Passing Matchups

When picking your starters each week, one thing that must be considered is the matchups. We've taken each game and broken down the matchups for you here.

PLEASE NOTE: This does NOT replace the Cheatsheet ranking. The Cheatsheet rankings are the final say on where we see a player for that week. The Matchup Breakdowns are simply one more tool in the box when it comes to helping choose your lineup.

Also note, just because a player has a "bad" matchup, it does NOT mean he's not a starter in your league. If Peyton Manning is playing the toughest pass defense in the league, he's got a tough matchup that week. He's also your starter unless you're sitting on Kurt Warner or Jeff Garcia.

Let's jump to it.

Great Matchups � Defenses will have major problems with the offense in these games

Green Bay Passing Game vs New Orleans Defense (Great Matchup)

The Saints finished a disappointing 2001 ranked 20th in passing yards allowed, 27th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 21st in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 31st in tight end fantasy points allowed. If opening week is any indication, there are still problems with the New Orleans pass defense as Brad Johnson threw for 278 yards and 2 scores.

The huge injury note for this game is Fred Thomas. The #1 Cornerback for New Orleans is out after breaking his hand last week. You know QB Brett Favre is liking his chances against Saint Cornerbacks Michael Hawthorne, Ken Irvin and rookie Keyou Craver. That's why we made him our #2 QB this week.

We were very pleased with how Favre looked last week throwing to his new WR Corps. Donald Driver was targeted 9 times. Terry Glenn only caught two passes but both were for big plays. More importantly, he was targeted 8 times which tells you that Favre was clearly looking his way. Rookie Javon Walker didn't look much like a rookie with 56 yards on 4 catches and a TD. RB Ahman Green will be a big part of the passing game as usual - he was targeted 7 times last week.

Chicago Passing Game vs Atlanta Defense (Great Matchup)

The 2001 Falcons were the 30th ranked defense in passing yards allowed and nearly as badly in quarterback fantasy points allowed (#29) and wide receiver fantasy points allowed (#28). Atlanta did, however, show moderate success in finishing 15th in tight end fantasy points allowed. Promise was not found last week as Brett Favre tossed 2 TDs and accumulated 284 passing yards. Of course, that was Brett Favre.

Jim Miller isn't Brett Favre but you wouldn't have known that from looking at last week's boxscore. Although to be fair, Chicago put up those numbers against the Vikings. Miller with his arsenal of WRs facing an Atlanta secondary without cornerback Ray Buchanon serving a steroid suspension, should give the Falcons all they want. Ashley Ambrose is the remaining corner and the Falcons will try to fill Buchanan's shoes with Fred Weary, Allen Rossum and Juran Bolden. Look for Marty Booker to draw Ambrose on most plays which might mean Dez White could have some opportunities.

Booker's still a must start though as it's not like Ambrose is a shut down type CB. He's solid but can definitely be beaten on the big play. Where Chicago has an advantage, is with their depth, throwing Marcus Robinson and David Terrell on top of Booker and White and that's a solid WR corps. All in all, decent but not great plays here as we try to decide if Miller's for real.

Seattle Passing Game vs Arizona Defense (Great Matchup)

Arizona finished the 2001 season ranked 21st in passing yards allowed. Even worse, they finished 25th in quarterback fantasy points allowed and 24th in both wide receiver and tight end fantasy points allowed. To open the 2002 season, the Cardinals made Shane Matthews look like a top six quarterback as he threw for 327 yards and 3 TDs.

This one's a tough call as it's too early to tell whether we'll see Trent Dilfer or Matt Hasselbeck at QB. Whichever guy goes will likely have a good day. Hasselbeck surprised folks by putting together a solid day last week against Oakland. Koren Robinson was targeted 8 times while Darrell Jackson saw 4 passes thrown to him. Shaun Alexander will likely be a factor catching the ball as well as he had 7 passes thrown to him Sunday.

The Cardinals brought in Duane Starks with a big contract at Corner but he's not the shut down guy they'd like. At 5' 10" - 172, he's not physical enough to handle guys like Koren Robinson at 6' 1" - 212. David Barrett mans the other corner and he's adequate but nothing special. If Dilfer looks good and can go, all these guys probably slide up the cheatsheets list.

Carolina Passing Game vs Detroit Defense (Great Matchup)

Detroit does not possess a quality defense. Their 2001 numbers include finishing 25th in passing yards allowed, 31st in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 27th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 23rd in tight end fantasy points allowed. The pitiful Lions pass defense has Jay Fiedler on pace to throw 48 TDs. Not a solid start for Detroit.

Like everyone else, I was surprised by the Rodney Peete move at QB but it certainly looks like Coach John Fox knew what he was doing. Peete looked fine last week throwing 19 times completing 12. That won't carry a Fantasy team but it might be enough to let WRs Muhsin Muhammad or TE Wesley Walls shine for you. The Lions had no answer for Miami's TE Randy McMichael last week and I doubt they'll have one for Walls.

