Every player in the NFL is under pressure. Some are just trying to stay employed. Others strive to make a consistent positive impact for their team.
However, there are several individuals who carry a disproportionate amount of pressure on their shoulders. In some cases, quarterbacks such as Matt Cassel of New England or Aaron Rodgers of Green Bay (pictured) are clearly under the microscope as they replace legends. There are other less obvious players who face just as much pressure — and six of them are not quarterbacks.
Take a look at the challenges 10 NFL stars face.";
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It may be the opportunity of a lifetime — or it may be an opportunity to fall flat on his face. Cassel has no margin for error as he steps in for Tom Brady and tries to keep the Patriot ship going full speed ahead.
Nobody expects him to put Brady-like stats together, but he has to read opposing defenses and make big throws at key moments or he will get booed out of Foxboro before the end of November.
Head coach Bill Belichick has too much invested in his team to let an inexperienced quarterback fail, so if he senses that Cassel can’t handle the job, the Pats may be forced to make a move.
But don’t sell him short because the defense fell apart against Miami. Cassel has a wonderful supporting cast and he will get the opportunity to show what he can do in two road games against the 49ers and Chargers in Weeks 5 and 6. ";
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The Jets acquired him in the offseason to shut down opponents' ground game, and he was a monster in the Jets’ Week 2 loss to New England when he had six tackles, including two behind the line and one sack.
However, in the Week 3 Monday night game against the Chargers, Jenkins went out early with a back injury and the Jets defense went into reverse after that. The Chargers scored 48 points and did what they wanted.
Jenkins needs to be healthy and the Jets need his 350 pounds of bulk in the middle of the defensive line. ";
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Injuries kept Dvoracek out of the lineup his first two years in the league, but the Bears are expecting him to quickly become a star.
Dvoracek and teammate Tommie Harris give the Bears two of the quickest interior linemen in the game. Dvoracek is 6 feet 3 inches and 303 pounds with excellent athletic ability. He had nine tackles in the first three games of the season, but the Bears are expecting him to make a slew of disruptive plays in the backfield this season.
If Dvoracek and Harris can stay healthy this year, the Bears expect their defense to return to the Super Bowl form it had in 2006. ";
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The Green Bay community has rallied behind Rodgers and appears to have gotten over the fact that Brett Favre has moved out of the tundra and found a new home on Broadway ... err, in New Jersey.
Rodgers couldn’t solve the Cowboys’ pressure defense in Week 3, but he has completed nearly 65 percent of his throws and has four touchdowns while not throwing an interception. He's looked like a gutsy playmaker and appears to be on his way toward justifying the faith that head coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson have shown in him.
However, it’s not about good starts. It’s about great finishes, and Rodgers still has much to do. ";
spt_NFL_under_pressure[i++] = new Array("","Trent Edwards, Bills","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/apmegasports/200809211657610296202-pf.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Don Heupel", "AP", "273", "345", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
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The 3-0 Bills have an opportunity to emerge from the NFL’s shadows and reclaim some of the glory they knew in the early 1990s when they went to the Super Bowl four straight seasons.
There are a lot of reasons for their hot start, but the biggest may be the sharp play of Edwards, who is completing 67 percent of his passes and is calling the game like a master. Edwards simply does not make mistakes and has already won over his teammates. He has three fourth-quarter comeback victories to his credit in just 12 starts, and the feeling in the Buffalo locker room is one of confidence in their young leader.
The promise has been demonstrated and now it’s time for Edwards to continue to deliver. ";
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Moss has been one of the most spectacular-looking athletes in the NFL during his eight seasons and has had some spectacular highlights. But Moss knows that if the Redskins are going to have any chance to compete in the all-powerful NFC East, he is going to have to be the team’s big play maker on a consistent basis.
He has done that in the Redskins' wins over the Saints and Cardinals with fourth-quarter touchdowns in both games. Moss has scored in five straight games dating back to 2007 and appears ready to have a dominant year.
If he can’t deliver on his great ability, watch the Redskins sink to the bottom of the NFC East.";
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A national audience saw the Chargers take it to the Jets in Week 3 and earn their first win of the season, allowing everyone in San Diego to breathe easier.
But if the Chargers are going to rule the AFC West and go deep in the playoffs, the depleted defensive crew must get a lift from Phillips, especially since Shawne Merriman is out for the year with an injured knee.
Phillips has had 20 sacks the in 2006 and 2007 seasons, and a double-digit sack season is just what the Chargers need from him now. The San Diego secondary is one of the best coverage units in the league, but if the Chargers can’t get sufficient pressure on the quarterback, their pass defense will suffer dramatically.
Phillips has one sack this year and he’ll have to produce quite a few more if the Chargers are going to be a balanced team.";
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After a disappointing 8-8 season last year, everyone associated with the team was sickened by the taste that record left in their collective mouths. Seeing the division rival Giants hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the year made it even worse.
Nobody wanted to put last season behind him more than McNabb, who is finally healthy and has come out of the gate with all guns blazing. He's throwing the ball with accuracy and velocity, and the result has been a nearly 67 completion percentage to go with five touchdowns and just one interception.
The Eagles’ Week 2 Monday night loss against the Cowboys showed the rest of the league that McNabb is back in form and they may be the team that challenges Dallas for NFC superiority this season.
McNabb is taking responsibility for the offense and knows that the Eagles’ fortunes lie in large part on his performance.
";
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It's no secret how strong a player Tuck is. He teamed with Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora last year to give the Giants perhaps the best pass rush in the league. He had 10 sacks last year and two more in the postseason.
But it’s going to be much different this year with Strahan in the TV analyst’s chair and Umenyiora injured. Is Tuck intimidated now that he doesn’t have either of those two studs playing with him? Not in the least.
Tuck has already registered 13 tackles, three sacks and an interception that he returned for a touchdown. Tuck has also gotten a huge assist from defensive tackle Fred Robbins, who has a team high four sacks.
But Tuck is clearly a marked man and will have to continue to dial it up if the Giants are going to defend their title this season. ";
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He was a dominant rookie in 2007 and a spectacular performer with a non-stop motor for the woeful 49ers. That was not the least bit satisfactory for Willis, who has learned the finer points of the inside linebacker position from Hall of Famer Mike Singletary, the 49ers' assistant head coach on the defensive side of the ball.
Willis has 19 tackles in the first three games and returned his only interception 86 yards for a spectacular touchdown against the Seahawks. The play demonstrated his remarkable speed and potential to dominate.
If the 49ers are going to improve and possibly contend for a playoff spot, Willis is going to have to make big plays on an every-game basis. There is no doubt about his effort and talent level, but is he good enough to carry the Niner defense on his shoulders? ";
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