New York Giants 38, Buffalo Bills 21
What you need to know
New York Giants - Gusty winds and snowy rain grounded the Giants air attack and forced them to rely on their ground game. Brandon Jacobs, rookie Ahmad Bradshaw, and the Giants offensive line responded by grinding out 291 yards and three touchdowns. The defense added two scores as New York won its league best seventh consecutive road game and secured a berth in the playoffs.Brandon Jacobs rushed for a career high 145 yards on 24 carries and scored two touchdowns. Rookie Ahmad Bradshaw added 151 yards on 17 carries including an 88 yard sprint for a touchdown in the fourth quarter with the Giants clinging to a 24--21 lead. Jacobs and Bradshaw became the first New York Giant running backs to each gain more than 100 yards in a game.
Eli Manning was unable to generate much of a passing attack as he completed seven of 15 for 111 yards and zero touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles. Amani Toomer made key third down catches and led all receivers with five balls for 99 yards. Plaxico Burress caught his only pass in the third quarter.
The Giants defense took control of this game after falling behind 14--0 early. Fourth quarter interceptions by former South Florida standout LB Kawika Mitchell and CB Corey Webster were both returned for touchdowns to help nail down the victory.
Buffalo Bills - The big story of the game for Buffalo was the return of Kevin Everett. The former TE broke his neck in the season opener against Denver and the initial prognosis was poor. It was feared that if he lived he would be confined to a wheel chair for the rest of his life. An aggressive medical team performed a modern miracle, however, and before the game Everett walked back into Ralph Wilson Stadium, visited with his teammates, and watched the game from a suite near midfield.Despite high winds and a combination of rain and snow the inspired Bills started out fast and scored touchdowns on their first two possessions for an early 14--0 lead. Their 22nd ranked run defense eventually wore down, however, and surrendered 291 yards and three touchdowns. With Buffalo trailing in the fourth quarter and forced to throw more frequently the Giants returned two interceptions for defensive touchdowns.
Marshawn Lynch rushed for 70 yards on 18 carries and topped the 1,000 yard mark. He also caught two passes for 42 yards. Fred Jackson added 37 yards on six carries. LT Jason Peters, who was named a first time Pro Bowl starter this week, sustained a leg injury and was replaced by Kirk Chambers. Peters walked off the field under his own power just before halftime but did not return.
Lee Evans led all Buffalo receivers with three balls for 43 yards and one touchdown. TE Michael Gaines caught two passes for 23 yards and one score. Trent Edwards saw his record as a starter drop to 5--3, as he completed nine of 26 for 161 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, and faced a ferocious pass rush all day. He was sacked three times and was often hit just as he released the ball.
Special Teams carried the Bills most of this season but turned in a terrible game against New York. With Buffalo leading 14--0 punter Brian Moorman botched a snap and the Giants took over at the Bills 23 which led to Brandon Jacobs first touchdown. Later in the same quarter S Donte Whitner tried to block a punt but was flagged for roughing the kicker. New York retained possession and on the very next play Jacobs galloped 43 yards for his second touchdown tying the score. The Giants played inspired football after that and the Bills had little in their arsenal to stop them.
What you ought to know
QB Eli Manning, Pass: 7 - 15 - 111 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 3 - 0 - 0 - Manning struggled in the wintry weather fumbling five times and throwing two interceptions. He just never seemed comfortable in the pocket and was unable to get any rhythm going. Fortunately, the ground game carried him.RB Brandon Jacobs, Rush: 24 - 145 - 2, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - A career day for Jacobs as he gained 145 yards on 24 carries for two touchdowns as he beat up the undersized Buffalo front seven. Jacobs limped off the field early in the third quarter after being tackled by Kyle Williams. He returned for one more series but did not see the field in the fourth quarter.
RB Reuben Droughns, Rush: 3 - -5 - 0 - Droughns was stopped for a loss on a fourth a goal and ended with three carries for negative five yards. After Jacobs left in the fourth quarter Droughns saw more playing time.
WR Amani Toomer, Rec: 5 - 99 - 0 (7 targets) - The Giants eventually got their ground game going, but Toomer made some great plays early in this contest when the Bills appeared to be on the verge of running away with the game. He converted key third downs and displayed emotion after every catch. His 99 receiving yards was by far the best for either team.
WR Plaxico Burress, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (8 targets) - Burress managed to catch one pass for six yards as Manning had trouble handling the ball in tough weather conditions.
WR Steve Smith (1 targets) - The USC rookie got behind Terrance McGee late in the second quarter but dropped a pass at the Bills' 8 yard line. Unfortunately it was one of the few passes Manning threw accurately all game.
TE Kevin Boss - Boss did not see any action in the limited Giants' passing attack.
PK Lawrence Tynes 1 - 1 FG, 5 - 5 XP, 8 points - Tynes made all five PATs and was good on a 42 field goal.
NYG Rush Defense - The Bills ran for 117 yards as a team as rookie Marshawn Lynch gained 70 and scored one touchdown. When the Bills fell behind they got away from the run and tried to pass their way back into contention.
NYG Pass Defense - The Giants added three sacks to their league leading 49. Starting safeties James Butler and Gibril Wilson were both on the injury report but played anyway. Wilson led the team in tackles, while Kawika Mitchell and Corey Bradford returned interceptions for touchdowns. QB Trent Edwards, Pass: 9 - 26 - 161 - 2 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 2 - 7 - 0 - For the second week in a row Californian Edwards faced some horrendous weather conditions. He played well early on but the Giants kept pressuring him throughout the game. Losing all Pro LT Jason Peters to a leg injury exacerbated the situation. Edwards' receivers were guilty of not hanging onto the ball but the gusty winds were a factor. The third round draft pick from Stanford now has a 5 and 3 record and should be on your dynasty radar.RB Marshawn Lynch, Rush: 18 - 70 - 1, Rec: 2 - 42 - 0 (3 targets) - Lynch averaged almost 4 yards per carry and added 43 yards on the three receptions. Once the Bills fell behind, however, the game plan moved toward more pass attempts although he kept getting the ball late in the fourth quarter.
Despite missing three games with an ankle injury, Lynch became the first Buffalo rookie to gain 1,000 since Greg Bell in 1984.RB Fred Jackson, Rush: 6 - 37 - 0 (2 targets) - Jackson got into the game to give a Lynch a rest. He is a fast runner who can make quick cuts, although the field conditions were brutal. He still finished with 37 yards on six carries.
RB Dwayne Wright, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0 - The other Buffalo rookie running back came into the game with the Bills down 38 to 21 and took a handoff for the last play of the game.
WR Lee Evans, Rec: 3 - 43 - 1 (4 targets) - Evans scored the Bills second touchdown on a four yard pass in the first quarter, but otherwise was not a major factor in the game. He led all Buffalo receivers with three balls for 43 yards, but he was only targeted once in the first quarter and three times in the fourth.
WR Josh Reed, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (7 targets) - The so-called short yardage specialist in this offense had a tough day, managing to catch only one pass for 11 yards.
WR Roscoe Parrish, Rec: 1 - 42 - 0 (4 targets) - Parrish caught one pass in the first quarter that turned out to be the catch of the game. While sprinting full speed down the field he dove, caught Edwards' pass in midair, and was downed at the Giants' four yard line. The play set up Buffalo's second touchdown.
TE Michael Gaines, Rec: 2 - 23 - 1 (4 targets) - The Bills like to have Edwards target tight ends, and Gaines scored the first touchdown of the game on a three yard pass. Robert Royal was on the same side of the end zone and it seemed that Edwards had his choice of targets on that play.
PK Rian Lindell 0 - 0 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 3 points - Lindell did not attempt a field goal and made all three extra points.
BUF Rush Defense - The Bills were ranked 22nd against the run but against the Giants they allowed 291 yards on the ground. Brandon Jacobs and rookie Ahmad Bradshaw became the first running backs in Giants' history to each rush for over 100 yards in a game. Jacobs also set a career high single game mark of 145 yards.
BUF Pass Defense - The Bills were ranked 28th against the pass but Manning was not a factor. He only attempted 15 passes, two of which were intercepted. Factor in his five fumbles and the passing attack was basically grounded because of bad weather.Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19, San Francisco 49ers 21
What you need to know
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jeff Garcia led two field goal scoring drives in the first quarter and connected with TE Jerramy Stevens on a scoring strike in the second period to give Tampa Bay a 13-7 halftime lead. Already having the divisional title clinched, the Buccaneers rested most of their starters for the second half, where Garcia was replaced by backup Luke McCown. McCown threw for 185 yards in the second half, but had a costly interception that San Francisco turned into a touchdown, as the Buccaneers were down 21-13. Tampa Bay's comeback attempt failed, following a McCown to Stevens touchdown, when WR Michael Clayton stepped on the end line on a two point conversion attempt that would have tied the ballgame.RB Earnest Graham played for most of the first half, but finished with just nine carries for 21 yards on the ground, and two receptions for 11 yards in the passing game. Michael Pittman and Michael Bennett split the workload in the second half, with Pittman contributing 13 yards on seven rushes and seven receptions for 53 yards receiving.
Joey Galloway caught just one pass before heading to the sidelines to rest for the playoffs, and he watched TE Alex Smith and WR Michael Clayton reap the benefits of his targets in the passing game. Smith led the way with six receptions for 79 yards and Clayton added five receptions for 71 yards. TE Jerramy Stevens came up with both of Tampa Bay's big plays on offense, catching two touchdown passes from 24 yards out.
The Buccaneers defense played well, despite giving up 21 points. They didn't get much help from their offense, especially in the second half where Tampa Bay turned the ball over twice in their own territory, both leading to San Francisco touchdowns. For the game, they gave up just 213 total yards, with just 97 yards on the ground. They also forced the 49ers to four of 14 on third downs, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble.
San Francisco 49ers - Shaun Hill didn't post huge numbers, but made plays when he had to, and did enough to lead his team to victory against Tampa Bay. Hill finished with just 123 yards, but threw three touchdown passes and showed some toughness, coming back to the game after leaving briefly with an apparent rib injury in the third quarter.Frank Gore shouldered the load in the rushing attack for the 49ers, with 21 rushes for 89 yards and four receptions for 43 yards in the passing game, including a 23 yard touchdown reception.
San Francisco didn't have huge numbers in the passing game, but WR Darrell Jackson and TE Vernon Davis each added touchdown receptions.
