Nfl Matchups

Buffalo at N.Y. Jets

Line: Jets by 4-1/2.

Last meeting: Bills won 35-10 at Buffalo on Nov. 24, 1996.

Key stats: Bills have beaten Jets four straight.

Worth watching: Can Jets QB Neil O’Donnell keep this up? Are his five TD passes a fluke or a sign of things to come? Bills need big game from RB Thurman Thomas.

Outlook: Has Bill Parcells done one of the fastest rebuilding jobs in history? No, but it seems like it. A once-lifeless team stunned Seattle in the opener and is favored here. With O’Donnell’s passing and Adrian Murrell’s running and receiving, the Jets should be 2-0.

Carolina at Atlanta

Line: Panthers by 3.

Last meeting: Falcons won 20-17 at Atlanta on Nov. 3, 1996.

Key stats: Panthers have won three straight on the road; Falcons have won last two at home.

Worth watching: Ex-Bear Anthony Johnson rushed for 134 yards in Panthers’ opener. New Atlanta QB Chris Chandler had 290-yard game versus Lions.

Outlook: Falcons were competitive in opener, but still look like one of the NFL’s worst teams. Panthers need to bounce back after upset loss to Washington.

Cincinnati at Baltimore

Line: Bengals by 1-1/2.

Last meeting: Bengals won 21-14 at Cincinnati on Dec. 8, 1996.

Key stats: Bengals have won eight of 10 since Bruce Coslet took over as head coach.

Worth watching: Bengals RB Ki-Jana Carter is finally fulfilling his potential, with 76-yard, 2-TD game in opening victory over Cardinals. Can Vinny Testaverde keep throwing three TD passes a game? Ravens need it.

Outlook: Bengals are finding some balance in their offense, with Jeff Blake’s passing, Carl Pickens’ receiving and Carter’s running. Ravens’ outlook? A long year.

Minnesota at Chicago

Line: Vikings by 1-1/2

Last meeting: Bears won 15-13 at Minnesota on Oct. 28, 1996.

Key stats: Vikings have won four of their last five at Soldier Field.

Worth watching: Vikings RB Robert Smith is healthy - for now - as his 169-yard day last week against Buffalo attests. Bears need a big game from QB Erik Kramer as Rick Mirer continues to wait in the wings.

Outlook: The Bears will have to find a way to block DT John Randle, and it won’t be easy with new starters at center (Evan Pilgrim) and left guard (Chris Villarrial). Bears’ best chance is to control the ball.

Green Bay at Philadelphia

Line: Packers by 7-1/2.

Last meeting: Packers won 39-13 at Green Bay on Sept. 9, 1996.

Key stats: Eagles lead NFC with 447 yards of offense in opening loss to Giants.

Worth watching: Eagles RB Ricky Watters, who always wants the ball, better do something with it if the Eagles have any upset hopes. Packers DT Gilbert Brown had one sack in the opener against the Bears.

Outlook: Injuries are beginning to pile up on the Super Bowl champs, most notably with cornerback Craig Newsome, who’s out for the season. But the Packers still have too much for the Eagles, who have uncertainty at quarterback with Ty Detmer and Rodney Peete.

Tennessee at Miami

Line: Dolphins by 6-1/2.

Last meeting: Dolphins won 23-20 at Houston on Nov. 17, 1996.

Key stats: Tennessee QB Steve McNair is 5-2 as a starter.

Worth watching: Are the years catching up with Dan Marino or was his 10-for-26 showing in season opener a fluke? Oilers RB Eddie George is making it clear there will be no sophomore slump (216 rushing yards in opener).

Outlook: Oilers best chance for an upset is a big game from George. But the Dolphins tend to be tough at home early (with victories in seven of their last eight home openers).

New England at Indianapolis

Line: Patriots by 5.

Last meeting: Patriots won 27-13 at New England on Nov. 24, 1996.

Key stats: Patriots have won five of last seven from the Colts.

Worth watching: It’s early, but will Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe push Brett Favre for MVP honors? His four-TD pass game versus San Diego indicates he will. Marshall Faulk had 124 yards from scrimmage last week, and the Colts can only hope that presages a big year.

Outlook: With Bledsoe and Curtis Martin, Patriots have too much offense. Colts need a big game from QB Jim Harbaugh, who benched himself last week and can’t afford to do that again.

