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Week 16 NFL Preview |
| Teams
| Key Stat | Key Matchup
| Player to Watch |
Ravens (5-9) at
Bears (3-11)
Sun., 1:01 ET
Stat matchups
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Ravens have five Pro Bowlers and five wins -- only better ratio is Panthers' three with two wins.
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Ravens' Mike McCrary (35 sacks in last 36 games) vs. fragile Bears quarterback Steve Stenstrom.
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After 10 catches and 1 TD in first 11 games, Ravens' Floyd Turner has 17 catches and 4 TDs in last three.
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Oilers (8-6) at
Packers (9-5)
Sun., 1:01 ET
Stat matchups
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Oilers kicker Al Del Greco has 8 games this year with 3 or more field goals for NFL-high 33.
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Tennessee, 5-2 away from home this season, vs. Packers' 6-1 record at Lambeau Field.
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Packers QB Brett Favre needs 3 TD passes to become first player with five 30-touchdown seasons.
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49ers (11-3) at
Patriots (8-6)
Sun., 1:01 ET
Stat matchups
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49ers offense needs to average 472 yards over last 2 games to break NFL record set by '84 Dolphins.
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49ers RB Garrison Hearst (198 yards last week) vs. Patriots RB Robert Edwards (196 yards last week).
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Patriots QB Scott Zolak (83 passes in last five years) gets start in place of injured Drew Bledsoe.
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Rams (4-10) at
Panthers (2-12)
Sun., 1:01 ET
Stat matchups
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Panthers QB Steve Beuerlein leads NFL with 63.6 percent completions; Rams' Steve Bono is under 50 percent.
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Rams RB June Henley (86 yards last week) vs. Panthers linebackers, missing Kevin Greene.
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Panthers WR Muhsin Muhammad needs one catch for team record, 91 yards to reach 1,000 for season.
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Bengals (2-12) at
Steelers (7-7)
Sun., 1:01 ET
Stat matchups
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Bengals punter Brad Costello set team record with 73-yard punt in NFL debut last week vs. Colts.
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Bengals, losers of nine straight, vs. Steelers, losers of three straight, most ever under Cowher.
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Cincy's Carl Pickens has 64 catches for 882 yards in last eight games against Steelers.
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Chiefs (6-8) at
Giants (6-8)
Sun., 1:01 ET
Stat matchups
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Giants bring 529-437-33 record into 1,000th regular-season game in franchise history.
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Chiefs, winners of 17 of last 19 against NFC teams, vs. Giants, fresh off upset of Broncos.
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Giants tailback Gary Brown has four 100-yard games and a 96-yard effort in his past eight games.
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Raiders (7-7) at
Chargers (5-9)
Sun., 4:05 ET
Stat matchups
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Raiders are 5-1 this year in games decided by three points or less, after 1-5 mark in '97.
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San Diego (260.8 yards/game) vs. Oakland (275.9) in battle of NFL's top two teams in total defense.
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Chargers tight end Freddie Jones has at least five receptionss in each of last seven games.
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Colts (3-11) at
Seahawks (7-7)
Sun., 4:05 ET
Stat matchups
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Colts' Peyton Manning leads AFC with 24 TDs and could be first rookie since '45 to lead league.
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Seahawks' Joey Galloway, with TDs in last five, vs. Colts defense, allowing 21-plus points in nine straight.
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Colts rookie receiver Jerome Pathon (39 catches, 410 yards) starred collegiately at Washington.
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Saints (6-8) at
Cardinals (7-7)
Sun., 4:15 ET
Stat matchups
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Saints 4-0 when leading at half, 2-8 when trailing; Cards seeking first playoff berth since '82.
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Saints defense, with club-record 8 TDs, vs. Jake Plummer, third in NFL with 19 interceptions.
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Cards' Adrian Murrell rushed for 174 yards on 32 carries in overtime win over Eagles last week.
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Eagles (3-11) at
Cowboys (8-6)
Sun., 4:15 ET
Stat matchups
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Cowboys, 6-0 vs. NFC East teams, seek to join '97 Giants as only teams to go undefeated in division.
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Cowboys, clinging to one-game division lead, vs. Eagles, one game away from NFL's worst record.
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Eagles' Duce Staley needs 99 yards to reach 1,000 yards after rushing for 29 last season.
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Falcons (12-2) at
Lions (5-9)
Sun., 4:15 ET
Stat matchups
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Falcons defense has given up one opposing 100-yard rushing performance in last 22 games.
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NFC rushing leader Jamal Anderson (1,596 yards) vs. Barry Sanders, 241 yards off lead in third place.
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Lions' Sanders, who has one TD in past 12 games and one 100-yard game in past four games.
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Jaguars (10-4) at
Vikings (13-1)
Sun., 8:20 ET
Stat matchups
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Vikings have scored 480 points, on pace to break NFL team record set by 1983 Redskins.
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Vikes' Randy Moss vs. Jags' Fred Taylor (15 TDs each) in battle of NFL's top rookie standouts.
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Jags rookie Jonathan Quinn makes first NFL start at Metrodome, where Minnesota is 7-0 in '98.
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Broncos (13-1) at
Dolphins (9-5)
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Victory would give Dolphins 34 Monday night wins, moving ahead of Raiders for most ever in NFL.
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For only second time ever, Dan Marino vs. John Elway in battle of NFL's only 50,000-yard passers.
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Broncos' Terrell Davis needs 199 yards to become fourth player ever to reach 2,000 in one season.
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Week 16 NFL Capsules |
| Teams
| Key Stat | Key to Victory
| MVP |
Jets (11-4) 17,
Bills (9-6) 10
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Pro Bowl quarterback Vinny Testaverde of the Jets finished 14-for-23 for 184 yards and two touchdowns and was not intercepted on a blustery day.
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The Bills were hurt by Victor Green's controversial interception on a tipped pass with 3:52 remaining; replays showed he dropped the ball.
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Testaverde tossed touchdown passes of 71 yards to Dedric Ward and 7 to Wayne Chrebet.
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Redskins (7-7) 20,
Buccaneers (6-9) 16
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It was the fourth straight victory for the Redskins, who became only the second team in NFL history to win six in a season after starting 0-7.
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Trent Green bootlegged right and hit rookie tight end Stephen Alexander for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 5:49 to play.
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The Redskins' defense, which included a Dan Wilkinson sack and an interception by Darrell Green to thwart Tampa Bay's last drive in the final two minutes.
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