The 49ers defense played inspired football, holding Tampa Bay to just 67 yards on the ground (at 2.8 yards per carry). Their pass defense, however, was another story. They were shredded for 367 yards through the air, including two passing touchdowns. The only real bright spots for the pass defense were their one interception, four sacks, and coming through with a stop on Tampa Bay's two point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter that would have tied the game. LB Patrick Willis was in a tackling zone, finishing with 12 solo tackles, eight assists, two sacks, and a forced fumble. DT Bryant Young totaled two tackles in the final home game of his career, and was carried off the field on his teammate's shoulders following the game.
What you ought to know
QB Luke McCown, Pass: 18 - 32 - 185 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 17 - 0 - McCown entered the game in the second half and finished the game out for the Buccaneers. He finished 18 of 32 for 185 yards and one touchdown, but had two costly turnovers that each led to San Francisco touchdowns. McCown showed some grit, shrugging off his mistakes and leading a fourth quarter scoring drive that almost tied up the ball game. He connected with TE Jerramy Stevens from 24 yards out to cut the lead to 21-19, but his connection with WR Michael Clayton on the conversion attempt failed when Clayton's feet came down out of bounds.QB Jeff Garcia, Pass: 12 - 20 - 196 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - Garcia played the first half for Tampa Bay, and totaled 196 yards and a score on 12 of 20 passing before heading to the sidelines for the second half. Garcia connected with TE Jerramy Stevens on a 24 yard touchdown pass and looked like his sharp, efficient self before leaving the game.
RB Michael Pittman, Rush: 7 - 13 - 0, Rec: 7 - 54 - 0 (8 targets) - Pittman was used throughout the game and finished with seven rushes for 13 yards on the ground, but made a big contribution in the passing game, where he totaled seven receptions for 54 yards on eight targets. Pittman proved to be a reliable target, as five of his looks came on third downs.
RB Earnest Graham, Rush: 9 - 21 - 0, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (2 targets) - Graham played in the first half, where he finished with nine rushes for 21 yards and two receptions for 11 yards. He watched the rest of the game from the sidelines with the rest of the starters.
WR Michael Clayton, Rec: 5 - 71 - 0 (12 targets) - Michael Clayton finished with five receptions for 71 yards, and was the most targeted Buccaneer receiver, getting a team high 12 looks. Clayton did drop a few passes, and more importantly, came down out of bounds on the potential game tying two point conversion attempt. While he made a few mistakes, he finally looked like something similar to the player he was as a rookie, and may have given the coaching staff a reason to have a little more confidence in him from here on out.
WR Ike Hilliard, Rec: 3 - 50 - 0 (7 targets) - Hilliard was targeted seven times and finished with three receptions for 50 yards. All three of his receptions came on third down, and resulted in Tampa Bay first downs.
WR Joey Galloway, Rec: 1 - 29 - 0 (2 targets) - Joey Galloway played just a half, and finished with one reception for 29 yards on just two targets.
TE Alex Smith, Rec: 6 - 79 - 0 (11 targets) - Alex Smith had a nice game for the Buccaneers, finishing with six receptions for 79 yards on 11 targets. Four of his six receptions resulted in Buccaneers first downs.
TE Jerramy Stevens, Rec: 4 - 73 - 2 (5 targets) - Stevens was targeted five times and made the most of his opportunities, scoring two touchdowns and coming down with two receptions that netted first downs. Stevens caught a touchdown from both Jeff Garcia and Luke McCown, both from 24 yards out.
PK Matt Bryant 2 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points - Bryant connected on first quarter field goal attempts from 34 and 22 yards out and added an extra point to finish with seven points for the game.
TB Rush Defense - The Buccaneers were able to contain Frank Gore and the 49ers rushing attack, holding Gore to 89 yards on 21 attempts and the team to just 97 yards on 29 attempts.
LB Barrett Rudd led the way with six solo tackles and a fumble recovery.
TB Pass Defense - Tampa Bay gave up just 116 passing yards, held San Francisco to four of 14 on third downs, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble and sacked Shaun Hill twice, but allowed three passing touchdowns that proved to be the difference in the game. Two of the scores came following turnovers by the Buccaneer offense in their own territory, and reserves played for much of the second half, but the reserves just could not live up to the standards set by the starting unit and let the game slip away.DLs Ryan Sims and Jovan Haye each recorded sacks and DB Brian Kelly notched an interception to lead the way for the Tampa Bay defense. Most of the starters rested in the second half.
QB Shaun Hill, Pass: 11 - 24 - 123 - 3 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 6 - -1 - 0 - Hill did not post huge numbers with just 123 passing yards, but came up with three big plays in the passing game, where he connected with WR Darrell Jackson, TE Vernon Davis and RB Frank Gore for touchdown scores to help seal the deal for the 49ers. Hill did throw an interception and completed just 11 of 24 pass attempts, but did just enough to help his team to victory.RB Frank Gore, Rush: 21 - 89 - 0, Rec: 4 - 43 - 1 (6 targets) - Gore ran the ball 21 times for 89 yards, but made his biggest contribution in the passing game, where he caught a 23 yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter that proved to be the difference in the game. Gore did run hard, but just struggled finding much room in the Tampa Bay front seven.
WR Darrell Jackson, Rec: 2 - 27 - 1 (3 targets) - Jackson was targeted just three times, but finished with two receptions for 27 yards that included a second quarter score from 21 yards out.
WR Arnaz Battle (5 targets) - Battle was targeted five times, but failed to record a reception.
TE Vernon Davis, Rec: 3 - 30 - 1 (6 targets) - Vernon Davis was targeted six times and finished with three receptions for 30 yards, including a five yard touchdown reception. On the negative side, Davis lost a fumble that Tampa Bay turned into a score in the ensuing drive.
PK Joe Nedney 0 - 0 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 3 points - Nedney did not attempt a field goal but made good on three extra points to finish with three points in the game.
SF Rush Defense - San Francisco's defense completely shut down the Tampa Bay rushing attack, holding the Buccaneers to 67 yards on 24 attempts, and allowing just one rushing first down for the game. They were able to keep Tampa Bay out of the end zone on the ground and gave up a long run of just 13 yards for the game.
LB Patrick Willis continued his strong play in his rookie year, totaling 12 solo tackles, eight assists, two sacks and a forced fumble to lead the defense.
SF Pass Defense - The 49ers pass defense was exposed by Tampa Bay as the Buccaneers threw for 367 yards, two touchdowns and had 18 passing first downs. Those numbers aside, San Francisco did just enough defensively to hold on for the win. They forced second half turnovers on both a sack and fumble recovery and an interception that each led to touchdowns by their offense, and proved to be game-changing plays.DB Nate Clements intercepted a McCown pass and LB Tully Banta Cain added a sack to go along with the aforementioned contributions of LB Patrick Willis.
Pittsburgh Steelers 41, St. Louis Rams 24
What you need to know
Pittsburgh Steelers - Even though the Rams were able to get some pressure on QB Ben Roethlisberger and sack him four times, they were not able to stop Roethlisberger and the passing game from making big plays throughout the game. He went 16 for 20 for 261 yards and had three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Roethlisberger had an exceptional first half as he had 212 yards and all of his three touchdowns. He started off quickly by hooking up with WR Santonio Holmes for 83 yards on their first play on offense. He would have two touchdowns passes to WR Nate Washington and one to RB Najeh Davenport. Roethlisberger twisted his ankle on a sack in the third quarter and seemed to be still favoring it after the game as he walked off the field.The league's leading rusher, RB Willie Parker, broke his lower leg on his first carry of the game. Parker got his leg twisted back awkwardly on the tackle and left for the locker room on a cart. He came out of the locker room on crutches and it was reported he had fractured his lower fibula.
RB Najeh Davenport who came into this game as a backup, will likely take over the starting duties now that Parker is out indefinitely. Davenport responded with a great game by rushing for 123 yards and scoring two touchdowns. It was only Davenport's second career 100 yard rushing game and both have been against the Rams. He was able to use his physical and bruising style of running to wear down a below average Rams defense.
WR Santonio Holmes had a big game by catching four passes for 133 yards, including a 83 yard reception on the Steelers first offensive play of the game. WR Nate Washington had two catches, both for touchdowns in the game.
St. Louis Rams - QB Marc Bulger held his own against the league's number one defensive unit by throwing three touchdowns in the game. He threw with good accuracy in the game and made some exceptional passes. Bulger did have two interceptions, but it was the play of the offense that kept St. Louis in the game for three and half quarters.RB Steven Jackson had a very solid game as he posted 106 total yards of offense and scored on a nice 12 yard catch and run. He showed good acceleration and ran hard in the game. Jackson punished defenders often but, the patchwork Rams offensive line was no match for the Steelers in the long run as they held him to 20 yards rushing in the second half.
WR Isaac Bruce led the Rams in receiving by catching seven balls for 87 yards, including a 12 yard touchdown. WR Torry Holt had a quiet game only catch three passes for 41 yards, but he did had a heated conversation with Head Coach Scott Linehan toward the end of the game on the sideline.
What you ought to know
QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 16 - 20 - 261 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 11 - 0 - Roethlisberger had an excellent first half and looked very sharp in this game. Backed up near their end zone on the opening drive, Roethlisberger hit WR Santonio Holmes on a deep pass down the middle of the field for 83 yards. He would find WR Nate Washington in the right corner of the end zone for touchdown three plays later to cap off a four play, 96 yard drive. Roethlisberger would bring the Steelers back down the field midway through the second quarter and would hit Washington again on 33 yard touchdown pass on what was a perfectly thrown pass. He had an excellent first half completing nine of 11 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns. Roethlisberger led Pittsburgh down the field on its first possession of the second half on a 69 yard drive that ended in a RB Najeh Davenport one yard run. He played a solid game completing 16 of 20 passes in the game, but he took a beating in the game, including a tackle in the third quarter that looked like he twisted his ankle. He was sacked four times in this game.RB Najeh Davenport, Rush: 24 - 123 - 1, Rec: 2 - 44 - 1 (2 targets) - Davenport saw a lot more action then usual because starter Willie Parker got hurt very early in this game. Davenport who is a bigger and more physical runner then Parker, ran the ball well early, chewing up chunks of yards on each run, including a nice 14 run up the middle. He caught a 32 yard pass on a fake punt in the first quarter on what was a perfectly executed play. Davenport caught a 12 yard touchdown pass when QB Ben Roethlisberger checked down to him and he was able to break a tackle and cross the goal line. The Steelers were able to pound the ball on the Rams with Davenport in the first half as he had 12 carries for 65 yards. He also added 44 yards receiving and a touchdown for a big first half. Davenport got his second touchdown of the game on the Steelers opening drive of the second half with a one yard plunge into the end zone. He had 31 yards on that scoring drive, including an 18 yard run that was the biggest play of the drive. He looked comfortable as Pittsburgh's primary ball carrier and did a good of moving the chains. Davenport came out of the game early in the fourth quarter after it looked like he twisted his ankle. He would return to the game a few plays later after getting his ankle re-taped and ran effectively, including a 16 yard gain.
