Week 1 Passing Matchups

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, that just means he's got a tough matchup that week. He's also your starter unless you're loaded at QB. In the same way, if the worst QB on your roster has a "great" matchup that week, it doesn't necessarily mean he's your starter. It means we think he'll fare better than normal that week.

Bottom line is that the cheatsheets are the final say.

Arizona Cardinals Passing Offense vs San Francisco 49ers Passing Defense (Great Matchup)

The Cardinal's passing offense is stacked. They have an All-Pro, Super-Bowl champion starting in Kurt Warner, and a great-looking prospect backing him up in Matt Leinart. Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald are both outstanding talents, giving the team 2 starting receivers with #1 WR skills. The offense looked crisp and powerful vs. Chicago in week 3 of the pre-season (when starters play deeper into the game than other weeks of pre-season), racking up a total of 23/32 for 217 yards, 2 TDs and 0 interceptions in the passing game. This offense is set to take off for the season opener.

The San Francisco defense was dead last in the NFL last year, allowing an average of 391.2 total yards per game, and allowed an average of 276.7 passing yards per game in '05 (32nd in the NFL). During their third pre-season game vs. Dallas, the 49'ers coughed up 21/31 for 311 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception, so there hasn't been much in the way of improvement that we can see.

This is a really great matchup for owners of Cardinals.

Weather: Inside Cardinals Stadium, there will be no weather-related issues.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Cincinnati Bengals Passing Offense at Kansas City Chiefs Passing Defense (Great Matchup)

Carson Palmer made it all look easy in his return to the field vs. Green Bay, tossing 9/14 for 140 yards, 3 TDs and 0 interceptions during a week 3 exhibition game. He'll wear a brace to protect his healing knee, but there's no question that his arm is ready for the regular season. T.J. Houshmandzadeh showed off his chemistry with Palmer in the Green Bay game, snagging 5/96/1, and he's an outstanding complement to Chad Johnson - this passing attack could blow away the field this season. They are among the NFL's elite, and will cause nightmares for opposing defensive coordinators.

Kansas City's pass defense was horrid last season, averaging 229.9 passing yards allowed per game (30th in the NFL) and giving up 25 passing scores (29th in the NFL). We'll see if Patrick Surtain, Ty Law and Greg Wesley can turn it around this year, but don't hold your breath - St. Louis tossed 18/31 for 213 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception against the Chiefs during week 3 of pre-season.

This is a great matchup for the Bengals.

Weather: The forecast for Arrowhead Stadium calls for a high of 79F and a low of 63F, with a 30% chance for rain. If the sky opens up during the contest, footing and ball handling could become issues, depending on how hard the rain falls.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Denver Broncos Passing Offense at St. Louis Rams Passing Defense (Great Matchup)

Jake Plummer can feel Jay Cutler breathing down his neck, but for this season at least Plummer remains atop the depth chart. He's got fantastic targets in Rod Smith and Javon Walker at WR, and rookie TE Tony Scheffler is providing an injection of talent at his position. Walker appears to be recovered from the ACL injury that wrecked his 2005 season, and is looking forward to playing for a spot in the Super Bowl come January "Obviously, we have a chance to be a Super Bowl team.", he said recently. Plummer should be able to break back into the top 10 at his position again this year after finishing as the 11th best fantasy QB last year (277/456 for 3366 yards, 18 TDs and 7 interceptions through the air).

St. Louis is in the midst of overhauling their defense, as they finished 30th in the NFL last season with 350.1 total yards allowed per game on average. They were 23rd vs. the pass with 214 yards surrendered per outing and 26 passing scores surrendered (30th in the NFL). Rookie CB Tye Hill and free agent import SS Corey Chavous will try and put the team on a better footing in this department.

Indoors, on turf, against a reconstituted defensive unit, we think the Broncos have a great opportunity to get off to a strong start this season.

Weather: Inside the Edward Jones Dome, weather won't be an issue for either team.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Kansas City Chiefs Passing Offense vs Cincinnati Bengals Passing Defense (Great Matchup)

Trent Green is an outstanding fantasy QB, who simply delivers fantasy points year in and year out. He ranked 8th, 4th, 3rd, and 8th in fantasy points at his position over the past 4 years. Eddie Kennison returns at WR, Samie Parker is emerging as a bona-fide #2, and Tony Gonzalez is all-world (Larry Johnson snagged 33/343/1 receiving last year, too) - Green should be able to maintain a solid level of production with that array of weapons, starting this week against the Bengals. He posted 8/12 for 100 yards, 0 TDs and 0 interceptions during the third pre-season tune-up game (he only played for two series, resulting in a Johnson TD rush and a field goal), and looks ready to rock come regular season.

The Bengals' 2005 defense ranked 28th in total yards allowed, surrendering an average of 338.7 yards per game, and were 26th against the pass, with an average of 223.1 passing yards handed over per game. They did have 31 interceptions last year (to lead the NFL), though, and have continued to generate big plays on defense during 2006 pre-season, so there were some positives to their squad last year. Sacking was not one of these positives, though, as the Bengals ranked 28th in the league with only 28 sacks over 16 games (1st place Seattle had 50, by way of contrast). The Chiefs were in the middle of the NFL pack last year, with 32 sacks allowed (tie 16th). Brett Favre managed 12/25 for 162 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception against the Bengals during the 3rd pre-season game.

At home to kick off the season, Green and company have a great matchup in the Bengals.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

New England Patriots Passing Offense vs Buffalo Bills Passing Defense (Great Matchup)

The Deion Branch sideshow is stretching on and on, with no resolution to report as of the eve of the regular season. One thing is clear: there are a lot of hard feelings on both sides, and the Patriots have decided to dig in and be very stubborn. They even traded for a receiver, Doug Gabriel, late in pre-season to fill the void that Branch leaves if he's out for week 1 (and beyond).