N.Y. Giants at Jacksonville

Line: Jaguars by 4-1/2.

Last meeting: First meeting.

Key stats: Jaguars have won six straight regular-season games.

Worth watching: Giants rookie RB Tiki Barber rushed for 88 yards and had a total of 120 from scrimmage in his debut. With QB Rob Johnson questionable, Jaguars need big game from RB Natrone Means.

Outlook: It may all depend on the health of Johnson (questionable), who stepped in for injured Mark Brunell and completed 20 of 24. Jaguars should be tough at home with him; otherwise Giants could pull off the upset.

San Diego at New Orleans

Line: Saints by 1-1/2.

Last meeting: Chargers won 36-22 at New Orleans on Oct. 16, 1994.

Key stats: Mike Ditka 0-1 career versus Chargers.

Worth watching: The Saints carrying Ditka off the field after he gets his first New Orleans victory.

Outlook: Jim Everett, cut by Ditka in the off-season, returns as the Chargers starter because of Stan Humphries’ shoulder injury. The move was a confidence-builder for Ditka’s choice, Heath Shuler. This isn’t a battle of NFL heavyweights, but the Saints have the better quarterback.

San Francisco at St. Louis

Line: Rams by 1-1/2.

Last meeting: 49ers won 28-11 at St. Louis on Oct. 6, 1996.

Key stats: San Francisco has beaten the Rams 13 straight.

Worth watching: Rookie quarterback Jim Druckenmiller, the first-round draft choice, gets rushed into action because of Steve Young’s latest concussion. Can Rams RB Lawrence Phillips have two big games in a row? He rushed for 125 yards in the opener.

Outlook: The San Francisco dynasty may be ending. After 15 years as perennial contenders, the 49ers must cope without Jerry Rice. Does Druckenmiller-to-Terrell Owens inspire much fear? Not yet. Rams tough at home.

Tampa Bay at Detroit

Line: Lions by 4-1/2.

Last meeting: Lions won 27-0 at Tampa Bay on Sept. 29, 1996.

Key stats: Lions have beaten Bucs five straight.

Worth watching: Tampa Bay DT Warren Sapp becoming one of the league’s best. He had 2-1/2 sacks in opening victory versus 49ers. Barry Sanders carried only 15 times for 33 yards in opening victory versus Atlanta.

Outlook: Bucs look like one of the league’s most improved teams, but Lions are harder to figure. Home-field advantage and Sanders make the difference here.

Washington at Pittsburgh

Line: Steelers by 6.

Last meeting: Redskins won 41-14 at Pittsburgh on Nov. 17, 1991.

Key stats: Redskins have beaten Steelers three straight.

Worth watching: Washington RB Terry Allen is off to another good start, rushing for 141 yards in victory at Carolina. New Steelers QB Kordell Stewart had shaky start (13 of 28, 104 yards).

Outlook: Pittsburgh’s 37-7 loss to Dallas last week said as much about the Steelers as the Cowboys: Years of free-agent losses may have finally made them an ordinary team. Redskins showed they can win in tough road environs when they ended Carolina’s 10-game home winning streak last week.

Dallas at Arizona

Line: Cowboys by 9-1/2.

Last meeting: Cowboys won 10-7 at Arizona on Dec. 8, 1996.

Key stats: Dallas has beaten Arizona 13 straight.

Worth watching: Dallas WR Michael Irvin had seven catches, two for TDs, as Cowboys dismantled the Steelers. He faces Pro Bowl cornerback Aeneas Williams.

Outlook: Cowboys’ overwhelming talent showed up against a good Pittsburgh team last week. Cardinals may as well just duck.

Kansas City at Oakland (Monday night)

Line: Raiders by 5.

Last meeting: Raiders won 26-7 at Oakland on Dec. 9, 1996.

Key stats: Chiefs have won seven of the last eight against the Raiders.

Worth watching: QB Jeff George is paying some early free-agent dividends for Oakland. He threw three TD passes in opening loss to Oilers. Chiefs need more out of their new quarterback, Elvis Grbac. In loss to Broncos he was only 14 of 25 for 115 yards, no TDs, one interception.

Outlook: Raiders traditionally tough at home on Monday nights. But more important, Chiefs will have to find a way to block DT Chester McGlockton. A big game from Grbac could make a difference.