| 10 hot topics for Week 7 There's plenty to watch this week as the NFL makes its way toward midseason. Here are 10 things I will be keeping an eye on: 1. Peterson vs. Pittsburgh 'D'Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is arguably the best player in the NFL, but he's on the road against the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh is the No. 2 run defense, allowing just 74.5 yards on the ground per game and just one rushing touchdown all season. Peterson rushed for 143 yards against the No. 8 rush defense, Baltimore, last week -- and the Ravens still allow fewer yards per carry than the Steelers. Defensive end Aaron Smith is gone for the Steelers and I expect Peterson to follow left tackle Bryant McKinnie, going right at backup end Travis Kirschke. If anyone can get 100 yards against the Steelers, it's Peterson. But it will be tough sledding. Peterson has 18 regular-season games with 100-plus rushing yards. The Vikings are 9-9 when Peterson does not get 100-plus on the ground, so it may not be necessary. But all eyes are on the best back in the NFL.
2. Can Sanchez bounce back?New York Jets rookie Mark Sanchez will be a fine NFL quarterback someday, but the pressure he puts on himself to be good now and the expectations of New York fans is a volatile combination. He's on pace for 26 interceptions, and people from the Big Apple are already questioning the young quarterback. I remind everyone that in 1993 Brett Favre threw 24 interceptions in his first full season as a starter. The great Peyton Manning threw 28 in his first full season as starter (1998). Be patient, Jets fans. More importantly, be understanding of the situation. Oakland may present big problems when you consider Donovan McNabb was sacked six times last week by these same Raiders. 3. Will Miami get to use the Wildcat?Seventeen teams have used some form of the Wildcat this season, but no team is as committed to the package as the Dolphins. The question is: What role will the ground-control offense have in a game against the fast-scoring Saints? New Orleans has scored 31 points in its five opening possessions this season and 106 points in the first half of games. That's an average of 21 points by intermission. Can the Dolphins employ the clock-eating ground game the Wildcat provides if the Saints come out in typical fashion and put three touchdowns on the board by halftime? 4. Across the pond againThe NFL is back in London to play a regular-season game for the third season in a row. The British crowds have been great for the game and if they pack the house when the winless Buccaneers are in town to play the Patriots, then keep a close eye out for an owner that might conclude he can make more money with his team stationed in London or figuring out that selling his team to a group of investors is the right thing to do. Something more than another one-game visit to London is going on here. 5. My favorite matchupsEvery week there are a number of one-on-one matchups that are compelling to me. If you love the game within the game as much as I do, then you will be excited to watch these three mini-battles: » Dallas OT Flozell "the hotel" Adams at home against John Abraham of the Falcons. At the very least, Adams needs help. But the Falcons move Abraham around a lot. » Richard Seymour of the Raiders proclaims Oakland will make the playoffs. The first step toward doing that is beating D'Brickashaw Ferguson and sacking Mark Sanchez.
» In the marquee game of the week, Jared Allen of the Vikings lines up against Max Starks of the Steelers. Allen knows that Ben Roethlisberger escapes to his left a lot and that means any inside rush move won't necessarily open a path to bring Big Ben down. 6. From calling Bingo to calling playsSherm Lewis takes over the play-calling duties for the Redskins after two weeks in the building -- following a stint running a bingo game in Detroit. He doesn't know the players, he has no real idea of the scheme that has been worked on for two years and Jim Zorn is going to stand there in an act of public humiliation. This situation borders on being a joke. Redskins VP Vinny Cerrato said Friday that Zorn's job is safe, but the team should stop torturing him and just fire him. The players I talked with this week respect Zorn and feel sorry for him. There will be very little real communication on the Washington sidelines Monday night. 7. Containing Big BenI talked with a Vikings defensive player who faces Roethlisberger this weekend and is very much aware of how Big Ben gets out of the pocket and looks to throw downfield. Roethlisberger doesn't escape to run but rather escapes to reset the passing game. Look for the Vikings to convert from a zone-drop defense to a man-to-man scheme after Roethlisberger gets outside the pocket. Every defensive player in coverage for Minnesota will look for Steelers receivers and run with them if Roethlisberger is still on his feet outside of the pocket. I would imagine any underneath coverage player not covering a player in his area will then lock on to Roethlisberger and blitz him. 8. Blitz awayI love aggressive defensive play-calling almost as much as the players themselves. Defenders love when their coach calls plays that involve pressure. No one calls for the "heat" like Rex Ryan of the Jets. The critics -- and there are many -- would note the Jets have only four sacks to show for their 130 pressure calls. For those who think that means the calls don't work, I beg to differ. The Jets have two interceptions and have allowed just one touchdown on those calls. Ryan will continue to bring the heat against the Raiders. Meanwhile, Brett Favre is fully aware of the Steelers' pressure calls, which should be way up this week. Pittsburgh has 10 sacks in just over 100 blitz calls and they will be looking for No. 4. 