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Seahawks-Bears, Pats-Bengals highlight Week Four of NFL
By John Pezzullo SportsTicker Pro Football Editor
BRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) - A possible preview of the NFC championship game will be staged Sunday night. Perhaps a dress rehearsal for the AFC championship game will be played in Week Four as well.
The Seattle Seahawks (3-0) will be without reigning NFL rushing champion Shaun Alexander when they visit the Chicago Bears (3-0) in a battle of unbeaten NFC heavyweights.
Carson Palmer faces Tom Brady in a duel of Pro Bowl quarterbacks as the Cincinnati Bengals (3-0) meet the New England Patriots (2-1). And two unbeaten teams in the AFC clash when the Baltimore Ravens (3-0) host the San Diego Chargers (2-0).
The Seahawks and Bears were expected to meet in the NFC championship game last January, but the second-seeded Bears were beaten at home by Carolina, 29-21, in the divisional playoffs. Seattle rolled to a 34-14 victory over the Panthers before losing to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XL.
But the Seahawks will not have Alexander, who suffered a broken bone in his left foot in Seattle's 42-30 win over the New York Giants last week.
Without Alexander, look for Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren to attack Chicago's defense with a four-wide receiver alignment. Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck matched a career high with five touchdown passes last week.
Of course, lining up in four-receiver alignments invites blitzes and the Bears will do their best to try and disrupt Hasselbeck's rhythm.
Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and outside linebacker Lance Briggs will probably spend most of the night trying to disrupt pass patterns since they don't have Alexander to worry about.
After allowing a league-low 202 points last season, the Bears have yielded just 23 points in three games this year.
The Seahawks have started 3-0 three times in the last four seasons, but never have been 4-0. The Bears last started 4-0 in 1991 when Mike Ditka was coach.
The Bengals were 4-0 last year en route to winning the AFC North. To get there again they will have to beat the Patriots, who have won three of the last five Super Bowls.
Palmer equaled a career high with four touchdown passes in the Bengals' 28-20 win at Pittsburgh last Sunday. Brady and Palmer each threw a pair of scoring passes in the last meeting between the teams - a 35-28 win for the Patriots in December 2004.
Sunday marks the return of Corey Dillon, the Bengals' all-time leading rusher, to Cincinnati. The three-time Pro Bowler played seven years with the Bengals when they compiled a 34-78 record with no playoff appearances.
Following the 2003 campaign, Dillon told coach Marvin Lewis he was tired of losing and wanted to play for a winner. Lewis eventually elevated Rudi Johnson to the starting job and sent Dillon to the Patriots for a second-round pick.
Dillon rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals at Foxboro in 2004.
Defense is expected to rule when the Ravens host the Chargers.
Led by Ray Lewis at middle linebacker, the Ravens have allowed a total of 20 points and recorded 16 sacks in their first three games.
With Shawne Merriman creating havoc from his outside linebacker spot, the Chargers have yielded just seven points and registered nine sacks in two games.
While Lewis, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl MVP, is clearly the leader of his defense, Baltimore has plenty of standouts. Outside linebacker Bart Scott has five of Baltimore's 16 sacks and was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month.
Merriman took the league by storm last season with a team-leading 10 sacks and was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Then he opened this season with three sacks in a 27-0 win over Oakland.
Mark Brunell holds every major passing record for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He faces his former team for the first time when the Washington Redskins (1-2) host the Jaguars (2-1).
Brunell started 120 games for the Jaguars from 1995-2003 and led the franchise to two AFC championship games and four playoff appearances.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Brunell is the Jaguars' all-time leader in passing yards (25,698), completions (2,184), attempts (3,612) and touchdowns (144). He also holds the franchise mark for passing yards in a single season (4,367 in 1996).
In March 2004, Brunell was traded to Washington for a third-round pick.
The 36-year-old Brunell led the Redskins to the playoffs last season, but they lost in the divisional round to Seattle. Last week, he completed his first 22 passes in a 31-15 win over Houston to eclipse Rich Gannon's single-game NFL record of 21 consecutive completions for Oakland in a November 11, 2002 game against Denver.
Mike Martz returns to the place where he presided over "The Greatest Show on Turf" when the winless Detroit Lions (0-3) visit the St. Louis Rams (2-1).
Martz was the offensive coordinator for the Rams in their Super Bowl-winning season in 1999. The Rams racked up 526 points that season, the third-most all-time.
The following year, Martz was named to succeed Dick Vermeil and compiled a record of 53-32 with four playoff appearances. He guided St. Louis to a conference title in his second season before losing to New England in Super Bowl XXXVI.
