The Nickel Package

5 RUNNING BACKS WHO COULD STRUGGLE TODAY Stephen Davis, Carolina

* He has had four one-yard touchdown runs in two games but should cool against a tough Miami defense.

Willis McGahee, Buffalo

* Can’t be tentative at the line of scrimmage against Atlanta’s Keith Brooking and Co.

Curtis Martin, N.Y. Jets

* He has been held under 100 yards in each of his four games against Jacksonville.

Ahman Green, Green Bay

* One touchdown in his last nine games, and he hasn’t reached 100 yards in his last eight.

Travis Henry, Tennessee

* Going against a St. Louis defense that has allowed 58 yards rushing per game.

5 OVERDUE SACK ARTISTS

* Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis -- Bringing lots of heat, but his sack numbers have yet to reflect that.

* Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Green Bay -- He’s the only Pro Bowl player on defense who has yet to force a turnover.

* Patrick Kearney, Atlanta -- One of the NFL’s most disruptive players, he is due for a big statistical performance.

* Kevin Williams, Minnesota -- Coming off a 12-sack season, he has no sacks and only three tackles.

* Jevon Kearse, Philadelphia -- This has to tweak the Freak: No sacks so far.

5 LOCKS

Cincinnati over Chicago

* Bengals are on their way to their first 3-0 start since 1990.

Philadelphia over Oakland

* T.O. outshines Randy Moss in this one.

Tampa Bay over Green Bay

* Nothing is going well for the Packers, even at Lambeau.

Seattle over Arizona

* Cardinals have lost 21 of their last 22 road games.

Indianapolis over Cleveland

* The Browns have come from behind to win their last three dome games.

5 TELLING STATISTICS

* Atlanta has converted only 19.2% of its third downs this season.

* The Colts have given up seven points or fewer in consecutive games. The last time they did that three times in a row was in 1971, when they played in Baltimore.

* The Vikings have committed 12 turnovers in their first two games, as many as they had in their first 10 games last season.

* Tom Brady in the first half this season: 105.5 rating with three touchdown passes; second half: 68.8 rating with no touchdown passes.

* Kansas City’s Trent Green has yet to throw a pass for a touchdown this season but has never been blanked in three consecutive games.

STAR RATINGS

* * * * * * Bengals’ Carson Palmer has a rating of 100 or better in his last five starts.

* * * * * Scorching Ben Roethlisberger says Tom Brady is NFL’s best quarterback.

* * * * Viking owner Zygi Wilf says he stands behind Mike Tice, but for how long?

* * * As the Saints know, banners and cheerleaders do not a home game make.

* * Great Redskin comeback, but Dan Snyder’s celebration was embarrassing.