Five matchups that will define NFL Week 9: Josh Norman sets sights on Aaron Rodgers
If Josh Norman is going to confirm his status as the league's pre-eminent cornerback, Sunday might be the right stage.
The Carolina Panthers cornerback has been lauded this season for his work this season and ranks as Pro Football Focus' top cornerback in coverage. But he still lacks the name recognition of peers Darrelle Revis and Richard Sherman.
Locking down Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers undoubtedly would earn him some more recognition.
Rodgers enters the contest coming off a career-low 77 passing yards last week in a loss to the Denver Broncos. His wide receivers have struggled to get open on the outside. Now he'll have to find opportunities against the ever-confident Norman
"You've got to be aware of where he is at," Rodgers said this week, per ESPN. "There are a few corners in the league who are like him where you have to be aware of where they are at, how they are playing and what type of coverage they are playing and try not to throw them the football."
Norman said he marvels at Rodgers and won't try to bait the Packers signal-caller as much as he does other quarterbacks. But he also said he feels he could have made a substantial difference in last season's 38-17 loss to Green Bay, which he missed with a concussion.
Now he has the chance to prove himself on Sunday.
Here are four other matchups that will define Week 9:
- St. Louis Rams RB Todd Gurley vs. Minnesota Vikings' front seven
Gurley meets the Vikings poised to take over for Adrian Peterson as the league's premier running back.
With 566 yards in his first four starts, Gurley is off to the best start of any player in the Super Bowl era. His blend of size, speed and balance make him an unparalleled threat in the open field.
For the Vikings defense, the key could be creating disruption up front. It will be much easier to prevent Gurley from getting started than to stop him once he's at the second level.
Defensive tackle Linval Joseph ranks as one of the NFL's best interior run stoppers, and should have a favorable matchup against St. Louis' struggling offensive line. The linebacking corps, which will be without rookie Eric Kendricks, will have to be disciplined to corral Gurley without overrunning plays.
- Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown vs. Oakland Raiders secondary
The Steelers were likely to exploit Brown's matchup even before running back Le'Veon Bell was lost for the year with a knee injury. Now the wide receiver will be counted on to spark an offense that must run through him and the passing game.
Brown's production this season was thrown off by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's knee injury, which grounded the Steelers' downfield passing game. With Roethlisberger back and Bell out, Brown should see even more targets than he is accustomed to.
The Raiders will have to provide constant safety help from Charles Woodson or risk exposing a pass defense that ranks 31st with 302 yards per game allowed. Cornerbacks D.J. Hayden and David Amerson have held their own in recent weeks, but each would be a liability against the explosive Brown.
One of the Raiders' best weapons for stopping Brown might be its pass rush. Edge rusher Khalil Mack, an under-the-radar defensive player of the year candidate, could pose a problem for Steelers offensive tackles Alejandro Villanueva and Marcus Gilbert.
- Indianapolis Colts QB Andrew Luck vs. Denver Broncos OLB Von Miller
Firing an offensive coordinator five days before a matchup with the NFL's No. 1 defense is hardly a formula for success.
But there was little question the Colts needed a shakeup, and they chose to fire offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton. Rob Chudzinski takes over in time to face a Broncos defense that held Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers to 77 passing yards in its last outing.
For now, the Colts can't expect Luck to light up a disappointing offense by himself. But he'll need to make quicker decisions behind an offensive line that has struggled to protect him. And he can't afford to throw interceptions against a team that has proven adept at capitalizing off turnovers.
Miller and edge rusher DeMarcus Ware might be the biggest problems for Luck. If the duo consistently create havoc in the passing game, expect the Colts' struggles to continue.
- Dallas Cowboys WR Dez Bryant vs. Philadelphia Eagles secondary
The Eagles' offseason reshuffling of their secondary had to be inspired in part by Bryant, who torched his division rival for three touchdowns last Thanksgiving to wrest control of the NFC East.
Now it's the Cowboys who look overmatched in the personnel department, as Tony Romo's injury has eliminated Dallas' deep passing game. Matt Cassel had just 97 passing yards against the Seattle Seahawks last week.
The Cowboys have said they would take caution against the Eagles' defense, which has a league-high 19 turnovers, but the offense's current game plan is untenable. Dallas will need to take shots downfield, and Bryant can bail out Cassel on jump balls.
The Eagles won't have a corner shadow Bryant, so Byron Maxwell and Nolan Carroll both should be tested on Sunday night. But safeties Malcolm Jenkins and Walter Thurmond likely will be constant presences on the wide receiver as well.
Follow Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz on Twitter @MikeMSchwartz.
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