Detroit Cornerback Todd Lyght is entering his 12th year and has clearly lost a step. If you need to roll the dice a bit, you might look at the speedy WR Steve Smith. He's not big at 5' 9" but he can fly, something Lyght cannot do anymore. On the other side, Muhsin Muhammad will likely work against Corner Eric Davis who's entering his 11th year and is just barely adequate. He'll give up 3 inches and 20 pounds to the physical Muhammad and that could be trouble.

Buffalo Passing Game vs Minnesota Defense (Great Matchup)

The Vikings were surprisingly average (#17) in passing yards allowed. They posted similar rankings in quarterback fantasy points allowed (#17), wide receiver fantasy points allowed (#20), and tight end fantasy points allowed (#12). Minnesota looked far from average against the Bears as Jim Miller threw for 297 yards and 2 TDs to open the season.

And we think Drew Bledsoe's a better QB than Jim Miller so we're excited about this week and this matchup. Minnesota will attempt to cover the Bills WRs with corners Corey Chavous and Eric Kelly. Chavous has great size at 6' 1" - 206 but doesn't have the speed to be a dominating corner. Eric Kelly is a liability.

Looks like an excellent matchup for Bledsoe and that's why we ranked him as our # 6 QB this week. That means WRs Eric Moulds and Peerless Price should have a great matchup here and we have them at # 3 and # 22 respectively. We were a little surprised to see TE Jay Reimersma attract such little attention last week - he only saw 1 pass thrown his way. Overall, an excellent matchup for Buffalo.

Good Matchups � Defenses will struggle to stop the offense in these games

Kansas City Passing Game vs Jacksonville Defense (Good Matchup)

The Jaguars allowed the 26th most passing yards last year and finished 2001 ranked 18th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 6th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 30th in tight end fantasy points allowed. To open the 2002 season, Jacksonville allowed 211 yards and 3 TDs receiving to the Colts. Definitely not a good start, but fairly understandable considering the competition.

This offense will ride on Priest Holmes' shoulders. If he's successful running (and he will be) the passing game starts to open for QB Trent Green and his crew. Green looked good last week and had excellent protection. The crazy sack at the end of the game was the only sack on KC all day. Green's not a guy that will carry a team, but he doesn't need to with Holmes on board.

Jacksonville is a team playing with little to lose and they could surprise. Holding Manning to 211 yards is not bad. Cornerbacks Fernando Bryant and Jason Craft are both solid players but look for WR Johnnie Morton to get untracked after a quiet week 1. Eddie Kennison had the bigger game last week but we're far from sold. Besides, the clear #1 Receiver on this team is TE Tony Gonzalez. He looked great last week after missing camp and is good to go.

Miami Passing Game vs Indianapolis Defense (Good Matchup)

Last season, Indianapolis ranked 28th in passing yards allowed, 28th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 29th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 18th in tight end fantasy points allowed. The Colts showed tiny signs of improvement opening week as they allowed "only" 228 yards and 2 TDs receiving.

We'll find out more this week about Jay Fiedler and the Miami passing game. Last week wasn't a true test against Detroit. They will be facing a weakened Colt DL with Tackles James Cannida out with a knee injury and Josh Williams out with a bad foot. Indianapolis was able to generate just one sack last week against a suspect Jaguar OL. This team will be playing Norv Turner football and that means a solid ground game setting up the pass. Fiedler will be an up and down Fantasy QB as he'll take whatever the defense gives him. Make no mistake though, this team is about Ricky Williams.

Oronde Gadsden and Chris Chambers should both see decent action. Gadsden had 5 passes thrown his way and Chambers had 6. Corner back Walt Harris has decent size at 5' 11" but David Macklin on the other side has a height issue at 5' 9". Both Chambers (5' 11" - 210) and Gadsden (6' 2" - 215) create some physical matchup problems. But the guy I'm most excited about on this team is TE Randy McMichael. McMichael was the target of 5 passes last week and he's a guy to definitely look out for. The Colts can be vulnerable across the middle and we feel good enough about the young TE to have him as our #6 guy this week. RB Ricky Williams surprisingly didn't catch a pass last week so his receiving role is still up in the air.

Cleveland Passing Game vs Cincinnati Defense (Good Matchup)

Cincinnati finished the 2001 season ranked 14th in passing yards allowed, 20th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 26th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 6th in tight end fantasy points allowed. The Bengals opened with a good effort yardage-wise (allowing the Chargers only 160 passing yards) but also gave up a pair of TDs in the air.

We thought real hard last week about ranking Kelly Holcomb as the # 1 QB but in the end, decided #29 would be better� Oh well, you know how that went� I'm ready to say I was wrong, this is a guy who looked very good and clearly seems to have the confidence of Coach Butch Davis. I hear the phrase "this year's Kurt Warner" thrown out about him. I think that's a little much but you have to admit, the ingredients are there for him to be this year's Tom Brady. And that's not a bad thing at all.

If you're a Tim Couch owner, I'm more than a little concerned. Evidently, he's been heavily icing his arm all preseason (and not just the precautionary ice downs) Couch is still saying all the right things and that he'll be back and ready to go even this week. Although the whispers are already starting in Cleveland with injured LB Jamir Miller making a few comments that Couch needed to be a more vocal leader. It's still up in the air as of Thursday to which guy will play. The good news for the other Cleveland players is that any worries we had about Holcomb starting and bringing down the receivers quickly were answered. Both Quincy Morgan and Kevin Johnson were targeted 11 times last week and that's strong. The Bengal secondary is a weak spot with Cornerbacks Jeff Burris and Artrell Hawkins just adequate so while we don't see Holcomb as a #1 guy again, we like his chances. For now, he's ranked lower just because we don't know Couch's situation.

St. Louis Passing Game vs NY Giants Defense (Good Matchup)

The Giants finished 24th in passing yards allowed last year, 21st in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 30th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 14th in tight end fantasy points allowed. Last week New York pretty much put the clamps on what is supposed to be one of the NFL's top passing attacks as they allowed the 49ers only 166 yards and 1 TD passing.

The Giant's did an excellent job of holding down San Francisco's passing attack in week 1. Cornerback Will Allen in particular did an excellent job on Terrell Owens. He's got the speed to keep up with the Rams WRs but he may be the only Giant that does. WR Torry Holt will likely draw Allen so that might mean good things for Isaac Bruce who should see 2nd year man Will Peterson and veteran Jason Sehorn.

What the Rams don't want to happen is to see RB Marshall Faulk have 16 targets again. Warner needs to get the ball downfield to the WRs and he should be able to do that this week. Although you can be sure that every coach in the league is watching game tape of how Denver (and New England in the Super Bowl) defensed the Rams over the last two games.

Arizona Passing Game vs Seattle Defense (Good Matchup)

The Seahawks finished the 2001 season ranked 22nd in passing yards allowed, 23rd in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 19th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 17th in tight end fantasy points allowed. In week one, the Raiders showed there is still room for improvement in Seattle and accumulated 214 yards and 2 scores through the air.

DT John Randle's is Doubtful as he returns from knee surgery. If he can't go, that'll help Arizona. And LB Anthony Simmons is out with a high ankle sprain. Seattle features Shawn Springs at Cornerback who looks to be healthy returning from an injury marred season but you have to wonder about him not catching Oakland's Rich Gannon last week. He'll be ok though. On the other side, Seattle starts Ken Lucas at CB who has good size 6' 0" - 201 and quickness but lacks experience.

The name of the Cardinal passing game though is clearly Jake Plummer to David Boston. Boston was targeted 15 times last week vs 1 pass thrown to # 2 WR Frank Sanders. So forget about any WRs outside of Boston. As good as Springs is, he can't hold down Boston. Expect to see plenty of double teams. The guy I think will eventually emerge and do something will be TE Freddie Jones. Jones saw 5 passes thrown his way last week but only caught 1. He made comments after the game about desiring the ball more and I have to think Plummer will start relying more upon him. It might not be this week but he's obviously the best receiver not named Boston on this team.

Detroit Passing Game vs Carolina Defense (Good Matchup)

In 2001, Carolina was 26th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 23rd in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, 20th in tight end fantasy points allowed, and 27th in passing yards allowed. The good news for Carolina is that last week they allowed only 218 yards and 1 TD passing. The bad news for Carolina is that last week they faced a Chris Redman led offense. All things considered, those numbers might be a bit of a disappointment.

The Lions this week will try their hand and they'll have a much easier time than they did last week against Miami. The Carolina Cornerback tandem of Terry Cousin and Reggie Howard are not nearly as strong as what Detroit faced last week. WR Bill Schroeder only had 3 passes thrown his way but Az-Zahir Hakim saw a whopping 15 thrown to him. Look for Schroeder to come back this week.

QB Mike McMahon will get the start again but rookie Joey Harrington seems ready if McMahon falters. Harrington did see some mop duty last week. TE Mikhael Ricks could be a nice surprise - he was targeted 5 times last week and he could cause some matchup troubles for Carolina.

Neutral Matchups � The Defense and Offense are fairly evenly matched in these games

Jacksonville Passing Game vs Kansas City Defense (Neutral Matchup)

The Chiefs were surprisingly mediocre in 2001 as they ranked 13th in passing yards allowed, 19th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 15th in wide receiver points allowed, and 13th in tight end fantasy points allowed. Last week, the Kansas City pass defense was even worse as Kelly Holcombe torched them for 359 yards and 4 scores. A horrible effort which made Holcombe the #1 fantasy QB for week one. Go figure.

