Saints @ Bills; Cowboys @ Falcons: Week 10 Viewer Vote winners in action on Sky Sports
Friday 17 November 2017 15:44, UK
The New Orleans Saints (6-2) at Buffalo Bills (5-3) kicks us off from 5.30pm on Sky Sports Action (407), after winning the early game poll by only 147 votes while, at 9.25pm, the Dallas Cowboys (5-3) take on the Falcons (4-4) in Atlanta following a landslide 5,734-vote win in the late game.
Finally, at 1.20am, the New England Patriots (6-2) are in Denver to take on the stumbling Broncos (3-5) on Sunday Night Football. As well as all of that, NFL RedZone will be live on Sky Sports Mix (121) from 6pm.
Here's a look ahead to another super Sunday of NFL...
New Orleans Saints @ Buffalo Bills, Sky Sports Action (407), 5.30pm
In a tweet...
Two of the NFL's surprise performers do battle in Buffalo. The Saints have won six straight, while the Bill are unbeaten at home - something has to give.
What's the latest?
Buffalo are set to start Kelvin Benjamin at wide receiver for the first time following his arrival via a trade with Carolina.
Meanwhile, Saints coach Sean Payton says injured cornerback Delvin Breaux is not expected to play again this season because of a setback which occurred after he'd been designated to return from the club's injured reserve list.
Stat attack
The Saints have won six straight games following an 0-2 start. They are only the third team in the Super Bowl era to do that, and the previous two - the 1993 Cowboys and 2007 Giants - both went on to win the Super Bowl. New Orleans are also one of only four teams ranked in the top 10 in scoring offense and defense this season, along with the Jaguars, Seahawks and Rams.
Live NFL
The Bills are above .500 at the season midway point for the fifth time since 2000. But, in those four previous instances, they combined to go 10-22 in the final eight games, missing the playoffs each time. Hopefully their stellar home form helps them avoid such a fate this time - Buffalo are 4-0 at New Era Field this year, outscoring opponents 111-69. The Bills have scored at least 20 points in a franchise-record 13 consecutive home games.
Key battle
The turnover battle. The Bills lead the NFL in turnover differential this season (+11), but the Saints defense is much improved too - since Week Three, the Saints have allowed the NFL's lowest passer rating (56.1), fewest pass yards per game (151.2) and have held starting quarterbacks to just three touchdowns and nine interceptions during their six-game winning streak. That represents a major turnaround for a unit that ranked last in the NFL in points per game allowed over the last three years.
Game-changer
Alvin Kamara. The New Orleans ground game has also burst into life in recent weeks, with the trade of Adrian Peterson to Arizona seemingly benefiting the team, as much as it has the unhappy AP. Kamara is one of the reasons the Saints were willing to cut their loses with Peterson - the rookie RB has been an explosive change of pace guy in the backfield, and has also made a big impact in the passing game, complimenting perfectly the downhill running style of Mark Ingram. Kamara comes into this contest following a career game against Tampa Bay - 152 scrimmage yards and scoring multiple TDs for the first time.
Dallas Cowboys @ Atlanta Falcons, Sky Sports Action (407), 9.25pm
In a tweet...
The Ezekiel Elliott less Cowboys hope to continue their impressive recent run without their star RB, while Atlanta's offense still searches for its 2016 form.
What's the latest?
A federal appeals court in New York City has denied Dallas running back Elliott's bid to keep a six-game suspension over alleged domestic violence on hold. The denial of the injunction makes him ineligible in Sunday's game at Atlanta.
Live NFL
Stat attack
The Cowboys have won three straight games after opening the season 2-3, and they've been high-scoring successes, winning each of those last three by 10 points of more. Dallas are actually tied for the most double-digit wins in the NFL this season with five, level with the Eagles and Jaguars.
The Falcons, meanwhile, have suffered a surprising fall from grace following their Super Bowl trip last season - their offense has slipped from first in scoring in 2016 to 17th this year, and they have managed fewer than 20 points in four of their last five games - the 2016 Falcons scored fewer than 20 points only once in 16 games.
Key battle
Dak Prescott versus Matt Ryan. The battle of the quarterbacks will go a long way to determining the outcome of this one, with Prescott needing to pick up the slack left behind by the loss of Elliott as Dallas surely need to lean more heavily on the passing game. As for Ryan, he desperately needs to spark some life into this misfiring Atlanta offense, but it won't be easy - the Cowboys have the third-most sacks in the NFL this season, with 27.
Game-changer
Sean Lee. "The smartest player I've ever coached. And I've been on Super Bowl teams, I've coached Pro Bowlers and Hall of Famers," so says Sky Sports' studio guest for the month of November, Rob Ryan, who was defensive coordinator at Dallas in 2011 and 2012.
The Cowboys are a different team with, or without, linebacker Lee - this season alone, they've lost both games he has been absent for, winning five of the six he has featured in. The points per game Dallas have allowed in those two defeats (35.0) is almost double that of the games Lee has started (18.0), while the rush yards allowed was more than doubled - 164.0 to 80.3.
Put simply; "We were third in the league on defense with Sean when I was there," said Ryan. "But then we lost him and the tyres, wheels came off, the whole car fell apart. When he is healthy, the Cowboys are a legitimate Super Bowl contender."
New England Patriots @ Denver Broncos, Sky Sports Action (407), 1.20am
In a tweet...
Tom Brady takes New England to Denver, where they don't have the best record, but they face a broken Broncos team whose season is falling apart.
What's the latest?
New England claimed tight end Martellus Bennett off waivers on Thursday, a day after he was cut by the Packers, for "failing to disclose a physical condition". Bennett was part of the Patriots' 2016 Super Bowl-winning side before signing a three-year deal with Green Bay in the offseason.
In more concerning news for Pats fans, the team have placed linebacker and defensive captain Dont'a Hightower on injured reserve - he is set to have season-ending surgery following an injury to his right shoulder in the second half of their win over Atlanta on October 22.
The Broncos, meanwhile, have placed right tackle Menelik Watson on injured reserve with a foot injury picked up last week in Philadelphia. Denver have signed free agent tackle Cyrus Kouandjio.
Live NFL
Stat attack
Brady is 3-7 in Denver - including the playoffs - for a .300 winning percentage, his worst stats in any city with a minimum of two starts. In all other games, Brady's winning percentage is .790 (211-56).
But, the Broncos have been the NFL's worst team since Week Five - they've lost four straight, ranking last in points per game (13.0), last in points per game allowed (31.0), last in giveaways (13) and last in turnover differential (-10).
Key battle
Brady versus Von Miller. Given the New England QB's struggles in Denver, the best chance the Broncos have of causing an upset is by getting after Brady early, and often. In Miller, it seems they have just the man to do that. Since 2011, no player has sacked Brady more than Miller - his 7.5 are tied with Miami's Cameron Wake, but reached in only eight games compared to Wake's 14. Having said all that, the Broncos are coming into this one off the back of their worst defensive performance of the season - they allowed the Eagles to rack up 51 points and 419 yards against them - and they have allowed opposition QBs to 11 TDs and zero interceptions since Week Three, so perhaps Brady won't be quite so fearful.
Game-changer
Brock Osweiler. Don't laugh. There isn't much to suggest the Broncos back-up QB can turn around the team's fortunes - take one look at his 208-yard and two INT showing against the Eagles last week. BUT, one of the best moments in Osweiler's brief NFL career thus far actually came against the Patriots. Two years ago, in only his second ever start, he beat Brady and New England 30-24 in overtime. Will he produce a similar display on Sunday?
Week 10 continues on Sunday with three live games on Sky Sports Action, starting with New Orleans Saints @ Buffalo Bills, from 5.30pm.
Follow the 2017-18 NFL season with us on Sky Sports and through our website skysports.com/NFL also our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsNFL
