Game Capsules

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

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

Cleveland (+8) at Atlanta, Sunday 1 p.m.

Comments: After a couple steps forward for Michael Vick the passer, it was one step back last week. It seems consistency will remain a problem for Vick, and therefore, this Atlanta team. Cleveland, however, has been consistently bad this year, having just two wins on the season. The defense hasn’t been a pushover, despite being ravaged by injuries. The offense, however, has been one of the worst units in the league, ranking close to the bottom of the NFL in nearly every offensive category. Charlie Frye (thumb, questionable) has regressed from last year, having already been responsible for 16 turnovers just halfway through the year. Locking on to receivers for too long is the most glaring problem, even when Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow (knee, questionable) and Joe Jurevicius (back, questionable) form a solid trio of options in the passing game. Winslow has had an especially impressive year, as his 51 receptions lead all NFL tight ends by a rather wide margin. Atlanta’s secondary is not only banged up but also surprisingly susceptible, so expect Cleveland to try to beat them through the air Sunday…Michael Vick is likely to bounce back from last week’s mistake-filled effort with a big game Sunday, taking advantage of a defense yielding 142 rushing yards per game. With Jerious Norwood (knee, questionable) looking unlikely to play, Warrick Dunn could be in for a big afternoon as well, as he’ll be asked to carry most of the load on the ground. Dunn hasn’t eclipsed 70 rushing yards since Week 6, but look for that to change Sunday. One Falcon who has been successful of late is Alge Crumpler (ankle, questionable), who will continue to be a focal point of Atlanta’s offense…Like most members of the Bill Belichick coaching tree, Romeo Crennel takes liberty with the injury report, listing 14 players as questionable, but all key fantasy players are expected to play. Atlanta lists John Abraham (knee, out), Jason Webster (groin, out), DeAngelo Hall (ankle, questionable), Ed Hartwell (knee, questionable), Grady Jackson (knee, questionable) and Ashley Lelie (groin, questionable) on its injury report.

Predictions: Charlie Frye continues to be turnover prone, but also throws for 220 yards and a TD strike to Joe Jurevicius. Both Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards are heavily involved in the offense, with each approaching 80 receiving yards. Reuben Droughns turns in another unimpressive outing, gaining just 50 yards on the ground. Warrick Dunn, on the other hand, runs for more than 100 yards and a score, while Michael Vick adds another 70 yards and a score on the ground as well. Vick also finds Michael Jenkins in the end zone, en route to an easy Atlanta victory. Falcons 24-13.

Green Bay (+5.5) at Minnesota, Sunday 1 p.m.

Comments: Brett Favre had last year’s interception problem seemingly under control until he threw a pair last week. The Packers better hope it was a one-week blunder, because Favre will be asked to carry the Packers’ offense Sunday against a defense that is extremely difficult to run on. Ahman Green (knee, probable) has reeled off three straight 100-yard rushing games, but will struggle to make it a fourth with Pat Williams (knee, questionable) and Kevin Williams (ankle, probable) expected to play. Minnesota has shown weaknesses in its pass defense, however, so Favre and company should at least be able to keep this game close, especially if Greg Jennings (ankle, questionable) is able to suit up…While the Vikings’ defense has excelled, its offense has really held the team back, scoring just 10 points total over the last two games, both resulting in losses. Much of the blame can be directed toward Brad Johnson, who has turned the ball over six times while throwing zero touchdowns in the two losses. The only reason Minnesota isn’t having a major quarterback controversy right now is because the team has no quality alternatives to turn to. After such a heavy workload this season, Chester Taylor (calf, questionable) had to sit out practice this week with general soreness. Still, expect him to be relied upon heavily once again Sunday, resulting in a big day statistically, as the Vikings bounce back from last week’s embarrassing loss to the 49ers…Green Bay’s Charles Woodson (knee) is questionable to play, while Minnesota’s Napoleon Harris (wrist) and Marcus Robinson (back) are also questionable.

