Matchups

NFL Matchups & Predictions Week 8

 

Cleveland (3-3) at St. Louis (0-7)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
CLE STL 27.8 11.3 354.5
274.6
239.3
192.0
115.2
82.6
4.6
3.5
7.4
5.2
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
CLE
STL
30.5
27.4
413.0 331.0 263.5
201.4
149.5
129.6
4.9
4.0
6.8
6.9
The surprising Browns are among the top 5 scoring teams in the league while the Rams are dead last with 11.3 points per game. The St. Louis quarterbacks have been under tremendous pressure this season getting sacked 24 times, and the Rams are a league worst Minus 12 in the give-away/take-away department. Running back Steven Jackson, who is adept at picking up all purpose yardage will rejoin the recently reactivated QB Marc Bulger on the field this Sunday. The Rams best chance would seem to be a short and quick passing game using the tight ends and backs like Jackson to take the heat off Bulger. Cleveland’s defense is ranked 29th against the pass and 30th against the run so if Jackson is reasonably healthy the Rams might see some opportunities there. For the Rams part they have the 10th ranked pass defense in the NFL, and although they are 24th against the rush, the Browns main weapon Jamal Lewis is coming off a sore ankle that kept him out of the Miami game in Week 6.
Detroit (4-2) at Chicago (3-4)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
DET
CHI
23.3
19.6
328.5 301.7 243.0
220.6
85.5
81.1
4.2
3.2
6.9
6.1
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
DET
CHI
28.5
23.6
385.8
357.4
269.3
224.9
116.5
132.6
4.0 4.6 7.1
7.2
The home field advantage for Chicago is probably going to be as much a factor in this evenly matched game as anything else. Neither team has had much of a running game this season although the return of running back Kevin Jones to the Lions lineup last week may help Detroit turn the corner in that area. The Lions rushed for 147 yards against Tampa Bay with Jones being the highest contributor of yardage. The passing game is another story and could be the big difference here. Kitna and the Lions are ranked 7th in the league in passing so far while Chicago is 13th. Whether Brian Griese can do more against Detroit’s abysmal pass defense than the high powered Kitna can against Chicago’s average to below average secondary remains to be seen. It might come down to turnovers (the Bears do it much more often) and the kicking and special teams play.
Indianapolis (6-0) at Carolina (4-2)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
IND
CAR
32.2
20.5
399.7 316.2 257.8
183.7
141.8
132.5
4.5
4.6
7.7
6.0
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
IND
CAR
15.8
18.3
269.5
331.5
162.2
221.2
107.3
110.3
4.2 3.8 5.3
6.3
This will be a very tough test for the Carolina defense which ranks pretty low. Peyton Manning and the Colts have the best passing game in the NFL through 7 weeks and combined with running back Joseph Addai, the 3rd ranked running back in the league Indy is number 3 in overall offense this year. The Panthers offense won’t have an easy day of it either – the Colts have the league’s top rated pass defense right now and Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith will need to be at his best to beat it. Carolina RB D’Angelo Williams might find some holes in the Colts defensive line the way he did at Arizona last week when he rushed for 121 yards but the Panthers passing game is what will really be needed if they are to survive Indy’s high powered scoring machine. All in all however, Manning is a precise and extremely intelligent QB who will most probably put this one away for the Colts without a great deal of trouble.
NY Giants (4-2) vs Miami (0-7)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
NYG
MIA
26.7 22.3 347.7
333.1
217.3
218.0
130.4
115.1
4.6
5.0
6.3
6.2
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
NYG
MIA
21.3
33.0
303.4 365.1 206.0
208.7
97.4
156.4
4.1
4.4
6.0
8.5
The location is the biggest story in this weeks upcoming contest – it will be played at Wembley Stadium in London England. The second biggest story is injuries, as Miami continues to be hobbled by them. Last week they lost running back Ronnie Brown, the 4th best rusher in the NFL and the starting safety Renaldo Hill both to torn knee ligaments. Both will be sorely missed – the running game was one of the few things that Miami had the edge on, and unless the second string can pull off some great performances things are likely to keep sliding downhill for the Dolphins. The Giants will use RB Brandon Jacobs to put the test to Miami’s porous defensive line, only the second worst in the league. If they push the Dolphins all over the field the way they manhandled the 49ers last week then Miami’s record of giving away more points per game than any other team in the league should remain intact.
Oakland (2-4) at Tennessee (4-2)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
OAK
TEN
21.0 22.0 317.8
322.5
170.3
178.5
147.5
144.0
4.5
3.9
6.3
6.0
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
OAK
TEN
23.3
18.0
345.8 290.0 204.2
230.8
141.7
59.2
5.2
3.4
6.7
6.0
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Philadelphia (2-4) at Minnesota (2-4)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
PHI
MIN
19.3
19.2
349.3 314.8 219.7
151.2
129.7
163.7
4.9
5.4
6.4
5.3
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
PHI
MIN
16.8
19.0
308.2
359.0
220.2
282.5
88.0
76.5
3.7 3.0 6.4
6.9
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Pittsburgh (4-2) at Cincinnati (2-4)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
PIT
CIN
26.7 27.3 356.3
371.7
197.3
273.7
159.0
98.0
4.7
3.8
7.1
7.3
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
PIT
CIN
13.0
31.2
250.3 384.7 174.8
249.2
75.5
135.5
3.7
4.7
5.5
7.2
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Buffalo (2-4) at NY Jets (1-6)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
BUF
NYJ
14.0 19.4 229.2
288.4
130.2
198.9
99.0
89.6
3.7
3.4
5.3
6.4
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
BUF
NYJ
22.0
27.4
402.3 377.7 269.8
239.7
132.5
138.0
4.7
4.2
7.1
8.1
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Houston (3-4) at San Diego (3-3)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
HOU
SD
24.1 22.8 341.1
334.5
265.6
208.7
75.6
125.8
3.1
4.3
7.6
7.0
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
HOU
SD
24.9
19.8
341.9 324.3 219.6
238.2
122.3
86.2
4.7
3.6
6.5
7.1
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Jacksonville (4-2) at Tampa Bay (4-3)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
JAC
TB
17.8
17.7
333.7 314.9 185.7
212.1
148.0
102.7
4.7
3.9
6.5
7.5
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
JAC
TB
14.5
15.7
318.0
308.9
214.2
185.6
103.8
123.3
3.9 4.0 7.0
5.7
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New Orleans (2-4) at San Francisco (2-4)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
NO
SF
16.8
13.0
317.7 213.8 227.7
125.0
90.0
88.8
3.6
4.2
5.5
4.3
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
NO
SF
25.3
22.5
344.7
328.0
244.0
201.2
100.7
126.8
3.6 3.9 8.4
6.2
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Washington (4-2) at New England (7-0)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
WAS
NE
20.3 39.9 304.5
432.9
189.8
299.4
114.7
133.4
3.6
4.2
6.8
9.0
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
WAS
NE
14.7
17.1
276.8 274.6 196.2
182.1
80.7
92.4
3.5
4.4
5.2
5.6
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Green Bay (5-1) at Denver (3-3)

Off Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
GB
DEN
23.7
17.7
339.3 358.3 273.7
227.7
65.7
130.7
3.3
4.7
6.6
7.5
Def Avg Yards Pass Rush Y/R Y/A
GB
DEN
17.8
27.3
323.8
340.8
223.7
164.7
100.2
176.2
3.8 5.1 6.4
7.2
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