Arizona (2-4) at Dallas (4-3), Sunday, 1:00 (Dallas -9)
Storylines: Dallas comes into Sunday's game last in the crowded NFC East and coming off a dispiriting 13-10 loss in Seattle last Sunday...Dallas led 10-3 with a minute to play, and an interception by quarterback Drew Bledsoe in the final seconds led to a game-winning field goal for Seattle's Josh Brown...Running back Julius Jones (sprained ankle) has missed the last two games and is considered questionable for Sunday...Bledsoe leads the NFC in passing yards (1799), and is second in the conference in passer rating (94.9)...Linebacker Dat Nguyen (neck) is expected to play this week after missing the last three games...Arizona is coming off a 20-10 home win over Tennessee...Dallas cut kicker Jose Cortez earlier this week, and undrafted rookie Shaun Suisham (Bowling Green) will make his NFL debut...Quarterback Josh McCown, who has gone 2-1 since taking over for the injured Kurt Warner, will remain the starter...Wideout Anquan Boldin (36 receptions, 2 TD) was held without a catch last week...The Cardinals are next-to-last in the league in rushing offense (71.2 yards per game)...Arizona kicker Neil Rackers leads the league in field goals (20), and is a perfect 20-20 on the year.
Fast Fact: Arizona has lost 13 straight regular season games in Dallas since last their last such win there, during the 1989 season.
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Chicago (3-3) at Detroit (3-3), Sunday, 1:00 (Detroit -3)
Storylines: Lions and Bears enter Sunday's game tied atop the NFC North...Detroit was a 13-10 winner over Cleveland last week, with Jeff Garcia (22-of-34 passing, 210 yards) making his first start in a Detroit uniform...Wideout Kevin Johnson (Achilles) was lost for the season in the game, fellow target Charles Rogers will be serving the final game of an NFL suspension this week, and No. 1 receiver Roy Williams (quadriceps) remains questionable...Defensively, Lions cornerback Dre' Bly is tied for second in the league in interceptions (4), but will be out with a dislocated bone in his wrist...Defensive tackle Shaun Rogers (sprained MCL) is questionable...The Lions lead the NFC in interceptions (13), and are tied for the NFC lead in takeaways (18)...The Lions and Bears are 14th and 15th in the 16-team NFC in total offense...Chicago was a 10-6 winner over Baltimore last Sunday...The Bears are last in the NFC in passing offense (123.8 yards per game)...Among players that have appeared in only six games, Chicago running back Thomas Jones leads the league in rushing (641 yards)...The Bears lead the NFC in scoring defense (11.3 points per game), and are second in the conference in total defense (260.2 yards per game)...Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher is tied for second in the NFC in sacks (6)...The Bears' Bobby Wade leads the NFL in punt return average (14.0).
Fast Fact: Lions quarterback Jeff Garcia has not won back-to-back starts since Weeks 13-14 of the 2002 season, when he was with the 49ers.
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Green Bay (1-5) at Cincinnati (5-2), Sunday, 1:00 (Cincinnati -9)
Storylines: Cincinnati is trying to recover from a 27-13 loss to the Steelers last Sunday...The Bengals own a half-game lead over Pittsburgh in the AFC North...Cincinnati running back Rudi Johnson, who had just 12 carries last week, complained publicly about his lack of touches after the Week 7 loss...Cincinnati QB Carson Palmer is second in the league in passing yards (1800), passing touchdowns (13), and passer rating (104.4)...Bengals wideout Chad Johnson is second in the league in receiving yards (655), and leads the AFC in receptions (43)...Cincinnati is second in the AFC in total offense (370.3 yards per game)...The Bengals lead the NFL in turnover margin (+16), takeaways (23), and interceptions (15)...Bengals cornerback Deltha O'Neal is tied for second in the league in interceptions (4)...Cincy kicker Shayne Graham is tied for second in the league with 14 made field goals, and is 14- for-17 on the year...Green Bay was a 23-20 loser at Minnesota last week, surrendering a 17-0 lead and also losing running back Ahman Green (torn quadriceps tendon) for the year...Tony Fisher will start in place of Green...Wideout Robert Ferguson (knee) is expected to miss 2-4 weeks as well...Green Bay QB Brett Favre leads the league with 14 touchdown passes.
Fast Fact: Tony Fisher's only career start came on Dec. 8, 2002, when he rushed for a career-high 96 yards on 25 carries in a win over the Vikings.
