Sunday Morning Under the Helmet: What To Watch for in NFL Week 13

It’s another week, it’s another Sunday, and it’s another great day for NFL football!

Today we’ll take a look at an NFC East showdown in the Meadowlands that could yield surprising results and let you know which of the league’s last remaining undefeateds will lose today.

 

 

Matchup of the Week: Dallas Cowboys (8-3) at New York Giants (6-5)

 

Last time these two teams met it was an NFC East battle between two 1-0 teams with Super Bowl hopes.

Today’s game is a bit different. It’s still an NFC East showdown with lots at stake, but the Cowboys are 8-3 and have won six of their last seven and the Giants are 6-5 having lost five of their last six games since starting the season 5-0.

The Giants are desperate. They’ve looked like a completely different team than the Giants that were 5-0 after five weeks.

Scoring points has been an issue on offense and keeping opponents from scoring has been a problem on defense.

They’ve allowed an average of 31.7 points per game in their last six and are averaging only 20 themselves while being outscored 190-121 over that period.

Eli Manning’s protection is very important for the Giants and has been a problem in their losses. Manning has been sacked 15 times in their five losses but only three times in their six wins. Clearly, New York’s offensive line has to find a way to protect their quarterback.

Protecting Manning will be very tough against the Cowboys, though.

DeMarcus Ware is Dallas’ best pass rusher and has played well in his last seven games in which he has eight sacks. He’ll be hungry to get to Manning today because he and the rest of the Cowboys defense failed to get a sack in their Week Two game in which they allowed 330 yards and two touchdowns in the Giants’ 33-31 victory.

Mario Manningham and Steve Smith were on the receiving end of most of Manning’s passes in that game.

Manningham caught 10 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. Smith also hauled in 10 passes and racked up 134 yards and one touchdown.

For the Cowboys, Tony Romo and company have had a very good season on offense so far this season.

Romo is seventh in the league with 2,933 yards passing. He has thrown 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 60.2 percent of his passes.

Coming into the season it was expected that Jason Witten and Roy Williams would be Romo’s go-to guys. Witten leads the team in receptions with 59 for 588 yards and one touchdown but Williams has not been the factor he was expected to be. Williams has only 26 catches for 444 yards and four touchdowns.

Miles Austin, not Williams, has become Romo’s top wide receiver.

Austin has 42 catches for 824 yards and eight touchdowns. He leads the league with six touchdown catches of 20 yards or more. Austin has had three games of 145 yards or more including Week Five’s franchise record 250 yards and two touchdowns against the Chiefs.

The Cowboys rushing attack has also been impressive this season. With Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice all playing a major part out of the backfield, the ‘Boys rank sixth in the NFL in rushing yards per game.

Their three-headed monster in the backfield allows them to have fresh legs in the game at all times and lets them use Barber late in the fourth quarter to close out games like he did so well back in 2007.

But it may not be about the X’s and O’s and all the matchups and player statistics in this game. One key factor may be the fact that it is now December.

Since 2006, the Cowboys are 26-9 in games in September, October and November combined but just 5-8 in December. They’ll need to find a way to win in December this season, especially today against their division rivals.

 

 

Keys to the game

 

-Pressure on Eli Manning

-Romo, Austin, Witten

-Who can run the ball better?

-Can the Cowboys get over their December woes?

Prediction: Giants win 27-25.

 

 

Small Names, Big Games

 

Here we will take a look at three non-superstars who will post big numbers in Week 13.

 

 

Donnie Avery (WR, St. Louis)

 

Donnie Avery has not lived up to the expectations that were put on him after his rookie season a year ago.

In 11 games this season, Avery, who’s labeled as the team’s No. 1 receiver, has only 34 catches for 466 yards and five touchdowns.

Today, however, things could change for Avery when he goes against a Chicago Bears team that has allowed an average of 214.2 passing yards against them this season including 392 yards to Brett Favre and the Vikings in their 36-10 loss last week.

Look for Avery to have one of his best games of the season this afternoon.

 

 

Jeremy Maclin (WR, Philadelphia)

 

The Eagles will be without their top weapon in the passing game today when DeSean Jackson sits out against the Atlanta Falcons due to the concussion he suffered in last week’s game. Therefore, rookie Jeremy Maclin will see an increase in his opportunities today.

Maclin has 42 catches for 540 yards and four touchdowns already this season. He’s averaging 67.7 receiving yards in his last three games.

Today, Maclin should have even more success when he goes head-to-head against the Falcons’ 27th ranked pass defense.

 

 

Kyle Orton (QB, Denver)

 

Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton has had an up and down season so far in ’09.

He’s had games where he has put up big numbers, like his 330 yard performance against the Patriots in Week Five, but he’s also had games where he has struggled like his three interception game against the Steelers in Week Nine.

Today, Orton goes against the Chiefs’ 30th ranked pass defense. With his best weapon, Brandon Marshall, heating up of late, expect Orton to have a great game this afternoon.

 

Others To Watch: Jamaal Charles (RB, Kansas City), Pat White (QB, Miami), Austin Collie (WR, Indianapolis)

 

 

Upset Alert!: Tennessee (5-6) over Indianapolis (11-0)???

 

The Tennessee Titans are one of the NFL’s hottest teams right now. However, the Colts are even hotter.

The Titans are riding an impressive five game winning streak, the Colts are going for their 21st consecutive regular season win.

But today one of those streaks will come to an end, and it won’t be the Titans’.

That’s right, today the Indianapolis Colts will lose!

If the Colts do win today, they will tie New England for the longest regular season win streak in NFL history. What’s ironic about today’s game is that the Patriots’ win streak began a week after a loss to the Miami Dolphins and ended against the Dolphins. The Colts’ current streak began against the Pats one week after losing to the Titans. Will their streak end today against the last team they lost to?

To continue their own mini-streak, the Titans need quarterback Vince Young to continue his great play.

Since taking over the starting job in Week Eight, Young has been very impressive. In his five starts this season, he has completed 65 percent of his passes for 1,010 yards, four touchdowns and only one interception. Dating back to the 2007 season, Young has won nine consecutive starts.

Last week’s performance against the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals, was by far Young’s best as an NFL quarterback.

Against the Cards, VY threw for a career high 387 yards (his previous high was 305 yards in ’07).

But with under two minutes to play, Young and the Titans trailed and needed a touchdown. To make things worse, they had to go 99 yards if they planned on winning.

It didn’t seem likely, but in a John Elway kind of way, Young led his team all the way down the field and completed the game-winning touchdown to rookie Kenny Britt on fourth-and-goal as time ran out to win the game for the Titans.

But all the credit can’t go to Young, others have contributed to this turnaround as well.

Those contributors include the NFL’s leading rusher Chris Johnson.

Johnson is on an incredible pace in what has been an unbelievable sophomore season. He is averaging 127 yards per game and is already only four yards shy of the 1400 mark.

Johnson has run for at least 125 yards in each of his last six games. He is averaging 154.7 total yards from scrimmage in those six games.

Clearly, Johnson is the focal point of the Titans offense and will likely be the focus for the Colts defense. Johnson’s worst game of the season came back in Week Five against the Colts when he was held to a mere 34 yards on the ground. The Titans have to make sure Johnson has a much better performance this time around.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Titans will have to stop MVP candidate Peyton Manning and his multitude of weapons in the pass attack.

In the Colts’ Week Five 31-9 win over the Titans, Manning threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns.

On that night the Titans failed to get to Manning who made them pay. This afternoon, Tennessee will have to find ways to get a lot more pressure on Manning and force mistakes.

Will the Titans be the team to finally get to the Colts and be responsible for putting that first “1” in Indy’s loss column?

The Colts have had many chances to lose over the last five weeks. In fact, they’ve set an NFL record with five consecutive wins after trailing in the fourth quarter. At some point they’re not going to be able to comeback and that day will be today…

 

 

Keys for TEN

 

-Dominate with Johnson and Young

-Don’t get fooled on Manning’s play-action

-Put pressure on Manning

-Don’t let up, stay aggressive

Prediction: Titans win 30-24.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Sunday Morning Under the Helmet: What to Watch for in NFL Week 12

NFL coaches always emphasize the importance of games played after Thanksgiving and preach that the “real season” starts after Turkey Day.