Predictions: Brett Favre gets 240 passing yards, while also connecting with Donald Driver and David Martin for touchdowns. Ahman Green is relatively shut down, managing just 60 yards on the ground. Brad Johnson has another lackluster day passing, mustering just 180 yards. He does, however, find Travis Taylor in the end zone. Chester Taylor remains a big part of the offense, combining for 130 yards and a TD run, putting Minnesota on top for good. Vikings 20-17.

San Francisco (+6) at Detroit, Sunday 1 p.m.

Comments: After a solid start to his sophomore season, Alex Smith has looked like he did as a rookie over the past two games. Facing Detroit’s secondary is a good way to get back on track, however. Antonio Bryant has also faded after a promising start to the season, having managed more receiving yards in his first two games than he has combined since. Frank Gore may have been shut down by the Vikings’ run defense last week, but he’s still having one of the more productive years of any NFL running back. Some more touchdowns would be nice, as Gore has been stuck on three since Week 2. Expect that to change Sunday, as San Francisco is able to move the ball effectively on offense…Facing one of the few defenses even worse than their own, the Lions figure to light up the scoreboard this week. Mike Martz’ influence on the offense has been abundant, as it’s made Jon Kitna relevant in fantasy football, and relative unknown Mike Furrey is on pace for more than 80 catches and 1,000 receiving yards. The shift in offensive philosophy has also allowed Kevin Jones to do a Marshall Faulk impression, as the third-year back already has more receiving yards this season than he did in his previous two years combined. Roy Williams has always had the talent, and he’s quickly becoming one of the premiere wideouts in the league. He should shred the shaky 49ers’ secondary Sunday…San Francisco lists Vernon Davis (fibula, doubtful) and Walt Harris (hip, questionable) on the injury report, while Detroit does the same with James Hall (shoulder, out) and Shaun Cody (toe, questionable)… San Francisco is 10-2 in the series since 1984, but both losses have come while playing in Detroit.

Predictions: Alex Smith is able to move the offense, with 230 yards passing and a TD strike to Antonio Bryant. Frank Gore goes off for 130 total yards and scores as well. Jon Kitna answers with a big effort, resulting in 280 yards and touchdown tosses to Roy Williams and Mike Furrey. Williams also adds 140 receiving yards on the day. Kevin Jones gets 140 yards combined, while also reaching paydirt, as Detroit prevails in a shootout. Lions 28-20.

Washington (+7) at Philadelphia, Sunday 1 p.m.

Comments: Coming off a bye week and three consecutive losses, the Eagles haven’t won a game since Week 5. Expect this team to be hungry and prepared. Washington, on the other hand, needs to guard against an emotional letdown after last week’s thrilling last second, game-winning field goal against Dallas. Even Joe Gibbs has admitted it will be difficult to avoid a letdown, but Mark Brunell’s recent play is encouraging. Coming off two games in which Brunell has played well, he now travels to Philadelphia to face an Eagles’ defense that is rested and healthy, with no member in danger of missing the game. As for the Redskins’ offense, Santana Moss (hamstring, probable) returned to practice this week and hopes to play Sunday. If Washington has any hope of winning, Clinton Portis will need to have a big day…Facing a defense that has struggled all year, especially against the pass, expect Philadelphia to move the ball with ease, as the offense is finally at full strength. Donte Stallworth doesn’t even appear on the injury report, while Brian Westbrook (ankle, probable) is practicing without limits and had an extra week of rest to get his knee back to health. Donovan McNabb, who’s still getting 8.3 YPA this year even after Jacksonville shut him down, should have his way with Washington’s defense, as Philadelphia has too much offensive firepower for the Redskins to contain…Washington’s Chris Cooley (shoulder), Jon Jansen (calf) and Carlos Rogers (thumb) are probable to play, as are Philadelphia’s Mike Patterson (hand) and Lito Sheppard (hand)… Philadelphia is 7-0 after its bye week under Andy Reid.

Predictions: Mark Brunell is unable to elude Philadelphia’s pass rush, getting dropped for numerous sacks and never able to get the ball downfield. As a result, Brunell passes for a modest 160 yards but does find Chris Cooley for a TD. Clinton Portis gets 90 yards and a rushing score as well, but its Donovan McNabb who puts up the biggest numbers, throwing for 300 yards and three scores, with Reggie Brown, Donte Stallworth and L.J. Smith being the recipients. Brian Westbrook is active in both the passing and running game, gaining 140 yards combined while also scoring, as Philadelphia wins in a rout. Eagles 31-17.

