Da Bum's Week 7 Game Scout & Match Up Capsule!

[StarDust Bum]

I posted this before and some said they would love to see this matchups but there wasn't enough interest. So i need some feedback if this is a good handcapping tool for you or not.....If not i won't waste my time posting these articles....

Also this weekend i'll be out of town again posting as much as i can from my laptop....there seems to be a proble when i do that....Some sites that i post at there seems to be no problem and with some sites i just can't get pass getting on with my laptop....As some of you know i do post at 4-5 other sites....so if you don't seem me posting here.....check out the other sites that i can get on to.......just a heads up to all......

Thank You,
Cnotes aka Da Bum

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Redskins at Eagles
October 19, 2017

WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-2) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (5-1)

KICKOFF: Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET, Lincoln Financial Field. TV: ESPN, Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters (field reporter).

SERIES HISTORY: 165th regular-season meeting. Redskins lead series, 85-74-5. The Eagles snapped a five-game losing streak to the Redskins with a 30-17 win at FedEx Field on Sept. 10 in the season opener.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Eagles will attempt to take a commanding three-game lead in the NFC East, looking for a sweep of the Redskins.

Second-year quarterback Carson Wentz continued his stellar play against Carolina last week and improved his season numbers -- 126 of 207 for 1,584 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. Those statistics have vaulted him into the early conversation for the MVP award.

The Eagles could receive a boost against Washington with the potential return of right tackle Lane Johnson and running back Wendell Smallwood.

Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins has been quite efficient this season while completing 105 of 158 passes for 1,334 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Redskins need more balance than they had in the first game against Philadelphia. They managed just 64 rushing yards on 17 carries -- and 30 came from Cousins.

Rob Kelley (ankle) might not play again so rookie Samaje Perine will see more time than in Week 1, when he didn't get a carry. Chris Thompson did torch the Eagles for 52 yards on four catches out of the backfield, including a touchdown. Expect more of that.

The Redskins have to do a better job of bringing down Wentz, who far too often escaped trouble and made them pay by buying time in the pocket.

The injury bug could be a problem for the Redskins. Starting cornerbacks Bashaud Breeland (knee) and Josh Norman (rib) are both questionable as is running back Rob Kelley (ankle). Defensive lineman Jonathan Allen is out with a Lisfranc injury.

In addition, the Redskins will feature newly signed kicker Nick Rose, who has never competed in an NFL game. Dustin Hopkins was placed on injured reserve.

Look out for Philadelphia's tight ends. Zach Ertz had eight catches for 93 yards against Washington and Brent Celek added another. Expect Wentz to target those players at least 10 times, especially with the Redskins struggling with injuries at safety, too.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Eagles TE Zach Ertz vs. Redskins S D.J. Swearinger. Ertz is the most productive pass-catching tight end in the league this season. He caught eight passes for 93 yards in the first game vs. the Redskins.

--Redskins LT Trent Williams vs. Eagles DE Vinny Curry. Curry has been solid vs. the run and the pass. Williams is one of the top left tackles in the game. He hasn't given up a sack or hit yet this season but is nursing a knee injury that could impact his effectiveness.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Eagles RB Wendell Smallwood. Smallwood has missed the last two games with a knee injury. His return strengthens a ground game that has averaged 4.5 yards per carry in the last four games, all wins.

FAST FACTS: Washington QB Kirk Cousins passed for 330 yards and two touchdowns and added a rushing TD last week. He has 1,026 passing yards (342 per game), nine TDs and two interceptions in three career games at Philadelphia. In his past 13 road games, he has averaged 290.7 yards and thrown 24 TD passes vs. five INTs. ... RB Chris Thompson led Washington with 105 receiving yards in Week 6. He has hit 100 scrimmage yards in three of the past four games and leads NFL RBs with 340 receiving yards. He has scored five 5 TDs in his past four road games. ... Redskins TE Jordan Reed has 10 catches for 139 yards and two TDs in his past two games at Philadelphia. ... LB Ryan Kerrigan has four sacks, a forced fumble and an interception in the past four meetings. Since 2014, he is tied for the NFC lead with 37.5 sacks. ... LB Preston Smith had a sack in last meeting. He has 4.5 sacks in his past five games and three sacks in his past three road games. ... The Eagles have scored at least 20 points in 10 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. ... QB Carson Wentz passed for 222 yards, three TDs and no INTs last week. In his past three home games, he has 725 passing yards, seven TDs and one INT. ... WR Nelson Agholor aims for a third straight game with a TD catch. He caught six passes for 86 yards and a TD in the last meeting. ... TE Zach Ertz caught two TD passes in Week 6 and is looking for a third straight home game vs. Washington with at least 10 catches and 100 yards. He leads NFL tight ends with 34 catches and 405 yards and is tied for the lead with four TDs. ... DT Fletcher Cox has 3.5 sacks in the past two home meetings. He has 8.5 sacks and a forced fumble in his past 12 home games.

PREDICTION: The Redskins had enough trouble with the Eagles in the first game. Since then, they have lost more guys and the Eagles have gotten better.

OUR PICK: Eagles, 34-24.

--Chris Cluff

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Falcons at Patriots
October 19, 2017

ATLANTA FALCONS (3-2) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (4-2)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET, Gillette Stadium. TV: NBC, Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya (field reporter).

SERIES HISTORY: 14th regular-season meeting. Patriots lead series, 7-6. The most notable battle in this series is clearly last February's epic comeback win for New England to secure its fifth Lombardi Trophy in overtime in Super Bowl LI. That win was the fifth straight by the Patriots dating to 2001. Prior to that, Atlanta had won four in a row and six of seven. The last meeting in Foxborough was a 26-10 win by the Patriots in September 2009.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Patriots enter this Super Bowl rematch with the NFL's No. 1 offense, but the unit has not been cruising quite as smoothly of late. Tom Brady and Co. have been held to 24 points or fewer in each of the last two weeks, a stretch the team never faced last season as New England was held below 25 points in just three of the 12 games with Brady under center.

While Brady and the passing attack have sputtered just a bit, New England's dormant ground game is showing signs of life. Both Mike Gillislee (despite his fumble against the Jets) and Dion Lewis have been far more productive the last two weeks.

New England's budding balance faces a tough Falcons defense. Look for Josh McDaniels to come out firing through the air. Assuming Brady gets the improved protection he saw Sunday in New York against a tougher pass rush, he'll be looking to hit more short and intermediate throws against the Falcons' speedy, aggressive defense.

The Patriots' run defense showed improvement against New York but faces a much tougher test against with Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. The ground game has been the more consistent part of the Falcons' attack, tallying over 600 yards and six touchdowns in five games.

With the Patriots' pass defense having allowed six straight opponents to throw for more than 300 yards, Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are a tough matchup. Ryan hasn't been at his best early in 2017, having already thrown six interceptions, while Jones has yet to find the end zone despite leading Atlanta with 25 catches.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Falcons RBs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman vs. Patriots run defense. New England's run defense is coming off its best game of the year in New York, holding the Jets to barely 3 yards per carry. DT Alan Branch looked more like his productive 2016 self a week after being a healthy scratch. But the Falcons are one of the more productive running games in the NFL right now, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Freeman (4.5) and Coleman (5.6) each have runs longer than 35 yards and have combined for six rushing scores. This is a big test for a New England front seven that appears to be on the come in recent weeks.

Patriots OL vs. Falcons LB Vic Beasley Jr. New England's pass protection was better against the Jets, but OT Nate Solder and Co. face a different beast with the now-healthy Beasley. The linebacker led the NFL a year ago with 15.5 sacks and has a pair this season, despite missing two-plus games to a hamstring injury. In Super Bowl LI, New England held Beasley to just one QB hit. The line has struggled this season but can take a step forward against Beasley and a fast Falcons front that has 12 sacks and 28 QB hits in five games.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore. New England's big-money free-agent addition has not gotten off to a great start. He has struggled with communication issues and sat out last week due to a concussion. With CB Eric Rowe already dealing with a pretty significant groin injury, the Patriots' 32nd-ranked pass defense needs to get Gilmore back on the field and playing up to his Pro Bowl resume and paycheck.

