Tales of the Tape: Breaking down key Week 6 matchups

The game of football is all about matchups. Each week, we will use the Xs and Os to highlight some critical showdowns on the upcoming schedule.
Tales of the Tape: Breaking down key Week 6 matchups
Tales of the Tape: Breaking down key Week 6 matchups /

The game of football is all about matchups. Each week, we will use the Xs and Os to highlight some critical showdowns on the upcoming schedule.

Panthers at Bengals: A Burfict game

The All-22: Cowboys' young offensive line could rival those of early 1990s

Cincinnati's issues were many in second-level coverage during the 43-17 loss. On the Gronkowski touchdown, for example, two linebackers cheated toward Shane Vereen out of the backfield; Gronkowski was allowed a free release into the middle of the field, resulting in an easy pitch-and-catch.

Image placeholder title

Pass. Catch. Touchdown.

Image placeholder title
Coach_Clips (4)_0.png
Coach_Clips (5)_0.png
Coach_Clips (6)_0.png
Coach_Clips (7)_0.png
Coach_Clips (1)_0.png
Coach_Clips (2)_0.png
Coach_Clips (14)_0.png
Coach_Clips (3)_0.png

​How the Bengals choose to defend Olsen will dictate a lot of what Newton can attempt in the passing game. Without Burfict's presence, the Panthers' tight end could be in line for a Gronkowski-style showing.

Coach_Clips (8)_0.png
Coach_Clips (9)_0.png

The botch heard 'round the world: revisiting Romo's gaffe in Seattle

Coach_Clips (10)_0.png
Coach_Clips (11)_0.png

The 2014 version of Devin Hester will not look like the model Bears fans came to know over his final years in Chicago. He is an important, versatile piece of Atlanta's passing offense.

FanNation Week 6 fantasy picks

Coach_Clips (12)_0.png
Coach_Clips (13)_0.png

The full play:

Image placeholder title

As the Raiders defense illustrates, when one defender misreads this type of play, it has a knack for snowballing into larger problems. Green Bay's mission is to prevent those breakdowns.


Published
Chris Burke
CHRIS BURKE

Chris Burke covers the NFL for Sports Illustrated and is SI.com’s lead NFL draft expert. He joined SI in 2011 and lives in Ann Arbor, Mich.