New York Giants 16, Detroit Lions 10
What you need to know
New York Giants - Coming off a home loss, the Giants took to Ford Field in search of starting another win streak. In a hard fought battle, Tom Coughlin and his troops were able to leave the Motor City with another important NFC victory over the Lions.Eli Manning led the aerial assault completing an efficient 28 of his 39 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown. The most important part of Manning's game was that he did not turn the ball over once to a hungry and fast Lions defense. Pacing the Giants' today was leading rusher Brandon Jacobs who accumulated 54 yards on the ground, while adding 49 of his own receiving, including a 10 yard touchdown catch. He left the game with an apparent hamstring injury and gave way to Reuben Droughns who added 39 total yards of his own en route to a victory.
The story of the game could very well be the New York defense, who accumulated three sacks and four total turnovers in the win. Michael Strahan, accountable for all three sacks in the game, was one of the many linemen who put pressure on Lions quarterback Jon Kitna, while the New York secondary forced three interceptions of their own.
Detroit Lions - The Lions came back home to Ford Field off a tough road loss and desperate for a victory. They had their chances, however could not capitalize as they turned the ball over four times and fell to 6-4 after a 16-10 loss.Jon Kitna had a slow first half, however was able to turn it on in the second half as he completed 28 of 43 passes for 377 yards and a touchdown. His mistakes, however, proved costly today as he turned the ball over three total times and allowed the Giants to walk out with a victory. Two of Kitna's' three interceptions came in the final quarter with the Lions driving down field for what would have been go ahead touchdowns.
The rushing attack of Detroit was led by Kevin Jones who was only able to post 25 yards on 11 carries, while adding three receptions for 12 yards. Lions receiver Shaun McDonald led the team with seven receptions for 113 yards however was a costly figure in Jon Kitna's' last interception, as it bounced off his hands and into the awaiting arms of a Giants' defender.
The Detroit defense contained a high powered Giants' offense, holding them to 16 total points and forcing two turnovers. They kept all New York players in check, however could not keep Brandon Jacobs out of the end zone, as he scored the only offensive touchdown for the Giants, which proved to be the difference in the game.
What you ought to know
QB Eli Manning, Pass: 28 - 39 - 283 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 5 - 5 - 0 - Eli Manning put together a very efficient game completing 72 percent of his passes for 283 yards and a touchdown. He played a near flawless game, protecting the ball and not giving the Lions any chance to come up with an interception. Spreading the ball around to nine total targets, Manning consistently made his progressions and found the open receiver.RB Brandon Jacobs, Rush: 11 - 54 - 0, Rec: 4 - 49 - 1 (4 targets) - Brandon Jacobs had very productive game both by air and land, as he combined for 103 total yards including 49 yards on four receptions. He scored the Giants lone touchdown in the game as he caught a dump pass from Eli Manning and did the rest, as he barreled towards the end zone. Jacobs unfortunately had his game cut short as he left in the third quarter with a hamstring injury.
RB Reuben Droughns, Rush: 11 - 13 - 0, Rec: 3 - 26 - 0 (3 targets) - Droughns played well in relief of Jacobs, amassing three catches for 26 yards while adding 11 yards on the ground.
WR Plaxico Burress, Rec: 4 - 47 - 0 (11 targets) - Burress and his signal caller were obviously not on the same page today as they often were unable to hook up, mainly because Burress was not at the spot that Manning was throwing to. He did not appear to be slowed by his injured ankle, as he was able to catch four balls for 47 yards and make some athletic moves in space.
WR Amani Toomer, Rec: 4 - 39 - 0 (6 targets) - Toomer saw some more balls come his way as we brought in four of his six targets for 39 yards. He was the main possession receiver, securing the ball past the sticks and continually moving the chains.
WR Sinorice Moss, Rec: 4 - 46 - 0 (4 targets) - Sinorice Moss saw extended action in the game and was able to haul in all four of his targets for 46 yards. He was a clear fourth option for quarterback Eli Manning, however produced when called upon as two of his four receptions went for a first down. Moss also added a fumble early in the game on his second reception.
TE Jeremy Shockey, Rec: 5 - 41 - 0 (6 targets) - Shockey again was targeted a good amount of times and was able to make the most out of his six targets, as he brought five of them in for 41 total yards. It was his 25th catch in his last four games; Shockey is clearly becoming used more in the New York passing attack.
PK Lawrence Tynes 3 - 3 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 10 points - Tynes made all three of his field goal attempts as he connected from a long of 46 yards and added a lone PAT attempt.
NYG Rush Defense - The New York rush defense was solid yet again as they allowed the Lions only rusher, Kevin Jones, to only gain 25 yards on 11 attempts. He was bottled up all day inside and outside and his inability to find any room against a stingy Giants front forced the Lions to abandoned the run and become very one dimensional.
NYG Pass Defense - The Giants pass defense showed up today in their traditional bend but don't break fashion as they allowed Lions' quarterback Jon Kitna to post 377 passing yards, and forcing him into three interceptions. Defensive End Michael Strahan tallied three total sacks on the day and cornerbacks Sam Madison and James Butler sealed the victory with interceptions on back to back drives late in the fourth quarter. QB Jon Kitna, Pass: 28 - 43 - 377 - 1 TD / 3 INT - Kitna struggled in catch up mode today as he completed 28 of his 43 passes for 377 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. Playing from behind and abandoning the run, Kitna was called upon to make the comeback and came up just short. He hit receiver Calvin Johnson on the Lions only scoring touchdown of the game and tried to go deep late in the game for the go ahead touchdown, however came up short and was intercepted by the Giants' James Butler.RB Kevin Jones, Rush: 11 - 25 - 0, Rec: 3 - 12 - 0 (4 targets) - Jones was only able to accumulate 25 yards rushing while adding three receptions for 12 yards. He was clearly bottled up all day by the Giants front four and did not see many chances in the second half as the Lions took to the air for most of their offense.
WR Shaun McDonald, Rec: 7 - 113 - 0 (14 targets) - McDonald saw a team high 14 targets in the game, as he was able to bring in seven of them for 113 yards. He was the most reliable target for Jon Kitna and was able to always find the soft spot in the zone. On the Lions last drive however, Kitna and the Lions were trying to put together a go ahead drive and found an open McDonald, who had the ball bounce off his hands, and into the waiting arms of cornerback Sam Madison to end the game.
WR Roy Williams, Rec: 6 - 106 - 0 (11 targets) - Roy Williams saw another game with double digit targets, as he was able to bring in six of his 11 receptions for 106 yards. He as usual made some amazing catches in traffic and was dominant against any corner that was covering him.
WR Mike Furrey, Rec: 5 - 41 - 0 (6 targets) - Furrey was another possession receiver for the Lions as he caught five passes for 41 total yards.
WR Calvin Johnson, Rec: 3 - 45 - 1 (3 targets) - Johnson only saw three targets but made the most of them, as he was able to bring in all three for 45 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown grab, which was the Lions only one of the game, came in the second half, as Johnson used his leaping ability to haul in the 35 yard deep ball from Jon Kitna.
WR Troy Walters, Rec: 1 - 19 - 0 (1 targets) - Walters caught his only target from Jon Kitna for a total of 19 yards.
PK Jason Hanson 1 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points - Jason Hanson connected on his only attempt of the day, a 42 yard try, while adding the Lions lone extra point.
DET Rush Defense - The Detroit rush defense held Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns in check, as they were able to hold the duo to 67 total yards and keep them out of the end zone. The stretched out Brandon Jacobs, and were able to limit the big plays on the ground.
DET Pass Defense - The Detroit pass defense was solid against a tough Giants passing attack however, they were not able to slow them down enough to get a victory. They allowed one passing touchdown in the game and gave up a total of 283 passing yards, spread out among nine different receivers. They were able to sack Giants quarterback Eli Manning only twice and were not able to force him into any interceptions.Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Atlanta Falcons 7
What you need to know
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - QB Jeff Garcia helped Tampa Bay jump out to an early lead with a touchdown strike to WR Joey Galloway from 44 yards out and followed that up with a third quarter scoring connection with TE Alex Smith. Garcia finished with 159 yards passing and made good decisions all game long to lead the Buccaneers.RB Earnest Graham led the Tampa Bay rushing attack, finishing with 102 yards on the ground, along with a 26 yard touchdown run. Graham was patient when he had to be, and made a few nice cut back runs as he wore down the Atlanta defense.
Joey Galloway had the first big play of the game, as he faked a slant inside on DeAngelo Hall and burned him downfield for a 44 yard touchdown grab. TE Alex Smith scored from 21 yards out in the second half on Tampa Bay's other big scoring play for the game.
The Buccaneers shut down the Falcons in nearly every aspect of the game, stuffing their running attack and pressuring the Atlanta quarterbacks on nearly every drop back to disrupt their passing game. Along the way, they forced four turnovers that led to 24 points and forced the Falcons to bench starting QB Byron Leftwich in favor of backup Joey Harrington. DB Ronde Barber scored on a big play for the defense on a Leftwich fumble, returning it 41 yards for a score.
Atlanta Falcons - Byron Leftwich started the game and could not get anything going for the Falcons, turning the ball over four times and eventually being pulled for backup Joey Harrington. Harrington fared better in garbage time, where he threw for 139 yards and Atlanta's only touchdown.RB Warrick Dunn and the Atlanta rushing attack were completely stuffed by Tampa Bay, finishing with just 49 yards as a team for the game, but Dunn did contribute eight receptions for 40 yards in the passing game.
WR Michael Jenkins led the Falcons with nine receptions for 73 yards and WR Adam Jennings accounted for the club's only touchdown of the game, catching a seven yard scoring reception in the fourth quarter.
Atlanta's defense did not get much help on the offensive side of the ball, and as a result, was worn down by the Buccaneers offense. They did force and recover two fumbles, but the offense could not do anything with the extra opportunities. On the negative side, they gave up three touchdowns of over 20 yards and seemed to have a few mix ups in coverage downfield that resulted in Tampa Bay scores.