Well, Thanksgiving was three days ago; The “real season” starts now!

 

Matchup of the Week: New England Patriots (7-3) at New Orleans Saints (10-0)

The Patriots vs. Saints matchup on Monday Night Football is clearly the “must watch” game of Week 12.

This primetime showdown puts two high-powered offenses led by two MVP candidate quarterbacks head-to-head in what may be a Super Bowl XLIV preview. It’s sure to be a great game!

New England, which has won six straight games on Monday Night Football, will try to put an end to the Saints’ bid at matching their 16-0 record from just two seasons ago.

To finally put a “1” in the Saints’ loss column, the Pats will have to play a full 60 minutes of football. They’ve struggled in second half of games and it has cost them multiple times this season including Week 10’s disaster against Indianapolis.

In the second half, the Pats have scored just 94 points as opposed to the 196 they’ve posted in the first half of games.

In fact, in all three of their losses they held a halftime lead.

Against the Jets in Week Two, they were outscored 13-0 in the second half after holding a 9-3 lead at the end of the second quarter. In Week Five vs. Denver, New England led 17-7 at the half, but again were shutout in the second half, then lost in overtime. And of course against Indy in Week 10, they collapsed in the second half after holding a 24-7 second quarter lead going on to lose 35-34 in the final seconds.

New Orleans is the complete opposite. The Saints are fantastic in the second half. Drew Brees and company have posted 188 second half points this season and have made multiple late game comebacks.

After trailing 24-10 mid-way through their Week Seven game against the Dolphins, the Saints rallied with 36 second half points to take the victory 46-34. Two weeks later against Carolina, they outscored the Panthers 24-3 in the second half to win 30-20.

So basically if this game looks like a blowout after two quarters on Monday night, don’t even dare let the thoughts of having to get up to go to work early the next morning enter your mind because chances are, the second half will be totally different and you’ll be kicking yourself for going to bed.

No matter what happens in the second half, though, this game has “shootout” written all over it.

Both of these offenses rank in the top three in points per game, top two in yards, and top 10 in passing.

They both have Pro Bowl quarterbacks, and Pro Bowl receivers. There will be pigskins flying through the air all night long.

On the New England side, quarterback Tom Brady, who is currently riding a career long five straight 300+ yards passing streak, will likely look in the directions of Randy Moss and Wes Welker many times throughout the night.

Moss is second in the league in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, he’s the deep threat.

Welker leads the league in receptions and is second in yards after the catch, he’s Brady’s security blanket.

For New Orleans, Brees likes to spread the ball around a bit more.

Marques Colston and Robert Meachem are tied with the team lead in touchdown catches. Colston also leads the Saints in receptions and yards.

Devery Henderson is Brees’ deep threat. Henderson is 10th in the NFL in yards per catch (16.8).

Tight end Jeremy Shockey is also a dangerous weapon for Brees to throw to. Shockey has hauled in 39 passes for 461 yards and three touchdowns this season.

Another weapon Brees has in his arsenal is the run game. Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, and Reggie Bush have created quite a rushing attack for the Saints this season. They rank fifth in rushing yards per game.

But the key to this game may not be how these two offensive juggernauts use their weapons, it might be how the defenses try to stop them.

New England’s defense ranks second in points allowed and sixth against the pass so they may have the upper hand over the Saints who rank 13th and 15th in those categories, respectively.

Right now the Saints are battling injuries on defense.

Defensive backs Tracy Porter, Randall Gay, and Jabari Greer all were either limited in practice this week or did not practice at all.

Good news, though, is that safety Darren Sharper, who sat out last week’s game vs. St. Louis with a knee injury, was removed from the injury report.

Despite the bumps and bruises, expect the Saints D and coordinator Gregg Williams to continue their blitz-happy ways tomorrow night to try to stop Brady, Moss and Welker.

 

Keys to the game

-Brady vs. Brees

-Moss and Welker

-Saints run game

-Who can get more pressure on the opposing QB?

Prediction: Patriots win 37-31.

Small Names, Big Games

Here we will take a look at three non-superstars who will post big numbers in Week 12.

Rock Cartwright (RB, Washington)

With Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts both out with injuries, Rock Cartwright will be the starting running back for the Redskins this afternoon.

Cartwright and the ‘Skins go against division rival Philadelphia today.

Because of the injuries, Cartwright will see the majority of the backfield touches which could mean a lot of yards from scrimmage. Expect over 100 total yards from Cartwright this afternoon.

Jamaal Charles (RB, Kansas City)

Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles has played well in the last two weeks since taking over the starting job after the release of Larry Johnson.

Charles has scored three touchdowns in those two games with one coming on a kick return.

In Week 10 against the Raiders, Charles ran for 103 yards on 18 carries.

Today he goes against the San Diego Chargers who rank 21st against the run.

Look for Charles to run for 80+ yards and find the endzone once again this afternoon.

Alex Smith (QB, San Francisco)

Since taking over the starting job back in Week Eight, former first overall pick Alex Smith has been impressive in what is, perhaps, his final attempt at making it as a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Smith has completed 61.3 percent of his passes this season and has thrown for 1,031 yards with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Last week Smith threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns in San Francisco’s 30-24 loss to Green Bay.

Today Smith matches up against the Jaguars’ 25th ranked pass defense. Jacksonville is allowing an average of 244 yards through the air so watch for Smith to have another good game this afternoon.

Others To Watch: Fred Davis (TE, Washington), Jason Snelling (RB, Atlanta), Justin Forsett (RB, Seattle)

Upset Alert!: Houston (5-5) over Indianapolis (10-0)???

This afternoon the Houston Texans will attempt to keep their quickly fading playoff hopes alive by beating the 10-0 Indianapolis Colts. Doing so will certainly be a tough task.

Not only has Indianapolis won all 10 of its games this season, they’ve won 19 consecutive regular season games dating back to last year.

So why all of a sudden is this dominant team going to fall to a .500 club that isn’t just trying to make the playoffs this season, but for the first time in franchise history?

Judging by Indy’s last four games, they’re a team that’s just barely hanging onto the ropes of perfection and that rope is about to break.

Since beating St. Louis in Week Seven, the Colts have won four games by a combined 10 points.

That includes their 20-17 win over the Texans in Week Nine when Houston kicker Kris Brown missed a potential game-tying field goal at the end of regulation.

In that Week Nine game, which was held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Texans quarterback Matt Schaub threw for 311 yards and one touchdown while connecting with his favorite target Andre Johnson 10 times for 103 yards.

It’s very likely the Schaub-to-Johnson connection will light up the house again this afternoon.

Schaub and Johnson have hooked up 58 times for 878 yards and five touchdowns this season. The two are the NFL’s third best quarterback to receiver tandems in the NFL this year only behind the Colts’ Peyton Manning-to-Reggie Wayne and New England’s Brady-to-Moss.

To make things worse for Indy, the Colts defensive backfield has been littered with injuries this season so they may be calling on backups to slow down Houston’s third ranked passing attack.

Seven Indianapolis defensive backs found themselves on the injury report this week, the most devastating of which being cornerback Kelvin Hayden who’s listed as questionable for today’s game with a knee injury and of course safety Bob Sanders who was placed on injured reserve a few weeks ago.

To add even more insult to injury, Colts head coach Jim Caldwell ruled defensive end Dwight Freeney out for today’s game with an abdominal injury.

The Texans defense is up against a great challenge this week themselves.

They have to go against Peyton Manning and the league’s No.1 ranked pass offense. The Colts are averaging 313.5 yards per game through the air and a fifth ranked 26.9 points per game.

In Week Nine, the Texans struggled to stop Manning who threw for 318 yards and one touchdown in that victory. Manning’s top target that day was tight end Dallas Clark who grabbed 14 balls for 119 yards. The Texans will need to do a better job slowing down Clark if they plan to pull of the upset today.