RB Carey Davis, Rush: 6 - 28 - 0, Rec: 2 - 0 - 0 (3 targets) - Davis got two carries for eight yards in the first half as he became the primary backup to RB Najeh Davenport as starter RB Willie Parker went out early with a serious injury. Davis got some carries in the fourth quarter when Davenport went of the game with a twisted ankle. He had a nice 12 yard for a first down after getting to the edge on a sweep to the left. He finished the game with six carries for 28 yards.
RB Willie Parker, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 - Parker appeared to get hurt on the second play of the game for Pittsburgh. He appeared to get his ankle twisted and Parker came out of the game after the play. It was initially reported as an ankle injury and he did not return to the game. He was seen on crutches later on and it was reported as broken fibula, likely a season ending injury.
WR Hines Ward, Rec: 6 - 59 - 0 (6 targets) - Ward had a fairly quiet first half considering QB Ben Roethlisberger had over 200 yards passing and three touchdowns in the first half of this game. He caught three passes for 34 yards in the half. He would add three more catches for 25 yards in the second half. The Rams defense did a good of covering Ward most of the game, but he did have a couple of big third down catches for a first downs.
WR Santonio Holmes, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0, Rec: 4 - 133 - 0 (6 targets) - Holmes night got off to a big bang as QB Ben Roethlisberger threw a deep pass to Holmes down the middle of the field and he took it to the St. Louis 13 yard. It was an 83 yard completion and Holmes almost took it the distance but the defender was able to run him out of bounds. He would come back to catch a 23 yard pass down the left side of the field on the next drive. Holmes added another ten yard catch as he had a big first half, catching three passes for 116 yards. He only had one catch for 17 yards in the second half.
WR Nate Washington, Rec: 2 - 50 - 2 (2 targets) - Washington caught a 17 yard touchdown pass on the Steelers' first drive of the game as QB Ben Roethlisberger found him in the corner of the end zone. His second catch of the game was another touchdown catch as Roethlisberger hit him on a perfectly thrown pass for 33 yards in the end zone. Washington made a nice catch as the defender would have been penalized for pass interference had he not caught the ball. He finished the first half with 50 yards receiving. He would not catch a pass in the second half.
TE Heath Miller, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) - Miller was not much of a factor in this game as he only had one catch for seven yards.
PK Jeff Reed 2 - 2 FG, 5 - 5 XP, 11 points - Reed made a 21 yard field goal at the end of the first quarter and he would make a 29 yard one toward the end of the game.
PIT Rush Defense - The Steelers defense did a good job of shutting down the RB Steven Jackson in the second half by holding him to only 20 yards, after giving up 65 yards in the first half.
PIT Pass Defense - Ike Taylor made the biggest play of game for the Steelers defense by taking an interception back 51 yards for touchdown with about four minutes left in the game. The Pittsburgh did look shaky at times as they gave up three passing touchdowns in the game but they clamped down in the fourth quarter. QB Marc Bulger, Pass: 18 - 35 - 208 - 3 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - Bulger got off to a good start in this game as the Rams did a good job of mixing the run with the pass. He threw a little screen pass to RB Steven Jackson, who was able to make something from nothing and score from 12 yards out. Bulger was able to lead them back down the field and he threw his second touchdown pass to WR Isaac Bruce for 12 yards. Bulger played pretty well in the first half, even though the Steelers did a good job of getting pressure on him. He finished the first half nine for 17 for 101 and two touchdowns. He led St. Louis on an 81 yard drive on their first possession of the game and threw his third touchdown pass of the game to WR Drew Bennett on 23 yard completion. He threw a perfect pass to a well covered Bennett. Bulger did have two interceptions, one on the last play of the first half where they threw up a Hail Mary and another toward the end of the game on a desperation fourth and long.RB Steven Jackson, Rush: 12 - 85 - 0, Rec: 3 - 21 - 1 (4 targets) - Jackson made an impact early in this game as he ran the ball very well and he took a short little screen pass and cut back across the field for a 12 yard touchdown reception. He busted a nice 36 yard run on the Rams' second possession and ran it to the Pittsburgh 12 yard line. He then went to the sidelines to rest for the next three plays, while the Rams were able to get the ball into the end zone while he was off the field. Jackson looked good in this game as he ran with great vision and was able to make good yardage gains when it looked like he had no where to run. Jackson only had five carries in the first half but, had 65 yards rushing. He added 18 yards receiving and a touchdown. Jackson didn't have as good of a second half, as he only rushed for 20 yards and had one catch for three yards.
WR Isaac Bruce, Rec: 7 - 87 - 1 (9 targets) - Bruce caught a 12 yard touchdown pass from QB Marc Bulger in the second quarter and he did a good job of keeping his feet in bounds on the play. He had four catches for 44 yards in the first half as the Pittsburgh secondary did a good job of not giving up any big pass plays. Bruce caught an 18 yard pass on the Rams first drive of the second half. He would come back with a big play a few downs later when he caught a 21 yard pass up the middle of the field on a third and long play. Bruce finished as St. Louis' leading receiver and was targeted often in this game.
WR Torry Holt, Rec: 3 - 41 - 0 (10 targets) - Holt had 19 yard catch in the first quarter and added a 14 yard reception later on. He only had two catches for 33 yards as the Steelers defense did a pretty good job on both Holt and Isaac Bruce in the first half. Holt had only one catch for eight yards in the second half and was seen having a heated exchange with head coach Scott Linehan on the sidelines after a Pittsburgh interception.
WR Drew Bennett, Rec: 2 - 35 - 1 (7 targets) - Bennett caught a 23 yard touchdown pass over the middle of the field with a defender draped all over him. It was a perfectly thrown ball by QB Marc Bulger and Bennett made a great over the shoulder catch. He would only catch one more pass for 12 yards in the game.
TE Randy McMichael, Rec: 6 - 51 - 0 (7 targets) - McMichael made an impact in the third quarter with a nice one handed reception for ten yards and a first down, on a third and long play to extend a St. Louis drive. McMichael would add three more catches in garbage time when the Steelers had the game well in hand.
PK Jeff Wilkins 1 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points - Wilkins hit a 52 yard field goal late in the first half. He would add three extra points.
STL Rush Defense - The Rams run defense seemed to catch a big break when RB Willie Parker went out very early in the game with a broken leg, but RB Najeh Davenport ran very effectively on St. Louis and he totaled 123 yards rushing and backup RB Carey Davis added 28 yards.
STL Pass Defense - The St. Louis pass defense did not play very well as they gave up 261 passing yards to QB Ben Roethlisberger and three passing touchdowns. They did get good pressure on him and sacked Roethlisberger four times.Oakland Raiders 11, Jacksonville Jaguars 49
What you need to know
Oakland Raiders - The JaMarcus Russell era has officially begun. Is that a good thing? Well, the jury is still out. He was very composed, despite the blowout, but also threw three interceptions and made some very poor judgment calls when throwing the ball under pressure. Josh McCown started the game, but Russell came in on the third series, and finished the game. For now, it looks like the Raiders are ready to see what they've got in their rookie signal-caller.The rushing attack was a bright spot, but in a rout like this, running the ball won't help a team catch up much. Dominic Rhodes was the only ball carrier for the entire game.
The combination of errant throws and blanket coverage meant that the receivers put up paltry numbers across the board.
Jacksonville Jaguars - The Jaguars were simply too much for the Raiders to handle. They dominated every aspect of the game, from start to finish.David Garrard is the unquestioned leader of this team, and he showed why. He spread the ball around, rushed for a touchdown and threw for two more. Meanwhile, Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew combined for 17 carries and 6 receptions, for 251 yards and two touchdowns.
The defense managed to hold the Raiders without a touchdown until the dying seconds, and picked off the rookie quarterback three times. They didn't give up one play of more than 25 yards the entire game.
What you ought to know
QB JaMarcus Russell, Pass: 7 - 23 - 83 - 1 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 2 - 0 - 0 - Russell played the majority of the game, though he did not start. He showed good composure at times, but also made many poor decisions under pressure. He also displayed good scrambling ability, but poor accuracy when throwing on the run. With ten seconds remaining in the game, he finally scored the Raiders first touchdown of the day, a short pass to his tight end, and then followed it up with a successful throw for the two-point conversion.QB Josh McCown, Pass: 6 - 8 - 46 - 0 TD / 0 INT - McCown started the game but gave way to rookie JaMarcus Russell after only two series. He returned briefly when Russell got hurt, but then was replaced again shortly thereafter. He played well enough; it seems that in a game that was over before halftime, the Raiders simply wanted to see the rookie play.
RB Dominic Rhodes, Rush: 27 - 115 - 0, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (4 targets) - Despite the blowout, the Raiders kept handing off the ball, with Rhodes as the main beneficiary. He ran well, but on only one occasion did he have a big gain.
RB Justin Griffith, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (3 targets) - Griffith was targeted in the first half, but resumed his blocking role in the second.
RB LaMont Jordan (1 targets) - Yes, there was a Lamont Jordan sighting. He was targeted once -- in the red zone, no less -- and never heard from again.
WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, Rush: 1 - -5 - 0, Rec: 2 - 21 - 0 (3 targets) - Higgins caught two of three passes thrown his way, both for short gains. He also lost five yards on a reverse play.
WR Ronald Curry, Rec: 2 - 19 - 0 (6 targets) - Curry was able to catch a couple of short passes, as well as a two-point conversion.
WR Jerry Porter, Rec: 2 - 26 - 0 (7 targets) - Porter caught only two passes against a tough secondary. They tried to get him the ball down the sideline, but the coverage was too tight.
TE Zach Miller, Rec: 3 - 27 - 1 (8 targets) - Miller was the default top target for the Oakland quarterbacks. While the wide receivers were blanketed, Miller benefited by catching half of his targets (one reception called back on penalty) including one for a touchdown.
