NFL matchups for Week 9

Sunday's games

San Francisco (2-5) at Atlanta (1-6)

Time: Noon

Line: Falcons by 3.

Series: Niners lead 44-27-1.

Last time: Falcons 21, 49ers 19, Sept. 12, 2004 at San Francisco.

Last week: 49ers lost to Saints 31-10; Falcons (BYE) lost to Saints 22-16 in Week 7.

Notes: San Francisco has lost five straight and has same record as through seven games in 2006. … 49ers rank last in league with 220.4 yards per game on offense, including league-low 132.4 yards passing per game. … TE Vernon Davis had career-high 6 catches for 71 yards and a TD last week. … DE Bryant Young has 13 sacks in 17 games vs. Atlanta. … Rookie LB Patrick Willis leads NFL with 10.4 tackles per game and team in tackles (73). … Atlanta is tied for third in NFC with plus-5 in turnovers. … In last meeting vs. 49ers, RB Warrick Dunn rushed for 2 TDs. … RB Jerious Norwood is fourth in NFC with 26.3-yard kickoff return average (20 for 526 yards). He also averages 5.8 yards per carry (47 for 272 yards). … TE Alge Crumpler had 6 catches for 82 yards and a TD in last meeting. … WR Roddy White has 33 catches for 530 yards (16.1 average), including two 100-yard games.

Cincinnati (2-5) at Buffalo (3-4)

Time: Noon

Line: Bengals by 1.

Series: Bills lead 13-11.

Last time: Bills 37, Bengals 27, Dec. 24, 2005 at Cincinnati.

Last week: Bengals lost to Steelers 24-13; Bills beat Jets 13-3.

Notes: Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis is 0-3 against Bills. … In four games as starter this year, RB Kenny Watson is averaging 85.2 yards rushing per game (341 total yards). … WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (9) needs TD to set career high for most in season. He leads NFL with 58 receptions (629 yards). … WR Chad Johnson leads NFL with 104.4 yards receiving per game (731 on 44 catches). … CB Leon Hall is tied for first among AFC rookies with 2 INTs. … Buffalo hasn't won three straight since December 2004. … QB J.P. Losman will start Sunday, his first start since he sprained left knee in Week 3 against New England. Losman was 3 of 5 for 113 yards with a TD after rookie starter Trent Edwards sprained right wrist. RB Marshawn Lynch leads AFC rookies with 148 rushing attempts for 537 yards (3.6 average) and 4 TDs. … WR Lee Evans (22 catches, 349 yards) had season-best 138 yards last week, including 85-yard TD.

Denver (3-4) at Detroit (5-2)

Time: Noon, Channel 2

Line: Lions by 3.

Series: Broncos lead 6-3.

Last time: Broncos 20, Lions 16, Sept. 28, 2003 at Denver.

Last week: Broncos lost to Packers 19-13 in OT; Lions beat Bears 16-7.

Notes: All 3 Denver wins have been decided by 3 or fewer points. … Denver has allowed a league-worst 166 yards per game on the ground. … Rookie RB Selvin Young totaled 120 all-purpose yards in first career start last week (71 rushing, 49 receiving). Young averages 5.8 yards per carry (210 yards, 36 attempts). … Detroit already has 2 more wins and 1 more interception than it had last season. … Lions' last 6-2 start was 1999, team's last playoff appearance. … QB Jon Kitna leads NFC with a 69.4 completion rate (154 of 222). … RB Kevin Jones rushed for 105 yards and a TD last week against the Bears.

Green Bay (6-1) at Kasnas City (4-3)

Time: Noon, Channel 32

Line: Chiefs by 2.

Series: Chiefs lead 6-2-1.

Last time: Chiefs 40, Packers 34 in OT, Oct. 12, 2003 at Green Bay.

Last week: Packers beat Broncos 19-13 in OT; Chiefs (BYE) beats Raiders 12-10 in Week 7.

