San Francisco 49ers 37, Arizona Cardinals 31
What you need to know
San Francisco 49ers - In overtime, both teams traded possessions , and it looked like the Cardinals were going to win, but Neil Rackers missed a 31 yard field goal left to give the 49ers the ball with 6:43 left to play. The 49ers offense ran three failed pass attempts and punted to the Arizona 12 yard line. An illegal block penalty on the Cardinals took the ball back to the team's three yard line. On the next play, the 49ers blitzed Warner and he was sacked by defensive tackle Ronald Fields, who caused the fumble that Banta-Cain recovered in the end zone for the winTrent Dilfer had one of his better statistical games going 25 for 39 for 256 yards and two touchdowns. He completed passes to six different receivers and had no interceptions. Dilfer led the 49ers offense on scoring drives 32, 18, six, 88 and 70 yards. He threw touchdown passes to Vernon Davis (two yards) and Arnaz Battle (53 yards.)
Frank Gore combined for a total of 214 the 49ers 374 total net yards and scored on a 35 yard run up the middle to give the 49ers a 31-27 lead late in the fourth quarter. Gore rushed for 116 yards on 21 carries and added 11 receptions for 98 yards. He also scored on an 11 yard run in the second quarter.
The 49ers receiving corps of Arnaz Battle and Darrell Jackson had a mediocre game going a combined six receptions for only 100 net yards. Battle did score on a pretty 53 yard touchdown pass down the left side line to give the 49ers a third quarter to 24-21 lead.
Arizona Cardinals - The Cardinals offense started hot scoring on its first possession when Warner hit Larry Fitzgerald on a 28 yard touchdown pass. It was the first time the Cardinals scored a touchdown on its first possession in 2007. On the Cardinals' next four series, the team punted twice and had two turnovers to give the 49ers a 17-7 lead. The Cardinals fought back and scored on the last play of the first half when Warner threw a 48 yard Hail Mary pass to Larry Fitzgerald, who out leaped the 49ers defenders to come down with the ball. That play gave the Cardinals a 21-17 lead into the half.In overtime, it appeared that the Cardinals had the game won, when Warner hit little used wide receiver Sean Morey on a 62 yard reception down to the 49ers 24 yard line. Four plays later, Rackers hit a 27 yard field goal, but a delay of game penalty nullified the play. On the next play. Rackers missed his 32 yard try left to give the 49ers the ball with 6:43 to play. After three failed 49ers pass attempts, the 49ers punted to Steve Breaston who caught the ball on his own four yard line and returned it 13 yards. But an illegal block in the back, took the Cardinals back to their own three yard line, where on the next play Warner dropped back into the end zone and was hit by 49er defensive tackle Ronald Fields, who caused the fumble recovered in the end zone by the 49ers Tully Banta-Cain for the win.
Despite the loss, Kurt Warner had his best statistical game of the season going 34 of 48 for 484 yards and two touchdowns. He hit eight different receivers, but was sacked four times.
As in game's past, Tim Rattay came in to substitute for Warner when the Cardinals were in their goal line offense. With ten minutes to go in the fourth quarter, on a fourth and goal at the one yard line, Rattay hit tight end Ben Patrick in the back of the end zone to give the Cardinals a 28-24 lead.
Edgerrin James found the running against the 49ers defense unusually tough. He finished the game with only 78 yards on 17 carries and no touchdowns. When the Cardinals went into goal line formation, James was substituted for by Marcel Shipp, who scored on a one yard touchdown run, and had all of his total 14 yards in the Cardinals' goal line or short yardage offense.
Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Bryant Johnson, all at times found the 49ers defenders easy to catch passes against. Fitzgerald ended the game with nine catches for 156 yards and two scores. Boldin finished with six catches for 76 yards, and Johnson with five catches for 80 yards. Sean Morey added another 79 yards on four grabs.
What you ought to know
QB Trent Dilfer, Pass: 25 - 39 - 256 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 10 - 0 - Dilfer had an efficient game and did not throw an INT. He tossed touchdown passes to Vernon Davis (2 yards) and Arnaz Battle (57 yards). He avoided the Cardinal rush and looked comfortable at times throwing the ball down field and on target. He took the 49ers on scoring drives of 32, 18, 6, 88 and 70 yards. He was sacked three times, and had one scramble for 10 yards.RB Frank Gore, Rush: 21 - 116 - 2, Rec: 11 - 98 - 0 (12 targets) - Gore was the workhorse of the 49ers offense running the ball for 116 yards on 21 carries. Gore scored on an 11 yard run early in the second quarter, and again on a 35 yard scamper late in the fourth quarter. Gore was targeted several times out of the backfield by Dilfer, and ended the game with 11 receptions for 98 yards. He had a long run of 35 yards and earned his paycheck this week from the 49ers front office.
RB Maurice Hicks, Rush: 2 - 7 - 0 - Hicks had two short runs in the 49ers scheme that featured Gore as its exclusive runner.
WR Darrell Jackson, Rec: 5 - 43 - 0 (9 targets) - Jackson was targeted often across the middle and had a couple of drops in this game. In all, he finished with five catches for 43 yards, with a long reception of ten yards.
WR Arnaz Battle, Rec: 1 - 57 - 1 (5 targets) - Battle scored on a 57 yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to give the 49ers the lead. Battle caught the ball on an out pattern, and juked his way past the Cardinals defender down the left sideline.
WR Ashley Lelie (2 targets) - Although Lelie was not a factor in the game, he was targeted once on a third and one on the Cardinals one yard line.
TE Vernon Davis, Rec: 6 - 45 - 1 (7 targets) - Davis scored on a two yard pass early in the first quarter. He was targeted a total of seven times and had a long reception of 26 yards. Along with Gore, he looked to be a favored target of Dilfer.
PK Joe Nedney 1 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points - Nedney converted on one of two field goals. He made a 19 yarder, but missed a 55 yard try wide right , with six seconds left in the first half.
SF Rush Defense - The 49ers rush defense held Edgerrin James to 79 yards on 17 carries. The Cardinals' rushing total was only 96 yards for the game, with the longest run surrendered was nine yards. They did give up a one yard scoring run to Marcel Shipp
SF Pass Defense - The 49ers pass defense gave up 484 yards to Warner, but came up with the biggest play in the game with its sack of Warner and fumble recovery to give the 49ers the win. The allowed 34 completions to eight different receivers and three touchdown catches on the day, including an inexcusable 48 yard Hail Mary catch on the game's last play of the first half. Not a good statistical game from a defensive perspective. QB Kurt Warner, Pass: 34 - 48 - 484 - 2 TD / 2 INT - Warner started hot completing four of his first five passes including a 28 yard touchdown strike to Larry Fitzgerald in the team's first drive, and again to Fitzgerald on a 48 yard Hail Mary pass to end the first half. Warner had 206 yards on 13 for 19 and two touchdowns in the first half alone. He ended with a season high of 484 yards on 34 of 48 and two touchdowns. He was sacked in the end zone giving the 49ers the win in overtime. He was sacked a total of four times, and threw two interceptions.QB Tim Rattay, Pass: 1 - 1 - 2 - 1 TD / 0 INT - In the second quarter, Rattay came in for Warner on a first and goal at the 49ers one yard line. He handed off to Marcel Shipp for the one yard touchdown run.
RB Edgerrin James, Rush: 17 - 78 - 0, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (2 targets) - James found the running against the 49ers rush defense unusually tough going for only 78 yards on 17 carries. He also caught two passes for 11 yards. Many of James' runs were up the middle against a stout 49ers defense.
RB J.J. Arrington, Rush: 2 - 4 - 0, Rec: 5 - 26 - 0 (6 targets) - Arrington spelled James on a couple of series and had two runs for four yards. He caught five balls out of the backfield for 26 yards.
RB Marcel Shipp, Rush: 5 - 14 - 1 - Shipp scored on a one yard touchdown run in the second quarter. He also converted on a fourth and one late in the third quarter gaining four yards for the first down. He gained all his yardage in short yardage or goal line offense situations.
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Rec: 9 - 156 - 2 (16 targets) - Fitzgerald scored on a 28 yard pass play in the first quarter, and then again on the last play of the first half on a Hail Mary 48 yard strike, where he out leaped the 49er defenders in the end zone. Fitzgerald was easily the game's most targeted receiver with 16 balls thrown his way. He was instrumental on the Cardinals' last game tying drive where he caught three balls for 43 yards on the drive. In his last three games, Fitzgerald has totaled 25 receptions for 323 yards and five touchdowns.
WR Anquan Boldin, Rec: 6 - 76 - 0 (7 targets) - Boldin had six receptions for 76 yards, but was kept out of the end zone. He fumbled on a slant pattern early in the second quarter, but at times found the 49er defense of little resistance.
WR Bryant Johnson, Rec: 5 - 80 - 0 (7 targets) - Johnson finished the game with five receptions and 80 yards. He was targeted deep twice and hauled in a pass late in the fourth quarter on a over the shoulder grab down to the 49ers one yard line. Two plays later Rackers kicked the tying field goal to send the game into overtime.
WR Sean Morey, Rec: 4 - 79 - 0 (7 targets) - Morey had a productive game hauling in four catches for 79 yards. He had an instrumental catch late into overtime when he caught a pass short and turned it into a 62 yard completion down to the 49ers 24 yard line.
TE Leonard Pope, Rec: 2 - 39 - 0 (3 targets) - Pope had two receptions for 39 yards with a long catch of 31 yards when he beat the 49ers defense up the middle.
TE Ben Patrick, Rec: 2 - 19 - 1 (2 targets) - Patrick had his first NFL touchdown when he caught a touchdown pass from Tim Rattay on a fourth and one from the 49ers two yard line.
PK Neil Rackers 1 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points - Rackers missed on a potential game winning 32 yard field goal with 6:56 in overtime. One play earlier, he had converted on a 27 yard attempt to win the game, but a delay of game penalty nullified the attempt. He hit an 18 yarder to tie the score at the end of the game. He also had four extra point attempts.
ARI Rush Defense - The rush defense at times played very well, but ended up giving yardage to Gore late in the second half. In total, they gave up 137 yards on 25 runs and two scores, both to Gore 11 yards and 35 yards. The Cardinals' rush defense came up big in the fourth quarter, stuffing Frank Gore for no gain on a fourth and one from the Arizona 38 yard line with 5:43 remaining in the game.