Keys for HOU

-Apply pressure on Manning

-Schaub-to-Johnson must connect early and often

-Stop Dallas Clark

-Keep the Colts offense off the field

Prediction: Texans win 27-23.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Sunday Morning Under the Helmet: What To Watch for in NFL Week 11

Last Sunday was filled with lots of hard-hitting action and stunning finishes, and it was all capped off by an instant classic played between the Colts and Patriots.

This week we’re in for another great weekend of football. We’ve got division rivalries all over the board and playoff hopes on the line.

In this addition of Sunday Morning Under the Helmet, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, we’ll take a quick look at what’s on the menu for Week 11.

 

Matchup of the Week: San Diego Chargers (6-3) at Denver Broncos (6-3)

Out of the six divisional matchups in Week 11, San Diego vs. Denver is arguably the most intriguing.

The Denver Broncos got off to a fast start to their season and shocked many people around the league. After six games they were 6-0 and flying high on top of the AFC West.

Then reality struck. In each of their three games since beating San Diego to improve to 6-0, the Broncos have lost by double-digit scores including a 27-17 loss to the lowly Redskins in Week 10.

The Chargers’ season started just opposite.

San Diego got out to a 2-3 start but have won four consecutive games since to put themselves right back in the division race.

Whichever team wins today will have possession of the division lead.

But Denver’s quest to regain sole possession of the West may have to be without quarterback Kyle Orton. Orton, who left in the first half of last week’s loss with an ankle injury, hasn’t practiced all week and as the Denver Post reports, is unlikely to play this afternoon.

This means Chris Simms will make his first start today since suffering a career-threatening ruptured spleen back in 2006 when he played for Tampa Bay.

In Orton’s absence last week, Simms completed 3 of his 13 pass attempts for 13 yards and one interception. The Broncos will need a much better performance out of Simms if they plan to put an end to their three-game skid.

Good news for Simms, though, is that behind Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter, the Broncos should have success running the ball vs. San Diego’s 23rd ranked rush defense which is allowing 118.9 yards per game on the ground.

Simms should also have plenty of time to throw the ball on most of his drop-backs behind Denver’s high quality offensive line. The Broncos’ O-line has allowed just 16 sacks this season and are ranked in the top half of the league in that category. San Diego’s pass rush has struggled at times to apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks so when the Broncos are on offense they shall have the upper hand in the trenches.

Tight end Tony Scheffler will also be a key contributor on the offensive side. Scheffler has an impressive history against the Chargers (see the Small Names, Big Games section below for more on Scheffler).

When the Chargers offense is on the field, expect a lot of passing a big plays through the air.

With Phillip Rivers playing great at the quarterback position this season, the Chargers have become a pass-first offense. They rank seventh in passing yards and sixth in points per game.

They will be challenged, however, by the Broncos 4th ranked defense. Denver ranks 5th against the pass so it’s not a given that Rivers will continue his success today.

Rivers will also have to contend with the Broncos’ second ranked pass rush. Led by Elvis Dumervil, the Broncos have taken down the opposing quarterback 29 times this season. Dumervil leads the league with 12.0 sacks including two on Rivers in Week Six. Andre’ Goodman, D.J. Williams and Darrell Reid all got to Rivers in that Week Six victory also.

 

Keys to the game

-Can Chris Simms lead Denver to victory?

-Phillip Rivers vs. Broncos secondary

-Chargers pass rush vs. Broncos O-line

-Tony Scheffler and Brandon Marshall vs. Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson

Prediction: Chargers win 31-23.

 

Small Names, Big Games

Here we will take a look at three non-superstars who will post big numbers in Week 11.

Jason Snelling (RB, Atlanta)

With starter Michael Turner listed as doubtful with an ankle injury and Jerious Norwood questionable with a hip ailment, Jason Snelling will likely make his second career start this afternoon against the Giants.

Snelling, a third year back out of Virginia, ran well last week against the Panthers after Turner went down early. On 18 carries he racked up 61 yards and a touchdown. He also caught three Matt Ryan passes for 32 yards.

The struggling Giants have allowed eight touchdowns to opposing running backs in their last four games so Snelling could find the endzone today.

 

Julian Edelman (WR, New England)

Rookie Julian Edelman has been a pleasant surprise for Patriots fans this season. The quarterback-turned-receiver has played very well in the New England offense thus far.

So far this season, Edelman has 23 receptions for 202 yards and one touchdown which came last week vs. Indianapolis.

Today, Edelman and the Pats take on the New York Jets who struggled to stop Edelman in their Week Two 16-9 victory over the Pats.

In that game the rookie caught eight Tom Brady passes for 98 yards, both are career highs for Edelman.

With the New England offense much improved since that Week Two match, Edelman could have even more success today.

 

Tony Scheffler (TE, Denver)

Broncos tight end Tony Scheffler loves to play against San Diego.

In his last four games against the Chargers, Scheffler has combined for 17 catches for 240 yards and four touchdowns. That includes his six catch, 101 yards and one touchdown performance back in the Broncos’ Week Six win over the Bolts.

The Chargers struggle to stop tights ends, especially Scheffler, so watch for No. 88 to have another big day for the Broncos.

 

Others To Watch: Bernard Scott (RB, Cincinnati), Mike Wallace (WR, Pittsburgh), Kevin Smith (RB, Detroit)

 

Upset Alert!: Tennessee (3-6) over Houston (5-4)???

It’s safe to say the Tennessee Titans are on a role. They’ve won three-straight since starting 0-6 which included an embarrassing 59-0 loss to New England in Week Six.

What’s changed to cause such a quick turnaround?

Two words: Vince Young.

The Titans’ success began when Vince Young took the starting job back from Kerry Collins in Week Eight.

Young has had great success running the offense over his three starts this season.

He has a completion percentage over 70 percent since taking back the starting job and has posted a quarterback rating of 90.4 or better in each of his three starts this season.

With Collins under center, the Titans scored a total of 84 points through the first six games. With Young at quarterback, they’ve tallied a total of 105 points in just three games, a 21 point difference.

But it’s not just VY running the show in Tennessee.

The Titans boast the league’s leading rusher in Chris Johnson who has 1,091 yards on the ground this season and has topped 130 yards in each of his last three games including a 228 yard performance against Jacksonville in Week Eight.

The VY and CJ show could continue on this week’s Monday Night Football against the Texans.

Houston’s defense ranks a middle of the road 15th in points allowed, and 14th against the run.

But it’s Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and the Texans’ offense who Tennessee really needs to worry about.

The Schaub to Johnson connection is among the most dangerous in the NFL today. Schaub ranks third in the NFL in passing yards with only two future Hall of Famers ahead of him. Johnson ranks third in receiving yards with 800 yards and seventh in receptions with 54.

Back in Houston’s Week Two 34-31 victory over Tennessee, Schaub and Johnson hooked up 10 times for 149 yards and two touchdowns.

Tennessee’s defense could have a tough time stopping them tomorrow night as well.

The Titans defense ranks 30th in points allowed, and 31st against the pass. However, they have improved lately.

 

Keys for TEN

-Can Vince Young play well again?

-Stop Schaub to Johnson

-Dominate with Chris Johnson

Prediction: Titans win 28-21.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Sunday Morning Under the Helmet: What To Watch for in NFL Week Ten

Rivalry, [rahy-vuh l-ree]: the action, position, or relation of a rival or rivals; competition.

Sports are all about competition and between that competition you can always find rivalries. When the word rivalry is mentioned in the sports world we think of Red Sox vs. Yankees, Celtics vs. Lakers and over the past decade, Patriots vs. Colts.

That last one, Patriots vs. Colts will be renewed in a prime time showdown tonight.

 

 

Matchup of the Week: New England Patriots (6-2) at Indianapolis Colts (8-0)

Patriots vs. Colts has become the NFL’s premiere rivalry over the past decade. It’s not just because these two teams have been the most dominant and most consistent over the years or because they’ve been coached by two of the best in the game or even because their organizations are tops in sports, the real reason is because of two guys named Brady and Manning. You heard of them?

Of course you have.