Martz missed the final 11 games of the 2005 season with a bacterial infection of a heart valve. In January, he was fired by the Rams.
The Lions named Martz as their offensive coordinator in February after naming Rod Marinelli as their new coach. But Martz has failed to make an immediate impact with the Lions, who have scored a total of 37 points in three games.
Terrell Owens is listed as questionable for Sunday when the Dallas Cowboys (1-1) face the winless Tennessee Titans (0-3).
Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he would probably make a "game-time decision" on the controversial wide receiver, who was rushed to the hospital on Tuesday night after what Dallas police classified as an "accidental overdose" of ************ pain pills.
In Dallas' last game on September 17, Owens suffered a broken right ring finger. The pain pills were administered to Owens after he underwent surgery for the finger.
Peyton Manning makes his second trip to the Meadowlands on Sunday. Only this time he's not facing his younger brother.
Manning and the Indianapolis Colts (3-0) meet the New York Jets (2-1). The Colts opened the season with a 26-21 victory over Eli Manning and the New York Giants.
After a happy homecoming, the unbeaten New Orleans Saints (3-0) take their show back on the road when they face the Carolina Panthers (1-2)in a battle of NFC South rivals.
The Saints returned to the Louisiana Superdome for the first time in more than a year last Monday and rolled to an emotional 23-3 win over Atlanta.
Just over a year ago, the Saints were forced from their home by Hurricane Katrina - the deadliest storm in American history that left the Gulf Coast region in ruin and damaged the Superdome.
The Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) again will be without Trent Green on Sunday when they host the San Francisco 49ers (1-2).
A nine-year veteran and the Chiefs' starting quarterback since 2001, Green suffered a "severe" concussion in a season-opening loss to Cincinnati. He remains sidelined indefinitely.
Damon Huard will make his second straight start in place of Green. The six-year veteran completed 17-of-23 passes for 133 yards in a 9-6 loss at Denver two weeks ago.
In other games, the Atlanta Falcons (2-1) host the Arizona Cardinals (1-2); the Minnesota Vikings (2-1) meet the Buffalo Bills (1-2); the Miami Dolphins (1-2) face the Houston Texans (0-3) and the Cleveland Browns (0-3) meet the Oakland Raiders (0-2).
Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers (1-2) visit the Philadelphia Eagles (2-1) on Monday night.
Favre has lost all five of his career starts at Philadelphia, throwing for just four touchdowns and seven interceptions.
By John Pezzullo SportsTicker Pro Football Editor
BRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) - A possible preview of the NFC championship game will be staged Sunday night. Perhaps a dress rehearsal for the AFC championship game will be played in Week Four as well.
The Seattle Seahawks (3-0) will be without reigning NFL rushing champion Shaun Alexander when they visit the Chicago Bears (3-0) in a battle of unbeaten NFC heavyweights.
Carson Palmer faces Tom Brady in a duel of Pro Bowl quarterbacks as the Cincinnati Bengals (3-0) meet the New England Patriots (2-1). And two unbeaten teams in the AFC clash when the Baltimore Ravens (3-0) host the San Diego Chargers (2-0).
The Seahawks and Bears were expected to meet in the NFC championship game last January, but the second-seeded Bears were beaten at home by Carolina, 29-21, in the divisional playoffs. Seattle rolled to a 34-14 victory over the Panthers before losing to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XL.
But the Seahawks will not have Alexander, who suffered a broken bone in his left foot in Seattle's 42-30 win over the New York Giants last week.
Without Alexander, look for Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren to attack Chicago's defense with a four-wide receiver alignment. Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck matched a career high with five touchdown passes last week.
Of course, lining up in four-receiver alignments invites blitzes and the Bears will do their best to try and disrupt Hasselbeck's rhythm.
Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and outside linebacker Lance Briggs will probably spend most of the night trying to disrupt pass patterns since they don't have Alexander to worry about.
After allowing a league-low 202 points last season, the Bears have yielded just 23 points in three games this year.
The Seahawks have started 3-0 three times in the last four seasons, but never have been 4-0. The Bears last started 4-0 in 1991 when Mike Ditka was coach.
The Bengals were 4-0 last year en route to winning the AFC North. To get there again they will have to beat the Patriots, who have won three of the last five Super Bowls.
Palmer equaled a career high with four touchdown passes in the Bengals' 28-20 win at Pittsburgh last Sunday. Brady and Palmer each threw a pair of scoring passes in the last meeting between the teams - a 35-28 win for the Patriots in December 2004.
Sunday marks the return of Corey Dillon, the Bengals' all-time leading rusher, to Cincinnati. The three-time Pro Bowler played seven years with the Bengals when they compiled a 34-78 record with no playoff appearances.