ARI Pass Defense - The pass defense allowed a two yard touchdown catch to Vernon Davis in the first quarter, and another 57 yard touchdown catch to Arnaz Battle in the third quarter. The defense suffered the loss of starting cornerback Eric Green early in the second quarter. They did not have an interception, but sacked Dilfer three times.Tennessee Titans 6, Cincinnati Bengals 35
What you need to know
Tennessee Titans - The Titans were playing their second road game in six days and appeared to be having trouble getting going. They were not able to get any type of a sustained drive going until the game was well out of hand. They moved the ball inside the red zone four times, but were only able to get two field goals. This was a result of the Bengals defense making it a point to stop the running game and putting the pressure on Vince Young. Young was not able to answer the challenge as most of his passes were inaccurate and the receivers were forced to make difficult catches.The running game featured a rotation of Chris Brown and LenDale White in the first half as each player had two consecutive series before taking a break. Before halftime, White was called for a personal foul when he kneed a Bengal player in the head on a play in which he was forced out of bounds. After that, Brown would receive the majority of the carries the rest of the game as White only saw the field for one carry in a goal line situation.
The receivers were unable to make any type of contribution to the passing attack. Justin Gage had the offensive highlight when he was wide open on a deep ball in the first quarter, but he lost his balance on the way to the end zone and stepped out of bounds on seven yard line. This play seemed to summarize the Titan passing game, a few highlights mixed in with off target throws.
Cincinnati Bengals - Carson Palmer had one of his best games of the season. Bengal receivers were wide open against the Titans zone coverage, and Palmer generally had plenty of time to choose his receiver. The Bengals had little trouble moving the ball through the air.The Bengals seemed content to rotate their backs until the game was out of reach in the fourth quarter. Rudi Johnson was the primary ball carrier, but he did receive an occasional breather which served to keep him fresh for the fourth quarter when the Bengals would run out the clock.
Bengals receivers were open on any given play. The offense looked to be hitting on all cylinders as they showed signs of the high powered offense they were last season. Chad Johnson set a career high with 12 receptions as he took advantage of the soft Titans coverage.
What you ought to know
QB Vince Young, Pass: 19 - 31 - 246 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 6 - 0 - Vince Young was inconsistent, to say the least. He started out well, completing four of his first six passes, including a great deep throw to a wide open Justin Gage. But, his two incompletions were on poor throws that were well off target, the second of which was an interception. From that point it went downhill. He fumbled the ball on a sack on third and goal from the three on one drive, ending the first scoring opportunity. He would string together two more stretches where he had five straight completions, but one of those stretches came in garbage time when the Bengals had a comfortable lead. The best drive of the game serves as a good summary of Young's day. He was able to move the ball by completing passes underneath the zone coverage until they got in the red zone. They were able to get down to the three yard line on a juggling catch by Ben Troupe, but they were not able to score when Young threw to high to Ben Hartsock in the end zone that would end the last scoring opportunity.RB LenDale White, Rush: 8 - 27 - 0, Rec: 2 - -1 - 0 (2 targets) - White started the game and played the first two series before being replaced by Chris Brown. The Titan plan was to rotate their backs, and it appeared to benefit White more than Brown as he had the longest run of the game on an11 yard run to give Tennessee first and goal from the six for their second trip into the red zone. He would touch the ball on the next three plays, but was called for a personal foul on the last play when he kneed a Bengals defender in the head after being tacked out of bounds. He only returned to the game for one goal line carry in the fourth quarter.
RB Chris Brown, Rush: 8 - 28 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Chris Brown rotated in on the third series on the game as the Titans rotated their back every third series in the first half. He played the entire second half, and had a touchdown that was overturned when the official determined that his knee was down before he crossed the goal line on a review. Yards were hard to come by as most of his rushing opportunities came in short yardage situations and the offensive line was not able to open any holes to run through.
RB Chris Barclay, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - Barclay's only action on offense was on a swing pass in the first quarter that was stopped just short of a first down.
WR Justin Gage, Rec: 4 - 98 - 0 (7 targets) - Gage was the man that Vince Young looked to when he wanted to go deep. On his first catch he got behind the defender and appeared to be on his way to a touchdown but he lost his balance and stepped out of bounds at the seven yard line. He was able to find holes in the zone defense and served as a reliable target when Young needed to get a first down. He was targeted one more time in the end zone on the last long drive.
WR Eric Moulds, Rec: 2 - 54 - 0 (3 targets) - Moulds made one good catch and run when he was in the area of a second Titan receiver. He was the closest man to Young and caught the ball before running downfield on a 46 yard gain in the third quarter. His other targets came in garbage time in the fourth quarter.
WR Roydell Williams, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (6 targets) - Williams was not a very reliable target for Vince Young. His only receptions would come in the first half, and was unable to capitalize on a great opportunity to score in the third quarter. He had his man beat in the end zone but had turned the wrong way on a catchable pass.
TE Bo Scaife, Rec: 5 - 33 - 0 (8 targets) - Bo Scaife seems to have a good rapport with Vince Young from their days together in Texas. He was the receiver that Young looked for when the protection broke down, but he was slow to make an impact. The first two passes thrown his way were off target and not catchable, the first one was an interception on pass thrown behind him. He was targeted on three of the first seven passes on the lone long drive of the game in the fourth quarter.
TE Ben Hartsock, Rec: 1 - 27 - 0 (2 targets) - Hartsock only saw action in relief of Bo Scaife.
TE Ben Troupe, Rec: 1 - 13 - 0 (1 targets) - Troupe's only reception came on a juggling catch to give the Titans excellent field position inside the Bengals ten yard line during the fourth quarter.
PK Rob Bironas 2 - 2 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 6 points - Bironas was relatively quiet, making both of his attempts from inside 30 yards.
TEN Rush Defense - It was clear that the Titans missed Albert Haynesworth's presence on the interior. The Bengals were able to run at will, even when the game was out of reach and they were trying to run out the clock.
TEN Pass Defense - Bengals receivers did not appear to have any problems getting open against the Titans defensive backs. The four down linemen were unable to get any consistent pressure on Carson Palmer, and on the few occasions that they did Palmer was usually able to roll away from the pressure and find an open receiver. By the fourth quarter the defensive backs appeared to be frustrated at the ability of the Bengals receivers to get open. QB Carson Palmer, Pass: 32 - 38 - 283 - 3 TD / 1 INT - Carson Palmer had an amazing day passing. He rarely faced pressure from the Titans pass rush and he showed good pocket presence by moving around in the pocket to buy enough time to find the open receivers. Palmer was accurate on all types of passes, from the out patterns that gained first downs to the deep throws that stretched the defense. He showed good touch on his three touchdown passes, throwing the ball to the spot where his receiver was going to be. He clearly benefited from having all of his primary weapons available to spread the defense.RB Rudi Johnson, Rush: 25 - 88 - 1 - Rudi Johnson was used sparingly in the first half as the Bengals built their lead. He had plenty of room to run, and showed good patience by selecting the proper hole to run through. The Bengals plan was to spell him in the first three quarters to keep him fresh for the end of the game. Johnson seemed to respond well to that plan as he seemed to get stronger as the game wore on and was in the game when they ran out the clock.
RB Kenny Watson, Rush: 4 - 17 - 1, Rec: 5 - 32 - 0 (4 targets) - Watson's contribution to the offense was by providing Carson Palmer with a reliable pass catching option out of the backfield and by providing Rudi Johnson with a breather in the second half. His versatility is an important asset to the offense.
RB DeDe Dorsey, Rush: 5 - 42 - 0, Rec: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets) - Dorsey's action was limited to providing Rudi Johnson with an occasional breather in the first half.
WR Chad Johnson, Rec: 12 - 103 - 3 (14 targets) - Chad Johnson had his best game of the season, catching a career high 12 passes and getting into the end zone three times. The Titans game him plenty of room to operate and he took advantage of the soft coverage to catch passes and get out of bounds without being hit.
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Rush: 1 - -4 - 0, Rec: 7 - 66 - 0 (8 targets) - Houshmandzadeh had an effective game that was overshadowed by Chad Johnson as five of his receptions resulted in first downs, and he showed the ability to read the coverage and adjust his route to give Palmer a reliable target.
WR Chris Henry, Rec: 3 - 41 - 0 (6 targets) - Henry is beginning to reclaim his place as the third receiver in the Bengals offense. He was the target on numerous deep throws and made a couple of tough catches over the middle.
WR Antonio Chatman, Rush: 1 - 5 - 0 - Chatman's only action in the game was on an end around on the first play from scrimmage.
TE Reggie Kelly, Rec: 3 - 35 - 0 (3 targets) - Kelly was only used as a fourth option as the game plan focused on getting the ball to the playmaking receivers.
TE Dan Coats, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - Coats caught the only pass thrown his way in the third quarter.
PK Shayne Graham 0 - 1 FG, 5 - 5 XP, 5 points - Graham did not have a great day as he missed an easy 27 yard field goal in the first quarter.
CIN Rush Defense - The Bengals rush defense did a good job of containing the Titans runners. Three times the Titans had the ball inside the ten yard line four times and were unable to score any touchdowns.
CIN Pass Defense - Most of the 246 yards passing that were given up came after the game had already been decided and the Bengals were in their prevent defense. Young was sacked one time, and the sack produced a fumble that ended the first drive into the Bengals red zone.Oakland Raiders 20, Kansas City Chiefs 17
What you need to know
Oakland Raiders - The Oakland Raiders came into Kansas City as an underdog facing a team that had defeated them nine straight times since 2003. That streak is over. The Raiders had also lost 17 straight divisional contests going back to 2004, the longest active streak of consecutive losses within any division. The Raiders ended their Kansas City, AFC West division, and road woes with an upset of the Chiefs.Oakland coach Lane Kiffin's recent decision to name Justin Fargas as the starting running back paid off handsomely. Fargas provided the predominant and most consistent offense for the Raiders. He accumulated 139 yards on just 22 carries (a 6.3 yard average per carry) while scoring one touchdown. He added 18 yards receiving.
Culpepper did not look at many options in the passing department. In addition to targeting Fargas, he only threw to tight end Zach Miller and to 2 wide receivers, Ronald Curry and Jerry Porter. Culpepper only accounted for 170 yards through the air and is only a shell of his former self. He appears to just be filling the position until rookie JaMarcus Russell is deemed ready to take over.
Jerry Porter, who has had injury concerns this year, twice needed to leave the field after being hurt on catches. He did seem alright afterwards.
