Keys to the Game The Raiders' tandem of RBs Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden could be joined by Michael Bush if the Raiders get more short-yardage situations this week. But one of the vulnerable... More
Series Notes 96th meeting. Kansas City holds a 50-43-2 advantage. Raiders won last game 20-17 at Arrowhead Stadium to snap a nine-game losing streak to the Chiefs and a 17-game streak in the AFC West. Running back Justin Fargas rushed for 139 yards and had a 14-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. The last time the Chiefs hosted the Raiders in their home opener was Week 1 in 2001, won by the Raiders 27-24 on a 31-yard field goal from Sebastian Janikowski with 15 seconds remaining.
Weather: Decreasing cloudiness. Hot. 95° F. 11mph wind
Keys to the Game The Saints will spread the field and attack the Redskins' secondary even without injured WR Marques Colston. Washington will get CB Shawn Springs back, but look for Fred Smoot to... More
Series Notes 22nd meeting. Redskins lead series, 14-7, but the Saints have taken two of the last three games played -- both at FedEx Field -- back in 2002 and 2003. The Redskins won the most recent matchup, 16-10, in 2006 in the Superdome.
Keys to the Game With QB Kerry Collins taking over for injured Vince Young, the Titans should receive a boost to their fledgling passing game. Collins has better ability to stretch the field vertically... More
Series Notes 72nd meeting. Titans lead the all-time series, 38-32-1. Last year, an also-ran Bengals team thumped the Titans 35-6 at Paul Brown Stadium.
Keys to the Game This will be the Jaguars' first look at Lynch, who missed last year's meeting. Offensive coordinator Turk Schonert drew praise from the offense for being aggressive in the opener, but... More
Series Notes 8th meeting. Bills lead, 4-3, but Jacksonville won last season 36-14 at home. The Bills and Jaguars first met in a 1996 wild-card playoff game in Buffalo with the upstart Jaguars winning 30-27. It would be Jim Kelly's final game of his Hall of Fame career. Buffalo put a crimp in Jacksonville's postseason plans in 2006 with a thrilling 27-24 victory at home highlighted by Roscoe Parrish's 82-yard punt return for a touchdown and Rian Lindell's 42-yard field goal as time expired after Jacksonville tied the game with 28 seconds left.
Weather: A mixture of sun and clouds. Hot. 93° F. 6mph wind
Keys to the Game Bears LT John St. Clair held up fairly well against Dwight Freeney last weekend and now draws Panthers DE Julius Peppers, who is motivated in his contract year. With pass... More
Series Notes 5th meeting. Tied 2-2, including a 29-21 Panthers victory at Soldier Field in a divisional round playoff game after the 2005 season. Less than two months earlier, the Bears won 13-3, getting eight sacks and two interceptions against Jake Delhomme.
Weather: Light rain. Overcast. Mild. 73° F. 11mph wind
Keys to the Game The Packers have a short week following their Monday night win, leaving little time for RBs Ryan Grant (hamstring) and Brandon Jackson (concussion) to get back to full health. If... More
Series Notes 158th meeting. Packers lead series, 86-64-7. Green Bay has won the last five meetings between the division rivals, dating to the 2005 season. It's the longest string of dominance in the series since the Packers won six in a row spanning the 2000 to '03 seasons. Green Bay is 4-2 at Detroit's Ford Field. The NFL's longest uninterrupted series has included two postseason meetings, both won by the Packers in NFC wild-card matchups in the 1993 and '94 seasons.
Weather: Strong thunderstorms. Overcast. Mild. 78° F. 7mph wind
Keys to the Game Giants FB Madison Hedgecock was openly critical when the Rams released him last September, and he'll get a chance to exact some revenge as the lead blocker for the physical... More
Series Notes 40th meeting. Rams lead series, 26-13 (which includes a split in two playoff games). The Giants have played the Rams when they were located in Cleveland, Los Angeles and now St. Louis. Giants have won the last three games, including the last time the teams played in St. Louis.
Weather: Scattered showers. Decreasing cloudiness. Cool. 67° F. 11mph wind
Keys to the Game Manning admitted to some rust last Sunday after missing the entire preseason. His timing should be improved this week, but he also needs more help from the running game -... More
Series Notes 22nd meeting. Colts lead series, 13-7-1. The Colts also won the only postseason meeting between the two franchises, taking a 24-14 decision in the NFL Western Conference championship game on Dec. 22, 1968. Indianapolis has won the last two meetings, 31-28 on Nov. 8, 2004 as former Colts PK Mike Vanderjagt booted a 35-yard field goal with 0:02 remaining in the game; and 31-10 on Dec. 24, 2000.
Keys to the Game The Falcons aren't going to rush for 318 yards every game, but they have begun to establish an identity. RB Michael Turner will be the workhorse, with offensive coordinator Mike... More
Series Notes 30th meeting. Buccaneers lead the series, 17-12. Tampa Bay beat the Falcons in both NFC South matchups last season. The Falcons swept them in 2006. The Falcons are 6-10 when playing the Bucs in Tampa, including a 17-6 victory over the Bucs in 2004.
Keys to the Game The 49ers will run RB Frank Gore between the tackles in an effort to overpower the Seahawks' smallish front seven. Gore will also be involved in the passing game as... More
Series Notes 19th meeting. Seahawks lead the series 10-8, including victories in both games last season. The Seahawks outscored the 49ers 47-3 in two games a year ago.
Keys to the Game The Chargers want to test the NFL's 30th-ranked run defense from last season and try to get RB LaDainian Tomlinson untracked early - he averaged 4.3 yards per carry in... More
Series Notes 97th meeting. Broncos lead series, 52-43-1, although the Chargers have won four straight against Denver. The Chargers' two consecutive wins in Denver marks the first time they've done that since 1967-68.
Weather: Tstorms early. Decreasing cloudiness. Warm. 89° F. 11mph wind
Keys to the Game Patriots QB Matt Cassel will make his first start in a game that counts since high school. New England will still run at least a part of its no-back offense,... More
Series Notes 96th meeting. Jets lead, 48-46-1. The Patriots have won nine of their last 10 games against the Jets, including a playoff game in 2006. They have not lost at the Meadowlands since Sept. 11, 2000, which was Belichick's first season as head coach. Belichick is 13-6 lifetime against the Jets, including a 1-1 record as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. The Patriots are 16-9 against the Jets at Giants Stadium and 23-25 all-time in New York.
Keys to the Game Dolphins RBs Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown combined for just 23 touches last Sunday, a number that promises to increase significantly against Arizona. The Cardinals applied constant pressure against the... More
Series Notes 10th meeting. Dolphins lead series, 8-1, including 3-0 in Arizona, and 5-0 when they were the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals' lone win, 24-23, came at then-Pro Player Stadium on Nov. 7, 2004 when former Dolphins QB Josh McCown hit WR Larry Fitzgerald on a two-yard TD with 19 seconds left. It ended a 17-game road losing streak by the Cardinals.
Weather: A few tstorms. Overcast. Mild. 76° F. 18mph wind
Keys to the Game The Browns' secondary was torched against Dallas and is vulnerable minus injured S Sean Jones, but the Steelers will stick to the script. That means utilizing RB Willie Parker heavily... More
Series Notes 111th meeting. The series is tied, 55-55, and the Steelers have won two playoff games. Pittsburgh is 8-1 in Cleveland since the Browns' return in 1999. The Steelers have won nine straight in this series, 15 of 16, including a comeback 31-28 victory Nov. 11 in Heinz Field in their most recent game.
Weather: Scattered clouds. Mild. 77° F. 21mph wind
Keys to the Game The Eagles got a huge effort from rookie WR DeSean Jackson against St. Louis, but McNabb will have his work cut out for him against the Cowboys if WR Reggie... More
Series Notes 98th meeting. Cowboys lead the series, 54-43. Eagles have won 12 of the last 16 meetings and 3 of the last 4. They split last season's home-and-home, with the Eagles winning in Dallas (10-6) and the Cowboys winning in Philadelphia (38-17).
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