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PRO FOOTBALL EXTRA NEWSLETTER
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MATCHUP OF THE WEEK by SI's Peter King
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A few years ago, when Jimmy Johnson was coach of the Dolphins, he took a jog near Miami's training facility one day around lunchtime. A car drove up next to him. The window was rolled down. "Hey Jimmy!'' the guy driving said. "J! E! T! S! JetsJetsJets!'' That's the silly chant that reverberates throughout Giants Stadium when the Jets are "home.'' It's not something the Dolphins like to hear. Miami has made the playoffs in each of the last four seasons but hasn't managed to beat New York in that span. And this week, things might be more difficult than usual. New York gets its first-round pick, dangerous speed receiver Santana Moss, back to pair opposite Laveranues Coles in three-receiver sets, with Wayne Chrebet moving to the slot. At the same time, rookie Jamar Fletcher replaces the injured Sam Madison at corner for Miami, thinning the Dolphins' secondary at a very bad time. A few weeks ago, Zach Thomas told me the "New York thing'' plays on his team's mind. With Curtis Mart!
in!
 running as well as he's been, I don't look for that to change this week. Jets, 24-22.

Catch Sports Illustrated's Peter King live from Miami with the latest football news Sunday at 10 a.m. on NFL Preview.


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POWER RANKINGS from SI's Dr. Z
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1) St. Louis Rams (7-1)
Now it comes out that Kurt Warner's sprained thumb is the reason why he's been throwing interceptions. And then there was a stretch in which Marshall Faulk was out. And still the army moves on. Frankly, I feel much more comfortable with this team up at the top where it belongs.

2) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
They went for the body in the early rounds against the Browns, and then when the fight was on the line, the sack machine and the Bus moved in for a knockout against a worn-down opponent. It was classic strongarm football, and right now a Steelers-Rams Super Bowl is an intriguing prospect, although I'm not predicting it. No one wants to make Ravens and Raiders and Dolphins and Bengals and Chiefs fans mad.

3) Green Bay Packers (6-2)
I still say their defense is the unsung hero of the drama. You can expect the Pack to be up here for a while. The toughest part of their schedule is behind them.

For more Power Rankings, click here:
http://cnnsi.com/football/news/2001/11/13/power_rankings/


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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW by SI's Peter King
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1. If Tennessee's lost season isn't in enough trouble, quarterback Steve McNair, who is nursing about six injuries right now, couldn't grip a ball at practice Wednesday and may have to sit out the week.

2. Steve Mariucci just can't stand people not liking him, which is why his feud with standout receiver Terrell Owens bugs him so much. Owens is acting so small in this case. He'll never admit he's wrong. But the 49ers simply cannot let this thing fester, because we're talking about one of the 10 most dangerous players in the game right now.

3. Michael Strahan has a bulging disk in his back. No worry, apparently. He's been playing with it for a couple of years, and surgery isn't needed. Must not be, with 15 sacks in six games.

4. The Patriots have no intention of putting Drew Bledsoe back in the lineup anytime soon. Would you? Tom Brady is 5-2 and playing more efficiently than Bledsoe has in three years.

Click here to send a question to Peter King's mailbag:
http://cnnsi.com/football/nfl/news/2000/08/30/submit/  


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UNSUNG HEROES by CNNSI.com's Pat Kirwan
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How about Falcons quarterback Doug Johnson? All you hear out of Atlanta is about the battle for playing time between veteran Chris Chandler and top draft pick Michael Vick. But it was the little-known Johnson who threw a late touchdown and ran the offense for the winning score against the Cowboys. Johnson was an undrafted free agent out of Florida in 2000. In limited action as a rookie he completed 36 of 67 passes and threw two touchdowns but until Sunday he hadn't yet been involved in a winning pro effort.

Click here for more of Pat Kirwan's Unsung Heroes:
http://cnnsi.com/inside_game/pat_kirwan/news/2001/11/14/kirwan_unsungheroes/
 

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FANTASY TIP OF THE WEEK by CNNSI.com's James Quintong
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After a slow start, Washington's Stephen Davis has been on a roll, averaging just under 112 yards per game over his last four games, improving his rushing total in each of those four contests. He'll face a tough Denver defense that's allowing just 99 yards per game, but Davis is a good enough runner to overcome that.

Arizona's David Boston is one of the surprise fantasy performers of the year, leading the league with an average of 108 yards per game receiving. However, he has just one touchdown, a big letdown given all of his yardage production. Boston could have a great chance to get a couple of touchdowns under his belt this weekend against a Lions' team allowing a league worst 16 TDs through the air.      

For more fantasy news and tips click here:
http://cnnsi.com/fantasy/

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BEAT THE EXPERTS
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Do you think you can Beat the Experts? Prove it at CNNSI.com. Here are the standings through Week 9:

EXPERTS         WEEK 9      SEASON
Bob Lorenz      13-2        83-44
Trev Alberts    11-4        82-45
Peter King      13-2        81-46
Jerry Glanville 14-1        81-46
Pat Kirwan      12-3        80-47


CELEBRITIES     WEEK 9      SEASON
Clyde Drexler   11-4        84-43
Scott Winters   13-2        83-44
Larry King      12-3        81-46
Johnny Bravo    13-2        78-49
Cynthia Cooper  12-3        77-50 
 
Click here to sign-up today: http://football.cnnsi.com
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NFL PREVIEW POLL
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Who is the MVP at this point of the season?

- Jerome Bettis
- Brett Favre
- Rich Gannon
- Jeff Garcia
- Curtis Martin


Click here to vote
http://cnnsi.com/thenetwork/nflpreview_showpage/

Results on NFL Preview - Sunday, 10 a.m. on CNN

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