Eli Clocks In Under Big Ben’s Shadow

The Times’ rating scale for this week’s games:

**** -- Don’t miss a down.

*** -- Could be good.

** -- Who let the dogs out?

* -- Stupor Bowl.

Quarterback Eli Manning will make his inaugural start Sunday, and the New York Giant rookie said the success of Big Ben isn’t chiming in his head.

Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger is 7-0 as a starter, the best beginning by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.

“It doesn’t put any pressure on me,” said Manning, whose Giants (5-4) play host to Atlanta (7-2). “Obviously, other people might look at it as pressure on me to compete with him and do as well as he is doing. I just have to go out there and play my game.”

Manning might be catching Atlanta at the wrong time. The Falcons just got defensive tackle Rod Coleman back after he sat out the previous three games because of a knee injury. With Coleman in the lineup, the Falcons had a team-high seven sacks last Sunday; Coleman had two. In three games without him, the team had one.

** Pittsburgh (8-1) at Cincinnati (4-5), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- Part of the reason Roethlisberger has been so effective is Pittsburgh’s strong running game and smothering defense. Duce Staley could be back this week, and the defense should be even better with the return of linebacker Joey Porter, who was ejected last Sunday after getting into a pregame slugfest with Cleveland running back William Green. The Bengals have the league’s third-worst rushing defense, and it should have its hands full trying to shut down Staley and Jerome Bettis.

*** Indianapolis (6-3) at Chicago (4-5), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- In his last three road games against NFC teams, Peyton Manning has thrown 11 touchdown passes and one interception. In two of those games, against Philadelphia and New Orleans, he had a “perfect” rating of 158.3. The Bears have won three in a row, but they’ll have a difficult time making it four, especially with Pro Bowl middle linebacker Brian Urlacher nursing a leg injury.

** Denver (6-3) at New Orleans (4-5), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- This game pits a couple of players who have been hot in recent weeks. Denver quarterback Jake Plummer has thrown a career-high 19 touchdown passes, including eight in the last two games. New Orleans running back Deuce McAllister has run for six touchdowns in his last four games. The Broncos are 11-4 following a week off, the best record in the AFC.

** Dallas (3-6) at Baltimore (6-3), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- The Cowboys had better hang on to the ball. Baltimore has won nine of its last 10 home games and recorded a plus-19 turnover differential over that span. The Ravens have scored 20 or more points in their four home games this season.

** St. Louis (5-4) at Buffalo (3-6), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- Despite their record, the Bills have been blazing at home. They’ve won three in a row at Ralph Wilson Stadium and have surrendered no turnovers and only one sack during that stretch. Ram running back Marshall Faulk has never rushed for 100 yards in 10 games against the Bills.

** Arizona (4-5) at Carolina (2-7), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- At 0-4, the Panthers are the only team that has yet to win a home game. Arizona is looking to notch its second consecutive road victory after losing 17 in a row away from home. The Cardinals are thinking playoffs, and if they win here they will be in the thick of the hunt for a wild-card spot.

** New York Jets (6-3) at Cleveland (3-6), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- Quincy Carter played well in place of injured quarterback Chad Pennington last week, and the Jets’ loss was more attributable to bad play-calling by Paul Hackett. Cleveland quarterback Jeff Garcia is unhappy about the plays the Browns are calling too.

*** Tennessee (3-6) at Jacksonville (6-3), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- The Titans have a chance to avenge their heartbreaking loss to Jacksonville in Week 3, when Byron Leftwich led a game-winning drive in the final six minutes. Since its 48-point performance against Green Bay, Tennessee has scored 57 points in four games.

*** Detroit (4-5) at Minnesota (5-4), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- The Vikings have lost three in a row after starting 5-1, and their slide must have a very familiar feel. They started 6-0 last season before losing seven of 10. They have had the Lions’ number, though, beating them eight times in their last nine meetings.

* San Francisco (1-8) at Tampa Bay (3-6), Sunday, 10 a.m. -- These teams are heading in opposite directions. The Buccaneers are on the rise after a slow start, and the 49ers are circling the drain. San Francisco is 0-4 on the road and has lost 12 of 13 away from home. The 49ers also have committed at least one turnover in all but one of their last 29 road games.

*** San Diego (6-3) at Oakland (3-6), Sunday, 1:05 p.m. -- The Chargers are looking to win four in a row for the second time since 1996. They’re coming off two consecutive 40-plus-point games. The Raiders haven’t been able to run the ball, and they have only one takeaway in the last three games.

* Miami (1-8) at Seattle (5-4), Sunday, 1:05 p.m. -- Dave Wannstedt resigned during the week off, leaving Jim Bates to take over as head coach. The change can’t hurt. Seattle, once widely considered a Super Bowl contender, hasn’t looked the same since blowing a late lead to lose in overtime at home to St. Louis.

*** Washington (3-6) at Philadelphia (8-1), Sunday, 1:15 p.m. -- Terrell Owens has 12 touchdown receptions, one shy of the franchise record shared by Tommy McDonald and Mike Quick. He’ll be facing a resurgent Redskin defense, one of the few good things about Washington this season.

*** Green Bay (5-4) at Houston (4-5), Sunday, 5:30 p.m. -- These teams are meeting for the first time. The Packers, winners of four in a row, have averaged 35.3 points during their winning streak. The Texans are 4-1 at home against NFC opponents.

** New England (8-1) at Kansas City (3-6), Monday, 6 p.m. -- Despite a mere plus-four turnover differential, the Patriots are off to their best start ever. Priest Holmes will again sit out because of a knee injury, Chief Coach Dick Vermeil said Thursday. Holmes rushed for 180 yards against the Patriots in 2002.