FAST FACTS: Atlanta QB Matt Ryan completed 17 of 23 for 284 yards, two TDs and no INTs (a 144.1 rating) in the Super Bowl. In his past 10 road games, he has 2,978 passing yards (297.8 per game), 22 TDs and six INTs. He has thrown a TD pass in 24 consecutive games, the NFL's longest active streak. He also has 200 passing yards in 60 consecutive games, the longest streak in NFL history. ... In his past six games vs. AFC teams (including the Super Bowl), RB Devonta Freeman has 606 scrimmage yards and five rushing TDs. He leads the NFC with five rushing TDs this season. ... WR Julio Jones has 53 catches for 822 yards and three TDs in his past eight games vs. the AFC. He has 602 yards and two TDs in his past six road games. ... In five career meetings (including the Super Bowl), Patriots QB Tom Brady has 1,659 passing yards (331.8 per game), 11 TDs and two INTs. He leads the NFL with 1,959 passing yards this season. ... RB James White set a Super Bowl record with 14 catches against the Falcons. He scored three TDs. He leads the team and ranks second among NFL RBs with 33 catches this season. ... WR Chris Hogan has five TD catches in his past five games and seven in his past eight home games (including playoffs). ... TE Rob Gronkowski caught two TD passes last week. He has 15 games with at least two, third-most by a tight end in NFL history.

PREDICTION: This is a bad matchup for the Patriots' defense, which looks incapable of containing all of Atlanta's offensive playmakers. And the Falcons have a Super axe to grind.

OUR PICK: Falcons, 31-28.

--Chris Cluff

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Bengals at Steelers
October 19, 2017

CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-3) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-2)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Heinz Field. TV: CBS, Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson (field reporter).

SERIES HISTORY: 94th regular-season meeting. Steelers lead series, 58-35. The Steelers have won the past four meetings and seven of eight, including an 18-16 last-second win in a 2015 AFC wild-card playoff game. Pittsburgh owns a 31-16 record against the Bengals at home.

KEYS TO THE GAME: This game means everything to the Bengals, who can get back to .500 and become a factor in the AFC North.

This is easier said than done against a Pittsburgh team that has beaten them more often than not, especially at Heinz Field. The Bengals expect a low-scoring game, with both defenses ranked among the league's best.

Expect Cincinnati to try to establish the running game early, even though it averages just 3.2 yards per rush.

The Steelers found a winning formula against the Chiefs: Le'Veon Bell ran for 179 yards and scored a touchdown, and the Steelers kept the Chiefs' high-powered offense off the field by controlling the time of possession.

While the Bengals aren't the Chiefs when it comes to offensive firepower they have been much better since Bill Lazor was hired as offensive coordinator three weeks ago. In three games with Lazor as the play caller, the Bengals have scored 20, 31 and 24 points. The Steelers can keep Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton off the field by controlling the clock with Bell.

The Steelers have to get pressure on Dalton. They are tied for the NFL lead with 20 sacks in the first six games.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Bengals WR A.J. Green vs. Steelers CB Joe Haden. Green has 77 catches for 1,046 yards and seven TDs against the Steelers. Haden, in his eighth season, has three INTs in 10 career games against the Bengals. Haden and Green had some classic matchups during Haden's seven seasons in Cleveland.

--Steelers WR Martavis Bryant vs. Bengals secondary. Sure, Antonio Brown is Ben Roethlisberger's primary target. But, Bryant has destroyed the Bengals with 257 receiving yards and three TDs in five games. Cincinnati's most experienced corner, Adam Jones, has been out with a back injury. Bryant is coming off a tumultuous week in which he reportedly demanded a trade.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Bengals DT Geno Atkins. He again is leading all NFL interior linemen with four sacks this season. He has finished at least tied for the lead in that category in four of the past seven seasons. This season, Atkins is benefiting from rookies Carl Lawson and Jordan Willis, who have contributed right away. Atkins has 56 career sacks, most by a Bengals interior lineman and fifth-best overall.

FAST FACTS: Bengals QB Andy Dalton threw for 366 yards and a TD in the last road meeting. He has 1,335 yards, 10 TDs and no INTs in his past five division road games. ... RB Giovani Bernard had a career-high nine catches for 100 yards and a TD in the last meeting. In his past four vs. the division, he has 362 scrimmage yards and three TDs. ... DE Carlos Dunlap has 22.5 sacks since 2015, tied for fifth among NFL DEs. ... Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger has 1,756 passing yards (292.7 per game) and 10 TD passes in the past six meetings. He has thrown at least three TD passes in three straight home division games. ... RB Le'Veon Bell has four games with 175 rushing yards since 2014, most in the NFL. He had 131 scrimmage yards in the last meeting and has gone over 100 in four of five career meetings. This season, he is third in the NFL with 550 rushing yards and fourth with 706 scrimmage yards. ... WR Ju Ju Smith-Schuster is one of five NFL rookies with 175 receiving yards (192) and two TD catches (2). ... LB Vince Williams had two sacks in Week 6, his first career multi-sack game. He leads the team with four sacks.

PREDICTION: Bell, Brown and the Steelers' defense will be a tough trifecta for the Bengals to hit.

OUR PICK: Steelers, 20-17.

--Chris Cluff

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Titans at Browns
October 19, 2017

TENNESSEE TITANS (3-3) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-6)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Paul Brown Stadium. TV: CBS, Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta.

SERIES HISTORY: 65th regular-season meeting. Browns lead series, 35-29. Three years ago, the Browns beat the Titans 29-28 after trailing 28-3 in the second quarter. It remains the largest comeback by a road team in NFL history.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Titans have been notorious for slow starts this season, but that formula might not be a good idea against the winless Browns. The Titans need to start fast, so as not to give the Browns any signs of early life. Tennessee has been guilty of missing 2-foot putts before, losing games they should win. They need to avoid that by running the ball effectively to keep Cleveland's pass rush from getting to Marcus Mariota and set themselves up with some scoring chances.

Mariota has been dealing with a hamstring that has forced him to cut down his mobility. It is a sharp contrast for the Browns' defense after facing mobile Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson last week. If the Browns' secondary can hold pass coverage an extra second, the pass rush will have time to get to Mariota, cut down on the Titans' point production and not force the struggling offense to score 30 points. Three of the Browns' first six opponents have scored at least 31.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Titans TE Delanie Walker vs. Browns LB Jamie Collins. Collins will be playing his second straight game after returning from a concussion. He is Cleveland's best coverage linebacker, but he might need help guarding Walker. Walker leads the Titans with 25 catches for 261 yards. Walker has not scored a touchdown this season.

--Browns LT Joe Thomas vs. Titans LB Brian Orakpo. Thomas is still the gold standard of left tackles in the NFL. Orakpo was the Titans' top pass rusher a year ago, but is off to a slow start. He will have to be on his game to get past Thomas and get to Browns rookie QB Deshone Kizer on Sunday.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Titans K Ryan Succop. Succop was the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after making five field goals Monday night and setting, then extending, a record with 51 straight field goals made from inside 50 yards. Succop has not missed a kick inside 50 since the 2014 season, when he missed one against the New York Giants.

FAST FACTS: Titans QB Marcus Mariota passed for 306 yards and a TD last week. He has passed for 541 yards (270.5 per game) and five TDs, with one interception, and rushed for 83 yards in two career meetings. He is one of six QBs with 7,000 passing yards (7,342) and 700 rushing yards (717) since entering league in 2015. ...

RB DeMarco Murray had 87 scrimmage yards and a rushing TD last week. He scored a rushing TD in the last meeting. Since entering the league in 2011, he has 45 rushing TDs, the fifth most in the NFL. ...

LB Wesley Woodyard has 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble in the past four meetings. ...

Browns QB DeShone Kizer is one of four NFL QBs with 125 rushing yards (126) and two rushing TDs (2) this season. ...

OT Joe Thomas has started 166 consecutive games since entering league in 2007, the longest active streak among NFL offensive linemen. ...

CB Jason McCourty had a 56-yard interception return TD last week and is aiming for his third game in a row with an interception. He is tied for second in the NFL with three interceptions and nine passes defensed. He appeared in 108 games (90 starts) and had 13 interceptions in eight seasons with Tennessee (2009-16).

