Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14, Indianapolis Colts 33
What you need to know
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - QB Jeff Garcia could not get the team going on offense. In the first six drives, Garcia and the Buccaneers only produced one drive where they got a first down. It was not all Garcia's fault, the receivers dropped several balls and the offensive line was unable to open holes up for the running game.RB Earnest Graham shared time with Michael Pittman early in the game, but Pittman left with an ankle injury in the second quarter. Neither running back had any success on the ground.
WR Joey Galloway dropped several balls during the game, which stopped any chance to gain momentum the Buccaneers had. Hilliard caught all nine balls thrown his way, but one was taken away due to an offside penalty. TE Alex Smith was only targeted three times, but his two receptions were both in the end zone for touchdowns.
Indianapolis Colts - QB Peyton Manning led the Colts to another victory, completely controlling the game while the Colts were on offense. He threw the ball underneath often because the Buccaneers were playing against the long pass, leading him to go 29/37 on the night.RB Joseph Addai sat out, so Kenton Keith started for the Colts. Kenton had success by getting into the end zone on two goal line runs.
TE Dallas Clark caught all three passes from Manning on the opening drive, including a ten yard touchdown reception to cap the drive. Marvin Harrison did not play due to injury, so Anthony Gonzalez became the number two wide receiver, stepping in nicely with 71 yards receiving. Wayne had a nice day with a touchdown catch in the fourth quarter.
The story of this game was the Indianapolis defense, only allowing the Buccaneers to get first downs on three drives on the night, two in the fourth quarter after they were up big.
What you ought to know
QB Jeff Garcia, Pass: 18 - 23 - 143 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0 - Garcia was unable to consistently move the chains. Five of the first six Buccaneers possessions were three and out. He did have two touchdown passes to Alex Smith in the red zone, but failed to find people much more than five yards off of the scrimmage.QB Bruce Gradkowski, Pass: 3 - 4 - 22 - 0 TD / 1 INT - Gradkowski came in late in the fourth quarter to get reps as the Buccaneers were down by 19 points. He was accurate, but the passes were thrown for short gains. The interception he threw went right through Joey Galloway's hands.
RB Earnest Graham, Rush: 6 - 11 - 0, Rec: 2 - 18 - 0 (2 targets) - Graham had a tough time running the ball against the Colts defense. There was rarely a hole to hit, and the Buccaneers quickly gave up the run game. Graham did catch both balls thrown his way, and showed the ability to get away from tacklers when given the chance.
RB Michael Pittman, Rush: 5 - -1 - 0, Rec: 2 - 16 - 0 (2 targets) - Pittman shared time evenly with Graham before getting hurt in the second quarter with an apparent ankle injury, he was carted off.
RB B.J. Askew, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (1 targets) - Askew caught one ball out of the backfield as the fullback for Tampa Bay.
WR Ike Hilliard, Rec: 8 - 58 - 0 (9 targets) - Hilliard was the number two receiver behind Galloway. He caught every pass thrown his way, but most of them were for short gains, except for one 16 yard reception.
WR Joey Galloway, Rec: 4 - 50 - 0 (8 targets) - Galloway dropped a couple of receptions that could have got the Buccaneers going. He was the receiver Jeff Garcia looked for in tough situations, only he could not convert against the stingy Colts defense. Galloway beat the Colts defense down the middle of the field in the fourth quarter but Garcia's throw was under-thrown.
TE Jerramy Stevens, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (2 targets) - Stevens did not get much playing time, and caught both balls thrown his way.
TE Alex Smith, Rec: 2 - 6 - 2 (3 targets) - Smith caught two touchdown passes for the Buccaneers, only being targeted three times. He dropped the other ball which killed a drive, but he caught the ones that counted.
PK Matt Bryant 0 - 0 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points - Bryant made both of his extra points, but did not have an opportunity to produce further than that.
TB Rush Defense - The Tampa Bay rush defense was solid early in the game, but eventually got worn down by the huge gap in time of possession (38:15 to 21:45) due to the offense struggling to stay on the field for more than three plays.
TB Pass Defense - The Tampa Bay pass defense had a difficult time against Peyton Manning, rarely pressuring him. They generally did a good job in coverage, but when Manning has time he is usually going to find someone to throw the ball to and that is what happened. QB Peyton Manning, Pass: 29 - 37 - 253 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - -2 - 0 - Manning was very patient and accurate as he typically is, except on a forced deep pass to Reggie Wayne where the ball was under-thrown and intercepted. Manning showed once again why he is considered one of the best quarterbacks in the league by commanding the game and controlling every aspect of the offense, only making one real mistake all game.RB Kenton Keith, Rush: 28 - 121 - 2, Rec: 5 - 37 - 0 (7 targets) - Keith was the feature back for the Colts while Addai rested. Keith had a tough time running the ball successfully outside the red zone early, causing Peyton Manning to throw the ball more often than usual. Keith caught several balls out of the backfield, most of which were check-downs due to good coverage. Keith started getting more running room after the methodical Colts offense wore down the Tampa Bay defense.
RB Clifton Dawson, Rush: 8 - 24 - 0, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets) - Dawson backed up Kenton Keith and saw limited action doing so.
RB Luke Lawton, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - Lawton was third on the third running back on the depth chart for the Colts.
WR Reggie Wayne, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0, Rec: 7 - 62 - 1 (10 targets) - Wayne drew a pass interference penalty against Ronde Barber on what would have been a touchdown for Wayne, ended up being a one yard touchdown run for Kenton Keith. He also caught a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter when Tampa Bay had eight people in the box, leaving him in single coverage from the nine yard line.
WR Anthony Gonzalez, Rec: 7 - 71 - 0 (9 targets) - Gonzalez saw more playing time because Harrison sat out, and he did not disappoint. He caught all seven balls thrown his way for 71 yards, often being able to make the first defender miss to get extra yards.
