New York Giants 24, Washington Redskins 17
What you need to know
New York Giants - The Giants came into this divisional contest, sitting at 0-2, and desperate for a win. Their offense did not help much in the first 30 minutes of football as they dropped five balls and fell behind early 17-3. Their second half, however, was a whole different ball game as the Giants made adjustments and successfully moved the ball, putting up 21 unanswered points en route to a 24-17 victory.The Giants made it a point to establish the running game, in a familiar "Thunder and Lightning" form of Derrick Ward who rushed for 94 yards, and Reuben Droughns who had two one yard touchdown carries. Eli Manning had an up and down game completing 58 percent of his passes for one touchdown, while throwing two crucial interceptions. He shook off the two mistakes to orchestrate a fourth quarter drive that ended in a 33 yard game winning touchdown to Plaxico Burress.
The New York Defense, who was so brutally abused in weeks one and two, looked much improved slowing down the Redskins and holding them to a total of 17 points. They were ultimately the deciding factor, when Aaron Ross stopped Ladell Betts in his tracks on a fourth and one play from the goal line that gave the New York Giants their first victory in 2007.
Washington Redskins - The 2-0 Redskins looked to claim their second home victory of the season as they came out and offensively dominated the Giants in the first half. The second half of football, however, was a different story, as Washington was shut out in the second half, managing only four first downs.Jason Campbell and Washington seemed to be out of sync, as they stalled on numerous drives and lost the possession battle. Campbell completed less than 50 percent of his passes in a 191 yard day that included one touchdown. Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts could only muster up 62 rushing yards while Portis found the end zone early in the first half. The deciding play of the game directly involved one-half of this dynamic duo, as Ladell Betts was stuffed on a goal line carry on fourth down that would have forced overtime.
Washington showed signs of dominance as it forced three turnovers and recorded two sacks in a losing effort. There was constant pressure on quarterback Eli Manning; however, they were unsuccessful in stopping the Giant's offense, giving up 24 second-half points.
What you ought to know
QB Eli Manning, Pass: 21 - 36 - 232 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 - Eli Manning shook off some early mistakes and completed 58 percent of his passes for 232 yards and one touchdown. He fumbled on the Giants second drive of the game and threw two interceptions, one of them, on a poor decision, to Sean Taylor. In the second half, however, Manning led the Giants on three long scoring drives, culminating with his only touchdown pass, which proved to be the game winner late in the fourth quarter.RB Derrick Ward, Rush: 26 - 94 - 0, Rec: 6 - 26 - 0 (7 targets) - Ward had a good game amassing 120 total yards, 94 of which were on the ground. He was targeted seven times hauling in six of them for 24 total yards. He found success running against the Redskins front while most of his long runs came on delays and stretch plays. He was a clear check down option for Eli Manning and seemed comfortable catching his patented swing passes out of the backfield. He did give way to Reuben Droughns near the goal line though. He played the Tiki Barber role with Droughns grabbing the TDs like Brandon Jacobs used to do.
RB Reuben Droughns, Rush: 3 - 3 - 2 - Droughns was used exclusively as the Giants goal line back, rushing three times for three yards and scoring two touchdowns. Droughns benefited from two plays, both, which brought the Giants down to the one yard line, giving him an opportunity to finish off the drives.
WR Plaxico Burress, Rec: 5 - 86 - 1 (14 targets) - Burress turned in another solid game, despite battling injuries, as he reeled in five catches for 86 yards and one touchdown. He was targeted a team high 14 times, however dropped four balls that were thrown to him in the first half. His fourth quarter touchdown catch, which proved to be the game winner, was on a short route that allowed Plaxico to get in space and show off his speed, as he outran the Washington secondary for a 33 yard touchdown.
WR Amani Toomer, Rec: 4 - 24 - 0 (5 targets) - Toomer was targeted five times in the game, catching four of them for 24 yards. One reception was a nine yard completion where he was tackled at the one yard line and gave way to Reuben Droughns' second touchdown run.
WR Sinorice Moss, Rec: 1 - 17 - 0 (2 targets) - Sinorice Moss was targeted twice and caught one ball for 17 yards.
TE Jeremy Shockey, Rec: 5 - 79 - 0 (10 targets) - Jeremy Shockey was targeted ten times by quarterback Eli Manning and he managed to grab five balls for 79 total yards. He seemed to get more downfield looks and was targeted on an abnormal number of play action passes, including his long catch of the day that was good for 27 yards.
PK Lawrence Tynes 1 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points - Tynes was good on his only field goal of the day from 34 yards out. He also added three PAT.
NYG Rush Defense - The New York defense only gave up 17 points while totaling two sacks and a fumble recovery. They shut down the run for most of the day and on a fourth and goal with under 20 seconds to play, rookie cornerback Aaron Ross stuffed Ladell Betts for a game winning stop.
NYG Pass Defense - The secondary rose to the occasion allowing a total of only 190 passing yards. QB Jason Campbell, Pass: 16 - 34 - 190 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 12 - 0 - Campbell had a rather pedestrian game completing only 16 of 34 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown. He threw no interceptions, however he did have some trouble hitting receivers in the open field, especially on the run. His lone TD came on an eight yard strike to Chris Cooley, moments after he threw a beautiful deep ball that was good for a 49 yard hook up with Santana Moss. He was able to take his team down on a game tying drive only to come up one yard shy after the Washington offense elected to go with two straight runs on third and fourth from the goal line.RB Clinton Portis, Rush: 14 - 60 - 1, Rec: 6 - 37 - 0 (7 targets) - Portis had a successful game on the ground and in the air for the Washington Redskins. He saw 21 looks, including seven targets, as he amassed 97 total yards and one touchdown after an Eli Manning fumble set the Redskins up with great field position. Portis was fed the ball on two consecutive rushes from the five yard line, breaking tackles to find the end zone. With the Redskins on the one yard line and needing a touchdown to tie, Portis was spelled by Ladell Betts who was ultimately stopped, forcing the Redskins to turn the ball over on downs.
RB Ladell Betts, Rush: 7 - 9 - 0, Rec: 1 - 13 - 0 (3 targets) - Betts rushed seven times for nine yards and caught one out of three targets for 13 yards. He was given back to back goal line looks, which he failed to convert with time winding down and Washington needing a touchdown to force overtime.
WR Santana Moss, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0, Rec: 3 - 82 - 0 (8 targets) - Moss had an average day catching three of his eight targets for 82 yards, including a 49 yard pass coming from Jason Campbell that set up the second Washington touchdown of the first half. Santana looked quick and was routinely behind the coverage on deep routes, however was only able to haul in one of his long looks from Campbell.
WR Antwaan Randle El, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0, Rec: 2 - 32 - 0 (6 targets) - Randle El caught two out of his six looks from Campbell for a total of 32 yards. He continuously found the open spaces in the Giant's secondary, however due to Campbell's troubles throwing the ball, was unable to be more of a factor.
TE Chris Cooley, Rec: 3 - 19 - 1 (5 targets) - Cooley brought down three of his five looks for 18 yards and a score. His touchdown came on a nine yard reception where he found a pocket near the front of the end zone and camped out to haul in Campbell's touchdown strike. Excluding his touchdown catch, all other targets were on roll outs where he was open in the flat.
PK Shaun Suisham 1 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Suisham missed his first attempt of the day, which was wide left from 39 yards out. He connected late in the second half on a 47 yard field goal, which proved to be his only one for the game. He was two of two on extra points.
WAS Rush Defense - The Washington defense gave up 94 rushing yards to Derrick Ward and two rushing touchdowns to Reuben Droughns.
WAS Pass Defense - The Washington defense played a stellar first half, only to come out and give up 24 unanswered points in the final 30 minutes. Andre Carter forced a fumble deep in Giant's territory after getting to Eli Manning, which set up the Redskins first touchdown of the game. They also managed two interceptions against the Giant's signal caller, converting two of their three turnovers into offensive points.San Francisco 49ers 16, Pittsburgh Steelers 37
What you need to know
San Francisco 49ers - The 49ers came into this contest as the first team with fewer than 400 yards of total offense to start 2-0 since the NFL merger. They mounted a strong eleven play opening drive that kept the Steeler defense off balance with a variety of passing plays mixed in with Frank Gore runs. San Francisco had to settle for a 3-0 lead (on a 32 yard Joe Nedney field goal) after the offense stalled at the Pittsburgh 14 yard line. That lead would last all of 12 seconds; Allen Rossum went untouched for a 98 yard score on the following kickoff.Frank Gore struggled to find running room against the stout Pittsburgh defense and finished with only 39 yards on 14 carries, his lowest rushing total since the 2005 season, when he shared time with Kevan Barlow in the 49ers backfield.
With only four catches for 27 yards in San Francisco's first two games, tight end, Vernon Davis, asked coach, Mike Nolan, to be a bigger part of the San Francisco offense. Against the Steelers, Davis was the focus of the 49ers passing game. He was targeted seven times and had four catches for 56 yards in the first half. Davis sprained his knee during a controversial play on the 49ers' first drive of the third quarter and did not return to the game. On the play, Davis had to leap for a high pass. Troy Polamalu upended Davis just as his feet came down. Davis flipped and when he landed, the ball popped out. It was plucked out of the air by Ryan Clark for an apparent interception. The 49ers challenged the play and somehow the referee ruled that the pass was incomplete despite the fact that the football never touched the ground.
Alex Smith did his best to keep the 49ers in the game, but was unable to hit any big plays to his wide receivers until late in the game, when he hit Taylor Jacobs for a 21 yard touchdown pass for San Francisco's first passing touchdown this season. Earlier in the game, Smith threw his first interception of the season. Bryant McFadden picked off Smith's errant pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown.
Pittsburgh Steelers - The 49ers offense had the Steelers' defense back on their feet early in the game. San Francisco marched down the field on an eleven play drive to open the game and kept the Steel Curtain off balance. However, Pittsburgh's unit stiffened and held the 49ers to a field goal. The deficit was the first time the Steelers have trailed all season. It lasted only twelve seconds. Return specialist, Allen Rossum, streaked 98 yards untouched with the ensuing kickoff. The Steelers never trailed again. Pittsburgh held San Francisco to three Joe Nedney field goals until Alex Smith found Taylor Jacobs for a 22 yard strike with only 2:22 remaining. By that time, the game was well at hand.The Steelers stifled San Francisco's attempts to establish a running game by holding Frank Gore to 22 yards in the first half and 39 yards in the game. No opposing runner has rushed for 100 yards against the Steelers in the past 28 games.
