Week 7 NFL Preview

Last-Undefeated Titans Go For 6-0; What NFL Shocks Are In Store For This Week?

Sean’s got it right.“In the NFL,” says New Orleans Saints head coach SEAN PAYTON, “it’s either carnival or crisis.”

And that status is in constant flux. Just look at last week. The winning points of four games were scored in the final 10 seconds of regulation — the most such games in a week since 1970.

That does not include the Arizona-Dallas overtime game that was decided – for the first time in history – on the return of a blocked punt. “I can’t remember one that was this crazy,” said Cardinals quarterback KURT WARNER.

Seems like every week this season has been packed with such “this crazy” games.

Meanwhile, in the midst of such upheaval, the Tennessee Titans (coming off a bye) have been traveling along somewhat quietly and sit as the NFL’s lone undefeated team at 5-0, their best start ever. “We know this is a long stride ahead of us with 11 games,” says Titans cornerback CORTLAND FINNEGAN. “They’re all big for what we want to do.”

The next “carnival or crisis” is coming up. Some of the Week 7 games sure to produce such histrionics:

 

 

 

STORYLINE: Fourth-quarter aces square off.

 

That would be QBs TRENT EDWARDS of the Bills and PHILIP RIVERS of the Chargers, who sit in the top five in the league in fourth-quarter passer rating. Edwards has led Buffalo to three fourth-quarter victories. Rivers – who has thrown three TD passes in each of four games this year – is the NFL’s top-rated QB (109.4) and ranks third in the fourth quarter (129.5, right behind Edwards at No. 2, 136.6). He has led San Diego to wins in three of its last four games after starting the season at 0-2.

 

And, sure, San Diego and Buffalo have the RBs such as LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON and MARSHAWN LYNCH, respectively, who can control the game on the ground, but a good part of their success comes from special teams earning good field position. San Diego ranks first in the league in kickoff-return average (28.3) and Buffalo (“Best special teams in the NFL,” says ESPN’s TRENT DILFER) sits third in punt-return average (15.5).

 

The Chargers play their second in a row against the AFC East (topping New England Sunday night, 30-10) and will depart directly from Buffalo after the game for their one-week stay in London, England where they take on New Orleans on October 26.

 

 

STORYLINE: Brees and Bush vs. No. 3.

 

Can the Cats put a damper on the Saints? New Orleans QB DREW BREES and RB REGGIE BUSH are lighting up the league with their production. Brees – he of the raucous pregame peptalk – leads the NFL in passing yards (1,993) and

 

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NFL FACTOID

 

FOURTH-QUARTER/OVERTIME DECIDERS: If it seems like more and more games are being decided in the fourth quarter and overtime — they are. Through Week 6, 36.4 percent of games have been decided in those periods. If that percentage holds, it would be the highest in the past five years (33.2 in 2004 and 2006).

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completions (159) and ranks No. 2 in rating (105.0). Last Sunday against Oakland, he completed 26 of his 30 attempts, parceling them out to three wide receivers, three tight ends and three running backs.

 

One of those RBs is Bush, who has the second-most catches in the league (41, two behind NFL leader BRANDON MARSHALL). “Fortunately for me, Drew likes to check the ball down to the running backs,” says Bush. “It helps when you have a guy like that who can see the field and see the open guy.”

 

Of course, Carolina has its own hookup duo in QB JAKE DELHOMME and WR STEVE SMITH – coming off a 112-yard production against Tampa Bay — but they also pack a defensive wallop that can contain the Saints. The Panthers boast the NFL’s No. 3-ranked red-zone defense, allowing only four touchdowns, tying for second-fewest in the league. They gave up their first 100-yard rush game last week (WARRICK DUNN, 115 yards), and will now try to shut down veteran RB DEUCE MC ALLISTER — rounding back into shape after injury — who rumbled for 65 yards on 13 carries last week.

 

 

STORYLINE: Looks like the ol’ Colts are back…and so’s the Pack!

 

Both come off impressive victories. The Colts’ offense took on its long-ball look of the past against Baltimore last week with multiple PEYTON MANNING-to-REGGIE WAYNE-and-MARVIN HARRISON completions. Meanwhile, Indy’s defense turned in the opportunistic performance – eight takeaways, counting the last five minutes of their comeback game against Houston in Week 5 — that reminded everybody of last year when it allowed the fewest points in the NFL (262).

