NFL Week 16 preview
OAKLAND (6-8) AT EAGLES (12-2) Monday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN OPENING LINE:Eagles by 9 SERIES: Tied 6-6 LAST MEETING: Eagles, 49-20, 2013 RAIDERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (19), RUSH (25), PASS (16). RAIDERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (21), RUSH (15), PASS (23). EAGLES OFFENSE: OVERALL (3), RUSH (2), PASS (8). EAGLES DEFENSE: OVERALL (6), RUSH (1), PASS (22). FANTASY TIP: WR Alshon Jeffery has been TD machine and already seems to be in sync with Nick Foles. ETC.: Raiders beat Eagles in Super Bowl following 1980 season. ... Oakland’s Derek Carr joined Dan Marino, Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck as only QBs with at least 100 TD passes in first four seasons in NFL . ... RB Marshawn Lynch has 388 scrimmage yards and three TDs in three games vs. Eagles . ... WR Michael Crabtree has 25 TDs since 2015, fifth in NFL . ... Pro Bowl DE Khalil Mack seeks sack in sixth straight game . ... Oakland LB Bruce Irvin has five sacks, two forced fumbles in past four games . ... Eagles secure NFC’s No. 1 seed with a win or loss by Vikings at Packers . ... Eagles have first-round bye for only sixth time since 1970 and first since 2004 . ... Eagles need 37 points to set franchise record for most points in single season . ... Foles tied NFL record with seven TD
DENVER 5-9 AT WASHINGTON (6-8) Sunday, 1 p.m. OPENING LINE: Redskins by 3½ SERIES: Broncos, 7-6 LAST MEETING: Broncos, 4521, 2013 FANTASY TIP: C.J. Anderson is good bet for his eighth career 100-yard rushing game against Redskins’ banged-up defense. ETC: Broncos have 32 consecutive wins when winning turnover battle, longest active streak . ... Since 2012, Demaryius Thomas ranks second in NFL with 565 catches, third with 7,710 receiving yards . ... Samaje Perine fourth among rookies with 547 yards rushing. ... TE Vernon Davis won Super Bowl with Broncos in 2016.
BILLS (8-6) AT PATRIOTS (11-3) Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS OPENING LINE: Patriots by 12 SERIES: Pats, 71-43-1 LAST MEETING: Pats, 23-3, Dec. 3 FANTASY TIP: In five games against New England, LeSean McCoy has 510 scrimmage yards (102 per game) with three TDs (two rushing, one receiving). ETC.: Bills’ 17-year playoff drought is longest active streak in four major pro sports . ... McCoy leads Bills with 1,057 yards rushing and six TDs. He has two receiving TDs . ... ... QB Tom Brady is 27-3 vs. Bills, most wins over any opponent. He’s also thrown for more TDs (66) against Bills than any opponent.
TAMPA BAY (4-10) AT CAROLINA (10-4) Sunday, 1 p.m. OPENING LINE: Panthers by 9 SERIES: Panthers, 21-13 LAST MEETING: Panthers, 17-3, Oct. 17 FANTASY TIP: Panthers WR Damiere Byrd had two TD catches last week vs. Packers. ETC.: Bucs Doug Martin has 282 yards rushing in past three games vs. Carolina . ... Bucs LB Lavonte David has NFL-high five forced fumbles . ... Bucs allowing NFL-worst 276.1 yards passing per game . ... Panthers have won four straight at home . ... QB Cam Newton needs 31 yards rushing to move into third place all-time among NFL QBs . ... RB Jonathan Stewart has five TDs rushing in past four games.