Willie Parker continued his hot start with his third straight 100 yard game to open the season. Parker ran 24 times for 133 yards. He is averaging five yards per carry and leads the NFL with 368 yards.
Ben Roethlisberger ran the offense efficiently. He was six of seven for 55 yards and a touchdown in the first half. With the Pittsburgh ground game rolling, Roethlisberger did not have to throw the ball often. He finished 13 of 20 for 160 yards.
Hines Ward left the game with a knee injury. The Steelers plan to hold him out of practice Wednesday, but hope he will be ready to go next Sunday.
Steelers' coach, Mike Tomlin, has started the season 3-0 just like his predecessor, Bill Cowher, did 15 years ago.
What you ought to know
QB Alex Smith, Pass: 17 - 35 - 209 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 3 - 32 - 0 - Smith focused on his tight ends in this game. He targeted Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker on ten of his eighteen first half pass attempts and 15 times during the game. He connected with Davis four times for 56 yards to account for half of San Francisco's total offense before halftime. Smith only attempted five passes to his wide receivers in the first half. He completed only one of them for 12 yards to Darrell Jackson. Smith was unable to hit a wide receiver on a big play until the game was effectively over. Taylor Jacobs' 21 yard touchdown reception was Smith's first touchdown of the season. Smith also threw his first interception of the season. There appeared to be a miscommunication on the play. Smith expected Jacobs to run an out. Jacobs instead cut in and Bryant McFadden was there waiting for the errant pass. McFadden returned the pick 50 yards for a touchdown to put the game away. The Steelers blitzed Smith frequently, forcing him to hurry passes or take off on the run. Smith remained composed, but was unable to complete half of his passes in the game. Smith did show that he is a nifty runner; he scrambled three times for 32 yards. Smith's 25 yard scamper was San Francisco's longest ground gain and tied his personal career long run.RB Frank Gore, Rush: 14 - 39 - 0, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (2 targets) - Gore missed one day of practice to attend his mother's funeral. He found little room to run against the Pittsburgh defense. Gore had an eight yard gain early in the game. His other ten carries in the first half netted only 14 yards. After halftime, Gore had only three rushing attempts. He registered gains of eleven and five yards before San Francisco abandoned the running game. Gore's final carry netted only a yard.
Gore caught two short passes for 12 yards.RB Michael Robinson, Rush: 2 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Robinson's seven yard gain on an inside draw play converted a third and six into a first down. He took one other inside handoff for a short one yard gain. Robinson was targeted once, but did not catch a pass.
RB Moran Norris (1 targets) - The 49ers fullback was targeted once unsuccessfully on a dump off attempt.
RB Maurice Hicks (1 targets) - Hicks was targeted once unsuccessfully. He returned four kickoffs for a 21 yard average.
WR Darrell Jackson, Rec: 4 - 69 - 0 (8 targets) - Jackson led the 49ers in receiving yardage. He caught only one pass for twelve yards in the first half, however, and was unable to get open deep downfield. Jackson did a nice job of getting both feet down in bounds on a sideline route in the second half.
WR Arnaz Battle, Rush: 1 - 8 - 0, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (3 targets) - Battle was targeted three times in the second half. He converted two first downs with receptions of eleven and 16 yards. Battle also gained eight yards on a reverse. On the play, Battle delivered a blow to Troy Polamalu rather than go out of bounds.
WR Taylor Jacobs, Rec: 2 - 26 - 1 (3 targets) - Jacobs' first catch of the season netted five yards. He was targeted on the next play, but wasn't on the same page as Alex Smith. Jacobs cut in (away from the coverage), when Smith expected him to cut out. The pass was intercepted by Bryant McFadden and resulted in a Steeler touchdown.
Late in the game, Jacobs hauled in Smith's first touchdown pass of the season. It was his first touchdown reception since his rookie year with the Redskins in 2003.WR Ashley Lelie (1 targets) - Lelie was targeted once in the first half. Smith threw what looked to be a perfect strike. However, Lelie cut lazily out of his break and made a half-hearted one handed attempt to catch the pass.
TE Vernon Davis, Rec: 4 - 56 - 0 (8 targets) - Davis was the focal point of the 49er offense in the first half. He hauled in four first half passes for 56 yards. His best play went for a 32 yard gain on a quick screen pass to the left. Davis was targeted on consecutive plays in the end zone before San Francisco settled for Joe Nedney's first field goal.
Davis streaked open down the middle on San Francisco's opening second half possession, but Alex Smith's pass was a little high. Davis had to leap to corral the ball. He was hit low by Troy Polamalu just as his feet came down. Davis ended up flipping. When he hit the ground, the ball popped up. It was caught by Ryan Clark. Mike Nolan challenged the play and the officials ruled incomplete pass. Davis sprained his knee on the play and did not return. Davis dropped a pass on a third and five play in the first half.TE Delanie Walker, Rec: 3 - 19 - 0 (7 targets) - Walker was targeted seven times as San Francisco focused the passing games on its tight ends. Walker caught three passes. Despite the attention he received from Smith, Walker was unimpressive; he gained only 19 yards and dropped two passes he could have caught.
PK Joe Nedney 3 - 3 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 10 points - Nedney accounted for all of San Francisco's points until the game was essentially over. He hit field goals of 32, 22, and 49 yards and converted his only extra point try. Nedney remains perfect on the season.
SF Rush Defense - Willie Parker had his way with the 49ers defense and ran for 133 yards. Overall, San Francisco allowed the Steelers to run for 205 yards at over a six yard per carry clip. Najeh Davenport busted through a seam for a 39 yard touchdown run, when Pittsburgh was trying to run out the clock. Marques Douglas led the 49ers with seven solo tackles and an assist.
SF Pass Defense - With Pittsburgh controlling the game on the ground, Ben Roethlisberger only needed to throw 20 passes. Roethlisberger completed sixty five percent of those for 160 yards and one touchdown. San Francisco sacked Roethlisberger twice. Hannibal Navies recorded a trifecta with a sack, forced fumble and recovery. Marques Douglas and Michael Lewis shared the other sack. QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 13 - 20 - 160 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 18 - 0 - With Willie Parker rolling on the ground, Roethlisberger attempted only seven passes in the first half. He completed six of them for 55 yards. He found Jerame Tuman for a nine yard touchdown strike late in the second quarter. Roethlisberger completed seven of 13 passes in the second half. He fumbled once, when Hannibal Navies sacked him and was able to knock the ball from his hand. However, Roethlisberger was adept at avoiding the rush to buy time to throw. He is so big and strong, that he can shrug off defensive linemen. He only tucked the ball to run once, but showed his mobility with an 18 yard gain.QB Charlie Batch, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - Batch had one kneel-down play to end the game.
RB Willie Parker, Rush: 24 - 133 - 0, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets) - Parker leads the NFL in rushing and has run for over 100 yards all three games this season. He gained more than seven yards per carry in the first half and averaged 5.5 for the game. Parker uses his speed to accelerate through holes or get around the edge. What makes him special, however, is his patience to wait for the hole to develop. On one play, Parker executed a beautiful stutter step. When the hole opened, he pounced for a 15 yard gain. He had a long run of 23 yards.
Parker is proving to be a workhouse. He led the NFL with 50 carries coming into the game and added 24 more attempts. There is some concern that the Steelers may be giving him too big of a load. So far, however, he is holding up well. Parker caught one pass for a nine yard gain.RB Najeh Davenport, Rush: 5 - 47 - 1 - Davenport had two carries prior to garbage time. He gained a first down on a third and one play. He ran for 46 of his yards on three consecutive carries with the Steelers trying to run out the clock. He found a seam on the last of those carries and went 39 yards for a score. Davenport exhibited enough speed to outrun the defense once he broke through the hole.
Davenport returned one kickoff for 12 yards.RB Carey Davis, Rec: 3 - 9 - 0 (3 targets) - Davis caught all three of his targets. He had one ten yard gain. The other two grabs combined to lose a yard.
WR Santonio Holmes, Rec: 3 - 49 - 0 (4 targets) - Holmes caught all three of his passes in the second half. The fourth target resulted in a defensive holding penalty on Nate Clements.
WR Hines Ward, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (3 targets) - Ward caught one short pass for two yards. He dropped a potential catch on a play where he took a big hit. On the following play, Roethlisberger's pass was off target and Ward took another big shot.
Ward gained seven yards to convert a first down on a direct snap play. Ward left the game with a knee injury. The Steelers plan to give him Wednesday off, but hope he will be available to play in week four.WR Cedrick Wilson, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets) - Wilson was targeted once. Wilson, a high school quarterback, ran an end around and appeared to be looking to throw, but instead tucked the ball, reversed field and might have run for a long touchdown, if not for the open field tackle by Nate Clements.
WR Nate Washington (2 targets) - Washington did not catch a pass as both balls thrown to him were off target.
TE Heath Miller, Rec: 4 - 82 - 0 (5 targets) - Miller was targeted a team high five times. He had a very good game and led the Steelers with four catches for 82 yards. Miller had receptions of 16, 20, 29, and 17 yards. He had an acrobatic 16 yard reception reversed, when he was ruled out of bounds.
TE Jerame Tuman, Rec: 1 - 9 - 1 (1 targets) - Tuman made the most of his one target; it resulted in a nine yard touchdown reception.
PK Jeff Reed 3 - 3 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 13 points - Reed remains perfect on the season with nine field goals and ten extra point conversions. Reed hit field goals of 36, 49, and 35 yards. The 49 yarder would have been good from much deeper.
PIT Rush Defense - The Steelers shut down Frank Gore, limiting him to his lowest total since 2005. The Pittsburgh rush defense has not allowed a 100 yard rusher in 28 straight games. Troy Polamalu led the defense with five solo tackles and three assists.
PIT Pass Defense - The Steelers pass defense held Alex Smith under a 50 percent completion rate. They were especially tough on 49er wide receivers, who caught only one pass before halftime. Pittsburgh sacked Smith twice, but pressured him throughout and frequently forced him to throw early. James Farrior and LaMarr Woodley tallied the Pittsburgh sacks.Bryant McFadden sealed the game with an interception and 50 yard touchdown return in the fourth quarter. McFadden did a nice job cutting across the field and setting up his blocks.
