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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
   Indianapolis (2-3) 8:30 p.m. EDT
Thursday
   Kansas City (1-5) Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
Key Stat 417.8 -- Colts' league-leading average yardage total.
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).


   New Orleans (3-2) 1 p.m. EDT
Sunday
   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).
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.


   San Francisco (4-1) 1 p.m. EDT
Sunday
   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.
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).
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.


   New York (3-3) 1 p.m. EDT
Sunday
   Carolina (1-5) Preview
Stats Matchup
Injury Report
Key Stat 73.3 -- Jets' league-leading touchdown rate in the red zone.
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).
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.


   Minnesota (3-3) 1 p.m. EDT
Sunday
   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.
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.


   Jacksonville (2-3) 1 p.m. EDT
Sunday
   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.
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.


   Cincinnati (3-3) 1 p.m. EDT
Sunday
   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).
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.


   Arizona (2-3) 4:05 p.m. EDT
Sunday
   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.
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.


   New York (3-3) 4:05 p.m. EDT
Sunday
   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.
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.


   Buffalo (1-4) 4:15 p.m. EDT
Sunday
   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.


   Miami (3-2) 4:15 p.m. EDT
Sunday
   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.


   New England (3-3) 4:15 p.m. EDT
Sunday
   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.


   Oakland (4-1) 4:15 p.m. EDT
Sunday
   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.


   Tennessee (2-3) 9 p.m. EDT
Monday
   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.
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).
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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