Kansas City Chiefs - The Kansas City Chiefs are heading in the wrong direction. They have now lost four straight games. With the Chiefs' season slipping away, fans and media are seriously questioning Kansas City's offensive schemes and play calling. Kansas City continues to play ultra conservative. They had played conservative supposedly to make it easier for journeyman quarterback Damon Huard. Now they have second year player Brodie Croyle as the starter and they are calling it conservative to make it safer for Croyle. Kansas City has reached the point that they have nothing to lose and they may need to let their offense be a little more aggressive.The Chiefs will be questioned for their final play calling of the game. In range of a 41 yard game tying field goal, the Chiefs used up two timeouts (one deciding what to do and one in an unsuccessful challenge) and then decided to try running on fourth down. They were unsuccessful and never had control of the football again. Partially to blame for this decision was a lack of trust in the kicking game. Kansas City kicker Dave Rayner had missed a 33 yard field goal attempt on the Chiefs' previous possession. Croyle, starting his second game behind center, only threw for 145 yards completing 13 of 23 passes with one interception. He alternated between looking real sharp with laser throws and displaying his inexperience with questionable passes. He spread the ball around well and should probably now be allowed to risk making mistakes while opening up the offense more. Talented Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez were his favorite targets.
Prior to this game the running back situation in Kansas City appeared bleak. Earlier in the year they had enjoyed the luxury of having had three different Pro Bowl running backs in the backfield with Larry Johnson, Michael Bennett, and Priest Holmes. The Chiefs traded Bennett to Tampa Bay, then lost Johnson to an injury, and finally saw Holmes suffer neck and spinal problems during last week's game, leading to Holmes' retirement from professional football. The Chiefs were left with only rookie, fifth round pick Kolby Smith who had 19 career yards on ten carries. To the surprise of everyone, in his first career start, Smith provided Kansas City with its best rushing performance of the year. Smith collected 150 yards on 31 carries, nearly five yards per carry. He also became the first running back other than Larry Johnson to rush for a touchdown in the last 36 games. Smith scored twice rushing the ball.
Cornerback Patrick Surtain left the game during the first quarter with what was later called a shoulder contusion.
What you ought to know
QB Daunte Culpepper, Pass: 15 - 22 - 170 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - 0 - 0 - Culpepper appears to be holding down the job until first round pick JaMarcus Russell is ready to attempt to take it over. Culpepper does not compare to the player he used to be as a Minnesota Viking. He completed 15 out of 22 passes for only 170 yards with no touchdowns. He did not ever seem a threat to escape the pocket or gain yardage on the ground.RB Justin Fargas, Rush: 22 - 139 - 1, Rec: 2 - 18 - 0 (3 targets) - Fargas was named by Coach Kiffin as the starter for the rest of the year. He resoundingly justified that decision during this contest. He gained 139 yards on the ground on only 22 carries and added 18 more yards on a couple catches. Currently Fargas seems to be firmly entrenched in his role as the starter.
RB LaMont Jordan, Rush: 3 - 4 - 1 - Lamont Jordan complained during the week that he wished to be released as he has lost his role as a starter. Jordan is currently behind Fargas in the rotation but was still brought in for some short yardage work. He only accumulated 4 yards total on three carries but he did score one touchdown.
WR Ronald Curry, Rec: 6 - 39 - 0 (8 targets) - Curry was Culpepper's favorite target catching six of the eight passes thrown to him but they were for only 39 yards on short passes with little ground gained after the catches. He was unable to ever break free for big gains.
WR Jerry Porter, Rec: 3 - 75 - 0 (7 targets) - Porter was targeted almost as much as Curry but he was more sought after for long gains. He collected 75 yards on his three catches. Porter, who has had some problems with injuries this year, is still a great threat for extended yardage after the catch. However after two of his catches, he seemed injured and had to leave the field. He came back but he seems to be a little bit of an injury risk currently.
TE Zach Miller, Rec: 4 - 38 - 0 (4 targets) - Tight end Zach Miller was the only other player that Culpepper targeted. He caught each of the four passes thrown to him, but lost a fumble after one catch. He was hit by Donnie Edwards and then the Chiefs' Bennie Sapp recovered.
PK Sebastian Janikowski 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points - Janikowski gave the Raiders all they could hope for. He was successful on both field goals he attempted including one huge booming kick of 54 yards that turned out to be the point differential in this contest. He also made both of his extra point attempts.
OAK Rush Defense - The Oakland rush defense was cut to pieces. They have been particularly bad this year and this game was no exception. With the Chiefs missing their pro bowl running backs, the Raiders allowed a fifth round draft pick rookie making his first NFL start to carve them up for 150 yards on 31 carries. They gave up two rushing touchdowns to rookie Kolby Smith.
OAK Pass Defense - The Raiders were pretty effective in pass defense as they were able to hold Brodie Croyle to only 145 yards through the air while making one interception. They often chased Croyle from the pocket and managed to sack him three times. Were Croyle a little less mobile, they would have completely stopped the Chiefs' pass offense.QB Brodie Croyle, Pass: 12 - 23 - 145 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 4 - 10 - 0 - Croyle displayed the hope of the future with deadly aim on some hard well thrown passes. He also demonstrated the frustration of running an offense with an inexperienced quarterback. He managed only 145 yards on 13 completions in 22 attempts and threw one pick. To his defense, he was often given little time to properly wait for open receivers as he was often chased from the pocket and even was sacked three times. It appears that Croyle needs two things, to be given more freedom to open it up and a much improved offensive line.
RB Kolby Smith, Rush: 31 - 150 - 2, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (5 targets) - Kolby Smith was brought in to hold down the starting running back position until Larry Johnson returns from his injury. Not a lot was expected from him. After turning in the best Kansas City Chiefs rushing performance of 2007, there does not seem to be as much reason to worry about hurrying Johnson back. It should be kept in mind that Smith put in his incredible performance against one of the worst run defenses in the league. Even with that, his performance was stunning as he gained 150 yards on 31 carries with two touchdowns. The downside of his game would have to be his role as a receiver. He was targeted five times and only had one catch for two yards. The other four throws were all very catchable, but they were dropped by Smith. All things considered, it was an impressive debut.
RB Gilbert Harris, Rush: 2 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) - Fullback Gilbert Harris was claimed from the practice squad to provide the Chiefs with a backup for new starting running back Kolby Smith. He compiled four yards on two carries and had no catches.
WR Dwayne Bowe, Rec: 4 - 63 - 0 (7 targets) - Rookie Dwayne Bowe is now known by other teams as Croyle's favorite target and he is receiving extra coverage because of it. Bowe is a legitimate and dangerous weapon for the Chiefs. He pulled in four of the seven balls thrown his way for 63 yards.
WR Eddie Kennison, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (2 targets) - Kennison caught both passes thrown to him. He is still a dependable receiving option but has definitely moved to a new role as the second wide receiver for Kansas City.
WR Samie Parker, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets) - Parker caught the only pass thrown to him but there were just not enough passes for him to receive much attention.
WR Jeff Webb (1 targets) - Jeff Webb did not have any catches or yardage gained in this contest. He remains far down the list of likely receiving options.
TE Tony Gonzalez, Rec: 3 - 48 - 0 (4 targets) - Gonzalez was regularly and heavily blanketed in coverage but still pulled in three of the four passes sent his way for a respectable 48 positive yards. With Croyle's laser throws and Gonzalez's superior athletic ability, this looks like a passing combination that will be very effective for some time.
TE Kris Wilson, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (2 targets) - Kris Wilson caught one pass for one yard and did not have much of a role in the game plan against the Raiders.
PK Dave Rayner 1 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Rayner's job is very likely in danger. Last week he missed two field goals and the Chiefs lost to the Colts by three points. This week he missed a field goal of 33 yards and then during crunch time was not called on when the Chiefs had a chance to try for a game tying 41 yard kick. Subsequently, the Chiefs lost by three points. He has failed in his role and will be considered by some as a liability. Do not be surprised if Kansas City head coach Herm Edwards brings in other kickers to try to beat out Rayner. He did make the one other field goal he attempted and he made both extra point tries.
KC Rush Defense - The Chiefs rush defense was beaten over and over. They gave up two touchdowns on the ground and allowed Justin Fargas to run all over them for 139 yards on just 22 carries, which is better than 6.3 yards per carry. The Chiefs rush defense seemed uncharacteristic as they have usually been much better than that.
KC Pass Defense - The Kansas City pass defense was able to contain Culpepper, limiting him to only 170 yards. They harassed him and kept him from having the time to complete many long gains. They did not come up with any interceptions but were able to sack him twice.
Philadelphia Eagles 28, New England Patriots 31
What you need to know
Philadelphia Eagles - With Donovan McNabb out of this game with injuries to his ankle and thumb, A. J. Feeley got the start under center for the Eagles and did everything he could to try to lead his team to an upset victory over the Patriots. On the night, Feeley completed 27 passes for 345 yards and three touchdowns. Two of his three touchdowns went to WR Greg Lewis and the other scoring toss went to WR Reggie Brown. Despite his attention grabbing numbers through the air, it was a couple of Feeley mistakes that helped seal the victory for New England. The first came on Feeley's second pass of the game when Asante Samuel stepped in front of a pass intended for Brian Westbrook and he returned the interception 40 yards for a touchdown. His second bad misfire also involved Samuel intercepting a pass and came late in the fourth quarter with Philadelphia driving for what could have been a game tying or game winning score. The Eagles made an effort to get Brian Westbrook involved early on in this game. In the first half, the Eagle running back got 13 touches on the ground and was targeted another 5 times in the passing game. In addition to totaling 62 yards over the first two quarters, Westbrook also had a scoring run from one yard out that tied the game at seven. He would finish the night with 52 yards rushing and another 40 yards through the air.Greg Lewis came into this contest with four catches on the year and he was able to double his season total by the end of the first half. His four receptions over the first two quarters went for 88 yards and included touchdown grabs of 28 and 18 yards. Although he had a big first half, Lewis was not even targeted by A. J. Feeley after the intermission.
