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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015** CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-0) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-3)
The Bengals and Steelers will meet in an important AFC North showdown at Heinz Field on Sunday afternoon.
Cincinnati, which had a bye in Week 7, is 6-0 for the third time in franchise history (1975, 1988). Since realignment in 2002, the Bengals are the first AFC North team to start a season 6-0. Cincinnati quarterback ANDY DALTON, who leads the league with a 116.1 passer rating, has 22 career wins on the road. With a victory at Pittsburgh, Dalton will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO, Steelers quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER and MATT RYAN for the most road wins by a starting quarterback in his first five seasons during the Super Bowl era (since 1966).
"It's huge to be 6-0," says Dalton. "This is exactly where you want to be at this point. You want to win every game that you play so we just have to keep it going. We can't look back at what we've done, we have to keep doing exactly what we have been doing and keep pushing to be the best we can be."
Pittsburgh will look to rebound after last week's 23-13 loss at Kansas City. Running back LE' VEON BELL rushed for 121 yards for the Steelers while wide receiver ANTONIO BROWN had six catches for 124 yards. Brown recorded his 20th career 100-yard receiving game, joining HINES WARD (29) and Pro Football Hall of Famer JOHN STALLWORTH (25) as the only players in franchise history to accomplish the feat.
Against the Bengals, the Steelers will hope to get quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER back, who has missed the past four games with an injury.
BENGALS: Are 6-0 for 3rd time in club history & 1st time since 1988 AFC Championship season. Aim to reach 7-0 for 1st time ever…QB ANDY DALTON (22) needs 1 road win to tie HOFer DAN MARINO (23), BEN ROETHLISBERGER (23) & MATT RYAN (23) for most road wins by starting QB in 1st 5 seasons during SB era (since 1966). Passed for 243 yards & 3 TD vs. 0 INTs for 118.6 rating vs. Buf in Wk. 6. Has 115 rating in 5 of past 6. Aims for 4th in row vs. Steelers with 2 TDs…In 7 career road starts, RB JEREMY HILL has 632 scrimmage yards (580 rush, 52 rec.) & 5 total TDs (4 rush, 1 rec.). RB GIOVANI BERNARD is averaging 91 scrimmage yards/game (427 rush, 73 rec.; 546 total)…In past 5 vs. Pit, WR A.J. GREEN has 44 catches for 556 yards & TD. TE TYLER EIFERT is tied for 1st in NFL with 6 TD catches & aims for 3rd in row with TD…DT GENO ATKINS has sack in 4 of past 6. Since entering NFL in 2010, leads AFC DTs with 36 sacks.
STEELERS: QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER has won 8 of past 10 starts vs. Cin. & has passed for 2,449 yards with 13 TDs vs. 8 INTs for 90.2 rating. QB LANDRY JONES aims for 3rd in row with TD pass…In 3 career meetings, RB LE' VEON BELL is averaging 147.3 scrimmage yards per game (262 rush, 180 rec., 442 total) & has 4 total TDs (3 rush, 1 rec.). In past 11 overall, is averaging 148.7 scrimmage yards per game & has 11 total TDs (10 rush, 1 rec.), incl. 137 yards last week…In past 7 vs. own division, WR ANTONIO BROWN has 51 catches for 755 yards & 3 TDs. Since 2013, leads NFL in catches (285) & rec. yards (3,868). In 12/7/14 meeting, WR MARTAVIS BRYANT had 4 catches for 109 yards, incl. 94-yard TD. 1 of 2 players in NFL history with 88 yard TD catch in each of 1st 2 seasons (GUS TINSLEY, 1937-38). Has 11 TDs in 12 career games…LB RYAN SHAZIER has 1.5 sacks in past 2 & aims for 3rd in row with .5 sack. LB LAWRENCE TIMMONS leads team with 54 tackles. LB BUD DUPREE leads AFC rookies with 3 sacks.
