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 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.
LAST MEETING: Broncos beat Raiders 24-6, Jan. 1, 2017 FANTASY TIP: Denver’s No. 4 overall defense ranks first against run after shutting down Melvin Gordon, Ezekiel Elliott, LeSean McCoy in first three weeks. NOTES: Jack Del Rio faces former team and former offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, who is now Denver’s quarterbacks coach . ... Raiders P Marquette King leads league with 53.3-yard average, 48.8-yard net average . ... QB Derek Carr has 13 TD throws, three interceptions in last seven road games.
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. OPENING LINE: Saints by 3 SERIES: Dolphins lead 6-5 LAST MEETING: Saints won 38-17, Sept. 30, 2013 FANTASY TIP: Saints’ top WR Michael Thomas, who has 87 or more yards receiving in each of past two games, could feast on struggling Dolphins secondary. NOTES: Saints are 1-0 at Wembley Stadium, where Dolphins are 1-2 . ... Saints beat Chargers in London in 2008 . ... Dolphins lost to New York Giants in first NFL regular-season game played at Wembley Stadium in 2007 . ... Dolphins playing in London for third time in last four seasons.