New England Patriots - New England's offense operated the majority of this game in three and four wide receiver sets, which meant that Tom Brady was dropping back to pass a lot in this contest. In the first half, the Patriots only called one rushing play as Brady completed 19 of 25 throws for 205 yards and his only touchdown toss of the game. His scoring throw came late in the second quarter from 19 yards out and went to Jabar Gaffney. On the night the Patriots signal caller would attempt 54 passes, completing 34 of those for 380 yards. This was the first game of the year in which Brady did not throw for at least three touchdown passes and he finished the night with a season high 20 incompletions.Kevin Faulk made the start at running back for New England as Laurence Maroney did not see his first action until there was 11:27 remaining in the third quarter. The Patriots only rushed the ball 15 times in the game, but it was Maroney's four yard touchdown with 7:20 remaining in the contest that turned out to be the game winner. In addition to Maroney's score on the ground, Heath Evans also had a first quarter rushing touchdown that came from a yard out. New England running backs finished the game with 32 yards on 13 carries and added another 30 yards receiving.
Wes Welker led all Patriots receivers with an eye popping 17 targets, and he was able to turn those pass attempts into 13 catches for 149 yards. He did not get into the end zone, but his catches seemed to come in important spots for New England. Six of Welker's catches came on third down plays and five of those grabs resulted in first downs.
The Patriots clinched their fifth consecutive AFC East division crown earlier in the day with Buffalo's loss to Jacksonville. With the win, New England becomes only the seventh team since 1970 to start the season 11--0.
What you ought to know
QB A.J. Feeley, Pass: 27 - 42 - 345 - 3 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0 - If not for his two interceptions to Asante Samuel, Feeley would have had a spectacular night quarterbacking the Philadelphia offense. In the time between those two picks, the quarterback led the Eagles on four touchdown scoring drives that put up 28 points on a defense that came into the contest only giving up 16 points per game. He was outstanding in the first half completing 14 of 20 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Feeley followed up his exceptional first half with a second half that included 152 more passing yards and his third touchdown pass of the game. A number of times throughout the contest he hung in the pocket in the face of unblocked blitzers to complete passes, and he seemed to have a knack for finding wide open receivers for big gains. Feeley's third interception of the game came in the fourth quarter with 18 seconds remaining.RB Brian Westbrook, Rush: 17 - 52 - 1, Rec: 7 - 40 - 0 (11 targets) - It seemed that the plan was to get Westbrook going early in this game. On the Eagles' first three drives of the game, Westbrook rushed the ball 11 times and was targeted 4 times in the passing game. He capped Philadelphia's second drive with a one yard touchdown run and on that series, Westbrook had a good second effort attempt on a third and one rush that resulted in a first down. Westbrook's longest run of the game came in the second quarter and went for 14 yards, but he only got four rushes over the final two quarters. He was also called upon to return a punt late in the game. On the play, Westbrook fielded the punt, but he did put the ball on the ground. (The fumble was recovered by Philadelphia.)
RB Correll Buckhalter - Buckhalter's only action in this game came returning kicks where he averaged 21 yards on four returns.
WR Kevin Curtis, Rec: 5 - 71 - 0 (9 targets) - Curtis was targeted by A. J. Feeley on a number of deeper throws, but most of those passes fell incomplete. His longest reception of the game went for 19 yards and he was the intended receiver in the end zone on Feeley's second interception. Four of Curtis' five catches went for first downs.
WR Reggie Brown, Rec: 5 - 45 - 1 (9 targets) - Brown's first catch of the game came in the first quarter and went for 11 yards. His second reception went for nine yards as he took the ball down inside the Patriots' one yard line. On the play, he tried to reach the ball over the goal line but he stepped out of bounds before the ball broke the plane of the end zone. Brown followed up a third quarter, five yard reception with his second touchdown catch of the year. On the play, the Philadelphia wide out made a tough catch over the middle on a crossing pattern where he had a defender blanketing him. Brown's final catch of the game came in the fourth quarter and went for 12 yards.
WR Greg Lewis, Rec: 4 - 88 - 2 (4 targets) - Lewis first grab of the game came on a third down play and resulted in a 15 yard gain that moved the chains. On his first touchdown catch from 28 yards out, Lewis showed tremendous concentration in leaping up to make the catch despite having a defender right in his face. His third catch of the game came in the second quarter and went for 27 yards. Lewis' final reception went for his second touchdown of the game came from seventeen yards out.
WR Jason Avant, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0, Rec: 1 - 21 - 0 (2 targets) - Avant caught his only pass on the Eagles' second drive of the game. He also had a one yard rush on a play that seemed to be designed for him to throw the ball. He caught the backward pass but with nobody open, Avant tucked the ball and did his best to get positive yards on the play.
WR Hank Baskett, Rec: 1 - 16 - 0 (1 targets) - Baskett grabbed his only target of the game on a flea flicker play in the third quarter. He also recovered Philadelphia's onsides kick in the second quarter.
TE L.J. Smith, Rec: 3 - 46 - 0 (5 targets) - All of Smith's receptions came in the second half, and all three grabs resulted in first downs for the Philadelphia offense.
TE Matt Schobel, Rec: 1 - 18 - 0 (1 targets) - Schobel's only target came in the second quarter and went for a gain of 18 yards.
PK David Akers 0 - 0 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 4 points - Akers did not have a field goal attempt in this game, but did connect on all four of his extra point tries.
PHI Rush Defense - With the Patriots calling pass plays for the majority of the night, the Eagles' rush defense surrendered only 49 yards on 15 rushing attempts. Heath Evans had a one yard scoring run in the first quarter and Laurence Maroney scored from four yards out in the fourth quarter.
PHI Pass Defense - Tom Brady finished the night with 34 completions for 380 yards and a touchdown, but the Eagles pass defense was effective in slowing down the Patriots pass attack. Brady was sacked three times in the game and J. R. Reid and Brian Dawkins had passes hit them in the hands that probably should have been intercepted. QB Tom Brady, Pass: 34 - 54 - 380 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - 16 - 0 - Brady started off hot on New England's first drive of the game completing six of seven passes for 72 yards in leading the offense to their first touchdown of the game. On the Patriots' next touchdown scoring drive, Brady was six of nine for 54 yards and he finished that series by hitting WR Jabar Gaffney for a 19 yard score. Over the final two quarters, he would only complete 15 of 29 passes, but those 15 completions went for 176 yards. On the go ahead drive, Brady was clutch connecting on six of eight passes for 56 yards. In addition to his throws he also had two rushes in this game, both of which resulted in first downs.RB Laurence Maroney, Rush: 10 - 31 - 1 (1 targets) - Maroney didn't enter the game until the third quarter and was only able to average 3.1 yards on ten carries. His fourth quarter touchdown from four yards out, was his second rushing touchdown in the last two weeks. Targeted once in the passing game, he dropped a screen pass on a first down play late in the third quarter.
RB Kevin Faulk, Rush: 2 - 0 - 0, Rec: 3 - 30 - 0 (6 targets) - In spite of only getting two rushing attempts in the contest, Faulk was involved in the passing game as six passes were thrown his way. He took his first catch down to Philadelphia's one yard line and he followed that up with receptions of nine and 12 yards.
RB Heath Evans, Rush: 1 - 1 - 1 - Evans scored the Patriots first offensive touchdown with a first quarter, one yard plunge.
WR Wes Welker, Rec: 13 - 149 - 0 (17 targets) - Welker's big night was his third 100 yard receiving game of the year and his 13 catches is a career high. His longest reception of the game came in the third quarter when he took a wide receiver screen 42 yards down to the Philadelphia four yard line. He was Tom Brady's go to guy in crunch time as caught three passes for 39 yards on New England's go ahead drive. Welker was targeted once in the end zone on that drive, but the pass fell incomplete.
WR Jabar Gaffney, Rec: 6 - 87 - 1 (6 targets) - Gaffney was able to catch all six passes that were thrown his way. He had two catches on New England's first drive, the second grab going for 32 yards on a third and 12 play. His touchdown grab came with 12 seconds left in the second quarter. On the play, Gaffney made a sliding catch near the back of the end zone and it appeared his knee came down out of bounds. Despite Gaffney's proximity to the end line when he made the reception, the replay official did not see any reason to review the play so the touchdown stood. His only reception in the second half was a big one as he gained 16 yards on a third and six play that took place with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
WR Randy Moss, Rec: 5 - 43 - 0 (13 targets) - Despite being targeted 13 times in this game, Moss had a relatively quiet night. He did have a deep ball hit him in the hands in the third quarter that he was unable to hang on to. It would have been a tough catch, but it's one that we've grown accustomed to seeing him make. Moss had a four yard touchdown catch negated after he was called for a questionable offensive pass interference penalty. He was targeted again in the end zone later on in the game with New England operating form the Philadelphia 14 yard line, but the pass sailed out of the back of the end zone. All of Moss' catches came in the first half.
WR Donte Stallworth, Rec: 4 - 54 - 0 (7 targets) - Stallworth's second catch of the game came on New England's second drive and went for 31 yards. On the play, he caught a short pass and was able to break a tackle for the big gain. Stallworth's other three catches went for a total of 23 yards.
TE Ben Watson, Rec: 3 - 17 - 0 (5 targets) - Watson's first target of the game came with 32 seconds left in the second quarter, which he caught for a five yard gain. His second grab came in the third quarter and went for six yards and his final reception came in the fourth quarter and also went for six yards.
PK Stephen Gostkowski 1 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points - Gostkowski made his first field goal from 23 yards out in the second quarter, but he hooked a 32 yard attempt in the third quarter that missed wide left. Gostkowski also converted on all four of his extra point attempts.
NE Rush Defense - The Patriots gave up only 2.9 yards per rush on 19 Philadelphia running plays. Brian Westbrook did score on a one yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
NE Pass Defense - On Philadelphia's first drive of the game, CB Asante Samuel intercepted an A.J. Feely pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown. Samuel's second interception of the game came with 3:58 left in the fourth quarter, killing a drive where Philadelphia was operating from New England 29 yard line. S James Sanders also had an interception late in the fourth quarter. In addition to the three interceptions, LB Rosevelt Colvin also recorded a sack in this game.New Orleans Saints 31, Carolina Panthers 6
What you need to know
New Orleans Saints - The Saints were a little sluggish to start the game but after half time Drew Brees got them rolling. Brees ended up throwing for 260 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted once but it was off a nice play by Julius Peppers who tipped the pass at the line and then caught the ball. Brees also ran in a touchdown from the eight yard line.With Reggie Bush nursing a sore leg, he didn't see many carries. He ran the ball just nine times for 32 yards. Aaron Stecker got the majority of carries going 13 for 42 yards. Stecker was brought in near the goal line but three of the Saints touchdowns were through the air. When the game was out of reach Pierre Thomas took over the running duties and ran the ball exclusively in the fourth quarter. He ended up with 12 carries for 32 yards.