TE Dallas Clark, Rec: 7 - 49 - 1 (8 targets) - Clark started the night very well, opening the game with three catches including a touchdown in the first drive. There was a scare that Clark was hurt on a hard hit when Manning led him over the middle, but he returned during the next series. Clark often lined up from the slot during the game.
TE Bryan Fletcher, Rec: 2 - 25 - 0 (2 targets) - Fletcher served as the back-up tight end as Ben Utech sat out of the game. He caught both balls thrown his way.
PK Adam Vinatieri 2 - 2 FG, 3 - 4 XP, 9 points - Vinatieri had an extra point blocked early in the second quarter, but other than that looked excellent. His kicks were all right down the middle.
IND Rush Defense - The Indianapolis run defense was excellent, holding Pittman and Graham to ten yards on 11 attempts. They let Graham get a nine yard run in the fourth quarter as well. The defense was just pushing the Tampa Bay offensive line back, and the opposing running backs had no chance all night.
IND Pass Defense - The Indianapolis pass defense held the Tampa Bay pass game down, only allowing short passes from Garcia. However they did fail to record any sacks, and their only interception was with less than two minutes left in the game on a Gradkowski pass that went through Galloway's hands.New York Jets 24, New York Giants 35
What you need to know
New York Jets - The New York Jets came into this game off a road loss in Buffalo and sitting and 1-3. The rivalry etched another page in the books as the Jets did not have enough to hold on and left Giants Stadium with a 1-4 record.Chad Pennington had a day he will soon want to forget, throwing three interceptions against only one touchdown. His last two interceptions thrown were costly, as they resulted in the Giants' last 14 points, which ultimately made the difference in the game. The Jets' ground game did not fare so well also as they totaled only 55 yards rushing on 25 attempts.
Had it not been for an opportunistic defense and special teams, the Jets may have been out of this game very early. They scored 14 points from a fumble return in the first quarter as well as a big kickoff return from the speedy Leon Washington. When in the trenches, they were dominated on the defensive side of the ball, recording no sacks and only forcing Giants' quarterback Eli Manning to turn the ball over once through the air.
New York Giants - Eli Manning posted an efficient day completing a little over 50 percent of his passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns. His one mistake came on a first down pass with time winding down in the first half. Instead of kneeling on the ball, Manning tried to hit Amani Toomer however the ball was intercepted and lead to a free three points for the Jets as they went into the locker room.The Giants welcomed Brandon Jacobs back and treated the Jets to their 2007 version of "Thunder and Lightning" as both Jacobs and Derrick Ward combined for 156 yards and two scores. Jacobs received the lion's share of the carries and topped the 100 yard mark in his first game back from a knee injury.
Wide Receiver Plaxico Burress had another career day and sent the message that he is an elite wide receiver, as he caught five balls for 124 yards and a touchdown, stiff arming a Jets defender and fighting him off for a 53 yard touchdown catch and run.
The Giants defense had another impressive day and continued to make plays on their side of the ball. They recorded one sack and intercepted Jets' quarterback Chad Pennington three times, with the last one being brought the other way for a touchdown. The interior line buckled down yet again and shut down a powerful rushing attack consisting of Thomas Jones and Leon Washington.
What you ought to know
QB Chad Pennington, Pass: 21 - 36 - 229 - 1 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 2 - 6 - 0 - Pennington struggled to make good decisions as he turned the ball over three times through the air, all resulting in points for the New York Giants. He completed 21 of 36 passes for 229 yards and a score. His lone touchdown toss was a pretty fade route to Brad Smith in the corner of the end zone, which resulted in the Jets only offensive touchdown for the day. Going into the end zone to start the fourth quarter Chad Pennington went back to the fade route, targeting Jericho Cotchery in double coverage and turning the ball over at the one yard line.RB Thomas Jones, Rush: 13 - 36 - 0, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (2 targets) - Jones had another sub par performance rushing 13 times for 36 yards while hauling in two passes for another 14. He had no room to run as the Jets interior line got no push and produced no holes.
RB Leon Washington, Rush: 9 - 13 - 0, Rec: 1 - -1 - 0 (3 targets) - Washington was not as much of a factor in the game logging only nine rushes for 13 yards and adding one catch for a one yard loss.
WR Laveranues Coles, Rec: 8 - 89 - 0 (12 targets) - Coles had a solid day hauling in eight of his 12 targets for 89 yards. He made some beautiful jump ball catches on passes thrown by quarterback Chad Pennington, seemingly getting up over every Giants defender to bring the ball in at its highest point.
WR Jerricho Cotchery, Rec: 4 - 31 - 0 (11 targets) - Cotchery saw the second most targets of any Jets' receiver bringing in four of his 11 targets for 31 yards. He was the intended target on all three of Pennington's interceptions and could have had a much more productive day receiving.
WR Brad Smith, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0, Rec: 3 - 44 - 1 (4 targets) - Smith produced the only offensive score of the day bringing in one of his four total targets for a 16 yard touchdown late in the second quarter. He added two more catches to finish the day with three receptions for 44 total yards.
TE Chris Baker, Rec: 3 - 52 - 0 (5 targets) - Baker saw five total targets go his way, bringing in three of the five for 52 yards. His long reception for the day was an 18 yard strike from Chad Pennington.
PK Mike Nugent 1 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points - Nugent was one for two on field goal attempts connecting from 47 yards and missing from 42. He also added all three extra point attempts for the Jets.
NYJ Rush Defense - The New York Jets rush defense was torched for a total of 188 total yards and two touchdowns. The Giants consistently ran off the right edge with both Jacobs and Ward, with the Jets providing absolutely no answer.
