NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-7) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-4)
SERIES LEADER:Tied 7-7
STREAKS:New Orleans has won two of past three games.
PAYTON VS. PITTSBURGH:1-1
TOMLIN VS. NEW ORLEANS:0-1
LAST GAME:10/31/10: Saints 20 vs. Steelers 10: New Orleans QB Drew Brees completed 34 of 44 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns. Saints WR Marques Colston caught 6 passes for 75 yards and one touchdown.
NOTES
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SAINTS: QB DREW BREESpassed for 305 yards, 2 TDs & 101 rating in last meeting. Since joining NO in 2006, leads NFL with 42,224 pass yards & 305 pass TDs. Passed for 420 yards, 3 TDs & 118.5 rating last week. Since Week 8,RB MARK INGRAMleads NFL in rushing (486 yards).WR MARQUES COLSTONhas 16 catches for 244 yards (122 per game) & TD in 2 meetings. Had 4 catches for 82 yards & TD last week.TE JIMMY GRAHAMhas 19 TDs in past 16 vs. AFC. Had 2 TDs in Week 12. Since 2011, leads NFL TEs with 335 catches, 4,177 yards & 45 TDs. Last week,WR JOSEPH**MORGAN had 67-yard run & 62-yard catch, 1st in NFL with 60 yard run & catch in same game since CHRIS JOHNSON in 2009. Averages 37.3 yards per catch in career (12 rec. for 448 yards). WR KENNY STILLS had 8 catches for 98 yards last week. LB JUNIOR GALETTE has 8 sacks in past 10 vs. AFC.DE CAMERON JORDAN has 17.5 sacks in past 26. CB KEENAN LEWIS was drafted by Pit. (3rd Rd., No. 96 overall, 2009) & played 4 seasons with Steelers (2009-12).
STEELERS:In only home start vs. NO, QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER completed 17 of 28 passes (60.7 pct.) for 264 yards with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 127.7 rating. Incl. playoffs, Steelers are 41-5 (.891) when Roethlisberger has 110 rating (min. 15 att.). RB LE'VEON BELL leads AFC & ranks 2nd in NFL with 1,435 scrimmage yards (951 rush, 484 rec.). Has 100 scrimmage yards in 9 of past 11. Posted career-highs in att. (33) & rush yards (204) with TD vs. Titans. Bell (484) needs 4 rec. yards to surpass MERRIL HOGE (487 in 1988) for most in season by Pit. RB in SB era. WR ANTONIO BROWN ranks 2nd in NFL with 1,161 rec. yards & needs 39 to become 1st player in franchise history with back-to-back 1,200-yard receiving seasons. Has 5 catches & 50 yards in 27 consecutive games, longest such streak in NFL history. Rookie WR MARTAVIS BRYANT (Rd. 4, No. 118 overall) has 6 TD catches in 5 career games. LB LAWRENCE TIMMONS leads team with 94 tackles. CB WILLIAM GAY has INT-TD in 2 of past 4, incl. 28-yarder vs. Ten.
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (7-4) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-4)
SERIES LEADER:Baltimore 5-4
STREAKS:Baltimore has won five of past seven games.
MCCOY VS. BALTIMORE:0-0
HARBAUGH VS. SAN DIEGO:2-1
LAST GAME:11/25/12: Ravens 16 at Chargers 13: Baltimore RB Ray Rice recorded 164 scrimmage yards (97 rushing, 67 receiving). Ravens TE Dennis Pitta had 6 catches for 42 yards and one touchdown.
NOTESCHARGERS:In past 4 vs. Ravens, QB PHILIP RIVERS has 1,183 pass yards with 7 TDs vs. 2 INTs for 102.3 rating. Has 2 TDs in 7 of past 10 overall. Passed for 291 yards last week & joined HOFer DAN FOUTS (43,040) as only players in club history to reach 35,000 (35,204). RB RYAN MATHEWS led team with season-high 105 rush yards on 12 att. (8.8 avg.), incl. 32-yard TD. In 2 career meetings, has 197 scrimmage yards (162 rush, 35 rec.) with 2 rush TDs. TE ANTONIO GATES ranks 10th all-time with 96 TD catches & needs 3 to tie HOFer DON HUTSON(99). Needs 1 TD to become 1st TE in NFL history with 4 career 10 TD seasons. Has 3 TD receptions in past 3 on road. WR KEENAN ALLEN led team with 104 rec. yards on 6 catches (17.3 avg.), incl. 29-yard TD last week. DT COREY LIUGET has 2 sacks in 2 career meetings & aims for 3rd in row with sack vs. Bal. S ERIC WEDDLE leads team with 72 tackles. Has 13 INTs since 2011, most among AFC players. Last week, S MARCUS GILCHRIST posted 1st INT of season.
