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Posted: Thursday September 27, 2001 8:52 AM

CNNSI.com's Jon A. Dolezar breaks down this week's games.
| Week Three |
 |
Miami (2-0) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
 |
St. Louis (2-0) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
10-1 -- Dolphins' record in their past 11 September games.
|
Key Matchup |
Rams quarterback Kurt Warner (67.5 percent completion rate this season, 103.1 career quarterback rating) against lockdown Dolphins cornerbacks Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain (combined 30 interceptions since beginning of 1998 season).
|
| Player to Watch |
Jay Fiedler, QB, Miami: Ranks only 16th with a 76.3 quarterback rating, but has been getting the job done with his feet in crunch time, rushing for 59 yards and two touchdowns this season while only getting sacked once.
|
|
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Tampa Bay (1-0) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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Minnesota (0-2) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
30-16 -- Vikings' record against the Buccaneers (.652 winning percentage), though the teams have split the season series in each of the past eight seasons.
|
Key Matchup |
Vikings offensive linemen Corbin Lacina, Matt Birk and David Dixon (combined 11 sacks allowed last season) against Buccaneers defensive tackles Warren Sapp and Anthony McFarland (combined 38 sacks the past two seasons). |
| Player to Watch |
Jeff Christy, C, Tampa Bay: The Buccaneers need to step up their running game after a poor performance at Dallas in Week 1 (which Christy sat out with an injured knee), and though Christy is returning to his former home of the Metrodome, few of the faces he used to practice against every day are still with the Vikings.
|
 |
Green Bay (2-0) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
 |
Carolina (1-1) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
2,584 -- Total yards that Packers running back Ahman Green is on pace for this season after gaining a league-leading 323 yards in the first two games.
|
Key Matchup |
Panthers offensive tackles Todd Steussie and Chris Terry (combined 21 sacks allowed last season) against Packers defensive ends Vonnie Holliday, John Thierry and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (7.5 combined sacks this season).
|
| Player to Watch |
Darren Sharper, SS, Green Bay: Packers' defensive leader has six tackles and two interceptions already this season, and will be the key to Green Bay's efforts to confuse Panthers rookie quarterback Chris Weinke with movement in the secondary and the occasional safety blitz.
|
 |
Indianapolis (2-0) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
 |
New England (0-2) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
37-24 -- Patriots' record against the Colts (.607 winning percentage), including victories in eight of the past 10 meetings.
|
Key Matchup |
Colts quarterback Peyton Manning (NFL-best 652 passing yards, 73.8 percent completion rate) against Patriots defense that has yet to pick off a pass this season.
|
| Player to Watch |
Tom Brady, QB, New England: Has completed only 6 of 13 passes for 52 yards in two career appearances, but gets to make his starting debut against a team that has forced only one turnover this season and is allowing 352 yards per game.
|
 |
New Orleans (1-0) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
 |
New York (1-1) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
106.3 -- Quarterback rating of Kerry Collins in his past four games at Giants Stadium, during which he completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 1,160 yards and nine touchdowns in leading New York to a 119-45 scoring margin.
|
Key Matchup |
Giants Joe Jurevicius and Amani Toomer (combined 22 catches for 295 yards and two touchdowns this season) against Saints strong safety Sammy Knight (eight interceptions in past 17 games).
|
| Player to Watch |
La'Roi Glover, DT, New Orleans: Dominant interior presence (18 sacks and 5.5 stuffs in past 17 games) needs to control the line of scrimmage to prevent Tiki Barber and Ron Dayne from getting the Giants' ground game rolling.
|
 |
Pittsburgh (0-1) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
 |
Buffalo (0-2) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
122 -- Consecutive games in which Bills running back Larry Centers has caught a pass.
|
Key Matchup |
Steelers running back Jerome Bettis (3.71 yards per carry since start of 1998 season compared to 4.15 for the first five years of his career) against Bills linebackers Kenyatta Wright, Keith Newman and Jay Foreman (combined 21 solo tackles in two games).
|
| Player to Watch |
Rob Johnson, QB, Buffalo: Struggling with a 60.5 quarterback rating so far this season and faces a strong pass defense that allowed only 188.8 passing yards per game last season.
|
 |
Kansas City (0-2) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
 |
Washington (0-2) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
4-1 -- Chiefs' record against the Redskins, though head coach Dick Vermeil was only 5-10 against Washington while coaching the Eagles and Rams.
|
Key Matchup |
Redskins quarterback Tony Banks (72.0 career quarterback rating and 54.0 completion percentage) against Chiefs defensive ends Eric Hicks (18 sacks in past 31 games) and Duane Clemons (16.5 sacks in past 30 games).