Aside from the contractual showdown with Branch, Tom Brady just keeps being Tom Brady. He spreads the ball around to the available targets, and keeps the offense humming (he tossed 334/530 for 4110 yards, 26 TDs and 14 interceptions last season without a single 1000+ yards receiver - Branch had 998). The team brought in Reche Caldwell to replace the departed David Givens, and he figures to be one of the WR starters week 1. TE Ben Watson and Daniel Graham figure to play a lot in 2 TE sets this year, as well. During the week 3 pre-season lambasting of Washington (41-0) Brady tossed 17/30 for 231 yards, 1 TD and 0 interceptions before taking a seat on the bench. He's in mid-season form to open things up.

The Bills defense was awful in 2005, and is in a big rebuilding mode. They were 29th in total yards allowed per game (343.5) and 19th vs. the pass (205.7 allowed per game), although they did rank 13th in the league with 38 sacks. They don't figure to be a top- or second-tier defense this season, though, as the new coaching staff works to remake the unit. Buffalo 19/29 for 193 yards, 2 TDs and 0 interceptions to the Browns in the third exhibition game of the season - there is still a lot of room for improvement.

This is a great matchup for Brady and whoever else steps on the field with him on Sunday.

Weather: Fans at Gillette Stadium can expect a high of 74F with a low of 56F on Sunday, and a 20% chance for rain. That sounds like great weather for watching and playing in a football game.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Philadelphia Eagles Passing Offense at Houston Texans Passing Defense (Great Matchup)

Donovan McNabb has put his sports hernia injury and the conflict with Terrell Owens in the rear-view mirror. He has a reloaded WR stable thanks to a trade with New Orleans (yielding potential #1 WR Donte Stallworth) and new rookies Hank Baskett and Jason Avant. Reggie Brown and Stallworth figure to start - McNabb also has steady TE L.J. Smith to target, and RB Brian Westbrook caught 61 balls in 12 games last season (61/616/4) - there's plenty of targets for McNabb to work with. McNabb was 23/31 for 283 yards and a TD with no interceptions this pre-season (a 74% completion rate). He looks like a man on a mission now that T.O. is Drew Bledsoe's team-mate.

The Texans were dreadful in pass defense categories last year, giving up an average of 220.1 passing yards per game (24th in the NFL) with 24 passing scores surrendered (27th in the league). We'll see if the new coaching staff can motivate the secondary to play better during 2006 - they did hold the Broncos to 15/31 for 165 yards during week 3 of the pre-season (10/22 for 96 yards, 0 TDs and 0 interceptions for Jake Plummer) - there are signs of improvement early in the season.

McNabb is on fire coming into this matchup, and the Texans don't have very many top talents on their roster - this is a great matchup for the Eagles to exploit.

Weather: The forecast for Reliant Stadium calls for a high of 88F and a low of 73F, with a 40% chance of rain. If a downpour looks imminent before the game, the retractable roof can be closed, so weather shouldn't be a huge issue in this one.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Carolina Panthers Passing Offense vs Atlanta Falcons Passing Defense (Good Matchup)

Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith are one of the premier pass-and-catch combinations in the NFL (262/435 for 3421 yards, 24 TDs and 16 interceptions last season for Delhomme; 103/1563/12 for Smith last season). Smith's monster season was compiled without a credible threat lining up across the field - and this year the team added Keyshawn Johnson to be the #2. Also, last year's #2, Keary Colbert, has recovered from some nagging foot/ankle issues that dogged him during 2005, and he has played well during pre-season, including a 2/45/0 game vs. Jacksonville and generally outstanding play throughout training camp. The Panthers' receiving stable looks pretty impressive entering the season, as long as Smith can shake off the rust caused by little pre-season action (he had surgery to correct an ingrown toe-nail). In an interesting move, the team has kept only 2 QB's on the active squad, making Kris Mangum, a TE, the emergency 3rd QB in a game situation. "I think Mangy could probably get up under center," Fox said of his emergency plan. "I'm not sure what our two-minute drill would look like." For the record, Mangum has not played QB, even as far back as high school.

The Falcons' pass D was 14th in the NFL last season, yielding an average of 196.1 passing yards per game to opponents. They added Lawyer Milloy and Chris Crocker at safety entering 2006, hoping to improve a mediocre unit. During the week 3 pre-season game, the Falcons surrendered 21/33 for 239 yards to the Titans, but allowed 0 TDs and generated an interception. They look like they are at about the same place going into the opener as they were last year from where we sit.

In Charlotte, we think the Panthers' squad has the edge over Atlanta's reconstituted secondary.

Weather: The forecast for Bank of America Stadium calls for a high of 86F with a low of 66F and a 20% chance for precipitation. It should be a great day to open up the season in Charlotte.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Chicago Bears Passing Offense at Green Bay Packers Passing Defense (Good Matchup)

Rex Grossman is the starter, insists head coach Lovie Smith. We'll see how long his stay atop the depth charts is, given that Brian Griese has consistently been the best QB during pre-season. Grossman has been up and down and hasn't developed a strong chemistry with any of the Bears' motley crew of receivers. Muhshin Muhammad is the clear #1, but beyond that is a cast of question-marks. Rashied Davis, Bernard Berrian, Mark Bradley - any one of them could be the #2, but Berrian and Bradley have been dinged up during pre-season and haven't really shown us much. Veteran Desmond Clark provides a reliable presence at TE. Vs. Arizona, Grossman was 13/21 for 117 yards, 0 TDs and 1 interception, while Griese was 10/14 for 131, a TD and no interceptions that game (week 3 of the pre-season). Grossman was booed; Griese was cheered lustily...