Notes: Green Bay has won 10 of past 11. … Last week, Packers had their first balanced offensive attack of season with 28 passes and 27 runs. … RB DeShawn Wynn (shoulder) was placed on injured reserve. … QB Brett Favre has 586 yards and 4 TDs in past two games vs. Kansas City, both losses. Favre leads NFC with 2,046 yards passing. … WR Greg Jennings had career-high 141 yards receiving last week. … RB Ryan Grant had career-high 104 yards rushing last week, team's first 100-yard rusher this year. … Kansas City, since 1990, is 12-6 after bye week. … Chiefs have won last five against Green Bay. … QB Damon Huard is 8-1 as starter at home. In those games he's completed 162 of 245 passes (66.1 percent) for 1,899 yards with 12 TDs and 2 INTs.

San Diego (4-3) at Minnesota (2-5)

Time: Noon

Line: Chargers by 7.

Series: Chargers lead 5-4.

Last time: Chargers 42, Vikings 28, Nov. 9, 2003 at San Diego.

Last week: Chargers beat Texans 35-10; Vikings lost to Eagles 23-16.

Notes: San Diego has won three straight. During winning streak, Chargers are plus-10 in turnover margin. … In 4 wins this season, Chargers are averaging 29.5 points per game. … After racing to 35-3 halftime lead, Chargers didn't score in second half last week. … RB LaDainian Tomlinson is third in AFC in rushing with 617 yards (4.4 average, 6 TDs). … Minnesota, last in NFC North, has won just four of last 17 games. … Vikings lead NFC in rushing with 155.3 yards per game. Minnesota's defense leads NFC, allowing 74.4 yards rushing per game. … Rookie RB Adrian Peterson leads NFL with 740 yards rushing.

Jacksonville (5-2) at New Orleans (3-4)

Time: Noon

Line: Saints by 3½.

Series: Jaguars lead 2-1.

Last time: Jaguars 20, Saints 19, Dec. 21, 2003 at Jacksonville.

Last week: Jaguars beat Bucs 24-23; Saints beat Niners 31-10.

Notes: Jacksonville, which improved to 3-0 away from home, is in middle of NFL's only three-game road trip this season. … Jacksonville's only visit to Big Easy was in 1996, a 17-13 loss. … RB Fred Taylor needs 67 yards to become 21st player in NFL history to reach 10,000 yards rushing. … New Orleans, after 0-4 start, has won three straight and is 1 game behind Carolina for NFC South lead. … New Orleans is minus-9 in turnovers. … Saints have not allowed a sack in past four games. … Reggie Bush leads RBs with 43 receptions (234 yards). He also has rushed for 362 yards. … WR Marques Colston had career-high 3 TD catches last week (8 receptions, 85 yards).

Washington (4-3) at New York Jets (1-7)

Time: Noon

Line: Redskins by 3½.

Series: Redskins lead 7-1.

Last time: Redskins 16, Jets 13, Sept. 4, 2003 at Washington.

Last week: Redskins lost to Patriots 52-7; Jets lost to Bills 13-3.

Notes: Washington is only team in NFL without a touchdown pass to a wide receiver. … Last week's 52-7 rout was Washington's worst loss since 53-0 drubbing by Giants during 1-12-1 season of 1961. … TE Chris Cooley has TD in five of past six games. He has 24 TDs since entering NFL in 2004, most in NFC among TEs. … New York has lost five straight. … Jets average 284.3 yards in total offense; only Buffalo and San Francisco are worse. … QB Chad Pennington has been benched for second-year QB Kellen Clemens. ... At home, RB Thomas Jones is averaging 88 yards per game (352 yards in four games) and 4.5 yards per carry. He still doesn't have a rushing touchdown this season.

Arizona (3-4) at Tampa Bay (4-4)

Time: Noon

Line: Bucs by 3½.

Series: Cardinals lead 8-7.

Last time: Cardinals 12, Bucs 7, Jan. 2, 2005 at Arizona.

Last week: Cardinals (BYE) lost to Redskins 21-19 in Week 7; Bucs lost to Jaguars 24-23.