PREDICTION: Will the Titans get caught looking ahead to the bye week and not focus on the winless Browns? They have botched a couple of games in the last couple of seasons as road favorites and are coming off a big Monday night win over Indianapolis, so don't be surprised if this is close at the end.

OUR PICK: Titans, 29-24.

--Bucky Dent

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Seahawks at Giants
October 19, 2017

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-2) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (1-5)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, MetLife Stadium. TV: CBS, Andrew Catalon, James Lofton.

SERIES HISTORY: 18th regular-season meeting. Giants lead series, 9-8. The Seahawks have won the last three meetings, including the last two at MetLife Stadium. Seattle is 4-0 at MetLife, including their victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.

KEYS TO THE GAME: Seattle's defense is geared to stop opposing passing attacks. With an offense as ravaged by injuries at wide receiver as the Giants bring into this matchup, the Seahawks need to slow a rushing attack that found success last week against Denver and force the game into Eli Manning's hands. A lead built by the offense wouldn't hurt either, though the Seahawks have struggled to do so through the first five games of the year.

The Seahawks have struggled to run the ball ever since losing Chris Carson to a season-ending ankle injury. Eddie Lacy and Thomas Rawls are averaging 3.0 and 1.8 yards, while quarterback Russell Wilson (5.1 yards per rush average) has had to take up the cause.

The Giants' run defense, which had been giving up over 100 yards per game in the first five games, managed to shut down the Broncos, holding them to 46 yards on 17 carries.

The Seahawks' offensive line has struggled to create rushing lanes; so, if the Giants can replicate the success they had last week with plugging up the running lanes, they will give themselves a good chance at making the Seahawks one-dimensional.

Offensively, the Giants' best bet might be to continue riding the running game, which last week exploded for a season-high 148 yards on 32 carries (4.6 yards per carry). This year, the Seahawks run defense has allowed six runs of at least 25 yards -- two more than they allowed in 16 games last season.

The Giants are expected to stick with the same offensive line configuration of Ereck Flowers, John Jerry, Brett Jones, D.J. Fluker and Justin Pugh this week, and the same one-two running back punch of Orleans Darkwa (5.7 yards ypc) and rookie Wayne Gallman (4.1 ypc). If the running game can continue to find success, that could ensure things remain open for tight end Evan Engram, who last week had his best performance of his young career.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Giants TE Evan Engram vs. Seahawks SS Kam Chancellor. The Seahawks will likely try to avoid this matchup as much as possible as Engram is more a receiver than a tight end. However, Engram could wind up drawing Chancellor in man-to-man situations occasionally and Chancellor will have to find a way to cover the Giants' best receiving option.

--Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin vs. Giants CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Baldwin leads the Seahawks with 27 receptions for 284 yards and a touchdown. When Baldwin moves to the slot, he'll likely face Rodgers-Cromartie, who is returning from a one-week suspension. Rodgers-Cromartie will need to put behind him the events of the past week to focus on disrupting the Wilson-Baldwin slot connection.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Seahawks DE Frank Clark. Clark has 2.5 sacks this season, including a strip-sack of Jared Goff in the Seahawks' win over the Los Angeles Rams two weeks ago. He'll get a chance to shine in primarily facing off against Giants left tackle Ereck Flowers this week. With Cliff Avril going on injured reserve, Clark will continue to start.

FAST FACTS: Seattle QB Russell Wilson has run for a TD in four of the past six games vs. the NFC East. He ran for a TD in the last meeting with the Giants. ...

WR Doug Baldwin has 14 receptions for 207 yards (103.5 per game) and two TDs in two New York games vs. the Giants. He has 22 receiving TDs since 2015, third-most in the NFL. ...

TE Jimmy Graham has 10 catches for 140 yards and two TDs in two games vs. the Giants. Since 2010, he ranks second among NFL tight ends in receptions (520), yards (6,459) and TD catches (60). ...

DE Michael Bennett has 3.5 sacks in his past four road games. He has two sacks and a forced fumble in his past two meetings and eight sacks and two forced fumbles in his past nine vs. the NFC East. ...

S Earl Thomas had seven tackles, a forced fumble and an interception in Week 5. He has picked off a pass in three straight vs. the Giants. ...

CB Richard Sherman had two interceptions in the last meeting in New York. He has 26 INTs since 2012, most in the NFL. ...

Giants QB Eli Manning has thrown for 1,028 yards (342.7 per game), six TDs and one INT in his past three games vs. the NFC West. He ranks third in the NFL with 148 completions. ...

RB Orleans Darkwa led New York with 117 rushing yards last week, his first 100-yard game. He has 202 scrimmage yards in the past two games. ...

TE Evan Engram is tied for third in receptions (24), ranks second in yards (282) and is tied for second in TD catches (2) among NFL rookies. ...

DE Jason Pierre-Paul led New York with eight tackles and tied a career-high with three sacks last week. He has 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in his past three home games. He has 12 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in the past two meetings. ...

CB Janoris Jenkins forced a fumble and returned a pick 43 yards for a TD last week. He has six career TDs off interceptions, tied for second most among active players.

PREDICTION: The Giants will have a tough time carrying over their Week 6 offensive success against the Seahawks' stout defense.

OUR PICK: Seahawks, 23-13.

--Chris Cluff

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Saints at Packers
October 19, 2017

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3-2) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-2)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Lambeau Field. TV: FOX, Kenny Albert, Charles Davis, Pam Oliver (field reporter.)

SERIES HISTORY: 25th regular-season meeting. Packers lead series, 16-8. Green Bay is 10-2 at home, including 4-1 at Lambeau Field and 6-1 in Milwaukee. The Saints won the last meeting, 44-23, in 2014 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Packers won the last meeting at Lambeau Field, prevailing 28-27 in 2012.

KEYS TO THE GAME: Green Bay is about to find out what life is like without quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Brett Hundley, a fifth-round draft pick out of UCLA in 2015, takes over for the future Hall of Famer, who broke a collarbone last week in a loss to Minnesota.

Hundley's arm strength is above average and he is athletic. He has all the tools (4.63 speed in the 40, 36-inch vertical jump) to be a winner, except for experience. In the first meaningful action of his career, Hundley threw three interceptions and finished with a 39.6 quarterback rating.

"I mean, he needs to turn it up," a not-so confident coach Mike McCarthy said. "There's no doubt about it. The whole team needs to turn it up. I told them everybody needs to clean their house up right now. I don't like the way it looks."

The Packers still have explosive weapons on offense, and it will be up to the O-line to give Hundley time to make reads and correct decisions.

New Orleans is on a three-game winning streak and, as shocking as it might sound, the defense has been stellar -- forcing nine turnovers, scoring three touchdowns and recording 13 sacks against the Lions, Dolphins and Panthers.

The offense is no longer 100 percent reliant on the arm of QB Drew Brees. The Saints are coming off their best rushing performance of the season as Mark Ingram cracked the 100-yard mark and ran for two touchdowns last week against Detroit.

New Orleans has been weak on third-down conversions -- they were just 2 of 12 against the Lions -- and Brees knows they must improve on that stat. "I think we have been into an abnormal number of third-and-long situations. I think that's due to penalties and some negative plays that we probably could've avoided," he said.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Saints RB Alvin Kamara vs. Packers linebackers. Kamara is the Saints' second-leading rusher with 158 yards and he's averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Additionally, he is the second-leading receiver, with 24 catches for 159 yards. With the Packers' linebackers beat up, Drew Brees figures to look for Kamara frequently in both the running game and passing game.

--Packers RT Bryan Bulaga vs. Saints DE Cameron Jordan. Jordan has a team-high five sacks and could be facing a backup right tackle this week. Green Bay's Bryan Bulaga is in the concussion protocol, and it's uncertain whether he will be cleared by Sunday.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Saints CB Marcus Lattimore. The rookie No. 1 draft choice has become a starter and the team's top cover corner in the absence of injured Delvin Breaux. Jordy Nelson (six touchdown receptions), Davante Adams (five) and Randall Cobb (one) comprise the most challenging receiving corps the Saints have faced, and Lattimore will lead the coverage.

FAST FACTS: Saints QB Drew Brees has thrown for 1,499 yards (374.8 per game) and 13 touchdowns in the past four meetings. He has not thrown an interception in those games. ...