Jacksonville gets their shot and we think Kansas City is tougher than they showed last week. The Chiefs felt good enough about 4th year Cornerback Eric Warfield to re-sign him to a big contract this year but he needs to be more consistent. William Bartee at the other CB has good size at 6' 1" - 196 and is quickly learning. We'll find out if those yards to Cleveland last week were an aberration.

Jimmy Smith is clearly the WR of choice seeing 15 passes come his way last week. Bobby Shaw did a respectable job as the #2 WR but he's no Keenan McCardell. Start Smith without hesitation. The TEs didn't seem to be a factor last week and with a healthy Fred Taylor catching balls out of backfield, I don't expect them to have a big role. Taylor saw 6 passes thrown his way and that should continue.

San Francisco Passing Game vs Denver Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Denver finished 2001 as the 16th ranked defense in passing yards allowed, 15th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 25th ranked defense in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 7th in tight end fantasy points allowed. The Broncos found a bend-but-don't-break formula for success against the Rams. While giving Kurt Warner 315 passing yards, they did keep the St. Louis aerial attack from crossing the goal line.

The question as I see it is will 49er WR Terrell Owens bounce back from a rough game in week 1? I think he will. Owens will likely matchup with Denver CB Deltha O'Neal. O'Neal made the Pro Bowl last year as a 2nd year player but he's an all or nothing type Corner. It seems for every interception he makes, he gets burned for a TD. And he makes a lot of interceptions.

Like the Giants did in week 1, you'll probably see Denver roll a Safety over the top to help O'Neal. But this is nothing new for Owens and I think he'll do fine. Denard Walker mans the other corner and is a steadier player. He'll handle J.J. Stokes or Tai Streets. Again like you saw in the Giants game in week 1, look for TE Eric Johnson to have a solid game.

Denver Passing Game vs San Francisco Defense (Neutral Matchup)

The improving 49ers defense ranked 18th last season in passing yards allowed. The were average in quarterback fantasy points allowed and running back fantasy points allowed (ranking 16th and 18th respectively) but terrific (#3) in tight end fantasy points allowed. The 49ers allowed the most yards passing in the NFL last week as they Kerry Collins led Giants threw for 342 yards. There is good news as they allowed no passing TDs.

As you know, QB Brian Griese was on the short leash last week and was nearly benched before rallying his team. Winning cures everything and Griese hopes that's the case for him. Denver has another solid test this week on the road in San Francisco. The 49ers will likely run more man coverage putting faith in their 3rd year Corners, Ahmad Plummer and Jason Webster. This faith was tested pretty severely as Amani Toomer went off in week 1. With 2 solid WRs in Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey this week, we'll see what they do.

Webster is 5' 10" and Plummer is 6' 0". Both could have trouble with Smith at 6' 0" - 200 and McCaffrey at 6' 5" - 215. And of course, you can't forget about TE Shannon Sharpe who was targeted 8 times last week. He'll get his looks but we don't like how tough San Francisco's traditionally been on TEs. Although New York's Jeremy Shockey could have had a huge game against San Francisco if it had not been for a few drops.

New Orleans Passing Game vs Green Bay Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Green Bay was 15th in passing yards allowed last season. Even better numbers were found at quarterback fantasy points allowed (#12), wide receiver fantasy points allowed (#3), and tight end fantasy points allowed (#9). Last week, while Michael Vick certainly impressed overall, the Packers didn't allow huge passing numbers (209 yards and 1 TD).

Green Bay DT Gilbert Brown is Questionable with a knee. The Packers will face another mobile but more conventional QB this week in Aaron Brooks who looked like he was worth every penny of his new contract last week. Green Bay does bring a strong pass rush recording 4 sacks on Atlanta's Mike Vick last week so Brooks will need to be on top of his game.

New Orleans will feature Joe Horn as usual but keep an eye on rookie Dont� Stallworth who like Javon Walker for the Packers, didn't look too much like a rookie last week. Horn had 11 targets last week while Stallworth was thrown to 7 times. Pretty impressive for a 1st year WR. Green Bay's CB Mike McKenzie's an excellent cover man and it's a tough matchup for Horn. Tyrone Williams is the other corner and he's solid as well. I still like Horn, just understand McKenzie's a good corner. Between David Sloan and Boo Williams, Horn only threw 3 passes to TEs last week so I'm not excited there.

Atlanta Passing Game vs Chicago Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Chicago ranked a dismal 29th last season in passing yards allowed. However, they were much higher ranked in quarterback fantasy points allowed (#9), wide receiver fantasy points allowed (#4), and tight end fantasy points allowed (#11). The explosive Vikings passing attack was held largely in check last week. The Bears allowed 234 yards and 1 TD receiving.

In the Chicago capsule, I wrote that we weren't sure Jim Miller was for real. I do know that Mike Vick is for real. You can't be a fan of the NFL and not be excited about watching this matchup between two of the best young players in the game, Vick and Chicago MLB Brian Urlacher. Should be fun.

The downside for Chicago is that they're very banged up. Top Cornerback R.W. McQuarters is out with a knee and DE Phillip Daniels is out as well with an ankle. This is huge as McQuarters' loss means converted RB Jerry Azumah is the best corner. He's average size at 5' 10" - 190 but is unpolished. They'll likely try to fill the other corner position with Todd McMillon and Reggie Austin. Both are big drop-offs in talent and experience from McQuarters and it'll be a good test of Vick's skills to see if he can pick on the new Cornerbacks.

On the flip side, Vick may do just as much damage with his feet. It'll be very interesting to watch as the Bears kept another great running QB, Daunte Culpepper basically bottled up last week. The Falcon WRs need to improve their play. Willie Jackson was the target of 7 passes last week and Brian Finneran saw 4 come his way (including one that should have been caught for a TD) TEs Alge Crumpler could be a bigger factor this week so watch him closely.

Cincinnati Passing Game vs Cleveland Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Cleveland's defense finished 2001 ranked 11th in passing yards allowed, 4th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 16th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 5th in tight end fantasy points allowed. The Browns opening week performance was far from their 2001 form as the Chiefs accumulated 276 yards and one TD receiving. Granted, the TD number looks good, but the Chiefs had little reason/need to throw at the goal line with Priest Holmes running in 4 scores.

QB Gus Frerotte is listed as Probable with a sore thumb but has practiced fully and is expected to start. I think that's the least of his worries as this looks to me to be a QB who's days are numbered. This team has too much talent to produce like the old Bengals. Rumors are that Frerotte is close to being pulled for Jon Kitna.

I'd expect the Browns to focus on shutting down RB Corey Dillon as the Chargers did last week. This could create some vertical opportunities for Frerotte. WR Peter Warrick could be a factor as he had 7 targets last week. Michael Westbrook had 4. T.J. Houshmandzadeh is listed as probable with a groin. Cornerbacks Daylon McCutcheon and Corey Fuller are solid players and should be able to contain this offense. Bottom line, we're not excited about any of the Bengals.

Minnesota Passing Game vs Buffalo Defense (Neutral Matchup)

The 2001 season saw Buffalo ranked 12th in passing yards allowed, 24th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 17th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 28th in tight end fantasy points allowed. The Bills began the 2002 campaign allowing the Jets 210 yards and 2 TDs receiving.

QB Daunte Culpepper looks to get into the win column this week you'll probably see him stick to the "Randy Ratio" with 40% of the pass plays thrown his way. Moss had 14 passes thrown his vs 6 for D'Wayne Bates and 3 for Derrick Alexander. Moss is that much better than those guys.

Buffalo CBs Antoine Winfield and Nate Clements are both very solid players but the 46 defense scheme calls for them to be in a lot of man coverage. Moss will rarely see man coverage though and they'll roll a Safety over. If Bates can take advantage, this can create some opportunities for him. Still though, guys like Moss and Culpepper are sure starts no matter who they're playing.

New England Passing Game vs NY Jets Defense (Neutral Matchup)

The excellent Jets pass defense ranked 5th in passing yards allowed, 2nd in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 2nd in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 21st in tight end fantasy points allowed. Drew Bledsoe opened the year with some success against New York as he threw for 271 yards and a TD.

The guy who replaced Bledsoe, Tom Brady, gets his shot. As you saw last week, Coach Bill Belichick had Brady throw an amazing 25 consecutive passes en route to a 294 yard passing day with 3 TDs. I think this game was an aberration though and more a result of Pittsburgh's defense than it was what the Patriots wanted to do. Look for a more Belichick like conservative mix of play calling this week with a greater focus on the rushing game as Antowain Smith pounds the undersized Jets DL.

The WR situation is murky as Brady really spread the ball around. 3 different WRs, Troy Brown, David Patten and Deion Branch had 9 targets or more. And Donald Hayes had 5. I think you'll see Brown and Patten to continue to get lots of looks. I'm not as sure about Branch but you can't ignore a rookie who saw 10 balls thrown his way. Cornerbacks Aaron Beasley and Donnie Abraham are solid players but neither are shut down type guys. All in all, we see a decent matchup but one where the team will likely focus more on the run.

Tennessee Passing Game vs Dallas Defense (Neutral Matchup)

The Dallas pass defense finished the 2001 season ranked 1st in passing yards allowed, 10th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 9th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 25th in tight end fantasy points allowed. The Cowboys should have dominated David Carr last week (and did a good job in allowing only 145 passing yards), but the rookie quarterback was able to connect for a pair of TDs. Not a good effort.