Notes: Arizona is off to best start since 2002. … Cardinals have been penalized league-worst 59 times for 497 yards. … RB Edgerrin James is second in NFC with 603 yards, averaging 3.9 per carry. … Cardinals are first in red zone offense with 12 TDs and 3 FGs in 19 trips. … QB Kurt Warner ranks third in NFC with 95.2 passer rating. … Bucs QB Jeff Garcia had NFL's longest stretch of consecutive pass attempts without interception stopped at 217 last week. … RB Earnest Graham has 265 yards from scrimmage in past two games (154 rushing, 111 receiving). … Bucs' defense has 9 INTs in three games against Warner.

Carolina (4-3) at Tennessee (5-2)

Time: Noon

Line: Titans by 4.

Series: Tied 1-1.

Last time: Titans 37, Panthers 17, Oct. 19, 2003 at Carolina.

Last week: Panthers lost to Colts 31-7; Titans beat Raiders 13-9.

Notes: Carolina is 4-0 on road and 0-3 at home. … QB David Carr, front-runner to start, has 2 wins in career vs. Titans and has 94.9 passer rating in those games. … Tennessee is off to best start since opening 9-2 in 2003. … Tennessee has won 10 of past 13 dating back to Nov. 19, 2006. … Titans rank third in NFL with 150.9 yards rushing per game. … RB LenDale White posted career-high 133 yards rushing (5.3 average) last week, his second 100-yard game.

Seattle (4-3) at Cleveland (4-3)

Time: 3:05 p.m.

Line: Browns by 1½.

Series: Seahawks lead 11-4 (2-0 since 1999).

Last time: Seahawks 34, Browns 7, Nov. 30, 2003 at Seattle.

Last week: Seattle (BYE) beat Rams 33-6 in Week 7; Browns beat Rams 27-20.

Notes: Seattle leads NFC in turnover margin at plus 7. … QB Matt Hasselbeck is 2-0 vs. Cleveland. … RB Shaun Alexander (460 yards, 3.4 per carry) needs 2 TDs rushing to reach 100 for his career. … WR Bobby Engram leads team with 34 catches for 468 yards. … TE Will Heller (5 catches for 30 yards) had 2 TD catches in Week 7. … Cleveland has not won three straight since 2001. Browns have won two in a row in same season for first time since 2003, stopping 64-game drought. … Browns have already matched win total from 2006. … QB Derek Anderson has 3-0 record as starter at home. In those games, he has completed 48 of 76 passes (63.2 percent) for 777 yards with 10 TDs and 2 INTs. He ranks second in NFL in TDs (17) and average gain per attempt (8.34).

New England (8-0) at Indianapolis (7-0)

Time: 3:15 p.m., Channel 2

Line: Patriots by 5½.

Series: Patriots lead 43-27.

Last time: Colts 38, Patriots 34, AFC championship, Jan. 21, 2007 at Indianapolis.

Last week: Patriots beat Redskins 52-7; Colts beat Panthers 31-7.

Notes: Both teams are tied for league-lead in turnover margin, plus-11. … New England is 8-0 for first time in franchise history and has beaten all opponents by at least 17 points. … Patriots have won 11 straight regular-season games dating back to 2006. … Patriots lead NFL in total offense (439.5) and passing offense (303.8). … QB Tom Brady leads NFL with 30 TD passes, quickest to 30 (eight games) in NFL history. He also leads NFL with 136.2 passer rating, 74.2 completion rate (198 of 267) and 9.1 average gain. Brady needs 2 TDs to set franchise record in a season (Babe Parilli, 31 in 1964). … WR Randy Moss leads NFL with 779 yards receiving (47 catches) and 11 TDs. … Indianapolis is unbeaten after seven games for third consecutive year. … Colts have won franchise-record 12 straight home games. … Colts allow league-low 165.4 yards passing per game. … QB Peyton Manning threw his Colts-record 288th career touchdown pass last week, breaking team mark held by Johnny Unitas. In six home games vs. Patriots, including playoffs, Manning has 13 TDs, 4 INTs and 95.5 passer rating. … WR Reggie Wayne (44 receptions, 668 yards) posted season-best 168 yards with 7 catches last week.

Houston (3-5) at Oakland (2-5)

Time: 3:15 p.m.

Line: Raiders by 3.

Series: Texans lead 2-0.

Last time: Texans 23, Raiders 16, Dec. 3, 2006 at Oakland.