Dallas (-7) at Arizona, Sunday 4:15 p.m.

Comments: Considering where they rank both offensively and defensively among the NFL, Dallas’ 4-4 record is very disappointing. Arizona has become accustomed to disappointing seasons, with this year being no exception after dropping seven straight games since winning the season opener. Matt Leinart has looked like a typical rookie quarterback after getting off to a hot start and faces a Dallas defense that hasn’t been easy to move the ball on. Still, Arizona has played fairly well at home this year, losing three games by a combined six points to quality opponents (St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago). Getting Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring, probable) back into the lineup certainly helps, even if he’s only slated to play half the snaps in his first game since Week 5. Edgerrin James is leading the league in futility, getting just 2.8 YPC on 185 totes this year…One would assume the offense would be scaled back with a first time starter at the helm, but with Tony Romo’s sudden emergence, that hasn’t been the case. Romo is getting 8.2 YPA, while also providing better mobility. No one on Arizona can stop Terrell Owens, who has formed a tremendous rapport with Romo, even if he’s suffered from a bad case of the drops. Julius Jones has played well, but it’s Marion Barber who’s been the most effective Dallas ball carrier, consistently breaking tackles and never easy to bring down. After losing a heartbreaker last week, the Cowboys get back into the win column…Arizona has no major injury concerns, while Dallas labels Terry Glenn (quad) as probable. However, there’s a very good chance Glenn is unable to play, with Patrick Crayton replacing him…Dallas has lost its last four games played in Arizona.

Predictions: Matt Leinart has an up-and-down game, but he does find Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald for scores. Edgerrin James again is stymied, rushing for only 50 yards. Tony Romo continues to impress, tossing scoring strikes to Terrell Owens and Jason Witten. Owens has a productive game, ending with 120 receiving yards along with the score. Julius Jones gets 110 yards, while Marion Barber adds another 50 and a late TD run, sealing it for the road team. Cowboys 24-20.

St. Louis (+3.5) at Seattle, Sunday 4:15 p.m.

Comments: After an impressive start, the Rams have suddenly lost three games in a row and now travel to face a Seattle team extremely tough at home. Albeit a Seattle team still playing without Shaun Alexander (foot) and Matt Hasselbeck (knee). St. Louis will look to avenge a home loss to the Seahawks in Week 6 and will again rely on the strong play of Marc Bulger, who has been one of the league’s very best quarterbacks this season. Bulger has surpassed 300 passing yards each of the last four weeks, is getting 7.9 YPA and has thrown 13 touchdown passes to just one interception this season; that sole interception, however, was picked off by this very Seattle team. Torry Holt has been quiet for two weeks now, so look for him to be heavily involved Sunday. Steven Jackson caught a remarkable 13 passes last week, continuing a season-long trend of increased activity in the passing game. Jackson has already eclipsed 1,100 total yards this season…As for Seattle, Seneca Wallace has capably filled in for injured starter Matt Hasselbeck, using his legs to escape and make plays out of the pocket. While he’s proven he can throw at least somewhat effectively, there might not be a faster quarterback in the league than Wallace. Wallace targeted Darrell Jackson and Deion Branch an equal number of times last week, and each should have rather productive games Sunday. Maurice Morris finally showed some promise last week and has another easy matchup against the Rams’ soft front seven. In a game that comes down to the very end, home field is the difference…St. Louis lists Pisa Tinoisamoa (hand) as questionable and Leonard Little (knee) as probable, while Seattle names Sean Locklear (ankle, doubtful), Nate Burleson (foot, questionable) and Bobby Engram (illness, questionable) on the injury report.

Predictions: Marc Bulger throws for 300 yards yet again, while also finding Torry Holt for a score. Holt also adds 120 receiving yards. Steven Jackson gets 120 yards combined, with a TD run mixed in. Seneca Wallace counters with a solid effort himself, resulting in 220 passing yards and TD strikes to Darrell Jackson and Deion Branch. Maurice Morris runs for more than 100 yards on the ground for the second week in a row, but this time also adding a touchdown as well. Seattle wins it on a late field goal. Seahawks 24-23.