RB Mark Ingram had 150 total yards and two touchdowns last week, his seventh career multi-touchdown game. In the last meeting against Green Bay, he rushed for career-high 172 yards and a touchdown. ...

Rookie RB Alvin Kamara rushed for career-high 75 yards in Week 6. He has touchdowns in two of the past three games and is tied for third among NFL rookies with 24 catches. ...

WR Michael Thomas is gunning for his third straight game with at least seven receptions, 85 yards and a touchdown. ...

Packers QB Brett Hundley threw his first career touchdown pass in a Week 6 loss to Minnesota. ...

RB Ty Montgomery has six touchdowns (five rushing) in the past nine games. ... WR Jordy Nelson is tied for the NFL lead with six touchdown receptions. ...

WR Davante Adams has scored a touchdown in three straight games. ...

LB Clay Matthews has two sacks and two forced fumbles in his last four games at Lambeau.

PREDICTION: Is there a tougher place than Lambeau for a road team to pick up a win? The Saints can buck that trend if the defense keeps the heat on Aaron Rodgers' replacement, Brett Hundley.

OUR PICK: Saints, 31-17.

--Dennis Rudner

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Ravens at Vikings
October 19, 2017

BALTIMORE RAVENS (3-3) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (4-2)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, U.S. Bank Stadium. TV: CBS, Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Jamie Erdahl (field reporter).

SERIES HISTORY: Sixth regular-season meeting. Ravens lead series, 3-2. The teams have not met since Dec. 8, 2013, in Baltimore. In that game, the teams combined for five touchdowns in the final two minutes. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Marlon Brown with four seconds remaining to give the Ravens a 29-26 victory. The Vikings won the only other meeting in Minnesota, 33-3, in 2009.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Ravens' offense has been so inconsistent from week-to-week, it has become difficult to gauge how they plan to attack opposing defenses. One week after deep shots against Oakland, quarterback Joe Flacco did not attempt a pass over 17 yards against Chicago. The Ravens have stressed having more balance between throwing and running the ball. However, Flacco attempted 41 passes against the Bears, and the Ravens ran just 26 times.

Baltimore will try to run more on the road against the Vikings. But that could be difficult because Minnesota has a run defense that is ranked sixth in the league. If Baltimore falls behind, that could spell trouble because Flacco is prone to throw interceptions. His receivers consistently struggle to catch the ball.

The Ravens have labored to defend the run and the Vikings will test this unit. Baltimore ideally will shut down Minnesota's run game and force quarterback Case Keenum to beat them. However, they failed to execute that plan last week against Chicago and rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. The Bears ran for 231 yards, the most the Ravens have ever allowed on the ground. Baltimore will have to play much better to beat the Vikings on the road.

Protecting the ball will be paramount for Minnesota against a Ravens defense that has 14 takeaways, including nine interceptions. The Vikings won the turnover battle (3-2) against the Packers last week, but they still handed Green Bay 10 points off two turnovers.

Meanwhile, the Vikings lead the NFL in third-down defense and are coming off a three-interception game. If they can contain Baltimore's seventh-ranked running attack, they should be able to disrupt Flacco, who ranks 31st in passer rating (66.1) and has thrown eight interceptions and only four touchdowns.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Ravens QB Joe Flacco vs. Vikings FS Harrison Smith. Smith, a Pro Bowler the last two years, is coming off arguably the best game of his career. He had 1 1/2 sacks and a diving, one-handed interception. All three plays came on third down, as did another excellent strip of a ball that Jordy Nelson had in his grasp. Smith did all of this against Packers backup quarterback Brett Hundley, who had thrown just 11 career passes before being forced into action last Sunday. Flacco is a much more experienced quarterback. He has won a Super Bowl MVP. But he also is having an atrocious year; his 66.1 passer rating ranks 31st, just ahead of Browns rookie DeShone Kizer.

--Vikings LT Riley Reiff vs. Ravens OLB Terrell Suggs. Reiff has solidified a left tackle position that was in complete disarray a year ago. Five guys played left tackle for the Vikings last year. There were concerns about Reiff when he was made available in free agency as the Lions looked to upgrade from the former first-round pick. The concerns were heightened when Reiff spent a large portion of training camp sidelined by a back injury. But since the season started, he has been a steady force on the blind side. Suggs, meanwhile, keeps on knocking down quarterbacks as a 35-year-old rush linebacker. The 265-pounder leads the Ravens in sacks with 4 1/2 and also had two forced fumbles.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Ravens RG Jermaine Eluemunor. The rookie, who is originally from England, got his first start in Week 6 against the Bears. Eluemunor had an uneven performance, especially in pass protection, but coach John Harbaugh was pleased under the circumstances. Eluemunor, a fifth-round pick from Texas A&M, is the third player to start at right guard this season because of injuries. He will get another shot this week against Minnesota.

FAST FACTS: Ravens QB Joe Flacco passed for 385 yards with two TDs and no interceptions for a 109.2 passer rating in the last meeting on the road. In the past six games on the road vs. NFC teams, he has 1,720 passing yards (286.7 per game) with 10 TDs and three interceptions for a 96.4 passer rating. ...

RB Alex Collins leads the team with 335 rushing yards. His 6.44-yard average is the highest in the NFL. ...

LB C.J. Mosley leads the NFL with 55 tackles. Has 56 tackles (9.3 per game), an interception, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble in the past six games vs. NFC teams. Has eight-plus tackles in four of the past five games on the road. ...

Vikings QB Case Keenum has 827 passing yards (275.7 per game), four TDs and one interception in three home games with Minnesota. ...

RB Jerick McKinnon has 245 scrimmage yards (122.5 per game) and three TDs in past two games. He has five TDs in his past seven games at home. ...

DE Everson Griffen ranks second in the NFC with seven sacks. He has a sack in all six games this season. He has four sacks in the past three games vs. AFC teams.

PREDICTION: The Ravens win when one would expect them to lose and egg it when one would expect them to win. This looks like a tough matchup for them, given the Vikings' stout defense and Keenum's surprisingly good play in Sam Bradford's place.

OUR PICK: Vikings, 23-17.

--Bucky Dent

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Panthers at Bears
October 19, 2017

CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-2) AT CHICAGO BEARS (2-4)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Soldier Field. TV: CBS, Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, Evan Washburn (field reporter).

SERIES HISTORY: Ninth regular-season meeting. Bears lead series, 5-3. Chicago won the last two games at Soldier Field. Carolina won at home in the last game between the teams, in 2014. The teams played in 2005 in the divisional round of the playoffs, with the Panthers winning 29-21 at Soldier Field when John Fox was their coach.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Panthers have turned up the defensive pressure on quarterbacks at times this season; and, with the Bears using rookie QB Mitchell Trubisky, that's certain to be a priority.

Carolina is equipped to do so with a veteran defensive line that should be well-rested with a couple of extra days off because of a Thursday night game in Week 6. With the secondary still trying to settle in because of injuries, it makes the pass rush that much more important.

Carolina's 4-3 presents Jordan Howard with a better opportunity to gain yardage inside because middle linebacker Luke Kuechly suffered a concussion last week. It will also be an opportunity to throw more to Tarik Cohen than in recent games. With just three linebackers, Cohen might find getting open easier like he did against Atlanta's 4-3. If Kuechly can't play, it would deprive the Panthers of one of their better pass defenders. Underneath routes to tight ends and slot receiver Kendall Wright could also be a way to work against Carolina's zone coverages.

Carolina's offense has struggled moving the ball on the ground, so getting that going is considered crucial. Jonathan Stewart has been bottled up the past two games and Christian McCaffrey, while extremely effective in the passing attack, hasn't found much wiggle room in the rushing attack.

The Chicago defense has to avoid stunts and blitzes by inside linebackers this week with Cam Newton capable of burning them with his legs as much as his arm. If there is a position to blitz with against Carolina, it's a slot defensive back. Bryce Callahan has shown a knack for it, with a sack to his credit. The Bears will need as much zone coverage as possible to keep their eyes on Newton if he does take off downfield.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Panthers C Ryan Kalil vs. Bears NT Eddie Goldman. Kalil has missed about a month with a neck injury but is expected to play. This figures to give the Panthers a big boost, but Goldman will be assigned to disrupt things along the front. If Kalil doesn't demonstrate that he's at full strength, Goldman could be ready to take advantage. In his third year, Goldman is starting to fulfill the promise shown late in his rookie season. Goldman's combination of strength and quickness could be a problem for Carolina.