Green Bay's defensive statistics from last year are anomalous, as they were the top-ranked pass D in terms of yards allowed per game (167.5), but 23rd in the number of passing TDs surrendered (22). They were 23rd in rush defense, giving up an average of 125.6 yards per game on the ground, but 8th in defending against rushing scores (10 allowed). Basically, once teams got into the red-zone, they passed to score. Part of the strangeness is due to a lot of short fields being awarded to the opposition (Favre threw a horrible 29 interceptions, and the rushing offense was literally down to the last man standing by the end of the season, with Ahman Green, Najeh Davenport and then finally Samkon Gado all sidelined by injury). CB Charles Woodson arrives from Oakland - he got a big contract, but got torched bigtime vs. the Bengals in week 3 of pre-season, by WR's T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Tab Perry. It remains to be seen if Woodson can help staunch the TD bleeding in the red-zone.

This looks like a good matchup for even the pedestrian Bears, although it is a divisional game at Lambeau Field. If it were played in Chicago, this would be a great matchup.

Weather: The forecast for Lambeau Field calls for a high of 66F and a low of 53F, with a 30% chance for rain. If the rain comes down hard at game time, footing and ball handling could be bigger issues than usual.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Indianapolis Colts Passing Offense at New York Giants Passing Defense (Good Matchup)

Peyton Manning has looked like he's in mid-season form in his cameos during pre-season, tossing 14/25 for 165 yards, 1 TD and 0 interceptions in the first team's tune-up game vs. the Saints during week 3 of pre-season. Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark have all had their moments to shine, and the team expects Brandon Stokley back at #3 WR for the opener. They are locked and loaded. The running game hasn't been scaring anyone during pre-season, so look for the Colts to lean on Manning's arm more this year than last - he's fine with that role.

The Giants were the 27th ranked pass defense last year, giving up 224 passing yards per game, with 20 passing scores allowed (20th in the NFL). They did generate 41 sacks last year (tied for 9th in the NFL), but it is difficult to bring pressure onto Peyton Manning (the Colts allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL again last year, with only 20 allowed). CB Sam Madison and S Will Demps were brought in to address the problems in the secondary, and they both figure to start in the new-look secondary. They held the Jets' starter Chad Pennington to 11/20 for 125 yards, 0 TDs and 1 interception in the week 3 pre-season game - it appears things are heading in the right direction for this unit.

Manning, Harrison, Wayne, and Clark are enough to give any defense fits - the Giants have to prove they have improved on the field, but the Colts won't be an easy first hurdle to clear. Advantage, Indianapolis.

Weather: The forecast for Giants' Stadium calls for a high of 82F with a low of 60F and a 20% chance of precipitation. It sounds like great football weather is on tap for Sunday.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Minnesota Vikings Passing Offense at Washington Redskins Passing Defense (Good Matchup)

Brad Johnson has played very well during pre-season, despite the loss of his presumed #1 WR Koren Robinson (cut by the team after a DUI arrest while on probation for a similar offense in Washington). Troy Williamson and Travis Taylor are the starters at WR now, and Jermaine Wiggins is a very skilled pass-catching tight end. Johnson finished the preseason with a 75.6 completion %, 34/45 for 333 yards, two TD's and no interceptions. Williamson was productive in the week 3 pre-season game, grabbing 3/43/0, and led the team in receiving during a brief week 4 appearance (1/40/0).

The Redskins' pass defense ranked 10th last season allowing an average of 192.6 passing yards per game, and were 5th in the league with only 15 passing scores allowed. Their pass rush lagged at 20th (35 sacks), but veteran DE Andre Carter was brought in to help in that department. However, during the week 3 exhibition game, Tom Brady shredded their secondary tossing 17/30 for 231 yards, 1 TD and 0 interceptions in a partial game. Not too good, folks - the Redskins have some work to do before Monday.

The Vikings' QB is in a groove coming into the regular season, while the Redskins are reeling - Advantage, Vikings.

Weather: The forecast for FedExField calls for a high of 78F and a low of 59F with a 60% chance of rain. If the precipitation falls thickly around game time, footing and ball handling will be more of an issue than usual.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

New York Jets Passing Offense at Tennessee Titans Passing Defense (Good Matchup)

Chad Pennington and his repaired shoulder are back atop the depth chart in New York. We'll see how long his arm holds out this year, but Pennington's fantasy owners should definitely have a plan B for his slot should trouble arise. Justin McCareins had a rough training camp with the new head coach, and is a shaky #2 on the depth chart, being pushed by Jerricho Cotchery, and #1 WR Laveranues Coles has been the subject of trade speculation in recent days, which arose after Coles called new head coach Eric Mangini's training camp "brutal" and stated "Mentally and physically, I'm just a little tired right now. It is what it is. You deal with it, day-in, day-out." Clearly, the teams' personnel are struggling to adjust to the new program coming into regular season.

The Titans were middle-of-the-road defending the pass last year in yards allowed, averaging 201 passing yards per contest. However, they were down-right lousy in the red-zone, giving up a league worst 33 passing scores to their competitors. Veteran CB Samari Rolle left in free agency, leaving a corps of youngsters in the secondary headlined by the troubled Pacman Jones. It's a rebuilding unit.

The Jets have an opportunity to make good things happen against this group, if they can pull together as an offense...

Weather: The weather service predicts a high of 81F with a low of 68F and a 20% chance for rain at LP Field. That sounds like great football weather from where we sit.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Oakland Raiders Passing Offense vs San Diego Chargers Passing Defense (Good Matchup)

Aaron Brooks has come along as the pre-season has passed by, and now looks pretty comfortable running the Raider passing game. He put up 9/15 for 187 yards and 2 TDs with 0 interceptions against the Lions (3/102/2 to Randy Moss) and has found Ron Curry (his new #2 in the wake of the Gabriel trade to New England and Jerry Porter's demotion to #3) once (1/7/0 week 3 of pre-season) - as is usual, Brooks put in a mere cameo week 4, with 2/3 for 17 yards before taking a seat on the bench. The best news for Brooks and Moss owners is that they seem to have a good working relationship heading into regular season.