Marques Colston had a nice game catching seven passes for 93 yards and a short touchdown pass. Billy Miller and Lance Moore also caught short touchdown passes from Brees. Miller ended up with four receptions for 32 yards. Moore caught three passes for 16 yards. Brees spread the ball around to nine different players in the game.
The Saints defense shut down Carolina. The Panthers are having all sorts of problems at the quarterback position. It has become a situation of you don't know who will start each week. New Orleans held David Carr under 100 yards passing and intercepted him twice. After the second interception, Matt Moore replaced Carr and he was promptly intercepted as well. Overall the Panthers were only able to net 195 yards rushing and passing.
Carolina Panthers - The Panthers continued their terrible play at home. They have lost all five games at home this year. With Testaverde out with back spasms, David Carr stepped in and did not play well. He went ten for 22 for just 95 yards. He did not throw a touchdown and was intercepted two times. The crowd was calling for Matt Moore. After the second interception, Moore stepped in and he also was picked off. Moore ended up going eight for 14 for 66 yards.The Panthers running game was dreadful. Overall they ran the ball 18 times for 43 yards. DeShaun Foster carried the ball nine times for minus five yards. He fumbled on back to back possessions but Carolina was able to recover one of those fumbles. The Panthers leading rusher was Steve Smith who picked up 22 yards on an end around.
Steve Smith also led the receivers with six catches for 47 yards. The Saints held him to just short passes and forced the other receivers to beat them. Drew Carter added three catches for 41 yards and Jeff King had five catches for 36 yards.
The Panthers defense played well against the run but they gave up three short passing touchdowns. Brees was able to throw for 260 passing yards and he also added an eight yard touchdown run in the third quarter. The defense did give up over 100 rushing yards but it was on 39 carries for a rushing average of just 2.9 yards per carry. The defense came up with just one turnover and no sacks.
What you ought to know
QB Drew Brees, Pass: 24 - 36 - 260 - 3 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 8 - 1 - Drew Brees went 24 of 36 for 260 yards. He threw three touchdown passes and also ran one in from eight yards out. He spread the wealth around hitting Moore, Miller and Colston for touchdowns. With the Panthers down just four points at the half, Brees took over the game in the second half. He put together three touchdown drives in the third quarter to put the Saints ahead, 31-6. Brees was intercepted once but it did not hurt the Saints as they forced a turnover on downs on the Panthers next possession.RB Aaron Stecker, Rush: 13 - 42 - 0, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (2 targets) - Early on in the game, Stecker got the bulk of the carries for New Orleans. He picked up 42 yards on 13 carries. Stecker also caught two passes for eight yards. Stecker was in the game for goal line carries. In the second quarter, Stecker carried the ball down to the one yard line. On the next play he lost four yards. Brees went back to him on the following play and he got back to the one yard line. The next play was a touchdown pass to Lance Moore.
RB Pierre Thomas, Rush: 12 - 32 - 0 - Thomas had 12 carries for 32 yards. Most of his carries were in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach. Thomas had ten carries in the fourth quarter but none of them were even inside the Carolina 46 yard line.
RB Reggie Bush, Rush: 9 - 32 - 0, Rec: 3 - 30 - 0 (5 targets) - Bush started the game but he was used sparingly. He only ran the ball nine times for 32 yards. He also caught three passes for 30 yards. Bush had a couple of carries that got close to the goal line but then he was pulled for Stecker. Bush was lined up at wide receiver a few times in the game.
RB Mike Karney, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets) - Karney carried the ball once for two yards. The carry was from the Carolina six yard line. He also was targeted once in the game but the pass was incomplete on a third and 12 play.
WR Marques Colston, Rec: 7 - 93 - 1 (8 targets) - Colston caught seven passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. He caught a four yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter to put New Orleans up by 24 points. Five of his seven catches went for first downs. He had two red zone chances and both of them were on the same drive that ended with his touchdown reception.
WR Lance Moore, Rec: 3 - 16 - 1 (5 targets) - Lance Moore was targeted five times in the game. He caught three passes for 16 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown came on a one yard pass on fourth and goal at the one yard line. He got another red zone opportunity in the third quarter. Brees hit him for a pass of 10 yards that took the ball down to the Carolina eight yard line. Brees ran it in on the next play.
WR David Patten, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (5 targets) - Patten caught two passes for 17 yards and he picked up one first down. Brees tried to hit him deep a couple of times but both passes were incomplete.
WR Terrance Copper, Rec: 1 - 12 - 0 (2 targets) - Copper was thrown to twice. He caught one pass for 12 yards to the Carolina 47 yard line. The play resulted in a first down but the drive would ultimately end in a punt.
WR Devery Henderson, Rec: 1 - 33 - 0 (1 targets) - Henderson got one look and he made it count. Brees hit him deep down field for a 33 yard gain. The catch put the ball at the Carolina 23 yard line. Three plays later, the Saints scored to take an 11 point lead.
TE Billy Miller, Rec: 4 - 32 - 1 (5 targets) - Billy Miller caught four passes for 32 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown started the second half scoring for the Saints. Miller picked up a first down earlier in the drive on a third down play. The drive continued and then he caught the one yard touchdown pass to put the Saints up by 11 points. On the Saints final scoring drive, Miller caught an eight yard pass for a first down at the Carolina six yard line. Two plays later, the Saints scored to go up by 25 points.
TE Eric Johnson, Rec: 1 - 19 - 0 (2 targets) - Johnson caught one pass for 19 yards that brought the ball down to the Carolina four yard line. Brees hit Billy Miller two plays later for the touchdown. The only other throw to Johnson was a four yard completion that got negated by a New Orleans holding call.
PK Olindo Mare 1 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points - Mare made a field goal from 46 yards in the second quarter. His only miss was at the end of the first half when the Saints tried a 57 yard field goal. The kick may have been tipped as it came up well short. Mare did make all four extra point attempts.
NO Rush Defense - The New Orleans rush defense was outstanding. They only gave up 43 rushing yards on 18 carries. They gave up just one first down on the ground. DeShaun Foster carried the ball nine times and ended up with minus five yards rushing. Twice they forced Foster to cough up the football. On one of the plays New Orleans couldn't manage to pick up the ball and it was recovered by David Carr for a 12 yard loss. On Carolina's next possession, Foster again fumbled as he tried to pick up extra yards but this time New Orleans recovered. Both times the Saints scored touchdowns on the ensuing drive.
NO Pass Defense - The New Orleans pass defense played very well. They forced three interceptions on the Carolina quarterbacks. Carolina went 18 for 36 for just 161 yards and no touchdowns. The Saints recorded one sack of David Carr. The New Orleans pass defense was able to cover Steve Smith and not allow him to pick up a big play. They held him to just 47 yards on six catches. Nine of Carolina's twelve drives were five plays or less. The Saints defense was able to keep Carolina's offense off the field. The Saints won the time of possession battle by almost 19 minutes. QB David Carr, Pass: 10 - 22 - 95 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 2 - 5 - 0 - Carr got the start with Testaverde being inactive. He started the game by throwing seven straight incompletions. Carr's first completion came right at the end of the first quarter. His final stats for the game were 10 of 22 for 95 yards and two interceptions. After his second interception he was pulled from the game in favor of Matt Moore.QB Matt Moore, Pass: 8 - 14 - 66 - 0 TD / 1 INT - Moore came into the game with ten minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Moore went eight of 14 for 66 yards and an interception. He was picked off on his first drive of the game. He moved the ball a little bit on the final drive of the game but the defense was a little soft with the 25 point lead. The drive ended at the New Orleans 38 yard line when a fourth down pass was incomplete.
RB DeShaun Foster, Rush: 9 - -5 - 0, Rec: 2 - 16 - 0 (2 targets) - Foster had a forgettable game carrying the ball nine times for minus five yards. He caught two passes for 16 yards. On back to back drives in the third quarter, Foster inexplicably fumbled. The first time he was stopped but reversed direction to try to pick up more yards and just dropped the ball. Carolina was able to recover the ball after a 12 yard loss. On the next series, Foster was spun around and tried to stay on his feet. As he turned up field he again dropped the ball since it wasn't tucked away. This fumble was lost. The two fumbles led to 14 points for the Saints.
RB DeAngelo Williams, Rush: 4 - 19 - 0 - Williams ran the ball four times for 19 yards. He did not have any red zone carries in the game. Williams had a 14 yard run brought back due to a holding penalty.
RB Brad Hoover, Rush: 2 - 2 - 0 - Brad Hoover carried twice for two yards. He picked up two yards on a first down play from Carolina territory. In the second quarter, he carried on a fourth and one play but was stuffed for no gain.
WR Steve Smith, Rush: 1 - 22 - 0, Rec: 6 - 47 - 0 (12 targets) - Steve Smith caught six passes for 47 yards. The Saints kept him in check and only allowed short completions. Smith was shaken up while blocking and left the game in the second quarter. He returned on the next series though. He got a look when Carolina got down to the nine yard line. The short pass went for minus two yards. It was the only chance Smith saw in the red zone.
WR Drew Carter, Rec: 3 - 41 - 0 (9 targets) - Drew Carter caught three passes for 41 yards. Carter also had a 35 yard reception brought back due to a penalty. He was the deep threat in this game. His longest catch went for 24 yards. The play was reviewed and upheld. It got the ball down to the New Orleans seven yard line but the drive stalled and Carolina had to settle for a field goal.
WR Keary Colbert, Rec: 2 - 21 - 0 (5 targets) - Colbert was thrown to five times but he caught just two passes for 21 yards. His first target didn't come until right before the end of the first half.
WR Dwayne Jarrett (2 targets) - Jarrett was able to get into the game. He received two targets but neither pass resulted in a completion. The first pass was a deep ball that was intercepted. The second was another deep pass that was incomplete late in the game.
TE Jeff King, Rec: 5 - 36 - 0 (8 targets) - Jeff King caught five passes for 36 yards. He was thrown to from the New Orleans 11 yard line but the pass was incomplete. After three straight incompletes, King went on to catch his final five targets. He picked up three first downs in the game.
PK John Kasay 2 - 2 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 6 points - Kasay made both of his field goal attempts. The first one was from 45 yards and the second one was from 29 yards.
