Five matchups that will define NFL Week 8: Can Broncos rattle Aaron Rodgers?
The rest of the NFL will be ready to pounce whenever a team figures out the formula for stopping Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The Denver Broncos' top-ranked defense appears to have all the pieces in place to slow down the reigning MVP on Sunday night in a battle of unbeaten teams. But Rodgers has proven himself ready for a wide variety of game plans, and he requires near flawless execution from the opposition to be defeated.
Yet the Packers offense has stalled in spots, in part due to a receiving corps that has struggled to stay healthy and get open on the outside. Their task won't get any easier, as Broncos cornerbacks Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr. and Bradley Roby have formed arguably the league's best grouping at their position.
Denver's real test will be seeing if its pass rush, which has a league-best 26 sacks, can consistently close against Rodgers. Pressure alone won't matter against Rodgers, who is one of the NFL's best quarterbacks at extending plays. If the Broncos can only push him out of the pocket, he could connect on deep passes when his receivers have time to break free.
Even Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware off the edge might not be enough to rattle Rodgers. Denver might need the less heralded Malik Jackson and Shaquil Barrett to fly in when the rest of the rush is handled.
Denver also could use help in having its defense put its 29th-ranked offense in reasonable situations. But Peyton Manning and Co. won't be able to complain too much as long as Rodgers doesn't make repeated trips to the end zone.
Here are four other matchups that will define Week 8:
Dallas Cowboys DE Greg Hardy vs. Seattle Seahawks offensive line
After his sideline outburst last week against the New York Giants, Hardy needs to keep the focus on his own play.
The disruptive defensive end has a promising matchup this weekend against a Seahawks offensive line that has surrendered a league-high 31 sacks on Russell Wilson. Seattle could be in serious trouble if left tackle Russell Okung is unable to play and Alvin Bailey is forced into the starting lineup.
Hardy's antics have overshadowed a productive start to his Cowboys tenure. With three sacks in two games, his combination of speed and power is often too much for opposing tackles to handle.
But the Cowboys will need Hardy and the defense to create turnovers or give them short fields with which to work. Even if wide receiver Dez Bryant returns to action from a broken foot, he can't be counted on to lift an offense that has yet to break 250 passing yards in a game without him.
Oakland Raiders WR Amari Cooper vs. New York Jets CB Darrelle Revis
Cooper's refined play has him ahead of the pack in the race for rookie of the year, and performances like last week's reveal why might be the only competition for St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley. The Alabama product burned the San Diego Chargers for six catches and 133 yards, becoming the first rookie since Mike Ditka in 1961 to have three 100-yard games in his first six outings.
But Cooper might have to take what he can get against Revis. The six-time Pro Bowl selection won't offer the easy opportunities Cooper has capitalized on so far this year.
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr's best option might be to feed Cooper early on screens and short passes. Cooper has a league-high 302 yards after the catch and is tough to bring down with the ball in his hands.
But Oakland can't afford to ignore Cooper simply because he drew Revis in coverage. Carr targeted Cooper just four times when the Broncos' talented secondary kept him in check to hand the Raiders a 16-10 loss in Week 5.
Cincinnati Bengals defensive line vs. Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line
Ben Roethlisberger might be on the move more than he would like in his expected return from a knee injury.
The Steelers signal-caller should rejuvenate a languishing offense, but his mobility will be tested by one of the NFL's most talented fronts. If Pittsburgh can't protect him, it risks falling three and a half games behind Cincinnati in the AFC North.
Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap and defensive tackle Geno Atkins are both on pace for Pro Bowl berths, but edge rusher Michael Johnson could have the biggest impact Sunday. He'll be up against left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, who's filling in for the injured Kelvin Beachum. A 6-9 former Army Ranger who previously played as a defensive end with the Philadelphia Eagles, Villanueva could be the determining factor in whether the Steelers can recapture their downfield passing game.
If the Steelers can give Roethlisberger time, they might see the big plays that disappeared with him absent. Cincinnati's secondary has been prone to big plays on occasion, and wide receiver Antonio Brown recorded 245 yards in two games against the group last year.
Carolina Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart vs. Indianapolis Colts' front seven
Quarterback Cam Newton hasn't been getting much help from the Panthers receivers, but he might not need it Monday if its top-ranked running game gets rolling again.
The Colts enter the contest with the league's worst defense, having given up 183 yards and three touchdowns on the ground last week to the New Orleans Saints. The easily moved defensive front is a familiar problem that ended Indianapolis' season last year, and hardly one they can afford given their litany of offensive issues.
Stewart, meanwhile, has emerged as the workhorse the Panthers need. If his 125-yard performance against the Eagles last week was any indication, he's ready for another 20-25 carries. That should be a relief for Newton, who had three interceptions last week and is still finding his way with his receiving corps.
The Colts likely need to load the box and force Newton to beat them outside. The defense isn't faring any better against the pass, but it can afford to take chances against the likes of Ted Ginn and Corey Brown.
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