Tennessee Titans 31, New Orleans Saints 14
What you need to know
Tennessee Titans - The Titans controlled the clock in this game, especially early and late, and used a balanced attack and opportunistic defense to put away the Saints.QB Vince Young directed an efficient attack, throwing for two TD passes and directing two other scoring drives. He spread the ball around to his receivers and threw mostly short passes, mixing in enough intermediate routes to keep the defense honest. Young seemed content to stay in the pocket, though he did scramble intentionally a couple times. Backup QB Kerry Collins entered the game late in the second quarter after Young hurt his arm, but Young returned to play the entire second half.
RB LenDale White ran with determination, though not for big yardage. His third quarter TD run gave the Titans the lead for good. As expected, White shared the load with RB Chris Brown, who also ran hard, even though his final stats weren't great.
No Titans receiver was targeted more than five times. WR Brandon Jones got the Titans offense rolling with his first quarter TD reception. WR Roydell Williams was the most targeted Titans receiver, and WR Eric Moulds came up with a clutch sideline reception to set up the go ahead score. TE Bo Scaife caught Young's final TD reception in the fourth quarter.
PK Rob Bironas hit one out of two field goals, his miss coming from 27 yards. The Titans defense stifled the Saint running game and pressured QB Drew Brees most of the night, forcing four fourth quarter turnovers to seal the victory. LB Keith Bulluck intercepted Brees three times and was the player of the game.
New Orleans Saints - The Saints offense sputtered most of the night. They were never able to establish a running game, and their passing attack disintegrated in the late going amidst a flurry of turnovers.QB Drew Brees had a disastrous night, turning the ball over five times--four of them coming in the fourth quarter. He threw the ball fairly accurately the first three quarters and directed both scoring drives, but everything went south for Brees in the last fifteen minutes.
RB Deuce McAllister had very little room to run and eventually left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury (torn ACL) after making his only reception of the night. RB Reggie Bush received most of the carries after McAllister left, but he had precious little production to show for it--though he did score both Saints touchdowns on short runs. Bush was active in the passing game at least.
WR Marques Colston was the leading receiver and had a big catch in the second quarter that set up the first Saints TD. WR Lance Moore was targeted more than any other receiver and made a small splash in this game. No other Saints receiver tallied more than 25 receiving yards.
PK Olindo Mare did not have a field goal attempt and scored only two points, obviously not his fault. The Saints defense was not able to exert any consistent pressure on Vince Young and did not have a sack in this game.
What you ought to know
QB Vince Young, Pass: 14 - 22 - 164 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 5 - 21 - 0 - Vince Young came out throwing and had a solid first quarter. He threw mostly short passes and was generally accurate. His one big mistake in the first quarter was a fumbled snap that knocked the Titans out of field goal range. Young did not seem to favor any particular receiver; he threw to eight different players in this game and did not target any of them more than five times. Young found Brandon Jones for the TD pass on the first drive of the second quarter; however, Young's next pass was an INT, his only turnover, which cost the Titans a golden scoring opportunity. His second TD throw was a fourth quarter strike to former Longhorn teammate TE Bo Scaife. The Titans offensive line played very well in this game and generally gave Young all the time he needed to get rid of the ball. Young suffered a minor arm injury late in the second quarter and left the field to get an IV and some treatment during half time. He played the entire second half without incident. Young scrambled a couple of times but generally seemed confident and content to stay in the pocket and let his RBs take the punishment.QB Kerry Collins, Pass: 4 - 4 - 22 - 0 TD / 0 INT - Collins entered the game near the end of the second quarter and finished the half while Young was being attended to in the locker room. He completed all four of his passes, three to RB Chris Brown.
RB LenDale White, Rush: 17 - 50 - 1, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (1 targets) - White ran with determination and looked good doing it, though it didn't necessarily show in the final stats. The Saints clearly game planned to shut down the Titans running attack, so it was tough going for White at times, but he fought hard for the extra yards and was able to score a short TD run in the third quarter to put the Titans ahead for good. White did nothing in this game to jeopardize his starting job, though keep in mind that he will continue to share carries with Chris Brown.
RB Chris Brown, Rush: 11 - 38 - 0, Rec: 4 - 18 - 0 (4 targets) - Chris Brown had less rushing attempts than LenDale White but was more involved in the passing game. He finished with only four less total yards than White, though he did not score a TD. Brown ran hard, and like White, got a lot of tough yards.
WR Roydell Williams, Rush: 1 - -11 - 0, Rec: 3 - 37 - 0 (5 targets) - Williams led the Titans in targets, which isn't saying much since it was only five. He came up with a big third down catch in the fourth quarter in a drive alive that eventually produced a TD. Williams also had one rushing attempt in the first series of the game, an end around that the Saints blew up for an eleven yard loss.
WR Brandon Jones, Rec: 4 - 73 - 1 (4 targets) - Jones scored the first TD of the game in the second quarter on a nice 35 yard catch and run. He led the Titans in receiving yards, but keep in mind that he was targeted only four times in this game. Given the Titans are a run-first team and that Young spreads the ball around, it's hard to see a ton of upside with Jones or any other Tennessee receiver.
WR Eric Moulds, Rec: 2 - 20 - 0 (4 targets) - Moulds got a couple of red zone looks and came close to scoring on one of them (Young missed connections in the end zone). He also had a great catch falling out of bounds at the one yard line that set up the go ahead TD.
TE Bo Scaife, Rec: 3 - 26 - 1 (4 targets) - Scaife got involved in the passing game early, he is clearly the pass catching TE in this offense. His fourth quarter TD catch essentially clinched the game.
TE Ben Hartsock, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets) - Hartsock started this game and caught the only ball thrown his way.
PK Rob Bironas 1 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points - Bironas was working with a brand new holder in this game, so he may have an excuse for the short (27 yard) field goal he missed.
TEN Rush Defense - The Titans run defense, led by Albert Haynesworth, bottled up Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush most of the night, limiting the RB duo to a measly 20 yards, and the Saints as a whole to 34 net rushing yards. It's hard to tell how much of this was due to great defense and how much to the underperforming Saints offensive line. Probably both, but it was a stellar performance regardless.
TEN Pass Defense - The Titans pass rush kept steady pressure on Drew Brees throughout the game, and often forced him to unload before he was ready. Still, they were able to sack Brees only once (which did produce a fumble thanks to a nice strip by DE Travis LaBoy). The secondary did a solid job containing the Saints receivers and preventing any of them from going off, plus they came up with four INT's, three by LB Keith Bulluck. QB Drew Brees, Pass: 29 - 45 - 225 - 0 TD / 4 INT, Rush: 1 - 9 - 0 - Brees started slowly and was not able to muster a first down until the second quarter. He hurried his throws at times, but he was sacked only once. Going into the fourth quarter, he was actually having an okay game, and the Saints were trailing by only three points. In fact, it seemed as though he was getting a little rhythm and gaining confidence. But on the last play of the third quarter, Brees scrambled for a first down and took a hard shot to the head, and he completely unraveled after that. On the very next play, he was sacked and fumbled the ball away, and thereafter he was shaky and seemed to lack confidence. Perhaps Brees was more affected by the blow to the head then he let on--who knows. Whatever the case, his fourth quarter was a complete disaster, which included three INT's, one of which was returned for a TD. Surprisingly, Brees' favorite target in this game was WR Lance Moore, though he frequently looked for Marques Colston as well.RB Reggie Bush, Rush: 7 - 15 - 2, Rec: 6 - 20 - 0 (8 targets) - Bush was well contained by the Titans defense and was limited to one yard or less on five of his seven carries (though two of those carries were one yard TD runs). As usual, he was quite active in the passing game, catching six of eight balls sent his way (he was targeted two other times on plays negated by penalties). Bush's mediocre stat lines are becoming disturbingly common, though the two TD's saved him in this case.
RB Aaron Stecker, Rush: 3 - 6 - 0, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (3 targets) - Stecker saw the field more than usual after McAllister left with his injury, a trend that may continue now that McAllister is out for the season. He didn't have any more success running the ball than his teammates, however.
RB Deuce McAllister, Rush: 4 - 5 - 0, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (2 targets) - McAllister was having a fairly miserable game until the disastrous knee injury sidelined him in the middle of the second quarter. The Saints offensive line seemed incapable of opening holes, and all of the RB's had trouble finding room to run.
RB Mike Karney, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) - Karney had one carry and one reception.
WR Lance Moore, Rec: 6 - 54 - 0 (10 targets) - Moore was very active in this game and was thrown to more than any other Saints receiver. His final stats weren't stellar, but he made an impression at least.
WR Marques Colston, Rec: 4 - 68 - 0 (8 targets) - Colston led his team in receiving yards and had a big 37 yard catch that helped set up the first Saint TD. He also came close to scoring in the third quarter (Bush went over from the one on the next play). Inexplicably, Colston was targeted only once in the fourth quarter, a pass that was intercepted and nearly returned for a TD.
WR Terrance Copper, Rec: 2 - 23 - 0 (3 targets) - Copper did not have a ball thrown his way until the third quarter, so he obviously did not figure strongly in the Saints' game plan. He finished with two catches for 23 yards.
WR David Patten, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - Patten was hardly involved in this game, but at least he caught the only pass sent his way.
WR Devery Henderson, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (2 targets) - Henderson continues to be nearly invisible in this offense.
TE Eric Johnson, Rec: 5 - 23 - 0 (6 targets) - Johnson was Brees' safety valve in this game, catching five of the six short passes thrown his way.
PK Olindo Mare 0 - 0 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points - Mare had 2 PAT's, and that's it.
NO Rush Defense - The Saints were obviously determined to stop the Titans rushing attack, and while they prevented White and Brown from going off, but they did not prevent Tennessee from controlling the clock, and ultimately the game. S Josh Bullocks (nine solo tackles) played close to the line, and most of his tackles came in run support.
