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Posted: Thursday October 25, 2001 1:26 PM

CNNSI.com's Jon A. Dolezar breaks down this week's games.
| Week Seven Previews |
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Indianapolis (2-3) |
8:30 p.m. EDT Thursday |
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Kansas City (1-5) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
417.8 -- Colts' league-leading average yardage total.
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Key Matchup |
Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison (95.2 receiving yards per game in past 37 games) against Chiefs cornerbacks Eric Warfield and William Bartee (five combined career interceptions).
|
| Player to Watch |
Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis: Led the Colts to 87 points in their first two games (both wins), but Indy has scored only 48 points in the past three games (all losses).
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New Orleans (3-2) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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St. Louis (6-0) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
20 -- Games in Kurt Warner's first 33 career starts with a quarterback rating of more than 100.0, besting Dan Marino's old record of 16.
|
Key Matchup |
Saints running back Ricky Williams (137.2 total yards per game this season vs. 112.0 in his first two seasons) against Rams middle linebacker London Fletcher (47 total tackles, three sacks, 2.5 stuffs).
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| Player to Watch |
Marshall Faulk or Trung Canidate, RB, St. Louis: Whichever Rams rusher gets the starting nod, look for them to put up huge numbers, as the two have combined for 966 total yards and nine touchdowns.
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San Francisco (4-1) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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Chicago (4-1) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
119.0 -- Jeff Garcia's quarterback rating (36-44 for 402 yards and two touchdowns) in his only previous game against the Bears, a 17-0 49ers shutout at 3 Com Park last Dec. 17.
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Key Matchup |
49ers running back Garrison Hearst (68 carries for 305 yards) against Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher (27 total tackles, two sacks, one stuff).
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| Player to Watch |
Anthony Thomas, RB, Chicago: The Bears will likely ride the "A-Train" often as long as he continues to average 6.6 yards per carry, third in the league behind Troy Hambrick (8.3) and Daunte Culpepper (6.7) among players with at least 20 carries.
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New York (3-3) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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Carolina (1-5) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
73.3 -- Jets' league-leading touchdown rate in the red zone.
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Key Matchup |
Jets tight end Anthony Becht (three touchdown catches in past three games) against Panthers strong safety Mike Minter (24 total tackles, five passes defensed).
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| Player to Watch |
Curtis Martin, RB, New York: Workhorse rusher is having the best season of his seven-year career as he is on pace for 1,544 yards and 18 touchdowns.
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Minnesota (3-3) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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Tampa Bay (2-3) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
1,050 -- Career-low receiving yardage Randy Moss is on pace for.
|
Key Matchup |
Vikings defensive linemen Stalin Colinet, Fred Robbins, Chris Hovan and Talance Sawyer (five combined sacks this season) against a Bucs offensive line that allowed a team-record 10 sacks to the Steelers last week.
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| Player to Watch |
Warren Sapp, DT, Tampa Bay: Needs to pick up his play in a big way to help the Bucs turn their season around, as he has struggled for only 10 tackles, one sacks and two stuffs this season.
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Jacksonville (2-3) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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Baltimore (3-3) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
8-2 -- Jaguars' record against the Ravens (.800 winning percentage), though Baltimore won both meeting last season by a combined eight points.
|
Key Matchup |
Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell (two touchdowns and three interceptions in past three games, all losses) against Ravens secondary that has allowed five touchdown passes and 552 yards in the past two games.
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| Player to Watch |
Matt Stover, K, Baltimore: Broke the NFL record for consecutive games with a field goal (32); the last game he didn't make a field goal was against Kansas City on Oct. 21, 1999.
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Cincinnati (3-3) |
1 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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Detroit (0-5) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
(-9) -- Lions' turnover margin, second-worst in the league to Minnesota's (-10).
|
Key Matchup |
Bengals running back Corey Dillon (averaging a career-low 3.6 yards per carry) against Lions middle linebacker Chris Claiborne (32 total tackles, two sacks, one stuff).
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| Player to Watch |
Charlie Batch, QB, Detroit: Has thrown for 683 yards in the past two games, posting impressive quarterback ratings of 124.5 and 99.1.