Following the 2003 campaign, Dillon told coach Marvin Lewis he was tired of losing and wanted to play for a winner. Lewis eventually elevated Rudi Johnson to the starting job and sent Dillon to the Patriots for a second-round pick.
Dillon rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals at Foxboro in 2004.
Defense is expected to rule when the Ravens host the Chargers.
Led by Ray Lewis at middle linebacker, the Ravens have allowed a total of 20 points and recorded 16 sacks in their first three games.
With Shawne Merriman creating havoc from his outside linebacker spot, the Chargers have yielded just seven points and registered nine sacks in two games.
While Lewis, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl MVP, is clearly the leader of his defense, Baltimore has plenty of standouts. Outside linebacker Bart Scott has five of Baltimore's 16 sacks and was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month.
Merriman took the league by storm last season with a team-leading 10 sacks and was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Then he opened this season with three sacks in a 27-0 win over Oakland.
Mark Brunell holds every major passing record for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He faces his former team for the first time when the Washington Redskins (1-2) host the Jaguars (2-1).
Brunell started 120 games for the Jaguars from 1995-2003 and led the franchise to two AFC championship games and four playoff appearances.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Brunell is the Jaguars' all-time leader in passing yards (25,698), completions (2,184), attempts (3,612) and touchdowns (144). He also holds the franchise mark for passing yards in a single season (4,367 in 1996).
In March 2004, Brunell was traded to Washington for a third-round pick.
The 36-year-old Brunell led the Redskins to the playoffs last season, but they lost in the divisional round to Seattle. Last week, he completed his first 22 passes in a 31-15 win over Houston to eclipse Rich Gannon's single-game NFL record of 21 consecutive completions for Oakland in a November 11, 2002 game against Denver.
Mike Martz returns to the place where he presided over "The Greatest Show on Turf" when the winless Detroit Lions (0-3) visit the St. Louis Rams (2-1).
Martz was the offensive coordinator for the Rams in their Super Bowl-winning season in 1999. The Rams racked up 526 points that season, the third-most all-time.
The following year, Martz was named to succeed Dick Vermeil and compiled a record of 53-32 with four playoff appearances. He guided St. Louis to a conference title in his second season before losing to New England in Super Bowl XXXVI.
Martz missed the final 11 games of the 2005 season with a bacterial infection of a heart valve. In January, he was fired by the Rams.
The Lions named Martz as their offensive coordinator in February after naming Rod Marinelli as their new coach. But Martz has failed to make an immediate impact with the Lions, who have scored a total of 37 points in three games.
Terrell Owens is listed as questionable for Sunday when the Dallas Cowboys (1-1) face the winless Tennessee Titans (0-3).
Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he would probably make a "game-time decision" on the controversial wide receiver, who was rushed to the hospital on Tuesday night after what Dallas police classified as an "accidental overdose" of ************ pain pills.
In Dallas' last game on September 17, Owens suffered a broken right ring finger. The pain pills were administered to Owens after he underwent surgery for the finger.
Peyton Manning makes his second trip to the Meadowlands on Sunday. Only this time he's not facing his younger brother.
Manning and the Indianapolis Colts (3-0) meet the New York Jets (2-1). The Colts opened the season with a 26-21 victory over Eli Manning and the New York Giants.
After a happy homecoming, the unbeaten New Orleans Saints (3-0) take their show back on the road when they face the Carolina Panthers (1-2)in a battle of NFC South rivals.
The Saints returned to the Louisiana Superdome for the first time in more than a year last Monday and rolled to an emotional 23-3 win over Atlanta.
Just over a year ago, the Saints were forced from their home by Hurricane Katrina - the deadliest storm in American history that left the Gulf Coast region in ruin and damaged the Superdome.
The Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) again will be without Trent Green on Sunday when they host the San Francisco 49ers (1-2).
A nine-year veteran and the Chiefs' starting quarterback since 2001, Green suffered a "severe" concussion in a season-opening loss to Cincinnati. He remains sidelined indefinitely.
Damon Huard will make his second straight start in place of Green. The six-year veteran completed 17-of-23 passes for 133 yards in a 9-6 loss at Denver two weeks ago.
In other games, the Atlanta Falcons (2-1) host the Arizona Cardinals (1-2); the Minnesota Vikings (2-1) meet the Buffalo Bills (1-2); the Miami Dolphins (1-2) face the Houston Texans (0-3) and the Cleveland Browns (0-3) meet the Oakland Raiders (0-2).
Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers (1-2) visit the Philadelphia Eagles (2-1) on Monday night.
Favre has lost all five of his career starts at Philadelphia, throwing for just four touchdowns and seven interceptions.
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