NO Pass Defense - The Saints were not able to mount a consistent pass rush, and Young often had all the time he wanted to throw. No secondary can cover opposing receivers forever, so blame Young's solid performance on the front seven more than the cover guys. Maligned CB Jason David came up with an INT, the only Titans miscue of the night.Cleveland Browns 24, Oakland Raiders 26
What you need to know
Cleveland Browns - Despite falling behind early by a score of 16-0, the Browns rallied to take the lead before falling down by two scores again and nearly rallying to beat the Raiders on the road in a defining game for both teams. Derek Anderson had an up and down afternoon, finishing 18 of 37 for 248 yards with one touchdown pass and two interceptions on passes where he failed to see the roving linebacker underneath his intended tight end.With a flurry of activity on the final two drives, Kellen Winslow led the team in targets, receptions and yards on the day with six catches for 88 yards. Early in the game, Anderson's favorite target appeared to be Braylon Edwards, who likewise had a roller coaster afternoon, finishing the day with four receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown. Joe Jurevicius came on late to catch three balls for 33 yards, with Tim Carter adding a fourteen yard reception. Out of the backfield, Jamal Lewis and Jason Wright each caught two balls, going for 22 and eight yards respectively.
A key difference in the Browns offense versus the week prior when they scored 51 points versus the Bengals was a relative lack of running game. Jamal Lewis was only given fifteen carries, gaining 56 yards on the afternoon, with his long of fifteen yards coming early in the game. Jason Wright added thirteen yards on one carry. Late in the game when Jamal Lewis was unable to score from the two yard line, the Browns followed up with a bootleg by Derek Anderson, who went in for the score on a day where he officially received two carries for twelve yards.
Oakland Raiders - The Raiders opened the day at quarterback with Josh McCown, but saw him forced out of action after coming up limping on multiple occasions throughout the first half. Daunte Culpepper came in to replace McCown during the first half, and took over for good in the second half. Neither was especially productive, and as such it is unclear who the starting quarterback shall remain moving forward if both are healthy.McCown finished six of twelve for 108 yards and one touchdown, while Culpepper completed eight of fourteen passes for 118 yards and no touchdowns. Ronald Curry led Raiders receivers with three catches for 62 yards and a touchdown reception from Josh McCown. Both Jerry Porter and Mike Williams failed to get untracked in this game, hauling in just one ball each, going for 20 and 24 yards respectively, though Williams was stripped of the ball on his only catch of the day. Both quarterbacks looked to their tight ends on deep outs, with John Madsen the recipient of three balls for 61 yards and Zach Miller contributing one catch for thirteen yards. Oakland also saw contribution from their running backs, with LaMont Jordan adding two catches for 32 yards, while fullback Justin Griffith caught two balls for seven yards and Justin Fargas hauled in one pass for seven yards.
After seeing a 16-0 lead evaporate, the Raiders dedicated themselves to a heavy dose of the running game in an effort to wear down the Browns defense. With a balanced attack from LaMont Jordan and Justin Fargas, they were able to successfully move the chains on the ground most of the day this way. Jordan carried the ball 29 times for 121 yards on the afternoon with one score, while Fargas added 50 yards on eight carries. Though hobbled most of the first quarter, McCown showed more mobility in the pocket than Culpepper, running the ball four times for fifteen yards.
What you ought to know
QB Derek Anderson, Pass: 18 - 37 - 248 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 2 - 12 - 1 - Though Anderson did a decent job of going through his progressions and finding the open receiver at various points throughout the game, he was also guilty at points of fixating on getting the ball to Braylon Edwards or Kellen Winslow when there were other receivers clearly more open. On his touchdown pass to Edwards, and at times throughout the game, Anderson showed good accuracy in his passes. Although at various points throughout the game, he was missing his receivers badly, and gave them no chance to catch the ball. Anderson threw two interceptions in this game on virtually identical plays, while trying to hit his tight end deep across the middle of the field, but failing to see the linebacker sneak underneath and intercept his pass. When he was good, he looked pretty good. But when he was bad, he was awful.RB Jamal Lewis, Rush: 15 - 56 - 0, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (3 targets) - Lewis was unable to get untracked in this game as the Browns trailed by scores of 16-0 and 26-17 throughout the game and were committed to throwing the ball. Lewis broke off a fifteen yard run early in the game when he was able to get outside, but failed to show a great deal when trying to run up the middle in this game. This included a carry from the two yard line in the fourth quarter where he failed to score, and subsequently the Browns followed up with a Derek Anderson bootleg.
RB Jason Wright, Rush: 1 - 13 - 0, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (3 targets) - Wright spelled Lewis primarily on third downs and late in the game in clear passing situations.
WR Braylon Edwards, Rec: 4 - 83 - 1 (7 targets) - Edwards began the afternoon with a nice catch down the sidelines over the shoulder where he tipped the ball to himself to avoid the defender, but later dropped an easy pass over the middle which would have gone for a first down. Edwards was blanketed much of the afternoon, but came free across the middle of the end zone to catch a 21 yard touchdown on a perfect pass from Derek Anderson in the third quarter of this game to temporarily put the Browns ahead.
WR Joe Jurevicius, Rec: 3 - 33 - 0 (6 targets) - Jurevicius was quiet most of the afternoon until catching a few balls late, but also was wide open at various points throughout the game where Anderson either failed to throw the ball his way or completely missed his intended target.
TE Kellen Winslow Jr, Rec: 6 - 88 - 0 (10 targets) - The Raiders made every effort to commit a safety over the top and linebacker underneath to cover Winslow, and slowed him down before allowing him to accrue team leading targets and catches on the Browns comeback drives late in the game.
TE Steve Heiden (4 targets) - Heiden finished the afternoon with zero catches, despite being wide open in the back of the end zone on an errant throw from Anderson as well as other points during the afternoon.
PK Phil Dawson 1 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points - Dawson and the Browns suffered the same curse the Raiders had one week earlier; believing they had just kicked a field goal to win the game, only to have the referees blow the whistle and acknowledge a late timeout request prior to the attempted kick. After initially connecting from forty yards out to win the game, Dawson's second attempt was blocked. Earlier in the game he had connected from 23 yards out and was successful on both extra points.
CLE Rush Defense - The Browns were gashed for 186 yards on the ground, worn down by the pair of LaMont Jordan and Justin Fargas, who averaged over 4.5 yards per carry. The only highlight of the afternoon was a fumble recovery on a botched handoff attempt to LaMont Jordan.
CLE Pass Defense - The Browns did not let themselves get beat through the air, though did find difficulty in covering the tight ends throughout the game. Daunte Culpepper and Josh McCown combined for 226 yards and no interceptions. The Browns pass defense picked up two sacks and forced a fumble by Mike Williams in this game. QB Josh McCown, Pass: 6 - 12 - 108 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 15 - 0 - McCown gritted his way through the first half, trying to stay out on the field in fear of losing his starting position to Daunte Culpepper, but foot and other injuries finally knocked him out of this game for good. Before exiting, McCown exhibited that grittiness on a couple of nice scrambles and made a couple of nice touch passes, but also missed his receiver badly on a couple of passes as well.QB Daunte Culpepper, Pass: 8 - 14 - 118 - 0 TD / 0 INT - Culpepper was shuffled in and out of the game in the first half before taking over for an injured Josh McCown for good in the second half of this game, but was never really asked to make too many plays, handing the ball off to his effective rushing attack most of the game. Daunte did not turn the ball over in this game, and helped put the Raiders in the win column for the first time this season.
RB LaMont Jordan, Rush: 29 - 121 - 1, Rec: 2 - 32 - 0 (2 targets) - With a heavy dose on the ground to grind out this game, Jordan was often spelled and was less involved in the passing game than usual. Jordan's long run of the day for 25 yards came on the Raiders opening drive of the fourth quarter to help extend the lead to two scores. While LaMont Jordan did score one touchdown, it was his third attempt within the two on that drive, though the Raiders did show the commitment to giving him the ball in that situation.
RB Justin Fargas, Rush: 8 - 50 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) - Fargas was inserted into this game often to give LaMont Jordan a break and to provide an alternative running style to Jordan for the Raiders. The announcers in this game reminded the viewing audience of the USC offense which Raiders coach Lane Kiffin led, with the dynamic duo of Reggie Bush and Lendale White, and compared the current backfield to their individual running styles.
WR Ronald Curry, Rec: 3 - 62 - 1 (6 targets) - Curry was targeted successfully a number of times by Josh McCown early in the game, though became less involved with Daunte Culpepper in the game. Curry had an opportunity to add a second touchdown, but was clearly held by the Browns defender to prevent the score.
WR Jerry Porter, Rec: 1 - 20 - 0 (6 targets) - Porter was targeted a number of times in the red zone, however errant passes prevented Porter from hauling in a touchdown against the Browns.
WR Mike Williams, Rec: 1 - 24 - 0 (5 targets) - Williams found himself open much of the afternoon, but did not help himself out by dropping a potential touchdown reception and losing a fumble to let Cleveland back in the game. After making a nice catch across the middle of the field, Williams was stripped of the ball and was not targeted again in the final 26 minutes of the game.
TE John Madsen, Rec: 3 - 61 - 0 (3 targets) - Madsen successfully converted all of his targets, and was open down the seam on multiple other occasions throughout this game as well, a fact teams in the future will have to take notice of if they want to slow down the Raiders tight ends.
TE Zach Miller, Rec: 1 - 13 - 0 (2 targets) - Miller combined with fellow tight end John Madsen to give the Browns defense matchup problems for much of the afternoon, though quarterbacks Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper were not always successful in getting the ball to them downfield.
PK Sebastian Janikowski 4 - 4 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 14 points - Janikowski rebounded to connect on all four field goal attempts from 22, 23, 32 and 48 yards out in addition to successfully connecting on both extra point attempts.
OAK Rush Defense - The Raiders slowed down a Cleveland Browns rushing offense which had looked very effective the week before in part by limiting Jamal Lewis from getting outside, and secondarily by grinding out the game on offense to keep their own defense fresh and keep Cleveland from gaining the ball.
OAK Pass Defense - The Raiders linebackers came up with the biggest plays of the afternoon, getting underneath deep outs intended for the tight end to intercept a pair of passes intended for Derek Anderson. They picked up just one sack on the afternoon, but held the Browns to less than a 50% completion percentage.Minnesota Vikings 10, Kansas City Chiefs 13
What you need to know
Minnesota Vikings - Kelly Holcomb got the start at quarterback for the Vikings in place of the injured Tarvaris Jackson. He played as well as one would expect from a player who joined his team in the preseason, and had only practiced with the first string for the past week. He played well in spots, but was frequently off target with his receivers, primarily down field.Adrian Peterson was again the primary focus of the offensive attack. Out of 63 offensive plays, Peterson had 28 touches. He carried the ball early and often and only came out when needing a breather.
