It’s time for this week’s run-down of some of the most intriguing player matchups in Week 8’s slate of Sunday’s daytime games.
1. Lions DT Ndamukong Suh vs. Falcons C James Stone
Poor Matt Ryan. This week starting center Peter Konz became the fourth Atlanta offensive line starter to head to injured reserve. That list includes initial starting center Joe Hawley, so undrafted rookie Stone is the third different pivot the Falcons have had this season. Blocking Suh and the rest of an extraordinarily talent Detroit defensive line is hard enough even with a healthy offensive line. Stone was a good player at Tennessee, but it’s a big jump to the NFL.
2. Eagles RB Darren Sproles vs. Cardinals S Tyrann Mathieu
How the Cardinals, who play primarily man defense, will choose to matchup to Sproles is just a guess on our end, but this could be one of the more interesting individual battles in the league. Arizona’s corners Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie should be able to handle Philadelphia’s wide receivers. If so, Nick Foles will look primarily to Sproles and tight end Zach Ertz to attack the Arizona pass defense. Mathieu has the movement skills to match up to Sproles, plus it’s a battle of two players who have overcome their lack of height to be very effective NFL players.
3. Ravens LG Kelechi Osemele vs. Bengals DT Geno Atkins
Cincinnati has struggled badly on defense the past couple weeks. After New England showcased how it could be done, teams have attacked their linebackers in space and defensive coordinator Paul Guenther has yet to find a solution. One way to do it would be for the defensive front to get more pressure on the opposing quarterback. That includes particularly Atkins, who has only rarely looked like his pre-injury self in working his way back from the torn ACL that ended his 2013 season. Osemele is working his way back from a knee injury himself but should be in the lineup after missing the last two games. The Bengals were able to harass Joe Flacco in the season-opening win, sacking him three downs and notching seven hits. They’ll need to get to him again to win at home.
4. Seahawks LG James Carpenter vs. Panthers DT Star Lotulelei
Seattle and Carolina were the top two seeds in the NFC playoffs last year, and that feels like a long time ago. The Seahawks are at .500 and have been outscored since their season-opening beating of Green Bay, while the Panthers looked bad last week in getting down big early in losing to those same Packers. Carpenter and Lotulelei were both first-round picks, and both have had their own struggles at times on units that have not been the force their teams need them to be. The Seahawks made an effort to get Marshawn Lynch involved last week, but he only had 18 carries for 53 yards. They should try again facing a Carolina run defense that has been very vulnerable at times this year. Will it work better this time around?
5. Patriots RB Shane Vereen vs. Bears LB Lance Briggs
Briggs has been one of the better cover linebackers in the league for a long time, but his age is showing and a rib injury has him limited in practice this week. That could be bad news facing a dangerous receiving back like Vereen, who had 71 yards and two touchdowns through the air against the Jets last week. Especially if Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker plays Cover-2, look for Tom Brady to test Briggs’ mobility to cover the wide areas of the field by sending Vereen out on a flare route.