For injuries, MLB Dat Nguyen is out with a broken wrist and that should help Eddie George running and TE Frank Wycheck

Houston's David Carr had 2 TDs last week and for those that read our "Need to Know" summaries, you know that he could have had another sure TD if Jermaine Lewis could have held on to a perfect pass. This Cowboy defense could be in for another long day. Derrick Mason garnered 10 targets last week and Kevin Dyson had 5 thrown his way. I can see that 2:1 trend continuing. Frank Wycheck also saw 5 passes. The Jermaine Lewis play highlighted one of Dallas' weakest spots in the safeties. Both Darren Woodson and 1st round rookie Roy Williams are more suited to Strong Safety and stuffing the run. Derrick Mason could go off. The Corners could be pretty good. Bryant Westbrook at 6' 0" - 190 has good size as does Mario Edwards at 6' 0" 191. Both need to be more physical if they hope to contain Tennessee.

Oakland Passing Game vs Pittsburgh Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Pittsburgh 2001 performance saw them ranked 8th in passing yards allowed, 8th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 12th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 27th in tight end fantasy points allowed. To open the season, Tom Brady and the Patriots pretty much dismantled this passing defense. Pittsburgh allowed 294 yards and 3 TDs through the air.

Oakland doesn't have the speed at WR that New England does but they've got a couple of "pretty good" guys named Jerry Rice and Tim Brown. New England ran 25 consecutive pass plays Monday night against the Steelers in a classic example of "taking what the defense will give". Coach Bill Belichick knew against a tough run defense, his team would fare better passing.

This is likely to be the case with Oakland as well although Rich Gannon favors a more vertical attack. You might see the more athletic WR Jerry Porter contribute a little more than normal here. All in all, I see a decent but not great day from the Raider passing game.

Tough Matchups � Defenses should be able to contain the offense in these games

Indianapolis Passing Game vs Miami Defense (Tough Matchup)

The Dolphins were excellent in 2001 finishing 2nd in passing yards allowed last season. They also were successful in ranking 5th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 8th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 19th in tight end fantasy points allowed. Miami was a bit lackluster in their opening week passing defense of the woeful Lions (allowing 220 yards and a score through the air).

The big injury to watch is Cornerback Sam Madison who's Questionable with an ankle injury. TE Marcus Pollard is officially Doubtful with a rib injury but it looks like he's out.

Sam Madison is the better part of one of the better Cornerback tandems in the game with Patrick Surtain. The Dolphins put a ton of faith in their corners leaving them on the "island" with man to man coverage. If Madison can't go, that's a big boost for the Colt passing game. 2nd year man Jamar Fletcher will start if Madison can't and he's a big drop in talent. He's small at 5' 9" -184 and struggled at times as a rookie. You can bet Manning will pick on him until he proves himself. That means Surtain will cover WR Marvin Harrison. Harrison is a must start against pretty much anyone but clearly, this isn't as good a matchup as he normally has. WR Reggie Wayne and Qadry Ismail will be the other WRs and both merit consideration if Madison is limited. Ismail in particular was targeted 7 times last week. With Pollard out, all three Colt WRs could likely see more action. Of course, RB Edgerrin James led all Colt receivers in targets last week with 9 and that should continue. Bottom line - Colts like Manning, James and Harrison are must starts but it's still a tough matchup if Cornerback Sam Madison can go. If he can't, things look a lot better for them.

Tampa Bay Passing Game vs Baltimore Defense (Tough Matchup)

The Ravens were good but definitely not overpowering against the pass last season. They ranked 9th in passing yards allowed, 7th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 11th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and only 22nd in tight end fantasy points allowed. Baltimore only allowed the Panthers to throw for 136 yards and 1 TD last week. That's an excellent effort until you realize they were defensing the aging Rodney Peete.

This could be a very interesting game for Tampa. You can bet Jon Gruden hasn't slept all week as he's been devising ways to put points on the board. That game plan likely entails a little more Michael Pittman and a little less Brad Johnson. But you knew Johnson wasn't going to throw the ball 52 times like he did last week against New Orleans.

The big news here is WR Keenan McCardell's injured quad. He's listed as questionable so watch this close. It's potential bad news for McCardell owners but it would clear up the WR situation a bit. # 3 WR Joe Jurevicius is champing at the bit. He looked very good last week drawing 5 passes and he's clearly a guy who just needs a chance to shine. We've liked the 6' 5" - 230 pound Jurevicius since the Giant days. If McCardell is out, look for him.

The Raven defense has big holes in it. Cornerback Chris McAlister is a very solid player. He's got excellent size at 6' 1" - 206 and can cover anyone, although he can be inconsistent. The gaping hole is the other side where former safety Gary Baxter is entering his 2nd year. Look for Brad Johnson to pick on him until he proves he can handle the position. Baxter may wind up on Keyshawn Johnson and that's a great matchup for Johnson. Overall, we see Tampa getting more involved in the running game and throwing the ball less.