RAVENS:Last week, QB JOE FLACCOcompleted 18 of 24 (75 pct.) for 243 yards with TD & 0 INTs for 120.7 rating. Ravens are 43-7 (.860) when Flacco posts 90 rating. Last week, RB JUSTIN FORSETTrushed for career-high 182 yards on 22 att. (8.3 avg.) & 2 TDs. Leads NFL RBs with 5.8 rush avg. (155 att., 903 yards). Aims for 3rd in row with 100 rush yards & 2 TDs. WR STEVE SMITH, SR.had 4 catches for 89 yards & TD vs. NO. 1 of 6 active players with 80 career (72 rec., 4 PR, 2 rush, 2 KR). WR TORREY SMITH led team with 5 catches for 98 yards (19.6) last week. Has 6 TDs in past 8. Had 144 rec. yards in last meeting. Rookie LB C.J. MOSLEY (No. 17 overall) leads AFC with 96 tackles, incl. 9 tackles & 1st career sack vs. NO. LB TERRELL SUGGS (100.5) posted sack last week & is 1st Raven to reach 100 career. Has 5.5 sacks in past 6. Had sack in last meeting. LB ELVIS DUMERVILhas 12.5 sacks in past 10, incl. 2 vs. Saints.
CLEVELAND BROWNS (7-4) AT BUFFALO BILLS (6-5)
SERIES LEADER:Cleveland 11-7
STREAKS:Buffalo has won two of past three games.
PETTINE VS. BUFFALO:0-0
MARRONE VS. CLEVELAND:0-1
LAST GAME: 10/3/13: Browns 37 vs. Bills 24: Cleveland WR Josh Gordon had 37-yard touchdown catch & PR Travis Benjamin returned punt 79 yards for a touchdown. S T.J. Ward added 44-yard INT-TD.
NOTESBROWNS:Have won 3 of past 4 on road.In 14 starts with Cle., QB BRIAN HOYER is 10-4 with 3,479 pass yards & 16 TDs. Last week, passed for 322 yards & became 3rd QB in club history with back-to-back 300-yard games, joining HOFer OTTO GRAHAM & BRIAN SIPE. Rookie RB ISAIAH CROWELL (undrafted) rushed for career-high 88 yards on 12 att. (7.3 avg.) & 2 TDs last week. Leads NFL rookies with 7 rush TDs. Aims for 3rd in row with 85 scrimmage yards. RB TERRANCE WEST (Rd. 3, No. 94 overall) leads team & ranks 2nd among AFC rookies with 470 rush yards. WR JOSH GORDON led team in catches (8) & rec. yards (120) in season debut. Had 86 yards & TD in last meeting. In past 10, has 68 rec. for 1,316 yards & 7 TDs. WR ANDREW HAWKINShad 5 catches for 93 yards vs. Atl. & leads team with career-high 694 receiving yards this season. Browns lead AFC with 15 INTs…CB JOE HADENaims for 3rd in row with INT.*Since 2013,S TASHAUN GIPSON* leads all NFL players with 11 INTs.
