GAME: Tennessee at Detroit

TIME: 12:30 ET

NFL Week 13

Week 13 action

Titans 47, Lions 10 — Recap | Box
Cowboys 34, ‘Hawks 9 — Recap | Box
Cardinals-Eagles — Breakdown
Giants-Redskins — Preview | Notes
Panthers-Packers — Preview | Notes
Saints-Buccaneers — Preview | Notes
49ers-Bills — Preview | Notes
Ravens-Bengals — Preview | Notes
Colts-Browns — Preview | Notes
Dolphins-Rams — Preview | Notes
Falcons-Chargers — Preview | Notes
Steelers-Patriots — Preview | Notes
Broncos-Jets — Preview | Notes
Chiefs-Raiders — Preview | Notes
Bears-Vikings — Preview | Notes
Jaguars-Texans — Preview | Notes



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Analysis

• Thursday NFL: Previewing the games
• Marvez: Cassel worth the risk?
• Kriegel: McNabb never took charge
• Hasenmayer: Week 12 power rankings

Video

• Schein picks: Thanksgiving special
• Giants-Jets Super Bowl in the cards?
• Online OT: Complete NFL coverage

Photos

• What we learned
• Sunday’s best games
• Fantasy waiver picks

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The worst outcome for the Lions came last Sunday when the Titans were knocked from the unbeaten ranks. Tennessee definitely won’t overlook the winless Lions, who have lost four straight on Turkey Day by an average of 20 points. The Titans love to run with rookie Chris Johnson and LenDale White and the Lions are allowing 167 yards rushing a game, worst in the NFL. Tennessee’s running game lends itself to QB Kerry Collins throwing off of play-action to TEs Bo Scaife (team-high 47 catches) and Alge Crumpler. Lions rookie LB Jordon Dizon was victimized by Bucs TE Jerramy Stevens last Sunday for a TD. Conversely, Lions QB Daunte Culpepper wants a steady running game from Kevin Smith, but he will take his shots with WR Calvin Johnson. Tennessee’s secondary is a little thin right now, but RCB Cortland Finnegan is having a Pro Bowl season. Defensively, the Titans and their powerful front line excel at taking a segment of the opposition’s offensive strategy away. The Bucs applied a lot of pressure to Culpepper last Sunday and Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Vanden Bosch should be able to do the same. Bottom line is that Detroit must play mistake-free football to stay in the game.

CZAR’S SCOOP: The Lions will be without both starting defensive ends — Jared DeVries (hand) and Dewayne White (calf) — so youngsters Andre Fluellen and Ikaika Alama-Francis will rotate on the left side, with veteran Corey Smith and rookie Cliff Avril on the right. Drew Henson was signed off the practice squad to back up Culpepper with Drew Stanton sidelined with a concussion. Henson hasn’t played in an NFL regular-season game since Thanksgiving 2004, when he started for Dallas. Titans coach Jeff Fisher told White that he can’t be complaining about his carries like he did last weekend after the loss to the Jets. The Lions haven’t finalized any decision on what they plan to do or who they plan to hire in the offseason. The situation is very bleak in Detroit right now and it’s been nine years since they’ve had a winning season. However, unlike some franchises, the Lions don’t carry any debt service, so they can make a bold financial move to hire any coach or general manager they want. The franchise makes enough money to make a quality hire.

Final score: Titans 47, Lions 10

GAME: Seattle at Dallas

TIME: 3:15 ET

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Can the Seahawks really run on the Cowboys? That seems to be coach Mike Holmgren’s intentions with ex-Cowboy Julius Jones, who had only two carries last Sunday when Mo Morris ran on the Redskins. No question that Seattle LOT Walter Jones should have more success blocking DeMarcus Ware on run plays than on passing downs. Ware has 12 sacks this season and Jones may not be quick enough to stop him. If they can pass protect, Matt Hasselbeck’s best receiving weapon is TE John Carlson, who scored last Sunday. Carlson has great hands and both Dallas safeties — Ken Hamlin and Keith Davis — have been struggling in coverage all season. If Seattle center Chris Spencer (back) is sidelined as expected, Steve Vallos, a converted guard, will have to neutralize Dallas NT Jay Ratliff. On defense, look for Seattle CB Marcus Trufant to press Terrell Owens while Seattle shades a safety over the top. Last week, the 49ers allowed T.O. to run free and he finished with 213 receiving yards, tops in the NFL this season. If Seattle can’t slow T.O. down at the line of scrimmages, it could be a long day. Seattle linebackers are best against the run, and this means Dallas TE Jason Witten, who has been playing with cracked ribs, might get untracked as a receiver. Seattle’s defense ranks 31st against the pass and has allowed six receivers to have 100-yard days or better. In his two Thanksgiving Day games, Tony Romo has thrown seven touchdown passes, more than Roger Staubach threw in his career. The Cowboys would also like to get WR Roy Williams untracked.