|
| Player to Watch |
Stephen Davis, RB, Washington: Struggling so far this season with a 3.7 average per carry and a long gain of only 17 yards. The Chiefs are allowing only 94.5 yards per game on the ground, so Davis may have to wait another week to get back on track.
|
 |
Atlanta (1-1) |
4:05 p.m. EDT Sunday |
 |
Arizona (0-1) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
19:19 -- Chris Chandler's touchdown-to-interception ratio in his three seasons in Arizona, during which he completed only 56.9 percent of his passes, compared with 59.2 percent in the nine seasons since he left the Cardinals.
|
Key Matchup |
Cardinals rookie right guard Leonard Davis against Falcons middle linebacker Keith Brooking (23 total tackles, one sack this season).
|
| Player to Watch |
Jamal Anderson, RB, Atlanta: Continues to look stronger as he bounces back from his severe knee injury two seasons ago. But the numbers don't lie -- Anderson averaged 4.18 yards per carry in the first five seasons of his career, only 3.6 yards per carry in his past 20 games.
|
 |
Cincinnati (2-0) |
4:15 p.m. EDT Sunday |
 |
San Diego (2-0) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
25-71 -- Combined record (.260 winning percentage) of the Bengals (11-37) and Chargers (14-34) the past three seasons.
|
Key Matchup |
Bengals running back Corey Dillon (stuffed 59 times in past 18 games) against Chargers linebacker Junior Seau (103 solo tackles, 13 stuffs last season).
|
| Player to Watch |
Doug Flutie, QB, San Diego: Averaging a career-best 8.6 yards per attempt in Norv Turner's passing offense and has a respectable 84.1 rating through two games, 6.2 points better than his career rating of 77.9.
|
 |
Seattle (1-1) |
4:15 p.m. EDT Sunday |
 |
Oakland (1-1) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
46.6 -- Abysmal quarterback rating for Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck, better only than Ty Detmer (35.1) and Jeff George (34.6).
|
Key Matchup |
Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon (32.7 rushing yards per game in past 25 games) against Seahawks linebacker Chad Brown (19 total tackles and four sacks this season).
|
| Player to Watch |
Tyrone Wheatley, RB, Oakland: Though he has gained only 93 yards on 29 carries so far this season, Wheatley tore up the Seahawks last year with 302 yards rushing in their two meetings.
|
 |
Baltimore (1-1) |
4:15 p.m. EDT Sunday |
 |
Denver (2-0) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
6,983 -- Team-record receiving yards for Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe during his 10 seasons with the Broncos.
|
Key Matchup |
Broncos running backs Mike Anderson and Olandis Gary (combined 2,884 yards in 33 career games) against Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis (7.7 solo tackles per game in career, 10.5 stuffs last season).
|
| Player to Watch |
Brian Griese, QB, Denver: Turning into the league's most accurate passer, with a 71.7 completion percentage and a league-leading 134.9 rating so far this season.
|
 |
Cleveland (1-1) |
4:15 p.m. EDT Sunday |
 |
Jacksonville (2-0) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
6-0 -- Jaguars' record against the Browns, including a 48-0 demolition in their last meeting on Dec. 3, 2000, in Jacksonville in which Cleveland finished with 53 total yards.
|
Key Matchup |
Jaguars wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell (combined 54 catches for 685 yards in past four games against Cleveland) against Browns cornerbacks Daylon McCutcheon, Corey Fuller and Anthony Henry (combined five interceptions this season).
|
| Player to Watch |
Tim Couch, QB, Cleveland: Off to a slow start with a 54.7 completion rate and only a 67.6 rating, but the Browns' improved running game (114.5 yards per game) will eventually help soften up defenses for the passing game.
|
 |
Dallas (0-2) |
8:35 p.m. EDT Sunday |
 |
Philadelphia (1-1) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
2,246 -- Career rushing yards by Emmitt Smith against the Eagles, his highest total against any team.
|
Key Matchup |
Cowboys quarterback Anthony Wright (42.1 quarterback rating in five career games) against Eagles free safety Brian Dawkins (16 career interceptions).
|
| Player to Watch |
James Thrash, WR, Philadelphia: Eagles' big offseason signing has paid early-season dividends. Thrash is on pace for 1,408 receiving yards, which would more than double his previous career best of 653 set last season with Washington.
|
 |
San Francisco (1-1) |
9 p.m. EDT Monday |
 |
New York (1-1) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
34-20 -- 49ers' record (.630 winning percentage) on Monday Night Football, tying them with the Cowboys for the most NFC wins on Monday night.
|
Key Matchup |
49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens (31 touchdowns in past 46 games) against Jets cornerback Marcus Coleman (11 interceptions in past 34 games).
|
| Player to Watch |
Jeff Garcia, QB, San Francisco: Tore up AFC opponents in four games last season with seven touchdowns and a 60.9 completion rate, but has thrown for only 456 yards in two games this season.
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