--Panthers TE Ed Dickson vs. Bears S Eddie Jackson. The Panthers have found a good mix at times in looking downfield, so getting Dickson loose has been one of the benefits as he becomes more used to playing on a regular basis after the injury to TE Greg Olsen. The Panthers might want to see if Jackson, a rookie, pays enough attention to Dickson's whereabouts.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Panthers LB Shaq Thompson. He has been praised for his athleticism and his instincts, but consistency has often been an issue. Now with the possibility that LB Luke Kuechly could be out again, this is a chance for Thompson to step forward and perhaps come up with one of the clutch plays that could help document his development. He's less hyped than Kuechly and veteran LB Thomas Davis.

FAST FACTS: Carolina QB Cam Newton has 842 passing yards (280.7 per game), eight TDs and two INTs in his past three road games. He has thrown for 300 yards and three TDs in his past two road games. ...

Rookie RB Christian McCaffrey led the team with 10 receptions last week and has caught a TD pass in the past two games. He leads NFL rookies with 37 receptions and 293 yards. ...

WR Devin Funchess has 14 receptions for 123 yards and three TDs in the past two road games. ...

DE Julius Peppers had a sack and forced fumble last week. He ranks third in the NFC with 6.5 sacks. He has 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in the past five meetings. He spent four seasons with Chicago (2010-13) and had 37.5 sacks. He has 150 sacks and needs one to pass Chris Doleman (150.5) for fourth most all-time. ...

LB Thomas Davis has 22 tackles and a forced fumble in the past three meetings. ...

Chicago RB Jordan Howard led the team with a career-high 167 rushing yards last week. He has 995 scrimmage yards (124.4 per game) and eight rushing TDs in his past eight home games. He has three rushing TDs in the past four games. ...

Rookie RB Tarik Cohen ranks second among NFL rookies with 26 catches. He has 100 scrimmage yards in two of three home games. He threw a 21-yard TD pass in Week 6 on his first career pass attempt, becoming the first rookie RB with a TD pass since Gale Sayers (1965).

PREDICTION: Newton has played well on the road and should lead the Panthers to a rebound win in Chicago.

OUR PICK: Panthers, 23-20.

--Chris Cluff

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Jets at Dolphins
October 19, 2017

NEW YORK JETS (3-3) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (3-2)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Hard Rock Stadium. TV: FOX, Dan Hellie, Chris Spielman, Peter Schrager (field reporter).

SERIES HISTORY: 104th regular-season meeting. Jets lead series, 54-48-1. The Jets nearly got their first shutout since 2010 in the first meeting this season, a 20-6 win at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 24. The Jets have won four of their last five in Miami, but they lost there last year, as Jay Ajayi carved the New York defense up for 111 yards and a touchdown. The Dolphins swept the Jets last season for the first time since 2009.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Dolphins come into this game riding high after coming back to beat the Falcons in Atlanta. Miami has allowed an average of less than 200 yards passing the past two weeks. The defense is good and is even more dangerous with the additions of middle linebacker Rey Maualuga and strongside linebacker Lawrence Timmons.

Miami lined up in a two- and three-tight end set against the Falcons and was successful running the ball. When Jay Ajayi is running wild, there are few opportunities for quarterback Jay Cutler to make mistakes. Last week, Ajayi had season bests in rushing yards (130) and carries (26). Miami is 6-0 when Ajayi rushes for 100 yards.

New York is one of the surprise teams and the Jets can point to the play of quarterback Josh McCown. After an 0-2 start, the Jets have surprised everyone by winning three of their last four -- and they had a chance to tie the Patriots in the final minute last Sunday.

The Dolphins are averaging a league-worst 12.2 points per game, so McCown won't be asked to shoulder a heavy burden. If McCown keeps looking to wide receiver Robby Anderson and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, the Jets could mount enough offense to pull off the win.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Dolphins C Mike Pouncey vs. Jets DT Steve McLendon. Coach Todd Bowles keeps saying his much-maligned defensive ends will have a better pass rush if the Jets start stopping the run, and that begins in the middle with 280-pound McLendon. If Pouncey is able to play, he might not be 100 percent; he left Miami's win over the Falcons with a concussion.

--Jets QB Josh McCown vs. Miami pass defense. The Dolphins have a pair of young defensive backs in second-year player Xavien Howard and rookie Cordrea Tankerlsey. The pass rush, led by DEs Cameron Wake (3.5 sacks) and Andre Branch (3.0 sacks) and DT Ndamukong Suh (2.0 sacks), must put pressure on McCown and move him off his spot.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Jets TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins. He had a career-high eight catches against the Patriots last week and a controversial fumble into the end zone that cost the Jets a score. He has played very well since coming off suspension four games ago and leads the team with 30 targets the last four weeks. Despite missing two games, he is ninth among tight ends with 23 catches, to go with 152 yards and two touchdowns.

FAST FACTS: Jets QB Josh McCown passed for 354 yards and two touchdowns last week against the Patriots. The last time he faced the Dolphins, McCown completed 18 of 23 for 249 yards and a touchdown. He ranks second in the NFL this season with a 70.1 completion percentage (136 of 194). ...

RB Matt Forte still has a little left in the tank after compiling 81 yards from scrimmage last week. He is one of five players in NFL history with 14,000 yards from scrimmage. ...

RB Bilal Powell has 199 yards and a touchdown in the past two meetings with Miami. ...

LB Demario Davis recorded 12 tackles last time out against Miami. ...

S Terence Brooks was terrific in the last meeting with the Dolphins. He had two interceptions and earned AFC Defensive Player of Week honors. ...

CB Buster Skrine had an interception, fumble recovery and three passes defended last week against New England. ...

Miami QB Jay Cutler passed for two touchdowns last week in a win at Atlanta. In four career meetings against the Jets, he has 1,017 passing yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. ...

RB Jay Ajayi has 391 rushing yards, fourth most in the AFC. ...

WR Jarvis Landry aims for a third straight game with a touchdown reception. ...

DE Cameron Wake recorded a sack last week and has 3.5 sacks in the last four games. ...

DT Ndamukong Suh has sacks in two straight games.

PREDICTION: These teams are evenly matched. Miami's win over Atlanta was a huge confidence-builder and, although Josh McCown is more trustworthy than Jay Cutler, Jay Ajayi will be the difference.

OUR PICK: Dolphins, 17-14.

--Dennis Rudner

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Jaguars at Colts
October 19, 2017

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (3-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-4)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Lucas Oil Stadium. TV: CBS, Tom McCarthy, Steve Beuerlein, Steve Tasker (field reporter).

SERIES HISTORY: 33rd regular-season meeting. Colts lead series, 22-10.

The Jaguars have won two of last three games after Indianapolis won six in a row between 2012 and 2015. They have split the series the last two years, both winning home games. Jacksonville has the lowest winning percentage against the Colts (.313) of all teams they have played at least 10 games against. The Jaguars have really struggled at Indianapolis, winning just four of 16 games, including four straight losses.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Jaguars' plan against the Rams last week was to have QB Blake Bortles throw enough times for enough yards to keep the Rams from bringing too many defenders close to the line of scrimmage to stop the run. It was a good plan and would have resulted in a win had their special teams not allowed a pair of touchdown returns.

Look for more of the same this week, with Bortles likely to put the ball in the air 30-35 times. At times, it won't look much different than their running attack. Most will be short throws to either Chris Ivory or Leonard Fournette out of the backfield or short throws to a tight end. Only three of Blake Bortles' 35 pass attempts last week traveled more than 15 yards in the air -- two completions for 18 and 20 yards and one incompletion. If Fournette's ankle is not 100 percent, look for even more of a passing attack by the Jaguars.

It's like watching an old movie over and over again. But the overall game plan for the Colts remains the same. Indianapolis must be able to finish out games in the second half.

In past seasons, the Colts would start slow and then be able to get things going over the final three quarters. This year, it has been a completely opposite equation.

