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NFI Insider: Cowboys 34, Jets 14
By CHAREAN WILLIAMS
cjwilliams@star-telegram.com
Cowboys’ pick
Kellen Clemens is making only his fourth career start. He has a 50.2 passer rating, having completed 50 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and five interceptions. He has kept the Jets in the three previous games, but Baltimore, Washington and Pittsburgh didn’t have the offense to blow out the Jets. The Cowboys do.
COWBOYS 34, Jets 14
Charean’s season record: 8-2
Upset special
Denver (+21/2) over CHICAGO -- Bears coach Lovie Smith said his team is “close.” But the [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Broncos[/FONT][/FONT] should be able to run on the Bears, who rank 26th in rushing yards allowed and gave up 224 rushing yards to Adrian Peterson.
Broncos 20, BEARS 17
Charean’s season record: 2-3 Best bet
PITSBURGH (+16) over Miami -- The Dolphins are trying to avoid becoming the first team to lose every game since the 1976 Bucs. The expansion Bucs are the only team since World War II to lose every game in a full season, going 0-14 in ’76. Last week, with rookie quarterback John Beck starting his first game, the Dolphins failed to score an offensive touchdown.
STEELERS 31, Dolphins 7
Charean’s season record: 4-1
-- Home team in caps.
Fantasy Tip
The Texans are 3-0 with Andre Johnson in the lineup. Johnson had seven catches for 142 yards and a touchdown in the season opener against Kansas City. He had seven receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns the following week against Carolina. Last week, against New Orleans, Johnson caught six passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. This week, he plays the Browns, who rank 31st in the league against the pass.
Rankings
1. New England, 10-0 – [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Tom [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Brady[/FONT][/FONT] became the Patriots’ all-time leader in touchdowns thrown. He as 38 for the season.
2. Dallas, 9-1 -- Terrell Owens’ 126 touchdown catches are third in [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]NFL[/FONT][/FONT] history.
3. Indianapolis, 8-2 -- The Colts had 216 yards against the Chiefs, the third-fewest yards in the Peyton Manning era excluding two games in which he played only one series.
4. Green Bay, 9-1 -- Green Bay has had a better start only twice before in its 87-year history.
5. Pittsburgh, 7-3 – For the first time in 35 games, the Steelers allowed a 100-yard rusher.
6. Jacksonville, 7-3 -- The Jags are 5-1 outside their division.
7. NY Giants, 7-3 -- Michael Strahan has eight sacks, tying him with Osi Umenyiora for the team lead.
8. Cleveland, 6-4 -- The Browns are 5-2 in their past seven games.
9. Tennessee, 6-4 -- Vince Young passed for a career-high 305 yards against the Broncos, and he ran for a season-high 74 yards.
10. Seattle, 6-4 -- The [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Seahawks[/FONT][/FONT] are 1-3 on the road this season.
11. Tampa Bay, 6-4 -- Jeff Garcia has thrown 11 touchdowns and three interceptions.
12. Denver, 5-5 -- Jay Cutler has thrown 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
13. Detroit, 6-4 -- Defensive lineman Dewayne White, who leads the team with 5.5 sacks, returns after missing the past two games with an injured left triceps.
14. Buffalo, 5-5 -- The Bills’ five victories have come against teams that are a combined 11-39; their five losses are vs. teams that are a combined 41-9.
15. Philadelphia, 5-5 -- Brian Westbrook leads the league with 1,367 yards from scrimmage.
16. Houston, 5-5 -- The Texans have 14 players on injured reserve, including six defensive backs.
17. San Diego, 5-5 -- LaDainian Tomlinson has only 795 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns this season.
18. Washington, 5-5 -- The [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Commanders[/FONT][/FONT][/color][/color] rank 16th in total offense and 16th in total defense.
19. Arizona, 5-5 -- Antrel Rolle became the 24th player in NFL history to return two interceptions for touchdowns in the same game. He had another called back by a penalty, or he would have set the NFL record.
20. Chicago, 4-6 -- The Bears have only one interception in their past five games, and they have made only six for the season. Only the Dolphins, with five, have made fewer.
21. New Orleans, 4-6 -- [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Reggie [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Bush[/FONT][/FONT] has three 2-point conversions this season, one short of the NFL record.
22. Kansas City, 4-6 -- Meet the Chiefs’ new running back -- Kolby Smith, a fifth-round draft pick, who has 10 carries for 19 yards this season.
23. St. Louis, 2-8 -- The Rams have lost five in a row to the Seahawks.
24. Baltimore, 4-6 -- The Ravens’ 26 giveaways (fumbles lost and interceptions) is tied for the league lead with Houston.
25. Carolina, 4-6 -- The Panthers haven’t won at home in a year, a streak of six consecutive losses.
26. Minnesota, 4-6 -- The Vikings are 0-6 when they score fewer than 20 points.
27. Cincinnati, 3-7 -- The Bengals are one loss from assuring the franchise of its 16th non-winning season in the past 17 years.
28. Atlanta, 3-7 -- Four times this season the Falcons have scored one or no touchdowns.
29. NY Jets, 2-8 -- The Jets ended their six-game losing streak with an upset of the Steelers.
30. San Francisco, 2-8 -- The 49ers’ eight-game losing streak is tied for the second-longest in team history.
31. Oakland, 2-8 -- The Raiders have lost six in a row.
32. Miami, 0-10 – The Dolphins have allowed four 100-yard rushers this season.
Charean Williams, 817-390-7760
By CHAREAN WILLIAMS
cjwilliams@star-telegram.com
Cowboys’ pick
Kellen Clemens is making only his fourth career start. He has a 50.2 passer rating, having completed 50 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and five interceptions. He has kept the Jets in the three previous games, but Baltimore, Washington and Pittsburgh didn’t have the offense to blow out the Jets. The Cowboys do.