NYJ Pass Defense - The pass defense fared a little better on the day allowing a total of only 186 yards however was held accountable for two touchdowns. They displayed poor tackling as Plaxico Burress scored on a 51 yard catch and run where he stiff armed and shook off an oncoming Jets corner back to get in the end zone. QB Eli Manning, Pass: 13 - 25 - 186 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 4 - 17 - 0 - Manning put up solid numbers as he completed 13 of 25 attempts for 186 yards and two touchdowns. He kept his composure playing much of the game from behind and hooked up with Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress for two aerial scores. His lone interception occurred with less than one minute remaining in the first half, as the Giants got greedy and tried to take a shot down field.RB Brandon Jacobs, Rush: 20 - 100 - 1 (1 targets) - Jacobs returned to the Giants lineup and started off very slow. He fumbled his second carry of the ball game early in the first quarter, which was returned for a New York Jets touchdown. Jacobs battled through his fumbling problems to post 100 yards on 20 rushes while adding a touchdown of his own. He hit the holes hard all day and was the running back on the field as the second half started with the Giants trailing.
RB Derrick Ward, Rush: 13 - 56 - 1, Rec: 3 - 8 - 0 (4 targets) - Ward had another solid game for the New York offense rushing 13 times for 56 yards and a touchdown. He seemed to rotate series with fellow workhorse Brandon Jacobs, who ran equally as effective. Ward also saw four targets his way, converting three of them for eight yards. He clearly has found his place in this offense and seems to compliment Brandon Jacobs nicely.
WR Plaxico Burress, Rec: 5 - 124 - 1 (9 targets) - Burress continued his stellar and consistent play hauling in five of eight targets for 124 yards and a touchdown. It was his fifth game in a row with a touchdown grab, and this one could have been one for the highlight reel. Trailing in the fourth quarter, Burress caught a short pass in the flat and stiff armed a defender to the ground as he galloped for a 52 yard touchdown score to put the Giants ahead for good.
WR Sinorice Moss, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (1 targets) - Moss was targeted only once, which was good for a ten yard completion.
WR Amani Toomer (2 targets) - Toomer was targeted only twice on the day. One pass was Eli Manning's only interception, while the other fell incomplete.
TE Jeremy Shockey, Rec: 2 - 33 - 1 (5 targets) - Shockey managed to grab two of his five targets for 33 yards, 13 of which came on his first touchdown reception of the season.
TE Michael Matthews, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (2 targets) - Matthews saw two targets, and logging one catch for six yards.
PK Lawrence Tynes 0 - 0 FG, 5 - 5 XP, 5 points - Tynes converted all five of his extra point attempts.
NYG Rush Defense - The Giants rush defense was stout all day allowing less than 60 total yards and no scores. They got constant push from their front while the linebackers and secondary shut down any chance for a big play on the ground.
NYG Pass Defense - The New York Giants pass defense had a vital part in the Giants victory by shutting down the Jets at the most crucial of moments. The recorded one sack and three interceptions, halting two drives where the Jets were threatening to score. Rookie corner back Aaron Ross intercepted two passes in the game, with the second being returned for a touchdown to put the game on ice.Cleveland Browns 17, New England Patriots 34
What you need to know
Cleveland Browns - In a game in which the Browns had to play almost perfectly in order to have a chance to win, they did not. Four turnovers were too much to overcome, even though Cleveland gained over 350 yards of offense. Derek Anderson threw three interceptions along with two touchdown passes.Jamal Lewis left the game with a foot injury after gaining 11 yards on his first carry. He was x-rayed in the locker room, returned to the bench where he appeared to get taped up, but did not return to the game. He was replaced by third year running back Jason Wright who filled in admirably. Wright ran hard inside and gained over 100 total yards. He is 30 pounds lighter than Lewis and seems quicker to the hole.
Joe Jurevicius also left the game in the first quarter with what was described as a knee injury and did not return to the game. Kellen Winslow caught one touchdown pass and Tim Carter, filling in for Jurevicius, caught the other. Braylon Edwards once again led all Cleveland receivers with six balls for 110 yards despite New England's attempts to limit his production.
The Browns were shut out in the first half and scored their two touchdowns in fourth quarter long after the outcome had been decided.
New England Patriots - Brady's three touchdown passes tied Steve Young's NFL record of throwing at least three TD passes in five straight games to begin a season. Brady had plenty of time to scan the field and spread the ball around to eight different receivers. He mixed in some no-huddle with traditional play calling while completing 22 of 38 passes for 265 yards.Sammy Morris gained 102 yards while again filling in for the injured Laurence Maroney. Donte' Stallworth caught four passes and scored one touchdown, while TE Ben Watson caught six passes for 107 yards and two TDs. Randy Moss was relatively quiet, catching only three balls for 46 yards.
The third quarter was remarkably unproductive for New England. They seemed to lack intensity and punted on each of their three possessions, marking the first quarter this season in which they were shut out. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Cleveland scored a touchdown to make it 20--10, but Brady responded with his second touchdown pass to Watson. Late in the game, after the Browns took over on downs deep in their own, Randall Gay forced a Winslow fumble, recovered the loose ball, and scored the final New England touchdown.
All pro safety Rodney Harrison returned from his four game suspension for HGH. The Patriot's sacked Derek Anderson three times and also intercepted him three times on three tipped passes. Junior Seau grabbed two and Asante Samuel caught the other. New England scored 14 points off turnovers.
What you ought to know
QB Derek Anderson, Pass: 22 - 43 - 287 - 2 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 3 - 7 - 0 - Anderson completed 22 of 43 for 267 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw three costly interceptions. On the positive side, he has demonstrated real tenacity and the ability to get the ball to both Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow the way Charlie Frye could not. On the negative side, he forced his first interception into triple coverage on third and goal from the one yard line with Cleveland only down by a field goal.RB Jason Wright, Rush: 15 - 59 - 0, Rec: 4 - 43 - 0 (6 targets) - Pressed into service when Lewis was injured, Wright ran hard and against the tough Patriots' defense. He totaled over 100 yards of offense and, if Lewis cannot play, showed that he is a capable replacement. He also was targeted six times and caught four passes.