Offensively, Indianapolis has to do a better job of finishing off drives and not having to settle for field goals. Red zone offense has bogged down too many times. While the running game continues to show flashes, the Colts need added production from that segment this week.

Defensively, Indianapolis can't let Bortles sit in the pocket and pick the secondary apart. The Colts have to find a pass rush -- another long-standing problem -- and get to Bortles. Slowing down the Jacksonville running game won't be easy, but it's necessary that Indianapolis not allow many breakouts.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Colts QB Jacoby Brissett vs. Jaguars' third-ranked pass defense. Brissett has progressed as a starter this year but still has his moments where he makes a costly mental mistake. He has completed 59.8 percent of his passes (98 of 164), with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Brissett has to do a better job in red zone opportunities.

--Jaguars QB Blake Bortles vs. Colts pass rush. Bortles has completed 97 of 170 passes for 1,068 yards and eight touchdowns. He has been picked off five times and sacked 10 times. Indianapolis has 12 sacks, led by OLB John Simon's three. Simon also returned an interception for a touchdown last week's at Tennessee. The Colts are ranked 30th in the league in pass defense, allowing 295.8 yards per game.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Jaguars RB Chris Ivory. Looking at the rushing category from last week's game against the Los Angeles Rams, it would appear that Ivory didn't have a very good game: Two carries -- one for two yards, the other for one yard. Nothing special. But drop down a category to receiving and there's Ivory at the top of the list, his stat line reading 10 targets, nine catches, 74 yards and one touchdown. It shows the value of Ivory as a receiver out of the backfield. The Jaguars like Ivory out in open space, where he has a knack for making the first defender miss. Ivory's best effort came on a short throw that he turned into a 22-yard touchdown.

FAST FACTS: Jaguars QB Blake Bortles has passed for 1,056 yards (264 per game), with seven TDs and no interceptions, in the past four meetings. In the past 11 games against the division, he has 19 TD passes and six interceptions. ...

RB Leonard Fournette rushed for 130 yards, including a 75-yard TD, last week. He is the first rookie in NFL history with a 75-yard rushing TD in consecutive games. He has 311 rushing yards in the past two games. He also is one of two rookies (Robert Edwards, 1998) in NFL history with a TD in each of his team's first six games. He is tied for the NFL lead with seven TDs and ranks second with 596 rushing yards. ...

DE Calais Campbell had two sacks in Week 6, his 14th career multi-sack game. He ranks second in the NFL with eight sacks. ...

Colts RB Frank Gore has 577 scrimmage yards (82.4 per game) and four TDs in seven career meetings. He has 271 scrimmage yards (90.3 per game) and a TD catch in the past three home games vs. the division. He has 100 receiving yards in 2017 and is the sixth RB in NFL history with 100 yards in 13 consecutive seasons. ...

LB John Simon had a team-high 11 tackles, a sack and his first career interception return for a touchdown last week. He has 2 1/2 sacks in the past three meetings. He is the only player in the NFL with 35 tackles (37), three sacks (3) and an interception in 2017.

PREDICTION: Coming off a loss in which they did far more to lose than the Rams did to win, the Jaguars face a wounded team that came from ahead to lose on Monday night in Tennessee. Leonard Fournette's rushing and a pass rush led by Calais Campbell will be the difference in a low-scoring Jaguars win.

OUR PICK: Jaguars, 17-13.

--Bucky Dent

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Cowboys at 49ers
October 19, 2017

DALLAS COWBOYS (2-3) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (0-6)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, Levi's Stadium. TV: FOX, Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews (field reporter).

SERIES HISTORY: 29th regular-season meeting. 49ers lead series, 15-12-1. 49ers lead series, 15-12-1. The road team has won the last three meetings, with the Cowboys prevailing 24-17 last October at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers haven't won a home game vs. the Cowboys in 20 years (November 1997). The clubs also have met seven times in the playoffs, with the Cowboys winning five.

KEYS TO THE GAME: Rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard will get the call as the 49ers try for the seventh time to garner their first win. He made his debut in relief of Brian Hoyer last week in Washington as the 49ers lost 26-24 -- their fifth loss in a row by three points or less.

"I know we're 0-6 and that's extremely tough, but I'm extremely excited about this place and excited about where we're at and where we're going," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said.

While San Francisco is looking for a breakthrough, Dallas (2-3) is simply hoping a reset gets its season on track. The Cowboys have already lost as many games this year as they did in 2016 and currently sit 2 1/2 games behind Philadelphia in the NFC East.

Fresh off its bye, Dallas got some surprisingly good news when a federal judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking the six-game suspension the NFL slapped on running back Zeke Elliott over domestic violence allegations.

The Cowboys ran well in the fourth quarter against the Packers two weeks ago as Elliott had 85 yards in the final stanza. They hope to build on that against the 49ers' solid run defense. The Cowboys need to run the ball and set up easy third downs for quarterback Dak Prescott.

Defensively, they must stop the run and find a way to force turnovers. The Cowboys have not had a turnover in the last three games.

This will be the 49ers' first home game since fan favorite linebacker NaVorro Bowman was surprisingly cut loose. Rookie Reuben Foster will be tested by Elliott.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--49ers RB Carlos Hyde vs. Cowboys LB Sean Lee. The Cowboys have given up three 100-yard rushers this season after giving up none last year. Hyde has rushed for 648 yards and seven touchdowns. The Cowboys must get the run stopped. Lee will be back in the lineup after missing the last two games with a strained hamstring, games in which the Cowboys allowed 100-yard rushers by the Rams and Packers. Lee gets the Cowboys lined up right and he is the one who will focus on Hyde.

--Redskins WR Pierre Garcon vs. Cowboys CB Jourdan Lewis. Lewis has been game this season. He won't back down and doesn't get deterred when he gets beat. But the rookie has also been a target for big plays for opposing teams. The Packers picked on Lewis in the second half of a 35-31 victory two weeks ago, including the deciding touchdown pass. The 49ers will attack Lewis with Garcon, a savvy veteran who still has a knack for the big play and who has always played well against the Cowboys.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: 49ers QB C.J. Beathard. Most 49ers fans consider this season a throw-away at quarterback, with just a journeyman (Brian Hoyer) and a third-round pick (Beathard) holding the position until a collegiate standout can be drafted in April. Hoyer lived down to expectations in his two home starts, and now Beathard gets a shot at surprising the less-than-enthusiastic fan base. Dallas, which has been below-average against the pass this season, provides Beathard with an opportunity to shine.

FAST FACTS: Dallas QB Dak Prescott completed 23 of 32 throws for 245 yards and two TDs in the last meeting. He has 686 passing yards, eight TDs and two INTs in his past three games. ...

WR Dez Bryant has caught a TD pass in the past two road games. He has five TDs in his past seven contests. His 55 receiving TDs since 2012 are the most in the NFL. ...

In three games at San Francisco, TE Jason Witten has 20 catches for 234 yards and a TD. He ranks second among TEs in NFL history with 1,116 receptions and 12,117 yards. ...

DE DeMarcus Lawrence leads the NFL with 8.5 sacks. He has a sack in all five games in 2017. He has five sacks and a forced fumble in his past two road games. ...

RB Carlos Hyde rushed for two TDs in Week 6. He is tied for third in the NFL with four rushing TDs. He has run for a TD in each of the past two games vs. Dallas. He has 648 rushing yards (92.6 per game) and seven TDs in his past seven home games.

... Rookie DE Solomon Thomas tied for the team lead with a career-high nine tackles and added a sack last week. ...

DE DeForest Buckner has 25 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in his past four home games. ...

S Eric Reid has eight tackles and an interception in two career meetings.

PREDICTION: The 49ers can't keep losing by a field goal every week, and Beathard seems to have a good shot at breaking their maiden in his first start, against a Dallas defense giving up 26 points per game.

OUR PICK: 49ers, 24-21.

--Chris Cluff

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Chiefs at Raiders
October 19, 2017

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (5-1) AT OAKLAND RAIDERS (2-4)

KICKOFF: Thursday, 8:25 p.m. ET, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. TV: CBS/NFL Network, Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson (field reporter), Jay Feely (field reporter).