The Chargers were weak at defending the pass last season, giving up 224.9 yards per game (28th in the NFL) and 20 passing scores (17th in the league). They were tied for 5th with 46 sacks, though, so the D is doing some things right. The team hopes first round draft pick CB Antoine Cromartie can help out/push starters Quentin Jammer and Drayton Florence. The team surrendered only 14/31 for 122 yards, 0 TDs and 1 interception to the Seahawks during the third pre-season game (and held starter Matt Hasselbeck to 9/17 for 61 yards, 0 TDs and 1 interception) which is a hopeful sign.

This should be a good matchup for Brooks and company.

Weather: The forecast for McAfee Coliseum calls for a high of 71F with a low of 57F and a 0% chance for precipitation. It should be a nice, cool night to play a game of football.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Seattle Seahawks Passing Offense at Detroit Lions Passing Defense (Good Matchup)

Matt Hasselbeck has been doing without Darrell Jackson this pre-season, and he's also lost starting TE Jerramy Stevens (out for a few more weeks due to a knee injury) and #2 TE Itula Mili to injury, so he hasn't exactly been playing with a full slate of targets to date. The good news is that coach Holmgren expects Jackson to play at least part of the season opener vs. Detroit, and for Mili to start. Stevens is the only member of the offense who won't be able to go. Hasselbeck tossed 294/449 for 3455 yards, 24 TDs and 9 interceptions last year, to rank 5th among fantasy signal callers, and he's been in the top 5 fantasy points producers at his position 2 out of the last 3 years. These guys can get it done. Newcomer Nate Burleson will serve as the #2 WR, with Bobby Engram in reserve in case Jackson fails to do well in his return to the field. The Seahawks should be good to go week 1.

The Lions were 13th in the NFL last year giving up an average of 194.9 passing yards per game, with 19 passing scores surrendered (15th in the NFL) - they were a middle-of-the-road group last year. New head coach Rod Marinelli has been installing his cover-2 schemes on defense this year - against Oakland during the 3rd pre-season game, Raider starter Aaron Brooks hit 9/15 for 187 yards, 2 TDs and 0 interceptions before he grabbed some bench. The Lions are still working to perfect their approach as we head into regular season.

Hasselbeck and company are pretty formidable, while the Lions are merely adequate. Advantage, Seattle.

Weather: Inside Ford Field, there will be no weather-related issues.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

St. Louis Rams Passing Offense vs Denver Broncos Passing Defense (Good Matchup)

Marc Bulger will once again team up with Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce to power the Rams' passing attack. However, Holt injured his chest (sternum) near the end of pre-season and Bruce has been nursing a nagging hamstring, so neither one has enjoyed a lot of practice repetitions with Bulger in recent days. Neither guy played in week 3 or week 4 of the pre-season, so there may be a little rust that needs to be knocked off on Sunday. However, all 3 of the players are veterans and should be able to crank it up once the regular season starts. One other concern cropped up during pre-season - the first team offense failed to score a TD. Normally that wouldn't be a huge concern as exhibition game plans are simpler than regular season schemes, but in this case the Rams have been working on installing a new offense, so the lack of success in the red-zone is something to consider looking forward to your week 1 roster decisions.

Denver was horrid vs. opposing passers last year, surrendering 227.7 passing yards per game (29th in the NFL) and 20 passing scores (20th in the NFL). They also tied for 28th in the league with a mere 28 sacks - not too good, folks. They faced a lot of passes last year due to playing from in front most weeks, but the secondary could not be characterized as a shut-down type of defensive unit. They have made no changes to the starting personnel this season, either.

The Rams have home-field advantage, and a mediocre defense to sharpen their new schemes against. There have been issues for St. Louis to date, though - we call this one a good matchup.

Weather: Inside the Edward Jones Dome, weather won't be an issue for either team.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Washington Redskins Passing Offense vs Minnesota Vikings Passing Defense (Good Matchup)

Mark Brunell is that starter for week 1, backed up by Todd Collins. Santana Moss, coming off his sky-high 2005 season (84/1483/9) will start across from free-agent import Brandon Lloyd, with Antwaan Randle El coming in on 3-wide sets (which we expect to see fairly often). Chris Cooley and Mike Sellers are also quality targets - Brunell has no shortage of weapons this season. In the week 3 preseason game vs. New England, Brunell eked out 7/16 for 51 yards, 0 TDs and 0 interceptions - not exactly a momentum-builder heading into regular season.

The Vikings are switching to a cover-2 defense this year to better utilize their impressive secondary talent (CB Fred Smoot ran back a 70 yard interception for a TD against the Ravens in week 3 of the pre-season). With top-shelf guys like CB Antoine Winfield and S's Darren Sharper and Dwight Smith, an aggressive, attacking scheme makes sense. Last year they gave up an average of 208.3 passing yards per game (22nd in the NFL) and 23 TDs (24th in the NFL) - there is room for improvement here. It'll be interesting to watch the first team defense executing against the Redskins on Monday Night Football.

The Redskins have talent on their offense, and the home-field edge - we give them the edge in this contest, but it's not a huge one.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Buffalo Bills Passing Offense at New England Patriots Passing Defense (Neutral Matchup)

J.P. Losman is the Bill's starter, and they have their fingers crossed that he'll progress this year, rather than pull a repeat of 2005. Lee Evans, Josh Reed and again-Bill Peerless Price represent some quality targets for the young signal caller - he threw for 15/22 for 184 yards, 1 TD (a 54 yarder to Price)and 1 interception during the third pre-season game vs. Cleveland. Evans pulled down 5/70/0 in that game, providing a steady-and-sure target for Losman to rely on. If the Bills can get their running game cranked up like they envision, Losman will be hopefully find more time to deliver the ball during 2006.

