NFL Playbook: Seahawks set to surge without Harvin?Every Sunday morning Sportsnets NFL experts will serve up a playbook containing the storylines you need to know as of a few hours before kickoff. Whether you play fantasy football, like to wager or just want to sound smart at your local watering hole, weve got you covered.Harvin trade may get Seahawks back on track Following a poor performance in last weeks shocking home loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the same question kept being asked about the Seahawks offence: what is this units identity? Well, the situation either became much clearer Friday or just got that much murkier after the Seahawks surprisingly dealt Percy Harvin to the Jets for a mid-round pick. Reports of Harvins off-the-field antics have since come to light, while on the field the dynamic talent had only complicated Darrell Bevells offensive game plan. So will the Seahawks have a more distinct game plan in St. Louis on Sunday? Its hard to say, but expect Marshawn Lynch to feature prominently. Peyton on the verge of history While the news out of Seattle will dominate the talk leading to Sunday afternoon, Sunday night will be all about Peyton. With just three touchdown passes against the 49ers, Manning – whos averaging three TD passes a game – will eclipse Brett Favres all-time record of 508 career TD strikes. If Peyton reaches and surpasses Favres record, hell have done so in 57 fewer games (245) than Favre (302), with approximately 620 fewer completed passes while throwing 114 fewer interceptions. Superman Returns After being hobbled by ankle and rib injuries in the seasons first six weeks, Panthers star Cam Newton was clearly feeling better last Sunday, carrying the football 17 times for 107 yards. While he was healing, and not running the football, Newton threw some of the most accurate passes of his career. Sunday hell face a Packers secondary thats missing at least one and possibly two starters–an advantage that Newton probably doesnt need right now but would love to have. Now he just has to hope his star rookie receiver is on the field, too. Packers CB Sam Shields is out Sunday vs. Carolina; CB Tramon Williams questionable. Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamim also questionable. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 17, 2014 And it seems as though he will be. #Panthers rookie WR Kelvin Benjamin (concussion) has been cleared, source says. Hell play today vs. the #Packers. — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 19, 2014 Can DeMarco Murray keep up his torrid pace? DeMarco Murray made history last week, becoming just the second NFL running back ever to start the season with six consecutive 100-yard rushing games–and he can make it seven Sunday against the New York Giants 17th-ranked rush defence. Murrays spectacular start to the season has been driven by the spectacular play of what has emerged as the best offensive line in the league. However, that powerful group of big men has been hampered by injury as of late, with right tackle Doug Free out due to a foot injury and star left tackle, and reigning NFC offensive player of the week, Tyron Smith is dealing with an injured left ankle but expects to play. Hoyer, Shanahan have transformed the Browns Coming off just their second victory against the Steelers in their last 23 matchups, Brian Hoyer and the Browns have whats seemingly a no-doubter as they head to Jacksonville to take on rookie Blake Bortles and the winless Jaguars. It looks like a guaranteed win, but lets not be too quick to forget how the Browns have routinely found ways to lose in seasons past. Is this Cleveland team different? It seems that way. Despite some struggles on defence, Hoyer and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan have launched the Browns offence into the leagues top 10. Cleveland has battled in every game theyve played, with their two losses coming by just three points or less. Bills need to run away with one The Patriots have retaken control of the AFC East over the past two weeks, but with a win over the Vikings Sunday, the Bills could claim sole possession of second place and position themselves well for a solid second half. To do that theyll need to fluster rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, whos shown he can play well in the NFL when he has time to throw, but that under pressure hes still learning how quickly he must react. The Bills also need to run the ball against a Vikings run defence that can be exploited. Fred Jackson has been carrying a major load for the team and at 33 years old hell need help down the stretch. This is a great chance for Buffalo to (maybe? finally?) get C.J. Spiller on track. Saints facing must-win against Detroits stout defence The Saints have gotten off to an unexpectedly rough start to the 2014 season. Picked by many to be a Super Bowl contender heading into the campaign, New Orleans has won just twice, and the victories have come against the basement-dwelling Vikings and Buccaneers. It doesnt get any easier coming off the bye week, as Drew Bress and company head to the Motor City to take on the Lions and their top-ranked defence. With meetings against the Packers, Panthers, 49ers and Bengals on the horizon, this is as close to a must-win for the Saints as you can get in Week 7. The must-win game of the week… Theres no question that this Sunday that honour belongs to the 2-3 Chiefs. A playoff team last season, Andy Reids team is coming off a bye and back into a division thats about to leave them in the dust. It was a given before the season started that Mannings Broncos would dominate and that the Chargers would make life tough as well–but Reid couldnt have imagined it would be this tough. Denver has lost only once and is poised to go to 5-1 with a Sunday night win–but the Chargers can do them one better and get to 6-1 Sunday afternoon unless Alex Smith, Jamaal Charles and Co. can do something to stop it. Chasing two one-loss teams after seven weeks would mean the end of Kansas Citys season. So its time to open up the playbook and bring whatever theyve got.By Jordan Heath-Rawlings Every