Washington: The National Football League’s two top rushers will feature in the opening weekend of the NFL play-offs, but each faces a formidable challenge to help his team advance.
DeMarco Murray, who led the league with 1,845 rushing yards, will lead Dallas against Detroit on Sunday, with the Lions welcoming back their top defender, Ndamukong Suh, after his one-game ban was overturned on appeal.
And Pittsburgh’s LeVeon Bell, who ran for 1,361 yards, is questionable for Saturday’s play-off match-up with arch-rivals Baltimore due to a hyperextended right knee suffered in the Steelers’ victory last Sunday over Cincinnati.
“I feel really good,” Bell said. “I didn’t expect to be feeling this well this early. I’ll just take it day by day and see how it goes.
“I just want to make sure everything is OK and take care of myself. If I feel ready, I’m definitely going to try to get on the field and play.”
Cincinnati will visit Indianapolis on Sunday and the Steelers will host the Ravens on Saturday in American Conference first-round games, with New England and Denver having byes and awaiting the winners.
In the National Conference, Arizona will visit Carolina on Saturday while the Cowboys entertain Detroit on Sunday. Defending Super Bowl champions Seattle and Green Bay earned first-round byes and await the winners next week.
Bell, who was injured when Bengals safety Reggie Nelson tackled him low after a third-quarter reception, was hopeful of taking the field in Pittsburgh’s biggest game of the season.
“The doctors are telling me it’s not something that can get worse if you play. That’s good to hear,” Bell said.
“I don’t want to play fearing my knee will get hurt. I want to be comfortable, not have to think about cutting or jumping. I want to be at the point where I’m able to be productive and help this team win.”
It’s the same opportunity Suh thought would be denied him after he was suspended by the league for one game Monday for stepping backwards twice upon the leg of Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers last Sunday.
Suh was banned for the move but won an appeal of the punishment and later claimed numb feet prevented him from feeling his rival star’s leg beneath his cleats as he stepped back.
Carolina routed Atlanta to win the NFC South division last week and become only the second team with a losing record to qualify for an NFL play-off berth.
The Panthers’ reward for their fourth win in a row was a home play-off game but they will be tested by an 11-win Cardinals squad that will be led by third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley.
Arizona lost Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton to injuries but have matched the club record for wins.
“It’s a whole new season now,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. “We’re all 0-0 and we’re in the tournament. We’re going to get ready for this play-off game. We’re not planning on being one-and-done.”
The Colts will be without offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus, who was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury.
Joe Reitz will replace him among the protectors of Colts’ quarterback Andrew Luck against the Bengals’ defensive unit.