PK Sebastian Janikowski 1 - 1 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 3 points - He kicked what were very nearly the Raiders only points, a 41 yard field goal early in the game.
OAK Rush Defense - Are the Raiders really this bad? Second play from scrimmage: a run up the middle turns into a 62 yard score. Next Jacksonville drive: rushes of 12, 16, 2, and 14 yards (for a TD). At one point the frustration level was so high that Warren Sapp and Company took four simultaneous Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalties, allowing the Jaguars to go from what was about to be a 50 yard field goal attempt to first and goal.
OAK Pass Defense - Is the pass defense as bad as the run defense? It's a tough question to answer because as long as the run defense is that bad, teams don't really need to pass. But four passing TDs for the Jaguars says that, Yes, the pass and run defense are pretty much running neck and neck in the futility department. QB David Garrard, Pass: 11 - 18 - 199 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 4 - 19 - 1 - Garrard was picked off for only the third time this season. Beyond that, he was almost perfect. He was one yard shy of 200 with two passing touchdowns, and also showed how dangerous he could be on the ground, adding another TD. He spread the ball around nicely, showing no favored receiver, and generally looked like the undisputed leader of his team out there.QB Quinn Gray, Pass: 5 - 8 - 54 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 16 - 0 - Gray entered the game once the rout was complete -- or at least appeared to be. He added two more touchdowns to the score, on throws to Reggie Williams and backup TE Richard Angulo. Gray seemed a little off when he came in, but once he settled in, he ran the offense like the well-oiled machine it appeared to be.
RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Rush: 10 - 44 - 1, Rec: 6 - 96 - 0 (7 targets) - Jones-Drew was at least as dangerous as Fred Taylor, racking up yardage on the ground and as a receiver. His four first half carries were all for first downs (one for a touchdown), and three of his catches were also for first downs, including one 43 yard gain. He was the Jags leading receiver on the day, in targets, yardage, and receptions.
RB Fred Taylor, Rush: 7 - 111 - 1 - Taylor scored on the second play from scrimmage, a 62 yard rush through the middle. He only had seven carries on the day, and that's all the Jags needed from him. He finished the day with over a hundred yards.
RB Greg Jones, Rush: 5 - 11 - 0, Rec: 1 - 2 - 1 (1 targets) - Jones scored early in the game with his only reception, then returned very late in the game to spell Jones-Drew and Taylor.
WR Reggie Williams, Rec: 3 - 49 - 1 (4 targets) - Though the number of targets don't show it, Williams was the most dangerous receiver for the Jaguars. He was targeted on longer throws than the other wideouts, and also scored a touchdown.
WR Ernest Wilford, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (4 targets) - Wilford caught half of the passed thrown his way, for eight and 14 yard gains.
WR Dennis Northcutt, Rec: 1 - 18 - 0 (2 targets) - Northcutt looked good with limited looks, and also handled punt returns.
WR Matt Jones, Rec: 1 - 37 - 1 (3 targets) - After dropping his first targeted throw, he then made his next one count: a beautiful one-handed sideline grab for a 37 yard touchdown, that he made look way too easy. It was his only catch of the day.
TE Richard Angulo, Rec: 2 - 29 - 1 (2 targets) - Angulo picked up a lot of garbage time minutes this game, and he made them count. His first catch was for 22 yards, and his second found him in the end zone.
TE Marcedes Lewis (4 targets) - Lewis seemed to be the Jaguars only source of bad luck. He dropped the first ball thrown to him; was the intended target on Garrard's interception (only his third of the entire season); and was the intended receiver on another near pick by the Raiders. He didn't look awful, just cursed.
PK Josh Scobee 0 - 0 FG, 7 - 7 XP, 7 points - He was perfect on all seven PAT attempts.
JAX Rush Defense - They held the Raiders to mostly short gains, but if there was a weakness, this was it, as Dominic Rhodes was able to run on them consistently.
JAX Pass Defense - The pass defense simply shone. Three interceptions and great coverage all day long.Philadelphia Eagles 38, New Orleans Saints 23
What you need to know
Philadelphia Eagles - The Eagles looked like they should be a playoff contender in overcoming an early turnover by Brian Westbrook that led to a Saints touchdown and an early 14-7 deficit. They were able to get back in the game by using an efficient passing attack led by Donovan McNabb to control the ball and keep the Saints off the field. McNabb spread the ball around, targeting eight different receivers, and was able to keep the defense guessing by using various misdirection plays.Brian Westbrook is the true offensive threat that the Eagles need to rely on in order to be considered playoff contenders. Westbrook was used as both a traditional running back, lining up in the backfield, and as a wide out to create mismatches against the defense.
Individually the Eagles receivers may not put up big stats, but as a whole they are a well functioning unit with each receiver knowing their role in the offense and performing well within that role. Kevin Curtis is the leader of the group, and is usually the first option in the passing game.
New Orleans Saints - Injuries seemed to be the undoing of the Saints. They lost two key players, Marques Colston on offense and Mike McKenzie defense, in the first quarter and Aaron Stecker for a short time in the second quarter. With the key injuries they never seemed to be able to get back in any type of rhythm offensively. They were in the game early thanks to a fumble recovery deep in Eagle territory that they were able to convert into a touchdown and a 14-7 lead. That lead proved to be short lived as the Saints were not able to muster any type of sustained scoring drive that would put points on the board and keep the ball out of the Eagles' hands. They did have one chance to tie the game in the third quarter, but were stopped on three straight plays from the one yard line.The running game was not productive. Aaron Stecker led the way with two short touchdowns in the first quarter, but he had to leave with an ankle injury midway through the second quarter. He would return, but it was too late as the Saints were forced to play catch up.
Saints receivers showed their depth by having seven different players catch passes, including all five active wide outs. David Patten stepped into the role of number one receiver with the injury to Colston and proved to be a reliable target.
What you ought to know
QB Donovan McNabb, Pass: 24 - 35 - 263 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 6 - 37 - 0 - Donovan McNabb appears to be fully recovered from his knee injury that he suffered last season. He used his mobility to move around in the pocket to avoid sacks and gave him extra time to find open receivers. McNabb seemed to be content with finding his receivers open on high percentage short routes, but he would throw long enough to keep the defense honest. Roughly half of his incompletions were the result of either bad throws or plays where he had to get rid of the ball because he was under pressure. McNabb showed that he can still use his legs on the third play of the game. On that play he faked a pitch to Brian Westbrook and took off on a bootleg around the left side. He took off into open field for a long gain before a Saint defender knocked the ball out from behind at the 26 yard line. Kevin Curtis was able to recover the ball in the end zone for the game's first score.RB Brian Westbrook, Rush: 17 - 100 - 0, Rec: 3 - 9 - 0 (5 targets) - Brian Westbrook is the cog that makes the Eagles offense go. He did not score, but he was clearly the difference maker for the offense. Westbrook lined up as both a running back and receiver in order to create mismatches with Saint defenders. On one play in particular he lined up as a receiver and took a handoff on an end around play in which he used his speed for his longest run of the day. He runs with patience and determination as it takes multiple defenders to bring him down. The Saints were only able to slow him down in the fourth quarter as the Eagles were trying to put the game away on their final touchdown drive.
RB Correll Buckhalter, Rush: 4 - 37 - 1 - Buckhalter only saw limited action in relief of Brian Westbrook. He made the most of his opportunities by breaking free on a touchdown run up the middle the first time he touched the ball.
WR Reggie Brown, Rush: 1 - 10 - 0, Rec: 6 - 73 - 1 (7 targets) - Reggie Brown is improving as a receiver in the Eagles offense. He is versatile enough to find the open spots in the zone defenses and to use his speed on end around plays. Brown has good hands and is able to catch the ball in stride, as evidenced on his touchdown grab in the first quarter. His only missed target was not his fault as Saints defender was able to break on the ball and knock it away at the last second.
WR Kevin Curtis, Rec: 6 - 78 - 1 (10 targets) - Curtis draws the main attention of the defense as the top receiver in the Eagle lineup. His reception percentage is not great, but that is more the result of him being the deep target and not a main indicator of his receiving ability. He did have two potential catches that did not happen due to one of them being ruled out of bounds and him juggling the other one.
WR Jason Avant, Rec: 4 - 35 - 0 (4 targets) - Avant is the number three receiver for the Eagles. He is a reliable possession type who is able to catch the ball in traffic and get the first down. He caught all four passes thrown his way, two of them for first downs. On one reception he was stopped just two yards short on a third and six play where McNabb had to scramble and Avant was the safety valve.
WR Greg Lewis, Rec: 2 - 25 - 1 (4 targets) - Lewis caught two of the four passes thrown his way and scored one touchdown on a play in which he was wide open in the end zone.
WR Hank Baskett, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Baskett caught the only pass thrown his way in the fourth quarter.
WR Michael Gasperson (1 targets) - Gasperson did not catch the only pass thrown in his direction.
TE Brent Celek, Rec: 2 - 35 - 0 (4 targets) - Celek received the start due to injuries to the other tight ends on the roster. He made the most of his start by being involved in the offense early. He caught the first two passes thrown his way, but was not able to make any more catches later in the first half.
PK David Akers 1 - 1 FG, 5 - 5 XP, 8 points - Akers was a perfect five of five on extra points and nailed his only field goal attempt.
PHI Rush Defense - The Eagles rush defense was one that bended a little but did not break. The Saints had some modest ability to run on the outer corners, but had no success between the tackles. The defense was able to rise to occasion on two instances where the Saints had the ball inside the red zone but they were only able to come away with three points.
PHI Pass Defense - The Eagles were able to get pressure on Drew Brees and make him feel uncomfortable in the pocket. The final stats only show one sack, but they were able to get consistent pressure on him through the use of an aggressive blitz package. Brees had to improvise and rollout to create time to find an open receiver on pass plays. QB Drew Brees, Pass: 30 - 45 - 289 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Drew Brees started the game by completing his first six passes, and ten of his first 13. His first completion was on a beautiful pass to Devery Henderson that put the Saints in excellent field position for their first score. That was the only time that he was able to connect on any type of deep pass play. He was forced to use short, quick passes on the sidelines along with screen plays due to the pressure being applied by the blitzing defense. On some instances he would have time to throw deep over the middle, but he was undone by dropped balls by his receivers. He did catch one pass on a ball that was batted directly back to him and he took off gaining eight yards.RB Aaron Stecker, Rush: 13 - 49 - 2, Rec: 4 - 35 - 0 (5 targets) - Stecker received the start due to the knee injury to Reggie Bush and made the most of his opportunity early on. He scored on two short touchdown runs in the first half and appeared to be the missing piece on offense. On the second drive he took a screen pass for 26 yards to give the Saints first and goal from the seven. This was a drive in which he would score his second touchdown four plays later. He left the game briefly in the second quarter with what appeared to be an ankle injury but would later return. He was clearly not himself upon returning to the game as he was unable to score on two straight opportunities from the one yard line in the third quarter that would have tied the game.
