NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers vs Cowboys game day headlines.

Week 9 Game Scout-Packers-Cowboys: Time–7:20 p.m. Sunday on NBC. Keys to the game–On the road with a backup quarterback behind an aging offensive line and with a receiving corps that tipped multiple passes that turned into interceptions last week, Dallas must establish the run early. The Cowboys are averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, but the Packers are ranked 25th against the run and Dallas doesn’t want to fall behind and force the issue against Green Bay’s opportunistic secondary. The Packers’ offense is highly one-dimensional and will move the ball if QB Rodgers is protected. Rodgers will be without WR Driver and needs Jones and Nelson to pick up the slack. Game plan–Packers should be able to overcome their never-ending rash of injuries to extend their winning streak and go into the bye week on an upswing as the NFC North leaders with a 6-3 record. Yet, a talented Dallas team can’t be overlooked even without star quarterback Romo. The Packers ostensibly catch a break that the aging Jon Kitna will be under center and likely throwing a bunch with little movement in the pocket. That should sway defensive coordinator Dom Capers to dial up the blitzes.

Packers’ Matthews has football in his blood: Every family has its ways. To be a Matthews is to be passionate and supportive and, above all else, absolutely driven to do your best. So driven that it has sent four of its men to the NFL over three generations: Clay Sr., Bruce and Clay Jr., and now Clay Matthews III, the Green Bay Packers outside linebacker who leads the league in sacks. ”It’s just what we’re good at, really,” Clay III said. “Who knows if football didn’t work out what we’d do? It just so happens we like ramming our heads into other guys out there.” Senior Clay Jr. was a linebacker who played on USC’s national championship team in 1974. He was an All-American in 1977. In the NFL, he was a four-time Pro Bowl linebacker who put in 19 years with the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons. He is the oldest NFL player to get a sack, at age 40. His last playoff game was at Lambeau Field, Dec. 31, 1995, as he chased an elusive quarterback named Brett Favre. Clay Jr. and Leslie had five children: Jennifer, a former high school valedictorian; Kyle, a former safety at USC; Brian, who writes for a USC sports website; Clay III; and Casey, a linebacker at No. 1 ranked Oregon who has been nominated for the Butkus Award, which recognizes the nation’s best college linebacker.

At this time tomorrow, Lions fans will have a really good idea of where their team stands.  The self-proclaimed best team in the NFL, the 5-2 Jets, offer the Lions an opportunity to turn the corner.  The Lions have proven they can hang with any team.  They proved they can win against teams they should beat in their two wins over the Rams and Redskins.  Next up on the docket is beating a team that most consider out of the Lions' league.

Lions' Advantages

• The Jets run a blitz heavy defense that relies heavily on man to man coverage.  It causes huge issues for most teams because the quarterback doesn't have enough time in the pocket to take advantage of the man to man coverage.  The Lions' offensive line may not be able to afford Matthew Stafford the time, but his receiving corps can get open better than most.  Calvin Johnson simply cannot be covered by one player all day, even if it's Darrelle Revis.  That matchup gives the Lions an advantage, either CJ faces one on one coverage, or the defense commits two players to Calvin which leaves one fewer to blitz or cover the others.  Nate Burleson is one of the more savvy receivers in the league and creates separation as well as anybody, which makes him difficult to single cover as well.  Also the Lions have Pettigrew and Scheffler roaming the middle of the field and they are matchup nightmares for linebackers and safeties.  The Jets will have to decide if they want to dial back the blitzes and drop more guys into coverage, or do they take their chances with the Lions receiving corps?
• The Lions' pass rush will appear in the advantage column every week, but this week they have a unique challenge.  The Jets boast a top five offensive line and running game which really limit the pass rush.  A strong running game opens up play action which can slow down the pass rush even more.  The Lions still have the edge in this matchup for the simple fact that nobody on the Lions' defensive line can be blocked one on one.  The Jets' passing game is set up by the strong run game, which allows the Jets to take shots down the field.  The Lions' defensive front should neutralize the deep passing game and force the Jets to use more short and intermediate routes which is out of their comfort zone.
• The Lions actually possess a home field advantage for the first time in years.  Crowd noise can be a huge impediment to an offensive line because they can't hear the snap count.  The line needs to go to a silent count or they all need to look in at the ball to see when it's snapped.  The Lions defensive front is good enough on its own, but having to deal with the crowd noise puts the Jets' o-line at a big disadvantage.  Last week the Redskins had several mistakes on the line because of the Lions' front four.  They were stepping on the quarterback's feet, they had penalties and missed assignments all due to crowd noise and the Lions talent up front.