 

“It’s a little more like what we expect around here,” says Manning, who is 20-6 lifetime against the NFC.

 

Green Bay, after winning its first two, then losing three in a row, topped Seattle 27-17 last Sunday behind a gutsy performance by QB AARON RODGERS. Despite not practicing last week (and the week before) due to a sprained shoulder, Rodgers showed no skittishness, held the ball as long as necessary (and took one humungous hit from Seattle DE PATRICK KERNEY) while completing 21 of 30 passes for 208 yards with two TDs and no interceptions.

 

Watch out, Peyton: Packers DE AARON KAMPMAN, tied for the third-most sacks in the league (6.0), has posted the most sacks in the NFL since 2006 (33.5).

 

 

STORYLINE: Jeff should start, so should Seneca.

 

That’s the quarterback situation Sunday night. A rejuvenated Bucs QB JEFF GARCIA, making his first start since Week 1 in place of injured BRIAN GRIESE, lifted Tampa Bay into a tie for first place in the NFC South last week with a controlled 15 of 20 completions for a TD and no interceptions. He starts this week. And thereafter? “If he continues to play like Jeff Garcia — he’s a Pro Bowl-caliber guy, OK?” says Bucs head coach JON GRUDEN. “I’ll put it that way.”

 

For the Seahawks, SENECA WALLACE is slated to start for MATT HASSELBECK (knee) and can provide mobility that can complement Seattle’s run game. With their season-long limitations to their receiving corps due to injuries, the Seahawks have concentrated on their rush attack, with good payoff. Offseason UFA JULIUS JONES (417 yards) has helped Seattle to a No. 5 NFL rushing rank.

 

Right behind Seattle is Tampa Bay at the No. 6 spot. The Bucs are the only team with two players ranked in the top-15 of rushers – EARNEST GRAHAM (404 yards) and WARRICK DUNN (386).

 

 

STORYLINE: Moss vs. Marshall and Shanahan vs. Belichick.

 

Monday night will not be lacking for drama.

 

The Patriots’ RANDY MOSS is one of only three players in NFL history (minimum, 10 games) to average at least one touchdown per MNF game in his career (14 in 13 games). He joins AHMAN GREEN (15 in 14) and ERIC DICKERSON (14 in 14) in the unique category. The Broncos’ third-year WR BRANDON MARSHALL leads the NFL in catches with 43. “They have a good guy in Brandon,” says Dallas WR TERRELL OWENS, who Marshall has been compared to in size and ability. ‘He’s going to be a guy that will be around there for a while.”

 

The two head coaches Monday night – Denver’s MIKE SHANAHAN and New England’s BILL BELICHICK – have been around for a while and have won five Super Bowls between them. Yet Shanahan has the upper hand when the teams meet. Since Belichick became coach of the Patriots in 2000, Shanahan’s Broncos are 5-2 against New England, including a Divisional Playoff victory. How do you do it, Mike? “If I did have the answer,” smiles Shanahan, “I certainly wouldn’t share it.”

LAST WEEK’S NFL RESULTS (OCTOBER 12-13)

(Home team in CAPS)

Byes: Buffalo, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Tennessee

 

Sunday, October 12	Sunday, October 12, Cont.’d.
ATLANTA 22, Chicago 20	Jacksonville 24, DENVER 17
HOUSTON 29, Miami 28	ARIZONA 30, Dallas 24 (OT)
INDIANAPOLIS 31, Baltimore 3	Philadelphia 40, SAN FRANCISCO 26
MINNESOTA 12, Detroit 10	Green Bay 27, SEATTLE 17
NEW ORLEANS 34, Oakland 3	SAN DIEGO 30, New England 10
N.Y. JETS 26, Cincinnati 14
TAMPA BAY 27, Carolina 3	Monday, October 13
St. Louis 19, WASHINGTON 17	CLEVELAND 35, N.Y. Giants 14

 

WEEK 7 SCHEDULE – OCTOBER 19-20

(All times local)

Byes: Arizona, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Philadelphia