RB Pierre Thomas, Rush: 3 - 17 - 0, Rec: 6 - 29 - 0 (7 targets) - Thomas performed well in relief of Aaron Stecker. He took over the feature back role when Stecker went out with an injury and continued to see action upon Stecker's return. Thomas does not have the experience or the ability that Stecker has, but performed best when he split time with Stecker in the second half.
RB Mike Karney, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - Karney only saw action on one carry on the goal line in the third quarter.
WR David Patten, Rec: 6 - 55 - 0 (10 targets) - Patten was the primary target as the Saints turned to the air in order to get back in the game. He saw seven targets in the second half, but was only able to come up with four of them, one of which was overturned due to a holding penalty.
WR Terrance Copper, Rec: 3 - 28 - 0 (4 targets) - Copper saw limited action in the receiver rotation only when Colston left with an injury.
WR Lance Moore, Rec: 3 - 28 - 0 (5 targets) - Lance Moore saw increased playing time with the injury to Marques Colston. He was able to make the most of his increased time by making tough catches along the sidelines. He was overthrown on one deep ball and was unable to come up with an under thrown pass inside the five yard line.
WR Marques Colston, Rec: 3 - 16 - 0 (2 targets) - Colston caught both of his targets before leaving the game with a chest contusion.
WR Devery Henderson, Rec: 1 - 52 - 0 (3 targets) - Devery Henderson makes frustrating plays. On the first play from scrimmage he burned the Eagle defender deep on a 52 yard catch that gave the Saints the ball on the 14. Later, he dropped two very catchable passes that would have sustained drives. The last target was when he had both hands on the ball but coughed it up when he was hit coming down. The ball popped out and into the hands of a defender.
TE Billy Miller, Rec: 3 - 38 - 0 (8 targets) - Miller was far from a reliable target for Drew Brees. He was targeted numerous times over the middle, but was plagued by dropped passes.
PK Martin Gramatica 3 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points - Gramatica was successful on all three of his attempts, including a career best from 55 yards to close out the first half.
NO Rush Defense - The Saints rushing defense was unable to contain the Eagles backs as they were able to break outside and beat the defenders to the corner.
NO Pass Defense - Saints linemen were able to get pressure on Donovan McNabb and force him out of the pocket in order to buy time. However, he was usually able to find a receiver open. Of the three sacks, one was as a result of McNabb tripped while dropping back to pass.Houston Texans 15, Indianapolis Colts 38
What you need to know
Houston Texans - Andre Johnson again proved why he's one of the most valuable receivers in fantasy football. Despite having just five receptions for 60 yards through the first 59 minutes of the game, Johnson still managed to finish with 74 yards and a touchdown because of his garbage time snag in the final minute.Sage Rosenfels did not play very well, though his fantasy line looks respectable enough because he threw 36 passes. He compiled yardage throughout the game and capped it with a lot of garbage time points, but even that only brought him from terrible to a respectable point total.
Darius Walker received all of the team's carries and did very well with them until the Texans fell behind by too many points and had to abandon the running game.
Indianapolis Colts - Joseph Addai left the game early with an injury, but returned soon after to score a touchdown. That was his last action of the game, however, as Kenton Keith and Clifton Dawson saw the remainder of the rushing duties.Peyton Manning played three quarters, and put up great stats while he was in there. He played about as well as he can play, and his performance assured that the Texans were never going to compete in this game.
Reggie Wayne played the entire game, because fellow starting wideout Anthony Gonzalez left the game early on with an injury. Wayne put up big numbers in what will likely be his last significant action of the season since the coaching staff plans on resting many of the starters in next week's finale.
What you ought to know
QB Sage Rosenfels, Pass: 22 - 36 - 233 - 2 TD / 3 INT - Rosenfels opened the game well enough, going 4-5 for 51 yards and a touchdown on the game's opening possession. And his final stat line, while not pretty, certainly isn't the worst of his career. But contrary to what the fantasy point total may tell you, Rosenfels was not very good in this game. For the first 58 minutes, Rosenfels had thrown for 210 yards, 1 touchdown, and three interceptions. Then he engineered a garbage time drive of 23 yards that culminated in a six yard touchdown pass to Andre Johnson, a play on which there was virtually no defense being played. So his stat line was made much healthier by that late game score. Rosenfels also could have been intercepted a fourth time, but S Bob Sanders dropped one that was thrown almost right to him. It was the second time in the game that Rosenfels attempted a pass to WR Andre Johnson and the pass was on a better route for Sanders than Johnson, suggesting that there may have been a communication issue going on between quarterback and receiver. Only one of the interceptions wasn't entirely Rosenfels' fault, as WR Andre Davis had a ball go off his hands and right into the waiting arms of Matt Giordano for the pick.RB Darius Walker, Rush: 19 - 66 - 0, Rec: 6 - 44 - 0 (7 targets) - Walker managed to put up 110 total yards on a day when his team got crushed and no one else around him seemed very interested in playing a full sixty minutes. His first two carries totaled 30 yards, but unfortunately for him, 52 of his yards came on the team's first two possessions. He didn't have very much room to maneuver after that as the game got out of control. The Colts stormed out to a big lead, resulting in the Texans pretty much abandoning the running game in the second half. Walker did keep himself active with three second half receptions, and he was the only running back on the roster to get a touch (after rumors of a Walker/Ron Dayne time-sharing system for much of the week). But the fact that the Texans never came really close to scoring after that first drive and the late garbage drive really put a damper on what could have been a productive game for Walker.
WR Andre Johnson, Rec: 7 - 74 - 1 (11 targets) - Johnson put up solid fantasy stats, but his performance could have been much better if Sage Rosenfels wasn't throwing the ball to everyone but his own players. On several occasions, Johnson was wide open down the field only to have Rosenfels misfire by a good five yards. Johnson salvaged what would have been a very forgettable game by scoring a six yard touchdown with about a minute left in the game -- the very definition of garbage points.
WR Kevin Walter, Rec: 4 - 69 - 1 (5 targets) - Walter was nothing if not efficient, turning his five targets into four catches for 69 yards and an early score. He was the recipient of a 17 yard score on the game's opening drive, which is also known as the last time in the game that the Texans looked like they belonged on the same field as the Colts. Walter didn't catch another pass in the first half, and since the entire second half can be characterized as garbage time, that's where most of his damage came.
TE Owen Daniels, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (8 targets) - Daniels was busy, though it isn't necessarily reflected in the numbers. He dropped two very catchable passes, a surprise for the normally sure-handed tight end. He did manage a very nice grab on a low diving pass over the middle in the first half, a play that was challenged but ultimately upheld. As he fell to the ground, he somehow kept his hands under the football despite the ball being pinned against his upper arm for a very tough catch. Daniels was later targeted in the end zone by Rosenfels, but the ball was thrown into far too much coverage and was easily intercepted by Melvin Bullitt.
PK Kris Brown 0 - 1 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 1 points - Brown attempted one field goal, but pushed a 49 yard attempt that missed well wide to the right. There was a high snap on the attempt, which could have contributed to the kick being missed.
HOU Rush Defense - The Texans allowed the previously struggling Indianapolis running game to get itself back on track with 120 yards and two scores on the ground. And that's despite the Colts losing their top runner, Joseph Addai, to a foot injury after just six carries. The Texans allowed the likes of backups Kenton Keith and Clifton Dawson to roll for a combined 81 yards on 20 carries and a score, which goes to show that they weren't likely going to stop pretty much anyone that was put back there for Indianapolis. On the Dawson touchdown run, the Texans defensive line was simply blasted back off the line into the end zone, and on Addai's touchdown he broke several tackles inside the five yard line on his way to the score. This aspect of the game isn't nearly the main reason the Texans lost the game; but it's certainly one of many.
HOU Pass Defense - Put simply, the Texans had no answers at all for Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis offense. At times, they allowed long passes downfield that set up rushing touchdowns. At other times, they allowed the Colts to grind out drives and then cap it off with scores through the air. Either way, the Texans couldn't do a thing. Early on, they were actually getting pressure on Manning but weren't able to sack him much. For the most part, he was able to move his feet and avoid the rush and find his man downfield. Considering the Texans sacked Manning just once (courtesy of DE Mario Williams), didn't intercept him at all, allowed him to complete 80% of his passes, and allowed three touchdowns through the air, there's not much we can tell you that isn't obvious from looking at the stats. Just about all of Manning's incomplete passes could have been completed if not for a few drops here and there QB Peyton Manning, Pass: 28 - 35 - 311 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 - Manning greatly rewarded owners who believed head coach Tony Dungy when he said he was going to play his starters like he usually would. Manning put up huge stats through just three quarters of work, and he would've been replaced in the fourth quarter regardless of what week it was since the Colts were up 38-7. He was so efficient with all of his passes that his seven incompletions looked better than the majority of Sage Rosenfels' 22 completions. Nearly all of Manning's 35 passes could have been caught, and a great many of them were. He was under some pressure in the first half, but he did a good job of moving his feet and getting himself into a good throwing position, as usual. And the Houston defensive backs never really had much of a chance. Despite having to deal with the early losses of Joseph Addai and Anthony Gonzalez, Manning simply moved on to the next best available targets and made the most of those players' abilities. He made a fantastic throw to Dallas Clark on Clark's second score. With Clark cutting from left to right and the defender crossing from right to left, Manning put the ball a hair behind Clark in a spot that only he could get to. It was a perfectly thrown pass and was typical of how well Manning saw the entire field and basically couldn't be stopped.QB Jim Sorgi, Pass: 3 - 5 - 29 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - -1 - 0 - Sorgi entered the game late in relief of Peyton Manning to start the fourth quarter with the score 38-7 Indianapolis. He only threw five passes, but he at least didn't look lost out there. Sorgi rarely gets the opportunity to throw the ball, and he asserted himself well aside from one terribly underthrown pass to Reggie Wayne. Sorgi should play a lot next week as head coach Tony Dungy plans on resting the majority of his starters, and he certainly won't expose Peyton Manning very long to possibly get injured in what is essentially a meaningless game.