What you ought to know
QB Jeff Garcia, Pass: 10 - 20 - 159 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 5 - 0 - Garcia did not post huge numbers against Atlanta, but he made plays when he had to and seemed to make the right decision every time. He finished ten of 20 for 159 yards, two touchdowns and zero turnovers. The first score came on a 44 yard strike to WR Joey Galloway that gave Tampa Bay an early 7-0 lead, and Garcia followed that score with a 21 yard touchdown to TE Alex Smith. With those two touchdowns and the help the Buccaneers received from their defense, Garcia was able to watch the fourth quarter from the sideline.QB Bruce Gradkowski, Pass: 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - -2 - 0 - Gradkowski entered the game late in the fourth quarter to allow starter Jeff Garcia to watch the remainder of the game from the sideline. He completed the only pass he threw for two yards and had two kneel downs for minus two yards rushing.
RB Earnest Graham, Rush: 17 - 102 - 1, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - Graham got off to a slow start in the first half, rushing seven times for 27 yards, but picked it up in the second half on his way to 102 yards on 17 carries. He seemed to get stronger as the game went on, and that showed on a fourth quarter 26 yard touchdown run. Graham continued to show a skill set that has helped him be successful to this point with excellent cut back vision and tough running in between the tackles. He also caught the only pass thrown to him for a six yard reception.
RB Michael Pittman, Rush: 10 - 44 - 0, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (5 targets) - Pittman returned from injury to give the Buccaneers offense another much needed weapon, and chipped in with 44 yards rushing on ten attempts and getting five targets in the passing game, finishing with 17 receiving yards on two receptions. On the negative side, Pittman did lose a fumble and had a drop on a third down play that would have given the Buccaneers a first down.
WR Joey Galloway, Rec: 2 - 63 - 1 (2 targets) - Joey Galloway was only targeted twice in the game, but made the most of it. He caught both balls thrown his way for 63 yards, including a 44 yard touchdown reception. On the touchdown grab, he made a great double move that gave him separation from DB DeAngelo Hall and Galloway was able to bring down the Garcia pass to complete the long score.
WR Ike Hilliard, Rec: 1 - 14 - 0 (2 targets) - Ike Hilliard caught one pass for 14 yards on two targets for the game.
WR Michael Clayton - Clayton was active for the game, but was not targeted.
WR Maurice Stovall (2 targets) - Stovall was targeted twice but failed to come down with a catch in the game.
TE Alex Smith, Rec: 3 - 51 - 1 (5 targets) - Smith was targeted five times in the ball game, catching three passes for 51 yards that included a 21 yard touchdown reception. On the touchdown catch, Smith split the Atlanta zone down the seam, took a hit and was able to hang on for the score.
PK Matt Bryant 1 - 1 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points - Bryant connected on a 23 yard field goal and added four extra points to finish with seven points.
TB Rush Defense - Tampa Bay's defense was ready to play from the opening kickoff, swarming to the ball like the Buccaneer defenses of old, attacking the Falcons from every direction. They completely shut down the Atlanta rushing attack, holding them to 49 yards on 19 carries, for just 2.6 yards per rush, and a long run of just seven yards. Because of their domination in the trenches, Atlanta was forced into third and longs that they could not convert, which was a big reason Tampa Bay was able to run away with the game.
LB Cato June led the Buccaneers defense with nine solo tackles and a forced fumble.
TB Pass Defense - The Buccaneers were able to make Atlanta one dimensional, forcing them to try to beat them through the air with their passing game. The Falcons struggled to do just that, as Tampa Bay brought constant pressure with their front seven that was coupled with excellent coverage downfield. When Atlanta did come down with receptions, the Buccaneers swarmed to the ball with hard hitting, forcing three fumbles.Tampa Bay made all of the big plays defensively, finishing with four sacks, two interceptions and three forced fumbles. The Buccaneers scored 24 points off of Atlanta turnovers, including a fumble return for a score by DB Ronde Barber. DL's Chris Hovan and Gaines Adams each recorded a sack, with fellow DL Greg White recording two sacks and two forced fumbles himself. LB Barrett Rudd and Hovan recorded interceptions for Tampa Bay.
QB Byron Leftwich, Pass: 15 - 28 - 106 - 0 TD / 2 INT - Leftwich got the start in his return from ankle surgery and for Leftwich and the Atlanta Falcons, it was a return they would like to forget. He finished 15 of 28 for 106 yards, zero touchdowns, two interceptions and two fumbles. As a result, he failed to lead his team on any drives inside the red zone, and was replaced late in the third quarter by Joey Harrington.QB Joey Harrington, Pass: 16 - 20 - 139 - 1 TD / 0 INT - Harrington entered the game late in the third quarter with Atlanta already down 24-0 and played well in relief of Leftwich. He finished 16 of 20 for 139 yards and the team's only touchdown, connecting with WR Adam Jennings from seven yards out to get the Falcons on the board and avoid the shutout. Harrington's play in this game, along with his success in the past two weeks, make it a bit of a mystery why he was bumped this week in favor of Leftwich.
RB Warrick Dunn, Rush: 15 - 32 - 0, Rec: 8 - 40 - 0 (12 targets) - Dunn had a tough time finding room in the run game, finishing with 15 rushes for just 32 yards, but was busy in the passing game with eight receptions for 40 yards. He led the club in targets with 12 and proved to be a reliable outlet for both of the Atlanta quarterbacks.
RB Jerious Norwood, Rush: 2 - 4 - 0, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) - Norwood wasn't used much in the game, running the ball just two times for four yards and catching the only two passes thrown his way for ten yards. He did have a big play in the return game, running a kickoff back 87 yards for a touchdown, but the play was called back on an Atlanta penalty.
WR Michael Jenkins, Rec: 9 - 73 - 0 (11 targets) - Jenkins was the most targeted Atlanta wideout, finishing with 11 for the game, and led the Falcons with nine receptions for 73 yards.
WR Roddy White, Rec: 4 - 28 - 0 (8 targets) - White was targeted eight times, finishing with four receptions for 28 yards. White, who has struggled with drops all year long, continued to have problems and had at least two more balls thrown his way that he should have come down with. He also fumbled the ball away on one of his receptions, but after an unusual sequence of events, the Falcons were able to get the ball back from the Buccaneers after a fumble of their own on the run back.
WR Adam Jennings, Rec: 2 - 11 - 1 (2 targets) - Jennings caught the only two passes thrown his way for 11 yards and came down with a seven yard scoring reception late in the fourth quarter.
WR Laurent Robinson, Rec: 2 - 43 - 0 (7 targets) - Robinson was targeted seven times, most of which came on long pass routes downfield, and caught two passes for 43 yards. Two of his targets came on passes thrown to him in the end zone, but Robinson was not able to capitalize.
TE Alge Crumpler, Rec: 3 - 28 - 0 (6 targets) - Crumpler was targeted six times in the game, finishing with three receptions for 28 yards.
PK Morten Andersen 0 - 0 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 1 points - Anderson did not attempt a field goal in the game and made good on an extra point attempt to finish with one point.
ATL Rush Defense - Atlanta played well against the run in the first half, holding Tampa Bay to 49 yards rushing before the break, but wore down as the game went on, as the Buccaneers doubled that total in the second half, rushing for 100 second half yards, including a rushing touchdown.
LB Keith Brooking led the defense with five solo tackles and three assists.
ATL Pass Defense - While the Falcons did not give up huge passing numbers against Tampa Bay, they gave up big plays at the wrong times, and the Buccaneers capitalized. They seemed to have mix ups in coverage, as Tampa Bay scored both of its passing touchdowns from over 20 yards out. DB DeAngelo Hall was burned on the first score by WR Joey Galloway and Tampa Bay TE Alex Smith ran free through a three deep zone for the second passing score.DB Jonathan Babineaux led the Atlanta secondary with five solo tackles and DL John Abraham, who did give the Buccaneers trouble with the pass rush, finished with the club's only sack.
Tennessee Titans 20, Denver Broncos 34
What you need to know
Tennessee Titans - Vince Young set a new career high in passing yards with 305 and had his best fantasy performance of the year. It wasn't enough to overcome the big plays of the Denver Broncos, and the Titans fell in the Mile High city, 20 to 34. Young was one of the lone bright spots for the Titans, as he showed excellent accuracy and decision making throughout the competitive portion of the game. He also had his best rushing game of the season, leading the team with 74 yards and a touchdown. Young was troubled by at least four key drops by his receiving targets, including a few that would likely have gone for scores. His favorite target was Justin Gage, although five other Titans had between four and six looks each. He did a good job distributing the ball to his various receivers. His two interceptions came in later portions of the game when he was forcing the ball in an attempt to come back.The Titans running game had an excellent match up against the 31st ranked Denver rushing defense, but outside of Vince Young's scrambles, they could not capitalize. LenDale White had a disappointing game in front of his hometown friends and family. He never seemed to get on track and was taken out of the game plan a bit by the multi-score lead the Broncos had for large portions of the game. White also lost a fumble on a promising Titans drive.
Justin Gage led the Titans receivers, while Brandon Jones caught Young's lone touchdown pass early in the second quarter. Gate, Jones, tight end Bo Scaife, and Roydell Williams all had at least one crucial drop on a well thrown ball that would have either been a touchdown or a big gain.
The Titans defense missed Albert Haynesworth, who missed the game with an injured hamstring. They gave up 359 total yards, and three touchdowns, all of which went for more than 40 yards. They contained Selvin Young relatively well, but overall they missed too many tackles and took too many risks to win the game.
Denver Broncos - Denver scored early and often, and they surprising did so with big plays. All four of their touchdowns came on 40 plus yard plays. Both starting wide receivers, Brandon Stokley and Brandon Marshall, scored on medium length passes that they turned into long scores. Glenn Martinez ran a first quarter punt back 80 yards for the Broncos first punt return touchdown in four years. First year third string running back Andre Hall took his first rush of the game 62 yards for a score. The Broncos scored in impressive and unlikely ways, and outperformed the Titans for a crucial 34 to 20 victory that puts them tied at the top of the AFC West.Quarterback Jay Cutler had a great game. He was very efficient with the ball, averaging over nine yards per attempt, while limiting his mistakes. He didn't throw an interception for only the third time this season. He favored Marshall, Stokley, and tight end Tony Scheffler. Running back Selvin Young got the start with Travis Henry out with an injured knee (and an uncertain status after his NFL hearing for possible violation of the league's substance abuse policy), and had a decent game. He didn't break off any big runs, but still ran hard and found extra yards at the end of nearly every rush. He tweaked his knee, paving the way for Hall to fill in and explode for 80 plus yards to lead the team in rushing. Young was later able to return to the game.