RB Lawrence Vickers, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (2 targets) - In limited play, Vickers caught two passes and had one carry. He is the backup fullback.
RB Jamal Lewis, Rush: 1 - 11 - 0 - Lewis was injured on his first carry of the game and was x-rayed in the locker room. He returned to the sideline, had his ankle taped, but did not return to the game.
WR Braylon Edwards, Rec: 6 - 110 - 0 (11 targets) - Edwards has shown to be nearly unstoppable this year regardless of how defenses plot against him. He again led all Cleveland receivers with six balls for 110 yards and helps Winslow get open over the middle. Since Anderson became the starter in game two, Edwards has scored a total of four touchdowns and gained at least 83 yards per game.
WR Tim Carter, Rec: 3 - 50 - 1 (6 targets) - Carter caught three passes for 50 yards, and his diving 21 yard in the fourth quarter was the Browns' first touchdown of the game. He replaced Joe Jurevicius who left in the second quarter with a knee injury.
WR Joe Jurevicius, Rec: 1 - 17 - 0 (3 targets) - Jurevicius caught one passes for 17 yards, but left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and was replaced by Tim Carter. Jurevicius had already scored three touchdowns this season.
WR Josh Cribbs, Rush: 1 - 11 - 0 - The former Kent State quarterback averaged 23.6 yards per kickoff return, and also lined up a wide receiver and ran a reverse for 11 yards.
TE Kellen Winslow Jr, Rec: 4 - 49 - 1 (10 targets) - Winslow had another big game against a formidable defense, catching four passes for 49 yards and one touchdown. He also had another potential TD pass near the end of the game called incomplete when he had stepped over the end line. Winslow also lost a fumble late in the fourth quarter that was returned for the last New England touhdown.
TE Steve Heiden, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (3 targets) - Primarily used in blocking situations, Heiden is also a capable receiver. He caught two passes for ten yards and was targeted in the first quarter when Anderson's pass was intercepted in the end zone.
PK Phil Dawson 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Dawson was perfect on both extra points and hit a 42 yard field goal.
CLE Rush Defense - New England rolled up 147 yards on the ground and averaged 4.6 per carry. Even with Maroney missing the game, the Patriots offensive line was able to carve holes in the Browns' defense.
CLE Pass Defense - Brady completed 57.9 percent of his passes and was not sacked or intercepted. The Patriots gained a total of 417 yards of offense. QB Tom Brady, Pass: 22 - 38 - 265 - 3 TD / 0 INT - Brady's three touchdown passes tied Steve Young's record of throwing at least three TD passes in five straight games to begin a season. He spread the ball around to eight different receivers and had plenty of time to throw on practically every play. He ran some no-huddle offense mixed in with traditional play calling and completed 22 of 38 passes for 265 yards. He was not sacked nor did he throw an interception.RB Sammy Morris, Rush: 21 - 102 - 0, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (3 targets) - Morris started his second straight game as Maroney recovers from a groin injury. Morris ran for tough yards against a stubborn Cleveland defense, but still averaged 4.9 yards per carry. Even with Maroney in the lineup, Morris is more likely to get ball at the goal line.
RB Kyle Eckel, Rush: 6 - 16 - 0 - The former Navy midshipman saw action in the fourth quarter when New England was trying to run time off the clock. At 5'11" and 237, he teamed with the 250 pound Heath Evans to form a jumbo backfield with some success. He carried six times and averaged 2.6 yards per carry but had a long run of ten yards.
RB Kevin Faulk, Rush: 3 - 6 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Faulk was again the third down back but only caught one pass in this game. He also carried three times for six yards.
RB Heath Evans (1 targets) - Evans was primarily the blocking back and did not catch the one pass thrown to him.
WR Donte Stallworth, Rush: 1 - 12 - 0, Rec: 4 - 65 - 1 (7 targets) - Stallworth had a big game, catching four balls for 65 yards and one touchdown. On his TD, he caught a short pass over the middle, broke one tackle, and followed a Sammy Morris block into the end zone. Stallworth also ran a reverse for 12 yards, but later dropped a third down pass that would have gained much more than a first down.
WR Wes Welker, Rec: 4 - 19 - 0 (6 targets) - Welker caught four passes 19 yards, and also returned two kickoffs for 51 yards.
WR Randy Moss, Rec: 3 - 46 - 0 (8 targets) - In an unusually quiet day for Moss, he caught three passes for 46 yards. Before this game, Moss had gained at least 100 yards per game and scored a total of seven touchdowns.
WR Jabar Gaffney, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (3 targets) - In limited action, Gaffney caught one pass for five yards.
TE Ben Watson, Rush: 1 - 11 - 0, Rec: 6 - 107 - 2 (6 targets) - The big tight end had a huge game as he caught every pass thrown to him for 107 yards and two touchdowns. He was not targeted until the second quarter, but was open every time Brady threw his way. Watson also ran a reverse for 11 yards.
TE Kyle Brady, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) - Ironically, Kyle Brady was targeted on Tom Brady's first and last pass of the game. He caught the first one but he didn't catch the last.
PK Stephen Gostkowski 2 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 10 points - Gostkowski was perfect on all four extra points and also hit field goals from 20 and 25 yards.
NE Rush Defense - Jason Wright filled in when Jamal Lewis left with a foot injury and averaged 3.9 for each of his 15 carries. As a team, the Browns were behind the entire game and only rushed for 92 yards.