9. Some teams can handle 300Ten years ago, a 300-yard passing day more often than not meant a losing effort. This season, passing for 300 yards is a symbol of strength and it usually equates to a victory. I wrote about this last month, and the trend is continuing. But teams that can meet force with force have shown the ability to overcome 300-yard passers. There are five teams that have a combined 7-0 record against 300-yard passers. The Vikings and the Falcons are 4-0 against 300-yard passers, and both could be looking at more of the same as Minnesota visits Pittsburgh and Atlanta visits Dallas. The Colts, Ravens and Saints each are 1-0 against 300-yard passers. But with the Ravens on a bye, the Colts visiting St. Louis and the Saints visiting Miami, those numbers should stay the same. 10. Strange (and getting stranger)Did you ever think you'd see a game in which the winning quarterback completed just two passes? It happened two weeks ago when the Browns beat the Bills. A week later, the Jets ran for 318 yards against Buffalo and lost. Over the previous 31 years, none of the 39 teams that cranked out 300-plus yards on the ground had lost. Is this the week we see a quarterback throw five interceptions and win? That nearly happened last week, and why shouldn't it happen? All the traditional rules of the game are being challenged this season. Did you know only four teams -- the Dolphins, Jets, Saints and Giants -- run the ball more than they pass it? The average team in the NFL runs the ball 43 percent of the time. | Playbook  The Saints are known for their passing game, but Playbook analyst Brian Billick shows why New Orleans' running game has been the key to the team's explosive offense. Fueling the passing game More from Playbook:  Vikings vs. Steelers Playbook shows how Brett Favre will continue to thrive against Pittsburgh.  Jets vs. Raiders Can the Raiders really win a second straight game? Of course! And here's how.  Bears vs. Bengals Will Matt Forte get going against the Bengals? Playbook breaks down the matchup.  49ers vs. Texans See why NFL Playbook gives the advantage on both offense and defense to Houston.  Packers dominate The Playbook team breaks down how the Packers shut out the Lions in Week 6. Playbook video NFL.com blogs  A look ahead to Week 7 There are two can't miss games and then a handful of contests that are certainly intriguing. And then, well, there are some games that threaten to be fairly ugly, writes Jason La Canfora. The fun begins in Pittsburgh, where the Brett Favre show finally has to go on the road to a climate where weather could perhaps play a role. Will Favre's magic run out at Heinz Field? More from NFL.com's blog Matchups to watch Gil Brandt breaks down some interesting matchups to watch in Week 7:  Saints DE Will Smith vs. Dolphins OT Jake Long: The Dolphins love to run the ball, so they will look to keep it on the ground and shorten the game to keep the ball away from Drew Brees and the top-ranked Saints offense. You can bet new starting QB Chad Henne will see every blitz known to man from Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald vs. Giants CB Corey Webster : Fitzgerald makes spectacular catches, thanks to his great hand-eye coordination, lack of wasted movement and outstanding playing speed. He is a great worker. He is bound for the Hall of Fame. Packers WR Donald Driver vs. Browns CB Eric Wright: Despite being 34, Driver still has the speed to separate and possesses good acceleration. Driver is fluid in his hips, can get in and out of cuts and will go inside to make the catch. He can also break tackles on slant routes. More matchups to watch Start 'Em & Sit 'Em  Start of the week: Philip Rivers -- While Rivers' rate of touchdown passes is down compared to 2008, the veteran quarterback is still a solid starter in fantasy football. He'll prove that this week in Kansas City, where he'll face a Chiefs team that ranks just 25th in pass defense.QB to start: Matt Ryan -- Ryan isn't considered one of the elite quarterbacks in fantasy football, but he's sure on the fast track to earning that status. He should continue to find success this weekend at the Big Spaceship in Arlington. QB to sit: Carson Palmer -- Don't be shocked if he produces a mediocre stat line against Chicago. The Bears rank 14th in pass defense and have allowed just six touchdown passes in their first five games, so Palmer could struggle to be effective. More Start 'Em & Sit 'Em Injury Report  Antoine Winfield, CB, Vikings: Foot, did not practiceJerricho Cotchery, WR, Jets: Hamstring, did not practice Scott Fujita, LB, Saints: Calf, did not practice Anquan Boldin, WR, Cardinals: Ankle, did not practice Greg Jennings, WR, Packers: Hip, did not practice More Injuries Photos  Feeling photogenic?Not all the action in football takes place within the white lines. Check out the NFL's sizzling sideline attractions, the cheerleaders, taking a tour of London. More galleries Week 7 games (all times ET) Sunday, Oct. 25 Green Bay at Cleveland, 1 p.m. (FOX) San Francisco at Houston, 1 p.m. (FOX) San Diego at Kansas City, 1 p.m. (CBS) Indianapolis at St. Louis, 1 p.m. (CBS) New England vs. Tampa Bay (in London), 1 p.m. (CBS) Minnesota at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m. (FOX) Buffalo at Carolina, 4:05 p.m. (FOX) N.Y. Jets at Oakland, 4:05 p.m. (CBS) Chicago at Cincinnati, 4:15 p.m. (FOX) Atlanta at Dallas, 4:15 p.m. (FOX) New Orleans at Miami, 4:15 p.m. (FOX) Arizona at N.Y. Giants, 8:20 p.m. (NBC) Monday, Oct. 26 Philadelphia at Washington, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN) Bye week: Baltimore, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, Seattle, Tennessee. » Complete schedule |
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