Michael Vick vs. Mario Williams and the Top 10 Personnel Matchups of Week 13
Week 13 has arrived and starts tonight already after a busy week in the NFL last weekend.
There are some really nice games coming up this weekend, and each game provides some key matchups that will help decide the outcome of several games on the schedule this week.
As teams position themselves for a run at the playoffs, these matchups become even more critical and should be paid close attention to.
What are some of the top matchups in the NFL this week? Let’s find out as we take a closer look at 10 of the top matchups in the NFL for Week 13.
Michael Vick Vs. Mario Williams
1 of 10
The NFL got the blueprint on how to handle Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick last week when the Eagles played the Bears, so Houston’s Mario Williams will have a big hand in helping to stop the elusive quarterback.
Williams will not only have to provide containment on Vick but will also need to provide pass pressure on him, which can disrupt Vick’s flow and cause him to break down.
A good game by Williams could help lead to a Texans win.
Chicago’s Offensive Line Vs. Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch
2 of 10
Anyone who pays attention to the happenings in the NFL knows the situation on the Chicago Bears' offensive line runs hot or cold.
They allowed four sacks last week against the Eagles and face a tough combination this week with Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch. Both have the skill to get to the quarterback and cause problems, so the Bears must spend some time and manpower neutralizing this pass rush.
They may have to spare a running back or a tight end to help block, but if they can’t get these guys blocked, there could be trouble on offense for the Bears.
Tom Brady Vs. Darrelle Revis
3 of 10
Games between New England and New York are always good, and this one has a lot of meaning behind it, so you can bet that this game is going to be a dogfight.
Revis has been playing very well lately, shutting receivers down like he did last year, and with their running game not going that well lately, the Patriots are going to want to pass the ball as much as possible. The problem is Brady may not want to throw to the side Revis is covering.
It will be interesting to see how Brady and head coach Bill Belichick scheme to work around Revis and move the ball down the field—or perhaps they could attack him directly. At any rate, it will be interesting to see how Brady handles Revis in this game Monday night.
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Troy Smith Vs. Clay Matthews
4 of 10
San Francisco’s starting quarterback Troy Smith has been doing pretty well since being handed the starting job by head coach Mike Singletary. Now, he’s about to face one of his toughest tests on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers and their tough pass defense, led by outside linebacker Clay Matthews.
Matthews has done very well rushing the passer this year, and by putting pressure on Smith, he’s sure to force him to make mistakes and not allow the 49ers' passing attack to be effective.
Singletary and Smith will have to work hard to try to keep Matthews from disrupting their passing game. Perhaps some rollouts away from Matthews will work, along with some short passes to the middle of the field.
Joe Flacco Vs. Pittsburgh’s Defense
5 of 10
This could be one of the most interesting matchups of the weekend. Flacco is starting to become much more than just a game manager. This means he’s willing to take shots down the field with his receivers running deep routes.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are sure to try to get the maximum amount of pressure on Flacco and try to force him to the ground or to throw the ball away.
You can also expect Pittsburgh to take away the Ravens' rushing attack, which will put even more pressure on Flacco. This could put some additional pressure on Flacco, who will probably have to win this game through the air.
Ryan Fitzpatrick Vs. Jared Allen
6 of 10
There may not be a lot of people watching this matchup, which features two of the worst teams in the NFL, but if you do tune in, check out the chess match between Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and Minnesota defensive end Jared Allen.
Allen has had some success against teams with newer passers (see his game against the Arizona Cardinals a few weeks back) and may be able to get a strong pass going against the Bills and Fitzpatrick.
You may get to see quite a show put on by Allen and the Vikings defense in this game, or you may get to see an ever improving Buffalo team shut him out and win the game.
Donovan McNabb Vs. the New York Giants Pass Rush
7 of 10
The Giants have been getting some great pass pressure throughout the season, and in playing against a familiar player such as Donovan McNabb, the Giants may have some success.
McNabb isn’t the mobile quarterback that he once was and is still learning a new scheme in Washington, but he’s a competitor and has had some very good games against the Giants in the past.
With both teams having a chance at making the playoffs, you can bet that this will be a hard-fought game, and being that these teams know each other so well, it’s going to be very unpredictable.
Peyton Hillis Vs. Cameron Wake
8 of 10
Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis had a monster game last week against the Carolina Panthers, so this weekend’s opponent, the Miami Dolphins, will have their work cut out for them.
Look for linebacker Cameron Wake to have the responsibility of ensuring that Hillis doesn’t get too many yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Wake has been playing tough all year but will face a tough challenge in defending against one of the league’s surprise players.
If Wake and the Dolphins can keep Hillis from ripping them apart on the ground, they have an excellent chance of winning this game.
Sam Bradford Vs. Adrian Wilson
9 of 10
This game will probably fly under the radar for most football fans, but if you do get a chance to watch it, see how rookie Sam Bradford and his young and inexperienced group of wide receivers react to what Arizona safety Adrian Wilson brings in the secondary.
Wilson is a hard hitter, and receivers catching the ball over the middle, especially those younger guys, fear what Wilson could do to them if they catch the ball and leave themselves exposed.
Look for Bradford and the St. Louis coaching staff try to throw away from Wilson (or at least not in his general area) as much as possible to reduce the chance of injuring their receivers, dropping passes and turning the ball over. It will be interesting to see what they do to avoid him.
Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens Vs. the New Orleans Secondary
10 of 10
At the time of this writing, Cincinnati wide receiver Terrell Owens was out with an illness but is expected to play on Sunday. The Saints secondary has been banged up quite a bit in recent weeks, but it looks like, right now, the secondary will be intact and ready to play on Sunday.
Both Owens and Ochocinco present opponents with matchup problems due to their size and ability to catch the football. They are tough to defend.
It will be interesting to see what the Saints decide to do to defend against these two on Sunday. One thing that would work wonders would be to get as much pressure on Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer as they possibly can in order to force him into making mistakes, which he does often.
If the Saints can do that, they will neutralize Ochocinco and Owens and make things much easier for New Orleans.
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