Lions' Disadvantages

• The Jets' running game is ranked third in the NFL and they average over 150 yards per game.  The Lions have struggled against the run this season because of injuries and ineffectiveness in the linebacker corps.  LaDanian Tomlinson is back in Pro Bowl form and Shonn Greene is no slouch either.  The Jets use the running game to set up the passing game so stopping the run is imperative for the Lions.
• The flip side of all the man to man coverage the Jets play is the complicated blitz schemes they bring.  If Stafford and the offensive line don't make the correct pre-snap read, a pass rusher or two will come free.  Seasoned veteran quarterbacks have struggled with the Jets' blitz packages, so it is a tall order to expect Stafford to not get fooled.
• The Lions special teams have given them an edge in the last several games, but the Jets' special teams are one of the NFL's best.  The Jets are lead by one of the best special teams coaches in the league in Mike Westhoff and he definitely got some ideas on the Lions' weaknesses last week when they struggled against Washington.  The Lions not only have an advantage neutralized, but they are put at a disadvantage.

Wild Card

The Lions' fate on defense lies with a rookie making his first start and a second year player making his 13th start.  Amari Spievey will most likely get the nod over the injured CC Brown at strong safety and DeAndre Levy will make his third start of the year at middle linebacker.

CC Brown is a great run defender but he is not very good in coverage.  The Jets offense would play to his strengths and cover his weaknesses, but Spievey is better in coverage and not quite as strong against the run.  Spievey made the switch to safety two months ago and is still getting acclimated to the coverages and the angles to take in pursuit.  He definitely is a more talented player than Brown but has little to no experience.  The Redskins picked on Spievey a few times last week after Brown went out, but he'll have a week to prepare for the Jets.

The Lions run defense has been poor all season, except last week when they shut the Skins potent run game down.  Was it a coincidence or was it because the Lions had a healthy DeAndre Levy?  Levy has the ability to be one of the best middle linebackers in the game, and he has a unique blend of speed, strength and instincts.  The Lions run defense was having issues with their run fits and Levy makes all the defensive calls, so the defense was playing with the equivalent of a backup quarterback.

If Spievey is strong against the run and plays well in coverage he gives the Lions an upgrade over CC Brown, who has been somewhat of a weak link in the defense.  Levy's return to the lineup resulted in the Lions holding the Skins to 80 rushing yards and only 13 first downs.  If both players have a huge impact it goes a long way towards the Lions upsetting the Jets tomorrow.

Prediction

I believe the Jets are a good team, but I think they are the most overrated team in the league.  They have a great running game and an aggressive defense, but their passing attack is disjointed and the aggressiveness on defense can be exploited.  I think the Lions will keep this game close and may even be in a position to win the game.  However, the Jets defense can flip momentum so quickly and once they establish the running game the offense is hard to stop.  I think the Jets prove to be a little too much for the Lions tomorrow, but I think the Lions will see that Mayhew and Schwartz made the right choice when they picked Stafford over Sanchez.

NFC’s Top Rushing Unit

The 5-2 New York Football Giants' will travel across the country to face the 4-3 Seattle Seahawks' in what will be a semi-big test for the Giants. This is just a baseline test, something Matt Hasselbeck failed, as he won't be playing this Sunday and it will be backup Charlie Whitehurst making his first career start in the NFL. If your intrested in an in-depth preview, our own Jesse Bartolis put together a great read. Check it out, here!

The Game: The New York Giants' will travel across the country to Seattle to play the  Seahawks, who are undefeated at home this season. The Seahawks' struggle on the road, but let up just 12 points per game at home. The battle of both first place teams have not only divisional implications, but potential down the road home-field implications, too. The Giants' are coming off a bye, and usually that is a good thing. However, Big Blue is just 6-15 in post bye-weeks, but have been better of late, going 3-3 in there last six post bye-week games.

Poise in the Noise: Qwest Field is one of, if not, the loudest football stadium in the NFL. They really do have a "12th" man. The Giants' have had troubles in the past at Qwest Field. When the Giants' played in 2005, they had 16 penalties, including 11 false-start penalties. As Guard Chris Snee said, it won't be easy, however it isn't impossible. "We're all experienced guys, but that doesn't mean it isn't difficult," Snee said. "The domes are always loud, but Seattle's a really loud place. They have a great fan base. If they get some success, the fans get behind them."