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Cleveland (2-4) at Houston (0-6), Sunday, 1:00 (Houston -2)
Storylines: Winless Houston will try to seize a golden opportunity for its first win of the year...The Texans lost to the mighty Colts, 38-20, after playing Indianapolis to a 14-14 tie at the half last week...The Texans line has allowed a league-high 35 sacks...Houston is last in the league in total offense (203 yards per game) and passing offense (87.2 yards per game)...The Texans are last in the AFC in scoring defense (29.8 points per game) and rushing defense (166.7 yards per game)...Dom Capers' club is tied for last in the NFL with three takeaways, and is tied for last in the AFC in turnover margin (-7)...Cleveland lost its second straight game last week, falling to the Lions, 13-10, at home...Quarterback Trent Dilfer posted a 22.4 passer rating in the game, but is expected to remain the starter...Running back Reuben Droughns posted his first 100-yard game as a Brown last week...The Browns are next-to-last in the AFC in rushing offense (81.5 yards per game)...The Browns (13.0 points per game) and Texans (12.3 points per game) are 30th and 31st in the NFL in scoring offense (12.3 points per game)...Cleveland (359.5 yards per game) and Houston (380.2 yards per game) are 15th and 16th in the AFC in total defense, respectively.
Fast Fact: The last Houston-based NFL team to start 0-6 was the 1984 Oilers, who started 0-10 en route to a 3-13 finish.
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Jacksonville (4-2) at St. Louis (3-4), Sunday, 1:00 (NL)
Storylines: St. Louis will be playing its first game since head coach Mike Martz announced that he will not return this season due to a bacterial infection in his heart...Linebackers/Assistant Head Coach Joe Vitt, who has presided over the team's last two games, will be at the helm for the rest of the season...Rams quarterback Marc Bulger (shoulder) and wideouts Torry Holt (knee) and Isaac Bruce (toe) are all questionable after missing last week's 28-17 win over the Saints... Backup QB Jamie Martin threw for 198 yards and notched his first win as an NFL starter... Holt is tied for the league lead in receptions (44), and is second in the NFC in receiving yards (638)...St. Louis running back Steven Jackson is tied for second in the NFC in touchdowns (7)...The Rams are second in the NFC in scoring offense (26.3 points per game) and passing offense (277.1 yards per game)...The Rams' 22 sacks allowed are tied for second-most in the NFC...End Leonard Little, who missed last week's game following the murder of his brother, is expected to be back in action ...Rams are next-to-last in the league in scoring defense (30 points per game)...St. Louis is tied for second-worst in the league in turnover margin (-8)...Jacksonville's Week 7 bye was preceded by a 23-17 overtime victory in Pittsburgh...Cornerback Rashean Mathis had a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown to end the contest...Running back Fred Taylor (ankle), who missed the Pittsburgh game, is expected to play against the Rams...Jacksonville is second in the AFC in total defense (274.3 yards per game) and passing defense (153.5 yards per game).
Fast Fact: Rams quarterback Jamie Martin's first career NFL start came on Dec. 13, 1998, as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Martin suffered a season- ending knee injury and the Jags lost, 16-13, to the Oilers.
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Miami (2-4) at New Orleans (2-5), Baton Rouge, Sunday, 1:00 (New Orleans -2)
Storylines: New Orleans will be playing its first of four games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, and its first in the state of Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina forced the team from its New Orleans headquarters...The Saints will be facing Miami and head coach Nick Saban, who called Tiger Stadium home as head coach of LSU from 2000 through 2004...New Orleans blew a 14-0 lead to lose to the Rams, 28-17, last week...Wideout Joe Horn (hamstring), who has missed three of the last four games, is questionable for this week...The Saints defense is next-to-last in the NFC against the run (126.1 yards per game)...New Orleans is last in the league in turnover margin (-12), fumbles lost (11), and turnovers committed (21)...Miami's losing skid was extended to three games with a 30-20 home loss to Kansas City last Friday night...Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown rushed for 95 yards on just eight carries last week, including a 65-yard touchdown run...Miami linebacker Zach Thomas leads the league in tackles (83)...Dolphins strong safety Tebucky Jones (torn pectoral) will miss the remainder of the season...Miami's Wes Welker leads the AFC in punt return average (12.0).