The Broncos defense was opportunistic. They forced three turnovers, but had a hard time containing Vince Young. Young set a new career high in passing yardage, while also rushing for a season high 74 yards. Outside of Young, the Broncos defense was excellent, limiting the Titans rushing game and making enough plays to keep the Titans from staying close. Despite giving up 423 total yards, they found a way to win. A few late interceptions helped their cause.
What you ought to know
QB Vince Young, Pass: 26 - 41 - 305 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 11 - 74 - 1 - Young set a new career high in passing yards, and set season highs in completions and rushing yardage. In short, it was his best performance of the 2007 season to date. Young threw the ball accurately, but his numbers suffered from at least four ill-timed drops by his receiving targets, including a few that could have gone for scores. He moved around in the pocket and scrambled confidently, as the Broncos couldn't muster much of a pass rush for the majority of the game. Despite having spies watching his every move, Young managed to scramble very effectively, making defenders miss as he picked up first downs with his feet on a number of occasions. He had a third quarter rushing touchdown that was initially ruled out of bounds, but the play was reviewed after an oddly timed Broncos timeout, and the call was reversed. Young's favorite target was Justin Gage, with ten looks. Five other Titans had between four and six balls head their way.RB LenDale White, Rush: 13 - 42 - 0, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (2 targets) - White had a lackluster performance in front of his hometown friends and family, especially in light of the premier match up he had against the 31st ranked Denver rushing defense. He never got on track, and regularly failed to get past the defensive line or first set of linebackers on his rushing attempts. He also was taken out of the game plan a bit with Denver leading by multiple scores throughout a majority of the game. White's longest run was 11 yards. He lost a second quarter fumble, when Broncos defensive lineman Marcus Thomas knocked the ball out of his hand. He caught both of his passing targets on dump offs.
RB Chris Brown, Rush: 3 - 14 - 0, Rec: 4 - 61 - 0 (4 targets) - Brown got some work on a second quarter series to spell starter LenDale White, but didn't see much action afterwards. It was later reported on the television broadcast that Brown was sick to his stomach on the sidelines. He did return in the fourth quarter and caught a few dump off passes.
RB Chris Henry, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0 - Henry had one rush and was used as a kickoff returner.
WR Justin Gage, Rec: 6 - 66 - 0 (10 targets) - Gage led the Titans in targets, receptions, and receiving yards. His looks came predominantly on shorter and medium routes, and he had a good nose for the first down marker, as five of his six catches moved the chains. He also had one of the four crucial Titans' drops.
WR Roydell Williams, Rec: 4 - 47 - 0 (5 targets) - Williams dropped an almost certain touchdown in the first half. He caught his other four looks to finish fourth on the team in receiving yards.
WR Brandon Jones, Rec: 3 - 25 - 1 (5 targets) - Jones dropped a deep pass early in the game that likely would have been a touchdown. He redeemed himself quickly, with a 21 yard touchdown catch on the Titans third offensive series. Young made a great throw that only Jones could have caught, and Jones turned and zipped past Dre Bly and into the end zone.
WR Eric Moulds, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (4 targets) - Moulds had a couple catches and was the target on Young's first interception that was snagged by Dre Bly.
TE Bo Scaife, Rec: 4 - 49 - 0 (6 targets) - Scaife was Young's second favorite target behind Justin Gage. He dropped one of the passes, but a late first half catch that was ruled incomplete, took a big gain off the books and stalled what looked to be a promising Titans drive.
TE Ben Troupe, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Troupe was targeted a couple of times, but one was actually a backwards pass so it was scored as a run. He wasn't much of a factor in the game.
PK Rob Bironas 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points - Bironas made field goals of 56 and 37 yards, and both of his PATs. His 56 yarder was at the end of the first half, and he originally missed it, although Coach Mike Shanahan of the Broncos called timeout just before the play in an attempt to ice Bironas. After the timeout, Bironas calmly drilled the 56 yarder, and gave head coaches throughout the league second doubts about using this particular strategy.
TEN Rush Defense - Tennessee's rush defense allowed 166 total yards on 26 carries for a 6.4 average. They missed the dominating presence of Albert Haynesworth, who missed the game with an injured hamstring. They contained starter Selvin Young relatively well, but when third string option Andre Hall got his first touch, he zoomed past them for a 62 yard game-sealing touchdown. They forced no turnovers.
TEN Pass Defense - Tennessee's pass defense gave up 200 yards on 16 of 21 passing for an average of 9.52 yards per attempt. They allowed two touchdowns---one to each of the Broncos starting wide receivers, Brandon Stokley and Brandon Marshall. Each score was over 40 yards in length. The secondary generally had decent coverage, but too often missed tackles or went for interceptions that allowed the big gains. The forced no turnovers and had one sack of Jay Cutler. QB Jay Cutler, Pass: 16 - 21 - 200 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 7 - 0 - Cutler has a very efficient game throwing the football. He hit both his starting wide receivers, Brandon Stokley and Brandon Marshall, for touchdowns. Both were solid throws that the receiver caught and then made good open field moves to race pass the defense for the score. Cutler showed great accuracy and power on his throws, and failed to throw an interception for only the third time this season. Marshall was his preferred target, with Stokley and tight end Tony Scheffler right behind.RB Selvin Young, Rush: 14 - 54 - 0, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - Young led the Broncos in rushing attempts, but never broke any big runs. His long rush was nine yards. Young did show good elusiveness as he rarely went down on first contact and usually found a way to gain an extra yard or two on every run. He caught a few dump off passes as well. He left the game in the fourth quarter with an injured knee, but he returned later when his replacement, Andre Hall, was shaken up.
RB Andre Hall, Rush: 7 - 89 - 1 - Hall provided a surprising spark to the Broncos rushing game. He entered the game in the fourth quarter after Selvin Young hurt his knee. Hall took his first touch and zipped past the Titans defense for a 62 yard score. On the strength of that carry alone he would have led the Broncos in rushing, but he added 27 yards on his other six carries.
RB Cecil Sapp, Rec: 2 - 2 - 0 (2 targets) - Sapp caught both of his targets for minimal gains. He was primarily used as a blocking fullback.
WR Brandon Marshall, Rush: 1 - 16 - 0, Rec: 4 - 56 - 1 (6 targets) - Marshall had a very complete game. He led the team in receptions and finished second to Brandon Stokley in yardage. Marshall's touchdown was a perfect example of his elusiveness, as he broke free of the tackle attempt to race for the score. He also has a nice 16 yard end around where he pump faked to freeze the defense and gain some extra yards. He continues to run with great balance and agility, and is very hard to tackle due to his unique combination of size, skill, and athleticism. Marshall made several tough snags in tight coverage, and showed good hands doing so. He also threw several impressive and effective blocks throughout the game.
WR Brandon Stokley, Rec: 3 - 75 - 1 (4 targets) - Stokley started the scoring for the Broncos. His third down catch looked to be enough simply to move the chains, but he turned after the catch to precisely the right spot where he was able to run into the end zone for a score. He led the team in receiving yards.
WR Glenn Martinez (1 targets) - Martinez's impact came in the punt return game. He returned one for an 80 yard touchdown that put the Broncos offense up by two touchdowns early. It was the first Broncos punt return for a touchdown in four years. Martinez later muffed a punt that led directly to Vince Young's touchdown run.
TE Tony Scheffler, Rec: 3 - 38 - 0 (4 targets) - Scheffler was third on the team in receptions and yardage, and two of his catches went for first downs.
TE Daniel Graham, Rec: 2 - 20 - 0 (2 targets) - Graham caught both of his targets, and earned one first down.
PK Jason Elam 2 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 10 points - Elam made field goals of 21 and 39 yards, and all four of his PATs.
DEN Rush Defense - Denver's rush defense gave up 133 total yards on 29 carries for a 4.6 average. 74 of those yards came off the legs of Vince Young, as LenDale White was bottled up to the tune of 13 for 42. They allowed one rushing touchdown to Young. Marcus Thomas striped White of the ball and Ian Gold recovered it.
DEN Pass Defense - Denver's pass defense gave up 305 yards on 26 of 41 passing for 7.44 yards per attempt. They allowed one touchdown early to Brandon Jones. Ian Gold forced a fumble and had a game sealing interception late in the third quarter. Dre Bly, while beat for the Jones touchdown, also had an interception. Tim Crowder had the lone Broncos sack of the game.Cleveland Browns 33, Baltimore Ravens 30
What you need to know
Cleveland Browns - The Cleveland Browns struggled to find any offensive rhythm and were unable to stop the Ravens' second half offense. Derek Anderson threw for 274 yards and one interception. However, Derek Anderson delivered when it mattered most. He was able to lead the Browns down the field on the first drive of overtime and set up the 33 yard game winning field goal.The Browns turned to the power rushing game of Jamal Lewis to help control the clock and make up for the deficiencies of the pass offense. Lewis ran for 92 yards on 22 carries with one touchdown, and ran with strength and authority for most of the game.
Braylon Edwards had eight catches for 85 yards and Kellen Winslow had 64 yards on five catches. Adding to the frustration of the Cleveland passing offense were the 12 penalties for 104 yards called on the Browns.
The Cleveland defense was the glaring problem during the game. The passing defense struggled to stop Kyle Boller and the Ravens pass attack during the second half surrendering 23 points in the second half.
In a wild finish to regulation, Phil Dawson kicked a field goal to tie the game that bounced off the upright and then the vertical cross bar and then back into the end zone. The initial ruling was no good but after discussion, it was determined the ball had broken the plane of the field goal and it was good which sent the game into overtime.
Baltimore Ravens - Following a pitiful first half offensive performance, Kyle Boller and the Ravens offense found their rhythm in the second half. Boller threw for 279 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions with most of his passing yardage coming during the second half. He found WR Derrick Mason for six catches and 83 yards and WR Devard Darling for four catches, 107 yards and one touchdown. Despite the improvement in the offense over the course of the game, the Ravens still fell short in overtime, losing the 33-30.Willis McGahee had a strong day, running the ball 21 times for 102 yards and one touchdown. He was a non-factor in the passing game and largely saw his production fall off over the course of the game as the Ravens were forced to abandon the rushing game to keep pace with the Browns.
The Ravens defense was very successful at confusing, and stunting the Browns passing game for most of the afternoon. The Ravens were able to get some pressure on Derek Anderson and forced an interception for a touchdown. The defense did struggle to contain Jamal Lewis and while they did hold Lewis for less than 100 yards rushing, they surrendered two rushing touchdowns and allowed 4.2 yards per carry to Lewis.