RB Kenton Keith, Rush: 10 - 60 - 0, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (3 targets) - For the second time this season, Keith replaced a banged-up Joseph Addai during the game. And for the second time, he responded with a terrific effort. Keith averaged six yards per carry, and that average wasn't inflated due to one long carry. He was consistently between four and ten yards per rush, and was very good in short yardage situations. He nearly scored off a middle screen that he took to the two yard line, but Addai temporarily returned to the game to pick up the score. If Addai doesn't play or is limited in Week 17, it would seem likely that Keith would receive the majority of the rushing duties in the game.
RB Clifton Dawson, Rush: 10 - 21 - 1 (2 targets) - Dawson saw more action than he ever has before, thanks to the Joseph Addai injury. It would seem that if Addai misses next week's game that Kenton Keith would fill Addai's shoes while Dawson would slot in for Keith. While it may not be enough to warrant fantasy consideration, those in extremely deep leagues could benefit from some extra work from a player who has never been anything more than a fantasy afterthought. For what it's worth, Dawson had a powerful run up the middle for 12 yards and later added a strong touchdown (though it should be noted that that score was more a product of a great push from the offensive line than anything).
RB Joseph Addai, Rush: 6 - 26 - 1, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) - Thirty yards and a touchdown are probably not the kind of stats Addai owners had in mind for championship week in most fantasy leagues, but they should consider themselves extremely lucky to have even gotten that much. Addai was shaken up following a short run in the first quarter. He seemed fine jogging off the field, but was replaced by Kenton Keith for the next nine plays on the drive. Surprisingly, Addai returned to the game just as the Colts reached the two yard line. He took the second down carry up the middle and scored after breaking two tackles. However, that was Addai's last game action for the day. He remained on the sideline for the rest of the afternoon, so it shouldn't be anything serious at all. More than likely, he'll receive plenty of rest or possibly sit out entirely in Week 17 as the Colts prepare for the playoffs.
WR Reggie Wayne, Rec: 10 - 143 - 1 (14 targets) - Wayne was by far the most active player on either side of the field in the passing game. Even with his huge stats, there's the knowledge that it actually could've been even better had it not been for a huge hit by C.C. Brown that disrupted what would have been about a 40 yard reception for Wayne. He also fumbled a reception away as the Colts were driving late in the first half that was recovered by the Texans. Still, no one will complain about 143 yards and a score, and the best part about it for Wayne owners is that he was still out there catching passes late in the fourth quarter and piling on points. More than likely, he was only still in the game because the Colts were short at receiver after Anthony Gonzalez suffered a foot injury early on.
WR Devin Aromashodu, Rec: 3 - 42 - 0 (4 targets) - Aromashodu filled in for Anthony Gonzalez after Gonzalez left with a foot injury early on. TE Dallas Clark actually was the team's number two option, but Aromashodu showed an ability to get open if nothing else. Of course, that could have had something to do with the fact that there were about five players on the Colts that teams fear more than him, so he wasn't exactly a focus of the defense. More than his play in the game is what his role meant. With Marvin Harrison out and now Gonzalez hobbled, we got a better sense of the wide receiver pecking order on the Colts should anyone be unavailable during the postseason. And Aromashodu looks to be the next man in line.
WR Anthony Gonzalez, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (2 targets) - Gonzalez caught two early passes but left the game soon after with an apparent foot injury. Unlike Joseph Addai (who was injured but remained on the sidelines), Gonzalez wasn't visible in any of the shots of the Indianapolis sideline. With HC Tony Dungy already planning on resting most of his starters in Week 17, it's highly unlikely that Gonzalez would see any action at all coming off an injury (even if it turns out to be minor).
TE Dallas Clark, Rush: 1 - 15 - 0, Rec: 6 - 60 - 2 (7 targets) - Clark turned in one of his best games of the year in a season that has become a career year for him. He snagged two touchdown passes from Peyton Manning, and in so doing he set Indianapolis records for most receptions and touchdowns by a tight end in one season. He also added a 15 yard run on an end-around and became the number two option in the passing game once rookie Anthony Gonzalez left the game with an apparent foot injury. Clark was very much a focal point of the offense, as evidenced by his first touchdown reception being a designed play specifically for him to be the first option.
TE Bryan Fletcher, Rec: 5 - 25 - 0 (5 targets) - Fletcher didn't make very many plays downfield, but he was very effective in picking up short gains in the flat and over the middle to help keep the chains moving. If Tony Dungy follows through with his plan of resting most of his starters next week, Fletcher could see a lot more work than usual.
PK Adam Vinatieri 1 - 1 FG, 5 - 5 XP, 8 points - Vinatieri connected on his only kick attempt of the game, a chip shot from 29 yards out.
IND Rush Defense - Early on, Darius Walker broke a couple of nice long runs that suggested the Texans would be able to sustain enough drives to keep the game competitive. But after picking up 41 yards on his first four carries, Walker mustered only 25 yards on his remaining 15 carries. And, with the Colts eventually blowing the game open, the opportunities to run were very few and far between for the Texans.
IND Pass Defense - The Indianapolis defense opened the game's first drive playing like it was a meaningless game. They allowed the Texans to simply march down the field with ease, culminating with a Kevin Walter touchdown in the corner. Something clicked between the first and second drive, however, because the Colts didn't allow another score until garbage time late in the fourth quarter. They intercepted Sage Rosenfels three times, all of which were basically gift-wrapped for them. The first was made by S Bob Sanders over the middle on an awful pass thrown well behind WR Andre Johnson. The next interception was made by Matt Giordano off a deflection, and the final one was made by Melvin Bullitt in the end zone on yet another terrible decision by Rosenfels, who tried forcing it into traffic. All-in-all, it's going to look like the Colts pass defense didn't play all that great since they allowed 233 yards and two scores through the air and didn't record a sack. But the reality is that this game got out of hand in a hurry and there wasn't much reason to take very many chances. There was never a point in the game when one got the feeling that the Colts were ever in any danger of allowing the Texans to get back into it.CB Tim Jennings was shaken up late in the game, but was able to walk off the field under his own power.
Atlanta Falcons 27, Arizona Cardinals 30
What you need to know
Atlanta Falcons - In a game that both teams could have packed it in, the Falcons fought the Cardinals hard and had chances to win this game, but to no avail. In the first half, Atlanta had two big plays that kept them in contention. On its second possession, on a fourth and two, they called a fake punt on their own 34 yard line and handed the ball off to LB Travis Williams who ran 37 yards for a first down. Four plays later RB Jason Snelling tied the score 7-7 with a one yard touchdown run. Then later in the second quarter, Chris Redman hit Laurent Robinson on a 74 yard touchdown pass to again tie the score 14-14. This was a game of two halves as Atlanta fell behind 24-14 at halftime, but found a good rhythm in the second half, scoring on three of its last four possessions to take a 27-24 lead late in the fourth quarter. The Atlanta Defense let the team down as they allowed the Cardinals to drive 68 yards for the tying field goal at the end of regulation. Then Atlanta lost the coin flip and again allowed the Cardinals to drive 58 yards for the winning field goal ending the Falcon's hopes for their fourth victory.QB Chris Redman had a solid statistical game going 28 for 42 for 315 yards and two touchdowns. Most of Redman's yardage was in the second half, as he threw for 155 yards in the fourth quarter alone. He hit eight different receivers, but favored WR Roddy White, who ended the game with 141 yards on 12 catches. Redman threw one interception, but it was a critical one in the red zone, ending a potential scoring opportunity in the first half.
The Falcons' run game never got on track, as the team only had 102 yards rushing. RB Warrick Dunn (12 carries 13 yards) and RB Jerious Norwood (seven carries for 33 yards) found little room to run.
WR Roddy White and WR Laurent Robinson both had 100 yard games, with Robinson getting most of his yardage on a pretty 74 yard touchdown catch in the first half. At time both receivers found room in the Cardinals secondary.
Arizona Cardinals - Arizona was more effective when passing the ball in this game. The Cardinals appeared to have the game in hand at the half leading 24-14,scoring on four of its last five first half possessions, but the team came out sluggish in the second half and allowed Atlanta to come back and make it a game in the fourth quarter.
In the first half, the Cardinals scored on three Kurt Warner touchdown passes (two to Anquan Boldin and one to RB JJ Arrington.) and had amassed 223 yards of total offense. The Cardinals offense did little in the third quarter, while the Cardinal defense started to allow Atlanta to find some success. After allowing Atlanta to score on three of its last four possessions, the Cardinals found themselves down 27-24, with no times outs. The team then drove 63 yards for the game-tying field goal to end regulation. Then won the coin toss in overtime, and drove another 58 yards for the game winning Neil Rackers 31 yard field goal.
QB Kurt Warner again had a great fantasy game going 36 for 53 for 366 yards and three touchdowns. When he had time he found receivers open easily over the middle. He completed passes to nine different receivers and had no interceptions.
RB Edgerrin James found the running difficult against a Falcons defense, and was again held without a touchdown. He ended the game with only 76 yards on 25 carries.
WR Anquan Boldin had his two touchdowns in the first half, both on red zone plays where he caught the ball short and simply bulled over the opposition. Boldin made several sensational one handed catches and was easily the Cardinals most feared offensive weapon. WR Larry Fitzgerald caught six balls for 72 yards, but was held out of the end zone.
PK Neil Rackers ended up being the hero of this game, by converting pressure kicks to tie the game in regulation, and then in overtime to give the Cardinals' its seventh victory of the season.
What you ought to know
QB Chris Redman, Pass: 28 - 42 - 315 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0 - Chris Redman played an excellent game rallying the Falcon offense to score on three of its last four possessions. He was 28 for 42 for 315 yards and two touchdowns, including a pretty 74 yard touchdown pass to Laurent Robinson. He looked poised at times in the pocket and nearly pulled out this game. He did throw one crucial interception in the red zone, ending an early Falcon drive in the first quarter. Redman hit eight different receivers on the day.RB Warrick Dunn, Rush: 12 - 13 - 0, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Dunn was an afterthought in this game, as Atlanta never got their ground game going. Dunn found little room to run against the Cardinal defense.
RB Jerious Norwood, Rush: 7 - 33 - 0, Rec: 1 - -4 - 0 (3 targets) - Like Dunn, Norwood was not a factor in the game, due to Atlanta all but abandoning the run game. Norwood was more explosive than Dunn, and did contribute to the Atlanta field position by returning the kick offs.
