FanHouse KeydrickVincent

Every week we look at some aspect of line play around the league with our Between The Lines feature.

As the playoffs get closer and closer, the Panthers may supplant the Plaxico Burress-less Giants as the NFC's No. 1 seed. If they do, a lot of the credit will go to an offense that can run (with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart) and pass.

But an even bigger reason the Panthers are 6-1 over the past seven games is because they have finally gotten their starting offensive line playing together.

Early in the season, injuries wrecked the Panthers' line. First guard Travelle Wharton missed two games with a knee injury. Tackle Jordan Gross missed a game with a concussion. Then ankle injuries sidelined tackle Jeff Otah (four games) and center Ryan Kalil (four games). Because of all the injuries, right guard Keydrick Vincent is the only lineman to start all 14 games this season, and three different Panthers' substitutes have started a total of 11 games this year.

Training camps are underway, the NFL season is a month off, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Quarterback: Jake Delhomme is coming off Tommy John surgery so no one knows what to expect. At the end of 2006, some fans wanted someone new at quarterback. Before he was injured in 2007, he was off to a white-hot start. How he recovers will go a long way to a successful Panthers season. Matt Moore filled in nicely late last season and may be the team's future. Brett Basanez isn't ready for prime time. No more Vinny or Mr. Mittens. Heat Index: 5

Running backs: The Panthers have been looking for a Stephen Davis type back and may have found one in rookie Jonathan Stewart. He's the kind of bull coach John Fox likes to center his offense around. DeAngelo Williams will be more efficient as a change-of-pace back. Brad Hoover is back again as an effective fullback. Nick Goings is always around to back up anybody. Heat Index: 5

As has been recorded by my colleague Ryan Wilson, overconfidence seems to be the rule of the day in Ravens Nation. But as I, and many others have written too many times to count since Monday night, how can a team be anything but overconfident heading into a game with the Raiders, the NFL's most recent edition of team turmoil?

Still, I will try my best to preview this game without offending the pro football scheduling gods who lined up three tomato cans for the Ravens in the Bucs, Raiders and the Browns to start the season.

Ravens right offensive tackle Steve Pashos vs. Raiders defensive end Derrick Burgess: All of Baltimore has been asking questions about Pashos and his teammate on the right side of the Ravens offensive line, Keydrick Vincent, since the preseason. Some of that talk was quieted last week when Pashos turned in a workmanlike performance against the Bucs, and helped limit them to just one sack of Steve McNair in the season opener. But it's a new week, and Burgess, who led the league in sacks last season with 16, and might make Pashos and Burgess' former college teammate Vincent look a little slow.

Samari Rolle or Chris McAlister against Randy Moss: Yes, I know we talked about this during the week, but for God's sake he's still Randy Moss. And while he may have never had much success against the Ravens over the course of his career, all it takes is one mistake and it's six points for Oakland ...

Hold on a second, just who am I kidding? Nobody, and I mean nobody, thinks the Raiders have a chance today. And barring a set of improbable circumstances, which I will outline below, the team is in for a long flight back to Oakland on Sunday night:

• Knock Steve McNair out of the game as soon as possible, preferably on a safety.
• Remember that Phillip Rivers only had to throw 11 passes against the Raiders on Monday night, which means Kyle Boller must be knocked out of the game as well. After all, he may still be able to complete a 35-yard lollipop to Todd Heap.
• With both Boller and McNair on the training table, the team will be forced to play emergency quarterback Mark Clayton. That would allow the Raiders to stack 11 men in the box to stop the run on every down.

With that, as long as the Raiders offense can prevent the Ravens defense from scoring -- no mean feat -- Art Shell can go back home with his first win of the season.

Here are the eight Baltimore Ravens to watch today against the Buccaneers. If it goes wrong with any of these guys, it's going to be a long day for the visitors.

Steve McNair: Want to prove that you're not washed up and can still lead a team to victory? If so, your road to redemption, and perhaps a playoff appearance, starts today in Tampa. It would help if you could manage to avoid the rush and a possible season ending injury, because, after all, if you go down for an extended period of time, the season is effectively over.

Jamal Lewis: Your last two seasons weren't all that you, or the fans in Baltimore, had hoped for. Between injuries and that nasty run-in with the Federal authorities, I'm not sure anyone should have expected more from you. Then again, while you were invited back for another go-round, your contract has been structured in such a way that what looks like a three-year deal could very well be nothing more than one. The bottom line: If you don't perform up to snuff, you won't just be out of Baltimore, but the next contract you sign won't be nearly as lucrative. Did I mention that Musa Smith would like your job too?

Jonathan Ogden: That's Simeon Rice you'll be staring at across the line today. Please stop him, or at least slow him up. After all, if there's one person we ought to be able to count on on the offensive line, it's you. I know you say your footwork isn't quite where you want it to be, but this would be a good time to pick things up. Otherwise it's going to be very ugly for everyone involved.

Steve Pashos and Keydrick Vincent: We've been looking at you two all preseason long, and the results have been less than satisfactory. In short, you guys have us really worried, as an offensive line that can't open holes and can't run block would spell disaster for this team. Perhaps that's unfair, after all, you didn't ask for this burden, and you certainly didn't decide that loading up on high-priced talent at the skill positions on both sides of the ball and neglecting the offensive line was a good idea. Still, there you are. Make the most of it.

Trevor Pryce and Haloti Ngata: The team has invested a lot in the both of you, a high-priced free agent acquisition and a highly-regarded first round draft pick. All you've done so far is not manage to do what you were both brought here for: Put pressure on the quarterback or clog up the middle long enough for Ray Lewis, Bart Scott and Adalius Thomas to get to the ball carrier. You need to turn things around right quick. And with both of the Bucs' starting guards on the shelf today, things might be a little easier for the rookie.

Ray Lewis:That was a fine SportsCenter interview you gave in the offseason. Thankfully, it's completely in the rear view mirror for management, your teammates and the fans. All they want now is for you to be the Ray-Ray you used to be. We all know that you want that too now that you're healed up, but while the mind might be willing the body may not be able to follow. That's the eventual fate of every football player, the question now is how long can you hold it off?