This week features a solid slate of NFL action that includes some great divisional match-ups, as well as a rivalry game that has lost a bit of its sheen. Week nine, in your grill!
New York Jets (4-3) at Buffalo Bills (5-2)
Coming off of a surprisingly tough game against the lowly Chiefs in which Brett Favre threw three interceptions, the Jets find themselves in position to make a statement against the division leading Bills. With a loss earlier this season to New England, Eric Mangini’s Jets can’t afford to suffer another division loss if they have any hopes of winning the AFC East. Favre has been inconsistent under center the past few weeks, so running back Thomas Jones will see plenty of action to take the pressure off of his quarterback.
Dick Jauron’s Bills started the season strong, winning their first four. Since then, they’ve dropped two of their last three contests, falling back into a tie with New England for the AFC East lead. With the Patriots facing an erratic Colts squad, Buffalo can regain their momentum with a win over the Jets before facing the Patriots themselves next weekend. A loss this weekend could be the difference between fighting for a share of the division lead or sole possession of first place after week ten.
Baltimore Ravens (4-3) at Cleveland Browns (3-4)
Ravens rookie quarterback Joe Flacco certainly hasn’t lit up the league with his play, but he has kept his mistakes to a minimum for the most part. Last week he even caught a 43-yard pass from back-up quarterback Troy Smith. Flacco has his Ravens at an impressive 4-3 and ready to gain ground on the AFC North leading Steelers, who face the Redskins in Washington. If Baltimore can take care of business, they could be sitting pretty tied with the Steelers in first place with another meeting to come in week fifteen.
After looking like the embarrassment of the 2008 season by losing their first three, the Cleveland Browns have gotten right back into the mix by winning three of their last four games. Derek Anderson has regained some of his confidence that led him to the Pro Bowl last year. This week he’ll see the return of outspoken tight end Kellen Winslow, fresh off his rescinded suspension for openly discussing a staph infection (don’t ask, it’s awfully confusing). Winslow’s presence means teams can’t simply concentrate on receiver Braylon Edwards. That’s great news for a receiver corps that lost Joe Jurevicius for the remainder of the season. If the Browns’ offense performs to their potential, the AFC North is far from decided.
Green Bay Packers (4-3) at Tennessee Titans (7-0)
Pardon me for asking, but isn’t it just a little early to be rewarding Aaron Rodgers with a fairly hefty contract extension? With this new deal, Rodgers will stay in Packers green and yellow until 2014 and will be paid around $11 million a season. Call me crazy, but I prefer to see my quarterback finish one season before I lock up that kind of money. Rodgers has been impressive, no doubt, and he can justify his new money with a mistake-free performance against the unbeaten Titans. It won’t get any harder for the Packers this season, and since the Bears (with whom they share the division lead) face the pathetic Lions, Green Bay could easily fall from first.
Tennessee hasn’t quite locked up the AFC South yet, but it won’t be too long before they’ve secured a playoff spot. After pummeling the reigning South champ Colts, the Titans are going to go for the kill in the next few weeks with the Packers, Bears, and Jaguars on tap. If they can survive those battles at 2-1, the division will be theirs. Tennessee needs only to stick to their weekly plan of pounding their opponents with the run while playing disciplined defense, and they should be able to remain undefeated. Kerry Collins has been solid at quarterback, but hasn’t been asked to win games for Jeff Fisher. If a team can jump on them early, the Titans may have trouble recovering. Dallas
Cowboys (5-3) at New York Giants (6-1)
Brad Johnson has not played well during his time filling in for the injured Tony Romo. Even though he has the Cowboys 1-1 through his first two starts, back-up Brooks Bollinger has been prepped to possibly see the field on Sunday if Johnson struggles again. The upside of Bollinger is that he is significantly more mobile than Johnson, which will help against the Giants’ tremendous pass rush. Another bonus is his ability to throw the deep ball, something that has been severely lacking during Johnson’s brief appearance. In order to take advantage of the Giants’ secondary, I wouldn’t be too surprised to see Bollinger step in if the Cowboys are down early.
At 6-1 and holding a victory over their nearest NFC East competition in Washington, a win over Dallas on Sunday would put the Giants right in line to return to the playoffs. Eli Manning has asserted himself as a top-tier NFL quarterback, having thrown only four interceptions through seven games in 2008 after accumulating 20 during the 2007 campaign. Manning shouldn’t have too much trouble find his targets against a depleted Dallas secondary. If they can put the beat-down on big D, will it be too early to crown them as repeat NFC Champions?
New England Patriots (5-2) at Indianapolis Colts (3-4)
These two teams are perfect examples of what injuries can do to an offense. Without Tom Brady, the New England Patriots have struggled to put up points, but still have a share of the AFC East. Their running game has been exposed as a drastic weakness this season, which is due partly to a shoddy offensive line that barely protects Matt Cassel. Still, even with all their problems, the Patriots have put themselves in the best position imaginable after a devastating loss. Bill Belichick is hopeful his offense continues to improve so his aging defense won’t be exploited as they tire late in the season.
On the other sideline, Peyton Manning and the Colts haven’t found their rhythm on offense so far. It’s honestly strange to witness. After missing training camp and the pre-season after surgery, Manning is obviously still injured. Compounding their offensive woes was the injury Marvin Harrison suffered last season, which has obviously affecting the timing with Manning, an integral factor in the Indy offense. Everyone keeps waiting for the Indianapolis offense to explode and regain their past form, but if Manning isn’t allowed the time to heal up, it may not happen this season. The probable returns of running Joseph Addai and safety Bob Sanders come at the perfect time, as another loss would cripple the Colts’ already limping playoff chances.
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) at Washington Redskins (6-2)
This is one brutal schedule for the Steelers. One week after losing to the New York Giants in a heartbreaker, they stay in the NFC East to meet the ball-controlling Redskins. Ben Roethlisberger is prime for an injury with all the giant hits he takes in the pocket. The Steelers need to focus their game plan on running the ball and protecting their franchise QB in which they have invested so much time and money. With Baltimore and Cleveland breathing down their necks, Pittsburgh would love to rebound with a win on the road.
On the defensive side of the ball, this is a favorable match-up for the Redskins. Washington’s pass rush features just as many playmakers as the Giants’ who sacked Big Ben five times last week. Jason Taylor and Andre Carter excel at getting to the quarterback, and the Redskins secondary is physical at the line of scrimmage. Jason Campbell still hasn’t thrown an interception through eight games, which is an impressive feat in today’s league. The big question hanging over the Redskins in the off-season was how Jason Campbell would progress under new head coach Jim Zorn. At their halfway point, Campbell has shown the ability to win games and make smart decisions with the football. A win over the intimidating Steeler defense is necessary to keep pace with either winner of the Cowboys / Giants game. The NFC East is a rough division, so any win is the Redskins can get a good win.