NE Pass Defense - While Derek Alexander completed 22 of 43 for 287 yards, the Patriots intercepted him three times and also sacked him three times. Randall Gay also forced a Kellen Winslow fumble, recovered the loose ball and returned it for a touchdown.Carolina Panthers 16, New Orleans Saints 13
What you need to know
Carolina Panthers - Carolina was unable to get any consistent offense going for most of the game. There first scoring drive was the result of an interception that was returned in to Saints territory and their second drive as aided by a long reception by Keary Colbert. The only long drive came after a blocked field goal and resulted in the tying touchdown. All but three of Carolina's points came off of Saints miscues; an interception, blocked field goal, and missed field goal.DeShaun Foster was the workhorse of the offense, carrying the ball a total of 19 times, nine of them coming in the fourth quarter as Carolina was driving the length of the field for the game tying touchdown and on the final drive to set up the game winning field goal.
The Carolina receiving corps was well covered most of the day by the Saints defensive backs and had trouble getting open. David Carr and Matt Moore did not throw many catchable balls and made poor decisions by throwing into coverage.
New Orleans Saints - The Saints controlled the ball most of the game, mostly by using the short passing game coupled with inside runs by the running backs to keep the chains moving and the clock running. They had two drives that took over ten minutes off of the clock. The first one was in the second quarter and resulted in a field goal to tie the game and the second one came with a seven point lead in the third quarter. Unfortunately they were left with nothing to show for the second drive as Carolina blocked a chip shot field goal.Drew Brees was hindered by his receivers dropping catchable passes and by his inability to consistently connect on deep passes.
Reggie Bush showed that he can be relied on as the focal point of the offense. He did not explode with big plays, but he was pretty effective gaining the hard yards inside and gaining yards on quick swing passes. Bush led the team in rushing and in receptions.
What you ought to know
QB David Carr, Pass: 10 - 17 - 119 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 6 - 0 - Carr was inconsistent in getting the ball to the Panthers receivers. He rarely attempted the deep ball, and when he did the passes were usually off target. He did display good touch on quick slants and out patterns where he did not have the time to wait in the pocket to find the open receiver. His only interception was on a play in the fourth quarter where he threw into double coverage as Carolina was starting a drive in great field position following an interception. He did miss one series when he was shaken up on a sack. The sack was the result of Carr holding on to the ball to long while waiting for a receiver to get open.QB Matt Moore, Pass: 1 - 2 - 43 - 0 TD / 0 INT - Moore came in when Carr left the game for a brief period after a sack. Moore completed his first pass on a deep throw to Keary Colbert, but his second attempt was an ill advised throw into double coverage.
RB DeShaun Foster, Rush: 19 - 59 - 0 - Foster showed that he is the workhorse of the Panthers offense by consistently gaining the tough yards and keeping scoring drives alive. He had little room to run through the first three quarters, but was able to break off some runs of over five yards on the lone touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. His best runs came between the tackles as the Saints were able to restrict plays designed to go outside to negative or short yardage.
RB DeAngelo Williams, Rush: 7 - 23 - 0 - Williams only saw action in the relief of DeShaun Foster.
RB Brad Hoover, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (2 targets) - Hoover was the only running back involved in the passing game. His only reception came on the lone touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.
WR Keary Colbert, Rec: 4 - 74 - 0 (6 targets) - Colbert's second catch came on the first pass attempt by Matt Moore, a deep ball that he caught while covered by a defender while going down the right sideline. He also was targeted on three other deep passes, one of which was on an overthrown pass in the end zone. He is becoming a reliable second receiver in the Carolina offense and his improvement will help take some of the pressure off of Steve Smith.
WR Steve Smith, Rec: 4 - 47 - 1 (7 targets) - Smith did not see the ball much until the second half when Carolina began their comeback. He only saw one pass in the first half, a catch off a designed roll out by David Carr. He saw most of his action in the fourth quarter. He had a 20 yard catch in Saints territory in the third quarter that was brought back by penalty. In the fourth quarter he scored the tying touchdown on a catch and run where he put a nice move on the defensive back and walked into the end zone. However, his most important reception was his last one, where he caught the ball on third and ten and willed his way to the first down marker for a key first down that would set up the game winning field goal.
WR Drew Carter (2 targets) - Carter was the target of two passes that were thrown into double coverage in the first half.
TE Jeff King, Rec: 2 - 33 - 0 (3 targets) - King was involved in the offense early, seeing two balls thrown his way on the second offensive possession. He caught one of the passes for a first down on the first scoring drive. His last reception resulted in a fumble that fortunately bounced right back to him.
TE Christian Fauria (1 targets) - Fauria was the intended receiver on the David Carr interception in the fourth quarter.
PK John Kasay 3 - 3 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 10 points - Kasay was accurate on three field goals, including a 52 yard attempt as time expired to win the game.
CAR Rush Defense - The Panthers run defense played well in keeping Reggie Bush in check most of the game. Bush was only able to gain significant yardage on sweeps and runs to the outside. The Panthers were able to limit the yardage inside to short gains. However, the Saints were able to consistently gain enough yards on the ground to sustain two long drives and keep the Panther offense off the field.
CAR Pass Defense - The Saints were able to find open receivers downfield, but were victimized by drops of catchable balls. Most of the Saints yards came on screen passes and medium range balls. The first interception was the result of a bad pass by Brees and the second interception was off of a bobbled ball. QB Drew Brees, Pass: 29 - 47 - 252 - 0 TD / 2 INT - Brees began the game by completing eight of his first ten passes; the only incompletions were on deep passes, one of which was intercepted. Brees threw for 252 yards, but that number could easily have been higher if the Saint receivers had managed to hang on to his throws. The Saints had two passing touchdowns taken off the board when they were called for an illegal formation penalty on the first one and when the officials ruled that the player went out of bounds at the two yard line. The passing game seemed to be most effective when Brees targeted the running backs on screen passes or receivers on short passes.RB Reggie Bush, Rush: 21 - 67 - 0, Rec: 9 - 52 - 0 (10 targets) - Bush was heavily involved in the game plan, with 21 carries and nine receptions. Bush saw much of rushing yardage on runs designed to go outside, but he would run out of bounds rather that try to pick up extra yards. Where Bush was most impressive was on runs between the tackles, and he was able to consistently pick up the necessary yards to keep the two long drives alive. Bush did have one reception called back due to an offensive pass interference penalty.