CAR Rush Defense - The Carolina rush defense didn't give up any big plays and they allowed 113 yards overall. New Orleans attempted 39 runs so the defense only allowed 2.9 yards per carry. New Orleans got inside the Carolina ten yard line four times. The rush defense only allowed one touchdown on the Brees eight yard run. The rush defense stopped the Saints on three drives when they got inside the five yard line. Unfortunately the Carolina pass defense gave up three passing touchdowns on those drives.
CAR Pass Defense - The Carolina pass defense played well in the first half although they did allow a one yard touchdown pass to Lance Moore. In the second half they gave up two short passing touchdowns both times inside the five yard line. Overall the pass defense gave up 260 yards and three touchdowns to Drew Brees. They did intercept him once but were not able to record any sacks. The interception was by Julius Peppers after he jumped up and deflected a Brees pass which he then caught.Houston Texans 17, Cleveland Browns 27
What you need to know
Houston Texans - The Texans struggled to generate points and defense, losing their sixth game of the year to the Cleveland Browns. Matt Schaub threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns but his two interceptions were poorly thrown passes that killed key drives for the Texans. Schaub targeted TE Owen Daniels and WR Kevin Walter the most each catching 82 yards, one touchdown and 65 yards, one touchdown respectively.Ron Dayne led the Texans running game with 16 carries for 78 yards. Although Dayne was able to carry for an average of nearly 4.9 yards per carry, none of his carries were able to pick up big yardage and he failed to score a touchdown in the game. The Texans largely gave up on the running game in the second half and Dayne's production in the passing game was a meager two receptions for seven yards.
Defensively, the Texans were unable to shut down the Browns offense, be it rushing or passing the ball. The Browns receivers were able to out-physical the Houston defenders, gaining multiple yards after the catch and failing to tackle Jamal Lewis with the first tackler on the play. As a result the Browns were able to control the clock, winning the time of possession game by over ten minutes and kept the Houston offense off the field.
Cleveland Browns - The Cleveland Browns were very successful running and passing the ball against the Houston Texans, ultimately winning their seventh game of the year. QB Derek Anderson had a very efficient day throwing for 253 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and completed 68.6% of his passes. Kellen Winslow led the way receiving with ten catches for 107 yards and one touchdown. Braylon Edwards, while struggling at times during the game, was able to catch four passes for 57 yards and one touchdown. Both receivers were effective at not only finding the gaps in the Houston defense, but they made some very tough catches in tight coverage.Jamal Lewis had an excellent day running the ball, carrying 29 times for 134 yards and one touchdown. The Browns offensive line had an excellent day moving the Houston defense off the line of scrimmage and creating multiple openings for Lewis.
Defensively, the Browns were able to generate a decent pass rush, sacking Matt Schaub twice but it was the play of the secondary that really carried the defense. Browns DB Brandon McDonald was able to shut down WR Andre Johnson, limiting the Texans receiver to a mere three catches and 39 yards. With Johnson shut down, the Texans were forced into shorter passing routes and could not take advantage of the deep pass for most of the game. Cleveland was also able to limit the effectiveness of the Texans' rush attack, holding Ron Dayne to 78 yards and zero touchdowns.
What you ought to know
QB Matt Schaub, Pass: 22 - 36 - 256 - 2 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0 - Schaub posted decent passing yardage but struggled for most of the day due to the fact that Andre Johnson was shut down by Browns DB Brandon McDonald. As a result, Schaub was forced to his second and third reads on the play, and while he did have time to make the reads, he was clearly rattled by the coverage on his biggest passing weapon. Of his two interceptions, one came on the Cleveland 37 yard line in the midst of a very effective drive. His second came on an under-thrown deep pass to Andre Johnson. Despite the interceptions, Schaub did have time to go through his progressions and find open receivers. He was only sacked twice, both on blown coverage assignments by the offensive line.RB Ron Dayne, Rush: 16 - 78 - 0, Rec: 2 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) - Dayne was contained for most of the game, struggling to find room to run behind an offensive line that could not generate much movement on the line of scrimmage. His longest run was only 14 yards and he was a non factor in the passing game. The Texans moved away from the rushing game in the second half, using Dayne almost exclusively as another blocker. His two catches were the result of good defensive pass coverage, and he was a safety outlet for Matt Schaub.
WR Kevin Walter, Rec: 6 - 65 - 1 (10 targets) - Walter became the primary target for Matt Schaub almost by default due to Johnson's struggles. His 17 yard touchdown catch came from a blown coverage assignment by Browns DB Leigh Bodden which left Walter all alone in the end zone. His role for the game was largely that of a possession receiver, working over the middle of the field and in shorter yardage passing situations.
WR Andre Johnson, Rec: 3 - 37 - 0 (6 targets) - Johnson was shut down for the afternoon and struggled to gain any separation from the Browns secondary. He found himself in tight coverage off the line of scrimmage and the Texans seemed unable or unwilling to run him in any kind of quick out pattern.
WR Andre Davis, Rec: 3 - 51 - 0 (5 targets) - Davis had a quiet day, catching only three passes for 51 yards. He was largely a third option in the passing game and struggled to generate much yardage after the catch.
TE Owen Daniels, Rec: 7 - 82 - 1 (9 targets) - Daniels benefited from Andre Johnson's struggles, often becoming the primary receiving option on pass plays. His six yard touchdown catch was a tough grab over the middle of the field. Daniels did have a key fumble in the game one that turned the ball over on the Cleveland 39 yard line and killed another Houston drive.
PK Kris Brown 1 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Brown had a fairly quiet day going one for two in field goals, missing a 46 yard attempt in the second quarter. He was two for two on extra point attempts.
HOU Rush Defense - The Houston rush defense was unable to contain Jamal Lewis. The Browns offensive line was able to generate good movement against the Houston defensive line, creating good running lanes for Lewis. The real problem with the Houston rush defense was their inability to tackle Jamal Lewis as he often shed the first and second tacklers and forced his way down the field.
HOU Pass Defense - The Houston pass defense, much like the rush defense, was unable to combat the physical play of the Cleveland receivers. Often times during the game, the Texans were able to cover the Browns receivers, but failed to out-muscle the receiver for the ball with the end result being a Cleveland reception. Cleveland was especially adept at finding gaps in the coverage up the middle of the field and took advantage accordingly. QB Derek Anderson, Pass: 24 - 35 - 253 - 2 TD / 1 INT - Anderson had a very good day, with the only bad pass being an interception on an under-thrown pass to Braylon Edwards in the second quarter. Outside of the interception, Anderson was able to find all three of his primary receivers all game long. His line gave him plenty of time to throw and he did a good job of going through his receiver progressions on most plays.RB Jamal Lewis, Rush: 29 - 134 - 1, Rec: 2 - 13 - 0 (2 targets) - Lewis had an excellent game, running with power up the middle of the field on most of his carries. His longest carry of the day, a 17 yard run off the right side, typified his day. The run was a simple off guard run up the middle. Lewis forced his way through the line, made one defender miss a tackle and proceeded to hit three more defenders before being brought to the ground. On the run, Lewis not only looked strong but he had a quickness to his step that allowed him to gain a head of steam as he ran downfield. Houston was unable to defend this kind of physical running game, and the result was an excellent day for Lewis.
RB Jason Wright, Rush: 3 - 14 - 0, Rec: 3 - 21 - 0 (4 targets) - Wright was used primarily as a change of pace third down back, one who could be used more in a passing role than Jamal Lewis. He only carried the ball three times for 14 yards and caught three balls for 21 yards.
WR Joe Jurevicius, Rec: 5 - 55 - 0 (8 targets) - Jurevicius continued in his role as possession receiver, making most of his catches in short yardage passing situations. His longest reception of the day, a 25 yard catch, came off a play action fake the opened up the right side of the field and allowed Anderson to connect with Jurevicius. Despite being wide open, two Houston defenders, from the opposite side of the field were able to run Jurevicius down.
WR Braylon Edwards, Rec: 4 - 57 - 1 (10 targets) - Edwards had a good day by most standards but still did struggle at times. He had three key drops in the game, all three being well placed passes that hit him square in the numbers. On all three plays, Edwards appeared to take off running down the field before he had secured the football. Despite the drops, QB Derek Anderson still went to Edwards as the primary receiver in the offense. Edwards would have had at least two more catches, as he did manage to get wide open close to the sidelines, but under-thrown passes by Derek Anderson prevented the additional receptions.
TE Kellen Winslow Jr, Rec: 10 - 107 - 1 (10 targets) - Winslow had a very good game, working the middle of the field and catching every pass thrown his way. Houston double teamed Winslow for most of the game but despite the coverage, Winslow was able to find space to make a catch or jump over the defenders to grab the ball. His physical style was more than the Texans could handle as demonstrated on his touchdown catch. On the play, Winslow broke free towards the center of the field and caught a laser like pass between two Houston defenders. Winslow had to drop to his knees to make the catch and despite taking two big hits, he held on to the ball, scoring the touchdown.
PK Phil Dawson 2 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 9 points - Dawson had a good day, going two for two in field goals and hitting all three extra point attempts.
CLE Rush Defense - The Browns did struggle to contain Ron Dayne during the first half of the game. Dayne found most of his yardage up the center of the Browns defense. As the game went on, however, Houston abandoned the running game to try and catch up with Browns offense.
CLE Pass Defense - The Browns pass defense did a decent job of limiting Matt Schaub and the entire Texans passing game. In particular, DB Brandon McDonald's job of shutting down Andre Johnson allowed the defense to roll coverage toward the opposite side of the field. Despite the success in shutting down Johnson, Cleveland was still vulnerable up the middle of the field on passing plays. Added to this problem, some coverage assignments proved to be problematic, most notably on a blown assignment that allowed TE Owen Daniels to be wide open on a 17 yard touchdown catch.Green Bay Packers 37, Detroit Lions 26
What you need to know
Green Bay Packers - Brett Favre continued his resurgence and made another push for MVP votes with a season high 381 yards passing and three more touchdowns. At one point, he completed a team record twenty consecutive passes and to no one's surprise he looked awesome in doing so.The combination of WR Donald Driver and WR Greg Jennings is quickly becoming a nightmare for defensive coordinators to figure out. The two players complement each other so well, and when you factor in a running back that can catch the football, a pass catching tight end, and two more receivers who can make plays down the field, the Packer offense is beginning to look downright scary.
If it wasn't already obvious, Ryan Grant is the Packers featured back going forward. No other RB on the team received a carry in the game, and Grant was on the field in all critical situations. Perhaps even more importantly, he looked terrific with the opportunities he did get and was the key reason the Packers were able to run out the clock late.