SERIES HISTORY: 114th regular-season meeting. Chiefs lead series, 60-51-2. The Chiefs own a five-game win streak over the Raiders and head coach Andy Reid owns a 7-1 record against Oakland since arriving in Kansas City in 2013. The Chiefs won at Oakland last season 26-10, with defensive tackle Dontari Poe scoring a 1-yard touchdown run on a lateral from Alex Smith. Kansas City completed the season sweep with a 21-13 win at home behind two touchdowns from Tyreek Hill, a 36-yard touchdown reception and a 78-yard punt return. The last Raiders win was 24-20 in Oakland in 2014 on a Thursday night for the first victory of the season after an 0-10 start. It is Derek Carr's lone win against the Chiefs.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Chiefs dropped their first game of the season Sunday, falling 19-13 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Raiders (2-4) find themselves digging out of a deeper hole after the Los Angeles Chargers kicked a game-winning field goal, sending head coach Jack Del Rio's squad to its fourth-straight defeat.

"We're excited about the next opportunity," Del Rio said. "We're just looking to bounce back and get a much-needed win."

While the Raiders' losing streak includes dropping the last two games at home, the Chiefs find themselves amid several streaks in the other direction. Kansas City owns wins in nine straight regular-season road games along with a 12-game winning streak against AFC West opponents. "It's pretty impressive because it's a good division," Del Rio said of Kansas City's win streaks. "But they've been rolling, they've playing excellent football."

Kansas City linebacker Derrick Johnson said playing a divisional opponent makes the preparation a bit easier for a Thursday game with only one day of on-the-field practice.

"It definitely helps," Johnson said. "It definitely helps playing in the division on a short week against the Raiders. They know us, we know them. It will be a knock-out, drag-out game It will come down to the fourth quarter, of course."

Oakland has to get better play from quarterback Derek Carr, who returned last week after missing one game because of a back injury and didn't play well.

"I need to play better for my team," Carr said. "I have no problem putting that on me and making sure that when I show up on Thursday night that I do my best in preparation to put my best foot forward."

Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith also did not play well Sunday and knows what a win would mean to put added distance between his etam and the Raiders.

"We understand where we're at, we understand what happened Sunday," Smith said. "I think a little bit you're flushing that. You realize what a big game this is - on the road, short week, division game, Raiders. I think that's enough said. We've got to go full steam ahead, do whatever we can to get a win."

Injuries play a factor during the quick turnaround, and both teams have players in doubt at key positions.

Chiefs wide receiver Albert Wilson did not practice Tuesday with a sprained knee, putting him in danger of missing his second straight game. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who left Sunday's game with a neck injury, appears ready to play Thursday night after practicing in full Tuesday. Starting center Mitch Morse, out with a sprained foot since Week 2, and right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, out the last two games with a sprained knee, remain limited in practice and may not return this week.

The Raiders share similar issues along the offensive line. Starting right tackle Marshall Newhouse did not practice Tuesday with a foot injury. Vadal Alexander would likely start in his place if the injury keeps him out of Thursday's game. Starting right guard Gabe Jackson was also limited in practice with a foot injury.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH

--Chiefs TE Travis Kelce vs. Raiders SS Karl Joseph. Joseph has been solid in his second year, but still struggles at times. He gave up two big completions to Hunter Henry that were costly against the Chargers. Kelce had five catches for 101 yards in the second meeting with the Raiders last season. Quarterback Alex Smith is 20-for-27 for 311 yards going to Kelce against the Raiders and Kelce leads the Chiefs with 33 catches for 390 yards and two touchdowns.

--Raiders WR Michael Crabtree vs. Chiefs CB Marcus Peters. Peters, the Oakland Tech product who grew up in the shadow of the Coliseum, had a 58-yard interception return for a touchdown in his first game against the Raiders in Oakland and then another last year in his hometown. Crabtree, meanwhile, has a pair of touchdowns against the Chiefs but is averaging only 7.9 yards per catch (14 receptions for 110 yards) in four games against Kansas City as a Raider.

--Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill vs. Raiders CB David Amerson. Hill is tied with Kelce for the team lead with 390 receiving yards, while Amerson has four passes defensed this season. Hill caught six passes on six targets for 66 yards in Kansas City's 21-13 win over Oakland in Week 14 last season, including a 36-yard touchdown reception. The Raiders' secondary ranks 19th against the pass, averaging 232.7 yards allowed per game through the air with no interceptions.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Kansas City cornerback Terrance Mitchell. The journeyman cornerback came to Kansas City last year in midseason and immediately found a home in defensive coordinator Bob Sutton's aggressive man-to-man coverage scheme. Mitchell plays on the opposite side of shutdown All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters, which dares teams to challenge Mitchell. So far, he's responded, leading the team with 28 tackles and two interceptions and ranks tied for fourth in the league with 11 passes defensed.

FAST FACTS: Chiefs QB ALEX SMITH has 9-1 record (.900) with 19 TDs vs. 4 INTs for 105.9 rating in 10 career meetings. In 4 career games at Oak., has 9 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 129.9 rating. Aims for 3rd in row vs. division with 110+ rating.

RB KAREEM HUNT had 110 scrimmage yards (89 rec., 21 rush) last week. Leads NFL with 885 scrimmage yards (147.5 per game), 3rd most in NFL history by rookie in team's 1st 6 games of season. Aims for 7th in row with 100+ scrimmage yards. LB

JUSTIN HOUSTON has sack in 3 of past 4 meetings. Has 15 sacks, 8 PD, 3 FFs & INT-TD in past 10 vs. division. Since entering league in 2011, ties for 3rd in NFL with 65.5 sacks.

Raiders QB DEREK CARR has 1,503 pass yards (250.5 per game) with 14 TDs vs. 4 INTs for 106.6 rating in past 6 at home. Since entering league in 2014, has 89 pass TDs vs. 35 INTs (2.54:1), 7th best TD/INT ratio in NFL.

RB MARSHAWN LYNCH had 124 rush yards in last meeting (11/16/14 with Sea.). Has rush TD in 2 of past 3 at home. Has 53 rush TDs since 2011, most in NFL.

DE KHALIL MACK had sack & FF in last meeting. Has 4 sacks in past 4 meetings. Has 30 sacks since 2015, most in NFL over span.

PREDICTION: The Raiders appear to be in a freefall, and it could be desperate times if they lose their fifth straight game. This is their third consecutive home game, which is not a good sign. Kansas City was awful in the first half last Sunday, totaling just 6 yards, but still were in position to win the game. The key could be if Hill can play and make big plays. Oakland hopes to have newly-signed linebacker NaVorro Bowman available. The Raiders' defense has to be able to stop Hunt. It says here they won't.

OUR PICK: Chiefs, 23-17

--Howard Balzer

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Cardinals at Rams
October 19, 2017

ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-3) AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (4-2)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Twickenham Stadium, London. TV: FOX, Sam Rosen, Ronde Barber, Kristina Pink (field reporter).

SERIES HISTORY: 77th regular-season meeting. Cardinals lead series, 38-36-2. The Cardinals have won 15 of the last 21 meetings in a series that dates back to 1937 when the Cardinals were located in Chicago and the Rams were based in Cleveland. The Rams are the designated home team for Sunday's game at Twickenham Stadium in London. The Cardinals have a three-game road winning streak vs. the Rams. Arizona won the last meeting at the Rams, 44-6.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Cardinals will be searching for the same type of balance on offense that they got last week against Tampa Bay, when they ran 35 times for 160 yards and two touchdowns and threw 22 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns. Establishing a rushing attack behind Adrian Peterson will be paramount in allowing coach Bruce Arians to open up his playbook and utilize the play-action game and his customary four to six deep shots down the field. It not only will help keep the Rams' defense honest, it will go a long way in protecting quarterback Carson Palmer for the duration of the season. A key for Peterson will be getting solid blocking on the edges by tight ends Troy Niklas and Jermaine Gresham, who were awarded game balls last week for those efforts.

Defensively, it will be interesting to see whether Patrick Peterson's quadriceps issue keeps the All-Pro from playing at his usual high level. Evan an 80 percent Peterson is better than most; but, if he is assigned to shadow Sammy Watkins, there could be occasions when Peterson gets beat by a step on some deep routes. Peterson also could be more apt to clutching and grabbing to slow a receiver down, which could draw the attention of game officials.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals will have to make sure they don't miss tackles when they get an angle on Rams running back Todd Gurley, who is as dangerous as they come in yards after contact. Look for safety Tyvon Branch to be actively involved in the box.