The New England secondary is not among the feared units in the NFL, ranking 31st in passing yards allowed last year (3703, an average of 231.4 per game), and they were 28th with 25 passing scores coughed up during 2005. The team hopes that having a healthy Rodney Harrison in at SS helps solidify a shaky unit - we'll see what he can do to help out. The Redskins were held to 16/33 for 138 yards, 0 TDs and 0 interceptions during the 3rd pre-season game, so it appears the Patriots are at least heading in the right direction as they get ready to open the season at home.

Losman has a good opportunity here to start off the season right - we think this matchup looks pretty even.

Weather: Fans at Gillette Stadium can expect a high of 74F with a low of 56F on Sunday, and a 20% chance for rain. That sounds like great weather for watching and playing in a football game.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Cleveland Browns Passing Offense vs New Orleans Saints Passing Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Charlie Frye continues to be a work-in-progress, tossing 12/16 for 76 yards, 1 TD and 0 interceptions vs. the Saints during the 3rd pre-season game. Vs. the Lions, he tossed 8-of-11 for 41 yards with a TD and an interception. Obviously, Frye hasn't been "airing it out" much during the pre-season. We'll see what he can do with Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow II and Joe Jurevicius in the lineup for a whole game, rather than just small chunks of a game, this week. Frye played in only the final 7 games last year so he's still learning how to play at this level.

New Orleans was 3rd in the NFL last year allowing an average of 178.1 passing yards per game, but ranked 18th in TDs allowed in this phase with 20 given up. Teams simply didn't need to throw against the Saints as the rushing defense and offense were so anemic that passing became an afterthought. New Orleans faced the fewest pass attempts (418) and completions (242) in the league last season, but swallowed 503 rushing attempts at a clip of 4.26 rushing yards allowed per attempt (26th worst in yards allowed per rush last year). Peyton Manning, Shaun King and the Colts had no trouble shredding their secondary during the week 3 pre-season "tune-up" for regular season, compiling 23/41 for 306 yards, 2 TDs and 1 interception.

Frye is not the strongest QB in the league, but the Saints aren't exactly dominant on defense, either. This one looks pretty even to us.

Weather: Cleveland Browns Stadium expects a high of 72F with a low of 61F and a 30% chance for rain on Sunday. Depending on the timing and volume of any precipitation, footing and ball handling could be larger-than-usual issues for players in this game.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Dallas Cowboys Passing Offense at Jacksonville Jaguars Passing Defense (Neutral Matchup)

The latest word from Drew Bledsoe about his apparent concussion to close pre-season was text-messaged to the Mac Engel of the Star-Telegram on 9/1/06. Bledsoe stated "Feeling OK. Sore neck. Nothing serious. Ready to go." Heading into the first week of the season, it also appears that Terrell Owens will be in the lineup at Jacksonville - he's practiced consistently this week and claims that his hamstring is holding up fine to the increased work. Bledsoe threw 300/499 for 3639 yards, 23 TDs and 17 interceptions last year without Owens, so it'll be fun to see how his production fares with Terry Glenn (who has looked outstanding all pre-season while Owens nursed his sore hamstring), Owens and Jason Witten in the pass patterns. One thing is for sure, Bledsoe is not lacking quality targets. If Bledsoe gets knocked out of the picture again, Tony Romo has played well during pre-season and looks like a solid option for Parcells and company.

Jacksonville was 6th in the NFL in total yards allowed per game last year, averaging 290.9 total yards in each contest. They were 7th vs. the pass, averaging 184.1 passing yards given up each week, but were 22nd in passing scores allowed (22). Part of the reason for this mixed statistical picture is because the rush defense was so dominant at the goal-line (only 4 rushing TDs surrendered) that teams opted to test the pass defense when in range of the goal-line. In any case, this team is one of the premier overall defenses in the NFL entering 2006.

How good is the chemistry between Bledsoe, Owens, Glenn and Witten now that all the principals have been practicing together? The answer to that question will start to become apparent in Jacksonville this week. We think this looks like a fairly even matchup, on balance.

Weather: The forecast for Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville calls for a high of 89F and a low of 72F with a 30% chance for rain. If the sky opens up during the game, footing and ball handling could become issues for the players in this contest.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

New Orleans Saints Passing Offense at Cleveland Browns Passing Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Drew Brees had a rough time with the Colts week 3 of the pre-season, tossing 19/29 for 189 yards, 0 TDs and 2 interceptions during his appearance. The team's WR stable is in turmoil, with Donte Stallworth being shipped off to Philadelphia. A rookie WR, Marques Colston, may be in the starting lineup on Sunday according to reports (either he or 3rd-year man Devery Henderson), leaving veterans Joe Horn and TE Ernie Conwell as the only experienced targets for Brees in the secondary. Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister will snag some flares from the back-field, but the cupboard looks a little bare at WR. We'll see how Brees' chemistry with his starters has progressed on Sunday when they play a full game together for the first time.

The Browns were 4th vs. the pass last season, holding teams to 179.2 passing yards per game, on average. They were 16th vs. opposing passers in the red zone, allowing 19 pass TDs over 16 games. They were dead last in sacks, though, generating only 23 - but the DL and LB corps has been remade and the team hopes to up that total dramatically. We'll see if they have generated team chemistry on Sunday. They gave up 23/36 for 310 yards, 1 TD and 2 interceptions to the Bills during week 3 of the pre-season, so the direction of the team in this phase is somewhat unclear entering regular season.

Brees and the Saints are in the process of remaking the New Orleans offense, while the Browns are undergoing a similar process on their side of the ball. It looks like this is a fairly even matchup from where we sit.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

New York Giants Passing Offense vs Indianapolis Colts Passing Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Eli Manning had a phenomenal season last year, tossing 294/557 for 3762 yards, 24 TDs and 17 interceptions in his second shot at the league, and his core group of receivers Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Jeremy Shockey (along with RB Tiki Barber) all return again this year. The Giants have knocked off the off-season rust during limited playing time in the pre-season, and now they are ready to rock. Manning commented in the last week of August "We've added some new plays, but haven't changed that much. So the more you run certain plays and see different coverages - you really grow within your offense." He'll get to test his ceiling in the first game of the season, vs. his family-rival Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts were 15th in the NFL vs. the pass last year, allowing an average of 196.9 passing yards per game to the opposition, and ranked 7th in the NFL with 17 passing scores allowed. They were tied for 5th in the NFL with 46 sacks, too - these guys come at opposing passers in a lot of ways. During the pre-season game week 3, they intercepted the Saint's passers 3 times vs. allowing 1 TD (25/38 for 264) - this group looks ready to play some football coming into the regular season.

The Giants have home-field advantage, but the Colts defense is no push-over - this looks like a pretty even matchup for the home team.

Weather: The forecast for Giants' Stadium calls for a high of 82F with a low of 60F and a 20% chance of precipitation. It sounds like great football weather is on tap for Sunday.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Pittsburgh Steelers Passing Offense vs Miami Dolphins Passing Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Ben Roethlisberger is out for week 1 due to an emergency appendectomy. Charlie Batch has been on the Steelers for several years, only took a handful of snaps last year, notably going 13/19 for 150 yards, 0 TDs and 0 interceptions vs. Cleveland in week 10, with 3/16/1 rushing. He was 23/36 for 246 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception during 2005. Expect to see him in a similar, low-intensity role in this game as Pittsburgh leans on the rushing game and defense to grind out wins routinely. Hines Ward has been hobbled by a bad hamstring for some time, and it remains to be seen if he'll go - keep an eye on the official NFL injury reports and breaking news updates if you are a Ward owner. Cedrick Wilson will be the other starting WR, and could have a lot of balls come his way if Ward is hobbled on Thursday.

The Dolphins sported the 20th ranked pass defense last year in terms of yards allowed per game (206.7), and were 25th in passing scores allowed with 23 surrendered. It remains to be seen if CB Will Allen (formerly a Giants' starter) can step in and help clamp down on opposing receivers. Jake Delhomme couldn't do a thing against the Dolphins in the week 3 exhibition game, going 6/15 for 58 yards, 0 TDs and 0 interceptions - that appears like a step in the right direction for Miami.

The injury riddled Steelers are going to have a tough time mustering much of a passing game, but the Dolphins have yet to prove they are an improving unit in a game that counts. This one looks about even from where we sit.

Weather: The forecast for Hienz Field calls for a high of 75F with a low of 60F, and a 20% chance of rain. It should be a great night to play some football.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

San Diego Chargers Passing Offense at Oakland Raiders Passing Defense (Neutral Matchup)

How's Philip Rivers doing with his bruised shoulder? He reports that it is sore, but improving and he should have no problem playing on the 11th. He tossed 6/11 for 89 yards, 0 TDs and 0 interceptions in the week 3 exhibition game, and seems to be on track for his debut as the starting QB in San Diego. We'll see how his chemistry with Antonio Gates, Keenan McCardell and Eric Parker has progressed (Parker has missed a lot of reps with a sprained thumb ligament during training camp). Rivers has the targets to work with - the question is, can he deliver the ball to them?

The Raiders were 18th in the NFL vs. the pass last year, allowing an average of 202.7 passing yards per game, and they gave up 18 passing scores during the year (9th in the NFL). They were decent, but not outstanding. This young and rebuilding squad saw CB Charles Woodson depart for the Packers after an injury-shortened campaign in 2005 - he was more of a distraction than anything else last year, though.

Rivers has to deal with the crazed Oakland crowd and his own lack of game-time experience makes this an even matchup from where we sit.

Weather: The forecast for McAfee Coliseum calls for a high of 71F with a low of 57F and a 0% chance for precipitation. It should be a nice, cool night to play a game of football.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Atlanta Falcons Passing Offense at Carolina Panthers Passing Defense (Tough Matchup)

Michael Vick has a new weapon in Ashley Lelie, and his favorite target, Alge Crumpler, appears recovered from off-season surgeries on his knee and shoulder surgeries. Starting wide-outs Roddy White and Michael Jenkins worked extensively with Vick during the off- and pre-season while Crumpler healed - the team hopes that the reps have improved the rapport between Vick and his young cadre of receivers. We're about to find out how far the passing offense has progressed. Vick tossed 7/14 for 48 yards, 1 TD and 0 interceptions vs. the Titans in week 3 of pre-season, and comes into the game after a 2005 campaign throwing for 214/387 for 2412 yards, 15 TDs and 13 interceptions. Vick's completion percentage regressed last year to 55.3%, down from 56.4% during the 2004 season.

Carolina won't make it easy on Vick. They were 7th in the NFL last year with 45 sacks, (the Falcons were in the middle of the NFL pack allowing 39 sacks last season), and ranked 9th in the league in terms of passing yards allowed per game (191.1 per contest, 3rd in total yards allowed at 282.6 per game). Their defensive front has been stalwart throughout pre-season, putting pressure on opposing QBs to make things happen through the air. During the third pre-season game, Miami managed 29/44 for 264 yards, 1 TD and 0 interceptions.

This opener is a tough matchup for Vick and his receivers - they'll be in a hostile stadium, and the division rivalry is intense.

Weather: The forecast for Bank of America Stadium calls for a high of 86F with a low of 66F and a 20% chance for precipitation. It should be a great day to open up the season in Charlotte.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Detroit Lions Passing Offense vs Seattle Seahawks Passing Defense (Tough Matchup)

Jon Kitna is in, Charles Rogers is gone. Roy Williams and Marcus Pollard figure to be his main targets, along with Kevin Jones, as the #2 WR in Detroit right now is Corey Bradford. Mike Williams is buried on the depth chart. Said Kitna recently (in mid-August) "It feels like this offense is breaking chains off of me. He's taking the foot off the brake and putting it on the gas pedal, that's the best way I can explain it. He wants you to cut it loose. Trust your eyes. Trust the offense. I've already made downfield throws I wouldn't have made before. Even when our receiver is neck and neck with the defensive back, his philosophy is, throw that ball and our guy will go get it." Kitna is certainly enthused and confident entering regular season, which is a big plus for the Lions. He's played deep into the pre-season games learning this offense, and should be ready to test his skills against the Seahawks week 1.

Seattle's pass defense was 25th in the NFL last year, allowing an average of 222.4 passing yards per game, with 18 passing scores allowed (10th). However, they were #1 in the NFL with 50 sacks, and spent a lot of time in opponents' backfields (QB pressures, etc). This is a very tough defense, who fight tenaciously in the red-zone.

Kitna and company look like they will have their hands full on Sunday.

Weather: Inside Ford Field, there will be no weather-related issues.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Green Bay Packers Passing Offense vs Chicago Bears Passing Defense (Tough Matchup)

Brett Favre would love to forget last year's debacle of a 4-12 season: he threw for 372/607 for 3881 yards, 20 TDs and 29 interceptions as one after another after another key offensive players fell to injury, starting with #1 WR Javon Walker who held out for an extended period and then promptly blew out his right knee (ACL) in the first game of the season. Walker is in Denver now, and Favre's starting tandem of WRs includes rookie sensation Greg Jennings and steady veteran Donald Driver. Bubba Franks returns to start after rehabbing a neck injury - and Ahman Green returns to the lineup this year too (he's an important pass-catcher out of the back field). Favre has a lot more viable targets entering 2006 than he exited 2005 with - we'll see how he performs starting Sunday vs. division rival Chicago.

The Bears were #2 last season in total yards allowed (281.8), and ranked 5th vs. the pass giving up 179.5 yards per game in this phase. They were incredibly hard to score TDs on last season, giving up a mere 10 passing scores in 16 games (1st in the NFL), and 1st in the league with only 12.6 points allowed per game on average. Even with a bottom-of-the-barrel passing game, the Bears were 11-5. Their secondary is deep and talented, headlined by CB Charles Tillman and SS Mike Brown.

Favre has weapons again this year, but the Bears won't make the season opener easy. This is a tough matchup for the Packers.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Houston Texans Passing Offense vs Philadelphia Eagles Passing Defense (Tough Matchup)

David Carr was sacked 68 times last year, and has been the most-sacked QB in 3 out of the past 4 seasons. Yes, the team added Eric Moulds to give Carr another viable target at WR to go with Andre Johnson. But, if Carr doesn't spend more time vertical than on his back again this year, nothing else will matter. The offensive line has to give him better protection/more time to throw the ball. We'll see if they can accomplish something approaching respectability against the Eagles this week.

The Eagles were 21st vs. opposing passers last year, giving away 207.7 passing yards per contest on average. Not too good - they also coughed up 24 passing scores, which was 26th in the NFL. It was a big drop off for a unit that had 3 members of the secondary in the Pro Bowl during 2004 (Brian Dawkins, Michael Lewis, Lito Sheppard). Those Pro Bowlers return for another season starting in the secondary - will they be the 2004 version, or the 2005 version (only Dawkins went to the Pro Bowl last year)? During week 3 of the pre-season, the Eagles allowed only 9/14 for 52 yards, 0 TDs and 1 interception to starter Ben Roethlisberger - it looks like they are on the right track (the Steelers did end up with 29/44 for 222 yards, 1 TD and 2 interceptions).

Carr can expect the Eagles (11th in sacks last year with 42) to come after him full-bore on Sunday - will his OL hold up or not? This is going to be a stern test of the Texans on opening day.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Jacksonville Jaguars Passing Offense vs Dallas Cowboys Passing Defense (Tough Matchup)

Jacksonville enters 2006 with a very young WR corps composed of Matt Jones, Ernest Wilford and Reggie Williams. Jones and Wilford have earned the starting jobs, and many expect great things from Jones this year - but none of them has ever exceeded 1000 yards receiving in a season yet. We'll see how well they have bonded with Byron Leftwich (appeared in 11 2005 games with 175/302 for 2123 yards, 15 TDs and 5 interceptions through the air)during training camp.

Dallas was 11th vs. the pass last season, allowing an average of 192.7 yards per game with 18 passing scores given up (13th in the NFL). They held the 49ers to 12/19 for 123 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception during the week 3 pre-season tune-up game. S Roy Williams is the anchor of the secondary and we expect the Cowboys to field a solid unit again this season.

Jacksonville's youngsters will have a tough fight on their hands come Sunday.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Miami Dolphins Passing Offense at Pittsburgh Steelers Passing Defense (Tough Matchup)

Daunte Culpepper appears to have made a full recovery from his catastrophic knee injury (ACL, MCL, and PCL's were torn in his right knee). He's had increasing practice and playing time throughout the pre-season and tossed 14/19 for 130 yards, 0 TDs and 0 interceptions against the ultra-tough Panthers in the third exhibition game of the season. He has Chris Chambers (82/1118/11 receiving last year) to headline the receiving corps, and Chambers is thrilled to be playing with a QB the caliber of Culpepper "It's a great opportunity for us all." he stated early in the pre-season. Randy McMichael and Marty Booker round out the starting slate at TE and WR, respectively, and Ronnie Brown is a competent pass catcher out of the backfield (32/232/1 receiving last year) - all the pieces are in place for Culpepper to do well during 2006.

This week, though, the Dolphins face the reigning world champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the season's kickoff game on Thursday night. So intensity is going to be high on both sides of the ball. The Steelers weren't particularly strong vs. opposing passers last season as far as yards allowed per game (ranking 16th while allowing 198 passing yards per game on average), but they were very tough in the red-zone, limiting opposing passers to 15 TDs in 16 games (2nd in the NFL). They also tied for 3rd in the NFL with 47 sacks - Pittsburgh returns almost all of their starters again this year, too.

Culpepper and his crew have a tough, uphill battle before them visiting Heinz Field on Thursday night.

