WEEK 7 PREVIEW
NEW YORK GIANTS (3-3) VS. LOS ANGELES RAMS (3-3) TV: Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET, in London, NFL Network Line: Giants by 3 Injuries of note: Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. (hip) was limited in practice Thursday but could play. Key to the game: Neither team has had much success running the ball, but at least the Giants have a legitimate excuse. Playing without leading rusher Rashad Jennings for three games, New York has featured one of the worst running games in football. His return from a thumb injury Sunday didn’t provide a whole lot of help, however, as he gained 15 yards and the Giants had 38. Rams RB Todd Gurley has yet to break the 100-yard mark and is averaging 2.9 yards per carry. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2-3) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (3-2) TV: Sunday 1 p.m. ET, Fox Line: Chiefs by 61⁄
Injuries of note: Saints LT Terron Armstead (knee) has missed the last three games but returned to practice and could play. Chiefs LB Justin Houston, returning from February anterior cruciate ligament surgery, has resumed practice but will not play. Matchup to watch: Saints WR Brandin Cooks vs. Chiefs CB Marcus Peters. Cooks has been a consistent downfield threat, catching TD passes of 98 and 87 yards from Drew Brees. Peters (NFL-best five interceptions) was cleared from the league’s concussion protocol, but his game status is uncertain. Key to the game: Strength vs. strength. Brees’ 14-to-4 TD-tointerception ratio places him among the league leaders, while the Chiefs pass defense is No. 12 (236.6 yards per game). INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-4) AT TENNESSEE TITANS (3-3) TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS Line: Titans by 3 Injuries of note: Colts WR Phillip Dorsett (hamstring) didn’t practice Wednesday and Thursday but is considered day-to-day. Key to the game: Pocket mobility: Titans QB Marcus Mariota (284 passing yards, three TDs, 64 rushing yards last weekend) has elevated his game in recent weeks because of his improved mobility in the pocket and willingness to step out of the pocket and use his speed when needed. Similarly, Colts QB Andrew Luck’s ability to run frequently opens up downfield options because of overcompensation by opponents. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-0) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-2) TV: Sunday 1 p.m. ET, Fox Line: Vikings by 3 Injuries of note: Vikings WR Stefon Diggs (groin) was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday and could return Sunday. Eagles DT Bennie Logan (groin) is not expected to play. Key to the game: The Vikings running game is last in the league at 70.6 yards per game and 2.5 yards per attempt. Part of the problem is the injuryriddled offensive line, which took another hit when RT Andre Smith went on injured reserve. The Vikings signed 2010 all-pro T Jake Long, whose career was derailed by knee injuries, to plug the latest hole. Player to watch: Eagles QB Carson Wentz. If the rookie thought he saw pressure from the Washington Redskins, wait until he faces a Minnesota defense that includes four linemen with three or more sacks. CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-6) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-4) TV: Sunday 1 p.m. ET, CBS Line: Bengals by 10 Injuries of note: Bengals TE Tyler Eifert practiced for the first time in two weeks and could play in a limited role. Browns WR Terrelle Pryor (hamstring) and DB Joe Haden (groin) are expected to play. Key to the game: The Bengals might be tempted to go with a pass-heavy attack, given the Browns’ struggles. But they need to establish the run to keep the Browns guessing and to build their own confidence as the season goes along. If the Bengals achieve balance, they’ll have success Sunday. WASHINGTON REDSKINS (4-2) AT DETROIT LIONS (3-3) TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox Line: Lions by 1 Injuries of note: Redskins TE Jordan Reed (concussion) is doubtful, but WR DeSean Jackson (shoulder) is optimistic about playing. Lions TE Eric Ebron (ankle, knee) is doubtful. Key to the game: Redskins QB Kirk Cousins has a 65% accuracy rate that is down more than four points from a year ago. But he has had consecutive games with more than a 70% rate, and he gets a Detroit defense whose lack of resistance against quarterbacks is unprecedented. On the other hand, Lions QB Matthew Stafford’s 139.8 passer rating vs. the Los Angeles Rams last weekend was the second best of his eight-year career. Matchup to watch: Redskins CB Josh Norman vs. Lions WR Marvin Jones. Norman’s total of eight passes defensed is second in the NFC. Jones is No. 7 in the NFL in receiving yards (529). OAKLAND RAIDERS (4-2) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2-3) TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS Line: Jaguars by 1 Injuries of note: Jaguars CB Prince Amukamara (hamstring) was limited in practice and is questionable for Sunday. Raiders RB Latavius Murray (turf toe) practiced and is optimistic about returning Sunday. Key to the game: The Raiders ran the ball better than the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend but not enough. DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard combined for 57 yards on 14 attempts against Kansas City, while Jacksonville’s Chris Ivory and T.J. Yeldon combined for 53 yards on 17 attempts against the Chicago Bears. BUFFALO BILLS (4-2) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (2-4) TV: Sunday 1 p.m. ET, CBS Line: Bills by 3 Injuries of note: Bills RB LeSean McCoy (tight hamstring) is doubtful. Dolphins S Reshad Jones (rotator cuff) is on injured reserve and out for the season. Key to the game: The Bills need two more sacks to surpass the number they recorded in 16 games last season. The pressure will be on Miami’s offensive line, which had all five of its starters in the lineup for the first time last weekend. Having LT Branden Albert and LG Laremy Tunsil back helped keep QB Ryan Tannehill upright and opened holes for RB Jay Ajayi, who rushed for 204 yards last weekend. BALTIMORE RAVENS (3-3) AT NEW YORK JETS (1-5) TV: Sunday 1 p.m. ET, CBS Line: Jets by 2 Injuries of note: Ravens CB Jimmy Smith (concussion) is doubtful, LB Terrell Suggs (torn biceps) is questionable and QB Joe Flacco (shoulder) is questionable. Jets LB Darron Lee (ankle) is questionable. Key to the game: Geno Smith will replace Ryan Fitzpatrick as the Jets’ starting quarterback after Fitzpatrick threw 11 interceptions in six games. But Smith needs someone to throw to. It’s imperative the Jets find someone to replace WR Eric Decker, who was placed on IR with a season-ending shoulder injury. Without him, teams will be double-teaming No. 1 WR Brandon Marshall. But the Ravens defensive backfield has been plagued by injuries, which should help Smith and the Jets. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-3) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (1-5) TV: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox Line: Bucs by 1 Injuries of note: Bucs RB Doug Martin (hamstring) suffered a setback and is unlikely to return. 49ers RB Carlos Hyde (shoulder) is questionable. Key to the game: Against Buffalo, 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick, starting for the first time this season, struggled under normal pocket pressure, resulting in the Bills blitzing only twice. If the Bucs can muster enough pressure with a conventional fourman rush, they might take a cue from Buffalo and keep seven defenders in coverage. Player to watch: Bucs QB Jameis Winston. Coach Dirk Koetter used the bye week to drive home the importance of ball security and making good decisions with his second-year quarterback. Winston hopes to build on his turnover-free performance in the Bucs’ win at the Carolina Panthers. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (2-4) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (4-2) TV: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox Line: Falcons by 61⁄ Injuries of note: WR Travis Ben-
jamin (knee) might be able to play.
Key to the game: Stopping Julio Jones. The Seattle Seahawks couldn’t do it last weekend (seven receptions for 139 yards and a TD). With Jason Verrett on injured reserve, the Chargers start Casey Hayward and Craig Mager at cornerback and don’t have a lot of depth in their pass defense. It’s difficult to imagine San Diego’s secondary having an answer for the Matt Ryan-to-Jones connection on the fast FieldTurf at the Georgia Dome. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-1) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-2) TV: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS Line: Patriots by 7 Injuries of note: Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (knee) is out and will be replaced by Landry Jones. Key to the game: The Steelers need to be better defensively anyway, but the loss of Roethlisberger puts more onus on the defense to deliver its best game of the season. The Steelers have eight sacks, and they’ll need to consistently disrupt Patriots QB Tom Brady to have a chance. Player to watch: TE Rob Gronkowski. The Patriots can attack in multiple ways, and with the addition of TE Martellus Bennett they can be even more creative with where Gronkowski lines up and how Brady delivers him the ball. The Steelers don’t have an ideal matchup for Gronkowski’s size-and-speed combination. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (4-1) ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-3) TV: Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC Line: Cardinals by 2 Injuries of note: Seahawks S Kam Chancellor (groin) did not play last week and is day-today. Cardinals LG Mike Iupati (ankle) is expected to return. Key to the game: Cardinals QB Carson Palmer is showing signs of age, but he has surprised the doubters before. It’s no secret that his play, for better or worse, is a key to the Cardinals’ success in this rivalry. He threw for 363 yards and three TDs in a win vs. the Seahawks last season and was 12-for-25 for a meager 129 yards in a loss to Seattle. Player to watch: Cardinals WR Michael Floyd. We all know that the Larry Fitzgerald-Richard Sherman matchup is one of the best in football, but Floyd was a key to Arizona’s Week 10 upset in Seattle last season. HOUSTON TEXANS (4-2) AT DENVER BRONCOS (4-2) TV: Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Line: Broncos by 9 Injuries of note: Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who missed last week’s loss to San Diego with a migraine, returns to the sideline. Key to the game: QBs Trevor Siemian (Broncos) and Brock Osweiler (Texans) are first-year starters who have struggled to find the right touch. Both have strong arms, but that strength actually has been more of a weakness in the opening quarter of the season as they have struggled with accuracy and chemistry with their receivers. Compiled by USA TODAY Sports staff Bye week: Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys