On Wednesday's "Around The League Podcast," we called Jamaal Charles an MVP candidate, and we don't regret it. The Chiefs runner is the first player since Edgerrin James in 2005 to record 100-plus yards from scrimmage in each of the first eight games of the season.
Leslie Frazier won't say if Christian Ponder or Josh Freeman will start at quarterback, but neither will come close to the beating Matthew Stafford dropped on the Cowboys' secondary last week. The Lions' quarterback threw for 488 yards, marking the third time this season Dallas has allowed 500 yards of offense.
Two stats that work in the Jets' favor: Rex Ryan has beaten his brother Rob all four times they have faced off as a coordinator or head coach; Drew Brees' QB rating is 40 points lower on the road, and the Saints offense generally has not looked that explosive this season away from the Superdome.
Jake Locker is on pace for 18 touchdowns and just two interceptions, but he'll be tested by a Rams pass rush that ranks fifth in sacks and dropped Seattle's mobile Russell Wilson seven times on Monday night. St. Louis pass rushers Chris Long and Robert Quinn have 15.5 sacks between them and will give Titans tackles Michael Roos and David Stewart their biggest test of the year.
Based on the tape, this isn't a good matchup for Washington. The Redskins gave up 45 points and 499 yards to the Bears in Week 7 before allowing Denver to roll up another 45 points on Sunday. Enter the Chargers, fourth in the league in total offense behind Philip Rivers, who ranks in the top six in pass yards per game, passer rating, touchdowns and completion percentage.
Terrelle Pryor gets all the attention, but the Raiders defense is one of the most overachieving groups in the league. Oakland's offense had one first down in its last nine drives last week, yet the Raiders defense held the fort. This is a favorable matchup; Philly's big plays go way down when Nick Foles is behind center.
One bright spot for the winless Bucs is the steady growth of Mike Glennon. The rookie passer hasn't been perfect, but he's posted a higher completion percentage, more passing yards per game, more touchdowns and a higher passer rating than Freeman did in Tampa this season before his release. Still, Glennon has been a Jekyll-and-Hyde act, posting a 100-plus passer rating in the first half of games and the NFL's third-worst rating in the second half.
We were high on Cleveland's defense early on, but it's showing cracks: After allowing 17.5 points per game over the first four weeks, they've given 27.3 since Week 5. They haven't forced a turnover since Week 6 and Cleveland hasn't beaten the Ravens since 2007. That makes Joe Flacco a perfect 11-0 against the Browns.
Undrafted rookie Chris Jones has been a find at defensive tackle for the Patriots. He's disruptive in the run game and the pass game, and is playing nearly every snap. The Patriots are 6-2 because their defense is carrying them, even after Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo's season-ending injuries.
Aaron Rodgers seems to play better with every weapon that is taken away from him. The Bears have done a nice job slowing Rodgers down over the years, but this is not the same Bears defense. Even before injuries struck, this was a leaky squad that is too reliant on turnovers. There's no reason to think they can slow the Packers down.
The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.