Weather: The forecast for Hienz Field calls for a high of 75F with a low of 60F, and a 20% chance of rain. It should be a great night to play some football.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

San Francisco 49ers Passing Offense at Arizona Cardinals Passing Defense (Tough Matchup)

Alex Smith was awful during 2005. He is praying that the addition of go-to receiver Antonio Bryant will help out in this department, and all reports out of San Francisco indicate that their chemistry is growing with each passing day. However, another new weapon, TE Vernon Davis, has not been able to consistently link up with Smith during the pre-season, so it looks like Eric Johnson will need to contribute while the team works on developing Davis. WR Arnaz Battle is the team's #2 WR - he has struggled to stay healthy in years past. During week 3 of the pre-season, Dallas held Smith to 9/14 for 93 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception, although Smith did hook up for a TD with Davis (1/15/1) and hit Bryant twice (2/24/0). We'll see how far Smith has come in the opener.

The defense that faces off against the 49ers this week is divisional foe Arizona. The 8th ranked defense in total yards last year, averaging 295.6 given up per contest, the Cardinals ranked 12th vs. the pass, giving up 193.6 yards per game. They surrendered 23/35 for 248 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception vs. the Bears during their third pre-season game. One obvious weakness in San Francisco that the Cardinals will look to exploit is their pass-blocking - the 49ers were 5th-worst in the NFL allowing 48 sacks last season.

Smith and company have a lot to prove against the Cardinals, but it won't be easy for them. This looks like a tough matchup for the 49'ers' reconstituted squad.

Weather: Inside Cardinals Stadium, there will be no weather-related issues.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Passing Offense vs Baltimore Ravens Passing Defense (Tough Matchup)

Chris Simms has solidified his grasp on the starting job in Tampa, and is blessed with some very skilled targets to throw to in Joey Galloway, Michael Clayton, and Alex Smith. However, he is having one consistent problem during pre-season that has carried over from last year - a lot of his passes are being swatted down/tipped at the line of scrimmage by defenders. Last year, he had 5.1% of his passes (reported in the St. Petersburg times), which was the most of any NFL player. His offensive linemen need to do a better job of keeping defenders out of the box (Tampa was in the middle of the league last year with 41 sacks allowed). Of course, he went through the pre-season almost entirely without his starting running back, Cadillac Williams, so teams could concentrate more on pass defense when Simms was under center. We'll see if the problems continue as we enter the season opener.

The Ravens sported the 8th ranked pass defense last year in yards allowed (2964 passing yards allowed) and were 11th in passing scores surrendered with 18 handed over. They will have a new starting SS - Dawan Landry, a rookie - this season, and hope that Ed Reed can avoid the injury bug this season. During the week 3 pre-season game, Minnesota managed 15/27 for 228 yards, 1 TD and 0 interceptions, so they were off their 2005 average of 185.3 passing yards allowed per game that day.

Simms has strong prospects this season, but the first hurdle in the form of Baltimore looks like a high one. We think this is a tough matchup for the Buc's offense.

Weather: The weather service expects a high of 89F with a low of 75F and a 20% chance for rain at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday. It should be a great day to tailgate and watch a game.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Tennessee Titans Passing Offense vs New York Jets Passing Defense (Tough Matchup)

What a mess. The team lets long-time starter Steve McNair walk due to a pricey contract, awards the top job to Billy Volek, and then drafts a QB of the future in Vince Young. So far, so good. But then, almost at the end of the pre-season, the Titans bring in Kerry Collins and hopelessly muddling the depth chart at the most important offensive position on the field. The best guess for week 1 is Collins starting, backed up by Young and then Volek dropping to 3rd on the depth chart. David Givens has been hobbled by a bad hamstring almost all of pre-season, so the #2 WR across from Drew Bennett hasn't seen many reps. TE Erron Kinney is also iffy. At least the Titans still have Ben Troupe at TE. This is an passing offense you might want to avoid until the QB situation shakes itself out (if it ever does).

The Jets were fairly proficient vs. the pass during 2005 (partly because their rush defense was so bad teams didn't need to pass very much), allowing an average of 172.2 passing yards per game (2nd in the NFL) and 17 passing TDs (8th in the NFL). The team has a new head coach in former Patriots defensive coordinator Eric Mangini, but their secondary is not stocked with star power now that Ty Law has moved on. We'll see how they fare this year.

The Jets aren't a flashy bunch of defenders, but the confused situation in Tennessee gives them a leg up in this game. Advantage, Jets.

Weather: The weather service predicts a high of 81F with a low of 68F and a 20% chance for rain at LP Field. That sounds like great football weather from where we sit.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

Baltimore Ravens Passing Offense at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Passing Defense (Bad Matchup)

Steve McNair didn't score a ton of points during his appearances as the Raven's starting QB, throwing for just one TD, but he finished the exhibitions having completed 76% of his passes (35/46) while getting acclimated to the new offense. That's some pretty impressive quarterbacking, folks. With Derrick Mason and Todd Heap to throw at, McNair should be able to do good things this season with the Ravens.

However, this week McNair has a tough mountain to climb. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were 1st in total defense last season, allowing a mere 277.8 yards per game, and they were also 6th vs. opposing passers, surrendering only 183.1 passing yards per contest, and 15 passing TDs in 16 games (4th least TDs allowed). Tampa's first defense held the Jags' starters scoreless in the third pre-season game of the year - they are very hard to move the ball on, and very hard to score on.

McNair makes the Ravens' passing attack much more credible, but this matchup is going to make for a stern test, especially as the Ravens are playing in Tampa's house.

Weather: The weather service expects a high of 89F with a low of 75F and a 20% chance for rain at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday. It should be a great day to tailgate and watch a game.

The official NFL injury report will not be available until after our deadline to post the week 1 matchups. Please refer to the week 1 injury report for the latest injury news regarding your players.

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