Key Interconference Battles Highlight Week 5

NFL teams are rarely familiar with interconference opponents, since they usually play them just once every four years. This Sunday’s NFL action, however, is highlighted by two interconference battles where teams share a bit of a history.SEAHAWKS (3–1) at STEELERS (3–1)Sunday, 1 p.m.Two years ago, Pittsburgh beat Seattle in Super Bowl XL thanks to a combination of big plays by the Pittsburgh offense, big lapses by the Seattle defense, and controversial calls by the officials. Both teams declined into mediocrity in 2006, and both teams want to prove that they once again belong among the NFL’s elite.That Seahawks team had an offense built around running back Shaun Alexander, but the onetime MVP is averaging below four yards per carry for the second straight season. There are many factors at work in Alexander’s decline, including age, injury, and the decline of the offensive line as well as fullback Mack Strong.Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will try to spread the ball around, but he’ll have to do it under pressure. Strong has also declined as a pass-blocker, and Alexander was never known for his blocking to begin with, so picking up Pittsburgh’s complicated zone-blitzes will be a bit of a problem. (It will be less of a problem if Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu and nose tackle Casey Hampton miss the game with injuries.)The consistent, pound-it-out offense of past Steelers teams has been replaced by a boom-andbust offense predicated on the big play. Running back Willie Parker runs into the line over and over for a yard or two, and then will suddenly break loose for 30 yards at a time. Even the pass offense is thinking big now: Since veteran possession receiver Hines Ward has a nagging ankle injury, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s favorite target has been second-year deep threat Santonio Holmes. The secondary is Seattle’s defensive weakness, but the weakness is size not speed, and Holmes won’t be able to take advantage since he is only 5 feet 11 inches himself.BUCCANEERS (3-1) at COLTS (4-0)Sunday, 4:05 p.m.Tampa Bay’s start is a dramatic example of how much mere competence at quarterback can improve a team. Veteran Jeff Garcia is far from the savior many fans seem to think he is, but he is much better than Bruce Gradkowski, the sixth-round rookie stuck quarterbacking the Bucs in 2006 after starter Chris Simms was lost with an injury.The passing game opens things up for the run, and so far this year, the Bucs have the second most efficient running game in the league — behind the Colts themselves. Starting running back Cadillac Williams is done for the season after tearing his patellar tendon against Carolina last week, but the Bucs’ running game may not miss him much. So far this year, Williams was averaging less than four yards per carry, while backups Michael Pittman and Earnest Graham combined for more carries than Williams with an average gain over five yards.Like everyone else, Tampa Bay will try to exploit the Colts’ weakness against the run. The Colts are better than last year, when they allowed more yards per carry than any other NFL team since 1961, but they’ve been below average despite the presence of the spectacular safety Bob Sanders. Now the oft-injured Sanders is injured once again, and may miss this game with bruised ribs.Sanders is just one of the four Colts starters who may miss this week’s game. Another important run-stopper, linebacker Rob Morris, blew out his knee last week and is gone for the season. On the offensive side of the ball, the Colts may be without all-world receiver Marvin Harrison (bruised knee) and running back Joseph Addai (bruised shoulder).Dungy of course coached the Buccaneers before he came to the Colts. Tampa Bay plays the same “Tampa-2” scheme that Dungy brought with him to Indianapolis, but with better defenders. The Bucs don’t get the pass rush that the Colts get with starts like Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, but they are better at linebacker and cornerback. In particular, Barrett Ruud has been a major upgrade over the aging Shelton Quarles at middle linebacker, while cornerback Philip Buchanon is finally playing up to his first-round pedigree. His skills fit the Tampa-2 far more than the man-to-man schemes he botched in Oakland and Houston.Of course, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning showed in the Super Bowl that he has no problem exploiting the weaknesses of the Tampa-2 scheme — and that Chicago defense was better than this Tampa Bay defense. Even if Harrison can’t play, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark will find the holes in the zone, and if Addai can’t go, the Colts will plug in former CFL running back Kenton Keith — who is averaging 5.8 yards per carry as Addai’s backup.The Colts have more talent and the home-field advantage, and they should win this game. But a Tampa upset is a reasonable possibility thanks to their strong ground attack — and those chances become greater with each Indianapolis starter who doesn’t take the field on Sunday.Mr. Schatz is the editor in chief of FootballOut siders.com.

Key Interconference Battles Highlight Week 5

Key Interconference Battles Highlight Week 5

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