What you ought to know
QB Derek Anderson, Pass: 24 - 38 - 274 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 3 - 2 - 1 - Anderson had a good, while not spectacular day, throwing for 274 yards and completing 63 percent of his passes. The Browns offense had trouble getting into rhythm for most of the day. A combination of turnovers, penalties and a few dropped passes all helped stall the Browns passing game. The Browns turned to Jamal Lewis and a power rushing game to make up for the shortfalls of the passing game. As of result of this shift in philosophy, Derek Anderson did not post the prolific passing numbers of games past.RB Jamal Lewis, Rush: 22 - 92 - 1, Rec: 4 - 30 - 0 (5 targets) - Lewis had one of his strongest performances of the season running for 92 yards and one touchdown. He ran with authority, often taking two or three tacklers with him before falling to the ground. Late in the third quarter, on a Browns scoring drive, Lewis had a key ten yard run to set up a first and goal. On the run, Lewis shed two tackles, drove up the center of the field and took another three Ravens defenders to finally pull him down. Runs like this one typified Lewis' day.
WR Braylon Edwards, Rec: 8 - 85 - 0 (15 targets) - Edwards did not have one of his most memorable days, but nonetheless remained the key piece of the Browns passing offense. He did drop a sure touchdown pass early in the first quarter and had a key fumble during the Browns first possession of the game. Outside of those mistakes, Edwards still turned in a decent performance, making some very difficult catches over the center of the field and continued to be Derek Anderson's primary target in the passing game.
WR Joe Jurevicius, Rec: 4 - 82 - 0 (4 targets) - Outside of one big catch, Jurevicius had a very quiet day as the Browns passing offense struggled to find rhythm. His biggest catch of the day was a 52 yard catch in the first half. Despite breaking away from his assigned defender, Jurevicius did not have the speed to break away from the remaining Ravens defenders and was tackled before the end zone.
TE Kellen Winslow Jr, Rec: 5 - 64 - 0 (7 targets) - Winslow had a quiet day, but was able to give QB Derek Anderson a safety outlet over the center of the field. He did come up with a huge 18 yard reception during overtime that put the Browns well into Phil Dawson's field goal range.
PK Phil Dawson 4 - 5 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 15 points - Dawson had a good day going three for four on field goals including a key 51 yard field goal that sent the game into overtime and a 33 yard game winning field goal in overtime.
CLE Rush Defense - The Browns were vulnerable to the Ravens' rushing game. RB Willis McGahee was able to run for 102 yards on 21 carries during the game. In particular, the Browns had trouble shutting down runs up the center of the field. The Ravens offensive line was able to open up very large holes in the center of the Browns defense, and Willis McGahee was able to respond to the opportunity. This was most evident during the first drive of the third quarter. During the drive, the Ravens were able to effectively pass their way down most of the field, but the a key 24 yard run by McGahee set up a two yard touchdown run on the following play.
CLE Pass Defense - The Browns pass defense, once again, had trouble shutting down the Ravens passing offense. Too often, the Browns would allow the Ravens plenty of room over the center of the field. In particular, on the first series of the second half, the Ravens marched down the field, with Kyle Boller finding Derek Mason wide open three times. The drive ultimately led to the Ravens taking over momentum in the game and further exposed the Browns vulnerable pass defense. From this drive on, the Ravens focused on the downfield passing game and attacking the Browns secondary -- with a high degree of success. Cleveland had no answer to the Ravens passing attack late in the fourth quarter, surrendering the game tying touchdown with less than six minutes left in the game. The Browns did intercept a Kyle Boller pass for a touchdown. The pass was tipped as Boller threw the ball, and the wounded duck pass never had a chance to hit a wide open Derrick Mason in the end zone. The silver lining to the day was the Browns ability to generate a good pass rush on Kyle Boller for most of the day. QB Kyle Boller, Pass: 22 - 41 - 279 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 2 - 19 - 0 - Boller looked downright awful during the first half, struggling to find open receivers and drawing boos from the Baltimore crowd. By the second half, Boller had found a rhythm and timing with his receivers that all began on the first drive of the third quarter. On this drive, Boller and Derrick Mason hooked up three times and drove 75 yards for a touchdown. As the game progressed, Boller became more and more comfortable running the offense, and began to connect with other receivers including Devard Darling and Quinn Sypniewski. Finally, Boller was very composed and in control as he led the Ravens down the field late in the fourth quarter, a drive that set up a 47 yard field goal that gave the Ravens the lead.RB Willis McGahee, Rush: 21 - 102 - 1, Rec: 2 - 24 - 0 (2 targets) - McGahee found a lot of success running directly into the center of the Browns defense. Most of his biggest gains of the day, including a 24 yard run in the third quarter, came running right between the tackles. Most of the time, he was able to shed the first tackler and get into the second level of the defense. McGahee was a nearly non-factor in the passing game, catching only two passes.
WR Derrick Mason, Rec: 6 - 83 - 0 (10 targets) - Mason was a true bright spot for the Ravens. While he had no catches in the first half, he came back to make six catches in the second half for 83 yards. He was Kyle Boller's first look in the passing game, and while he didn't have any major highlight reel catches, he was the most reliable target in the passing game. His presence was felt the most during the first drive of the second half, where he caught all three passes of the drive and helped Kyle Boller and the rest of the Ravens offense find a rhythm.
WR Devard Darling, Rec: 4 - 107 - 1 (7 targets) - Darling was quiet for most of the day until late in the fourth quarter. It was at this point in the game Kyle Boller connected with Darling on a 42 yard pass that helped set up a key touchdown. Two plays later, Boller and Darling connected on a 27 yard touchdown pass that tied the game.
TE Quinn Sypniewski, Rec: 6 - 53 - 0 (9 targets) - Sypniewski had a quiet day. He did not have many pass plays designed specifically for him but he was a safety option for Kyle Boller. Sypniewski did not drop any passes and showed some athleticism in attempting to catch balls thrown over his head or far off to his side.
PK Matt Stover 3 - 3 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 12 points - Stover had a very good day, going three for three on field goals including a 47 yard field goal late in the game to give the Ravens the lead.
BAL Rush Defense - The Ravens rush defense struggled to contain the intensity and strength of Jamal Lewis -- the primary weapon of the Browns rush attack. Lewis was able to run with authority up the center of the field, and often required multiple defenders to tackle him.
BAL Pass Defense - The Ravens pass defense was effective in limiting the big play ability of the Browns offense. The Browns key offensive weapons of Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards struggled to get open against the Ravens secondary. While the Ravens did not present much of a pass rush until very late in the game, Ray Lewis was able to intercept a very poor Derek Anderson pass in the first half and return it for a touchdown. Furthermore, late in the fourth quarter, the Ravens were able to shut down the Browns pass offense and land some big hits on QB Derek Anderson.Carolina Panthers 17, Green Bay Packers 31
What you need to know
Carolina Panthers - Vinny Testaverde threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted twice and lost a fumble on a sack with Carolina at the Green Bay seven yard line. The Panthers got behind by a lot so he had to throw often. He only completed 19 of 37 passes.DeShaun Foster ran the ball fairly well. He gained 87 yards on 20 carries but did not score in the game. He turned a short pass into a nice 21 yard gain that took the ball deep into Green Bay territory. The Panthers then threw the ball three times to receivers. DeAngelo Williams added 22 yards on six carries and a catch for 18 yards.
With Steve Smith out with an injury, the other Carolina receivers were called upon. Drew Carter had an excellent game catching five passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. He caught three big passes deep down field. Keary Colbert was thrown to 14 times and caught six passes for 33 yards. Christian Fauria had the Panthers other touchdown reception on a two yard catch.
The Carolina defense just couldn't handle the Packers. Favre threw for three touchdowns and the Packers rushed for over 100 yards. The defense could only muster one sack and did not have any turnovers.
Green Bay Packers - Brett Favre completed 22 of 30 passes and threw for 218 yards with three touchdowns. He threw two of them in the second quarter and then opened the second half with another one. He hit Greg Jennings once and Donald Lee twice for scores.Ryan Grant carried 20 times for 88 yards. He had only one catch for just two yards. Grant was injured late in the fourth quarter and left the game. He'll be evaluated further Monday. Brandon Jackson carried three times for 13 yards.
Greg Jennings led the Green Bay receivers in catches with seven for 48 yards. Donald Lee had a big day with five catches for 49 yards and two touchdowns. Favre also connected with Donald Driver five times for 83 yards. Driver made a nice catch on a 47 yard pass. It set up the Jennings four yard touchdown play.
The Green Bay special teams got them jump started early when Carolina faked a field goal and instead tried to pooch a punt. Tramon Williams picked up the ball and raced down the right side line for a 94 yard touchdown return. The Packers defense intercepted Testaverde twice and also recovered a fumble on one of their two sacks. The fumble was right before the half with Carolina looking to score to cut into the Green Bay lead.
What you ought to know
QB Vinny Testaverde, Pass: 19 - 37 - 258 - 2 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 2 - 19 - 0 - Testaverde went 19 of 37 for 258 yards and two touchdowns. The touchdowns came when Green Bay had the game well in hand. He was intercepted on the opening drive of the game on a poorly thrown pass. Testaverde had a pass picked off that was negated by a Green Bay penalty. Early in the third quarter, he was once again intercepted on a bad throw. His first touchdown came with Carolina down by 25 points in the third quarter. Late in the game Testaverde threw a touchdown to Drew Carter on a five yard pass. He didn't look terrible, but he was unable to carry this team without Steve Smith.RB DeShaun Foster, Rush: 20 - 87 - 0, Rec: 1 - 21 - 0 (2 targets) - Foster carried 20 times for 87 yards and also caught one pass for 21 yards. Foster had five red zone carries with the closest being from the Green Bay eight yard line. He picked up five first downs including one on the 21 yard pass play on a nice catch and run on a short pass. Foster got the ball down to the Green Bay five yard line but then Carolina passed on the next three plays, not giving Foster a chance to score.
RB DeAngelo Williams, Rush: 6 - 22 - 0, Rec: 1 - 18 - 0 (2 targets) - Williams carried the ball six times for 22 yards. He was thrown to twice and had one catch for 18 yards. He got a carry at the six yard line and picked up four yards down to the Green Bay two. Testaverde threw a touchdown to Fauria on the next play.
RB Brad Hoover, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0 - Hoover had one carry for three yards. It was on a fourth and one at the Green Bay 11 yard line.