Detroit Lions - RB Kevin Jones looked very good running the ball, and took on defenders with both power and toughness. He followed up two very poor games with an outstanding one here, and the only reason his stat line wasn't even better is because the score kind of dictated the Lions take to the air a lot earlier than they wanted to.Perhaps it was just a one game aberration, but Calvin Johnson had more than twice as many looks as Roy Williams, and did a lot more with those targets. With the skill set Johnson possesses, it's likely more a case of when, not if, he overtakes him on the depth chart as the team's number one option in the passing game, and this game may have seen the early signs of the passing of the torch.
QB Jon Kitna put up some late game numbers to save what was looking like a terrible stat line. While Kitna's job security is high for this season, his poor decision making and complete lack of pocket presence make him a longshot to be the starting QB for this team for very much longer (unless he can drastically improve these aspects of his game in a hurry).
What you ought to know
QB Brett Favre, Pass: 31 - 41 - 381 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - -1 - 0 - We'll spare you the gushing praise for Favre that everyone else will heap on you and try to stick to the facts. The fact is...Favre was unbelievable! The mistakes, the forced throws, the errant passes that we've come to know the past few years are seemingly gone. He's still the same old gunslinger, but he now seems very focused and doesn't take as many silly risks. Perhaps the fact that he's got a dynamite receiving crew has something to do with that, and he no longer has to take those chances. Whatever the case, Favre is obviously playing as well as he ever has and if it weren't for Tom Brady's pursuit of 5,000 touchdown passes, Favre would probably be a cinch for league MVP at this point. He completed 76% of his passes for a season-high 381 yards (his seventh 300 yard passing game of the season, tying his own team record). He completed a team record twenty consecutive passes, just two off the league mark. Amazingly, his afternoon could have been even more productive if Green Bay had had just a little bit more success in the red zone. That's not to say they weren't efficient -- they did score four red zone touchdowns. But they also had three short field goals from Mason Crosby, and with the way the Detroit defense played it's a wonder Favre didn't throw five or six touchdowns. All game long, he had loads of time to throw and knew exactly what to do with it. He wasn't sacked at all, and never came close to throwing an interception. In fact, his only real miscue of the game came on his first play from scrimmage. He tripped on the foot of a lineman and fumbled the handoff exchange to Ryan Grant. Even that looked to be more Grant's fault than Favre's, though the fumble is charged to the quarterback in those instances. And despite the turnover, Favre clearly had one of the best games you'll see a quarterback have all season long.RB Ryan Grant, Rush: 15 - 101 - 1, Rec: 6 - 31 - 0 (7 targets) - As the game neared the end of the third quarter, Grant was having an extremely quiet game against a run defense that was seemingly ripe for the picking. He had just three carries for seven yards with just over three minutes left in the third quarter. Over the final 18 minutes of play, Grant carried the ball 12 more times for 94 yards and completely ran over any Detroit defenders in his way. He looked very strong with the ball in his hands, and his punishing running style really helped set the tone for the fourth quarter when Detroit looked to be getting back into the game. He was huge down the stretch, much to the surprise of his fantasy owners who probably were content with his five yard touchdown dive in the second quarter. He was stuffed at the goal line late in the game, but it hardly took away from how good he looked. It was already evident heading into this week that Grant is going to be "the man" in the Green Bay running game, and this performance did nothing to take away from that statement. No other halfbacks even touched the ball in the game, and Grant's six receptions serve to illustrate that his role as an every down back is pretty well cemented at this point.
WR Donald Driver, Rec: 10 - 147 - 0 (13 targets) - Despite failing to get into the end zone for the eighth consecutive game, Driver turned in perhaps his finest game of the season. With Brett Favre getting loads of time to look downfield, Driver was able to consistently get open all game. And when he caught the ball, he didn't simply drop to the ground and avoid contact; he showed some great open-field moves and benefited tremendously from some excellent downfield blocking by his teammates to pick up a number of yards after the catch. On one of those runs after the catch, he managed to take the ball up the right sideline for a big gain but was unable to pick up the last four yards needed for the score. It was the closest he came to scoring all game, but he did plenty of damage "between the 20's" to turn in a fine performance. He gave owners a bit of a scare in the fourth quarter when he had his leg rolled up on from behind while blocking for Ryan Grant. He left the game limping off the field and was seen on the sideline trying to work it out. Fortunately, he returned to action and showed some nice moves in shaking a couple of defenders for a nice gain. The ankle didn't seem to bother him, and it doesn't look to be an issue for next week's game.
WR Greg Jennings, Rec: 5 - 60 - 2 (8 targets) - With another big game, this one a two touchdown performance, Jennings' stat line again begs the question of who is truly the top receiving option for Green Bay. While Donald Driver outgained Jennings in targets (13-8), receptions (10-5), and yards (147-60), it was Jennings who was rewarded with the red zone looks and the touchdown advantage (2-0). In fact, despite Driver's heavy involvement in the passing game, Jennings fantasy point total likely exceeds Driver's in nearly all league setups. In addition to the two touchdowns, Jennings was also thrown to in the end zone on an incompletion in the beginning of the fourth quarter, while Driver was never looked to in the end zone. Still, despite this sounding like a negative comparison between the two players, think of it more in terms of a beneficial setup for both players. Each is able to focus on what he does best: Driver moves the ball slowly but effectively down the field and over the middle, while Jennings can hit for a quick strike from anywhere on the field and use his big body to get open in small spaces in the red zone. And with a quarterback chucking it up 41 times and a known commodity drawing the opposition's coverage on the other side of the field, both Jennings and Driver are in prime positions for success.
WR James Jones, Rec: 5 - 75 - 0 (7 targets) - Jones made one terrific catch along the sideline on a fade pattern from Favre on which Jones was drilled by Kenoy Kennedy, yet still managed to hang onto the football. It was his lone noteworthy reception of the game, as the vast majority of his five catches for 75 yards simply involved moving the chains downfield in a quiet but effective manner.
WR Koren Robinson, Rec: 2 - 50 - 0 (5 targets) - Robinson was the beneficiary of a stumble by DB Stanley Wilson, allowing a 43 yard bomb down the right sideline to Robinson. He seemingly could have scored at the end of the play, but instead slowed down at the end in order to fight off would-be tacklers. They managed to take him down at the two yard line, and Greg Jennings caught a touchdown on the very next play. Another curious play by Robinson occurred on his only other reception, this one late in the fourth quarter. With the Packers leading and trying to run down the clock, he caught a pass over the middle from Favre and quickly raced for the sideline. He got out of bounds before a defender could get to him, but it was odd that he'd be seeking to avoid contact and get out of bounds considering the team was trying to run clock. It didn't matter, because there was a penalty against the Packers that stopped the clock anyway, but it could have mattered. It's nothing earth shattering, but something that should be noted. Robinson obviously hasn't been known as the best decision maker in his life, and brain cramps on the field aren't going to help earn him more playing time. Robinson was the target of a fade pattern to the sideline of the end zone early in the fourth quarter, but he was just barely out of bounds on the play.
WR Ruvell Martin, Rec: 1 - 3 - 1 (1 targets) - Martin wouldn't have warranted mentioning, except for the fact that his only passing target of the game resulted in a three yard touchdown. But really, that play (a quick out to the corner) could have been designed to go to anyone.
TE Donald Lee, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (1 targets) - Lee was unusually quiet, with just one ball thrown his way all game. It wasn't anything he did wrong; just that the Green Bay receivers were having so much success on the outside and down the seam that it made sense to utilize Lee in the pocket to give Favre extra protection against a solid Detroit pass rush. That game plan worked like a charm, as Favre threw 41 passes yet wasn't sacked even once. Lee almost scored at the end of the first half when he caught a short pass from Favre and was taken down at the Lions two yard line but could get no further. Green Bay settled for a field goal on the drive.
PK Mason Crosby 3 - 3 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 13 points - Crosby connected on each of his field goal chip shots (20, 20, 26).
GB Rush Defense - Kevin Jones had a solid game, and would have likely topped the 100 yard mark had the game not gotten away from the Lions defensively. Due to the Packers leading pretty much throughout, the Lions had to bail on the running game and take to the air far more often than they had planned to. Still, the Packers did allow 134 yards on the ground, most of them tough, hard fought yards that involved the runner picking up several yards after first contact. The touchdown they allowed on the ground to Jones was a situation where the Lions had set up a first and goal from the one yard line and Jones waltzed into the end zone untouched. It was really the only time all game, however, that the Packers defensive front failed to get ANY penetration whatsoever. They typically made the runners work for their yardage, even if the Lions running backs did get the job done more often than not. DL Ryan Pickett was shaken up in the first quarter and left the game for awhile, but returned later and seemed fine.