JACKSONVILLE (10-4) AT SAN FRANCISCO (4-10) Sunday, 4:05 p.m. OPENING LINE: Jaguars by 5 SERIES: Tied 2-2 LAST MEETING: 49ers, 42-10, 2013 FANTASY TIP: Niners K Robbie Gould has made 20 straight FGs and is first player with 15 FGs in three-game span. ETC.: Jaguars have lost eight straight in Pacific Time Zone by average of 20.9 points . ... San Francisco has held four straight opponents to less than 100 yards rushing for first time since 2013, but faces league’s top rushing attack . ... Niners seek first four-game winning streak in same season since 2013. Raiders back Marshawn Lynch (24) has 388 yards from scirmmage against the Eagles. passes in last meeting vs. Raiders . ... Jeffery leads team with nine receiving TDs, including seven in last seven games . ... Pro Bowl TE Zach Ertz (8), Trey Burton (5) and Brent Celek (1) have 14 TDs combined, most by tight ends in one season in team history . ... Threeheaded rushing attack of LeGarrette Blount (717), Jay Ajayi (356) and Corey Clement (307) has combined for 1,380 yards rushing and seven TDs.
MIAMI (6-8) AT KANSAS CITY (8-6) Sunday, 1 p.m. OPENING LINE: Chiefs by 9 SERIES: Dolphins, 16-13 LAST MEETING: Chiefs, 34-15, 2014 FANTASY TIP: Roll with Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry at your own risk. Chiefs’ defense was scorched by Jets three weeks ago, but has been solid in past two. ETC.: Dolphins are 5-2 in games decided by one score or less. They are 13-2 over last 15 such games . ... Landry has 98 receptions, needs 13 to break franchise record for single season . ... Chiefs are third in AFC and sixth in NFL in scoring at 25.6 points per game . ... Chiefs’ Kareem Hunt (1,201) trails Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell by 21 yards for rushing lead.
NEW YORK GIANTS (2-12)
AT ARIZONA (6-8) Sunday, 4:25 p.m., OPENING LINE: Cardinals by 6 SERIES: Giants, 80-43-2 LAST MEETING: Cardinals, 2514, 2014 FANTASY TIP: Eli Manning has completed 68 of 103 passes (66 percent) in two starts since onegame benching for 662 yards, four TDs, three interceptions. ETC.: Manning has 13 consecutive 3,000-yard seasons, tying brother Peyton for third-longest streaky. Brett Favre did it for 18 straight seasons, Drew Brees 14. ... At 34, Cards’ Larry Fitzgerald needs eight catches and 18 yards to become oldest player to have 100 receptions, 1,000 yards receiving in single season.
L.A. CHARGERS (7-7) AT NEW YORK JETS (5-9) Sunday, 1 p.m. OPENING LINE: Chargers by 8½ SERIES: Chargers, 21-14-1 LAST MEETING: Chargers, 31-0, 2014 FANTASY TIP: Despite being part of three-man committee, Jets RB Bilal Powell could make for solid play against 30thranked run defense. ETC.: Chargers coach Anthony Lynn was assistant for Jets from 2009-14, including serving as assistant head coach under Rex Ryan in final season . ... QB Philip Rivers needs 329 yards passing to become ninth player to reach 50,000 . ... QB Bryce Petty making second start . ... Jets have scored on 21 straight red-zone possessions, including 13 TDs and eight field goals.
SEATTLE (8-6) AT DALLAS (8-6) Sunday, 4:25 p.m., Fox OPENING LINE: Cowboys by 3½ SERIES: Cowboys, 10-7 LAST MEETING: Seahawks, 1312, 2015 FANTASY TIP: Easiest one of year: if you’re still alive and you’ve had RB Ezekiel Elliott stashed, put him back in lineup. ETC.: Russell Wilson second in NFL with 30 passing TDs, has NFL-record 18 TDs in fourth quarter. He leads team with 521 yards rushing . ... DE Michael Bennett has 31/2 sacks, seven tackles for loss in past seven road games. ... DE DeMarcus Lawrence ranks third in NFL with 131/2 sacks. .. LB Sean Lee has 30 tackles in two games since three-game absence.