Chicago (+1.5) at New York Giants, Sunday 8:15 p.m.

Comments: Injuries have somewhat dimmed a battle of arguably the two best teams in the NFC. In a very important showdown, Chicago enters with Bernard Berrian (ribs) out and Brian Urlacher (toe, questionable) banged up, while New York will be missing Michael Strahan (foot), Osi Umenyiora (hip flexor) and Amani Toomer (knee). If that wasn’t enough, Plaxico Burress (back), Sam Madison (hamstring) and Brandon Short (quad) are also questionable to play. Injuries aside, both teams enter with strong defensive units and fighting for home field throughout the playoffs. Getting Plaxico Burress back into the lineup will be huge for New York, as the team was completely different without him last week. Along with criticizing the Chicago secondary, Burress adds a dimension to New York’s offense that will help get Eli Manning out of his recent funk and also help open running lanes for Tiki Barber, who finally scored his first touchdown of the year last week…Rex Grossman has alternated big weeks with awful performances over the last month, and missing Berrian won’t make life any easier Sunday. The Giants missing key cogs on its defensive line, however, most certainly will. Without Berrian as a deep threat, look for little running room for Thomas Jones, as the Giants will employ its safeties closer to the line of scrimmage. Expect a defensive battle, with the Bears ultimately beating the shorthanded home team.

Predictions: Chicago’s defense comes out fired up after last week’s loss, getting constant pressure on Eli Manning. Manning mixes in a couple of turnovers with a scoring strike to Plaxico Burress, while Tiki Barber manages 90 yards on the ground. Brandon Jacobs once again gets the goal line work, punching one in from close. Rex Grossman has an erratic day, leading the Bears into the red zone multiple times, but asking Robbie Gould to do most of the scoring. Muhsin Muhammad is the only Bear to score a touchdown, but in the end it’s enough. Bears 16-14.

Tampa Bay (+9.5) at Carolina, Monday 8:30 p.m.

Comments: Coming off two straight losses and then a bye, Carolina enters with something to prove. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, enters just hoping to avoid a blowout. Just when it seemed its defense was beginning to improve, Tampa Bay was scorched for 31 points last week. The offense may be even worse, ranking near the bottom of the league in both passing and rushing offense. Although Bruce Gradkowski has thrown just one interception in 186 attempts, he’s getting a paltry 4.6 YPA, good for last in the league. It’s been boom or bust for Joey Galloway each week, while mostly just bust for the once promising Michael Clayton. Carnell Williams has had one of the most disappointing seasons in the NFL this year…Jake Delhomme has had an uneven year himself, but Tampa’s secondary has proven to be a real weakness this year. Expect a heavy dose of Steve Smith, who has broken the century mark in receiving yards each of the last three times he’s played the Bucs. Now that DeAngelo Williams is back, expect him to slowly start taking carries away from an ineffective DeShaun Foster, eventually leading to a much bigger role. Foster simply hasn’t proven the ability to break tackles this year, routinely going down on first contact. All signs point to an easy Panthers’ victory here, but Carolina hasn’t been able blowout any opponent this season…Juran Bolden (hip), Michael Pittman (shoulder), Shelton Quarles (knee) and Simeon Rice (shoulder) are questionable for Tampa Bay, while Justin Hartwig (groin) is doubtful and Ken Lucas (groin) is questionable for Carolina…Jake Delhomme is 6-1 in his career against the Buccaneers.

Predictions: Bruce Gradkowski gets picked off for the second time in his career and never finds the end zone. Carnell Williams scores the Bucs’ lone touchdown, as he also takes over third down duty for an ailing Michael Pittman. Jake Delhomme counters with two touchdown tosses, with Keyshawn Johnson and Steve Smith being the recipients. Smith also contributes 130 receiving yards. DeShaun Foster loses some carries to DeAngelo Williams, but he does reach paydirt, continuing the Buccaneers’ misery. Panthers 21-13.