RB Aaron Stecker, Rush: 4 - 12 - 0, Rec: 3 - -3 - 0 (6 targets) - Stecker saw action when Reggie Bush needed rest. He was involved in the passing game and did score one touchdown. However, it was nullified by an illegal formation penalty.
RB Mike Karney, Rush: 1 - 2 - 1, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - Karney was targeted twice in the first quarter, catching one ball on a screen pass. He fell down on a screen play on the other pass thrown his way. Karney scored on his only rushing attempt.
RB Pierre Thomas, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0 - Thomas only saw action when Reggie Bush went to the sidelines to have his knee examined.
WR Devery Henderson, Rec: 4 - 101 - 0 (10 targets) - Henderson was the number one target for Drew Brees in the second half. He did have an apparent touchdown called back in the third quarter when the officials ruled that he went out of bounds at the two yard line on a 54 yard completion. The Saints did score two plays later. Henderson also dropped two very catchable passes.
WR Marques Colston, Rec: 4 - 31 - 0 (7 targets) - Colston saw all of his action in the first half, and appeared to be replaced by Lance Moore. He did drop one pass that was catchable, and had a pass bounce off of his hands that was almost intercepted.
WR Lance Moore, Rec: 3 - 32 - 0 (4 targets) - Moore was used as the main target when the Saints needed a first down in the passing game. All three of his receptions resulted in Saint first downs. He was the intended receiver on the first Brees interception on a badly thrown deep pass in the first quarter.
WR Terrance Copper (1 targets) - Copper saw very little action.
WR David Patten (2 targets) - Patten dropped both passes thrown his way.
TE Eric Johnson, Rec: 5 - 30 - 0 (8 targets) - Johnson was the player Brees turned to in order to get the offense moving in the first half. He was the receiver on the first two attempts of the game and on a pass in the corner of the end zone when Brees had to throw the ball away due to coverage.
PK Olindo Mare 2 - 4 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points - Mare had a bad day. His only successful field goals were from less than 30 yards, and he had one attempt from 20 yards blocked. He did have a chance to redeem himself late in the game, but his 54 yard attempt went wide left.
NO Rush Defense - The Saints rush defense gave Panther backs little room to run. They were constantly in the backfield, or closing the holes before the backs had time to get through them.
NO Pass Defense - After being much maligned for the first three games the Saints defense rose to the occasion. Panther receivers were well covered all game, and the backs limited the receiver's ability to gain yards after the catch. The only Panther touchdown came when Steve Smith put a move on the cornerback, who fell down and was unable to make the tackle.Seattle Seahawks 0, Pittsburgh Steelers 21
What you need to know
Seattle Seahawks - The Seahawks could not get anything going. They came out swinging for the fences as Hasselbeck threw deep several times in the opening quarter, all to no avail. In the second half, the Seahawks had to wait a full ten minutes before getting the ball on offense, and they promptly went three and out. Approximately eight minutes later on the clock they get it for the second time that half. Again, three and out.Matt Hasselbeck was forced to throw into coverage all day, which resulted in a low pass percentage and a crucial interception in the end zone to end the first half. He did not look bad; the Steelers defense looked very, very good.
Shaun Alexander is still wearing a protective cast on his wrist, but is having no trouble holding on to the ball. Carrying it for positive yardage is another matter. Against a tough defense, he came up short, and was not a factor in the passing game either.
Number one wideout Deion Branch left the game early in the second quarter with a sprained foot and did not return. The Seahawks had trouble passing without him on the field.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Pittsburgh showed that the best defense is a good offense. The Steelers time of possession was an incredible 40:45, giving the Seahawks very limited opportunities to score. The defense stopped them cold when they did have the ball. All in all, an extremely convincing shutout by the defense, and a gut check win for an offense that was playing without their top two wide receivers.QB Ben Roethlisberger could not get much going in the first half, but found his clutch target in Heath Miller for his lone passing touchdown. With Ward and Holmes out, he locked on to Cedrick Wilson, whose play was starter-worthy. To begin the second half, he led the team on a touchdown drive that lasted over ten minutes, and covered more than the length of the field in yardage (due to three penalties).
The running back situation is becoming interesting. Willie Parker carried the ball 28 times for 102 yards and no touchdowns. Najeh Davenport carried seven times for 58 yards and two touchdowns. Davenport got all the goal line carries. Parker had a 20 yard touchdown reversed, ruled down inside the one, on a spectacular diving effort at the sideline. He hit the pylon before he was down, but apparently they ruled the ball did not cross the line.
The defense was missing S Troy Polamalu, but did not miss a beat. The Steelers stopped the running game cold, and covered the receivers so well that Hasselbeck was unable to find any sort of rhythm.
What you ought to know
QB Matt Hasselbeck, Pass: 13 - 27 - 116 - 0 TD / 1 INT - Hasselbeck had trouble finding his receivers. The Pittsburgh coverage was very good, so he had to be perfect to beat them, and he wasn't. The interception came on one of many throws into tight coverage -- but in this case it was in the end zone, with seven seconds left in the half. At this point, the Steelers were only up 7-0, so it was a definite turning point. Hasselbeck did throw deep on a few occasions, usually almost connecting, but in each case, an incomplete pass was the result. His frustration was evident on some throws, in which he threw directly into coverage, trying to make something - anything -- happen. Not one bounce went his way. Losing his top receiver in the first half didn't help any.QB Seneca Wallace, Pass: 1 - 3 - 6 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 11 - 0 (1 targets) - Once Branch left the game, Wallace was used as a slot receiver, and dropped a tough to catch ball that would have been a first down. Late in the game, he relieved Hasselbeck and did not look out of place at QB, but was only able to convert a single first down, scrambling for an 11 yard pickup.