BILLS:Last week, QB KYLE ORTONcompleted 24 of 32 (75 pct.) for 230 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 115.4 rating. Orton's teams are 13-3 (.813) when he starts & posts 100 rating. In last meeting, passed for 263 yards with TD & 0 INTs. RB FRED JACKSON (5,402 rush; 2,452 rec.) needs 48 rec. yards to join HOFer THURMAN THOMAS as only Bills with 5,000 career rush & 2,500 rec. yards. Last week, Jackson surpassed WILLIE PARKER (5,370) for 3rd-most rush yards by undrafted player. Last week, RB BOOBIE DIXON rushed for 54 yards, incl. 30-yard TD, & blocked punt that was recovered for TD by LB MANNY LAWSON. 1st Bills player with 2 blocked punts in season since STEVE TASKER (1990). WR SAMMY WATKINS (No. 4 overall) leads AFC rookies in rec. yards (684) on 48 catches with 5 TDs. Last week, WR ROBERT WOODShad career-highs in catches (9) & yards (118) with TD. Bills lead league with 46 sacks & are only NFL team with 2 players with 10 sacks each (DE MARIO WILLIAMS & DT MARCELL DAREUS). Williams has 6.5 sacks in past 3. Dareus leads NFL DTs with 10 sacks.**
CINCINNATI BENGALS (7-3-1) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-9)
SERIES LEADER: *Tampa Bay 7-3 *STREAKS: *Tampa Bay has won past six games. *LEWIS VS. TAMPA BAY: *0-2 *SMITH VS. CINCINNATI: *0-2 *LAST GAME: **10/10/10: Buccaneers 24 at Bengals 21: Tampa Bay WR Mike Williams caught 7 passes for 99 yards and one touchdown. Buccaneers defense recorded 3 INTs, including CB Cody Grimm's 11-yard INT-TD.
NOTES**
BENGALS: Have won 4 of past 5. In past 6 vs. NFC,QB ANDY DALTON is 5-0-1 & has completed 135 of 188 (71.8 pct.) for 1,765 yards with 15 TDs vs. 3 INTs for 121.0 rating. Bengals are 17-2 (.895) when Dalton has 100 rating. Has 37-21-1 (.635) record, highest win pct. of any QB in club history (min. 20 starts). In past 4,RB JEREMY HILL(Round 2, No. 55 overall) has rushed for 448 yards on 81 att. (5.5 avg.) with 3 TDs. Leads NFL rookies in rush yards (643) & ranks 2nd in rush TDs (6). In past 8,RB GIOVANI BERNARD is averaging 86.5 scrimmage yards/game (692 total; 491 rush, 201 rec.) with 5 rush TDs. Last week,WR A.J. GREEN led team with career-high 12 catches for 121 yards. Has 19 career 100-yard games, tied withCARL PICKENSfor 3rd-most in club history. Since entering NFL in 2011, has 4,462 rec. yards, 3rd-most in AFC.WR MOHAMED SANUhad TD catch last week & now has career-high 5 in 2014 (4 in 2012). Since 2012,GENO ATKINShas 20 sacks, 2nd among AFC DTs.LB EMMANUEL LAMUR** leads team with 78 tackles.
BUCCANEERS:In past 3 starts vs. AFC with 10 att., QB JOSH MC COWN has 5 TDs, 0 INTs & 99.2 rating. RB DOUG MARTIN has 896 scrimmage yards (112 per game), 689 rush yards (86.1 per game) & 6 TDs in 8 games vs. AFC. In past 3 at home vs. AFC, RB BOBBY RAINEYhas rushed for 214 yards (71.3 per game) & 2 TDs. Rookie WR MIKE EVANS leads NFL in Nov. with 505 rec. yards (126.3 per game) & 6 rec. TDs. Leads NFL rookies with 841 rec. yards & ties for rookie lead with 8 TDs. Aims for 5th in row with TD catch. In 12/20/09 meeting vs. Cin. (with SD), WR VINCENT JACKSON had 5 catches for 108 yards & 2 TDs. WR LOUIS MURPHY had TD catch in only game vs. Cin. (11/22/09 with Oak.). Since 2013, LB LAVONTE DAVID is only player in NFL with 250 tackles (260), 5 sacks (7) & 5 INTs (5). In past 8 vs. AFC, has 79 tackles, 4 INTs, 3.5 sacks & FF. DT GERALD MC COY has 5 sacks in past 5 vs. AFC. Has 5.5 sacks in past 5 & 15 sacks in past 18.DE JACQUIES SMITH has 3 sacks & FF in past 2. Aims for 3rd in row with sack.
