By Jason Bryden
Assistant Sports Info Director
Baltimore-Pittsburgh
If you love hard-nosed defense and a bitter rivalry, the Ravens- Steelers game on Sunday in Pittsburgh is for you. Baltimore enters the game 2-1, while Pittsburgh is one of three undefeated teams left in the NFL at 3-0.
The Ravens held off a pesky Cleveland Browns team, 24-17, on Sunday, getting three touchdown grabs by wide receiver Anquan Boldin. Boldin is the fastest ever to 600 catches, doing it in 97 games. The Steelers had little trouble with Tampa Bay, trouncing the Buccaneers, 38-13, getting a quality game from backup quarterback Charlie Batch. This is the last game of the four-game suspension of starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
The two teams split last year, both winning at home. Pittsburgh, including playoffs, have won 19 of 30 meetings.
Indianapolis-Jacksonville
Usually when the Colts come to Jacksonville, you get a close game. Since the two teams became divisional rivals in 2002, six of the eight meetings have been decided by eight points or less. Indianapolis is 6-2 in the eight meetings at Jacksonville.
The Colts got a 325-yard, three touchdown performance from quarterback Peyton Manning in a 27-13 win at Denver. Jacksonville looks to bounce back from a 28-3 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday and will get back to .500 with a victory.
The Colts lead the all-time series 14-4 and are 12-4 since 2002.
Washington-Philadelphia
On Easter Sunday, longtime Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was traded down I-95 to Washington ending an 11-year tenure in Philadelphia for McNabb.
On Sunday, McNabb returns to Philadelphia and will he get more cheers or boos from the Philadelphia crowd? McNabb took the Eagles to the playoffs eight times during his career in Philadelphia.
McNabb’s current team the Redskins lost 30-16 on Sunday at St. Louis to the Rams. The Eagles coasted to a 28-3 win at Jacksonville on Sunday as new quarterback Michael Vick threw for three scores and ran for a fourth.
Philadelphia swept the season series a year ago, but Washington has won three of the prior five at Lincoln Financial Field.
Chicago-New York Giants
Two of the most successful franchises in the history of the NFL go at it on Sunday night at the New Meadowlands Stadium. Chicago has won nine NFL Championships (one Super Bowl), while New York has won seven NFL Championships (three Super Bowls).
Chicago, the NFC’s last undefeated team, improved to 3-0 with a 20-17 win over Green Bay on Monday night. The Bears forced a fumble with just over two minutes left and drove to the one-yard line where kicker Robbie Gould nailed a 19-yard field goal with four ticks left for the win. The Giants outgained Tennessee by 200 yards, but turned it over three times and committed a bunch of major penalties in a 29-10 loss.
The road team has won the last seven in this series.
New England-Miami
Two teams who have their eyes set on winning the AFC East meet in a key matchup on Monday night in South Florida as the Dolphins host the Patriots in a clash of two 2-1 teams.
New England comes off of a 38- 30 win over Buffalo on Sunday. Quarterback Tom Brady threw for three touchdowns in the win, two of them going to wide receiver Randy Moss. Miami fell on Sunday night to the New York Jets, 31-23.
The Dolphins had a chance to tie it on their last possession (with a two-point conversion), but were intercepted in the end zone to fall for the first time this season.
The two teams split last season, both winning at home. In the Bill Belichick era, since 2000, the Patriots are only 11-9 against the Dolphins.