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have clearly been the best two quarterbacks over the past 10 seasons. They will both be first ballot Hall of Famers and will likely go down in history as the best two quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Nobody really knows which one is the better quarterback but it seems like everyone has their opinion. Some argue it’s Manning because of stats. He does have 48,173 yards and 349 touchdown passes.

Brady has numbers too, but not quite like Manning’s. Those who argue in favor of “Tom Terrific” speak of Super Bowls and winning percentages. Brady has a career record of 107-29 (a .787 winning percentage) as a starting quarterback, including playoffs. He’s the only quarterback to lead his team to a 16-0 regular season record. He’s got a 3-1 Super Bowl record with an MVP in two of them.

The arguments continue but there’s never any clear conclusion to who’s better.

Surprisingly, though, there is more to this game than Brady vs. Manning.

These two teams have been extremely competitive throughout the decade. Indianapolis has won 109 games, New England has 108. They’ve each taken home Lombardi trophies, three for the Pats, one for Indy.

Head-to-head they’ve played 10 times with the Patriots winning six of the 10.

As for tonight’s game, the Pats come in at 6-2 and are on a three-game win streak. Indianapolis is sitting at 8-0 and are threatening New England’s all-time record 21 game win streak.

These two teams always play close games and you can bet on another tight one tonight.

Indy and New England rank first and second, respectively, in points allowed per game and on offense the Pats are averaging just one more point than the Colts. Perhaps we’ll even see an overtime game with such similar numbers like that.

For New England to end Indy’s quest for an undefeated season, they’ll have to start with protecting their quarterback.

With left tackle Matt Light still injured, the Pats will continue to count on rookie Sebastian Vollmer to protect Brady’s blindside. Vollmer will face his toughest task tonight as he goes against Dwight Freeney who already has 9.5 sacks this season.

Brady will likely look to dump a lot of short and quick passes to Wes Welker while also stretching the field early with deep balls to Randy Moss against the Colts’ banged up secondary. Indy’s D will likely focus on shutting those two down.

For Indy’s offense, they’ll also be trying to get the ball to their star receivers. Reggie Wayne and tight end Dallas Clark will likely see a multitude of balls thrown in their direction as well as dump-offs to running back Joseph Addai.

If the Pats focus on trying to stop those guys, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon could find themselves making some plays as well.

The rest of the offensive numbers include these teams ranking first and second in pass yards with Indy holding the top spot, they’re 16th and 28th rushing and both are in the top 10 in total yards per game.

Despite the offensive firepower on each side, this Sunday night matchup will likely come down to which defense plays better.

As mentioned above, these teams rank No.1 and No.2 in points allowed. They both rank in the top 10 against the pass and New England ranks 20th against the run while the Colts D is 14th.

With defensive starters Bob Sanders, Kelvin Hayden, Tyjuan Hagler and Marlin Jackson all out for Indianapolis, New England could be slightly favored on this addition of Sunday Night Football.

 

Keys to the game

-Brady vs. Manning

-Which defense plays better?

-Randy Moss and Wes Welker vs. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark

-Vollmer vs. Freeney, Kaczur vs. Mathis

Prediction: Patriots win 26-24

 

 

 

Small Names, Big Games

Here we will take a look at three non-superstars who will post big numbers in Week 10.

 

Brandon Pettigrew (TE, Detroit)

The Detroit Lions selected tight end Brandon Pettigrew with the 20th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft to be a redzone threat for rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford.

After last week it looks like the pick will pay off. In Week Nine in Seattle, Stafford and Pettigrew hooked up seven times for 70 yards and the tight end’s first career touchdown.

This afternoon against the 7-1 Minnesota Vikings, Pettigrew could have even more success. The Vikings are the worst team in the league against tight ends so this Oklahoma State product could find the endzone yet again.

 

Mike Wallace (WR, Pittsburgh)

No he’s not the guy from 60 Minutes , but this Mike Wallace is sure having his fair share of success.

Wallace, a rookie out of Mississippi, has 25 receptions for 437 yards and three touchdowns thus far in ’09. He has become the No. 3 receiver and a big play threat for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Today Pittsburgh goes against Cincinnati who surrendered seven catches and 102 yards to Wallace in their Week Three matchup.

Wallace could see similar success again this week.

 

Robert Meachem (WR, New Orleans)

With Lance Moore still sidelined due to injury, Saints receiver Robert Meachem will continue to see a greater role in the New Orleans offense.

Last week in a 30-20 comeback victory over Carolina, Meachem hauled in five Drew Brees passes for 98 yards and a key touchdown.

Meachem will go head-to-head with the Rams 28th ranked pass defense today so he could continue to make big plays and put up big numbers this week.

 

Others To Watch: Ladell Betts (RB, Washington), Josh Freeman (QB, Tampa Bay), Jamaal Lewis (RB, Cleveland)

 

 

 

Upset Alert!: Green Bay (4-4) over Dallas (6-2)???

The Dallas Cowboys are on fire right now, winning their past four games. The Packers on the other hand, are on a two game losing streak including last week’s upset loss to give Tampa Bay its first win of the season.

Green Bay is desperate, they know they can’t afford to lose if they want to get into the playoffs. They’re already three games behind Brett Favre’s Vikings and still have tough opponents on the schedule. Mike McCarthy’s Packers know that their season is on the line this afternoon.

To get back into the NFC playoff talks they’ll need to put a halt to Tony Romo’s recent hot streak.

During Dallas’ current four-game win streak, Romo has topped 300 yards three times and has combined for nine touchdowns.

Receiver Miles Austin has caught six of those touchdowns.

It will be up to Green Bay’s secondary to slow down the passing attack and it’s not far-fetched to think they can do it.

Led by coordinator Dom Capers, the Packers defense ranks eighth against the pass as well as ninth against the run and 17th in points allowed.

On offense it will be all up to the offensive line. The Packers line has given up a league-high 37 sacks, including six in each of the past two games and 61 hits on quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers and the passing game cannot have consistent success without better protection.

Despite the bad numbers, the Packers do have a chance to win today.

As long as Rodgers can get some time in the pocket, he’ll be able to have quite a bit of success throwing the ball. The ‘Boys defense ranks 20th against the pass and have seemed somewhat vulnerable at times this season.

The Packers’ other favorable numbers include their 9th ranked pass attack, 10th ranked ground game, and the fact that they’re the seventh best scoring team in the league gives them a shot at taking down Big D today.

 

Keys for GB

-Protect Aaron Rodgers

-Shut down Romo-to-Austin

-Protect the ball

Prediction: Packers win 24-13

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Sunday Morning Under the Helmet: What to Watch for in NFL Week Nine

It’s that time of week again: time for football!

This week, we’ve got a lot on the table. We’ve got a divisional showdown on the big stage, we’ve got no-name players poised for superstar performances and we’ve got an upset alert like never before.

So take the next few minutes to read everything you need to know to get yourself prepared for another great weekend of NFL action.

 

 

Matchup of the Week: Dallas Cowboys (5-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)

The last time these two teams met up it was Week 17 of 2008 and the Eagles put a pounding on the ‘Boys 44-6 en route to clinching a playoff berth.

This time, these teams are fighting for the NFC East lead.

Both sit a 5-2 just above the 5-3 New York Giants.

A win here would be huge for either team.

In order for the Cowboys to get that win and finally break back into the driver’s seat of the division, they’re going to need quarterback Tony Romo to continue to play like he has recently.

In his last three games, all wins, Romo has not thrown an interception, the longest such streak of his career.

Romo has topped 250 yards in each of those games, including two of them over 300 yards. He also tossed three touchdowns in two of those games with two TDs in the other.

Parallel with Romo’s success is the rebirth of Big D’s offense.

The offense currently ranks sixth in points per game, and second in yards.

Receiver Miles Austin and tight end Jason Witten are greatly benefiting from Dallas’ recent offensive surge.

Austin has 21 receptions for 482 yards and five touchdowns in his last three games including a franchise-record 250 yards against Kansas City in Week Five.