RB Jason Snelling, Rush: 2 - 18 - 1 - Snelling came in when the Falcons went into their short yardage package in the first half, and scored on a one yard run in the first quarter.
RB Ovie Mughelli, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (3 targets) - Mughelli caught one ball for six yards, and was targeted three times out of the backfield.
WR Roddy White, Rec: 12 - 141 - 0 (17 targets) - White was the team's leading receiver hauling in 12 catches for 141 yards, but with no scores. His longest catch was for 26 yards.
WR Laurent Robinson, Rec: 7 - 114 - 1 (12 targets) - Laurent Robinson was one of the two Atlanta receivers with 100 yard games. He beat the Cardinals secondary on a 74 yard pass in the second quarter to tie the game 14-14. Robinson ran a post pattern and easily beat Antrell Rolle of the Cardinals.
WR Adam Jennings, Rec: 3 - 23 - 0 (3 targets) - Jennings caught all three ball sent his way for 23 yards.
WR Michael Jenkins, Rec: 1 - 15 - 0 (1 targets) - Jenkins was targeted with only one pass, and finished with one reception for 15 yards.
TE Alge Crumpler, Rec: 2 - 12 - 1 (5 targets) - Crumpler caught a seven yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. It was one of only two catches on the day.
PK Morten Andersen 2 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 9 points - Anderson made two second half field goals (23, 31 yards) and was perfect on all three of his extra point attempts.
ATL Rush Defense - The Falcons rush defense played a very good game giving up only 76 yards. They did not allow a Cardinal rushing touchdown and held RB Edgerrin James to a long run of only 9 yards.
ATL Pass Defense - The pass defense gave up three scores and at times looked sluggish. Two scores were by Anquan Boldin in the red zone, when he took short passes and simply bulled over the defender. The other was a short touchdown by Cardinal running back Arrington of four yards. They allowed Warner to complete 36 passes for 366 yards and three scores. They had no interceptions and no sacks. QB Kurt Warner, Pass: 36 - 53 - 361 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - Warner played an excellent game throwing 53 passes. He completed passes to nine different receivers and ended the game with 366 yards on 36 completions. His touchdown passes were to Anquan Boldin (2) and JJ Arrington (1). Most importantly is that Warner did not turn the ball over. He threw no interceptions, but did have one fumble but recovered it to keep a drive alive.RB Edgerrin James, Rush: 25 - 76 - 0, Rec: 5 - 21 - 0 (5 targets) - James found little room to run against a spirited Atlanta front seven. He finished the game with only 76 yards on 25 carries. He did contribute a little more in the passing game catching five balls for 21 yards. James' longest run was only nine yards.
RB J.J. Arrington, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0, Rec: 4 - 11 - 1 (5 targets) - Arrington caught a four yard touchdown pass in the first half. He only carried the ball once for no gain.
WR Anquan Boldin, Rec: 13 - 162 - 2 (14 targets) - Boldin was the game's offensive star with 13 catches for 162 yards and two scores. On his touchdowns, both were in the red zone, where he simply took short passes, and ran over the opposing tacklers. He appears to have little problem with his dislocated toe, and ran crisp routes. He had several great one handed catches.
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Rec: 6 - 72 - 0 (11 targets) - Fitzgerald hauled in six catches for 72 yards, but no scores. He also found the Atlanta secondary of little resistance, but did take a backseat to Boldin in this game.
WR Bryant Johnson, Rec: 3 - 46 - 0 (5 targets) - Johnson had three catches for 46 yards, with a long reception of 19 yards. That reception came late in the game and allowed the Cardinals to continue their game tying drive.
WR Jerheme Urban, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (4 targets) - Urban caught only two balls for 17 yards. He was used in three- and four receiver sets for the offense.
TE Troy Bienemann, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Bienemann caught a one pass for eight yards, and was mainly kept in for blocking purposes.
TE Ben Patrick, Rec: 1 - 21 - 0 (3 targets) - Patrick caught one pass for 21 yards.
PK Neil Rackers 3 - 3 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 12 points - Rackers converted on all three of his field goal attempts, including the game tying and game winning efforts. He hit on field goals of 32, 29 and 31 yards. He was perfect on all three of his extra points.
ARI Rush Defense - The Cardinals rush defense played a good game, but the stats are skewed a bit as Atlanta had to play catch up in the second half. They did give up a one yard touchdown, but kept the Falcon rushers in check, allowing only 102 yards in the game.
ARI Pass Defense - The Cardinals pass defense nearly lost this game for the Cardinals and gave up big plays. The touchdown plays were 74 yards to Laurent Robinson on a long post pattern, and to Alge Crumpler in the red zone for seven yards. On the day, they gave up 315 yards on 28 completions to eight different receivers.Green Bay Packers 7, Chicago Bears 35
What you need to know
Green Bay Packers - Brett Favre was quoted as saying before the games that the conditions on the field were the worst he had seen in his career. Favre, and the rest of the Green Bay Packers, sure lived up to the expectations that quote set. The Packers had two punts blocked, and had another one shanked that effectively took them out of the game in the second half.Favre struggled all day, both with the wind and with gripping the ball. Favre dropped the ball a couple of times, as well as having one snap go over his head, and another roll between his legs. It was difficult for him to hit receivers in stride.
Ryan Grant was the lone highlight for the Packers. With the windy conditions, the Packers leaned on the running game in the first half. He had mixed success, until he broke a nice 66 yard touchdown scamper. However, when the score got out of hand in the second half, the Packers abandoned the running game and he did not get many chances to add to his total.
Nine different receivers caught passes for the Packers, but none had a significant game. Donald Driver led the team with four receptions, and Greg Jennings led them with 42 yards.
Chicago Bears - Kyle Orton and the Chicago Bears handled the windy conditions of Soldier Field much better than the Green Bay Packers. The Bears started the game with an 18 play drive ending in a 31 yard Robbie Gould field goal. The Bears kept the Packers on their heels for the rest of the first half with Green Bay's struggling kicking game.Kyle Orton started strong completing a number of key 3rd down conversions on their first drive. The Bears game plan was obviously to run the ball however, as Orton finished with just 14 pass attempts on the day.
Adrian Peterson was the workhorse of the team, carrying the ball 22 times in the first half. Most of his runs were short, as the Packers knew the Bears would run the ball, but he consistently picked up chunks of yardage and kept the chains moving.
No receiver caught more than two balls, and Garrett Wolfe was the leading receiver due to his 33 yard screen pass to go along with one other shorter reception.
What you ought to know
QB Brett Favre, Pass: 17 - 32 - 153 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 3 - 0 - 0 - Favre struggled all afternoon with the cold, windy weather. That does sound strange for a player with Favre's history and Lambeau field, but Favre did state the pre-game conditions were the worst he'd seen in his career. The win definitely threw him off his game as he struggled to get the ball to his receivers. His teammates' struggles with the ball didn't help either. One snap went over his head. Another, the center rolled on the ground and never got up to him. Yet another, later in the game, was low and Favre simply had to fall on it. Favre also threw two interceptions, one of which was returned 85 yards for a touchdown. These types of miscues, as well as the Packers' inability to convert first downs resulted in limited opportunities for Favre, as he finished with just 153 yards and no scores.RB Ryan Grant, Rush: 14 - 100 - 1, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - Grant started off the game strong with a nice run to the right, and cutting back to the middle for a 24 yard gain. The Packers punted, but a few series later, Grant ripped off a 66 yard touchdown run. That was effectively the end of the day for Grant, as the score quickly got out of hand in the second half, and the running game was abandoned. Grant did reach 100 yards despite carrying the ball just 14 times.
WR Donald Driver, Rec: 4 - 32 - 0 (6 targets) - Driver's success, or lack thereof, was dictated by Favre's struggles. Driver was open on a number of plays, but the windy conditions prevented the ball from getting to him. Also, both of Favre's interceptions were on passes intended for Driver.
WR Greg Jennings, Rec: 3 - 42 - 0 (5 targets) - Jennings opportunities were limited. Brett Favre's struggles with the conditions, and the teams general lack of ability to move the ball prevented as many passing attempts as the Packers usually enjoy. The Packers also did not try to stretch the field with deep passes, limited Jennings chances for a big play.
TE Donald Lee, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (4 targets) - Lee was targeted a number of times, but managed to haul in just one two yard reception.
PK Mason Crosby 0 - 0 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 1 points - Crosby hit his only kicking opportunity of the day, which was an extra point.
GB Rush Defense - The Packers struggled to get off the field, and despite knowing the Bears were going to run the ball, consistently yielded chunks of yardage.
GB Pass Defense - The Packers' pass defense was not tested significantly with the Bears throwing the ball just 14 times. However, the Bears were efficient in the passing game, and the Packers were unable to make any plays defensively. QB Kyle Orton, Pass: 8 - 14 - 101 - 1 TD / 0 INT - Kyle Orton played extremely well given the game conditions. He did exactly what was asked of him, taking care of the ball. He spent most of the day handing the ball off to Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe, but he was able to make a number of third down plays to keep drives alive. His numbers on the day would have been even better, had Muhsin Muhammad held on to the ball that hit him in the chest in the end zone.RB Adrian Peterson, Rush: 30 - 102 - 1, Rec: 1 - 16 - 0 (2 targets) - Peterson was the workhorse of the Chicago offense. The Packers knew the Bears were going to run, but still had trouble consistently stopping him. While his longest run of the day was for 21 yards, most of his carriers were picking up 2, 3 and 4 yards at a time. Due to the weather conditions, a large part of the field was four down territory, giving Peterson extra opportunities.
TE Desmond Clark, Rec: 2 - 13 - 1 (3 targets) - Clark made the most of his three targets, catching one for ten yards. The other was the lone Bear passing touchdown of the game. Lined up in a power formation, Clark released into the back of the end zone and was wide open for Orton to drop the ball into his hands.
PK Robbie Gould 2 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 9 points - Gould was perfect on the day hitting field goals or 31 and 35 yards, and all three of his extra points.
CHI Rush Defense - The Bears rush defense was solid but unspectacular against the Packers running game. For most of the game, they held Grant in check, but they did give up two big plays, including a 66 yard touchdown run.