RB Shaun Alexander, Rush: 11 - 25 - 0, Rec: 3 - 7 - 0 (3 targets) - Alexander continued his poor form, rushing for a mere 25 yards on 11 carries. It's difficult to pin the blame on him, as nothing went right for the Seahawks, but with the ground game never materializing as a threat, the Steelers defense was able to key on the passing game. His longest carry on the day was his very first, for six yards. In the second half, with the team playing from behind, he only had two carries.
RB Leonard Weaver, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0, Rec: 2 - 3 - 0 (2 targets) - Weaver was dependable, catching both balls thrown to him, one for a rare Seahawks first down. Not a fantasy factor, as he is sharing time as a change of pace back.
RB Maurice Morris (1 targets) - Morris was targeted on a deep sideline route that was slightly overthrown. He does not appear to be the sole change of pace back anymore, as Leonard Weaver appears to be getting more third down looks.
WR Deion Branch, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (3 targets) - Branch left the game early in the second quarter with a sprained foot. He caught two of the three balls thrown his way, for short gains. His presence was definitely missed.
WR Bobby Engram, Rec: 2 - 25 - 0 (4 targets) - Engram was easily the best Seattle WR on the field (which isn't saying much). One of his catches went for a first down, and the other was an 11 yard gain on second down and fourteen.
WR Ben Obomanu, Rec: 2 - 38 - 0 (6 targets) - Obomanu was the main beneficiary of Branch's injury. Pittsburgh's excellent coverage of Burleson and Engram made Obomanu a slightly more open target, and Hasselbeck tried to take advantage. He got two end zone looks in the first half as well as a 30 yard catch (Seattle's longest of the day), but was too inconsistent to make an impact -- not that he did anything wrong, but when he had the opportunity to make things happen, he was unable to come through with the tough catch. He also returned kickoffs.
WR Nate Burleson, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (4 targets) - Burleson was like every other Seattle receiver: invisible. Once Branch left the game, Burleson had an even harder time getting open.
TE Marcus Pollard, Rec: 2 - 28 - 0 (2 targets) - Pollard is still an afterthought in the passing offense, but he has proven reliable when called upon.
PK Josh Brown 0 - 0 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 0 points - Aside from warm-ups, he was on the field exactly once, sending a kickoff into the end zone for a touchback.
SEA Rush Defense - They did an effective job of shutting down Willie Parker, but the much bigger and more bruising Najeh Davenport gave them fits. The fact that the Steelers were without their top two wideouts allowed them to key on the run.
SEA Pass Defense - The pass rush was effective in pressuring the QB, resulting in three sacks, but Roethlisberger picked them apart with medium length passes in the second half. It was a slow, painful picking apart though, as they did not allow any long gains. QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 18 - 22 - 206 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0 - Roethlisberger was patient, and that patience was rewarded in the second half. Up by a score of 7-0 to start the second half, he engineered a touchdown drive that lasted over ten minutes. In doing so, he overcame three Pittsburgh penalties, which meant that the actual yardage gained on the drive was more than a hundred yards. Despite a tough Seahawk defense, he was able to consistently find the open man on short and medium routes. With the top two receivers out due to injury, he spread the ball around, with TE Heath Miller and WR Cedrick Wilson becoming favourite targets as the game wore on.QB Charlie Batch, Rush: 2 - -1 - 0 - Entered the game once it was already in hand, and did not throw a pass.
RB Willie Parker, Rush: 28 - 102 - 0 - Parker almost notched a 20 yard touchdown scamper that was ruled down inside the one after the replay. Davenport then got the call and ran it in. Parker got his yards slowly but surely, eclipsing 100 on the day. He also had a 30 yard rush called back due to penalty. He is the clear cut starter, however, he was replaced on third downs and near the goal line.
RB Najeh Davenport, Rush: 7 - 58 - 2, Rec: 4 - 38 - 0 (4 targets) - Davenport looked unstoppable on his 45 yard run, and nearly every time he touched the ball, Seattle had trouble taking him down. He appears to have cemented his role as third down back, as well as being the first consideration for goal line carries.
RB Carey Davis, Rush: 2 - 1 - 0, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) - Davis carried twice once the game was wrapped up.
RB Dan Kreider, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0 - Kreider carried once late in the game, once the outcome was not in doubt. He was primarily used as a blocker.
WR Cedrick Wilson, Rec: 5 - 69 - 0 (8 targets) - Wilson got the ball -- and gained the confidence of his QB - more as the game went on. He was able to haul in four of five targets in the second half, all for decent yardage (16, 11, 18, 17).
WR Nate Washington, Rec: 3 - 26 - 0 (3 targets) - Washington figured to be busier than this, given that Ward and Holmes were out. He did catch everything that was thrown to him, but unfortunately that didn't amount to much.
WR Willie Reid, Rec: 1 - 25 - 0 (2 targets) - Reid made a nifty move to turn a short catch into a 25 yard gain. He got himself noticed with a limited amount of playing time.
TE Heath Miller, Rec: 4 - 44 - 1 (5 targets) - Miller was Roethlisberger's clear go-to guy in the clutch. While his yardage total will not impress anyone, his four catches were all for first downs, one of which was a touchdown. Along with Wilson, Miller was a clear beneficiary of the injuries to Ward and Holmes.
PK Jeff Reed 0 - 0 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 3 points - His work was limited to three PATs, which he converted easily.
PIT Rush Defense - The Steelers shut down the running game, plain and simple. In the second half, the Seahawks only had the ball long enough to run twice -- for two yards. The longest rush given up was to backup QB Seneca Wallace, who scrambled for eleven.
