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Eight exciting 1-on-1 matchups to watch in Week 6

Posted by on Oct 9, 2014 01:49

Week 6 of the NFL season features several matchups between marquee players that are key in determining the outcome of their respective games. The best in the league will clash in the trenches, down the sideline and in the open field.

Scan below for the most intriguing one-on-one(ish) matchups on the Week 6 slate.

Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray vs. Seahawks LB Bobby Wagner

The Cowboys offense and defense both hinge on Murray and a strong running game to dictate and control tempo. Murray and a stacked OL are turning heads and field the No. 2 rushing offense.

It’s still hard to say the defensive unit is “good” after Houston sliced and diced the Cowboys down the stretch last week, but Murray’s ability to shed tackles at the second level extends drives, increases Dallas’ time of possession, translates into points for the offense and means less time on the field for a shaky defense. Wagner stays on in all packages and has notched a top-five PFF run defense grade among ILBs each year of his career. He will meet the league-leading rusher often on Sunday.

Patriots CB Darrelle Revis vs. Bills WR Sammy Watkins

Watkins fully expects Revis to track him, after the veteran shutdown corner shadowed AJ Green Sunday night. The Pats had kept Revis to one side of the alignment for the most part leading into that week and it will be interesting to see if this signals more shadowing going forward. It may come down to Bill Belichick being determined to take away certain stars like Green and not necessarily every team’s top weapon, as with Mike Wallace Week 1.

Steelers WR Antonio Brown vs. Browns CB Joe Haden

Brown historically owns Haden and this played out to a modest degree Week 1 as Brown tallied 53 yards (one TD) into Haden’s coverage. The Browns CB has taken his licks early this season against some of the NFL’s better receivers and gets a chance for redemption with his rival.

Pittsburgh built a 27-3 lead against Cleveland that vanished quickly in their last meeting. It’s unlikely that Ben Roethlisberger will take his foot off the pedal in the second half, meaning Haden will be tested plenty by Pittsburgh’s—and perhaps the league’s—most electric player in Brown. Buster Skrine and Justin Gilbert won’t be up to the task and this plight will fall largely on Cleveland’s handsomely paid cornerback.

Lions QB Matthew Stafford vs. Vikings S Harrison Smith

It’s absolutely critical that Smith is expected to play for the Vikings this Sunday against Detroit. With Megatron likely out, Golden Tate will continue consuming double-digit targets and a healthy Joique Bell should prove a necessary backfield outlet. Stafford has struggled with an injury-hampered Calvin Johnson and may rely more on quick hits and check downs to invite less pressure. For Minnesota, this scenario requires someone like Smith to crash down and minimize gains.

Bucs DT Gerald McCoy vs. Ravens interior OL Kelechi Osemele/Jeremy Zuttah/Marshal Yanda

Osemele and Zuttah were held out of Wednesday practice but their ailments are considered mild. The Ravens have boasted the league’s most offensive dominant interior and this has helped Justin Forsett compile the most yards before contact per rush inside.

McCoy just whipped Saints erstwhile All-Pro guard Jahri Evans to the tune of three hits and seven hurries. He will probably land a few punches in the passing game and the Ravens’ line will create lanes for their running backs, but it will be interesting to see how much of the opposition’s impact can be mitigated. It’s probably a relief for Baltimore that Tampa’s edge rushers have struggled so much, with undrafted rookie James Hurst thrust into action at left tackle.

Panthers TE Greg Olsen vs. Bengals LB Vontaze Burfict/LBs/safeties

It’s a good time to be Greg Olsen, fresh off a 72-yard, two-score performance that both pulled Carolina back in the game and put them ahead of his former team.

Cincinnati struggled mightily to contain Patriots tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Tim Wright from the slot last week, and their defense should see Olsen split out as well. Wright and Gronk combined for 185 yards Sunday night and Cincy will direly hope Burfict can return from concussion to help in coverage, where he owns PFF’s second-best coverage grade among 4-3 OLBs.

Cardinals RB Andre Ellington vs. Washington S Brandon Meriweather/LBs

If Washington’s inside linebackers and defensive backs pursue Ellington in the open field like they did Russell Wilson in his 122-yard Monday night rushing performance, it’s going to be an extremely long day in Arizona. Meriweather, the Washington secondary and ILBs will need to bounce back this week to limit Ellington in both the run and pass game. Ellington’s 81-yard catch-and-run last week put the danger on display.

Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Eagles CBs Cary Williams/Bradley Fletcher

Beckham’s four catches for 44 yards and a score against Atlanta felt like so much more. For one, he played only 53 percent of his team’s snaps. And the true damage was done at the most clutch moments, trailing and tied in the second half. ODB would draw multiple blatant coverage penalties and reel in the winning score with a defender trying just to hang on.

Philly CBs Bradley Fletcher and Cary Williams currently rank 50th and 81st of 102 qualifying cornerbacks in PFF cornerback coverage grading. Rams receiver Brian Quick scored on each of them last week and Beckham provides another physically imposing test for the maligned duo.

About Thomas Emerick

Merry freelancer. NFL Lead Writer at The Sports Daily, Contributor to Sporting News. May have also seen my work at USA Today, Bleacher Report, Pro Football Focus and the late AOL FanHouse. VT grad. I am also an avid diabetic.

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