Last week: Texans lost to Chargers 35-10; Raiders lost to Titans 13-9.

Notes: Houston has lost three straight. … Texans rank last in AFC with minus-10 turnover differential. Texans have lost NFL-worst 11 fumbles this season. … Houston is fourth in league at 264 yards passing per game. … LB DeMeco Ryans has 59 solo tackles, most in NFL. … QB Matt Schaub will likely be out. Sage Rosenfels should get third start of career and first since 2005 when he was with Miami. … Oakland has lost three straight. … Raiders didn't crack 100 yards rushing in any of last three games. RB LaMont Jordan, who averaged 106 yards in first four games, is bothered by back injury and has averaged just 29 yards during losing streak. … Oakland has allowed league-worst 5.3 yards per carry and is third worst in the NFL by allowing 148.9 yards per game. … QB Josh McCown, out with broken toe since Sept. 23, hopes to play this week.

Dallas (6-1) at Philadelphia (3-4)

Time: 7:15 p.m., Channel 5

Line: Cowboys by 3½.

Series: Cowboys lead 53-42.

Last time: Eagles 23, Cowboys 7, Dec. 25, 2006 at Dallas.

Last week: Cowboys (BYE) beats Vikings 24-14 in Week 7; Eagles beat Vikings 23-16.

Notes: Dallas last started 7-1 in 1995, when team won Super Bowl. … Cowboys lead NFC in points scored (227), total offense (402.0) and defense (295.9). … Dallas has faced only two teams with winning record. Six of remaining nine games are against teams that currently have winning records. … QB Tony Romo, who signed six-year, $67.5 million deal, is 12-5 as starter with 4,625 yards, 32 TDs and 19 INTs. Romo has highest average gain (8.3) and most touchdowns (16) in NFC. … Philadelphia's defense has allowed just 8 TDs in 77 possessions. … Eagles have given up 90.4 yards rushing per game, down from 136.4 last year. … Eagles are third in NFL with 24 sacks. … No team has scored more than 21 points against Eagles. … QB Donovan McNabb has won nine of past 12 starts vs. Dallas and has 20 TDs and 8 INTs in those 12 games.

Monday's game

Baltimore (4-3) at Pittsburgh (5-2)

Time: 7:30 p.m., ESPN

Line: Steelers by 9.

Series: Steelers lead 14-9.

Last time: Ravens 31, Steelers 7, Dec. 24, 2006 at Pittsburgh.

Last week: Ravens (BYE) lost to Bills 19-14 in Week 7; Steelers beat Bengals 24-13.

Notes: Baltimore is only division team that has played Pittsburgh nearly even (6-7) since Steelers moved into Heinz Field in 2001. … Ravens are second to only Pittsburgh in total defense, allowing 268.0 yards per game. … QB Steve McNair is 15-5 as starter with Baltimore. … Pittsburgh is 3-0 at home. … Since 1992, Pittsburgh is 11-0 at home on Monday nights. … Steelers ranks first in NFL in total defense (256.9) and rushing offense, averaging 159.1 yards per game. … In three games at home this season, QB Ben Roethlisberger has completed 52 of 76 passes (68.4 percent) for 608 yards with 3 TDs and an INT. … Pittsburgh hasn't allowed 100-yard rusher in 32 consecutive games.

Bob LeGere's picks

Sunday's games

-3½ Redskins 20, JETS 7

+2 Packers 26, CHIEFS 17

+3½ Cardinals 23, BUCS 19

-4 TITANS 20, Panthers 13

-3 FALCONS 20, Niners14

-3½ SAINTS 27, Jaguars 20

+3 Broncos 26, LIONS 21

+1 BILLS 24, Bengals 17

-7 Chargers 27, VIKINGS 16

-1½ BROWNS 30, Seahawks 24

-5½ Patriots 33, COLTS 24

+3 Texans 20, RAIDERS 10

-3½ Cowboys 27, EAGLES 14

Monday's game

-9½ STEELERS 20, Ravens 16

Last week: 6-7 straight up; 2-11 vs. the spread

Season: 65-51 straight up; 47-65-5 vs. the spread