Koets Gets the Start, Again: After coming back from an injury on his left foot, Center Shaun O'Hara has injured his other foot, prompting him to miss another game. As you know, Shaun O'Hara has a "mild" Lisfranc Sprain, which means he won't be playing this week. Backup Center Adam Koets has started a few games this season and has played well. While losing O'Hara again is a big loss, it isn't a killer. The Giants' should be fine with Koets at Center, again.

Grant and Bernard Return: Both Deon Grant and Rocky Bernard played with the Seahawks. Both were passed up on being re-signed. Bernard cashed in and signed with the Giants and Grant was released and signed a 1-year contract with the Giants. You'd think Deon Grant would be bitter about being released, but he's not.

"I don't have any bad feelings toward them." "They gave me an opportunity when I was a free agent, and they paid me a lot of money. We were ranked No. 1 on defense when I was there my first year. So I don't have anything negative to say about Seattle. Now we're going up there and getting a victory and giving them hell. That's the only thing I look forward to – – and reuniting with the guys up there. But other than that, I really didn't think twice about it." "I understood their move," Grant continued. "I had to make a good penny this year. We just came off a losing season, they got a new GM, a new head coach, a new staff. So I understood."

I was hoping he would say something to spark a little bit of more interest in this game, but he didn't take that bait.

No Moss No Merriman: Neither the Giants' nor the Seahawks' claimed WR Randy Moss or LB Shawne Merriman. We knew the Giants' weren't going to claim Moss or Merriman, but many had speculated Moss could be claimed by the Seahawks. The 'Hawks' didn't claim Moss which means the Giants' won't be facing Moss on Sunday. I don't think they're to upset about that one, either. Moss was claimed by the Titants and Merriman was claimed by the Bills, for those who asked, by the way.

Home-Coming, of Sorts: Kevin Boss will be playing in front of about 80-100 friends and family. The Oregon native lives about 3 and a half hours away from Qwest Field. Boss bough about 40 of those tickets,

"But I had to tell a lot of people, 'Stub Hub.'" "People have been waiting for this game since I got into the league," Boss said. "I'm excited and I know everybody else is."

It should be interesting to see how Boss fairs in Sundays game. Seattle has been tremendous at home, but has struggled at times against opposing teams TE's.

The Match-Ups:

Charlie Whitehurst vs The Giants Defense: As you know, QB Matt Hasselbeck will not be playing Sunday, it will be up to backup QB Charlie Whitehurst to lead the way to victory. Whitehurst has never started an NFL game before, nor has he ever thrown a pass in a regular season game, either. Whitehurst is far more mobile than Hasselbeck is. Could this give the Giants' problems? I don't think so, but it is possible.

Eli Manning on how nervous Charlie Whitehurst must feel: "Obviously, it's scary for opposing quarterbacks knowing going into the game they got over a 70% chance of getting knocked out."

That's probably the greatest quote Eli Manning's ever said. I guess the proud soon to be father might be changing? Don't count on it. The Giants' have knocked out 5 QB's this season to date.

Chester Pitts vs Osi Umenyoria: For the first time in five years, Guard Chester Pitts will be playing Left Tackle. With first round pick Russell Okung and backup Tyler Polumbus seemingly down and out for Sunday's game, look for Umenyoria to have a field day against Pitts. While Pitts is an adequate Guard, he simply isn't fast enough to keep up with Osi coming quickly — and far — from the outside. Umenyoria is fresh off of being named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month, something a Giants' defensive player hasn't garnered since Michael Strahan did in 2001, the season where he got the record for most sacks in a season.

Kick-Off Coverage vs Leon Washington: The Giants' have had trouble covering the kick-returner. You add Leon Washington to the mix, who leads the league with an average of 33.7 yards per kickoff return, and you've got problems. Washington already has two kick-returnrs for touchdowns and five-returns of forty yards or more. One key man in coverage will be Jason Pierre-Paul. JPP has been a beast in Special-Teams and will have to continue playing Special Teams, even though his workload has been increased on the defensive side of the ball.

The Giants Will Win If:

Get Off To A Fast Start: What's the best way to quite a crowd? Get off to a fast start. No crowd cheers as loud as they normally do when the other team is up quick. If the Giants' can get off to a fast start, and control the tempo, they crowd noise shouldn't be a factor.

Run The Ball: What's another way to quite the crowd? Run the ball. If the Giants' can have drives where they control the clock, pound the football and move the chains, the crowd will quite down.

No Turnovers: If the Giants' can limit their turnovers, play defense the way they have, how can they lose? Especially with a backup QB in the game.

Put Pressure On Whitehurst: The Seahawks will be using another combination of offensive linemen and shifting them around. With a backup QB who hasn't started a game, nor has he thrown a regular season pass, you better put 8 or 9 in the box and force him to beat you. I expect the Giants' to do just that.

