washington leads 12-9.
LAST MEETING: Seahawks beat Washington 20-15 on Dec. 20, 2020, in Landover, Maryland.
LAST WEEK: Seahawks lost to Cardinals 23-13; Washington beat Panthers 27-21.
KEY MATCHUP: Washington’s Taylor Heinicke and Terry McLaurin vs. Seattle’s passing defense. Heinicke and McLaurin connected for 105 yards and a touchdown to beat Carolina and are in sync despite a lack of other passing targets. The Seahawks would be wise to double McLaurin
and make anyone — DeAndre Carter, Adam Humphries, or maybe even Samuel — beat them.
FANTASY TIP: Washington’s secondary has shown improvement, but Wilson, Metcalf, and Lockett are intriguing options to start against a unit that can get lit up with the right mismatches. Seattle’s pass rush has struggled so badly that
Heinicke could also go off.
— All betting lines are according to FanDuel SportsBook — The Associated Press