None of the Vikings receivers had a huge day, but Visanthe Shiancoe seemed to be a guy Holcomb leaned on during the game. Shiancoe led the team with 51 yards, and Bobby Wade led the team with four receptions.
Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs were intent on getting the ground game going and stayed with it the entire game. Larry Johnson had trouble finding running room for most of the afternoon, finishing with just 42 yards on the ground and losing five on his only reception.Damon Huard played efficiently, and improved as the game went on. The Chiefs had little offense in the first half, but Huard finally started to connect on some of his deep passes in the second half and finished with 206 yards and a touchdown.
Tony Gonzalez and Dwayne Bowe carried the receiving corp. Gonzalez lead the team in both receptions (seven) and yards (96). Bowe had the teams only touchdown and added 71 yards on his five receptions.
What you ought to know
QB Kelly Holcomb, Pass: 14 - 28 - 165 - 0 TD / 0 INT - Holcomb got the start in place of the injured Tarvaris Jackson. Coach Childress did not announce the starter until the day of the game, but Holcomb did practice all week with the first unit. His timing was off with his receivers on deeper throws, but he did look comfortable throwing underneath. He did go through stretches where he was indecisive, holding the ball too long. He was sacked five times largely as a direct result of his difficulty getting through his progression. He finished with 165 yards, and no touchdowns. He did miss Robert Ferguson who was wide open in the end zone, but overthrew him.RB Adrian Peterson, Rush: 25 - 102 - 1, Rec: 3 - 48 - 0 (3 targets) - Peterson was the focus of the Vikings attack throughout the day. He received a steady load of carries starting with the first series of the game. The Vikings six play drive, four of which were Peterson runs, was their only touchdown drive of the game. Peterson capped it off with a fantastic individual play, making a move on Ty Law to get to the outside and speed into the end zone. Peterson had his speed, power, and elusiveness on display at various times of the game. Peterson took one short pass from Holcomb and sped up the sideline for 35 yards, finishing the run by bowling over a defensive back. The Chiefs did bottle Peterson up on a number of players, but Peterson often made something out of nothing. Peterson did also make some rookie mistakes, occasionally looking impatient waiting for his blockers, and instead ran past or into them instead of waiting for the hole to develop. One of the biggest notes on Peterson though was his presence on passing downs. Multiple times, he bought time for Holcomb by picking up a blitzing defender, which would bold well for seeing more time on the field in these situations.
RB Mewelde Moore, Pass: 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 21 - 0, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (3 targets) - Moore served primarily as breather back for Adrian Peterson. He did play the entire series for a couple of possessions, but was in mainly after multiple Peterson carries and some obvious passing downs. Moore also had a pass attempt, hitting a wide open Visanthe Shiancoe in the end zone, but was incomplete. The play was reviewed, and appeared to actually be a completion, but the only replay angle was not conclusive.
WR Bobby Wade, Rec: 4 - 35 - 0 (7 targets) - Wade was a frequent target for Holcomb, but their timing did not seem to be in tune. His first target was a short pass and Wade made the first defender miss with a nice spin move and turned it up field for a first down. Wade also had another five yard reception called back by an illegal shift penalty.
WR Sidney Rice, Rec: 2 - 21 - 0 (5 targets) - Rice was targeted frequently early in the game, and appeared to be who Holcomb looked for on third downs. His first catch was on a third and eight, going for ten yards at the sideline. Rice was targeted on the next Vikings third down, running a comeback route, but Holcomb overthrew him. In the second quarter, Holcomb threw his way again on a third and eight, but misfired again. Rice's next target was again on a third down in the third quarter, converting for 11 yards. His final target was in the fourth quarter, on a third and seven, but was unable to make the play.
TE Visanthe Shiancoe, Rec: 3 - 51 - 0 (4 targets) - Shiancoe had a nice game, catching three of his four targets. His biggest target was a drop in the end zone however. Mewelde Moore hit a wide open Shiancoe in the end zone, and the ruling was an incompletion. Minnesota challenged the call, and it appeared to be a reception, but the only review angle was not conclusive so the ruling was upheld. His first catch was on a first and ten on a deep route making a nice reaching catch and run for 25 yards. His next target was the drop in the end zone. In the second quarter, he made a short catch over the middle for five yards. His last target was not again until the fourth quarter on a second and five, running another deep route and making a nice reaching catch for 21 yards.
PK Ryan Longwell 1 - 1 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points - Longwell converted on his only field goal attempt of 22 yards.
MIN Rush Defense - The Minnesota Vikings rush defense was stout all day, rarely giving Larry Johnson any room to run. Pat Williams and Kevin Williams anchored the rush defense, stuffing almost everything up the middle.
MIN Pass Defense - The Vikings pass defense played adequately. The did give up several big plays, especially in the second half, including Dwayne Bowe beating Cedric Griffin for the touchdown. QB Damon Huard, Pass: 20 - 29 - 206 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 4 - 0 - Huard started slowly, but played much better in the second half. He did take care of the ball, not turning the ball over. He missed a few deep passes badly to Kris Wilson up the sideline, leading Wilson out of bounds. In the second half, those deep passes were more often to Tony Gonzalez, and he started having more success. Huard also just missed a touchdown to Gonzalez in the end zone with the ball just out of reach, and Gonzalez looking for a pass interference call. His lone touchdown pass was a jump ball thrown to Dwayne Bowe in the corner of the end zone which Bowe was able to outreach the defensive back for.RB Larry Johnson, Rush: 24 - 42 - 0, Rec: 1 - -5 - 0 (2 targets) - Johnson had little luck finding any room to run all day. The Chiefs did stay with the running game for the entire afternoon, which was the only reason Johnson was able to manage the 42 yards on the ground he did. His longest run of the day, 28 yards, was called back on a holding penalty. His longest run that counted was nine yards. There was not much room for him to work with all day, but he did show power on several plays, dragging tacklers and making positive yards.
WR Dwayne Bowe, Rec: 5 - 71 - 1 (7 targets) - Bowe had a nice game, with a touchdown catch and being targeted frequently in the second half. He was not targeted at all until the Chiefs' first possession after halftime. His first reception was on a second and 13, Huard found him wide open for 17 yards. Later on the same drive, Huard was hit as he threw to Bowe up the sideline, but the ball fluttered and two defenders were able to get to the ball at the same time as Bowe. Two possessions later, Bowe made a nice reception, jumping back for the ball for a 15 yard reception. Later on the same drive, Huard threw deep to Bowe, who had to jump and reach for the ball. Bowe had the ball go through his hands, and he probably should have caught it. Huard came back to Bowe on the next play for 17 yards. After another reception on the same drive, Huard threw Bowe a jump ball in the endzone, and Bowe pulled the ball away from the defender for a touchdown.
WR Samie Parker, Rec: 1 - 22 - 0 (2 targets) - Parker was the only wide receiver other than Bowe to make a reception. His lone reception was a short pass that Parker was able to make a move, and use his speed to turn it into a 22 yard gain. His only other target was a deep route Huard missed him on.
TE Tony Gonzalez, Rec: 7 - 96 - 0 (9 targets) - Gonzalez led the Chiefs with nine receptions. His first target was on their first play, deep down the middle but was overthrown by Huard. He did not get another look until late in the second quarter, short over the middle and Gonzalez was able to turn it into a 14 yard reception. Later on the same drive, Huard threw deep to Gonzalez in the end zone. Gonzalez had to dive for it and it went just off his fingertips. He got up looking for a pass interference call as he was falling down as the ball arrived, but he did not get the call. He was targeted more frequently in the second half, with six more targets he turned into 6 receptions and 82 yards.
PK Dave Rayner 2 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points - Rayner converted on field goals of 39 and 49 yard with no misses.
KC Rush Defense - The Kansas City rush defense played well, but Adrian Peterson was able to get too many big plays. They bottled him up frequently, and had several tackles for losses, but Peterson was able to get the first 100 yard game the Chiefs gave up at home in several years.
KC Pass Defense - The Kansas City pass defense was able to bottle up the Vikings pass game, giving up an average of just 1.4 yards per passing play. Holcomb suffered several coverage sacks. Jared Allen, fresh off his two game suspension, lead the defensive pressure and finishing with two sacks.Buffalo Bills 7, New England Patriots 38
What you need to know
Buffalo Bills - J.P. Losman was injured on the first play of the game when DL Vince Wilfork hit Losman in the knee. Losman limped around but stayed in the game for the next two plays. On third down, he failed to see CB Ellis Hobbs on a cornerback blitz and was sacked and fumbled. He did not return to the game.QB Trent Edwards saw his first NFL action against the stout New England defense. His first drive went 80 yards over 12 plays and culminated in a touchdown run by RB Marshawn Lynch. The next five possessions resulted in zero first downs. The Bills did not put up another point following the Lynch touchdown run.
LB Paul Posluszny broke his forearm in the first half. After he left the game, the Patriots focused on pounding the ball up the middle and put up 35 unanswered points.
Marshawn Lynch was the lone bright spot for the Bills. He ran hard and willed his way into the end zone on his team's only score.
Lee Evans was targeted five times but only hauled in one catch for seven yards. No Bills' receiver ended up with more than two catches or more than 27 yards.
New England Patriots - The New England Patriots once again piled on the points as they put up 38 points for the third consecutive week. Fast friends QB Tom Brady and WR Randy Moss exploited the inexperienced Bills' secondary for another pair of touchdowns.The Patriots also spread the ball around both on the ground and in the air. Four different players carried the ball and eight caught it in the air. They started off very slowly, only managing a single field goal until midway through the 2nd quarter despite two trips to the red zone. QB Tom Brady fumbled the ball while attempting to squeeze his way through the pile into the endzone for a touchdown.
The Patriots' defense dominated the Bills' offense in every fashion. After the Bills' single touchdown the Patriots' defense made some adjustments on the fly and simply shut down the Bills' offense in every way. QB Trent Edwards and his team were unable to complete a first down for five consecutive plays after their lone score.
Midway through the 4th quarter QB Matt Cassel spelled Brady but did not throw a pass, as the Patriots ran the ball to kill the clock.
TE Ben Watson caught a touchdown for the third straight game.
RB Laurence Maroney ran for 103 yards but RB Sammy Morris had the only rushing touchdown for the Patriots. Maroney was not seeing much time on 3rd down or in goal line or red zone situations.
