NFL Week 7 preview: Steelers-Titans, 49ers-Patriots enter critical games
In less than 1,000 words, we preview the entire NFL Week 7 schedule with three key facts and figures to watch in each game.
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
Best mismatch for Giants: Get home. The Eagles allow a 9.6 percent sack rate, second-worst in the league. The Giants rank 11th with 15 sacks.
Best mismatch for Eagles: Quick work. The Eagles are third in yards allowed per drive at 28.0. New York is 28th in yards per drive with 28.6.
Stat to know: Philadelphia has allowed 25 sacks, most in the NFL.
Buffalo Bills at New York Jets
Best mismatch for Bills: Playing the Jets.
Best mismatch for Jets: Take your time. Buffalo registers a league-worst 4.3 percent hurry rate. New York should have a few seconds to scan and throw at MetLife this Sunday.
Stat to know: New York is completing 56.7 percent of its pass attempts, worst in the NFL.
Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints
Best mismatch for Panthers: Limit the damage. Carolina allows only 9.1 yards per completion, almost a full yard better than anybody else. New Orleans has consistently thrown short, ranking 21st with 10.9 yards/completion.
Best mismatch for Saints: Time to launch. Drew Brees has a tremendous offensive line, and he should have time. Carolina has five sacks, ranking tied for 32nd with Jacksonville.
Stat to know: At 70.9 and 70.8 percent respectively, the Panthers and Saints rank 3rd and 4th in completion rate.
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals
Best mismatch for Browns: Stay grounded. The Browns are third in rushing yards per attempt (5.2) while Cincinnati ranks 30th against (5.1 YPA).
Best mismatch for Bengals: Take some shots. Cleveland ranks 24th in pressure rate (20.4%). Joe Burrow should target corners not named Denzel Ward for chunk plays.
Stat to know: Cincinnati ranks third-worst in sacks allowed (24) and sack rate (8.9%). Perhaps a big day for Myles Garrett.
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Football Team
Best mismatch for Cowboys: Force long downs. Washington is dead last in yards per play (3.4). Dallas is average in pressure (16th) and hurry rates (15th). Get the Football Team into 3rd-and-long, and tee off.
Best mismatch for Football Team: Play field position. Washington is seventh in yards per punt at 48.6. Dallas ranks 18th in punt return average at 7.1 yards.
Stat to know: Washington ranks 32nd with 9.6 yards per completion, while Dallas’ defense is 28th against, allowing 12.3 yards per catch.
Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons
Best mismatch for Lions: Catch and run. The Falcons have allowed an NFL-worse 987 yards after catch. Look for Detroit to get their weapons in space.
Best mismatch for Falcons: Stand up and fire. Detroit has a league-low 20 quarterback hits. Matt Ryan should have ample time to find Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley.
Stat to know: Atlanta allows 6.7 yards per play, worst in the league.
Green Bay Packers at Houston Texans
Best mismatch for Packers: Keep it on the ground. Houston allows 5.4 yards per carry, worst in football. Look for Aaron Jones to find ample daylight at NRG Stadium.
Best mismatch for Texans: Watson to the rescue? Green Bay only hurries quarterbacks on 5.5% of dropbacks, second-worst in football. Deshaun Watson should have a few moments to find Brandin Cooks and Will Fuller.
Stat to know: The Packers have only committed two turnovers, the lowest figure in football.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans
Best mismatch for Steelers: Stay on the field. Tennessee has the league’s worst third-down defense, allowing conversions at a 57.8 percent clip. Pittsburgh is 10th offensively at 45.9 percent.
Best mismatch for Titans: Make it count. Tennessee is third in red zone percentage (78.3%) while Pittsburgh’s defense struggles there, ranking an average 13th (61.5%).
Stat to know: Pittsburgh leads the NFL in blitz rate (46.3%), pressure rate (38.9%) and hurry rate (17.7%). Tennessee has allowed six sacks, a league-low.
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals
Best mismatch for Seahawks: Protect the ball. Seattle is fifth-best in avoiding turnovers (7.1 percent of drives end in one) while Arizona has only forced turnovers on 3.8 percent of opposing drives, a league-worst.
Best mismatch for Cardinals: Make ’em pay. Seattle has surrendered 1,264 air yards, most in the NFL. Kyler Murray should be looking for Christian Kirk and DeAndre Hopkins deep throughout.
Stat to know: Seattle averages 6.6 yards per play, best in the NFL.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Los Angeles Chargers
Best mismatch for Jaguars: Hold onto it. The Chargers are penultimate in takeaways with four. Jacksonville’s short, one-read passing attack could keep it in the game against a good defense which doesn’t force turnovers.
Best mismatch for Chargers: Keep scoring. Jacksonville allows 2.98 points per drive, worst in the NFL. Healthy after a week off, Los Angeles’ explosive attack should consistently score.
Stat to know: At 12.1 percent, nobody blitzes less than the Chargers.
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos
Best mismatch for Chiefs: Don’t throw at us. The Chiefs rank third in completion percentage against at 60.1. Denver is second-worst offensively in the metric at 57.2 percent.
Best mismatch for Broncos: Take the free yards. Kansas City has committed 40 penalties, fifth-most in the NFL. Denver has converted the second-most first downs via flags, with 17.
Stat to know: The Chiefs blitz 34.3 percent of snaps, sixth-most in the NFL. Drew Lock will need to get the ball out quickly.
San Francisco 49ers at New England Patriots
Best mismatch for 49ers: Close, but no cigar. San Francisco is third in red zone defense (46.7%) while the New England offense is 25th (55.0%)
Best mismatch for Patriots: Hold the line. New England has allowed just one rushing touchdown this year, best in the NFL. They must force Jimmy Garoppolo to beat them in the tight spaces of the field.
Stat to know: New England has only missed 19 tackles this season, fewest in football.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Las Vegas Raiders
Best mismatch for Buccaneers: Don’t run here. Josh Jacobs is averaging a paltry 3.6 yards per carry. Tampa Bay is the league’s best run defense, holding opponents to 3.0 YPC.
Best mismatch for Raiders: Limit the air assault. Tampa Bay ranks 16th with 73 passing first downs. Las Vegas is tied-ninth against in that category with 67 allowed. Don’t let Tom Brady win on long down and distances.
Stat to know: Las Vegas scores points on 56 percent of its drives, a league-high figure.
Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Rams
Best mismatch for Bears: Win near the goal line. Chicago has the NFL’s best red zone defense (36.4%) while Los Angeles is 20th offensively inside the 20-yard line (60.9%).
Best mismatch for Rams: Earn every yard. Los Angeles is second with only 595 air yards allowed. Chicago, predicated on the short passing game, isn’t likely to alter that figure much.
Stat to know: The Bears have the best completion percentage against (57.1%) in football.