Prediction:

As You know, I am 6-1 in predicting Giants' games this season, including the pre-season of-course. I usually don't like to predict games come regular season, but I'll throw one out. Why not?

Giants 28 Seahawks 17

Two Legendary Franchises Revisit Rivalry

Dallas Cowboys (1-6) at Green Bay Packers (5-3)
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
When: Sunday November 7th @ 8:15 pm EST
Media: NBC

With the season rapidly passing by, the Cowboys are heading into Green Bay looking to snap a four-game demonstration of how not to win football games. While the Cowboys have been out of only a couple of games so far this season, the team has managed to find creative ways to lose in the others. With Tony Romo out for the foreseeable future, Jon Kitna will try to resurrect this awful season. It will be another tough task this week as the Cowboys head to Green Bay where they have very limited success in their history. The Cowboys own a 1-6 record all time in Lambeau (playoffs included).

The Packers have had an underachieving season themselves. Expected to be dominant this season, the Packers have been anything but. While they have struggled with injuries to key players, QB Aaron Rodgers has not had a lot of help in leading the team. The Packers lost starting HB Ryan Grant to injury and his backup, Brandon Jackson, has been spotty. The lack of a consistent running game is nothing new to either team this season. The Packers have a great defense that has been able to hold them in games when their offense has seemed to sputter, but the real problem is that neither unit plays great every week. It seems each week either the defense or offense lets down the team. After disappointing loses to the Redskins and Dolphins, the Packers were able to right the ship against the Vikings and Jets in the last two weeks and will look to continue that this week.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have so many problems it is hard to say what they will need to do successfully this week in Green Bay. The Cowboys just keep finding ways to lose, and after they did not show up last week against Jacksonville it will take a huge turnaround to beat the Packers on the road. One thing for sure is the Cowboys need to run the ball. Felix Jones and Marion Barber need to get going. The return of G Kyle Kosier is an upgrade over rookie Phil Costa who has been less than impressive in one and a half games. The Cowboys also need to do a better job protecting the ball. Last week the Cowboys had 4 interceptions, all but one were deflected off of Cowboys receivers.

The Cowboys defense has also had it's problems the last couple of weeks. The Giants exposed the Cowboys blitz packages and the Jags kept that going last week. If the Cowboys are going to get a win in Green Bay their defense will have to disguise their intentions a whole lot better than they did. They will also need to force some turnovers. Green Bay does not have a good run game, but if you get lazy Brandon Jackson can run.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers have a great group of players on offense. While they will be without HB Grant, and WR Donald Driver, they still have a lot of weapons. WR Greg Jennings is Rodgers favorite target and has tremendous speed. Look for the packers to get Jennings and his receiver mate James Jones the ball down the field and test the Cowboys secondary. If the Packers can keep pressure off of Rodgers they will be in for a big day on offense.

On the defensive side the Packers are one of the best in the NFL. They will use their linebackers Matthews and Hawk to get pressure on Kitna and force him into making some bad decisions. The Packers are stout against the run and will try to take that away.

Things To Watch For:

• Dez Bryant and Jason Witten – The Packers will take away Miles Austin, so look for Kitna to use his underneath playmakers.

• Cowboys Running Game – Can the Cowboys offensive line get a good push against the Packers defense?

• Aaron Rodgers – The Packers will win if Rodgers has a good game. If the Cowboys defense gets to him, it could be an upset in the making.

• Cowboys Defense – They need to rebound after two terrible performances.

My Prediction: Cowboys fall to 1-7 with a 31-13 loss. Sorry Big D.

Will Suggs, Ravens Get Pressure On Henne?

Week 7: Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens

Sunday November 7, 2010 1:05 PM ET

Line: Ravens -5 O/U 41

Welcome back Ravens fans. Did you have a good break? Feel rested? Ready to get going on the final eight weeks of the season? Good! Now when we last saw our valiant heroes, they were struggling against the well rested and fired up Buffalo Bills. The Birds of Baltimore assumed it would be a cakewalk and got caught napping at the helm. The Bills made them pay early and often, but ultimately were unable to hold their lead and secure the season's first victory. The Ravens limped into their bye week aiming to get healthy and get focused as the season turns the difficulty up a notch.

This week the first of many difficult opponents comes rolling into Baltimore. The Miami Dolphins are undefeated on the road this season, and look to become jut the first team in NFL history to win five times while failing to win at home.Standing in their way are the refreshed Ravens who look to hold their number one ranking atop the AFC north. With that, let's take a look at this week's keys to the game.