WR Keary Colbert, Rec: 6 - 33 - 0 (14 targets) - Colbert was the target beneficiary with Steve Smith being out. He got 14 looks in the game but only caught six passes for 33 yards. His longest catch was just seven yards and he only picked up two first downs. Colbert caught just one pass in the red zone. He caught a three yard pass down to the Green Bay 11 yard line.
WR Drew Carter, Rec: 5 - 132 - 1 (8 targets) - Drew Carter had a huge game catching five passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. He had a catch of seven yards that was called back due to a penalty. Carter was Testaverde's deep threat in this game. He caught passes of 26, 43 and 49 yards. Late in the game, Carter caught a five yard touchdown pass that put Carolina within 11 points.
WR Dwayne Jarrett, Rec: 3 - 39 - 0 (5 targets) - Jarrett caught three passes for 39 yards. Two of his three catches went for first downs. More importantly were his incompletes. He was targeted twice in the end zone when Carolina had gotten down to the Green Bay five yard line. The first pass was batted away but the second pass should have been caught. Jarrett had it in his hands but did not secure it and the ball got knocked away by the defender.
TE Jeff King, Rec: 2 - 13 - 0 (7 targets) - King was targeted seven times but only caught two of them. He picked up 13 yards on the two pass plays. King was thrown to in the end zone but the pass was incomplete.
TE Christian Fauria, Rec: 1 - 2 - 1 (1 targets) - Fauria was thrown to once and it resulted in a two yard touchdown pass.
PK John Kasay 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Kasay made a 26 yard field goal and both of his extra point attempts.
CAR Rush Defense - The Carolina rush defense gave up over 100 yards on the ground to the Green Bay running backs. They gave up three double digit runs including a 23 yard run by Ryan Grant in the second quarter. On the plus side is they did not give up a rushing touchdown.
CAR Pass Defense - The Carolina pass defense didn't give up a lot of yards but they allowed three touchdowns by Brett Favre. They gave up 218 yards on 22 completions. They did not have any interceptions and recorded one sack. On the sack, they forced what appeared to be a fumble but the play was reviewed and ruled not to be a fumble. QB Brett Favre, Pass: 22 - 30 - 218 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - -3 - 0 - Favre threw three touchdown passes on a day where he completed 22 of 30 for 218 yards and did not throw any interceptions. He was sacked once and appeared to fumble the ball. After review it was determined Favre did not lose the ball. Favre had two long drives of over 70 yards in the second quarter. Both drives resulted in a touchdown.RB Ryan Grant, Rush: 20 - 88 - 0, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (2 targets) - Grant ran the ball pretty well, rushing for 88 yards on 20 carries. His longest run was 23 yards and he almost broke it for a score but Julius Peppers made a saving tackle. He caught one pass for two yards. Grant had one carry inside the Carolina ten yard line. He ran for one yard down to the three yard line. He left the game in the fourth quarter with what looked like a mild ankle sprain.
RB Brandon Jackson, Rush: 3 - 13 - 0 - Jackson had three carries for 13 yards. He only came into the game to give Grant a rest. He got a couple of carries at the end of the third quarter and one in the fourth. He didn't see any touches near the red zone.
WR Greg Jennings, Rec: 7 - 48 - 1 (8 targets) - Jennings caught seven passes for 48 yards and one touchdown. The touchdown pass was from four yards out. Jennings had one other catch that got the ball inside the Carolina 20 yard line.
WR Donald Driver, Rush: 1 - 5 - 0, Rec: 5 - 83 - 0 (7 targets) - Donald Driver was targeted seven times and caught five passes for 83 yards. Driver caught a bomb down the middle for 47 yards to the Carolina 24 yard line. It set up Green Bay's first offensive touchdown. Driver didn't have any red zone opportunities.
WR James Jones, Rec: 3 - 25 - 0 (4 targets) - Jones caught three passes for 25 yards. His first catch of the game went for 13 yards and took the ball down to the Carolina five yard line. Jennings scored two plays later. Two of his catches went for first downs.
WR Ruvell Martin, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (2 targets) - Martin was targeted just two times and caught one pass for 11 yards. The pass went for a first down in Green Bay territory.
WR Koren Robinson (2 targets) - Robinson was targeted twice but both passes were incomplete. Robinson added value on special teams. He had a long kickoff return to open the second half. Green Bay scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive that put them up by 25 points.
TE Donald Lee, Rec: 5 - 49 - 2 (5 targets) - Donald Lee made the most of his targets. He was thrown to five times and caught all of the passes for 49 yards with two touchdowns. He scored on passes of 12 and 26 yards. Lee picked up three first downs with two of those coming on his touchdowns. He did not see any other catches inside the red zone.
PK Mason Crosby 1 - 3 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points - Crosby made a kick from 47 yards but missed two field goals. Both kicks were 49 yard attempts and one kick was blocked with the other one wide right. He made all four extra point attempts.
GB Rush Defense - The Green Bay rush defense gave up 131 rushing yards including a 16 yard scamper by Vinny Testaverde. They gave up over 4.5 yards per carry but most importantly did not give up a rushing touchdown even though Carolina got inside the ten yard line three different times. The rush defense only allowed six first downs on the ground.
GB Pass Defense - The Green Bay pass defense created three turnovers including two interceptions and one fumble. They had two sacks on Testaverde and forced two fumbles. They recovered one of the fumbles right before the end of the first half after Carolina had driven down to the Green Bay seven yard line. Most of the Carolina passing yards came after Green Bay had a big lead. They allowed two short passing touchdowns when the game was well in hand.Miami Dolphins 7, Philadelphia Eagles 17
What you need to know
Miami Dolphins - Rookie QB John Beck got his first NFL start and it was very tough debut for the former BYU quarterback as he only completed nine of 22 for only 109 yards, and no touchdowns. He really had trouble with his accuracy in the game. If there is any hope for Dolphins fans to take from another poor offense performance, it is that Beck looked comfortable in the pocket and seemed to make a connection with fellow rookie WR Ted Ginn. Beck hit Ginn for four passes for 52 yards in the game and looked for him often. Ginn also added an 87 yard touchdown on a punt return in the first half for Miami's only points of the game.RB Jesse Chatman had another workmanlike performance carrying the ball 22 times for 72 yards. He had an opportunity to score late in the game after he carried the ball 17 yards to the Eagles' one yard line. Chatman got the ball three out of four times near the goal line but was stopped each time, including a 13 yard loss on a pitch on a fourth and goal from the one yard line. Chatman looked good again running the ball but a weak supporting cast of offensive weapons allowed the defense to key on him near the goal line.
Second year S Jason Allen had the best game of his young career by intercepting QB Donovan McNabb twice in the game and adding five tackles.
Philadelphia Eagles - Nearly a full year since his torn knee ligament ended his season last year, QB Donovan McNabb went down to injury again in the second quarter of this game with a sprained ankle. Before going out of the game, McNabb struggled completing only three for 11 for 34 yards. He did have a 46 yard touchdown pass to WR Reggie Brown off a flea flicker called back after a holding penalty. Backup QB A.J. Feeley came in to lead the Eagles to a couple of scoring drives in the second half and a 17-7 victory. Feeley had 116 yards passing in relief and connected on a four yard touchdown pass with WR Jason Avant early in the fourth quarter.RB Brian Westbrook, who was questionable for this game after missing two practices because of swelling in his knee, had a career high 32 carries in the game. He also had a career best 148 yards rushing as he carried the load for the Philadelphia offense with QB Donovan McNabb out of the game. Westbrook only had one catch for zero yards in the passing game, and gave way to backup RB Correll Buckhalter as he ran it in for a touchdown from the eight yard line early in the third quarter for the Eagles only rushing touchdown. Nonetheless, it was another tremendous performance for Westbrook who is clearly the heart and soul of the Eagles offense.
WR Kevin Curtis was the main target again in this game as he caught a game high five passes for 69 yards. He also had a team high nine targets but failed to get into the end zone. WR Reggie Brown had a 46 yard touchdown nullified after a holding penalty, and WR Jason Avant had Philadelphia's only touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter on a four yard reception.
What you ought to know
QB John Beck, Pass: 9 - 22 - 109 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 3 - 0 - Beck, the Dolphins second round pick in this year's draft, got his first NFL start and will likely be the starter the rest of the season as Miami tries to figure out if he is their quarterback of the future. It would be a rude welcome for the former BYU quarterback as he only completed nine of 22 passes for 102 yards and no touchdowns. Beck got off to a good start completing four of seven passes for 55 yards in the first quarter. But things went down hill after that as Beck struggled with accuracy. Beck does seem to have a strong arm and the ability to get the ball deep. He also moved around in the pocket pretty well and was to scramble out of trouble a few times. Beck almost had a touchdown pass late in the game with the ball on the Miami one yard line but, the pass was knocked down at the last second.RB Jesse Chatman, Rush: 22 - 72 - 0, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (5 targets) - The Dolphins lack of a passing attack didn't help Chatman's numbers as he only had 32 yards on 12 carries in the first half. Chatman did a nice job of running the ball in the second half and had a great 17 yard run to the Eagles one yard line late in the game. Miami gave him the ball three out of four times from there but he was stopped each time, including a 13 yard loss on a fourth and goal from the one yard line in which Miami attempted a pitch to the right side.
RB Patrick Cobbs, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0 - Cobbs only got one carry for two yards in the game, as RB Jesse Chatman got all the other carries in this game.
WR Ted Ginn, Rec: 4 - 52 - 0 (6 targets) - If the Dolphins took anything from this game it was the fact that their number one pick from this year's draft, Ginn, established a bit of connection with fellow rookie QB John Beck. Ginn caught two long passes on consecutive plays on the Dolphins' third possession of the game. He caught a 22 yard pass over the middle and on the next play caught one for 17 yards on the left side. He would have three receptions for 49 yards in the first half. Ginn did have an 87 yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter. It was his first special teams touchdown and only his second career score. Ginn would only have one catch for three yards in the second half.
WR Marty Booker, Rec: 1 - 19 - 0 (1 targets) - Booker had no catches and no targets in the first half, but did catch a 19 yard pass early in the second half. It would be his only completion and his only target of the game as Miami's pass offense sputtered to move the ball.
WR Derek Hagan (4 targets) - Hagan had four targets in the game, including a couple of deep passes that just missed. But he did not have a catch as rookie QB John Beck struggled to make completions in the game.