What you ought to know
QB Trent Edwards, Pass: 10 - 20 - 97 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - QB Trent Edwards had no NFL experience heading into today's game but that did not stop him from leading the Bills on a 12 play 80 yard touchdown drive on his first possession of the game. He made a nice 21 yard pass to WR Josh Reed on the sideline and converted three third downs on the drive including a 13 yard pass to WR Roscoe Parrish over the middle on third and eight. The next five drives failed to result in a single first down and the Bills did not put up another point the rest of the way. The Patriots' defense adjusted well to the new looks the Bills were giving them on offense and the game was pretty much over in the second quarter. His lone interception occurred after he threw the ball too high and behind the receiver in the 4th quarter. Overall, he did not look good outside of his first drive of the game where he was four for five on attempts for 55 yards. Over the rest of the game he only completed six of 15 for 42 yards. In general, the wide receivers on the Bills looked capable and willing to make the extra effort to bring in balls but Edwards' inexperience and the Patriots' mid-game defensive adjustments proved too much. Following the QB Tom Brady goal line fumble, the Bills were pushed back deep in their zone. On the first play, Edwards nearly ran out of the back of the end zone for a safety. Lacking confidence in their quarterback, the Bills ran the ball on second and third downs down in an effort to give P Brian Moorman some room to punt, effectively giving up on the drive.QB J.P. Losman, Pass: 1 - 1 - 4 - 0 TD / 0 INT - Losman only lasted one drive in this game before leaving with an injury. On the first play, DL Vince Wilfork hit Losman in the knee. He lasted two more plays but after being sacked by CB Ellis Hobbs two plays later he never returned. He fumbled the ball on the sack.
RB Marshawn Lynch, Rush: 20 - 74 - 1, Rec: 2 - 6 - 0 (2 targets) - Lynch was the lone bright spot for the Bills on either side of the ball. He bulldozed his way into the end zone on an eight yard touchdown run in the 1st quarter. His overall numbers suffered due to the team's ineptitude over the final three quarters of the game.
Lynch had the best rushing day of any running back against the Patriots so far this season. After the game was out of hand, rookie RB Dwayne Wright saw some garbage time action.RB Dwayne Wright, Rush: 6 - 36 - 0 - Wright came into the game late in the fourth quarter in place of Marshawn Lynch. He averaged an impressive six yards per carry, but the game was already out of reach and the Patriots were just happy to let the time run out.
RB Anthony Thomas - Thomas came into the game for the Bills on a couple of third down plays but he did not touch the ball.
WR Peerless Price, Rec: 2 - 23 - 0 (5 targets) - Price caught two passes on five targets.
WR Josh Reed, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (2 targets) - Reed brought in two catches and made a nice effort on a 21 yard pass from QB Trent Edwards on the sideline.
WR Roscoe Parrish, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (2 targets) - Parrish converted a third and eight pass over the middle for 13 yards during the Bills' lone touchdown drive. Otherwise, he was as quiet as the rest of the Bills' receiving core.
WR Lee Evans, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (5 targets) - Evans' early season struggles continued. He hauled in a single pass for seven yards. No Bills' player caught more than two balls in the game so Evans' production issues are likely the result of a worrisome team-wide offensive problem which will likely be heightened if J.P. Losman is out for an extender period of time.
TE Robert Royal (1 targets) - Royal was targeted once and did not make any catches. QB Trent Edwards targeted his tight ends only three times against the Patriots.
PK Rian Lindell 0 - 0 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 1 points - Lindell had no field goal attempts and easily converted his only extra point attempt.
BUF Rush Defense - A variety of Patriots' running backs found success running the ball against the Bills' defense, especially after LB Paul Posluszny broke his forearm in the first half of the game. The Patriots then focused on running the ball up the middle and put up 35 unanswered points. The entire Bills' defense spent too much time on the field while the offense limped through five consecutive possessions without a first down.
The Patriots held the ball for nearly 10 minutes longer than the Bills' offense.
The Patriots gained 177 total yards on the ground for an average of 4.7 yards a carry.
BUF Pass Defense - The Bills' young secondary was brutalized by QB Tom Brady. The lack of experience in the secondary really hurt the Bills especially on another 45 yard pass to Moss in which he was left wide open running down the sideline.Also following the injury to Posluszny, the Bills featured a nickel defensive formation for most of the game.
QB Tom Brady, Pass: 23 - 29 - 311 - 4 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0 - Brady had all day to pass as the Bills only mustered a single sack and very little pressure. It seemed as if Brady was exercising his will against the depleted and inexperienced Bills' defense. His 45 yard touchdown toss to WR Randy Moss was perfectly placed as Moss only had to reach up and snatch the ball out of the air as he scampered into the endzone. He also hit a wide open Moss earlier in the game for another 45 yard pass. He fumbled the ball on the Bills' goal line in the second quarter while trying to sneak into the end zone. He continued to spread the ball around -- throwing balls to eight different receivers and handing off to four different running backs.QB Matt Cassel - Cassel relieved QB Tom Brady in the fourth quarter but did not attempt any passes.
RB Laurence Maroney, Rush: 19 - 103 - 0 (1 targets) - Maroney was the featured running back for the Patriots and he rushed for over 100 yards against the Bills. It was the third time Maroney has hit the century mark in his career. He failed to get into the end zone despite an ample supply of scoring chances for the Patriots.
The Patriots continued to feature a cadre of running backs. In goal line situations, RB Heath Evans and RB Sammy Morris were usually featured in the backfield. On 3rd downs, RB Kevin Faulk stepped in. Maroney was also not a primary (or secondary) receiving target for QB Tom Brady coming out of the backfield but he did average almost five and a half yards per carry.RB Sammy Morris, Rush: 12 - 46 - 1 - Morris was a key aspect of the Patriots' rushing attack against the Bills. While spelling RB Laurence Maroney, Morris managed 46 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. He did not catch the ball during the game.
RB Kevin Faulk, Rush: 2 - 14 - 0, Rec: 5 - 38 - 0 (5 targets) - Faulk had 54 total yards on two rushing attempts and five receptions. On 4th and seven in the 2nd quarter, Faulk was stopped inches on short of converting the 1st down on a reception.
Faulk was QB Tom Brady's favorite target out of the backfield and he was featured on 3rd down extensively.WR Wes Welker, Rec: 6 - 69 - 0 (6 targets) - Welker caught several balls over the middle and helped to spark the Patriots after some early team struggles.
On his longest reception of the day, he lateraled the ball to WR Randy Moss as he was going down which resulted in an additional eleven yards on the play. That type of heads-up play is going to make him a favorite of the coaching staff, his quarterback, and the fans.WR Randy Moss, Rec: 5 - 115 - 2 (7 targets) - Moss had another spectacular game for the Patriots. He had two receptions of 45 yards including a stellar touchdown pass where he just need to reach up and grab the ball while running into the endzone. Brady placed the ball where only the tall receiver could grab it.
WR Wes Welker also lateraled the ball to Moss in the third quarter. Welker had already gained 28 yards but the pitch to Moss resulted in another 11 yards and the subsequent play resulted in a touchdown for the Patriots. It was a heads-up play for both wide receivers.WR Jabar Gaffney, Rec: 2 - 15 - 1 (3 targets) - Gaffney caught two passes including a short touchdown toss from QB Tom Brady. He was only targeted three times and was overshadowed by the output of WR Randy Moss and WR Wes Welker.
WR Donte Stallworth, Rec: 1 - 28 - 0 (1 targets) - Stallworth only caught a single pass for 28 yards and was very quiet overall. QB Tom Brady had little need to check down on his receiving options as WR Randy Moss and WR Wes Welker had big days against the young and inexperienced secondary for the Bills.
TE Ben Watson, Rec: 2 - 17 - 1 (2 targets) - Watson caught a touchdown for the third straight game in the first quarter.
PK Stephen Gostkowski 1 - 1 FG, 5 - 5 XP, 8 points - Gostkowski nailed five extra points and was good on his only field goal attempt.
NE Rush Defense - The entire Patriots' defense was solid in every facet. RB Marshawn Lynch ran the ball well but the Patriots held him to only 74 yards on the ground (which was still the best effort against the Patriots to date). At one point in the game, the Bills endured five consecutive possessions without a first down. By the time the Bills managed a first down, the game was already out of hand. Outside of the one touchdown drive, the Patriots' only allowed only three first downs (all of which were in the final quarter).
NE Pass Defense - The Patriots' let up a few big pass plays to QB Trent Edwards on his first possession of the game. It appeared like the Bills' offense was giving the Patriots' defense some unfamiliar formations and looks up front. But what makes the Patriots so dangerous is their ability to adjust within the flow of the game, and they did just that. After the touchdown run by RB Marshawn Lynch the Patriots put the clamps down and the Bills' offense was unable to muster anything of note for the rest of the game.The Patriots also had two sacks as well a fumble recovery on the cornerback blitz by CB Ellis Hobbs which knocked Losman out of the game for good. Losman never saw Hobbs coming.
Training camp holdout CB Asante Samuel had the Patriots' only interception of the day.
Carolina Panthers 27, Atlanta Falcons 20
What you need to know
Carolina Panthers - The Carolina offense was able to run the ball successfully against the Atlanta defense. Due to the success on the ground, Jake Delhomme wasn't forced to try to win the game with his arm. He threw just 18 times, completing 10 of those passes. He finished with 109 yards and two touchdowns. Delhomme left the game late in the third quarter with an apparent elbow injury. David Carr came in and completed three of four passes for 56 yards.DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams carried the ball a combined 31 times for 169 yards. Foster was the workhorse in the game, picking up the tough yards. Foster scored once on the ground and once on a pass into the end zone. Williams was the change of pace running back and played well averaging over four yards per carry.
The leading receiver in the game was the tight end Jeff King. He caught four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. Steve Smith didn't have a catch until there were ten minutes left in the fourth quarter. DeAngelo Hall covered him exclusively and basically shut him down.
The Carolina rush defense gave up a couple of big runs but otherwise kept the Atlanta running game in check. Combined, Dunn and Norwood gained 87 rushing yards on 17 carries. The Panthers were unable to get pressure on the quarterback though. By not being able to get to Harrington, he had all day to throw and was able to find open receivers. The Panthers pass defense gave up 361 yards and two touchdowns.