RavensGab.com Keys to the Game

Shut Down Brandon Marshall

Brandon Marshall is the number one receiving threat that the Dolphins will field. He is also one of the better wide receivers playing in the league. The first step in shutting down the Dolphins, and more over Chad Henne, is taking away the vertical threat. Limiting the field will allow the Ravens to bottle up Ricky Williams and the solid Dolphins running attack. Shutting Marshall down will allow the Ravens to dictate that course and flow of the game.

Bend Don't Break

If there's one aspect of the Dolphins offensive attack that is decidedly lacking, its in their anemic red zone package. Kicker Dan Carpenter has been called upon to put up ten field goals in two weeks. If the Ravens are to win this game, they will have to continue to rely on their bend don't break defensive mentality and keep the Dolphins out of the end zone.

Run the Ball

The best thing a team can do when playing at home is establish the run game early. This allows the Ravens to set the tone of game, manipulate the clock, and generally dictate their type of football on the unwilling Dolphins. Running the ball will allow Joe to use his potent play action and will keep the defense honest when he does. It will additionally pull in the Dolphins blitz, which Joe is incredibly adept at picking apart.

Spread the Ball Around

Anquan Boldin is an absolute force. He has been everything the Ravens could have hoped for and more. Despite his dominance, the Ravens would do well to spread the ball around to keep the Dolphins off balance. With Donte Stallworth back and healthy, Joe Flacco has never had more options at his disposal. It's time he started to use them more effectively. Eventually teams are going to key in on Boldin consistently and start limiting Todd Heap. Joe can ameliorate this by spreading it around Peyton Manning style.

Get Pressure on Chad Henne

The Ravens have struggled in this department consistently all season. For whatever reason they simply have not been able to get consistent pressure on the opposing QB. This has allowed unheralded QBs like Ryan Fitzpatrick to look like relative superstars. The Ravens have got to get to Chad Henne and take him out of the equation. They need the sacks like the desert needs water.

Win this Game Early

This week, an early victory has a certain element of necessity to it. Think about it. The Ravens have to play two of the better teams in football over the next five days. That is in no way, shape, or form an easy feat to accomplish. To put themselves in the best position for a sweep, they will have to put Miami away early and roll to a route. Doing this will instill confidence, will conserve energy, and will allow the Ravens to move on as rapidly as possible.

Ravens Gab Predictions

Jonathon Scruggs (6-1)

I looked past the Bills and so did the Ravens. I respect the Dolphins enough to think that they will give the Ravens a battle. Miami has been the ultimate road warrior team this season, but you can't win them all, and certainly not five in a row.

Ravens 27 — Dolphins 24

Matt Jergensen (6-1)

The Ravens should be fresh and refocused coming off the Bye. The Dolphins have been road warriors this season but the streak will end here. While Miami has added some excellent pieces in Brandon Marshall on offense and some toughness on the defensive end the Ravens match-up well against them. A hot Joe Flacco should be able to keep the offense driving and should be enough to push past a good Dolphin team.

Ravens 24 – Dolphins 17

Gene Winner (5-2)

The Ravens coming off the bye week gives the team an advantage as Miami is facing their second road game against the AFC North. A key will be containing Brandon Marshall and getting pressure on Chad Henne. For the Ravens offense, they must start to find a way to get Rey Rice into open space. Flacco is on a roll and he should be able to counter Miami's aggressive pass rush.

Ravens 29 – Dolphins 24

Will Sanchez get back up in Detroit?

“It’s just not in his DNA to really pout about what happened.  He’s a fighter.  He’ll put that game behind him.”

- Jets OT Damien Woody on whether Mark Sanchez can bounce back from a rough game against Green Bay

I had the chance to talk to Robert Noel of the Lions Blog Detroit Mans Room and ask him a few questions about the Lions and tomorrow's matchup.

I also answered some questions for him, which can be seen here.

Q: What has been the biggest change in this team from last year to this year?

A: Besides the obvious addition of players to key positions, The biggest change in this team has got to be just that, CHANGE. The feeling and attitudes throughout the locker room, is that we can come out and play against anyone. Not just show up then get blown out and demoralized, we have played competitively against many good teams this year. The leadership has greatly improved as well, between players stepping up (VandenBosch, Stafford, and Delmas), to everyone buying into the plan the coaches and front office already have in motion. I know it sounds Cliché, but this team believes they can win.

Q: How big of an impact has Ndamukong Suh made on this defense?