TE Justin Peelle, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (2 targets) - Peelle caught a 21 yard pass late in the fourth quarter, deep in Philadelphia territory. He caught one other pass for six yards.
TE David Martin, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Martin only caught his only pass of the game for seven yards in the third quarter.
PK Jay Feely 0 - 1 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 1 points - Feely missed a 47 yard attempt in the first quarter on kick that seemed to be affected by the wind and the rain. Feely would not get another attempt for a field goal, but would add an extra point.
MIA Rush Defense - The Dolphins run defense, which has been bad all season, had another terrible game giving up 202 yards on the ground to the Eagles, including 148 yards to RB Brian Westbrook.
MIA Pass Defense - The pass defense only gave up 150 yards passing but, that was mostly because the Eagles had a lot success on the ground and starting QB Donovan McNabb got knocked out of the game. The Dolphins did have three interceptions in the red zone to help keep this game close. QB A.J. Feeley, Pass: 13 - 19 - 116 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 7 - 0 - Feeley replaced an injured QB Donovan McNabb late in the second quarter. He led Philadelphia on a seven play, 62 yard touchdown drive, capped off by an eight yard run by RB Correll Buckhalter, to start the second half and give the Eagles their first lead of the game. He iced the game with a four yard touchdown pass to WR Jason Avant in the fourth quarter. The former Dolphins quarterback finished the game with 116 yards passing, one touchdown, and one interception.QB Donovan McNabb, Pass: 3 - 11 - 34 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 2 - 28 - 0 - Before spraining his right ankle and leaving the game in the second quarter, McNabb was struggling by going only three for 11 for 34 yards and two interceptions. He had a 46 yard touchdown pass to WR Reggie Brown nullified in the first quarter due to a holding penalty by TE L.J. Smith. McNabb did have a 26 yard run after stepping up in the pocket and taking off deep in Dolphin territory. He would get intercepted two plays later trying to get the ball to Brown again between two defenders. McNabb was picked off a second time deep in Miami territory in the second quarter on a badly thrown ball that was caused by a good pass rush. McNabb would get hurt on a third and long play from the Miami 16 yard line when he rolled out to his right and a defender took him down from behind and in the process twisting his ankle. He would not return to the game.
RB Brian Westbrook, Rush: 32 - 148 - 0, Rec: 1 - 0 - 0 (3 targets) - Westbrook had his longest run of the season on a 36 yard carry off the left side and down the side line. The Eagles keep going to Westbrook on the ground as he had some nice runs against a bad Dolphin run defense. He finished the first half with 12 rushes for 68 yards. Westbrook missed out on a rushing touchdown on the Eagles first drive of the second half when backup RB Correll Buckhalter ran it in from eight yards. With QB Donovan McNabb on the sidelines, the Eagles would turn to Westbrook to carry the load in the second half as he had 20 carries for 80 yards. He would have some really good runs in the second half to help seal the game away for the Eagles.
RB Correll Buckhalter, Rush: 3 - 19 - 1 - Buckhalter only had three carries for 19 yards, as fellow RB Brian Westbrook got most of the carries in this game. But he got the teams only rushing score on the first drive of the second half on a nice eight yard run up the middle.
WR Kevin Curtis, Rec: 5 - 69 - 0 (9 targets) - Curtis' first catch of the game would be a 23 yard catch in the first quarter. It would also be his longest catch of the game. He would get a first down on a 14 yard reception on the Eagles' first drive of the third quarter. Curtis would catch a 17 pass later on in that same drive to help set up Philadelphia's first touchdown. He would add two other short catches in the game.
WR Reggie Brown, Rec: 2 - 18 - 0 (6 targets) - Brown caught a 46 yard touchdown from QB Donovan McNabb in the first quarter, but the play was nullified after a holding penalty. He would catch two passes for 18 yards in the game.
WR Jason Avant, Rec: 1 - 4 - 1 (2 targets) - Avant only had one catch but, it went for a four yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
TE L.J. Smith, Rec: 4 - 44 - 0 (7 targets) - Smith was a primary target in the game and caught two passes for 31 yards in the first half. He would catch two more passes for only 13 yards in the second half. His biggest impact may have been his holding penalty that negated a 46 yard touchdown pass in the first quarter.
TE Matt Schobel, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (2 targets) - Schobel caught one pass for four yards on the last play of the first quarter.
PK David Akers 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Akers hit a 34 yard field goal in the second quarter and added two extra points.
PHI Rush Defense - The Philadelphia run defense played well holding the Dolphins to only 77 yards rushing and stopping them at the goal four times late in the game.
PHI Pass Defense - The Eagles did a good job of keeping rookie QB John Beck confused and not letting him put together any good drives. They held Miami to only 109 yards passing in the game.Pittsburgh Steelers 16, New York Jets 19
What you need to know
Pittsburgh Steelers - The Steelers fell behind 7--0 on the fourth play and were forced to play catch most of the game. When they finally took a three point lead in the fourth quarter with a gritty comeback the Steelers' defense couldn't hold it. They allowed the Jets to drive 76 yards in two minutes to tie the game with :26 seconds left.QB Ben Roethlisberger was sacked a total of seven times, completed 15 of 25 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown, but threw one interception and also lost one fumble. Willie Parker carried 21 times but only managed to gain 52 yards. Najeh Davenport fared a little better, and was able to ground out 39 yards on just eight carries. He also caught four passes for an additional 22 yards.
Santonio Holmes left the game in the fourth quarter and was seen having his ankle taped on the sideline. He led all receivers with five receptions for 75 yards and scored the only Pittsburgh touchdown. Hines Ward caught two passes for 47, and TE Heath Miller hauled in two more for 36 yards.
In overtime, the Jets won the toss, received the kickoff, but went three and out. Pittsburgh didn't do any better, but the Steelers' punt was returned by Leon Washington 33 yards to the 26 yard line setting up Mike Nugent's winning 38 yard field goal.
New York Jets - The Jets started quickly, scoring on the fourth play of the game. With Kellen Clemens starting in place of Chad Pennington, the Jets relied on the running of RB Thomas Jones and a swarming defense to upset the heavily favored Steelers. Clemens looked comfortable under center, and when he found a target he was not afraid to let loose with that big arm of his. He finished with modest numbers, 14 of 31 for 162 yards, one touchdown and one interception, but late in the fourth quarter he managed to engineer a 76 yard drive in two minutes to tie the game and send it into overtime.Thomas Jones was the star of the game for the Jets. He rushed 30 times for 117 yards and became the first RB to rush for over 100 yards against the Steelers since Edgerrin James in 2005. Jones ran hard, broke quite a few tackles, and performed the way New York expected when they signed him to a free agent contract in the off season.
Clemens, like most inexperienced quarterbacks, frequently looked for the tight end. All three Jets' tight ends combined for six receptions, with Chris Baker nabbing four and scoring New York's only touchdown. Laveranues Coles caught a 56 yard flea flicker on the game's second play but was tackled at the one yard line. He sprained his ankle and was only targeted twice more, though he tried to return to the field. Jerricho Cotchery was unusually quiet, and caught his only pass, for five yards, in the fourth quarter. The principle beneficiary of Coles' absence was Brad Smith, who was targeted eight times, five in the fourth quarter alone, and caught three passes for 26 yards.
The Jets were able to sack Roethlisberger seven times and kept heavy pressure on him throughout. Even though New York settled for field goals when they had first and goal three times and failed to convert two fourth down plays in the fourth quarter, they were able to move the ball with the game on the line. Trailing by three points late in fourth quarter they drove for the tying touchdown with :26 seconds left in regulation. In overtime, they forced Pittsburgh to go three and out. Leon Washington returned the punt 33 yards which set up Mike Nugent's winning 38 yard field goal.
What you ought to know
QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 15 - 25 - 195 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 5 - 0 - Roethlisberger struggled throughout this game. He was sacked seven times, completed 15 of 25 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown, but threw one interception and also lost one fumble. He managed to get Pittsburgh into position to win, but the Steelers' defense couldn't hold the lead in the fourth quarter. Entering this game, Roethlisberger had a QB rating of 110, second best in the NFL, and had already thrown 22 touchdown passes.RB Willie Parker, Rush: 21 - 52 - 0 - Parker had a tough time finding running room against the inspired the Jets' defense. Though he only averaged 2.5 yards per carry the Steelers never benched him even when Davenport found more running room.
RB Najeh Davenport, Rush: 8 - 39 - 0, Rec: 4 - 22 - 0 (5 targets) - Davenport actually had a better YPC average than Willie Parker, 4.9 to 2.5, and also caught four passes for 22 yards. He is a punishing runner who can break tackles and provide a powerful change of pace to the speedier Parker.
RB Carey Davis, Rush: 2 - 16 - 0 - In limited duty, the big fullback had two carries for 16 yards. In the third quarter, on third and 17, Davis ran a draw play for nine yards, which helped set up Jeff Reed for the FG that tied the game 13--13.
WR Santonio Holmes, Rec: 5 - 75 - 1 (8 targets) - Holmes was injured in the fourth quarter and was seen having his ankle taped on the sideline. He was the leading receiver in the game, catching five passes for 75 yards and scoring the only Pittsburgh touchdown. He has been fighting nagging injuries all season so look to see if his name shows up on the injury reports. Holmes is having a break out season and is a legitimate deep threat.
WR Hines Ward, Rec: 2 - 47 - 0 (4 targets) - He may no longer be the clear cut number one WR in Pittsburgh but he is still a legitimate threat. He averaged 23.5 yards on the two balls he caught and prevented the Jets' secondary from ganging up on Holmes.
WR Cedrick Wilson, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - In limited duty, Wilson caught one pass for nine yards.
TE Heath Miller, Rec: 2 - 36 - 0 (3 targets) - The big tight end had a relatively quiet game, but New York limited the entire Pittsburgh offense. He caught two passes for 36 yards.
TE Matt Spaeth, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - Spaeth caught his only target for six yards.
PK Jeff Reed 3 - 3 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 10 points - Reed made field goals from 37 and 33 yards and then hit the go ahead three pointer in the fourth quarter from 48 yards away. He also kicked his only extra point attempt.
PIT Rush Defense - Thomas Jones ripped up the Steelers run defense all afternoon. With New York starting an inexperienced quarterback, one could reasonably expect Pittsburgh to shut down the run, but Jones became the first RB to gain at least 100 yards since Edgerrin James did it in 2005. Entering this game, the Steelers were ranked number one in the NFL against the run and had allowed the fewest points.