In Dallas’ seven games so far in ’09, Witten has 37 catches for 348 yards and a touchdown.

Romo, Austin and Witten are going to need to continue putting up big numbers on offense this week if they plan to beat Philly because Donovan McNabb and the Eagles’ offense are averaging 29 points per game this year.

McNabb’s favorite target, DeSean Jackson, is having himself one heck of a season. He’s a big-play threat and with McNabb’s strong arm, the two find themselves hooking up quite often. The speedy receiver has found the end zone six times this season.

Four of those scores as a receiver, one on a punt return and even one rushing. All six of Jackson’s touchdowns have been 50 yards or more. Dallas will likely put quite a bit of focus on slowing down No. 10.

McNabb’s other weapons include tight end Brent Celek, rookies Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy and, of course, running back Brian Westbrook.

However, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Westbrook is not expected to play tonight after suffering a concussion two weeks ago against Washington.

Even if Westbrook doesn’t play, Dallas’ defense certainly will have its hands full trying to stop all of Philly’s weapons but will have to find a way to at least slow them down if they plan to win on Sunday Night Football.

 

Keys to the game

-Jason Witten and Brent Celek

-Which quarterback plays better?

-DeSean Jackson vs. Miles Austin

Prediction: Eagles win 35-31.

 

 

Small Names, Big Games

Here we will take a look at three non-superstars who will post big numbers in Week Nine.

 

Jamaal Charles (RB, Kansas City)

With Larry Johnson suspended, the Chiefs will turn to Jamaal Charles to run the ball for them this week.

Charles is averaging 5.0 yards per carry in six games this season.

Kansas City goes against Jacksonville, who ranks 25th against the run today.

With the passing game struggling, expect Charles to see a lot of work out of the backfield this afternoon.

 

James Jones (WR, Green Bay)

James Jones will likely see a few extra looks from Aaron Rodgers today as fellow receiver Jordy Nelson and tight end Jermichael Finley will not play against Tampa Bay.

Speaking of Tampa Bay, the Bucs rank 15th against the pass, not awful but when they’re off their game quarterbacks have put up big numbers against them.

Today could be one of those days, and Jones will benefit from it.

 

Fred Davis (TE, Washington)

Washington tight end Chris Cooley will be out several weeks with a broken ankle, so his second-year backup, Fred Davis, will step into the starting spot.

Davis has caught 15 passes for 123 yards and one touchdown, including eight catches for 78 yards and that one score last week in place of Cooley.

This afternoon, Davis and the ‘Skins go up against an Atlanta team that has struggled to stop tight ends this season.

 

Oth ers To Watch: Ryan Moats (RB, Houston), Kevin Walter (WR, Houston), David Garrard (QB, Jacksonville)

 

 

Upset Alert!: Carolina (3-4) over New Orleans (7-0)???

The Carolina Panthers started off 0-3 but have won three of their last four games, including last week’s 34-21 upset of the Arizona Cardinals.

This week, the Panthers will try to pull off an even greater upset when they head to New Orleans to take on the undefeated Saints.

To get that win, the Panthers will have to protect the football. They’ve had trouble doing so this season. They have turned the ball over 21 times, second highest in the NFL, including a league high 14 interceptions.

They cannot afford to turn the ball over at all against the Saints.

Along with not turning the ball over, the Panthers rushing attack will need to thrive for them to keep possession of the ball and MVP candidate Drew Brees off the field.

Last week DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for 245 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Arizona.

Stewart and Williams will need to continue playing at a high level against the Saints’ 11th ranked rush defense.

On defense, Carolina must slow down Brees and the passing attack.

Brees has already thrown for 2,006 yards and a league-high 16 touchdowns this year.

Good news for Panthers fans though: Carolina ranks first against the pass.

It will be the running game that the Panthers will need to put the most focus on.

Led by Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell and Reggie Bush, the Saints rank fourth in rushing yards per game. The Panthers have struggled to stop the run at times this season but they’ll have to find a way to slow down this dynamic trio today.

 

Keys for CAR

-Protect the football

-Stop the run first, then the pass

-Get out to an early lead

-Run the ball heavily with Williams and Stewart

Prediction: Panthers win 34-26

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Sunday Morning Under the Helmet: What to Watch for in NFL Week Eight

Week Eight is the halfway point in the NFL regular season. It has been an eventful first half full of surprises, shockers, and disappointments.

In the first half, we saw Tom Brady struggle, but then rebound. We saw the Denver Broncos go 6-0 and the Tennessee Titans 0-6.

We saw Cedric Benson emerge as a top running back and Jake Delhomme forget how to play. The Detroit Lions won a game and the St. Louis Rams are making their push for 0-16.

Those are just a few of the things we saw in the first half. What’s in store for the second half? More importantly what will we see in Week Eight?  Take a look:

 

Matchup of the Week: Minnesota Vikings (6-1) at Green Bay Packers (4-2)

Today, Brett Favre makes his return to Lambeau Field where he played for 16 seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

On that field he won games, shattered records and built a great legacy.

As a Packer he was loved, and looked up to. He was the definition of a fan favorite.

Now, just two years after his ugly divorce from the team, Favre will step foot onto the Frozen Tundra once again. But this time he’s wearing Viking purple and could maybe, just maybe, hear some boos.

In their Week Four matchup at the Metrodome, the Vikings beat Green Bay 30-23 in what was the most watched cable television program ever.

In that game, Favre threw for 271 yards and three touchdowns. His counterpart, Aaron Rodgers, tallied 384 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

The difference in that game was the performances by the offensive lines.

Favre rarely had pressure on him and had plenty of time to stand in the pocket and make smart decisions and good throws. Rodgers didn’t quite enjoy the same protection, as he was sacked eight times and hurried even more.

If the Packers have any chance to tie the season series they will have to protect Rodgers much better this time around.

Since that Week Four battle the Vikings are 2-1 and coming off a heart-breaking 27-17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in last weekend’s game of the week .

The Packers are 2-0 since Week Four including last week’s 31-3 stomping of the sad Cleveland Browns.

But all that is in the past now and doesn’t matter anymore.

Forget 6-1 vs. 4-2, forget all the Favre mania.

This is a midseason matchup between two division rivals with a playoff atmosphere.

 

Keys to the game

-Brett Favre’s nerves

-Which O-line protects their QB better

-Can Minnesota’s defense slow down Aaron Rodgers?

-Ryan Grant vs. Adrian Peterson

Predicition: Vikings win 23-20 in OT

 

 

Small Names, Big Games

Here, we will take a look at three non-superstars who will post big numbers in Week Eight.

 

Spencer Havner (TE, Green Bay)

With Jermichael Finley listed as doubtful with a sprained knee, the Packers could call on Spencer Havner to play a significant role in their offense vs. the Vikings this afternoon.

Last week, Havner caught two passes for 59 yards including a 45-yard touchdown in the second quarter. On the season, he has four catches for 89 yards and that one touchdown.

Havner, a converted linebacker, goes against the Vikings this afternoon and could have his fair share of success.

The Vikings defense has struggled against tight ends this season. On four occasions an opposing tight end has either led his team or was tied for the lead in receptions against Minnesota.

Those performances include Vernon Davis’ 96 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches in Week Three and Finley’s six receptions for 128 yards and one touchdown back in week four.

If Minnesota continues to struggle against tight ends, Havner could put up career highs this afternoon.

 

David Garrard (QB, Jacksonville)

Jaguars quarterback David Garrard has been inconsistent this season, but his Week Eight matchup makes him a candidate for a big game.

Garrard goes against the 0-6 Tennessee Titans who rank last against the pass.

In Week Four against the Titans, Garrard threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-17 blowout win.

Expect similar numbers from Garrard today.

 

Zach Miller (TE, Oakland)

In his last three games against San Diego, Raiders tight end Zach Miller has combined for 19 catches for 255 yards and a score.

Miller goes against those Chargers this afternoon and could put up big numbers yet again.

In seven games this season Miller has 23 receptions for 369 yards and one touchdown including a 139 yard performance in week six vs. Philadelphia and 96 yards vs. those Chargers in the season opener.

