Week 12: Game Previews

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Day and events, perhaps while watching Green Bay, Dallas, and Indianapolis carve up their turkeys, er, opponents, Detroit, the Jets, and Atlanta, respectively.

Now that we have dispensed with the appetizer - those three holiday games - it is on to the main course.

Buffalo at Jacksonville
The Bills have to be reeling after their 46-point loss to New England; luckily for them the Jaguars are nowhere near the same league as the Patriot on offense. Jacksonville should be able to get their offense going early and often against the 31st-ranked defense.

Buffalo
Must start: None
Favorable situation: Lee Evans should find more room to roam against the 27th-ranked pass defense.
Unfavorable situation: J.P. Losman is reportedly on bench watch: if he doesn't perform well against the Jags, the team might start looking at Trent Edwards since he seems to be the future for the club - that's never an encouraging place to be for a QB; Marhsawn Lynch is out again and Anthony Thomas fills in, but isn't worth starting.
Don't start: Any other player

Jacksonville
Must start: Fred Taylor is getting most of the carries and most of the yards rushing, but Maurice Jones-Drew is getting the majority of the TDs - take your pick.
Favorable situation: David Garrard is not going to have a monster game, probably ever, but he is serviceable and faces the 29th-ranked pass defense; Reggie Williams
Unfavorable situation: None
Don't start: Any other player

Houston at Clevelan
d This will not be a defensive struggle. Don't be afraid to start your Texans and Browns this week.

Houston
Must start: Andre Johnson
Favorable situation: Matt Schaub; Ron Dayne should start in place of the injured Ahman Green and the Browns have trouble against the run; Owen Daniels
Unfavorable situation: None
Don't start: Any other player

Cleveland
Must start: Derek Anderson; Braylon Edwards; Kellen Winslow
Favorable situation: Jamal Lewis
Unfavorable situation: Joe Jurevicius is on the edge this week but he is still the third option behind Edwards and Winslow, and sometimes even overlooked for Lewis out of the backfield.
Don't start: Any other player

Minnesota at N.Y. Giants
This will be a tough game for the Vikings on your team. Tavaris Jackson is a relatively ragged QB and the Giants lead the league in sacks. Plus, New York is decent against the run, so Chester Taylor probably won't gobble up yardage in place of Adrian Peterson like last week. (Late reports on Friday were that Peterson had been boosted to "questionable" for this game, so check injury reports on Sunday morning.) Eli Manning owners might get a big day based on Minnesota's last-place ranking in pass defense, and the Giants' injuries problems at RB.

Minnesota
Must start: None
Favorable situation: Taylor will likely still be a workhorse for Minnesota; same for Peterson if he is good to start and last an entire game.
Unfavorable situation: Jackson will be running away from the pass rush a lot.
Don't start: Any other player

N.Y. Giants
Must start: Manning; Plaxico Burress; Jeremy Shockey
Favorable situation: None
Unfavorable situation: Reuben Droughns is slated to get the start against Minnesota, but the Vikes are still tops in run defense.
Don't start: Any other player