Five Matchups to Watch in Week 3

Week 3 includes probably the best, most intriguing game of the entire season. The Denver Broncos travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks in our first Super Bowl rematch in almost a decade. There are enough interesting matchups in that game to fill entire columns, but Sunday afternoon brings with it a dozen other games. Which ones are the most compelling?

1. Broncos RT Chris Clark vs. Seahawks DE Michael Bennett
One of the big surprises in the Super Bowl surprises, at least by how much it different from what many smart observers thought would happen coming it, is just how much Seattle’s defensive front manhandled the Broncos’ offensive line. Denver could not run the ball at all, and Peyton Manning was harassed in the pocket all day. The Broncos feature a different offensive line from February, and part of that is Clark shifting from left tackle to right tackle with the return of Ryan Clady. Orlando Franklin played right tackle for the Broncos in the Super Bowl, and may have had the worst day on a team with many miserable days. Bennett did not accumulate many stats in New Jersey, just two tackles, but Franklin could not handle him. Clark should do a better job, and he must if the Broncos are to become the second team to beat Seattle at home in the past three seasons.

2. Washington QB Kirk Cousins vs. Eagles ILB DeMeco Ryans
Kirk Cousins comes in for an injured Robert Griffin and puts up big numbers and a bunch of points against a bad defense. We saw that happen in 2013, when he threw for 381 yards and three touchdowns against the Falcons before dinking and dunking his way to less than 5.5 yards per attempt against the Cowboys. Facing a likely diet of short passes, linebackers are more important in the pass game than normal, and Philadelphia’s other starting linebacker, Mychal Kendricks, missed practice Wednesday and Thursday and seems doubtful for Sunday’s game. That puts more weight on the veteran Ryans, who may be asked to play a bigger role.

3. Bills DE Jerry Hughes vs. Chargers LT King Dunlap
These may be two small-market teams, but the matchup is a fascinating one. San Diego’s quick passing game worked to perfection against the Seahawks last week, but the Bills may have the best front four in the NFL. They showed it last week, dominating a Dolphins offensive line that had looked good in Week 1. Hughes, who has emerged since the Colts traded him away, had one of their four sacks of Ryan Tannehill last week. Dunlap has played capably enough for San Diego, but is far from the most talented left tackle in the NFL. Can he help Philip Rivers stay upright long enough to get the ball out?

4. Lions DE Jason Jones vs. Packers RT Bryan Bulaga or Derrick Sherrod
Bulaga is recovering from the knee injury he suffered in the season-opener against the Seahawks, and has returned to practice. Sherrod was a liability again last week against the Jets, so the Packers will likely get Bulaga in there if he can play effectively. Most of the Lions’ pressure comes from elsewhere on the defensive line, but Jones is a capable player who has made immobile linemen look silly before. Look for the Lions to test Bulaga’s mobility early if he plays, and it could be a long afternoon for Aaron Rodgers if he is not moving well or if Sherrod must go from the beginning.

5. Giants RG John Jerry vs. Texans DE J.J. Watt
Miami has many problems on the offensive line last season, which let Jerry’s severe problems blocking most players fly almost completely under the radar. The Giants are searching for consistent offensive productivity as new coordinator Ben McAdoo shifts them to his offense. A particularly bad line will wreck just about any offense, though, and New York has one of the worst in the league. That is particularly bad news when facing the league’s best defensive player, who has shown before he can destroy bad offensive linemen. It will be an upset if he doesn’t take down Eli Manning at least once.

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