FANTASY TIP: Rookie QB Mitchell Trubisky and WR Kendall Wright have chance to put up some big numbers. ETC.: Browns won on Christmas Eve last season, beating thenSan Diego Chargers . ... Browns rookie QB DeShone Kizer leads league with 19 interceptions . ... With 13-33 record in three seasons, John Fox could be coaching final home game for Bears . ... Jordan Howard ranks fourth in NFL with 1,069 yards rushing . ... Wright has 17 catches for 188 yards in past two games.
LOS ANGELES RAMS (10-4)
AT TENNESSEE (8-6) Sunday, 1 p.m. OPENING LINE: Rams by 4 SERIES: Rams, 7-5 LAST MEETING: Titans, 2821, 2013 FANTASY TIP: With Titans so good at stopping run, Rams QB Jared Goff will have chance to pass away. ETC.: Goff averaging 261.7 yards passing with five TDs and no INTs in past three games vs. AFC . ... Rams rookie Cooper Kupp has 323 yards receiving in past four games. Kupp leads rookies with 804 yards receiving and 58 catches . ... Titans have 26 sacks over past five games . ... Titans second in NFL in fewest plays 20 yards or longer allowed with 36.
PITTSBURGH (11-3) AT HOUSTON (4-10) Monday, 4:30 p.m., NBC/NFL Network/Amazon OPENING LINE: Steelers by 7½ SERIES: Steelers, 3-2 LAST MEETING: Steelers, 3023, 2014 FANTASY TIP: Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins leads NFL with franchise-record 12 TD receptions and had 108 yards receiving in last meeting with Steelers. ETC.: Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has six TD passes and one interception in four games against Houston . ... DE Cameron Heyward has five sacks in past five games . ... WR Will Fuller has five TD receptions combined in last five home games.
FANTASY TIP: RB Devonta Freeman has been in top form lately and faces defense that yielded 132 yards rushing to Falcons in Week 14. ETC.: Falcons 9-0 when scoring 20 or more . ... Julio Jones third in NFL with 1,215 yards receiving, has averaged 96.4 yards in his past seven vs. Saints . ... Saints are only team with three players who’ve surpassed 1,000 scrimmage yards: RBs Mark Ingram (1,420) and Alvin Kamara (1,336), and WR Michael Thomas (1,085) . ...
DETROIT (8-6) AT CINCINNATI (5-9) Sunday, 1 p.m. OPENING LINE: Lions by 3 SERIES: Bengals, 8-3 LAST MEETING: Bengals, Lions 27-24, 2013 FANTASY TIP: Matthew Stafford threw for 357 yards and three TDs in last game vs. Bengals. He’ll be facing injurygutted defense that allowed 482 yards against Bears. ETC.: Lions are 5-2 on road, haven’t won six road games in season since 1961, when they went 8-5-1 overall . ... Bengals haven’t given up 30 points in three straight games since 1999 under Bruce Coslet . ... In last 10 quarters, Bengals have scored 17 points and managed only 495 yards.
EAGLES STATS
RUSHING ATT YDS AVG Blount 159 717 4.5 Ajayi 56 356 6.4 Clement 71 307 4.3 Wentz 64 299 4.7 Smallwood 43 168 3.9 Sproles 15 61 4.1 Barner 15 59 3.9 Foles 10 30 3.0 Smith 1 -3 -3.0 TEAM 434 1967 4.5 OPPONENTS 272 1001 3.7 RECEIVING NO. YDS AVG Ertz 63 719 11.4 Jeffery 56 781 13.9 Agholor 55 722 13.1 Smith 35 425 12.1 Burton 22 239 10.9 Hollins 13 201 15.5 Smallwood 10 79 7.9 Clement 9 117 13.0 Celek 9 105 11.7 Ajayi 8 70 8.8 Sproles 7 73 10.4 Blount 6 36 6.0 LG 68 71 28 24 26 12 18 9 -3 71 53t LG 53 53t 72t 59t 27t 64t 24 28 28 32 16 20 TD 2 1 4 0 1 0 1 0 0 9 7 TD 8 9 8 2 5 1 0 2 1 0 0 1