Game Capsules

By Dalton Del Don – Staff Writer

Editor’s Note: The following is written for RotoWire’s weekly “game capsules;” I cover the NFC home games.

Cincinnati (+3.5) at New Orleans, Sunday 1 p.m.

Comments: It should be clear by now that New Orleans is a good football team, while Cincinnati is a decidedly mediocre one. Still, the Bengals’ offense makes them dangerous enough to beat anyone. Their defense, however, makes them susceptible to losing to anyone, evidenced by last week’s 42 points surrendered in just one half of football. With Drew Brees coming off a career-high 398-yard passing effort, expect New Orleans to move the ball with ease Sunday. Marques Colston’s year has been the biggest surprise in the league, as he’s currently having the best rookie season a wide receiver has ever had through 10 weeks of play. Joe Horn (groin, probable) is likely to return, but Colston is the clear-cut No. 1 option in the passing game these days. Reggie Bush finally ran with some decisiveness last week, resulting in his first career rushing score. He and Deuce McAllister face a very favorable matchup this week against a soft Cincinnati run defense…While the defense has been putrid, the Bengals’ offense finally woke up last week, totaling 545 yards of offense. It’s likely Carson Palmer won’t be back to full strength until next year, but his mechanics sure looked fine last week. He stood strong in the pocket until the very last second and still possesses the best deep ball in the game. To the surprise of no one, Chad Johnson’s production spiked mightily after complaining about his role in the offense all week. He was targeted 12 times for the fifth time this year, but it was the first time he translated those looks into big production. Expect Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (head, probable) to have big games against a beatable New Orleans secondary…The Saints list Fred Thomas (hamstring, questionable) on the injury report, while the Bengals do the same with Dexter Jackson (Achilles, questionable), Levi Jones (knee, questionable), Deltha O’Neal (shoulder, questionable), Willie Anderson (shoulder, probable) and Rudi Johnson (thigh, probable).

Predictions: Drew Brees continues to pick up big yardage through the air, throwing for 320 yards and TD strikes to Joe Horn and Marques Colston. Colston also adds 130 yards receiving. Reggie Bush gets 80 combined yards, while Deuce McAllister runs in two scores. Carson Palmer counters with a big effort himself, resulting in 330 yards and three touchdowns, with Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chris Henry being the recipients. Rudi Johnson runs in another, while a late field goal makes Cincinnati winners in a shootout. Bengals 31-28.

New England (-6) at Green Bay, Sunday 1 p.m.

Comments: The Patriots lost two consecutive games for the first time since the 2002 season last week. This week they travel to face a Green Bay team that’s won three out of the last four weeks and is far from the doormat many expected them to be. Much of the team’s success is sill tied to Brett Favre (ankle, probable), as Green Bay is 0-4 this season when Favre throws an interception and 4-1 when he doesn’t. The good news for the Packers is that the Patriots’ secondary will be missing Rodney Harrison (shoulder), while Ellis Hobbs (wrist, questionable) and Asante Samuel (knee, questionable) are banged up. Getting Greg Jennings (ankle, probable) closer to full strength makes the offense much more dynamic, as it becomes difficult to roll extra coverage Donald Driver’s way. Vernand Morency (back, questionable) is expected to suit up and may take some touches away from Ahman Green (knee, probable)…The Patriots are having success with the ground game by evenly splitting the work between Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney, but Sunday may see Tom Brady (shoulder, probable) take the game over against Green Bay’s worst ranked pass defense. Brady’s favorite receiver seemingly fluctuates from week-to-week, but Reche Caldwell has been the most consistent of late. He appears to be the No. 1 option in the passing game, for now at least. It’s safe to say this New England squad isn’t without its problems, but they will get back on the winning track Sunday…Green Bay lists David Martin (shoulder, questionable), Al Harris (illness, probable) and Charles Woodson (knee, probable) on the injury report. New England labels Richard Seymour (elbow), Steve Neal (shoulder) and Ty Warren (shoulder) as questionable.