Fast Fact: Dolphins head coach Nick Saban is 30-5 (.857) all-time at games played at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
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Storylines: Dallas comes into Sunday's game last in the crowded NFC East and coming off a dispiriting 13-10 loss in Seattle last Sunday...Dallas led 10-3 with a minute to play, and an interception by quarterback Drew Bledsoe in the final seconds led to a game-winning field goal for Seattle's Josh Brown...Running back Julius Jones (sprained ankle) has missed the last two games and is considered questionable for Sunday...Bledsoe leads the NFC in passing yards (1799), and is second in the conference in passer rating (94.9)...Linebacker Dat Nguyen (neck) is expected to play this week after missing the last three games...Arizona is coming off a 20-10 home win over Tennessee...Dallas cut kicker Jose Cortez earlier this week, and undrafted rookie Shaun Suisham (Bowling Green) will make his NFL debut...Quarterback Josh McCown, who has gone 2-1 since taking over for the injured Kurt Warner, will remain the starter...Wideout Anquan Boldin (36 receptions, 2 TD) was held without a catch last week...The Cardinals are next-to-last in the league in rushing offense (71.2 yards per game)...Arizona kicker Neil Rackers leads the league in field goals (20), and is a perfect 20-20 on the year.
Fast Fact: Arizona has lost 13 straight regular season games in Dallas since last their last such win there, during the 1989 season.
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Chicago (3-3) at Detroit (3-3), Sunday, 1:00 (Detroit -3)
Storylines: Lions and Bears enter Sunday's game tied atop the NFC North...Detroit was a 13-10 winner over Cleveland last week, with Jeff Garcia (22-of-34 passing, 210 yards) making his first start in a Detroit uniform...Wideout Kevin Johnson (Achilles) was lost for the season in the game, fellow target Charles Rogers will be serving the final game of an NFL suspension this week, and No. 1 receiver Roy Williams (quadriceps) remains questionable...Defensively, Lions cornerback Dre' Bly is tied for second in the league in interceptions (4), but will be out with a dislocated bone in his wrist...Defensive tackle Shaun Rogers (sprained MCL) is questionable...The Lions lead the NFC in interceptions (13), and are tied for the NFC lead in takeaways (18)...The Lions and Bears are 14th and 15th in the 16-team NFC in total offense...Chicago was a 10-6 winner over Baltimore last Sunday...The Bears are last in the NFC in passing offense (123.8 yards per game)...Among players that have appeared in only six games, Chicago running back Thomas Jones leads the league in rushing (641 yards)...The Bears lead the NFC in scoring defense (11.3 points per game), and are second in the conference in total defense (260.2 yards per game)...Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher is tied for second in the NFC in sacks (6)...The Bears' Bobby Wade leads the NFL in punt return average (14.0).
Fast Fact: Lions quarterback Jeff Garcia has not won back-to-back starts since Weeks 13-14 of the 2002 season, when he was with the 49ers.
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Green Bay (1-5) at Cincinnati (5-2), Sunday, 1:00 (Cincinnati -9)
Storylines: Cincinnati is trying to recover from a 27-13 loss to the Steelers last Sunday...The Bengals own a half-game lead over Pittsburgh in the AFC North...Cincinnati running back Rudi Johnson, who had just 12 carries last week, complained publicly about his lack of touches after the Week 7 loss...Cincinnati QB Carson Palmer is second in the league in passing yards (1800), passing touchdowns (13), and passer rating (104.4)...Bengals wideout Chad Johnson is second in the league in receiving yards (655), and leads the AFC in receptions (43)...Cincinnati is second in the AFC in total offense (370.3 yards per game)...The Bengals lead the NFL in turnover margin (+16), takeaways (23), and interceptions (15)...Bengals cornerback Deltha O'Neal is tied for second in the league in interceptions (4)...Cincy kicker Shayne Graham is tied for second in the league with 14 made field goals, and is 14- for-17 on the year...Green Bay was a 23-20 loser at Minnesota last week, surrendering a 17-0 lead and also losing running back Ahman Green (torn quadriceps tendon) for the year...Tony Fisher will start in place of Green...Wideout Robert Ferguson (knee) is expected to miss 2-4 weeks as well...Green Bay QB Brett Favre leads the league with 14 touchdown passes.
Fast Fact: Tony Fisher's only career start came on Dec. 8, 2002, when he rushed for a career-high 96 yards on 25 carries in a win over the Vikings.