GB Pass Defense - Green Bay did an outstanding job of containing the explosive Detroit passing game, especially considering they Packers lost CB Charles Woodson and DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila early in the contest due to a toe injury and an ankle injury, respectively. So they played well over half the game without one of their best defensive backs and one of their best defensive linemen and looked just as good as ever. Aaron Kampman was once again a terror early, with two more sacks of Jon Kitna. And he looked even more impressive rushing Kitna on a play that didn't result in a sack; it appeared that he was trying to bury the offensive lineman in the Ford Field turf during the pass rush. Clearly, Green Bay had other players step in and perform in the places of those injured, evidenced by Aaron Rouse making a nice interception over the middle on which he jumped the route and cut off WR Calvin Johnson (who the pass was intended to go to). And despite all of the solid efforts of the Green Bay defense, they also enjoyed their fair share of good fortune as well. They were helped immensely early on by two costly drops by Calvin Johnson, and were bailed out of allowing a long touchdown to Roy Williams when Jon Kitna overthrew the ball. And despite allowing 224 yards and a score through the air, a lot of that yardage and the touchdown was compiled late when the game was pretty well in hand. QB Jon Kitna, Pass: 19 - 40 - 224 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 9 - 0 - Kitna salvaged what would have been a terrible game from a fantasy perspective with some late yardage and a touchdown. While that doesn't hide how poorly he played in the game, it does serve as a reminder of how explosive this passing offense is and how well Kitna can do for your fantasy team even if he's not lighting it up for the Lions in real life. He completed less than 50% of his passes for just over five yards per attempt, but he put up decent fantasy numbers simply by sheer volume. His favorite target by far was Calvin Johnson, who saw 15 of the 40 passes Kitna heaved up. And the two hooked up for the aforementioned late touchdown on a pass that Kitna really threaded between defenders for the six yard score. But that was really where all the positives end for Kitna, at least in this game. He overthrew Roy Williams on a deep ball that would have gone for 50+ yards, he misfired several passes downfield that resulted in incompletions, and has very little idea of pocket presence. He'll rush one throw into the ground when there isn't a single defender around him on one play, but then he'll hold onto the football about five minutes too long on the next. And Kitna, who is closing in on the world record for taking third down sacks, must do a better job of helping his team avoid the one big penalty/sack/loss of yardage/turnover that ends up killing far too many drives for this team. It's obvious that there is a lot of talent and a lot of explosiveness here, and they can move the ball 70 yards almost at will. But they get hit with one negative play per drive more than any team in the league, and those turn out to be absolute killers in the grand scheme of things. And those issues start under center with the quarterback.RB Kevin Jones, Rush: 20 - 93 - 1, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (3 targets) - After two of the worst games of his career the past two weeks, Jones had one of his best in a losing effort. Typically, when a team trails pretty much throughout the contest, it's tough for the running back of the losing team to get into a good rhythm. But Jones did just that. He averaged nearly five yards per carry, and had a lot of good, tough runs both inside and to the outside. As far as the role Jones has within the offense, T.J. Duckett got a good number of carries early on. But Jones soon got into the flow of the game and garnered nearly all of the remaining rushes. Perhaps the most important aspect was that Jones remained in the game on a goal line carry late in the fourth quarter, and even more importantly is the fact that he scored on the play. It was a simple run off left tackle and he was completely untouched on the play so it's not as if the run was overly impressive, but results are results. About the only thing that could be seen as a negative for Jones was the success Aveion Cason had as a receiver out of the backfield. His four receptions for 58 yards went a long way in sustaining drives for Detroit, and those are yards that Jones didn't get. On the plus side, having another receiving option out of the backfield isn't necessarily a bad thing to decrease Jones's workload ever so slightly. After all, he still did manage two receptions for 27 yards so it's not as if he was a forgotten man.
RB T.J. Duckett, Rush: 7 - 29 - 0 (1 targets) - Duckett saw a lot of action on the first series of the game, but his workload quickly dwindled as the pace of the game went on. Kevin Jones had a lot of success running the football, and it was Jones who got the goal line carry (and touchdown) late in the fourth quarter.
RB Aveion Cason, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0, Rec: 4 - 58 - 0 (6 targets) - Cason did a very good job working mostly as a receiver out of the backfield. There wasn't really a rhyme or reason to when he came in, but he performed well when called upon. He did most of his damage on circle passes where he ran around the line of scrimmage and caught passes from Jon Kitna in stride down the seam. It was said during the telecast that Detroit offensive coordinator has said that while the Lions don't have a Marshall Faulk-type of player on the team, Cason is the closest thing they DO have to Faulk. Cason was shaken up during a second quarter kick return, but he soon returned looking no worse for wear.
WR Calvin Johnson, Rec: 7 - 83 - 1 (15 targets) - It was clear early on that the Lions were going to make a concerted effort to get Calvin Johnson involved in the game. However, the vast majority of passes that went his way had a negative outcome for Detroit (at least in the first half). Of Johnson's eight first half targets, two resulted in dropped passes and one resulted in an interception -- the interception was partly Johnson's fault as well for failing to come back to the football properly. The drops, one of which would have easily gone for 20+ yards, were easy catches that just about every receiver in the league should make. But the Lions continued feeding him after halftime, and he responded with a much improved showing. He snared a six yard touchdown grab between two defenders in traffic, and later caught two passes downfield that both resulted in big hits on him. Each time he got to his feet a bit gingerly, as the hits were right on his back, which has bothered him for much of the season. But he remained in the game after each one without grimacing or limping or giving any indication of a re-aggravation of an injury. At times, the Lions appear to use him almost like the Patriots use Randy Moss or the Cowboys use Terrell Owens. Sometimes Jon Kitna will simply toss up jump balls downfield for Johnson and the defensive back to go after. It didn't really work in this game, as Kitna was nearly intercepted twice because of that, but it shows the confidence they have in Johnson to come down with the football more often than not.
WR Roy Williams, Rec: 3 - 32 - 0 (7 targets) - It may have simply been an aberration, or it may have been the beginning of the passing of the torch in the Detroit passing game. Or it may have also been that Al Harris covered Roy Williams for the majority of the afternoon. Whatever the case may be, the fact is that Calvin Johnson had more than twice as many targets as Roy Williams (15-7) and was looked to far more often in critical spots. The Lions almost force-fed the ball to Johnson, and Williams was left to pick up the leftovers. He didn't record his first reception of the game until three minutes remained in the first half. Late in the third quarter, Williams beat his defender deep down the field along the sideline, but Kitna overthrew him by a good margin. Later in the fourth quarter, he did catch a pass over the middle and was taken down at the four yard line. But that was the closest he came to scoring, and he was never looked to in the end zone.
At one point during the telecast, FOX broadcaster Troy Aikman seemed to call Williams out for his work ethic, or lack thereof. He said of Williams, "He needs to decide if he wants to put the work in to become great, or if he just wants to be really good". While Aikman can be overly critical at times, he is usually regarded as one of the fairest broadcasters in the league. And his words carry a lot of validity. If Williams truly isn't putting forth the effort he needs to, then even if Calvin Johnson didn't *officially* pass him by today, it will certainly only be a matter of time before he does.WR Shaun McDonald, Rec: 2 - 18 - 0 (6 targets) - McDonald had another quiet afternoon, though it was almost salvaged. He caught a first quarter pass that took him down to the one yard line, but it wouldn't have mattered even if he did score because a penalty against Detroit negated the seven yard catch.
WR Mike Furrey (3 targets) - Furrey, who led the team in catches a year ago, continues to find his role constantly dwindling. The fact that Calvin Johnson saw 15 passes in his direction today does not bode well for Furrey's role in this offense going forward.
TE Sean McHugh (2 targets) - McHugh didn't catch either pass thrown to him. Not only that, NO tight ends for the Lions caught a pass in this game.
PK Jason Hanson 4 - 4 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 14 points - Hanson had an incredible day for a kicker. He connected on four long field goals (47, 41, 45, 52) with the 52 yard kick struck particularly well. Each kick had plenty of distance and was right down the middle nearly every time.
DET Rush Defense - The Lions defensive statistics against the run looked phenomenal through three quarters. But that's only because the Packers were choosing to not run the football. At one point late in the third quarter, Green Bay had thrown the ball 31 times and run it just four! So naturally, Detroit hadn't given up a lot of yardage on the ground. But in the fourth quarter, the Packers tried running some clock and Ryan Grant punished the Detroit defenders. They allowed him some long runs, including one for 31 yards and several others where he simply flattened defenders that dared get in his way. And by the end of the afternoon, he had totaled 101 yards and a score on the ground. Even the one positive shown by the Lions was a gift more than anything. They recovered a Brett Favre fumble on Green Bay's first play from scrimmage. Favre tripped over his lineman and stumbled as he tried handing the football to RB Ryan Grant. The ball fell to the ground and was fallen on by Jared DeVries. It was the first, and last, good play the Lions in the running game and all they really did was have a player fortunate enough to fall on the football.
DET Pass Defense - Simply put, Brett Favre dominated the Lions. Whether it was deep balls, fade routes on the sideline, quick slants in the end zone. You name it, Favre and the Packers did it -- and that was with the Detroit defenders getting away with mugging Green Bay receivers several times in the first half. At one point, Detroit allowed Favre to complete a team-record 20 consecutive passes in all different fashion. WR Donald Driver displayed a bevy of open-field moves that left Detroit defenders grasping at air while WR Greg Jennings did his best Randy Moss impersonation down in the red zone by scoring two touchdowns with ease. Even James Jones and Koren Robinson got in on the act, as the third and fourth receiving options in the Green Bay stable combined to snag seven receptions for 125 yards. That stat line was helped a lot by DB Stanley Wilson simply falling down during a 43 yard bomb down the sideline to Robinson. The Lions essentially got no pressure on Brett Favre, and only got close to sacking him once (he released the ball just prior to being hit by Ernie Sims). The play that probably best sums up the Lions afternoon was late in the third quarter as Green Bay was driving for a touchdown. Favre tried rushing the snap and threw a quick pass that was intercepted off a deflection. There was no one in front of the Detroit defender and the play likely would have gone for a score. Ironically and unfortunately, the Lions had called a timeout just prior to the snap and so the play essentially never happened.New York Jets 3, Dallas Cowboys 34
What you need to know
New York Jets - The Jets were completely overmatched by the Cowboys' defense and could not muster much offense. They attempted to establish the run by calling several running plays for Thomas Jones, but he was not given much room to run and as a result averaged 2.35 yards on his 17 rushing attempts. Jones ran decisively and hard, but his lack of yards was a result of what little running room he had closing quickly, usually at or just past the line of scrimmage.New York's quarterback Kellen Clemens was under duress from a spirited and aggressive Dallas pass rush, and was forced to attempt passes before his receivers had a chance to get open. Clemens' troubles were magnified by not having Laveranues Coles available, as he missed the game due to an ankle injury. He threw half of his passes toward wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery and tight end Chris Baker, but was unable to connect with them consistently. Clemens relied mostly on short and some intermediate passes, but never looked comfortable and never got into a rhythm. The offensive ineptitude was magnified on the three passes that were directed towards receivers in the end zone. One pass to Brad Smith was deflected, Cotchery slipped as he made a move to get open and Clemens threw the ball out of his reach as a result, and Baker caught a pass inches outside the end zone on the Jets' last play of the game.
New York had one series inside the red zone, which came in the final couple of minutes in the game. They attempted two running plays by Jones, and Clemens threw one pass to Smith and two to Baker. They did not score on this series, turning the ball over on downs.
Dallas Cowboys - The Cowboys took advantage of some early scores to take a more conservative approach in the game to preserve the lead. Their offensive attack consisted mostly of running by Julius Jones and Marion Barber, and short passes by Tony Romo. They were very efficient using this approach, and managed to dominate the time of possession, 37:52 to 22:08 and control the game. Both Jones and Barber ran well, combining for 167 yards rushing on 32 carries, with Barber adding a touchdown. They were both involved in the short passing game, garnering four receptions apiece. Although Jones ran well between the tackles, he was more effective on pla