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015** ARIZONA CARDINALS (5-2) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-5)
CARDINALS: QB CARSON PALMER has won 18 of past 22 starts. Is 2nd in NFC with 108.9 rating. Has won 9 of 13 starts vs. Cle…RB CHRIS JOHNSON rushed for 122 yards & TD last week, his 3rd 100-yard game in 2015. Has 100 rush yards in 2 meetings (118.5 per game). RB-KR DAVID JOHNSON leads NFL rookies with 6 TDs (3 rush, 2 rec. 1 KR)…WR LARRY FITZGERALD has catch in 177 consecutive games, incl. playoffs. Since entering NFL in 2004, has 104 rec. TDs (incl. playoffs), most in NFL. In past 3, WR JOHN BROWN has 18 catches for 334 yards (111.3 per game) & 2 TDs. WR MICHAEL FLOYD aims for 3rd in row with TD…Lead NFL with 12 INTs & 4 players have 2 INTs: S RASHAD JOHNSON (3), S TONY JEFFERSON (2), S TYRANN MATHIEU (2) & CB PATRICK PETERSON (2). Johnson is only NFL player with 2 INT game in each of past 3 seasons. Since 2011, Peterson is only player in NFL with 15 INTs (17) & 5 return TDs (5). DE CALAIS CAMPBELL had FR in last meeting.
BROWNS: QB JOSH MC COWN was drafted by Az in 3rd round of 2002 NFL Draft & spent 4 seasons with Cardinals (2002-05). Has 2 TDs in 4 of past 5…RB ISAIAH CROWELL (888) needs 112 yards to reach 1,000 career. Rookie RB DUKE JOHNSON, JR. led team with 7 catches for 73 yards last week. Ranks 2nd amongst AFC RBs with 31 catches. RB ROBERT TURBIN made 1 of 3 career starts vs. Az (12/21/14 with Sea.)…WR TRAVIS BENJAMIN has 12 career TDs (9 rec, 3 PR) & averages 45.1 yards per score. TE GARY BARNIDGE had team-high 101 rec. yards last week on 6 catches, joining HOFer OZZIE NEWSOME, KELLEN WINSLOW & MILT MORIN as only Browns TEs with 3 100-yard games in season. In past 5, has 29 catches for 459 yards & 5 TDs…LB KARLOS DANSBY leads team with 53 tackles. Since 2004, is only NFL player with 40 sacks (41) & 15 INTs (18). Spent 6 seasons with Az (2004-09). Last week, DT RANDY STARKS had 1st sack since joining Browns.
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015** SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (2-5) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-6)
CHARGERS: In past 4, QB PHILIP RIVERS has completed 139 of 209 (66.5 pct.) for 1,562 yards with 10 TDs vs. 3 INTs for 98.6 rating, incl. 336 yards & 3 TDs vs. Oak. Aims for 5th in row with 300 yards & 2 TDs. In last meeting, completed 34 of 45 (75.6 pct.) for 383 yards & 3 TDs vs. 1 INT for 113.5 rating…RB MELVIN GORDON (No. 15 overall) ranks 2nd among AFC rookies with 328 rush yards. RB DANNY WOODHEAD has 60 scrimmage yards in 6 of past 7, incl. 3 100 yard games…WR KEENAN ALLEN leads NFL with 62 catches, most in NFL history by player through his team's first 7 games to begin season. In only career meeting, had 11 catches for 121 yards & 2 TDs. WR MALCOM FLOYD had 3 catches for 85 yards (28.3 avg.) in last meeting. TE ANTONIO GATES (101) needs TD to surpass HOFer STEVE LARGENT (101) for No. 19 all-time. Aims for 3rd in row with 9 catches & 90 yards…S ERIC WEDDLE & LB MANTI TE'O lead team with 40 tackles apiece. LB JERRY ATTAOCHU has 4 sacks in past 4. CB BRANDON FLOWERS had 1st sack since 2013 last week.
RAVENS: In last meeting, QB JOE FLACCO passed for 225 yards with 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 104.9 rating & added rush TD. Has 2 TD passes in 3 of 4 career meetings…In last meeting, RB JUSTIN FORSETT posted 123 scrimmage yards (106 rush, 17 receiving). Has 100 scrimmage yards in 3 of past 4 overall. Has rush TD in 2 of past 3. RB KYLE JUSZCZYK had TD catch in 2 of past 3, incl. 1 last week vs. Cardinals. Has 17 catches & needs 3 to surpass career-high of 19 last season…WR STEVE SMITH, SR. leads team with 41 catches for 588 yards, incl. 5 catches for 78 yards vs Az. Smith (13,850) needs 50 receiving yards to surpass HOFer CRIS CARTER for No. 10 all-time. TE CROCKETT GILLMORE tied career-high with 5 catches last week for 53 yards…LB DARYL SMITH leads team with 62 tackles, incl. 8 vs. AZ. Aims for 5th in row with 8 tackles. Had 8 tackles & INT in last meeting. In past 4 meetings, LB ELVIS DUMERVIL has 5 sacks & 3 FF. LB C.J. MOSLEY had sack last week & has 3 in 2015, tying 2014 career-high.