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Arizona (2-3) |
4:05 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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Dallas (1-4) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
51-25-1 -- Cowboys' record (.669 winning percentage) against the Cardinals, including wins in the past 11 at Texas Stadium.
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Key Matchup |
Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith (averaging career-low 3.6 yards per carry) against Cardinals middle linebacker Ronald McKinnon (39 total tackles, 1.5 stuffs).
|
| Player to Watch |
Jake Plummer, QB, Arizona: Posting a career-best 82.8 quarterback rating, thanks to a 59.2 percent completion rate and two interception-free games in a row.
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New York (3-3) |
4:05 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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Washington (1-5) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
10.5 -- Sacks by Michael Strahan in the past four games, the third-most sacks in a four-game span since it became an official stat in 1982.
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Key Matchup |
Redskins running back Stephen Davis (yet to score a touchdown this season and has a season-long run of 29 yards) against Giants middle linebacker Micheal Barrow (42 total tackles, 2.5 stuffs).
|
| Player to Watch |
Rod Gardner, WR, Washington: Looking to become the first Redskins rookie to the lead the team in receiving since Art Monk caught 58 balls for 797 yards and three touchdowns in 1980.
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Buffalo (1-4) |
4:15 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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San Diego (4-2) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
21-3 -- Doug Flutie's record in home starts.
|
Key Matchup |
Bills rookie running back Travis Henry (averaging a scant 3.1 yards per carry) against Chargers' defense which is allowing only 77.2 rushing yards per game, third-best in the league behind the Ravens and Bears.
|
| Player to Watch |
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego: Has gained only 132 yards in the past two games, but is still on pace for 1,450 yards and 18 touchdowns.
|
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Miami (3-2) |
4:15 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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Seattle (3-2) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
45.8 -- Dolphins' third-down conversion rate, the second-best in the AFC.
|
Key Matchup |
Dolphins running back Lamar Smith (averaging 97 yards per game in three wins, 51 yards in two losses) against Seahawks linebackers Chad Brown (41 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, two stuffs), Levon Kirkland (35 total tackles, one sack, two stuffs) and Anthony Simmons (31 total tackles, three stuffs).
|
| Player to Watch |
Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Seattle: Back in the starting lineup despite his awful 48.9 quarterback rating, replacing Trent Dilfer who went 2-0 as a starter and has a 93.0 rating this season.
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New England (3-3) |
4:15 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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Denver (3-3) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
10 -- Points needed by Jason Elam to reach 1,000 for his career. |
Key Matchup |
Broncos running back Mike Anderson (rushed for 155 yards in Week 4, but only 203 yards in other four games) against Patriots strong safety Lawyer Milloy (39 total tackles, one stuff).
|
| Player to Watch |
Tom Brady, QB, New England: Has amassed an impressive 92.6 quarterback rating and a 3-1 record while filling in for the injured Drew Bledsoe.
|
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Oakland (4-1) |
4:15 p.m. EDT Sunday |
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Philadelphia (3-2) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
112.0 -- Donovan McNabb's fourth-quarter passing rating.
|
Key Matchup |
Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter (4.6 yards per carry) against Raiders middle linebacker Greg Biekert (32 total tackles, 3.5 stuffs).
|
| Player to Watch |
Tim Brown, WR, Oakland: Enjoying a late-career renaissance with a 16.4 yards per catch, his best total since he averaged 16.9 per grab in his rookie season of 1988.
|
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Tennessee (2-3) |
9 p.m. EDT Monday |
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Pittsburgh (4-1) |
Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
|
| Key Stat |
5,832 -- Jerome Bettis' league-leading rushing total since 1997, topping Eddie George's 5,796 yards.
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Key Matchup |
Titans offensive tackles Fred Miller and Brad Hopkins (team has allowed 12 sacks in 171 pass attempts this season) against Steelers outside linebackers Joey Porter and Jason Gildon (combined 31 sacks in past 42 games).
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| Player to Watch |
Kordell Stewart, QB, Pittsburgh: Struggling with only a 65.3 quarterback rating, but the Steelers are 4-1 and Stewart is completing a career-high 61.3 percent of his passes.
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