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Cleveland (2-4) at Houston (0-6), Sunday, 1:00 (Houston -2)
Storylines: Winless Houston will try to seize a golden opportunity for its first win of the year...The Texans lost to the mighty Colts, 38-20, after playing Indianapolis to a 14-14 tie at the half last week...The Texans line has allowed a league-high 35 sacks...Houston is last in the league in total offense (203 yards per game) and passing offense (87.2 yards per game)...The Texans are last in the AFC in scoring defense (29.8 points per game) and rushing defense (166.7 yards per game)...Dom Capers' club is tied for last in the NFL with three takeaways, and is tied for last in the AFC in turnover margin (-7)...Cleveland lost its second straight game last week, falling to the Lions, 13-10, at home...Quarterback Trent Dilfer posted a 22.4 passer rating in the game, but is expected to remain the starter...Running back Reuben Droughns posted his first 100-yard game as a Brown last week...The Browns are next-to-last in the AFC in rushing offense (81.5 yards per game)...The Browns (13.0 points per game) and Texans (12.3 points per game) are 30th and 31st in the NFL in scoring offense (12.3 points per game)...Cleveland (359.5 yards per game) and Houston (380.2 yards per game) are 15th and 16th in the AFC in total defense, respectively.
Fast Fact: The last Houston-based NFL team to start 0-6 was the 1984 Oilers, who started 0-10 en route to a 3-13 finish.
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Jacksonville (4-2) at St. Louis (3-4), Sunday, 1:00 (NL)
Storylines: St. Louis will be playing its first game since head coach Mike Martz announced that he will not return this season due to a bacterial infection in his heart...Linebackers/Assistant Head Coach Joe Vitt, who has presided over the team's last two games, will be at the helm for the rest of the season...Rams quarterback Marc Bulger (shoulder) and wideouts Torry Holt (knee) and Isaac Bruce (toe) are all questionable after missing last week's 28-17 win over the Saints... Backup QB Jamie Martin threw for 198 yards and notched his first win as an NFL starter... Holt is tied for the league lead in receptions (44), and is second in the NFC in receiving yards (638)...St. Louis running back Steven Jackson is tied for second in the NFC in touchdowns (7)...The Rams are second in the NFC in scoring offense (26.3 points per game) and passing offense (277.1 yards per game)...The Rams' 22 sacks allowed are tied for second-most in the NFC...End Leonard Little, who missed last week's game following the murder of his brother, is expected to be back in action ...Rams are next-to-last in the league in scoring defense (30 points per game)...St. Louis is tied for second-worst in the league in turnover margin (-8)...Jacksonville's Week 7 bye was preceded by a 23-17 overtime victory in Pittsburgh...Cornerback Rashean Mathis had a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown to end the contest...Running back Fred Taylor (ankle), who missed the Pittsburgh game, is expected to play against the Rams...Jacksonville is second in the AFC in total defense (274.3 yards per game) and passing defense (153.5 yards per game).
Fast Fact: Rams quarterback Jamie Martin's first career NFL start came on Dec. 13, 1998, as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Martin suffered a season- ending knee injury and the Jags lost, 16-13, to the Oilers.
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Miami (2-4) at New Orleans (2-5), Baton Rouge, Sunday, 1:00 (New Orleans -2)
Storylines: New Orleans will be playing its first of four games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, and its first in the state of Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina forced the team from its New Orleans headquarters...The Saints will be facing Miami and head coach Nick Saban, who called Tiger Stadium home as head coach of LSU from 2000 through 2004...New Orleans blew a 14-0 lead to lose to the Rams, 28-17, last week...Wideout Joe Horn (hamstring), who has missed three of the last four games, is questionable for this week...The Saints defense is next-to-last in the NFC against the run (126.1 yards per game)...New Orleans is last in the league in turnover margin (-12), fumbles lost (11), and turnovers committed (21)...Miami's losing skid was extended to three games with a 30-20 home loss to Kansas City last Friday night...Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown rushed for 95 yards on just eight carries last week, including a 65-yard touchdown run...Miami linebacker Zach Thomas leads the league in tackles (83)...Dolphins strong safety Tebucky Jones (torn pectoral) will miss the remainder of the season...Miami's Wes Welker leads the AFC in punt return average (12.0).
Fast Fact: Dolphins head coach Nick Saban is 30-5 (.857) all-time at games played at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
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