CHI Pass Defense - The Bears pass defense was tough against Favre, but they had the help of the weather conditions on their side. They did make plays of their own, however, intercepting Favre twice, returning one for a touchdown.New York Jets 6, Tennessee Titans 10
What you need to know
New York Jets - The New York Jets traveled south to meet up against conference opponent, the Tennessee Titans. In what most had predicted to be a defense battle, the Jets and Titans combined for 16 hard fought points, only to see Tennessee keep their playoff hopes alive as they pulled out the victory. Quarterback Chad Pennington got the nod after an injured Kellen Clemens was declared inactive, and proceeded to connect on all but six passes en route to 264 yards through the air. Pennington who also added a touchdown and two interceptions was consistent through the game, however was just not capable of making that big play to boost the Jets offense.On the ground, New York found little success, racking up only 68 total yards on 23 carries. The unimpressive three yards per carry allowed Tennessee to stack the box with seven and eight defenders for most of the game, forcing Chad Pennington to win the game down field, which he was unable to pull off. Thomas Jones received the bulk of the load as he carried 21 times, gaining 58 yards. The Jets found much more success through the air, as Pennington was able to move the ball in between the twenties racking up over 250 yards and finding seven different Jets receivers. Jerricho Cotchery lead all Jets pass catchers with 152 yards on eight receptions and a touchdown, his second of the year.
The Jets defense played their part and brought the Tennessee offense to a streaking halt, allowing only 273 total yards while forcing two crucial turnovers. They held the dangerous Vince Young to under 200 yards through the air, allowing no touchdowns, and forcing him into his lone mistake throwing an interception. They stood strong against the rush, however were outmatched, as the Titans accumulated 127 total yards and scored the Titans lone touchdown.
Tennessee Titans - The Tennessee Titans looked to keep their playoff hopes alive as they welcomed the 3-11 Jets to town for a week 16 showdown. Vince Young did enough to allow the Titans to sneak out with a win, throwing for 166 yards and a adding another interception to his rising total. He completed a little over 50 percent of his passes and was again ineffective using his scrambling ability out of the pocket, as he was only able gain one yard on seven carries.The Titans ground game, set the pace and took control of the game, grinding out 127 yards on 36 carries. LenDale White led all rushers with 103 yards on 23 carries, giving way to fellow back Chris Brown, and allowing him to record his fourth touchdown of the year. This rushing duo played the most vital of roles, keeping the clock running, and keeping the Titans defensive unit fresh on the sidelines. Roydell Williams led all Titans receivers, as he was able to bring in four balls for 54 total yards against a quick and physical Jets secondary.
The Tennessee defensive unit was stout for four quarters as the limited the Jets offense to less than 300 yards, giving up a lone touchdown pass in the second quarter. This physical unit completely shut down the Jets rushing attack, holding them to a clip of three yards per carry and denying them to find the end zone on the ground. Through the air, they were equally as effective, forcing two interceptions and tallying six sacks in the winning effort.
What you ought to know
QB Chad Pennington, Pass: 26 - 32 - 264 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 2 - 5 - 0 - Pennington showed that he still has what it takes to run an offense, completing 26 of 32 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown. In the second quarter Pennington hit Jerricho Cotchery in the back of the end zone, bringing the Jets within a point of the Titans. The extra point from Mike Nugent was blocked and the Jets were never able to put anymore points on the board as Pennington was forced to pass, leading to two interceptions on the day. Pennington again showed his pinpoint accuracy while also proving that he is still incapable of throwing the ball deep and spreading out the defense.RB Thomas Jones, Rush: 21 - 58 - 0, Rec: 3 - 5 - 0 (4 targets) - Thomas Jones again found no room to run as he averaged a mere 2.7 yards per rush, finishing the day with only 63 total yards. Jones also saw four targets come his way as he surprisingly out produced fellow running back Leon Washington catching passes out of the backfield. He was a clear check down most of the game for Pennington, as his three catches totaled only five yards.
RB Leon Washington, Rush: 1 - 5 - 0, Rec: 2 - 2 - 0 (2 targets) - The recently named MVP of the Jets had a slow day as he accounted for only seven total yards by air and land. He carried the ball once for five yards and added two yards receiving, catching both of his targets from Pennington.
WR Jerricho Cotchery, Rec: 8 - 152 - 1 (9 targets) - Cotchery had a break out game as he caught eight of his nine targets for 152 yards and a touchdown. He was the clear option for Pennington, as he led the team in targets yet again and was able to find space all day against the Titans secondary. On the Jets lone scoring play of the game, Pennington was able to find Cotchery in the back of the end zone for a nine yard scoring play. The subsequent extra point was then blocked and the Jets were unable to put points on the board the rest of the game.
WR Brad Smith, Rec: 5 - 45 - 0 (8 targets) - Smith saw the second most targets from quarterback Chad Pennington, as he hauled in five of eight for 45 total yards. He was surprisingly used as only a receiving option, getting no rushes or passing attempts from a Jets team who usually utilizes this offensive threat.
WR Justin McCareins, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - McCareins only saw two targets in the game, bringing them both in, for nine total yards.
TE Chris Baker, Rec: 4 - 40 - 0 (5 targets) - Baker was again a go to weapon for Pennington and the Jets, bringing in four of his five targets for 40 yards. He was an open in inside and sideline routes and was even used as a deep threat, hooking up with Pennington on gains of 17 and 18 yards respectively.
PK Mike Nugent 0 - 1 FG, 0 - 1 XP, 0 points - Nugent missed his only field goal try on the day, while also allowing his PAT attempt to be blocked on the Jets only touchdown of the day.
NYJ Rush Defense - The Jets rush defense showed its weakness against a physical Tennessee front, giving up 127 total yards on the ground as the allowed Titans running back, LenDale While, to eclipse the century mark. Knowing Tennessee's main game plan would be to run and run some more, New York could not answer the bell as they continuously gave up first downs on the ground, preventing this unit to get off the field. White, along with Brown, led the rushing attack against the Jets, scoring the only Tennessee offensive touchdown on a four yard Brown scamper.
NYJ Pass Defense - The Jets pass defense showed up and caused the Titans passing game fits, holding the very dangerous Vince young to only 166 yards passing. They kept the Jets in the game by totaling three sacks and forcing two turnovers in the losing effort. QB Vince Young, Pass: 12 - 22 - 166 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 7 - 1 - 0 - Young had a less than stellar day as he completed only 12 of 22 passes for 166 yards and no touchdowns. Along with the goose egg in his TD column, Young also added to his ever rising interception total, throwing his 17th pick of the season. His scrambling ability was also contained as he only managed to gain one yard on seven rushes.RB LenDale White, Rush: 23 - 103 - 0 (1 targets) - White was the workhorse again for the Titans as he rushed 23 times for 103 yards. It was his fifth 100 yard game of the season and helped him eclipse the 1,000 yard mark for the first time in his career. White ran hard and found holes to run through as he kept the chains moving and the Jets defense on the field. He was the focal point of the offense and was the deciding factor where on a third and six, he gained seven yards, picking up the first down and sending the Jets packing with their 12th loss of the season.
RB Chris Brown, Rush: 5 - 15 - 1 (1 targets) - Chris Brown provided a breather for LenDale White and in turn was rewarded with the Titans only offensive touchdown of the game. On a second and goal from the four, it was Brown who finished the drive with a four yard touchdown run, his fourth on the season. He made the most out of his limited work as he rushed five times for 15 yards and saw one target, which fell incomplete
WR Roydell Williams, Rec: 4 - 54 - 0 (6 targets) - Roydell Williams saw six targets in the game, catching four of them for 54 yards. He was the leading receiver for the Titans and was key in moving the chains on many third and long situations.
WR Justin Gage, Rec: 3 - 48 - 0 (6 targets) - Gage saw six targets in the game and made the most of his speed, catching three balls for 48 yards. He was the deep threat for the Titans as he and Vince Young were able to hook up on a pretty 29 yard pass play.
WR Eric Moulds, Rec: 1 - 12 - 0 (2 targets) - Moulds only saw two targets on the day, recording one catch for 12 yards.
TE Ben Hartsock, Rec: 1 - 27 - 0 (2 targets) - Hartsock saw two targets come his way as he brought one of them in for a 27 yard gain.
TE Bo Scaife, Rec: 1 - 12 - 0 (1 targets) - Scaife saw only one target, which was good for a 12 yard completion.
PK Rob Bironas 1 - 1 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points - Bironas was able to connect on a lone 46 yard attempt while also adding a PAT.
TEN Rush Defense - The Titans rush defense was fierce all game, as they completely shut down the Jets attack, allowing them to gain a total 68 yards. They provided no room to run and forced the Jets passing attack to win the game.
TEN Pass Defense - The pass defense of the Titans was called on to seal the victory as Tennessee often put seven and eight men in the box to stop the run. It was this unit who bent but did not break, allowing Chad Pennington to throw for 264 yards, and his tenth touchdown of the season. In the end however, this unit was able to stop the Jets aerial assault, forcing Pennington into two interceptions and sacking him a total of six times.Cleveland Browns 14, Cincinnati Bengals 19
What you need to know
Cleveland Browns - Derek Anderson helped the Browns dig a 19 point first half hole, one which they were never able to recover from in their loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Anderson struggled all game long going 29 for 48 for 251 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. He was clearly off all game long and no amount of halftime adjustments were able to make up for this. He had trouble with passes either sailing over a receiver's head or simply being well off target. Braylon Edwards still managed to be the focal point of the Cleveland passing game, catching eight passes for 52 yards and two touchdowns. Kellen Winslow also got into the act catching seven balls for 73 yards.Jamal Lewis had a good game, rushing for 92 yards on 21 carries. The problem for Lewis and the entire Cleveland running game was, being down 19 points coming into the second half, the Browns shifted toward the passing game and simply did not use Lewis nearly as much. Even third down/passing down specialist Jason Wright who ran three times for 38 yards and caught three passes for 34 yards saw his role diminished as the Browns offense focused almost exclusively on getting the ball to Edwards and Winslow.
The Cleveland defense turned in another lackluster performance allowing Kenny Watson to rush for 130 yards and use of a ton of game clock. The Browns did come up with two interceptions off Carson Palmer, largely due to mistakes on the Bengals part as opposed to great defensive coverage on the Cincinnati receivers.
Cincinnati Bengals - The Bengals game plan focused around rushing Kenny Watson right down Cleveland's throat, and the plan worked very well. Watson finished the game with 30 carries for 130 yards and one touchdown. He also caught three passes for 20 yards. Watson had success all game long running right up the middle of the field for most of his yards and taking pressure off of Carson Palmer and the Bengals passing game.With the success of the ground attack, the B