The Rams' defense has settled down dramatically over the last 10 quarters, surrendering just 39 points, and there are valid reasons to believe they'll keep that up as they continue to make the transition to Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense.

A similar effort this week against the Cardinals will put Jared Goff and the offense in good position to exploit sufficient chances to take control of the game. Gurley will be heavily leaned again, and Goff will then take some chances downfield in the passing game.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Rams LT Andrew Whitworth vs. Cardinals OLB Chandler Jones. Jones has at least one sack in each of his first six games -- seven overall -- but he will have his hands full in dealing with the veteran Whitworth, who uses his hands to defend edge rushers as well as anyone. Jones' best bet is to try to beat Whitworth with repeated all-out bull rushes, hoping the big tackle loses some technique and gets surprised by Jones' speed. If Jones gets to Jared Goff a handful of times, it should knock Goff completely off his game.

--Cardinals RB Adrian Peterson vs. Rams DT Aaron Donald. Peterson will line up 8 yards deep and get a mad running start before hitting the line and trying to squeeze through any hole provided up front by his blockers. The problem is Donald is like a wall that can quickly absorb those holes and make it impossible to penetrate. The key will be how well Peterson can juke and use his jump cuts to dance out of trouble and away from Donald at the point of contact. Peterson did it amazingly well a week ago against the Bucs, but this Rams' defensive front is better.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Rams TE Gerald Everett. The rookie from South Alabama recorded his first NFL touchdown reception on Sunday against the Jaguars -- on a 4-yard shovel pass -- and it's obvious that QB Jared Goff feels comfortable going his way. They haven't hooked up as much as the Rams would like, but they've been close recently on a couple of long balls and Everett's ability to out-athlete linebackers and safeties puts him in position to make plays down the field. You get the sense he and Goff are inches away from busting a big one.

FAST FACTS: In the past four meetings, QB Carson Palmer has 1,251 passing yards (312.8 per game), seven TDs and three interceptions. He has 294 career TD passes -- he surpassed Warren Moon (291) for 12th most in NFL history. ...

RB Adrian Peterson rushed for 134 yards and two TDs last week in his Arizona debut. He has 50 games with 100 yards, the ninth player in NFL history to hit 50. ...

WR Larry Fitzgerald led the team with 10 receptions for 138 yards and a TD in Week 6. He has 14,854 yards, surpassing Steve Smith (14,731) for seventh most all-time. ...

WR John Brown is aiming for his third game in a row with a receiving TD. He has 100 yards in two of the past three meetings. ...

LB Chandler Jones ranks fourth in the NFC with six sacks. He has 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in three career meetings. He has seven sacks and two forced fumbles in his past five road games. ...

Rams QB Jared Goff has 580 passing yards (290 per game), three TDs and two INTs in his past two division games. ...

RB Todd Gurley ranks second in the NFL with 766 scrimmage yards and is tied for first with seven scrimmage TDs. He has 393 rushing yards (98.3 per game) and four TDs in his past four games. ...

DT Aaron Donald had a sack and caused a fumble last week. He has 2.5 sacks and a fumble in the past three meetings. ...

In 10 career meetings, DE Robert Quinn has nine sacks and three forced fumbles. He has 3.5 sacks in his past four home games.

PREDICTION: The Cardinals' defense is giving up 26 points per game, and the Rams are scoring a league-best 29.8.

OUR PICK: Rams, 28-20.

--Chris Cluff

[StarDust Bum]

Week 7 Game Scout: Buccaneers at Bills
October 19, 2017

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-3) AT BUFFALO BILLS (3-2)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, New Era Field. TV: FOX, Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston, Laura Okmin (field reporter).

SERIES HISTORY: 11th regular-season meeting. Buccaneers lead series, 7-3. Five of the first six meetings between these teams were decided by seven points or less while the last four have been double-digit margins.

The Bucs won the most recent contest, 27-6, at Raymond James Stadium in 2013.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Bills run the football with LeSean McCoy and give QB Tyrod Taylor some run-pass options on the perimeter. They have also done a very good job of protecting the football, as evidenced by their plus-eight turnover margin, which is second in the NFL.

Tampa Bay has to do a much better job of playing the run and setting the edge this week. They had poor gap control against Arizona and Adrian Peterson ran wild. McCoy is certainly capable of that as well.

Offensively, it will depend on whom the Bucs play at QB. But in either case, they have to find a way to stay in the game and run Doug Martin. The Bills are very, very opportunistic in the secondary and are winning the 50/50 balls against receivers. Micah Hyde leads the NFL with four interceptions.

It looks like Ryan Fitzpatrick will get the start for the Bucs, meaning he'll be going against his old team for the second year in a row. Very few players remain in Buffalo from Fitzpatrick's days with the team, but the Bills know Fitzpatrick as he played for the Jets last season. He is known as a gunslinger who will take chances, and the Bills will try to force him into mistakes with pressure and disguised coverages.

On offense, the Bills have to figure out a way to get their running game going because they simply aren't capable of threatening teams through the air with a depleted passing game missing tight end Charles Clay. Changes on the offensive line could be coming, and perhaps that will help, but the line will have to neutralize defensive tackle Gerald McCoy up front and make sure to get a body on linebacker Lavonte David.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Bucs WR Mike Evans vs. Bills CB Tre'Davious White. White endured his first subpar game of his rookie season in the last game against the Bengals as he was schooled by A.J. Green. Evans may not be in the same category, but he's still a physically gifted player who will have a noticeable size advantage on White. Evans has been targeted 48 times in five games by Bucs QBs and has 27 catches for 371 yards and three TDs.

--Bills RB LeSean McCoy vs. Bucs LBs Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander. David returned from an injury last week, and Alexander is expected back this week. They would give a big lift to a Tampa Bay defense that is already solid against the run -- ranking eighth in yards per play. McCoy is struggling through a tough year, a victim of a weakened offensive line and a passing attack that gives him no help, but he's typically the key to the Bills' offensive success.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Bills TE Nick O'Leary. He will take over as the every-down player in the absence of injured Charles Clay. O'Leary was a pass-catching tight end at Florida State and was Buffalo's sixth-round draft pick in 2015. He was close to getting cut from the team in both 2015 and 2016, but Rex Ryan spared him each time, and by the second half of last year, he was starting to find his way, especially as a blocker because that had been a major weakness. This season, O'Leary has been on the field for about 57 percent of the offensive snaps, and that will only increase with Clay out. O'Leary had five catches for 54 yards after Clay left the Cincinnati game, production he will need to maintain moving forward.

FAST FACTS: Bucs RB Doug Martin has 402 rushing yards (80.4 per game) and four TDs in his past five games vs. AFC teams. ...

WR Mike Evans had 95 receiving yards and a TD in Week 6. In 6 career games on road vs. AFC, has 32 catches for 497 yards (82.8 per game) and three TDs. He has 15 TD catches since 2016, third most in the NFL. ...

WR DeSean Jackson aims for a third straight road game with a TD. In two career meetings, he has 11 receptions for 239 yards (119.5 per game) and two TDs. ...

TE Cameron Brate aims for a fifth game in a row with a TD. He has 12 receiving TDs since 2016, most by an NFL tight end. ...

DT Gerald McCoy had six tackles and a sack in the last meeting. He has 9.5 sacks and a fumble recovery in his past 11 games vs. AFC teams. ...

LB Lavonte David had nine tackles, a sack and two interceptions in the last meeting. He has a career-high two forced fumbles last week. ...

Bills RB LeSean McCoy has 197 scrimmage yards (98.5 per game) in the last two games. He gained 171 yards (116 rushing) in his last game vs. Tampa Bay (2013 with Philadelphia). ...

S Micah Hyde leads the NFL with four interceptions. He has three picks in the past two games and 10 since 2015, fourth most in the NFL.

PREDICTION: The team with the better running game seems likely to win this one, and Martin should take the pressure off Fitzpatrick (or Winston) and keep the Bills from getting the ball like they have been.

OUR PICK: Buccaneers, 20-17.

--Chris Cluff