Last week’s premier matchup highlighted the nature of game-planning in the NFL. I expected the Arizona Cardinals to match Patrick Peterson, their most physically talented corner, on Demaryius Thomas, the Broncos’ most physically talented wide receiver. Instead, Arizona played Peterson on Emmanuel Sanders and left Antonio Cromartie on Thomas. There was a particular logic to that move, but it did not work. Thomas went off, to the tune of a franchise-record 226 yards receiving, not even including a 77-yard touchdown called back for a penalty.
1. Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray vs. Seahawks MLB Bobby Wagner
Murray has been the NFL’s most consistently productive runner and leads the league in rushing by a wide margin. While his blocking has been superb, he has also been running very well and displaying all the traits you want to see in a zone runner. Wagner will be a key part of the Seahawks’ effort against him and must avoid second-level blocks by those offensive linemen, take away Murray’s running angles, and then tackle him. As Saints safety Jairus Byrd showed on Sunday Night Football a couple weeks ago, that last is easier said than done. If Wagner can accomplish that task, the Cowboys will end up in third-and-long. And that means Tony Romo must make plays against Seattle’s pass rush and throwing to receivers being blanketed by the Legion of Boom.
2. Falcons WR Julio Jones vs. Bears CB Kyle Fuller
When his offensive line is giving him any time at all (not a lock after watching the second half of last week’s Giants game), Matt Ryan has been playing about as well as any quarterback this side of Phillip Rivers. Stopping the Atlanta passing offense will be a tough task for a Bears defense that has struggled to rush the passer and has major question marks in coverage. First-round rookie Fuller has played well, but Jones is one of the most physically dominant receivers in the game and a whole different level of challenge from Kelvin Benjamin last week. And if you want a revenge note, check out Devin Hester against Hello, My Name is “New Bears Nickel Corner,” after Chicago thought so much of Isaiah Frey’s play in his 24 snaps against the Panthers they released him this week.
3. Bills DE Mario Williams vs. Patriots RT Sebastian Vollmer
It has been an up-and-down season for the previously reliable Vollmer, who sat briefly for Marcus Cannon in the Patriots’ blowout win against the Bengals last week. Williams has 3.5 sacks and is a consistent force against both the run and the pass. The Bengals don’t have a bad front four, but Buffalo’s is better and can do a better job of preventing New England’s offense from working the way it did against Cincinnati last week.
4. Browns LG Joel Bitonio vs. Steelers DE Cam Thomas
Cleveland has had a very strong run game, and it began in the second-half comeback against the Steelers in Week 1. Rookie second-rounder Joel Bitonio’s play has been a key part of that. If Pittsburgh had any less than a 27-3 lead at half, they would have opened the season with an embarrassing loss. This week’s game is in Cleveland. If Pittsburgh gives up 180 yards on the ground again, they will likely be returning home with a loss. It starts up front for the Browns, so stopping them must start up front for Pittsburgh.
5. Titans OLB Derrick Morgan vs. Jaguars RT Austin Pasztor
Is Week 6 too early to be thinking about draft positioning? It should be, but it’s not out of the question for the 1-4 Titans and winless Jaguars. Morgan leads a crew of 3-4 outside linebackers that has yet to record a sack this season, while Pasztor is one of the bookends on a line that has struggled to open up consistent holes in the run game and may only be keeping Blake Bortles upright because of a diet of short passes. What happens when the stoppable force meets the immovable object?