Miller also leads all NFL tight ends with a 16-yard per catch average.

 

Oth ers To Watch: LeSean McCoy (RB, Philadelphia), Johnny Knox (WR, Chicago), Vince Young (QB, Tennessee)

 

Upset Alert!: Oakland (2-5) over San Diego (3-3)???

Last week San Diego trounced the Kansas City Chiefs 37-7 and the Raiders got shut out by the New York Jets 38-0.

So clearly the Raiders aren’t favored in this game.

However, they will win.

Despite the fact that San Diego has won 12 straight over the Raiders, Oakland has held a fourth-quarter lead in two of the last three matchups between these two teams including a 20-17 lead until 18 seconds remaining in week one.

It’s quite obvious, but the Raiders are going to need to have success on offense and start scoring some points if they plan to beat the Chargers today.

Oakland is averaging a 31st-ranked 8.9 points per game, a simply embarrassing statistic.

They’re also last in yards per game and average passing yards. In rushing yards they rank 26th.

To have that much needed success on offense the Raiders need to begin with rushing the ball. They’ve showed potential on the ground and they have a chance to break out against the Chargers defense which ranks 28th against the run.

JaMarcus Russell will also be a key factor on offense for the Raiders. Russell has struggled this season throwing for 891 yards, two touchdowns and eight interceptions. He has also fumbled five times.

Russell hit the ultimate low last week when he was benched in favor of Bruce Gradkowski after he turned the ball over three times in the first half.

It’s up to the Raiders defense to give their team a chance to win. Because of their lack of a passing attack and their clear offensive strength being the run game, Oakland’s defense needs to keep the game close so their offense doesn’t have to call on Russell too often.

The Raiders’ defense ranks 25th in points allowed per game, 12th against the pass and 30th against the run.

San Diego loves to throw the ball and are fourth in the league in passing so Oakland’s secondary better be at their best today.

Phillip Rivers will likely look to attack Chris Johnson’s side of the field with All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomougha on the other side.

 

Keys for OAK

-Keep the game close

-Run the ball, run the ball, run…

-Stop Phillip Rivers and Vincent Jackson

-Protect the football, no turnovers!

Predicition: Raiders win 27-25

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Sunday Morning Under the Helmet: What To Watch for in NFL Week Seven

Last week we saw the Saints pummel the Giants, the Raiders upset the Eagles, and the Titans destroyed by the Patriots in a blizzard.

What shockers, blowouts, and upsets will we see in week seven?

Stay tuned to find out!

 

Matchup of the Week: Minnesota Vikings (6-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)

The Pittsburgh Steelers got off to a slow start but have recently turned it on to collect three straight victories including last week’s 27-14 win over Cleveland. They now sit at 4-2.

Minnesota has gotten off to a hot start. In fact, it’s their best start since 2000, when they reached the NFC title game.

In week six, the Vikings won a 33-31 thriller over Baltimore at home.

This week, the Vikes head to the Steel City to take on the defending champions.

To win, the Vikings offense will need to continue to get consistency from their ground game and Brett Favre’s arm.

So far this season, Favre has thrown for 1,347 yards, 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions with a 109.5 quarterback rating. Last week he threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns.

Even though Favre gets the attention, Adrian Peterson and the ground attack have to continue to be the focal point of the Vikings’ offense.

Peterson gashed Baltimore’s defense for 143 yards in week six and always has big play potential.

The Steelers will have to shut down Peterson if they want to hand Minnesota its first loss of 2009.

For Pittsburgh’s offense, Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward will be the keys.

Roethlisberger leads the league with 1,887 yards through the air and is on pace to reach 5,000 yards passing. Ward leads the NFL in receptions with 41 and receiving yards with 599.

That tandem could continue their success today against Minesota’s 24th ranked pass defense and the possibility that No. 1 cornerback Antoine Winfield could be sidelined due to injury.

In the second half last week with Winfield out the Vikings gave up big plays through the air and allowed 21 points in the final 10 minutes.

 

Keys to the game

-Peterson vs. Steelers D

-Roethlisberger to Ward

-Pittsburgh must protect the football

Prediction: Steelers win 24-20

 

Small Names, Big Games

Here we will take a look at three non-superstars who will post big numbers in Week Seven.

 

Miles Austin (WR, Dallas)

After his franchise best 250 yard receiving performance in week five in an overtime victory in Kansas City, Miles Austin has been promoted to No. 2 on the Cowboys’ wide receiver depth chart above Patrick Crayton.

Austin goes against Atlanta’s 21st ranked pass defense today. He won’t reproduce his record setting performance, but he could certainly have another impressive game.

Expect Tony Romo to look in Austin’s direction early and often this afternoon.

 

Sam Aiken (WR, New England)

Veteran wideout Joey Galloway was cut from the Patriots’ roster earlier this week and rookie Julian Edelman didn’t make the London trip because of a broken arm. Therefore, Sam Aiken will be called on to step up and take a lot more offensive snaps than he’s used to.

Last week, Aiken caught four balls for 61 yards in the Pats’ 59-0 destruction of Tennessee.

Aiken could have even more success this week against Tampa Bay’s weak defense and of course with Tom Brady as his quarterback.

 

Austin Collie (WR, Indianapolis)

Colts’ rookie receiver Austin Collie has played very well this season in place of injured Anthony Gonzalez.

Collie has 20 receptions for 228 yards and three touchdowns so far this season including 14 catches for 162 yards in his last two games combined.

Peyton Manning will likely continue to throw to Collie often, especially today against St. Louis’ 25th ranked pass defense.

 

Others To Watch:  Jeremy Maclin (WR, Philadelphia), BenJarvus Green-Ellis (RB, New England), Visanthe Shiancoe (TE, Minnesota)

 

Upset Alert!: Miami (2-3) over New Orleans (5-0)???

The New Orleans Saints are 5-0, they’re No. 1 in points per game, and first in yards per game. They haven’t trailed in a game all year and haven’t allowed an opponent closer than 14 points. Their quarterback Drew Brees has destroyed every defense he’s gone against this season.

So pretty much the Saints have flat-out dominated thus far in 2009. Oh, and don’t forget they destroyed the New York Giants last week.

So how can anyone predict that the below .500 Dolphins are going to beat this juggernaut?

The answer: the wildcat.

The wildcat offense has proven successful so far this season for Miami

In 48 plays from the formation, the Dolphins are averaging 6.6 yards per play opposed to 4.7 yards per play out of their base offense.

In week five on Monday night, Miami gained 110 yards out of the wildcat formation.

Against Indianapolis in week two, they used the wildcat quite often and gained 239 total yards on the ground while keeping Peyton Manning off the field for most of the game.

That’s exactly what they’ve got to do to win. They have to control time of possession and keep Brees and his offense off the field as much as possible.

Besides dominating on the ground, another way to keep the Saints off the field is to convert on third downs. Miami ranks first in third-down conversion percentage. Through five games, they’ve converted 56 percent of their third-down tries. That could be huge against New Orleans.

Defensively, believe it or not, the key will be stopping the Saints’ ground game.

Miami’s third ranked rush defense will have to shut down Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, Reggie Bush, and their No. 4 rushing attack.

Obviously, stopping Brees and company is very important also. Brees has thrown for 1,400 yards and 13 touchdowns through five games. They won’t be able to shut down the pass, but if they have to slow it down.

If the Fins can do all that this afternoon, they will upset the Saints

 

Keys for MIA

-Wildcat, wildcat, wildcat

-Keep Brees off the field

-Stop the run

Prediction: Dolphins win 30-24

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Sunday Morning Under the Helmet: What To Watch for in NFL Week Six

Good morning! Yes, it’s that time of week again: Sunday, time for football!

This week it’s week six, and it’s sure to be another great weekend of hard-hitting action.

But before you strap yourself to the couch for the day and glue your eyes to the big screen, join us as we take a whirl around the NFL and prepare you for week 6 action.

 

Matchup of the Week:  New York Giants (5-0) at New Orleans Saints (4-0)

Giants quarterback Eli Manning will finally get to play in the Superdome—the place where his father played most of his career.

And Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey will make his first appearance against his old team since being traded to New Orleans in the summer of 2008.

But there’s more to this game than that.

Both teams rank in the top five in points scored and top ten in points allowed. So it’s pretty fair to say this will be a slugfest.

New York is coming off an outright bashing of the Oakland Raiders; the Saints enjoyed a bye in week five.

Through four games, Saints quarterback Drew Brees has simply dominated. He has thrown for 1,031 yards, nine touchdowns, and a rating of 108.4.

In addition to their passing attack, the Saints have a very underrated ground game. Many would be surprised to learn they rank second in rushing yards per game.

But the real surprise from the Saints so far is their defense.

They rank seventh in points allowed per game and sixth in yards allowed per game. This coming after they ranked 26th and 23rd respectively in those categories last year.

The addition of safety Darren Sharper is a big reason for their sudden success. Sharper already has five interceptions and has returned two for touchdowns.

For the Giants, they continue to have success running the ball. They currently rank fourth in rushing yards.

They’ll need to continue running well today in order to keep Brees and the Saints offense off the field as much as possible.

They will also need to hope Manning can stay healthy. He’s still battling the plantar fasciitis he suffered in week four versus Kansas City. He was taken out prior to halftime last week, presumably for precautionary reasons as they already had a comfortable lead.

On defense, Osi Umenyiora and the rest of the Giants’ unit should be able to apply lots of pressure on Brees since New Orleans’ left tackle Jammal Brown is on injured reserve.  However, they haven’t had too much trouble protecting their quarterback thus far in ’09.

 

Keys to the game

-Giants D-line vs. Saints O-line

-Run game

-Drew Brees vs. Giants pass defense (1st)

Prediction: Giants win 24-20

 

Small Names, Big Games

Here we will take a look at three non-superstars who will post big numbers in Week Six.

 

Jason Campbell (QB, Washington)

Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell has been inconsistent all season. He threw for over 200 yards in each of his first three games of the season including 340 yards in a week three loss to the Detroit Lions.

However, he’s yet to top 200 yards since.

Today could be the day that Campbell gets back to success.

This afternoon he goes against the Chiefs’ 29th ranked pass defense. Kansas City has allowed an average of 270 yards through the air and 10 passing touchdowns through five games.

Look for Campbell to top 250 yards and a couple of scores today against the Chiefs.

 

Cadillac Williams (RB, Tampa Bay)

With Earnest Graham going back to fullback there should be more carries for Cadillac going forward.

Williams has been inconsistent all season. He’s had as many as 16 carries and 97 yards and as little as two carries and eight yards.

Through five games he’s topped 10 yards just twice but when he did he rushed for 97 yards and 77 yards.

Today, Williams will likely see plenty of touches against Carolina’s 30th ranked rush defense and could see his first 100 yard performance since week 11 of the 2006 season.

He will be sharing carries with Derrick Ward, but look for the Cadillac to be let loose today.

 

Jermichael Finley (TE, Green Bay)

Packers tight end Jermichael Finley is coming off his best performance of his career.

Prior to his bye last week Finley chalked up six receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown, all career highs for the second year man.

With the Lions’ 27th ranked pass defense the opponent Week Six, Finley could be quite impressive again today.

 

Others To Watch:   LeSean McCoy (RB, Philadelphia), Nate Burleson (WR, Seattle), Rashard Mendenhall (RB, Pittsburgh)

 

Upset Alert!: Tennessee (0-5) over New England (3-2)???

Undoubtedly the most shocking team so far in 2009 has been the 0-5 Tennessee Titans.

The Titans, the AFC’s top seed at 13-3 last season, are trying to avoid going 0-6 for the first time since 1984.

They’re season started off with an overtime loss to the defending champions and a three point loss to division rival Houston. But in week three they lost by a touchdown to the Jets and their rookie QB.

Over the past two weeks they’ve gotten embarrassed by Jacksonville and Indianapolis.

So what has changed to cause them to go from 13-3 to 0-5?

Last season Tennessee’s defense ranked second in points allowed, and ninth in passing yards allowed. This season? They rank 29th, and 31st in those categories respectively.

One reason for the sudden drop in defensive production could be the loss of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to the Detroit Lions head coaching position.

Or maybe it’s the loss of pro bowl defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth to the Washington Redskins.

But perhaps the reason could be all the injuries suffered on defense.

Defensive lineman Jevon Kearse, cornerbacks Cortland Finnegan and Nick Harper, safeties Vincent Fuller and Michael Griffin are just the beginning of a list of key pieces on the defense who are battling injuries.

So what can the Titans do to win in New England today?

They can start with getting back to running the ball.

In 2008, the Titans were one of the best rushing teams in the league and they ran often.

Quarterback Kerry Collins was basically a “game manager.”

However, so far this season Collins is second behind Tom Brady in pass attempts despite his unimpressive 67.4 quarterback rating.

The Titans need to get back to their niche.

However, it’s tough to stick to the run when you’re constantly playing catch up.

The defense needs to find a way to slow down Brady and the Patriots passing attack. To do so they could follow the formula others have used to slow down Brady this season. That is to shut down Randy Moss and play tight on the inside receivers.

If they can keep the Brady-to-Moss combo contained, they’ve got a chance.

To help the banged up secondary, they’ll need to get pressure on Brady. Defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch could have a big day rushing from the outside as Patriots left tackle Matt Light could be out with a leg injury.

If they can’t win today, the Titans’ playoff hopes are completely gone.

 

Keys for TEN

-Shut down New England’s intermediate to deep passing

-Run the ball

-Pressure on Brady

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Sunday Morning Under the Helmet: What To Watch for in NFL Week Five

The first quarter is over, but don’t worry, there is still plenty of football to go.

Through the first four weeks the NFL has seen its share of surprises, like the 4-0 Denver Broncos, disappointments like the 0-4 Tennessee Titans, and has certainly not lacked in entertainment.

The hard-hitting continues as we suit up for another weekend full of the game we all love.

 

Matchup of the Week:  Atlanta Falcons (2-1) at San Francisco 49ers (3-1)

The Atlanta Falcons are coming off their bye week after their 26-10 loss in New England and are ready to rumble in week five.

The 49ers are also coming off a bye week…kind of. Last week they played the abysmal St. Louis Rams and cruised to an easy 35-0 victory, its most lopsided win in 87 games.

In his first three games, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has proved he will elude any talks of a sophomore slump. Ryan has thrown for 648 yards with five touchdowns and one interception and has a quarterback rating of 100.4.

Passing hasn’t been the problem, it has been the ground game where the Falcons’ offense has struggled to repeat last season’s success. In 2008 they averaged 152.7 yards per game on the ground but have averaged just 92.3 yards so far this season. They rank 23rd in that category.

Don’t expect those numbers to improve a whole lot after today because the 49ers defense ranks fourth against the run.

For the Niners, they’ll also be focusing on the run this afternoon. With Frank Gore to be sidelined for at least another two weeks with an ankle injury, Glenn Coffee will be asked to carry the load again in week five.

Coffee should have success against the Falcons’ 25th ranked run defense which has averaged 136 yards per game against them through their first three games of the season.

Although rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree finally ended his holdout and signed a six-year deal with the Niners earlier this week, head coach Mike Singletary has said he will not see the field against the Falcons.

But who needs Crabtree when you’ve got Vernon Davis?

Davis is finally playing up to expectations from when he was drafted sixth overall in 2006. Through four games he has 17 receptions for 211 yards and three touchdowns, all team highs.

 

Keys to the game

–The Rushing attack: Whoever is most effective on the ground will likely win today.

-Tony Gonzalez: To counter the Niners’ aggressive front seven, Matt Ryan will look in Gonzalez’s direction plenty.

Prediction: 49ers win 27-16

 

Small Names, Big Games

Here we will take a look at three non-superstars who will post big numbers in Week Five.

 

Glen Coffee (RB, San Francisco)

Coffee will continue to see most of the action out of the San Francisco backfield with Frank Gore out until at least week seven.