San Diego Passing Game vs Houston Defense (Tough Matchup)

The Texans pass defense looked All-World last week as they frustrated and confused the not-so-great Quincy Carter. Houston allowed only 131 yards and no TDs through the air. Believe it or not, this was the best pass defense in the NFL on opening week. Of course you must consider the opposition.

San Diego QB Drew Brees will likely fare better against the Texans than did Dallas. But that's not saying a lot. Cornerback Aaron Glenn is one of the best in the game. He lacks size at 5' 9" but he's effective. 7th year man Marcus Coleman handles the other side and at 6' 2" - 210, he's a nice complement. Together, they're a very solid unit and will definitely give Brees more trouble than he had last week.

WRs Tim Dwight and Curtis Conway could see more passes go to RB LaDainian Tomlinson or TE Stephen Davis. This is Marty Schottenheimer's team with a very good RB in the fold. That means look for Tomlinson to carry the load while Brees does just enough to keep the defense honest.

Pittsburgh Passing Game vs Oakland Defense (Tough Matchup)

In 2001, the Raiders were surprisingly solid against the pass as they finished ranked 7th in passing yards allowed, 11th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 10th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 10th in tight end fantasy points allowed. By allowing 155 yards and 2 TDs passing, Oakland's pass defense looked improved (although the 2 scores are a bit of concern as is the competition).

Kordell Stewart looked like the ugly Kordell of old Monday night. Pittsburgh is a team that clearly fares better against Man coverage than they do the zone. Whether it's Stewart or WR Plaxico Burress, it's tough to tell but this is a team that seems to prefer man coverage. They'll get plenty of that Sunday facing one of the best if not the best cover Corner in the league in Charles Woodson. At 6' 1" - 204, he's the complete player and can shut most any WR down.

6th year man Tory James or promising rookie Phillip Buchanon will cover the other corner and both are solid. Stewart may prefer man coverage but I'm not sure it's he'll like the Raider's man coverage. Granted, it was Matt Hasselbeck behind center, but last week this defense didn't allow a Seahawk receiver to gain more than 39 yards. Tough Matchup.

Houston Passing Game vs San Diego Defense (Tough Matchup)

The Chargers defense faded over the 2nd half of the 2001 season to finish ranked 19th in passing yards allowed, 22nd in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 22nd in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 29th in tight end fantasy points allowed. San Diego opened the 2002 season in a dominating fashion as they allowed very little to the Bengals aerial attack (198 yards and no TDs).

This will be a much tougher test for Houston QB David Carr. San Diego likes to play their corners in man coverage which frees up bodies for a barrage of blitzes. You can bet the Chargers will throw all they've got at the young QB. Carr was solid in his debut game but there are definite worries. He was sacked 6 times and only completed 10 of 22 for 145 yards. And that was against the Cowboys.

Corners Alex Molden and Ryan McNeil are both solid but unspectacular players. They'll be matched against WRs Corey Bradford, Jabar Gaffney and Jermaine Lewis. Bradford was clearly the most effective receiver last week but again, this is a different caliber of defense. I expect it to be not as pretty for Carr facing constant pressure and blitzes.

Dallas Passing Game vs Tennessee Defense (Tough Matchup)

The Titans pass defense was abysmal in 2001. It ranked 31st in passing yards allowed, 30th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 31st in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 16th in tight end fantasy points allowed. Tennessee harassed Donovan McNabb for most of the game last week, but he still connected for 212 yards and 3 TDs.

Tennessee will have an easier go this week with Quincy Carter and the Cowboys. Defensive End Javon Kearse will be out after a broken foot. He'll be replaced by Carlos Hall who was outstanding filling in for Kearse last week.

QB Quincy Carter looked awful last week against the Texans. Emmitt Smith expressed doubt last season about Carter being capable of leading the team at QB. This year he's said Carter is definitely capable. We are thinking more like the Emmitt Smith of 2001. If Carter struggled last week, he'll have it tougher against the Titans. Cornerback Samari Rolle seems like he's been around a while but he's just 26 and entering his 5th year. He's very solid. Andre Dyson started most of his rookie season last year and is learning quickly. Joey Galloway might break one deep but I look for Rolle to not make many mistakes. Dyson will likely draw rookie Antonio Bryant who has quite a bit to learn still. Could be a tough Day.

NY Jets Passing Game vs New England Defense (Tough Matchup)

The Patriots finished the 2001 season ranked 23rd in passing yards allowed, 14th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 14th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 26th in tight end fantasy points allowed. New England started the 2002 season by allowing Kordell Stewart to throw for 247 yards and a score.

New England was impressive in their opening win against Pittsburgh. They'll face a more polished QB in veteran Vinny Testeverde this week. Cornerback Ty Law is rock solid and one of the best in the game. He's got all the tools and good size at 5' 11" - 200 pounds. Otis Smith on the other corner however is still adequate but he's entering his 13th season.