A: N-dam-u-kong Suh has been a beast thus far, that's no secret. But what he does besides intercepting the ball, ripping QB's heads off, or running fumbles back for touchdowns, is improve the entire D-Line. Suh was pulling double teams at the start of the season, leaving Corey Williams blocked by one man. Williams then started to wreak havoc in the pocket and teams didn't know what to do. Suh hasn't made all the plays on our line, but his pure presence has enabled the unit to perform as well as they have. I like to call them, The Disassembly line!

Q: Who are some of the less know players on the Lions that have stepped up this season?

A: As answer in the previous question, Corey Williams along with Cliff Avril have been very good for the lions. The biggest surprise for me personally has been the play of the offensive line. No NFC team has given up less sacks than the Lions O-Line at 12, (Jets have given up 11), Largely in part to the play of Jeff Backus and Gosder Cherilus (LT and RT). The O-line has truly learned to play as a team and give Stafford / Hill / Stanton more time. I think that is a large part of the reason why the Lions rank 3rd in the NFC for Yrds/G.

Q: This game features two quarterbacks drafted in the Top 5 of the 2009 NFL Draft, Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez. Who has played better so far in their young careers and who plays better on Sunday?

A: Well that is a difficult question to answer for both of us. Both players were drafted into completely different situations. "Sanchize" had everything given to him. "Staff-ize" (I'm sorry I had to try it just once.) was brought to Detroit to help re-build the team after hurricane Millen destroyed it. Also, remember that Stafford has been hurt for a good amount of his young career, only starting in 12 games so far. Even with Stafford missing most of this season so far, they have very comparable stats. I think Mark has the edge only because of his supporting cast, in the end I Think Stafford will have a far more productive career. This Sunday I have to believe Stafford will have the better game only because when Mark is rush he panics, and the pressure he will receive from the lions D-line could cause him issues, a lot of issues. The Jets will be forced to beat the Lions on the ground not in the air.

Q: Kevin Smith and Jahvid Best both had 12 carries last week. Do you expect to see an even timeshare going forward?

A: Both have been injured this season. Best hasn't been playing 100% since his turf toe injury. Smith played in a couple early games and in pre-season, but he was not fully recovered from knee surgery. Until Jahvid is 100% and learns to follow his blocks, I do see the carries being about even. Best will have more snaps in total however because of his ability to make huge plays in the flats or short dump routes.

Q: What is the key matchup of the game?

A: I listed a few different matchups in my blog previewing the game this Sunday. If I had to pick one to be the biggest, I again, think it will be the O-lines for both teams, keeping Stafford and Sanchize protected long enough to make smart throws or make holes for the backs to break through. The best O-Line performance will win this game on Sunday.

Q: What is your prediction for Sunday?

A: So after analyzing this match up, this is a wonderful matchup for any football fan. This game will come down to the last possession, the Lions winning it by the score of 27 – 23. Enjoy the game, Go Lions!

Back-Field Of Dreams: Patriots Sought Pierre

At 8:37 this morning, I was alerted by my cell phone that several text messages were coming through. I picked it up and found that it was nothing more than my official Saints notifications via Twitter. For the most part, they weren't saying anything too major. But then I got to one that read, "Pierre Thomas/Report Saints nearly traded Pierre Thomas to Patriots."

Now had I read this anywhere else, I would've thought it nothing more than just another rumor. But it was sent via the Saints official Twitter account, so that immediately gave it more merit in my eyes. Needless to say, disbelief set in, then shock.  What end to this madness?

Granted Thomas' injury is taking longer to heal than I'm sure even he thought it would, that is no reason to even consider getting rid of a player of his calibre. After all he's meant to the success of the Saints' offense, it would be a real shame to lose him in this manner.  After all, it was his talent that helped to bring the Saints' running game back to prominence.  Not only is he one of the most physical and toughest runners to bring down, but no other player in the league executes the screen like he does (and we all know how important screens are to the Saints offense).  If you look back at his performances in the 2009 NFC Championship Game and Superbowl XLIV, it was strictly his effort that allowed him to find the endzone.  His ability to bust tackles and gain extra yardage is nothing short of spectacular.

So why were the Saints contemplating a trade with the Patriots for Thomas?  I can't help wondering who on New England's squad (and at what position) would be worth making such a grave mistake?  Sure, the combination of Ivory, Betts, and Jones has been adequate enough at times to keep the Saints' run game honest, but it certainly isn't the prolific ground attack that it once was.   It has gone from being ranked  in the top 10 a year ago, to a dismal 29th this year–only three teams are worse!  One has to think that Thomas' absence is a big reason for the decline.  And if that's sound logic, then it would stand to reason that getting rid of him would be a costly mistake, particularly if he has a curable injury that will allow him to return to the game.  If there is more to the injury than first thought and disclosed, then that's another matter.  Yet for the sake of argument, we'll assume that his injury is not career or season-ending.