PIT Pass Defense - Kellen Clemens was not called upon to pass the Jets to victory. He only completed 14 of 31 passes for 162 yards and one touchdown, and he was sacked twice and intercepted once. Entering this game, the Steelers were ranked number one in the NFL against the pass and had allowed the fewest points. QB Kellen Clemens, Pass: 14 - 31 - 162 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 15 - 0 - Clemens was comfortable under center and certainly acted like the future of the New York Jets. While his numbers were not exactly eye popping, 14 of 31 for 162 yards and one TD, he showed plenty of leadership. When Clemens found a target he was not afraid to let loose with that big arm of his, and late in the fourth quarter he managed to engineer a 76 yard drive in two minutes to tie the game and send it into overtime. The key play was his 15 yard scramble. He eluded the blitz, picked up a key first down, and demonstrated a facet of quarterbacking which Pennington lacks.RB Thomas Jones, Rush: 30 - 117 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Jones had a great game, averaging nearly four yards per carry against the tough Steelers defense. The Jets never stopped feeding him the ball and he never stopped hitting the hole hard and fighting for every inch he could. With an inexperienced QB now under center, the Jets may be been more committed to running the ball, a great omen for owners who made Jones a high draft choice. He became the first player to gain at least 100 yards against the Steelers since Edgerrin James in 2005.
RB Leon Washington, Rush: 2 - 10 - 0 (1 targets) - Washington played sparingly in the offense, carrying twice for ten yards, but he caused real damage returning kicks. Pittsburgh had been able harness Washington through most of the game with pooch kicks and squibs. In overtime he fielded a low wobbly punt before it hit the ground and raced 33 yards to Steelers' 28 to set up the winning field goal.
WR Brad Smith, Rush: 1 - 9 - 0, Rec: 3 - 26 - 0 (8 targets) - Smith was targeted eight times, five in the fourth quarter alone, and caught three passes for 26 yards. He also lined up under center and ran an option around right end. The Jets seem to be looking for creative ways to use the former option quarterback.
WR Justin McCareins, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (6 targets) - McCareins saw more playing time when Coles left the game, and picked up a key first down in the fourth quarter.
WR Laveranues Coles, Rec: 1 - 56 - 0 (3 targets) - On the second play of the game, Coles caught a 56 yard flea flicker and was tackled at the Pittsburgh one yard line. In the second quarter he took himself out of the game and limped to the lockerrom. He returned briefly in the third quarter, but then remained on the sideline with what was called a sprained ankle.
WR Jerricho Cotchery, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (7 targets) - Clemens had a tough time connecting with Cotchery although he certainly tried. With Coles limited the Steelers sometimes rolled to Cotchery's side and sometimes the passes were not accurate. In the fourth quarter, Clemons' pass for Cotchery along the left sidelines was intercepted. It seemed like Cothcery was not expecting the ball. On the Jets' next possession he caught his first pass of the game.
TE Chris Baker, Rec: 4 - 34 - 1 (6 targets) - Baker scored the only touchdown for New York and could become a favorite target for the inexperienced Clemens.
TE Joseph Kowalewski, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) - The second year tight end from Syracuse caught the only pass thrown to him.
TE Jason Pociask, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Pociask caught the only pass Clemens threw to him.
PK Mike Nugent 4 - 4 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 13 points - In a game where he had to be perfect to give the Jets a chance to upset Pittsburgh, he was. Nugent made his only extra point, and all four field goal attempts. He hit from 25 yards in the first quarter, 19 in the second, and then from 33 yards to tie the game with :26 seconds left in regulation. In overtime he was good from 38 yards for the win.
NYJ Rush Defense - The Jets played inspired defense, holding Willie Parker to a 2.5 yard per carry average and a total of just 52 yards. Davenport had more success, but as a team Pittsburgh only averaged 3.4 yards on the ground, which was a factor in New York's upset.
NYJ Pass Defense - New York was able to limit Ben Roethlisberger to one touchdown pass while sacking him seven times. They put tremendous pressure on him throughout the game, causing an interception and forcing a fourth quarter fumble.Kansas City Chiefs 10, Indianapolis Colts 13
What you need to know
Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs had plenty of opportunities to upset the Colts but were unable to capitalize on two scoring opportunities in the first half. In the first quarter they put together one long drive, and a drive that started in Colts territory that resulted in missed field goals. Their only successful drive in the first half came as a result of a Peyton Manning interception.Brodie Croyle looked like an adequate NFL quarterback in his first NFL start. The Chiefs offensive line gave him plenty of protection, and the game plan was designed to give him confidence by having him throw short passes in the first half and to use the running game early. In the second half the Chiefs opened up the offense and Croyle showed his strong arm on rifle passes to his receivers.
The Chiefs running game was used to keep the Colts off balance. The plan was to establish the run early, as seven of the first ten plays of the game were called runs to Priest Holmes. Later in the game as Holmes tired, the running game proved to be less effective, limiting the opportunities to move the ball effectively.
Indianapolis Colts - The Colts were not able to convert on two scoring opportunities in the first half that allowed the game to remain close. Adam Vinatieri missed on two long field goal attempts that allowed the Chiefs to remain in the game. The missed opportunities served to give the Chiefs confidence that they could keep the game close with a chance to win. Peyton Manning had one of his worst statistical games in recent memory. This was due to the Colts missing Tony Ugoh, their starting left tackle which allowed the Chiefs to get pressure on Manning most of the game. However, when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter Manning led the team on a game winning drive that took almost seven minutes off the clock and left the Chiefs with only three seconds left to either tie or win the game.Colts receivers hurt Manning's numbers by dropping five passes that should have been caught. It appears that they miss the experience and guidance provided by Marvin Harrison. Injuries to the receiving corps left the Colts with only Reggie Wayne and Craphonso Thorpe as the only healthy wide outs that were available in the fourth quarter.
What you ought to know
QB Brodie Croyle, Pass: 19 - 27 - 169 - 1 TD / 0 INT - The Chiefs game plan was designed to give Croyle confidence by calling for quick, short, safe passes in the early going. Most of his passes were on target as he showed both his strong arm and a good touch. Croyle's arm strength was apparent on one play in the first quarter when Dwayne Bowe was unable to handle a rifle pass that would have kept the second drive alive. On the touchdown pass to Bowe, the ball was thrown to a spot where only Bowe would have a chance to catch it. He showed good decision making by not throwing the ball into coverage or forcing passes. The offensive line was able to give him plenty of time to throw as he was only under pressure a handful of times. Croyle fumbled one time on a sack inside the Kansas City 20 yard line. The fumble did not hurt bad as the Colts were only able to convert the turnover into three points.RB Priest Holmes, Rush: 19 - 55 - 0, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (3 targets) - Priest Holmes was the focal point of the Chiefs offense for most of the game. He had seven rushes and two targets in the first quarter, and 15 rushes at the end of the half. In the first half, Holmes showed good burst and showed flashes of the Priest Holmes of old. As the game wore on, he seemed to slow down and the Colts were able to meet him before he was able to turn the corner and hold him to gains of two to three yards. He left the game with an injury after being tackled in the third quarter, but would later return.
RB Kolby Smith, Rush: 8 - 17 - 0, Rec: 3 - 34 - 0 (3 targets) - Smith was used to provide Priest Holmes with an occasional breather until Holmes left the game with an injury in the third quarter. Smith looked good in relief, showing good speed and agility. He showed good hands in the passing game, catching all three targets and turning the short passes into good gains.
WR Dwayne Bowe, Rec: 7 - 64 - 1 (11 targets) - Bowe was the favorite target of Brodie Croyle. His early catches were on quick passes close to the line of scrimmage that he was able to turn into five to seven yard gains. In the second half he was able to get open on crossing routes and provided one of the key catches on a third and one play on the lone touchdown drive. He ended the drive with an acrobatic touchdown reception when Croyle threw the ball to a place where only Bowe had the best chance of catching it. Bowe showed great body control by leaping up to catch the ball and get both feet down in bounds.
WR Eddie Kennison, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) - Kennison saw most of his action as the team's punt returner. He fumbled his first return, but the Colts were unable to convert the turnover into any points.
WR Jeff Webb, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) - Webb's only catch was on a play where he was wide open.
WR Samie Parker (2 targets) - Parker was only targeted twice. His first target was when Croyle was off target in a throw into the end zone. He was unable to hold onto the other opportunity on a hard throw that hit him in the hands.
TE Tony Gonzalez, Rec: 4 - 46 - 0 (5 targets) - The Chiefs did not make Gonzalez a main part of the passing offense as they decided to throw the ball to the outside of the field in the first half. He showed his excellent pass catching ability by making some tough catches while covered. On the touchdown drive he was shaken up on a hard hit while catching a ball over the middle on a rifle throw. He would later return after missing only a few plays.
TE Kris Wilson, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) - Wilson only saw limited action as Kansas City made the wide receivers the focus of the passing game.
PK Dave Rayner 1 - 3 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points - Dave Rayner was erratic, missing a 43 yard field goal wide right and hitting the left upright on a 46 yard attempt. His only successful attempt was from 37 yards.
KC Rush Defense - The Chiefs were able to consistently gain penetration to slow down the Colts running game. They were able to hit the Colts running backs behind the line of scrimmage, or they had multiple defenders around Colts backs for most of the game.
KC Pass Defense - Chiefs defensive linemen were able to get pressure on Peyton Manning, giving him little time to throw. Manning was forced to hurry his throws, and the pass defense gave Colts receivers little room to run after the catch. QB Peyton Manning, Pass: 16 - 32 - 163 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 4 - -3 - 0 - Peyton Manning had one of his worst games in recent memory. He appeared to be bothered by the loss of his longtime main receiver, Marvin Harrison. The remaining Colts receivers did not help out his numbers by dropping five balls that were catchable. Manning showed why he is considered one of the best quarterbacks in the game by adjusting the passing attack after half time to take advantage of what the defense was giving them when they blitzed. In the second half the Colts countered the Chiefs pressure by throwing quick, short passes to move the ball. Also, Manning was a perfect four for four on the Colts' game winning drive in the fourth quarter and gained the final first down on a quarterback sneak on a fourth and one on the Chiefs three yard line.RB Joseph Addai, Rush: 21 - 72 - 1, Rec: 4 - 34 - 0 (6 targets) - Addai had good numbers despite the fact that he was routinely facing pressure in the backfield. He was met with initial contact behind the line of scrimmage in the first half, but was able to use his elusiveness to turn potential short gains into long runs. He showed his value to the offense on the lone touchdown drive by touching the ball on seven of the nine plays. He started the drive by catching two passes in the flat the kept the defense off balance. The drive would end on two strong runs, a quick burst through the middle that would gain 18 yards and a three yard scoring run through an open hole.