Seattle can’t afford to let Terrell Owens run free, as he did for 213 receiving yards against the 49ers. (Tony Gutierrez / Getty Images)

CZAR’S SCOOP: Jones, who still has his Dallas home on the market for $1.3 million, said all the right things about Morris playing ahead of him, but earlier in the season he slammed his helmet when he was upset with his role in the offense. The Cowboys are thinking about placing OG Kyle Kosier (sprained foot) on IR. Dallas CB Mike Jenkins missed practice Wednesday with a strained hamstring. Seattle special teams coach Bruce DeHaven served for three seasons under former Dallas coach Bill Parcells. Seattle OG Mike Wahle (shoulder) should be available on Dec. 7 when the Seahawks host the Patriots. Pacman Jones practiced this week with the Cowboys and Dec. 7 is also the date when he can be activated. Holmgren could never seem to beat the Cowboys when he coached the Packers, losing to them three times in the playoffs. But on one Thanksgiving Day game, he thought his Packers might win with Troy Aikman out. Instead, Jason Garrett “had one of the greatest games I’ve ever seen a quarterback have,” Holmgren said as Dallas won 42-31. Garrett is now the Dallas offensive coordinator. The Seahawks were going to hold a team Thanksgiving dinner on Tuesday night, but Holmgren canceled it because, he said, “I found out the guys would rather eat catfish and wings.”

GAME: Arizona at Philadelphia

TIME: 8:15 ET

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: With the Cardinals using primarily three- and four-receiver formations, the Eagles plan to attack QB Kurt Warner early and hit him a few times, hoping to make him uncomfortable in the pocket. Warner has been steady this season, but last year he lost six of his nine fumbles. The Eagles must force turnovers. It appears that safety Tim Considine will play for injured Eagles CB Asante Samuel, leaving CBs Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard to limit Arizona WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Eagles RDE Trent Cole, who has four sacks in his last three games, needs to beat Cardinals LT Mike Gandy for the Eagles’ blitz scheme to have any chance against Warner. Eagles RB Brian Westbrook will start again despite averaging just 3.5 yards a touch in his last four games. With Correll Buckhalter out, Lorenzo Booker may get to play a lot because of Westbrook’s ankle and knee injuries. Westbrook led the league in rushing and receiving yards a year ago, but he’s rushed for more than 70 yards just once and has had more than 100 rushing and receiving yards in a game just once this season. QB Donovan McNabb will start after being yanked by coach Andy Reid at halftime against Baltimore. McNabb, a five-time Pro Bowler, has completed just 52.6 percent of his passes and has averaged just 6.3 yards per attempt in his last three starts. He has seven turnovers in his last six quarters. The Eagles owe McNabb more than $19 million in 2009-10 and if they trade him in the offseason, they would save $9.2 million.

CZAR’S SCOOP: The Cardinals can clinch their first division title since 1975 with a victory. Even if they lose, they can clinch this weekend if the 49ers lose and the Seahawks lose or tie. “This organization can take a big step,” DE Bertrand Berry said. “Obviously, it’s not the end of the world, but we don’t want to drag this thing out.” McNabb owns a home on the same street as Cardinals Coach Ken Whisenhunt and SS Adrian Wilson. He’s friends with a lot of the Cardinals and loves Arizona. “Don’t start anything (rumors),” McNabb said in a conference call with the Arizona media. Warner dropped back to pass 53 times against the Giants. By one count he was hit 12 times, including nine times in the second half. “I’ve had better days,” he said. K Neil Rackers had made 15 consecutive field goals before missing a 68-yard free kick after a fair catch against the Giants. Arizona S Matt Ware suffered a facial fracture on an onside kick against the Giants. After the game, Ware had a noticeable dent near his right temple. He is scheduled to undergo a procedure this week to fix it, and he likened it to body work on a car. “They have to knock it back out so I don’t have a dent in my face for the rest of my life,” he said. “My wife wouldn’t like that.” The Cardinals are averaging 3.3 yards a rush, which ranks last in the NFL. Eagles owner Jeff Lurie plans to wait and see how these final five games go. One thing seems to be certain — the Eagles probably will allow both offensive tackles, Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan, to test the free-agent market.