Predictions: Brett Favre throws for 240 yards and touchdown scores to Donald Driver and Greg Jennings. He’s also picked off, while Ahman Green is held to just 70 rushing yards. Laurence Maroney and Corey Dillon both surpass 50 yards on the ground, but it’s Dillon who gets the score. Tom Brady responds with a nice game, resulting in 260 yards and TD strikes to Reche Caldwell and Chad Jackson, helping to seal it for the road team. Patriots 24-20.

St. Louis (+7) at Carolina, Sunday 1 p.m.

Comments: Even while scoring almost 24 points a game, the Rams have lost four straight weeks. Still not out of the playoff picture, St. Louis now travels to Carolina, who hasn’t exactly looked like the Super Bowl contenders everyone envisioned them being this year. Still, the Rams are going to have to win with offense Sunday, because Carolina should have an easy time scoring against St. Louis’ defense. Expect Marc Bulger to bounce back from his worst game of the year last week and start getting Torry Holt more involved. After a huge Week 6, Holt has been held scoreless for three straight games, while never eclipsing 75 receiving yards. He was targeted 11 times last week, so bigger numbers are sure to come. No one has been involved in the Rams’ passing game lately more than Steven Jackson, who has racked up 19 catches over the last two games. He’s also scored a touchdown in four straight, highlighted last week when he carried multiple defenders on his back into the end zone. He’s fast becoming one of the most consistent, and well-rounded backs in the league. The loss of Orlando Pace (triceps) for the year, however, could be significant…Jake Delhomme has had an inconsistent season, but the St. Louis secondary is beatable. Steve Smith should be in store for another big day, as he’s simply the hardest wide receiver to guard in the NFL. The Rams’ biggest defensive weakness, however, is their run defense, surrendering more than 143 yards per game on the ground. Still, the next tackle DeShaun Foster breaks this year will be his first, and DeAngelo Williams had an unimpressive return to the lineup last week as well. Despite the Rams’ problems up front, expect only a modest running game out of Carolina this week…The Rams are healthy, while the Panthers list Jordan Carstens (illness, out) Justin Hartwig (groin, questionable) and Ken Lucas (thigh, probable) on the injury report.

Predictions: Marc Bulger throws for 260 yards and finds Torry Holt in the end zone. Holt also gets 120 receiving yards. Steven Jackson remains heavily used in the passing game, helping him reach 120 total yards to go along with a rushing score. DeShaun Foster gets the brunt of the carries for Carolina, resulting in 75 yards and a TD run. Jake Delhomme gets 230 passing yards, with a scoring strike to Steve Smith. Smith goes for 140 receiving yards as well. Brad Hoover runs in a short score late, as St. Louis loses its fifth straight. Panthers 24-23.

Tennessee (+13) at Philadelphia, Sunday 1 p.m.

Comments: Since a rough start to the season, Tennessee has played nearly every opponent tough this year, but with the Eagles’ No. 1 ranked offense playing at home against the Titans’ last ranked defense, things could get ugly. It hasn’t always been pretty with Vince Young so far, but he was able to get 8.4 YPA against a tough Baltimore defense last week, flashing signs of downfield ability previously missing from his arsenal. Facing an Eagles’ defense finally at full strength, expect another bump in the road for the rookie signal caller, although the early-season fierce pass rush from Philadelphia has been missing in action lately, with only three sacks over the last four games. LenDale White’s future is still unclear, as he hasn’t been able to unseat average veteran Travis Henry, who will look to attack a rush defense ceding 120 yards per game…Tennessee’s run defense, however, has been even worse, allowing an NFL worst 150 yards per game. With offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg calling the plays, the Eagles featured more runs than passes last week for the first time this season. Expect a more balanced attack again this week, as Brian Westbrook (knee, probable) is feeling healthy and primed for a huge afternoon. Getting Donte Stallworth back into the lineup makes the Eagles that much more difficult to defend. McNabb, who is getting 8.5 YPA on the year, has more than enough offensive weapons at his disposal. Tennessee is simply outmatched to hang around with this Philadelphia squad…The Titans list Rod Bironas (groin), and Reynaldo Hill (ankle) as questionable, while the Eagles list Shawn Barber (stinger) and Reggie Brown (hamstring) as probable…Tennessee is 1-9 in its last 10 games on the road.

Predictions: Vince Young is virtually shut down, throwing for just 160 yards and turning the ball over twice. Travis Henry gets a pedestrian 60 yards on the ground, but he does reach paydirt. Donovan McNabb toys with the Titans’ defense, throwing touchdowns to Reggie Brown, Donte Stallworth and Brian Westbrook. Westbrook also adds 120 yards on the ground and a TD run, paving the way for a Philadelphia rout. Eagles 31-10.

Washington (+3) at Tampa Bay, Sunday 1 p.m.

Comments: Two of the most inept offenses meet in a battle of untested quarterbacks. Ironically, it’s the rookie with more experience, as Bruce Gradkowski is already entering his seventh game as the Bucs’ starting signal caller. Washington’s defense has been one of the worst in the league, but the Gradkowski led Buccaneers’ offense may be even more pathetic. Gradkowski’s 4.7 YPA is by far the worst in the NFL. Joey Galloway has still proven capable of breaking the big play, but getting the ball to him is the difficult part. Carnell Williams, averaging just 3.6 YPC, looks nothing like a “Cadillac.”…In the middle of a 3-6 season, Washington has decided to turn the keys over to Jason Campbell. Not only is this his first start, it will also be his first game action ever; in fact, Campbell hasn’t even been active for an NFL game before. Still, he’s not a rookie, so the hope is that the learning curve won’t be quite as steep. While Tampa Bay’s defense has looked nothing like years past, Monte Kiffin won’t make it easy on Campbell, who will also be playing without Clinton Portis (hand) and a banged up Santana Moss (hamstring, questionable). Expect a low-scoring affair, with the underrated Ladell Betts carrying the Redskins to victory…Jon Jansen (calf) and Shawn Springs (groin) are probable for Washington, while Juran Bolden (hip), Shelton Quarles (knee) and Simeon Rice (shoulder) are questionable for Tampa Bay. Rice may have to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery soon.

Predictions: Bruce Gradkowski is again lackluster, throwing for only 180 yards. He does, however, find Joey Galloway for a score. Carnell Williams gets 80 rushing yards but again fails to reach the end zone. Jason Campbell has an uneven first career NFL start, resulting in 160 yards passing, an interception and a scoring strike to Chris Cooley. Ladell Betts touches the ball nearly 30 times, resulting in 130 total yards and a TD run, helping the road team win it. Redskins 17-16.

Detroit (+2) at Arizona, Sunday 4:05 p.m.

Comments: Arizona’s losing streak has reached eight games now, but Detroit hasn’t won a road game all season long. In a battle between two of the NFL’s worst teams, Jon Kitna enters coming off a disappointing effort against the 49ers. His completion percentage and 7.3 YPA are solid, but his 15 turnovers are killing the Lions. Still, he should have a productive day against a suspect Cardinals’ secondary. The same goes for Roy Williams. Kevin Jones’ rushing year has been inconsistent, but his involvement in the passing game has countered that, as he’s gotten more than 100 combined yards in each of his last four games…After such an impressive start to his career, Matt Leinart has reeled off three consecutive poor outings. All of those games, however, have come against solid pass defenses, something Detroit doesn’t possess. Expect Leinart, who has Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring, probable) back, to have a successful day Sunday. If there ever is a good week to use Edgerrin James in fantasy leagues, this one is it. Fitzgerald’s return to the lineup saw Anquan Boldin’s targets drop sharply last week to just six, with Fitzgerald receiving 11 looks. Expect Boldin’s opportunities to creep back up, but it appears Leinart has eyes for Fitzgerald. In a tightly contested battle, home field is the difference…Neither team has any major injury concerns… Detroit has won the last three meetings between these two teams.

Predictions: Jon Kitna gets 260 passing yards, while also finding Roy Williams and Mike Furrey in the end zone. Williams also adds 130 receiving yards on the day. Kevin Jones gets 120 total yards, while also running for a score. Edgerrin James answers with 90 yards and a score, while Matt Leinart throws touchdown passes to Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, helping Arizona win for the first time since the season opener. Cardinals 24-21.

Seattle (-4) at San Francisco, Sunday 4:05 p.m.

Comments: Seattle hasn’t been devastated by the losses of Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander, while the 49ers enter coming off back-to-back victories. Defense has been key in San Francisco’s consecutive wins, holding its opponents to just 16 total points over the two-game span. Still, it was a unit that had previously been one of the worst in the league, so although improvement is likely, this defense is still very much beatable. As for the offense, Alex Smith has been decidedly mediocre, while Frank Gore (concussion, questionable) has carried the offense on his shoulders, averaging 5.0 YPC. He is expected to play Sunday and should have another productive day against a Seattle team that has allowed big games from running backs in recent weeks…Hasselbeck (knee, questionable) has practiced this week, but there’s still a good chance Seneca Wallace gets one more start at quarterback. Shaun Alexander (questionable, foot) has also returned to the practice field and says he feels good, but X-rays still show a small crack in his foot, so expect him to split carries with Maurice Morris this week. The prospects of Alexander becoming 100 percent healthy at anytime this year are looking grim. Still, as long as he feels good and is out there playing, he can’t be benched in fantasy leagues. The 49ers are no cakewalk playing in San Francisco, but the Seahawks have beaten them six straight times, and Seneca Wallace has proven more than capable of running the offense. Expect a close game, ultimately won by the road team…Vernon Davis (fibula) is questionable to return to action this week.

Predictions: Alex Smith throws for 200 yards and a long TD strike to Antonio Bryant. Frank Gore suits up and contributes 120 total yards of offense, with a TD run mixed in as well. San Francisco also scores defensively, when Brandon Moore forces a Seneca Wallace fumble and returns it to the house. Wallace responds with an otherwise solid day, finding both Darrell Jackson and Deion Branch for scoring strikes. Maurice Morris takes away some carries, but Shaun Alexander gets all the goal line work, punching in his first score since Week 3, ending all hope for the home team. Seahawks 24-21.

Indianapolis (-1) at Dallas, Sunday 4:15 p.m.

Comments: Odds are the Colts lose a game this year. Still, it’s a little surprising to see Indianapolis as such small favorites this week. Dallas is a better team than the 5-4 record suggests, especially since Tony Romo took the helm. Once defensive coordinators have a bigger sample to dissect him on game film, there might be some bumps in the road. Until then, it’s hard not to like the way Romo’s playing right now, combining big time arm strength with pinpoint accuracy. It’s a wonder what took Bill Parcells so long to make the switch; Romo’s 8.8 YPA dwarf Drew Bledsoe’s 6.9, and he’s thrown more touchdown passes in 41 fewer pass attempts. Plus, Romo’s already figured out that a happy Owens means a productive Owens, something Bledsoe never did. Speaking of backups, Marion Barber is simply outplaying Julius Jones right now. Few running backs are tougher to take down on first contact. Expect the carries in Dallas to start being divvied up more evenly…The Colts have shown the propensity to let inferior teams hang around, but it’s doubtful they take Dallas lightly, meaning something resembling their A game should be expected Sunday. The Cowboys’ defense has been stingy, but it’s doubtful they hold Peyton Manning and company in check. In a perceived bigger game than last week, expect Joseph Addai to dominate the carries, as he’s vastly outplaying Dominic Rhodes. While the Colts’ run defense is an obvious concern and could be missing Bob Sanders (knee, questionable) again, the NFL is a passing league…Indianapolis lists 14 players as questionable, but none have any major fantasy significance. Terry Glenn (quad, probable) is the only injury issue for Dallas.

Predictions: Tony Romo is able to put points on the board for Dallas, throwing two touchdown passes to Terrell Owens. The Cowboys try to keep Indy’s offense off the field by running the ball, with the Julius Jones and Marion Barber tandem combining for more than 125 yards on the ground and Barber punching one in from close. Peyton Manning counters with 270 yards and TD strikes to Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, while Joseph Addai uses more than 20 touches to amass 100 total yards and a score as well. Given a chance to get back at his old teammates, Mike Vanderjagt misses a potential game-tying field goal, ensuring Indianapolis keeps its record perfect. Colts 27-24.