RB Kenton Keith, Rush: 2 - -3 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) - Keith only saw limited action in relief of Joseph Addai.
WR Reggie Wayne, Rec: 4 - 75 - 0 (7 targets) - Reggie Wayne was clearly the number one wide receiver again with Marvin Harrison out with an injury. His first reception was on an excellent catch of a deep ball. He did drop some catchable balls in the middle of the game that would have kept drives alive, but he made up for those drops by catching two key passes on the game winning drive.
WR Craphonso Thorpe, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (3 targets) - Thorpe came into the game when Aaron Moorehead was injured.
WR Aaron Moorehead (3 targets) - Moorehead started the game, but was forced to leave in the third quarter with a back injury resulting from an attempted catch of a pass that was to high.
TE Dallas Clark, Rec: 3 - 15 - 0 (11 targets) - Clark saw the majority of his targets due to the pressure applied to Peyton Manning by the Chiefs linemen. In the first half he served as the hot read when Manning was under pressure, but the passes were usually off target. He was the target on the interception that was the result of a tipped pass at the line of scrimmage. He did drop two catchable balls in the second half, one of which was on a leaping attempt that he got both hands on just before being hit.
TE Ben Utecht, Rec: 3 - 26 - 0 (3 targets) - Utecht saw limited action in relief of Dallas Clark.
PK Adam Vinatieri 2 - 4 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points - Vinatieri has an injury to his plant leg that caused him to be inaccurate on his longer field goal attempts. He missed his first two attempts from 49 and 38 yards wide left. His two attempts from within 30 yards were both down the middle, including his game winning attempt from 24 yards with four seconds left.
IND Rush Defense - The Colts run defense showed little ability to stop the Chiefs running game in the first half. The run defense improved in the second half as they took advantage of the conservative play calling by the Chiefs. They took advantage of Priest Holmes slowing down to tackle him for losses on first down plays on the final two Chiefs drives that would put them in obvious passing situations.
IND Pass Defense - The Colts were unable to get any pressure on Brodie Croyle until the fourth quarter when Kansas City was in obvious passing situations. The defensive backs were able to close quickly on the wide receivers to limit the catches to short gains and they did not allow a lot of yards after the catch.Chicago Bears 23, Seattle Seahawks 30
What you need to know
Chicago Bears - Rex Grossman's return at quarterback was a qualified success. Qualified because he appeared at home leading the team, and threw the ball well, but he came up just short in the end. He made a crucial fumble, and was sacked five times in the second half when the pressure was on. Also, he keyed far too much on one receiver (Berrian) and when the Seahawks shut down that option, he was not always able to find an open man. Until he learns to spread the ball around, defenses will be able to get to him more as the game wears on -- which was certainly the case here.Cedric Benson quieted his critics on the second play from scrimmage, carrying the ball 43 yards into the end zone. Meanwhile, Adrian Peterson also scored, but picked up very little in the way of yardage. The starting job is still Benson's to lose.
Wide receiver Bernard Berrian reaped the rewards of the QB switch, going over a hundred yards for the first time this season. TE Greg Olsen was the second most popular target, and Muhsin Muhammad drew the short straw. It's a shame, too, because each of the three were very impressive with their opportunities, but Grossman refuses to look away from Berrian unless he absolutely has to.
Seattle Seahawks - Clearly, the Seahawks are committed to the pass. In their opening drive, they passed five times and rushed once. This actually may have helped, as the running game was great in the first half, but in the second (with the Seahawks were playing conservatively, protecting their lead) they didn't get much at all on the ground.Matt Hasselbeck may be as good or better than the other QBs grabbing the headlines, but Coach Holmgren is not a run up the score kind of guy. So instead of four or five touchdowns, Hasselbeck finishes the game with his usual two instead. He made good decisions all day long, threw accurately, and made no mistakes. You can't ask for much more from your quarterback.
The running game was sufficient, but struggled in short yardage situations. Morris scored on a 19 yard run, but later when the Seahawks were at the four yard line, they went to the air instead. Both Morris and Weaver played well, but did not exactly strike fear into the Bears defense.
The receiving corps is finally getting healthy, and that means it may be another week or two before we know what the hierarchy is. For now, it appears that Nate Burleson (one target, one TD) is the odd man out, with D. J. Hackett, Deion Branch, and Bobby Engram splitting the looks. Hackett appears to be the red zone specialist; Engram the possession receiver. Branch looked to be shaking off the rust this game and looked to be in good form, but may not be thrust back into the number one role, as the current balance is working so well.
What you ought to know
QB Rex Grossman, Pass: 24 - 37 - 266 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 13 - 0 - Grossman's return to the lineup went well, but he came just short in the end. He was throwing well all day, but when the pressure was on to catch up in the second half, he was sacked five times and lost a crucial fumble that could have been avoided.RB Cedric Benson, Rush: 11 - 89 - 1, Rec: 1 - -2 - 0 (2 targets) - Benson started off with a 43 yard scamper into the end zone, followed it up with a 20 yard run, and then quieted down a bit. The Bears seemed to take a page from the Seahawks playbook and passed far more than they ran. Despite the limited touches, it was a good day for him.
RB Adrian Peterson, Rush: 5 - 11 - 1, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) - Peterson was used as a change of pace back and aside from vulturing a TD, did not produce much at all. All of his carries were in the first half.
RB Jason McKie, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (2 targets) - McKie ran once in a short yardage situation, and caught the ball once for four yards.
WR Bernard Berrian, Rec: 9 - 102 - 0 (12 targets) - With Grossman under centre, Berrian saw the majority of looks on passing plays and eclipsed 100 yards receiving. He showed good hands, but was unable to turn upfield with any of his catches.
WR Muhsin Muhammad, Rec: 3 - 71 - 0 (5 targets) - Muhammad was the clear loser of the QB change. He was only targeted once in the first half, but when he got his chances he looked very good.
WR Devin Hester, Rush: 1 - -6 - 0 (2 targets) - Hester was used as a receiver late in the game when the Bears were trailing, but did not have a good opportunity to catch anything. Earlier in the game, they tried giving him the ball for a reverse play, but pretty much everyone saw that one coming and it went for a negative six yards.
WR Rashied Davis, Rec: 1 - 36 - 0 (2 targets) - Like Hester, Davis was mainly looked to late in the game.
TE Greg Olsen, Rec: 7 - 43 - 0 (8 targets) - Olsen was often Grossman's second read (after Berrian), and he was very consistent, catching all but one ball thrown his way.
TE Desmond Clark, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) - Clark is clearly the number two target between the two tight ends. He fumbled the ball on his only reception and did not get a second chance.
PK Robbie Gould 3 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points - Gould hit all three field goal attempts.
CHI Rush Defense - In the first half, they weren't able to contain Maurice Morris. In the second, they did better, but Morris still was able to get free for a couple of ten+ yard runs.
CHI Pass Defense - The Bears did not look too bad in this department. They were consistently beaten all day, but managed to avoid looking foolish against a very good passing attack. QB Matt Hasselbeck, Pass: 30 - 44 - 337 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - 5 - 0 - Hasselbeck was awesome, going 30 for 44 for 337 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He could have padded those stats in the fourth quarter, but with even the slimmest lead, Holmgren's play calling is quite conservative. He also threw a sure TD pass to D. J. Hackett with seconds remaining in the first half, but the pass was dropped as he went down in the end zone. He spread the ball around the entire game, forcing the Bears to cover the whole field.RB Maurice Morris, Rush: 18 - 87 - 1, Rec: 1 - 19 - 0 (3 targets) - For the second game in a row, Morris started in place of Shaun Alexander, and had an excellent game against a stout run defense. He did not run the ball often, but when he did, proved effective. He was far more effective in the first half; when the Seahawks had the lead, the Bears were able to key on the run and shut it down for the most part. Normally used as a change of pace back, he was weak on short yardage plays.
RB Leonard Weaver, Rush: 2 - 11 - 0, Rec: 4 - 23 - 0 (6 targets) - Weaver was the main third down back, and consequently a frequent dump-off option for Hasselbeck. Most of his targets were of the everyone else is covered variety.
WR D.J. Hackett, Rec: 9 - 136 - 1 (13 targets) - Hackett was Hasselbeck's favourite receiver on the day, and also a popular end zone target. His numbers could have been even better had he held on to a perfect pass in the end zone, just before the first half ended.
WR Bobby Engram, Rec: 8 - 84 - 0 (11 targets) - Engram was reliable as usual, pulling in nearly everything thrown his way. He did have one red zone look, but his main value was in moving the chains, as he accounted for four Seattle first downs.
WR Deion Branch, Rec: 4 - 31 - 0 (7 targets) - Branch did not post big numbers in his return to the field after a long absence due to injury, but he did look good when his number was called. Coach Holmgren appeared to be resting him at times, and Hasselbeck spread the ball around, which partly explains the low yardage total.
WR Nate Burleson, Rec: 1 - 4 - 1 (1 targets) - With the return of Deion Branch to the lineup, Burleson slid to number four on the depth chart, as well as continuing his kick return duties. He made his one catch count however, but the fact that it was his only target is a little worrisome for his prospects going forward.
TE Marcus Pollard, Rec: 2 - 33 - 0 (2 targets) - Pollard was not looked upon to catch the ball often, but came through when they needed him to. Both catches were for first downs.
TE Will Heller, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Heller caught the only pass thrown to him, and was primarily used as a blocker.
PK Josh Brown 3 - 4 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 12 points - Brown had a good day overall. After an uncharacteristic miss early in the game, he nailed his next three attempts. He also gets bonus points for an excellent tackle of Devin Hester on a kick return.
SEA Rush Defense - The Bears scored a 43 yard TD on the second play of the game, and followed it up with a 20 yard run by Benson. The Seahawks looked much improved in the second half, but they weren't tested much as the Bears were throwing the ball a lot.
SEA Pass Defense - The Seahawks were able to contain Berrian -- he got his catches, but was unable to turn any upfield --