At this point, all of the details are not yet clear.  It's just another one of those things that will leave Saints fans scratching their heads this season.  I hope that this near trade was done in a brief moment of frustration and that such angst never rears its head again.  Fans love Pierre Thomas because they know he is a valuable asset to the team.  It would really be disastrous to lose him.  His would be some big shoes for the Saints to fill.

Raiders Game Plan on D: “Let Cassel Lose It”

"We want to win the game.  It's a must-win.  But if we don't win, it's not the end of the world."

- Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt, covering all bases heading into Sunday's game against the division-leading Chiefs

First sell out in 11 home games, opportunity to go over .500 for the first time since 2004, 3-0 record in the division, so, anyone else think this game is big?

The Kansas City Chiefs come into this game just as hot as the Raiders and with first place on the line; this has “Game of the Week” potential written all over it.  Let's see how the Raiders can take sole possession of the AFC West:

• Win the Line of Scrimmage Battle

KC is #1 rushing offense, the Raiders are the #2 rushing offense.  KC is #7 rushing defense, the Raiders are #26 but have allowed 122 total rushing yards in the last 2 games.  This game will be decided in the trenches, whoever is more physical, limits their penalties, and forces their will wins this game.

• Limit the Mistakes

The Chiefs are playing mistake proof football, 0 turnovers in the last 3 games.  Last time the Raiders had a "big" game (49ers), they had 3 turnovers that cost them the game.  Understanding that this game is big, the Raiders need to come out and hold onto the ball.  Specifically Jason Campbell.

• Let Cassel Lose It

The Raiders safeties are a big weakness to their team, so why not do something different?  Put 1 of the safeties into the box and challenge the Chiefs to make Matt Cassel beat you with the pass.  He is not that good.

• Rolando McClain: Are you Ready for your Closeup?

First home game on TV, will garner a lot of national attention.  With that said, Rolando McClain is going to have all the opportunity in the world to have the nation talk about him after this one’s all said and done.  For the Raiders to win, this has to be his “Coming Out Party”.

The Raiders are 1 point favorites and the over/under is 40.5 points.  I've been thinking about this game all week, and see the “49ers game” from Week 6 coming back into play.  Both teams will go in with the same mindset: Conservative offensive game plan, try to prevent turning the ball over, while playing the field possession game; waiting for the other team to blink first and make the game’s first mistake.  What concerns me is that when the game matters most, the Raiders special teams have failed them.  I'll be rooting that I'm completely wrong on the following score, and hope that the Raiders drop another 30 points this week, but I'm going with my gut feeling, and not my heart’s decision.

Chiefs 16 Raiders 13

Peyton doing what Vick does best

Vick doing what Peyton does best

After eight weeks, the Indianapolis Colts have finally taken the lead over the AFC South division. Thanks to a Tennessee Titans' loss, the Colts have a good chance of taking the division lead. All they had to do was to beat the Houston Texans. And they did well in their goal, rather great, punishing Houston to a 30-17 win at home on Monday Night.

Now they have a chance to add more to this as they face the Philadelphia Eagles on the road. It's going to be the greatest quarterback of all time versus the best scrambling quarterback of all-time, Peyton Manning versus Michael Vick.

At 5-2, the Colts do not have an easy match-up in store versus the 4-3 Eagles. Philly is getting healthy with Vick and DeSean Jackson back, and a much more meaner Ernie Sims after a fine from the league. The Colts have won all but two of the AFC South crowns. They look to aim for their seventh.

"We're not concerned about standings," coach Jim Caldwell said. "We're concerned about getting better and getting ourselves in the best position to play well on Sunday."

The Colts are aiming for their fifth consecutive win. The last time Indiana faced Philly, the Colts destroyed them by 24 points in the 2006-07 season. It was led by Joseph Addai, who ran for a career-high of 175 yards and four touchdowns. Addai is questionable for Sunday's game, however. A win on Sunday would give the Colts strong confidence of taking over the division, despite that they are 1-2 against AFC South teams so far.

"We do have a group that I think has always been extremely focused," Caldwell said. "The fact of the matter is it's what we do."

The Eagles have not beaten Indianapolis since the 1993-94 season. Manning has completed about 70-percent of his passes with seven touchdowns and only one interception in three games versus Philly. Six of those seven touchdowns have come on the road. Oh boy.