Atlanta Falcons - The signing of Byron Leftwich may have Joey Harrington thinking it's now or never to produce. Harrington looked inspired and kept Atlanta in the game. He completed 31 of 44 passes for 361 yards and two touchdowns.The Falcons only ran the ball 17 times but they did pick up 87 yards. Dunn was effective when he had the chance to run. He carried the ball 11 times for 55 yards. Norwood added six carries for 32 yards including a 26 yard burst.
Roddy White had a career day catching seven passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown was on a short pass but he broke a tackle at midfield and went all the way for the score. Michael Jenkins and Alge Crumpler each added six catches. Crumpler scored when he was able to break a tackle over the middle.
The Atlanta rush defense was unable to contain the Panthers running game. They gave up 176 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The Falcons defense was very good against the pass. DeAngelo Hall got the better of Steve Smith in terms of stats but Hall blew up in the third quarter. On the same drive, Hall committed three penalties on Smith for a total of 67 yards. The drive ended in a touchdown that tied the game at 17-17.
What you ought to know
QB Jake Delhomme, Pass: 10 - 18 - 109 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 1 - 0 - Delhomme made a lot happen with a few throws connecting on ten of 18 passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown was a beautifully thrown ball over the shoulder of Foster right near the pylon. Later he connected with Jeff King at the goal line and King was able to stretch the ball over the line for the touchdown. Late in the third quarter, Delhomme threw an incomplete pass to the right and immediately held the elbow on his throwing arm. He was not hit on the play and did not return to the game.QB David Carr, Pass: 3 - 4 - 56 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - -1 - 0 - Carr came into the game after Delhomme left the game with what appeared to be an elbow injury. He completed three of four passes for 56 yards and led the Panthers to their final ten points and the win.
RB DeShaun Foster, Rush: 20 - 122 - 1, Rec: 1 - 13 - 1 (2 targets) - Foster rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown on just 20 carries. Foster was the go to back late in the game when the tough yards were needed. Foster picked up seven first downs on the ground. He picked up 49 rushing yards in the fourth quarter. With the Panthers up just seven points, Foster picked up three first downs on their final drive to run the clock out on the Falcons. Foster's only catch of the game was on a great over the shoulder catch on the edge of the end zone. The play was challenged and upheld.
RB DeAngelo Williams, Rush: 11 - 47 - 0 - While Foster picked up the tough yards, Williams was the speed back. He carried the ball 11 times for 47 yards. He wasn't targeted in the passing game though. Williams picked up a couple of first downs in the game. Of note was when Carolina got inside the Atlanta 15 yard line, Foster was the featured back.
WR Keary Colbert, Rec: 3 - 52 - 0 (4 targets) - Colbert made three catches for 52 yards. He made an excellent five yard grab on a fast, high pass from Delhomme. Later in the game, David Carr hit Colbert deep for a 38 yard completion. It set up a Carolina field goal that put them up by ten points.
WR Steve Smith, Rush: 1 - 6 - 0, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (6 targets) - Smith was blanketed by DeAngelo Hall the entire game. Smith had two uncharacteristic drops early on and he didn't have a catch until there were 10 minutes left in the game. While he didn't contribute with stats, Smith did cause Hall to blow up and possibly cost the Falcons the game. Smith had him beat and forced Hall to commit a 37 yard pass interference penalty. On the very next play Hall was hit with a 15 yard personal foul. On the same drive, Hall continued to jaw at Smith and another 15 yard penalty was thrown on Hall. Carolina then scored a touchdown. So even though he only had one catch, Smith should probably be credited with an assist on the Panthers second touchdown.
WR Drew Carter, Rec: 1 - 17 - 0 (1 targets) - Carter was targeted just one time and caught the pass for a 17 yard gain.
TE Jeff King, Rec: 4 - 56 - 1 (7 targets) - King was the favorite target of Delhomme. He was targeted seven times and caught four of them. He gained 56 yards and scored a touchdown on a pass that he caught right at the goal line and was able to stretch the ball across the line. King and Delhomme were starting to build good chemistry so the injury to Delhomme will be something to keep an eye on.
TE Christian Fauria, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Fauria caught the only pass thrown his way. The pass went for a first down on a third and eight play. There was also a roughing the passer penalty on the play so that put the ball on the Atlanta ten yard line. Carolina scored on the next play.
PK John Kasay 2 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 9 points - Kasay made field goals from 45 yards and 49 yards. The 49 yarder was huge since it put Carolina up by two scores with just 5:49 left in the game. He also made all three of his extra point attempts.
CAR Rush Defense - While the Carolina rush defense did allow five yards per carry, they were able to hold the Falcons to just 17 rushing attempts. Atlanta had two big runs for a total of 43 yards. Besides those two runs, they only picked up 44 additional yards on 15 carries. The Atlanta running backs picked up just four first downs on the ground. The defense was helped out by an Atlanta penalty that negated a 14 yard run by Norwood.
CAR Pass Defense - The Panthers pass defense was ripped up for 361 yards and two touchdowns. Both of Atlanta's touchdowns were on pass plays where the defense failed to make the tackle and the receiver ended up scoring on the play. The defense just couldn't get any pressure on Harrington and allowed him to pick apart the defense. The pass defense got one sack in the game. Late in the game the defense allowed Joe Horn to get his hands on a pass in the end zone but he dropped it. QB Joey Harrington, Pass: 31 - 44 - 361 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0 - Harrington had an excellent game throwing for 361 yards and two touchdowns. It was his highest passing yards since week seven of 2006. He spread the ball around to eight different players and was extremely efficient, completing 70% of his passes. Harrington did not throw an interception and was only sacked once after being sacked 13 times in the prior two games.RB Warrick Dunn, Rush: 11 - 55 - 0, Rec: 4 - 13 - 0 (5 targets) - Dunn carried the ball 11 times for 55 yards. He also added four catches for 13 yards. He had a run of 17 yards but fumbled at the end of the run and Carolina recovered. At the end of the first half, Harrington threw to Dunn three straight times in the Carolina red zone. They didn't pick up a first down so Atlanta kicked a field goal. Dunn had another carry in the red zone late in the game. He picked up five yards to the ten yard line. The drive ended in another field goal.
RB Jerious Norwood, Rush: 6 - 32 - 0, Rec: 3 - 34 - 0 (4 targets) - Norwood carried the ball six times for 32 yards. He broke off a 26 yard run which included a face mask penalty on Carolina. The play got the ball down to the Carolina 21 yard line and set up the second Atlanta touchdown. He got just two red zone carries. Norwood had two carries brought back due to penalty negating 19 rushing yards. He caught three passes for 34 yards. Norwood also handled the kickoff return duties and had a couple of good returns. He had a return of 46 yards and another of 44 yards, which ended up being brought back due to an Atlanta penalty.
RB Ovie Mughelli, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) - Mughelli caught one pass for five yards.
WR Roddy White, Rec: 7 - 127 - 1 (9 targets) - White had a career day, catching seven passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown came on a short pass to the left. White broke a tackle at the 50 yard line and raced the rest of the way for the touchdown. Of his seven passes, White picked up four first downs. White received just one red zone target but the pass was incomplete.
WR Michael Jenkins, Rec: 6 - 76 - 0 (8 targets) - Jenkins caught six passes for 76 yards. He picked up four first downs in the game. With Atlanta down 10-7, Jenkins caught two passes for 45 yards. The Falcons tied the game with a field goal on that drive. Later in the game, he caught a nine yard pass that got the ball down to the Carolina 15 yard line. It was his only time with the ball in the red zone. The drive ended in an Atlanta field goal.
WR Joe Horn, Rec: 3 - 36 - 0 (8 targets) - Horn caught three passes 36 yards. Late in the game, with the Falcons down by ten points, Horn dropped a touchdown pass on a ball that he usually catches. It was his only red zone opportunity.
TE Alge Crumpler, Rec: 6 - 63 - 1 (6 targets) - Crumpler was targeted six times in the game. He caught all six passes for 63 yards and a score. With Atlanta at the Carolina 19 yard line, Harrington hit Crumpler for a six yard pass. On the next play, he caught a short pass and was able to score after he broke a tackle at the ten yard line. Overall, Crumpler got four red zone targets in the game.
TE Martrez Milner, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Milner caught a pass for seven yards. It was his only target of the game. The catch was the first of Milner's career.
PK Morten Andersen 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points - Andersen made both of his extra point attempts. He hit field goals from 24 and 25 yards. In the first quarter, Atlanta drove to the Carolina 17 yard line. On the field goal attempt, Michael Koenen fumbled the snap and Andersen wasn't able to attempt the kick.
ATL Rush Defense - The Atlanta rushing defense was run all over by DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams. The defense gave up 176 rushing yards on 32 carries including 122 yards by Foster. They just could not stop Foster when they needed it the most. Late in the game, Foster ran hard and picked up key first downs to run out the clock. Earlier in the game, Foster had a ten yard touchdown run when the defense had him at the five but could not stop his progress to the goal line. Foster carried Lawyer Milloy into the end zone. DeAngelo Williams averaged over four yards a carry, gaining 47 yards on 11 carries. Overall, Carolina picked up 11 first downs on the ground.
ATL Pass Defense - The Atlanta passing defense was playing well early on in the game. DeAngelo Hall was covering Steve Smith exclusively. He had him shut down early but when Hall lost his cool, the momentum seemed to shift to Carolina. Hall was penalized 67 yards on one drive that allowed Carolina to score a touchdown that tied the game 17-17. The Atlanta defense didn't have an interception but they did record four sacks. John Abraham had two of the sacks. While the defense did give up two passing touchdowns, one of them was on a nicely thrown ball by Delhomme. He lofted it perfectly to Foster, who caught it right on the edge of the end zone. The play was reviewed and upheld when the review showed Foster got his second foot down with an inch to spare. It was basically an unstoppable touchdown throw.Indianapolis Colts 30, Houston Texans 24
What you need to know
Indianapolis Colts - The Colts offense put on display the reasons they are considered one of the elite teams in the NFL. Peyton Manning was his usual efficient self in guiding the Colts to three touchdowns on the day. He showed outstanding pocket presence and accuracy, and was only sacked once.Joseph Addai provided the bulk of the rushing offense, allowing the Colts to control the clock and keep the Texan defense on the field during the first three quarters of play. He was able to provide consistent runs of about three yards that allowed the Colts to move the chains.
The Colts receivers showed why they are one of the best units in the league. They were open on multiple pass plays and Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Anthony Gonzalez were frequently targeted by Manning.
Houston Texans - Matt Schaub was efficient, but erratic. For three quarters he was able to guide the Texans down the field, but was undone by two costly interceptions in the third quarter that led to ten Colts points.The Texans were not able to muster any type of consistent rushing attack during the game. Ahman Green left the game twice with leg injuries and was replaced by the committee of Samkon Gado and Jameel Cook.
The only receivers that were able to get open with any consistency were the tight ends on routes over the middle and receivers on quick slant patterns. Owen Daniels provided Schaub with a reliable target over the middle.
What you ought to know
QB Peyton Manning, Pass: 20 - 29 - 273 - 1 TD / 0 INT - Manning opened the game by guiding the Colts on touchdown drives on their first two possessions. He was ten of 12 on the first two drives, with his only incompletions coming on a dump off pass to Addai to avoid a sack and ball thrown into coverage. The Texans were not able to apply any consistent pressure on Manning without blitzing, but when they blitzed Manning would hit his open receivers on quick slants and screens. Manning targeted six different receivers during the game, completing passes to all six. Manning did almost have one interception on a pass thrown to Marvin Harrison that was into double coverage, but the Texans defenders were unable to come up with the interception.RB Joseph Addai, Rush: 22 - 72 - 2, Rec: 3 - 19 - 0 (4 targets) - Addai had an outstanding day running the ball, allowing the Colts to control the flow of the game. The statistics show that he only averaged 3.3 YPC on the day, but that was due to the majority of his runs coming between the tackles. He was able to gain good yardage on plays that went to the outside of the tackles. His first touchdown of the day will be the one that will show up on the highlight films as he was hit while leaping over a defender at the one yard line and flipped into the end zone.
RB Kenton Keith, Rush: 7 - 20 - 0 - Keith saw time in relief of Joseph Addai. He fumbled the ball in Colts territory on the first Colts possession of the fourth quarter with the Colts holding a 27-17 lead. Fortunately the ball was recovered by Reggie Wayne. Keith did not see any action after the fumble.
WR Marvin Harrison, Rec: 6 - 53 - 0 (8 targets) - Harrison showed why he is Manning's favorite target, catching six of the eight passes thrown his way. He was the focus of the passing game in the fourth quarter when the Colts were moving the ball and trying to extend their lead after the Texans scored to make it 27 - 17 at the start of the fourth quarter. Harrison was able to get open and was in sync with Manning all game.
WR Reggie Wayne, Rec: 4 - 84 - 0 (5 targets) - Wayne was only targeted once in the first half as Manning got Gonzalez involved in the offense. Wayne saw four of his five targets in the third quarter as the Colts scored 13 points to open up a 27-10 lead. His key catch was a 64 yard reception on the first play following Matt Schaub's second interception. That reception gave the Colts a first and goal on the seven, but the Colts were only able to gain a field goal on the possession.
WR Anthony Gonzalez, Rec: 2 - 39 - 0 (5 targets) - Gonzalez was targeted five times, catching two, all in the first half. He caught Manning's first pass of the game for a 15 yard gain, and was open on his second reception. He dropped one pass that was catchable, and had another that bounced off of his hands that was thrown into coverage.
TE Dallas Clark, Rec: 4 - 58 - 1 (6 targets) - Clark was open on pass plays over the middle during the game, providing Manning with a reliable outlet. His touchdown came on a two yard pass in the back of the end zone on the first Colts drive.
TE Ben Utecht, Rec: 1 - 20 - 0 (1 targets) - Utecht caught the only pass thrown his way.
PK Adam Vinatieri 3 - 3 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 12 points - Vinatieri was a perfect three for three on extra points and converted three field goals, all from less than 40 yards.
IND Rush Defense - The Colts rush defense played well against the Texans, allowing only 40 rushing yards. Texans runners were not able to get any type of penetration against the Colts defense, with their longest run of the day coming on a quick draw handoff in the first half.
IND Pass Defense - The Colts were able to get consistent pressure on Matt Schaub all game, but were only able to sack him once. Schaub was forced to rush his throws, or find his receivers on medium routes, outlet passes, or screen passes. They did intercept Schaub twice, once on a tipped ball and once on a throw into coverage. QB Matt Schaub, Pass: 27 - 33 - 236 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - 5 - 0 - Schaub was under pressure by the Colts defense all game. He was forced to move around in the pocket in order to find time to hit his receivers on deeper routes, or he would target his tight ends and backs on short routes. He only made one bad decision, throwing an ill advised pass into double coverage while in the red zone that was intercepted. He followed that interception with 13 straight completions to end the game.RB Samkon Gado, Rush: 6 - 12 - 1, Rec: 3 - 9 - 0 (3 targets) - Gado was the primary ball carrier for the Texans when Ahman Green went down with an injury in the first half. He ran hard, even though there was little room to run. As a good indicator of how hard of a game the Texans had rushing the ball, it took Gado two attempts to get the ball in the end zone at the end of the third quarter.
RB Jameel Cook, Rush: 5 - 15 - 0, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (2 targets) - Cook saw time as a part of a committee back approach in the first half when Ahman Green went out with a leg injury. It appeared that the Texans went away from the committee and more toward a feature back system in the second half. He led the team in rushing and had the longest run of the day.
RB Ahman Green, Rush: 4 - 5 - 0, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (2 targets) - Green did little in the game before leaving with a knee injury in the second quarter. He did appear to be injured on the first offensive play of the day, but came back in to play one additional quarter.
RB Vonta Leach, Rec: 1 - 1 - 1 (2 targets) - Leach was only involved in the passing game for the Texans, dropping an easy catch on first down during the second offensive series. He made up for his drop by catching a pass in the flat and taking the ball in on first and goal for the last score of the game.
WR Andre Davis, Rec: 4 - 70 - 0 (5 targets) - Davis was the most targeted wide receiver on the Texans squad as the team tried to compensate for the loss of Andre Johnson. He had one big play, catching a 41 yard pass from Matt Schaub to give the Texans first and goal from the one on the first offensive touchdown drive of the game.
WR Jacoby Jones, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0, Rec: 3 - 26 - 0 (4 targets) - Jones received the start due to the injury to Andre Johnson and was inconsistent. He caught three of the four passes thrown to him, but the one he did not catch was costly as he bobbled the ball leading to the first Colts interception. Jones had to leave the game when he injured his the third quarter.
WR Kevin Walter, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (4 targets) - Walter did not see many balls thrown his way, but was the intended target on Matt Schaub's second interception of the game. Walter did have one 18 yard reception in the third quarter called back due to offensive holding.
WR Jerome Mathis, Rec: 1 - 15 - 0 (1 targets) - Mathis began the game with a bang by returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown. He only saw game action when Jacoby Jones went out with a shoulder injury in the third quarter.
TE Owen Daniels, Rec: 7 - 56 - 0 (7 targets) - Daniels was the primary target for Matt Schaub. He was consistently open over the middle and provided an excellent target when Schaub was in trouble. Daniels was tackled just short of the end zone on his last catch of the game, leading to the second Texan touchdown.
TE Jeb Putzier, Rec: 2 - 19 - 0 (3 targets) - Putzier provided a good complement to Owen Daniels. He caught both passes thrown his way in the fourth quarter on the last Texan touchdown drive of the game.
PK Kris Brown 1 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points - Brown was a perfect three for three on extra points and added a 33 yard field goal in the first half.
HOU Rush Defense - The Texans rush defense performed well against the Colts offense, only allowing Colts runners to gain decent yardage on runs to the outside. Colts backs had little room to run inside as the Texans young defensive front showed that they are an improving unit against the rush.
HOU Pass Defense - The Texans failed to get any type of consistent pressure on Manning. Colts receivers were open for most of the game, and Manning had plenty of time to throw and hit the open receiver. The defense did come close to getting one interception on a pass that was underthrown to Harrison.Miami Dolphins 28, New York Jets 31
What you need to know
Miami Dolphins - Head coach Cam Cameron decided to scrap the RBBC idea -- for this game, anyway -- and let Ronnie Brown out of the doghouse. Brown responded with a career best 211 total yards, scoring three touchdowns off 23 carries for 112 yards and six pass receptions for another 99 yards. No other Dolphins running back had a carry. Coming into this game Miami ranked dead last in rushing, averaging just 65 yards per game and 3.1 yards per carry.Brown's ability to punch holes in the Jets' defensive line at 4.9 yards per carry opened up the secondary for Trent Green, who completed 23 of 36 for 318 yards. He threw one touchdown pass (to Brown) but also threw a backbreaking interception in the third quarter with Miami down just 24 to 13. Offensively, Miami gained 424 total yards, averaged 7.2 yards per play, and scored 28 points, but the Dolphins never led in this game.
After Ronnie Brown tied the game at 7--7, Leon Washington returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. The Dolphin defense held the Jets to 256 yards, but gave up key plays at critical times. New York was able to convert eight of 13 third downs and scored a touchdown with :02 left in first half to extend their lead to 21--13.
On the Dolphins' first touchdown drive, all pro DE Taylor reported as an eligible receiver and lined up at split end. Eric Coleman, the 5' 10" cornerback, tried to cover the 6' 6" Taylor one on one. Green saw the coverage, threw the ball high, and Coleman was flagged for interference. Taylor then lined up at tight end on the left side and two plays later Brown scored the first Miami touchdown running left.
All pro middle linebacker Zach Thomas missed the game with what was described as a mild concussion. Channing Crowder replaced him in the lineup, but how does anyone replace Zach Thomas?
New York Jets - Chad Pennington returned to the Jets' lineup after missing their last game with an ankle injury and demonstrated once again that he is the emotional leader of this team. Heavy tape was visible through Pennington's sock but it did not affect his mobility, such as it is. He was able to slide around the pocket and scramble out of trouble when he had to. He completed 15 of 22 for 124 yards for two touchdowns and even scored a touchdown on a two yard quarterback draw.Thomas Jones played perhaps the key role in the Jets' victory. He rushed 24 times for 110 yards, but 19 carries came in the second half with New York clinging to a lead. Leon Washington actually opened at running back but only carried a total of seven times for 18 yards in spot relief duty for Jones. After