Sunday morning Sportsnets NFL experts will serve up a playbook containing the storylines you need to know as of a few hours before kickoff. Whether you play fantasy football, like to wager or just want to sound smart at your local watering hole, weve got you covered.Harvin trade may get Seahawks back on track Following a poor performance in last weeks shocking home loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the same question kept being asked about the Seahawks offence: what is this units identity? Well, the situation either became much clearer Friday or just got that much murkier after the Seahawks surprisingly dealt Percy Harvin to the Jets for a mid-round pick. Reports of Harvins off-the-field antics have since come to light, while on the field the dynamic talent had only complicated Darrell Bevells offensive game plan. So will the Seahawks have a more distinct game plan in St. Louis on Sunday? Its hard to say, but expect Marshawn Lynch to feature prominently. Peyton on the verge of history While the news out of Seattle will dominate the talk leading to Sunday afternoon, Sunday night will be all about Peyton. With just three touchdown passes against the 49ers, Manning – whos averaging three TD passes a game – will eclipse Brett Favres all-time record of 508 career TD strikes. If Peyton reaches and surpasses Favres record, hell have done so in 57 fewer games (245) than Favre (302), with approximately 620 fewer completed passes while throwing 114 fewer interceptions. Superman Returns After being hobbled by ankle and rib injuries in the seasons first six weeks, Panthers star Cam Newton was clearly feeling better last Sunday, carrying the football 17 times for 107 yards. While he was healing, and not running the football, Newton threw some of the most accurate passes of his career. Sunday hell face a Packers secondary thats missing at least one and possibly two starters–an advantage that Newton probably doesnt need right now but would love to have. Now he just has to hope his star rookie receiver is on the field, too. Packers CB Sam Shields is out Sunday vs. Carolina; CB Tramon Williams questionable. Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamim also questionable. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 17, 2014 And it seems as though he will be. #Panthers rookie WR Kelvin Benjamin (concussion) has been cleared, source says. Hell play today vs. the #Packers. — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 19, 2014 Can DeMarco Murray keep up his torrid pace? DeMarco Murray made history last week, becoming just the second NFL running back ever to start the season with six consecutive 100-yard rushing games–and he can make it seven Sunday against the New York Giants 17th-ranked rush defence. Murrays spectacular start to the season has been driven by the spectacular play of what has emerged as the best offensive line in the league. However, that powerful group of big men has been hampered by injury as of late, with right tackle Doug Free out due to a foot injury and star left tackle, and reigning NFC offensive player of the week, Tyron Smith is dealing with an injured left ankle but expects to play. Hoyer, Shanahan have transformed the Browns Coming off just their second victory against the Steelers in their last 23 matchups, Brian Hoyer and the Browns have whats seemingly a no-doubter as they head to Jacksonville to take on rookie Blake Bortles and the winless Jaguars. It looks like a guaranteed win, but lets not be too quick to forget how the Browns have routinely found ways to lose in seasons past. Is this Cleveland team different? It seems that way. Despite some struggles on defence, Hoyer and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan have launched the Browns offence into the leagues top 10. Cleveland has battled in every game theyve played, with their two losses coming by just three points or less. Bills need to run away with one The Patriots have retaken control of the AFC East over the past two weeks, but with a win over the Vikings Sunday, the Bills could claim sole possession of second place and position themselves well for a solid second half. To do that theyll need to fluster rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, whos shown he can play well in the NFL when he has time to throw, but that under pressure hes still learning how quickly he must react. The Bills also need to run the ball against a Vikings run defence that can be exploited. Fred Jackson has been carrying a major load for the team and at 33 years old hell need help down the stretch. This is a great chance for Buffalo to (maybe? finally?) get C.J. Spiller on track. Saints facing must-win against Detroits stout defence The Saints have gotten off to an unexpectedly rough start to the 2014 season. Picked by many to be a Super Bowl contender heading into the campaign, New Orleans has won just twice, and the victories have come against the basement-dwelling Vikings and Buccaneers. It doesnt get any easier coming off the bye week, as Drew Bress and company head to the Motor City to take on the Lions and their top-ranked defence. With meetings against the Packers, Panthers, 49ers and Bengals on the horizon, this is as close to a must-win for the Saints as you can get in Week 7. The must-win game of the week… Theres no question that this Sunday that honour belongs to the 2-3 Chiefs. A playoff team last season, Andy Reids team is coming off a bye and back into a division thats about to leave them in the dust. It was a given before the season started that Mannings Broncos would dominate and that the Chargers would make life tough as well–but Reid couldnt have imagined it would be this tough. Denver has lost only once and is poised to go to 5-1 with a Sunday night win–but the Chargers can do them one better and get to 6-1 Sunday afternoon unless Alex Smith, Jamaal Charles and Co. can do something to stop it. Chasing two one-loss teams after seven weeks would mean the end of Kansas Citys season. So its time to open up the playbook and bring whatever theyve got. ift.tt/1gB4pon
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 13:52:47 +0000