A lot of special things are going for Manning, as he is in the top three, two, one…you know, in statistics with only 15 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He is will on his pace to his third consecutive MVP award along with his fifth-ever. Manning will also start his 200th consecutive game.

"Some days it does feel like it (200 games), and some days it doesn't," Manning said. "The fun part is that a lot of those 200 have been wins and hard-fought wins, and it's been fun preparing for those games with all my different teammates."

Manning has shown he is capable of winning despite a ton of injures. He helped out Jacob Tamme, as Dallas Clark is out for the season. Austin Collie is most likely to miss his second consecutive game. Manning's backfield is a huge question-mark as it is uncertain if Addai, Hart, or Donald Brown will play. Most likely, they will. The Eagles allow over 22 points per game on defense, so Manning can get some quick scores in, most likely to a guy like Pierre Garcon or Reggie Wayne.

The offense is good to go, but what about the defense? Can the Colts stop Vick? Can they stop Jackson, too? Vick has about 800 yards passing with six touchdowns and leads the NFL with a 108.8 rating. He could be on his way towards a Pro Bowl, despite missing a few games. Vick also has 187 rushing yards, but could play a bit differently as he doesn't want another jab to his ribs.

"I definitely have to be smarter when running with the football, trying to get down," Vick said. "I just have to be conscious of what's going on out there and try and protect myself."

Vick has only played the Colts once in his career, and wasn't good at all, throwing for only 47 yards with an interception and 30 rushing yards for a 38-7 loss to Indianapolis in 2003.

Vick knows what's in stake now. Vick is going to be happy having his deep-threat back in Jackson, who is coming off a concussion off a very bad to Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson.

"Anytime you get a concussion, obviously it's not that good," Jackson said. "I'll be right back to where I need to be, just going out there and still being able to play and stuff like that."

The Eagles hope to make up for their terrible loss to the Titans two weeks ago.

"We're really good. Just to see us go down like that, I know we're better than that," Eagles linebacker Ernie Sims said.

None the less, I expect a victory for the Colts, 27-21.

Brady expressing his thoughts on the chances of a sixth consecutive win in Cleveland

For now, fortunes are high, but after Cleveland, follows a tough four-game stretch: a Sunday night visit to Pittsburgh, a home date with Peyton, a Thanksgiving Day treat in the Motor City, and a Monday night showdown with the team that handed them their only loss on the season

Produced by Patriots Gab columnist Chris Willson:

The Pats will be reunited with their old coach Eric Mangini when they travel to Cleveland this Sunday for what seems to be a very physical game. 7 of the 8 featured ESPN experts pick the Pats to win this week, and I can't argue with that.

Starting out with the offense, the biggest headline coming into the game is guard Logan Mankins. Mankins, who has been holding out all year, reported to Foxboro this Tuesday and will dress for this week's game. He isn't expected to start, but Bill Belichick has hinted that Mankins may sub in at some point.

Benjarvus Green-Ellis will likely see a lot of carries this week after last week's strong performance. The Browns rank 19th against the rush this year. Woodhead will also see his usual 5-10 carries, and some may be direct snaps as the team had success with those last week.

Brady looks to have another efficient game as well, as he is hoping to continue his interception-free streak to 3 games. The Browns rank 26th in the league against the pass, so the Pats most likely won't be afraid to move the ball through the air. Deion Branch has been limited in practice this week with a hamstring injury, and will likely be a game time decision. If he is ruled out, look for Brandon Tate to have another elevated role.

Running back Peyton Hillis and the run-heavy Browns offense will be looking make it 2 straight wins this Sunday. The team announced that Colt McCoy, rookie from Texas, will be making the start this week. Fun fact: In the Browns last 7 wins, they have only passed for an average of 97.1 yards a game. They will certainly be looking to take pressure off McCoy by handing the rock to Hillis.

If Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes can continue their outstanding play against the run, I expect the game to be somewhat of a blowout. It's clear that the Browns best strength is their running game, so if the Pats can put a stop to this early, McCoy will have to start throwing the ball. Although our secondary is young, I still think we clearly outmatch the Browns passing game.

Expect a lot of trick plays and unique special teams plays from the Browns. They know they are outmatched and will have to resort to something that could potentially be a game changer. The pats will always have to be on their toes and stay committed to their assignments.

A trio of finishing notes to monitor leading up to the game.

• Patrick Chung didn't play last week with a knee injury, but he has practiced sparingly this week and will be a game time decision.

• Sammy Morris played on all 4 special teams units last week, and was awarded a game ball. It's good to see someone playing so hard that has basically lost their role in the offense

• The Pats will be wearing throwback jerseys in this game.