WR Laveranues Coles should be able to cause problems with Smith who's definitely lost a step. Chrebet will likely struggle with Ty Law but you know he'll pop up for some key catches. Santana Moss garnered much of the hype in the preseason but he was only targeted for 1 pass last week. The big question for this week will be how much RB Curtis Martin can contribute with a sore ankle. If he can't go, look for the Jets to air it out more.

NY Giants Passing Game vs St. Louis Defense (Tough Matchup)

The Rams finished 2001 as the 10th ranked defense in passing yards allowed. They were 8th best in tight end fantasy points allowed, 7th best in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 13th in quarterback fantasy points allowed. In week one, the Rams employed the little used break-but-don't-bend pass defense as they gave up only 202 receiving yards but allowed 2 receiving TDs.

As we told you earlier in the week, I thought QB Kerry Collins looked as good as I've ever seen him in week 1. It'll be a good gauge for both these teams to see how they react to tough losses. The Rams did a good job on Brian Griese and nearly had Coach Mike Shanahan reaching for the hook.

They'll likely bring the same type of pressure and coverage against the Giants. Aeneas Williams is a shut down corner and could put a major damper on Ike Hilliard or Amani Toomer depending on the sets they run. Dre Bly and Dexter McCleon are solid corners opposite Williams so it's not like the other WR will have it easy. TE Jeremy Shockey didn't put up the numbers folks thought he might last week but it was very clear that he's a huge part of this offense. How many rookie TEs have a TE screen called in the redzone in their first game? I like Shockey's chances here and we've got him pushed up to # 3 among TEs this week primarily because we think the WRs will have a tougher time beating coverage than they did against the 49ers and the Giants will look to the TE more.

Philadelphia Passing Game vs Washington Defense (Tough Matchup)

Washington finished 2001 ranked 3rd in passing yards allowed, 3rd in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 5th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 2nd in tight end fantasy points allowed. The Redskins have begun the 2002 season is good fashion as Arizona only accumulated 187 yards and a single score through the air.

Cornerbacks Champ Bailey and Fred Smoot make an excellent tandem. Smoot doesn't play as well as he talks yet (but he's a world class talker) but Bailey is outstanding. They should be able to severely limit the Eagle WRs of James Thrash, Todd Pinkston and Antonio Freeman. Thrash was targeted 9 times last week, Pinkston 7 times and Freeman 4. It's hard to put a finger on it but doesn't it seem like QB Donovan McNabb is a lot better than the receivers he throws to? It does to me. I realize somebody has to catch those passes but none of those WRs have defenses trembling. Certainly not the Redskins.

TE Chad Lewis tied Shannon Sharpe last week for the most targets to a TE and he could be the difference this week. Washington's LBs are excellent, but with Bailey and Smoot covering the WRs, Lewis might be the Eagles' best option. Jake Plummer last week targeted TE Freddie Jones 5 times against the Redskins. Lewis could be the key this week.

Baltimore Passing Game vs Tampa Bay Defense (Tough Matchup)

The Tampa Bay pass defense came out of the 2001 season ranked 6th in passing yards allowed, 6th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 13th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 4th in tight end fantasy points allowed. The Buccaneers pass defense looked very average last week as Aaron Brooks passed for 260 yards and 2 scores.

QB Chris Redman looked ok last week against Carolina. He'll find the sledding a lot rougher this week against an angry 0-1 Buccaneer defense. Tampa has the pressure to seriously rattle the young QB and this will be a baptism by fire for him. It could get ugly. Corners Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly are very solid. Barber is not a shut down type guy but he's extremely sound fundamentally. Safety John Lynch is one of the best in the game and Dexter Jackson is improving.

WRs Brandon Stokely and Travis Taylor will be held down against this secondary. The best bet for receiving could well be TE Todd Heap. He was targeted 5 times and caught each ball thrown to him last week. With the pressure Redman is likely to be under, Heap could see plenty of action as the safety valve.

Bad Matchups � Defenses will cause major problems for the offense in these games

Washington Passing Game vs Philadelphia Defense (Bad Matchup)

Last season the Eagles ranked 4th in passing yards allowed, 1st in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 1st in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 1st in tight end fantasy points allowed. In week one, Philadelphia turned in a disappointing effort as they let the Titans go for 269 yards and a pair of TDs passing.

But that was without Corner back Troy Vincent who looks to be back for this week. The Redskins rolled over Arizona but they'll have a much tougher time against a solid Eagle defense with Vincent back. College football fans know the way to throw Spurrier's system off is by pressuring the QB and no team will be more aggressive with the blitz than Philadelphia. We'll see very early how adept QB Shane Matthews will be under heavy pressure.

At WR, I'd expect to see Rod Gardner be heavily involved again but he won't have the physical advantages over the Eagle corners that he did against Arizona. Derrius Thompson looks to me like the solid # 2 WR for the Redskins over Jacquez Green and he was targeted with 5 passes last week. I don't expect any of these guys to have great days against this defense though.