NFL Week 4 preview
EAGLES (2-1) AT L.A. CHARGERS (0-3)
Sunday, 4 p.m., Fox
OPENING LINE: Chargers by 1
SERIES: Chargers lead 7-4
LAST MEETING: Chargers beat Eagles 33-30, Sept. 15, 2013
AP PRO32 RANKING : Eagles No. 12, Chargers No. 27
EAGLES OFFENSE : OVERALL (9), RUSH (9), PASS (10).
EAGLES DEFENSE : OVERALL (21), RUSH (6), PASS (25). CHARGERS OFFENSE : OVERALL (18), RUSH (27), PASS (11). CHARGERS DEFENSE : OVERALL (13), RUSH (31), PASS (5). NOTES : Although Chargers lead series, team have split last four meetings dating to 2001. Nine of 11 games have been decided by eight or fewer points, including five by three or fewer . ... Eagles’ last game in Los Angeles proper was 31-10 win against Raiders at Coliseum on Nov. 8, 1992 . ... Eagles lead NFC with .587 winning percentage (40-28-1) vs. AFC opponents since 2000 . ... RB Darren Sproles, who began career with Chargers, suffered ACL, broken forearm on same play last week . ... Eagles released another former Chargers RB, Ryan Mathews, during training camp . ... Philly offensive coordinator Frank Reich was Chargers quarterbacks coach in 2013, offensive coordinator in 2014-15 before being fired in staff purge. Reich credited with helping Philip Rivers bounce back from shaky few seasons . ... Rivers threw three interceptions in loss to Chiefs. He
NEW YORK GIANTS (0-3) at TAMPA BAY (1-1) Sunday, 4:05 p.m., Fox OPENING LINE: Buccaneers
SERIES: Giants lead 14-6 LAST MEETING: Giants beat Buccaneers 32-18, Nov. 18, 2015
FANTASY TIP: Beckham, penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for TD celebration last week, says he has better one planned. With Bucs 32nd in pass defense, he may get chance to reveal it . ... Jackson got open deep twice for Bucs vs. Vikings, with Winston hitting him once for TD. Expect them to test secondary early and often, especially with Evans commanding attention on other side of field.
LA RAMS (2-1) at DALLAS (2-1) Sunday, 1 p.m.
OPENING LINE: Cowboys by 7 SERIES: Cowboys lead 17-15 LAST MEETING: Cowboys beat Rams 34-31, Sept. 21, 2014 FANTASY TIP: Elliott, defending NFL rushing champ, still looking for breakout game, facing 29th-ranked rush defense with possibility of six-game suspension over domestic incident going into effect if federal appeals court rules against him next week.
NOTES: Rams 13-12 in series against Cowboys while previously in LA (1960-92). Eight of those meetings (4-4) were in playoffs, most for Rams in postseason and tied for
BUFFALO (2-1) at ATLANTA (3-0) Sunday, 1 p.m.
OPENING LINE: Falcons by 8 1⁄2 SERIES: Falcons lead 7-4 LAST MEETING: Falcons beat Bills 34-31, Dec. 1, 2013 in Toronto
FANTASY TIP: There are no more concerns that shared role with RB Tevin Coleman would diminish Freeman’s value. Start Freeman, especially at home. Freeman has 12 TDs, 11 rushing and one receiving, in last six home games. He had 106 yards rushing, 32 yards receiving and TD last week
NOTES: Roof on new MercedesBenz Stadium will be closed. Falcons had first open-air home game since Dec. 15, 1991 vs. Packers on Sept. 17.
CINCINNATI (0-3) at CLEVELAND (0-3) Sunday, 1 p.m.
OPENING LINE: Bengals by 2 SERIES: Bengals lead 48-39 LAST MEETING: Bengals beat Browns 23-10, Dec. 11, 2016 FANTASY TIP: Green always seems to play well against Browns, and this time he’s not facing two-time Pro Bowl CB Joe Haden, who’s with Pittsburgh. Green has 52 receptions and six TDs in 11 games against Cleveland. NOTES: Ohio’s two NFL teams enter winless and somewhat aimless . ... Last time Browns and Bengals both entered 0-3 was 2008, when Cleveland came away with 20-12 win . ... Bengals have won five straight in series and 19 of 25. led league in pickoffs two of last three seasons, including careerhigh 21 in 2016. .. Chargers DE Melvin Ingram had career-high three sacks vs. Chiefs. He leads AFC, is second in NFL with 5 ½ sacks . ... Chargers tied for second in NFL with 11 sacks . ... Chargers have lost 26 of last 35 games dating to start of 2015 season and are trying to avoid first 0-4 start since 2003, when they opened 0-5 en route to 4-12 record.
PITTSBURGH (2-1) at BALTIMORE (2-1) Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
OPENING LINE: Steelers by 3 SERIES: Steelers lead 25-21 LAST MEETING: Steelers beat Ravens, 31-27, Dec. 25, 2016 FANTASY TIP: TE Benjamin Watson has been Flacco’s favorite target with 11 catches for 103 yards and TD. He’s taken over role held by injured TE Dennis Pitta, who led team in receptions last year.
NOTES: Twelve of last 18 games between teams decided by three points or fewer . ... Ravens have won six of last eight over Steelers, including playoffs . ... Former Steelers WR Mike Wallace caught 95-yard TD pass vs. Pittsburgh last year, longest offensive play in Ravens history.
SAN FRANCISCO (0-3)
at ARIZONA (1-2) Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
OPENING LINE: Cardinals by 6 ½ SERIES: 49ers lead 29-22 LAST MEETING: Cardinals won 23-20, Nov. 13, 2016
FANTASY TIP: Fitzgerald has 16 career TD catches vs. San Francisco. Only team he has more against is Rams (17).
NOTES: There are six former 49ers on the Arizona roster: K Phil Dawson, P Andy Lee, G Alex Boone, QB Blaine Gabbert, G Mike Iupati, S Antoine Bethea . ... Cardinals swept all four games against San Francisco in past two years . ... San Francisco played last Thursday and will be much more rested than Cardinals, who played Monday night . ...
JACKSONVILLE (2-1) at NEW YORK JETS (1-2) Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS OPENING LINE: Jacksonville
SERIES: Tied 6-6.
LAST MEETING: Jets beat Jaguars 28-23, Nov. 8, 2015. FANTASY TIP: Powell could see lots of touches in this one with Forte unlikely to play, and could thrive against 28th-ranked run defense.
NOTES: Both teams coming off surprising wins, with Jacksonville back from trip to London last weekend . ... Jets have won last three meetings . ... Jaguars are road favorites after being underdogs for last 44 consecutive games away from home.
... Jaguars above .500 entering Week 4 for first time since 2007.
DETROIT (2-1) at MINNESOTA (2-1) Sunday, 1 p.m.
OPENING LINE: OFF
SERIES: Vikings lead 71-38-2 LAST MEETING: Lions beat Vikings 16-13, Nov. 24, 2016 FANTASY TIP: Vikings kicker Kai Forbath has made all 21 field goals attempted since joining team for final seven games of last season. Over that 10-game span, he’s tied with Prater and Jason Myers of Jaguars for most makes in league.
NOTES: Though Vikings have all-time lopsided edge in division rivalry, Lions have won eight of last 13 meetings. They swept series in 2014 and 2016, with Vikings winning both matchups in 2015.