Week 4 NFL preview

By Jim McBride
Globe staff /  September 29, 2012
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San Francisco at New York Jets

Time: 1 p.m., Fox. Line: 49ers by 4.

Records: 49ers 2-1 (2-1 vs. spread), Jets 2-1 (2-1, 2-1 vs. spread).

Comments: Who doesn’t love that exasperated expression and painfully slow jog Mark Sanchez makes to the sideline when Tim Tebow comes in? . . . Sanchez is 81 passing yards shy of 10,000 for his career . . . 49ers QB Alex Smith has won 16 of his last 20 starts and is 12-0 when he posts a 100-plus passer rating . . . Jets are 4-0 when Shonn Greene rushes for at least 100 yards . . . LB David Harris leads New York with 26 tackles . . . Player to watch: Niners LB Aldon Smith has 16½ sacks in his last 16 games.

Key injuries: 49ERS: QUESTIONABLE: WR Ted Ginn Jr. (ankle), RB Brandon Jacobs (knee), NT Isaac Sopoaga (ankle, knee). PROBABLE: TE Vernon Davis (back), P Andy Lee (hand), LB Patrick Willis (ankle). JETS: OUT: CB Darrelle Revis (knee). DOUBTFUL: WR Stephen Hill (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: RB John Conner (knee), TE Dustin Keller (hamstring), LB Bart Scott (toe), LB Bryan Thomas (hamstring), WR Patrick Turner (hamstring). PROBABLE: LB Nick Bellore (shoulder), CB Antonio Cromartie (shoulder), DE Mike DeVito (calf), T Austin Howard (back), S LaRon Landry (heel), CB Ellis Lankster (back), C Nick Mangold (wrist), G Brandon Moore (hip), LB Calvin Pace (Achilles), DT Sione Po’uha (back), QB Mark Sanchez (back), G Matt Slauson (knee), S Eric Smith (hip, knee), CB Isaiah Trufant (ankle).

Miami at Arizona

Time: 4:05 p.m. Line: Cardinals by 5½.

Records: Dolphins 1-2 (1-2 vs. spread), Cardinals 3-0 (3-0 vs. spread).

Comments: Dolphins are still trying to recover from losing the Super Bowl last week. Oh, that’s right, Tony Sparano only celebrated as though the Jets won the Lombardi Trophy. My mistake . . . Miami leads series, 8-2, but Cardinals have won last two . . . Cardinals are 3-0 for first time since 1974 . . . Dolphins’ Reggie Bush is 12 scrimmage yards shy of 6,000; he’s also one injury shy of 6,000 . . . Player to watch: Cardinals’ Ryan Williams rushed for career-high 83 yards last week.

Key injuries: DOLPHINS: DOUBTFUL: DT Tony McDaniel (knee), WR Marlon Moore (hamstring), LB Austin Spitler (groin). QUESTIONABLE: RB Reggie Bush (knee), CB Richard Marshall (back). PROBABLE: CB Nolan Carroll (Achilles), DT Andre Fluellen (hamstring), QB Matt Moore (right finger), LB Mike Rivera (groin), DT Randy Starks (knee). CARDINALS: DOUBTFUL: DT Darnell Dockett (hamstring), TE Jim Dray (knee), TE Todd Heap (knee), RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (hip). QUESTIONABLE: CB Michael Adams (hamstring), S Rashad Johnson (hamstring), S James Sanders (calf), RB Anthony Sherman (hamstring), QB John Skelton (ankle), S Adrian Wilson (ankle, groin). PROBABLE: LB O’Brien Schofield (knee), G Adam Snyder (elbow), P Dave Zastudil (right calf).

New Orleans at Green Bay

Time: 4:25 p.m., Fox. Line: Packers by 7½.

Records: Saints 0-3 (0-3 vs. spread), Packers 1-2 (1-2 vs. spread).

Comments: Both clubs are reeling, with the Saints still winless and the Packers coming off the most infamous call in NFL history . . . Has there ever been a must-win game in Week 4? . . . Green Bay is 22-0 when Aaron Rogers starts and posts a 100-plus rating . . . Nawlins QB Drew Brees can tie Johnny Unitas’s record of 47 straight games with a TD pass . . . Since 2010, Packers CB Tramon Williams has an NFL-high 15 INTs . . . Player to watch: Saints’ Darren Sproles leads all RBs with 104 receptions since 2011.

Key injuries: SAINTS: OUT: LB Jonathan Casillas (neck), LB David Hawthorne (hamstring), DE Turk McBride (ankle). PACKERS: OUT: S Sean Richardson (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: CB Davon House (shoulder). PROBABLE: T Bryan Bulaga (knee), TE Tom Crabtree (shoulder), WR Greg Jennings (groin), LB Jamari Lattimore (ankle), RB James Starks (toe), DE Jerel Worthy (shoulder).

New York Giants at Philadelphia

Time: 8:20 p.m., NBC. Line: Eagles by 2.

Records: Giants 2-1 (1-2 vs. spread), Eagles 2-1 (0-3 vs. spread).

Comments: Not sure there’s enough Advil and ice in America to make Michael Vick feel better after the weekly beatings he absorbs . . . Giants lead the series, 80-72-2, but Eagles have won 6 of last 7 . . . Jints QB Eli Manning has thrown for at least 200 yards in 22 straight games (second-longest streak ever) . . . Eagles DE Jason Babin has 10½ sacks in his last eight games . . . Fantasy Geek alert: Little-known Giant Ramses Barden had nine catches for 138 yards last week . . . Player to watch: Eagles WR/KR DeSean Jackson has five career TDs vs. the Giants.Continued...