Coffee ran for 74 yards last week against St. Louis.

Expect to see him touch the ball around 20 times against Atlanta’s 25th ranked rush defense. He should top 100 yards today.

 

Ahmad Bradshaw (RB, New York Giants)

Brandon Jacobs is the No. 1 running back for the Giants but Ahmad Bradshaw sees his fair share of touches every week, too.

In four games, Bradshaw has carried the ball 47 times for 265 yards (a 5.6 average).

The Giants host the Oakland Raiders in week five who rank 26th against the run so Bradshaw could have another big game.

With quarterback Eli Manning battling an injury, the Giants will be even more likely to run a ton.

Watch for Bradshaw to break some big plays on the ground and out of the backfield as a receiver again this afternoon.

 

Kevin Walter (WR, Houston)

Kevin Walter is one of the most underrated wide receivers in all of football. He plays in a pass-happy offense where he consistently puts up solid numbers and has a nose for the end zone.

After missing the first two games with a hamstring injury, Walter has caught eight passes for 137 yards and one touchdown in the last two weeks.

The Texans head to Arizona today to take on the Cardinals who rank 30th against the pass.

Both of these teams love to throw the ball and you shouldn’t expect anything to change today. Expect a high-scoring affair with lots of big plays and lead changes.

This type of game favors Walter, as he’ll be able to rack up the catches and yards while the Cards focus on stopping Andre Johnson on the other side.

He’s one of Matt Schaub’s favorite targets, especially in the red zone, so be ready for a big-time performance by Walter in week five.

 

Others To Watch: Jerome Harrison (RB, Cleveland), Matt Cassel (QB, Kansas City), Pierre Garcon (WR, Indianapolis)

 

Upset Alert!: Kansas City (0-4) over Dallas (2-2)???

This upset prediction is just like last week’s: It could be a disaster, or if everything goes perfect, it’ll be an upset.

Kansas City has lost 27 of its last 29 games dating back to 2007 and are trying to avoid starting 0-5 for the first time in 32 years.

The Cowboys are trying to find their identity and get back to winning on a consistent basis.

Last week, Dallas lost a heart-wrenching 17-10 game to the Denver Broncos in the final minutes.

The Cowboys’ inconsistency can be mostly blamed on the offense. Tony Romo and the passing attack cannot seem to have success like they’ve had in the past.

Romo has been held to an average of 212.3 passing yards per game with just one  touchdown and four interceptions since their 34-21 victory over Tampa Bay in the season opener.

With wide receiver Roy Williams out today with a rib injury he suffered late in last Sunday’s game, passing could be even tougher for Romo.

However, Kansas City’s 28th ranked pass defense could make things a little easier for Romo and his weapons.

Quarterback Matt Cassel has yet to find the same success this year that he had in New England last season. But in last week’s loss to the Giants, Cassel did show some signs of getting back to his ’08 self when he threw for two garbage time touchdowns.

Cassel could have a big game this week against Dallas’ 29th ranked pass defense. To do that though, he’s going to need protection from the offensive line and for Larry Johnson to average more than the 2.6 yards per carry he’s got so far.

The Chiefs’ offense is also going to have to find a way to improve on third downs. They’ve converted just two of their last 26 third-down attempts and a 32nd ranked 17.6 percent on the year. To make things worse for K.C., the Dallas defense currently ranks fifth on third down efficiency.

Let’s face it, the Chiefs have been atrocious all around so far in ’09. But believe it or not, they do have a chance to take down “America’s Team” in week five.

 

Keys for KC

-Move the ball on offense and score touchdowns

-Convert third downs

-Shut down the run

Prediction: Chiefs win 26-23

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Sunday Morning Under the Helmet: What To Watch for in NFL Week Two

Before you crack open a can of beer, light the grill, or flip on the big screen, take a couple minutes to gather around your computer and get a sneak peak at what’s gonna go down in the NFL week two.

We’ll go around the league and tackle the day’s biggest matchup, preview three “no-names” who will have big games, and wrap up with which team will pull off the week’s biggest upset.

So put on the pads, buckle your chinstrap, and get ready for this Sunday Morning wild ride around the National Football League!

 

 

Matchup of the week:  Patriots @ Jets

There’s no question the most buzz in the NFL this week has been focused on this clashing of two AFC East rivals.  Rex Ryan and the Jets have taken the trash talking, intimidating approach while the Patriots have taken the “we’ll do the talking on the field” approach. Who will prevail???

According to Jets safety Kerry Rhodes, the Jets are planning on not just beating the Pats, but “embarrassing” them.

“You go out from the first quarter on, from the first play on, and try to embarrass them,” Rhodes said, according to the New York Daily News.

“Not just go out there and try to win, try to embarrass them. Try to make them feel bad when they leave here. We don’t want to just beat them. We want to send a message to them, ‘We’re not backing down from you and we expect to win this game, and it’s not going to be luck, it’s not going to be a mistake.’ “

In order to ensure New England doesn’t pick up it’s ninth-consecutive win against the Jets in the Meadowlands Sunday, coach Ryan sent a voicemail message to every Jets season ticket holder encouraging them to come out and make the Pats feel the pressure.

The Jets are clearly going to try to pressure Patriots quarterback Tom Brady from the first snap, to the last.

Rhodes even promised to the Daily News that they’d hit Brady more than six times.

As the Jets trash-talk, the Patriots remain pretty quiet like usual.

The Patriots will need to find a way to protect Brady and keep him on his feet.  In order to do that they’ll need to keep the Jets defense off balance. Therefore, we could see New England focus on getting things going on the ground early.

On the defensive side of the ball, Bill Belichick’s defense will likely try to put lots of pressure on rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez as he makes just his second NFL start, and home debut.

This will likely be a close game, maybe a field goal will be the difference.

 

Small names, big games

Today we’ll take a look at three non-superstars who will post big numbers in week two.

-Austin Collie (WR, Indianapolis)

Ever heard of him?  I didn’t think so. 

Austin Collie is a rookie fourth round wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts.  With Anthony Gonzalez now out for several weeks, Collie could see a significant increase in his playing time.

Last week against Jacksonville, Collie had two catches for 15 yards and in three preseason games he caught eight balls for 69 yards.

In his final season at Brigham Young, Collie snagged 106 passes for 1,538 yards and 15 touchdowns.

So clearly, this guy knows how to play football. Oh, plus he’s got some guy named Peyton Manning throwing to him.

-Trent Edwards (QB, Buffalo)

Trent Edwards was pretty impressive in week one against New England.  He threw for a very respectable 212 yards and two touchdowns in the 25-24 loss to the Pats.

In week two he goes head-to-head with a Buccaneers defense that gave up 344 passing yards, including three long touchdowns, to Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys last week.

Expect Edwards to hit T.O. and Lee Evans for multiple big plays against the weak Bucs secondary.

-Louis Murphy (WR, Oakland)

Rookie Louis Murphy has quickly become the Raiders No. 1 wideout.  He showed off his talents in week one against San Diego by collecting four catches for 87 yards, not including the touchdown that was overturned at the end of the half.

In preseason he caught seven passes for 158 yards and one touchdown.

Watch for quarterback JaMarcus Russell to look for Murphy quite a bit against the weak Chiefs defense.

-Others to watch: Kevin Kolb, Jason Campbell, Fred Jackson

 

Upset Alert!: Chicago over Pittsburgh???

When the defending champs head into Chicago for this week two battle, Steelers fans could be in for a disappointment.

Jay Cutler played pretty awful in week one at Green Bay, but he will bounce back in week two at home, especially with Polamalu out.  He’ll also get help from Matt Forte and the rushing department.

Until late last week against the Titans, the Steelers’ offense struggled to score points mostly because of their lack of a solid rushing attack. The run game could be a little better this week with Brian Urlacher out for the Bears, but don’t expect any 100-yard rushers for Pittsburgh. 

Overall, expect this to be a dogfight throughout. It won’t be easy, but a couple freak plays could be the difference in this one for Chicago.

Prediction: Bears win 26-24.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

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