COWBOYS 34, Jets 14
Charean’s season record: 8-2
Upset special
Denver (+21/2) over CHICAGO -- Bears coach Lovie Smith said his team is “close.” But the [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Broncos[/FONT][/FONT] should be able to run on the Bears, who rank 26th in rushing yards allowed and gave up 224 rushing yards to Adrian Peterson.
Broncos 20, BEARS 17
Charean’s season record: 2-3 Best bet
PITSBURGH (+16) over Miami -- The Dolphins are trying to avoid becoming the first team to lose every game since the 1976 Bucs. The expansion Bucs are the only team since World War II to lose every game in a full season, going 0-14 in ’76. Last week, with rookie quarterback John Beck starting his first game, the Dolphins failed to score an offensive touchdown.
STEELERS 31, Dolphins 7
Charean’s season record: 4-1
-- Home team in caps.
Fantasy Tip
The Texans are 3-0 with Andre Johnson in the lineup. Johnson had seven catches for 142 yards and a touchdown in the season opener against Kansas City. He had seven receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns the following week against Carolina. Last week, against New Orleans, Johnson caught six passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. This week, he plays the Browns, who rank 31st in the league against the pass.
Rankings
1. New England, 10-0 – [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Tom [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Brady[/FONT][/FONT] became the Patriots’ all-time leader in touchdowns thrown. He as 38 for the season.
2. Dallas, 9-1 -- Terrell Owens’ 126 touchdown catches are third in [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]NFL[/FONT][/FONT] history.
3. Indianapolis, 8-2 -- The Colts had 216 yards against the Chiefs, the third-fewest yards in the Peyton Manning era excluding two games in which he played only one series.
4. Green Bay, 9-1 -- Green Bay has had a better start only twice before in its 87-year history.
5. Pittsburgh, 7-3 – For the first time in 35 games, the Steelers allowed a 100-yard rusher.
6. Jacksonville, 7-3 -- The Jags are 5-1 outside their division.
7. NY Giants, 7-3 -- Michael Strahan has eight sacks, tying him with Osi Umenyiora for the team lead.
8. Cleveland, 6-4 -- The Browns are 5-2 in their past seven games.
9. Tennessee, 6-4 -- Vince Young passed for a career-high 305 yards against the Broncos, and he ran for a season-high 74 yards.
10. Seattle, 6-4 -- The [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Seahawks[/FONT][/FONT] are 1-3 on the road this season.
11. Tampa Bay, 6-4 -- Jeff Garcia has thrown 11 touchdowns and three interceptions.
12. Denver, 5-5 -- Jay Cutler has thrown 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
13. Detroit, 6-4 -- Defensive lineman Dewayne White, who leads the team with 5.5 sacks, returns after missing the past two games with an injured left triceps.
14. Buffalo, 5-5 -- The Bills’ five victories have come against teams that are a combined 11-39; their five losses are vs. teams that are a combined 41-9.
15. Philadelphia, 5-5 -- Brian Westbrook leads the league with 1,367 yards from scrimmage.
16. Houston, 5-5 -- The Texans have 14 players on injured reserve, including six defensive backs.
17. San Diego, 5-5 -- LaDainian Tomlinson has only 795 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns this season.
18. Washington, 5-5 -- The [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Commanders[/FONT][/FONT][/color][/color] rank 16th in total offense and 16th in total defense.
19. Arizona, 5-5 -- Antrel Rolle became the 24th player in NFL history to return two interceptions for touchdowns in the same game. He had another called back by a penalty, or he would have set the NFL record.
20. Chicago, 4-6 -- The Bears have only one interception in their past five games, and they have made only six for the season. Only the Dolphins, with five, have made fewer.
21. New Orleans, 4-6 -- [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Reggie [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Bush[/FONT][/FONT] has three 2-point conversions this season, one short of the NFL record.
22. Kansas City, 4-6 -- Meet the Chiefs’ new running back -- Kolby Smith, a fifth-round draft pick, who has 10 carries for 19 yards this season.
23. St. Louis, 2-8 -- The Rams have lost five in a row to the Seahawks.
24. Baltimore, 4-6 -- The Ravens’ 26 giveaways (fumbles lost and interceptions) is tied for the league lead with Houston.
25. Carolina, 4-6 -- The Panthers haven’t won at home in a year, a streak of six consecutive losses.
26. Minnesota, 4-6 -- The Vikings are 0-6 when they score fewer than 20 points.
27. Cincinnati, 3-7 -- The Bengals are one loss from assuring the franchise of its 16th non-winning season in the past 17 years.
28. Atlanta, 3-7 -- Four times this season the Falcons have scored one or no touchdowns.
29. NY Jets, 2-8 -- The Jets ended their six-game losing streak with an upset of the Steelers.
30. San Francisco, 2-8 -- The 49ers’ eight-game losing streak is tied for the second-longest in team history.
31. Oakland, 2-8 -- The Raiders have lost six in a row.
32. Miami, 0-10 – The Dolphins have allowed four 100-yard rushers this season.
Charean Williams, 817-390-7760