PIT Pass Defense - Even before Deion Branch left the game, they had no trouble stopping Hasselbeck. Their tight coverage forced Hasselbeck to make a large number of low percentage throws.Miami Dolphins 19, Houston Texans 22
What you need to know
Miami Dolphins - QB Trent Green left the game in the first quarter with a head injury and was replaced by Cleo Lemon. Lemon was unspectacular, throwing for 151 yards and one interception, with no scores.RB Ronnie Brown was Miami's only real offensive threat, racking up 114 yards on 23 attempts and adding their only touchdown of the game on a three yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Marty Booker led the way for the Miami receivers, with just 45 yards on five receptions, most of which were short passing routes.
The Dolphins defense was able to shut down the Houston running game, but could not do enough to keep the Texans out of kicker Kris Brown's field goal range, as he connected on five field goals, three of which came from outside 50 yards. They also could not stop the Texans offense on the game winning drive that started from the Houston three yard line and ended with Brown's 57 yard game winning field goal.
Houston Texans - Houston's Matt Schaub threw for 294 yards, and while he did not throw for any scores through the air, was able to get the club into scoring position on six occasions that resulted in one touchdown and five field goals. Schaub illustrated a nice drive in the fourth quarter, getting the team downfield from inside their own five yard line into K Kris Brown's field goal range for the game winner.With RB Ahman Green out of the lineup, backup Ron Dayne filled in with 16 rushes for 40 yards and a one yard touchdown, but was unable to find much running room in the Miami front seven.
Wide Receiver's Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones both missed the game with injuries, so TE Owen Daniels was the focal point of the passing attack by default. He responded with a nice game, catching six passes for 96 yards, five of which resulted in first downs.
Houston's defense could not slow down RB Ronnie Brown, who topped the 100 yard mark again and added a touchdown on the ground, but did enough to make Miami settle for four field goals and stop Miami on a key series late in the fourth quarter to get the ball back for their offense with less than two minutes to play. The offense took advantage of their opportunity, driving the ball downfield and kicking a game winning field goal.
What you ought to know
QB Cleo Lemon, Pass: 15 - 27 - 151 - 0 TD / 1 INT - Lemon entered in relief of the injured Trent Green and was serviceable, completing 15 of 27 passes for 151 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception. While those numbers are unspectacular, Lemon showed some playmaking ability and mobility, moving around in the pocket.QB Trent Green, Pass: 1 - 2 - 5 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 23 - 0 - Green was injured in the first quarter and was carted off with a head injury. Green fumbled the ball on the play, then was injured trying to block for WR Ted Ginn who recovered the fumble and was attempting to turn the busted play into a gain. Green was hit in the head by Houston DL Travis Johnson's knee and was not moving much after the play.
RB Ronnie Brown, Rush: 23 - 114 - 1, Rec: 5 - 39 - 0 (5 targets) - Brown continued his strong play, rushing 23 times for 114 yards and a touchdown on the ground, and chipping in with five receptions for 39 yards on five targets in the passing game. Brown showed the skill set that made him a top draft pick, hitting the holes with authority and getting into the second level despite mediocre offensive line play. His touchdown run came in the first quarter from three yards out.
WR Marty Booker, Rec: 5 - 45 - 0 (10 targets) - Booker was the most targeted Miami receiver, getting ten balls thrown his way and hauling in five receptions for 45 yards.
WR Chris Chambers, Rec: 2 - 19 - 0 (4 targets) - Chambers had a quiet game, getting only four targets and coming down with two catches for 19 yards.
WR Ted Ginn, Rec: 1 - 36 - 0 (3 targets) - Ginn had one reception for 36 yards and was targeted just three times in the game, but had a big impact in the return game with 176 kick return yards that included a 52 yard return that helped set up a Miami field goal in the first quarter.
TE David Martin, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (3 targets) - Martin caught two passes for 12 yards on three targets for the game.
TE Justin Peelle, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (4 targets) - Peelle was targeted four times in the game, catching one ball for five yards.
PK Jay Feely 4 - 4 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 13 points - Feely was active against Houston, connecting on field goals from 23, 40, 33 and 48 yards out, as well as a successful extra point, to finish with 13 points.
MIA Rush Defense - Miami's rush defense was relieved by the return of LB Zach Thomas, who helped one of the league's worst run defenses hold the Texans to just 74 yards on 28 attempts, for a 2.6 yard per carry average. They did give up one score on the ground, but gave up a long run of just nine yards for the game.
LB Zach Thomas led the way for the Dolphins with eight solo tackles and one assist.
MIA Pass Defense - The Dolphins pass defense was able to keep the Texans out of the end zone, but did give up 294 passing yards and had a few big plays called back on holding penalties. More importantly, they were unable to stop Houston's passing attack on the last drive of the game, where the Texans threw the ball downfield from their own three yard line to get into field goal range and win the game.DL Jason Taylor had two sacks, one forced fumble and DB Cameron Worrell chipped in with seven solo tackles and four assists.
QB Matt Schaub, Pass: 20 - 34 - 294 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 3 - 6 - 0 - Schaub did not manage to throw for a score against Miami, but did enough to continue to get his team in scoring position and come through in the end for the victory. He completed 20 of 34 passes for 294 yards, and did throw an interception. He also had three rushes for six yards on the ground. Schaub showed the qualities you want in any quarterback, showing poise and leadership, especially on the game winning drive.RB Ron Dayne, Rush: 16 - 40 - 1, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (3 targets) - Dayne stepped in for the injured Green and led the team with 16 carries for 40 yards, including a one yard touchdown plunge in the first quarter. He was targeted three times in the passing game, catching one pass for five yards. As you would expect, Dayne did not have many big plays, and his longest run was just nine yards.
RB Samkon Gado, Rush: 8 - 19 - 0, Rec: 2 - 24 - 0 (2 targets) - Gado shared the load in the running game with Dayne, rushing eight times for 19 yards and catching two passes for 24 yards on two targets.
WR Kevin Walter, Rush: 1 - 9 - 0, Rec: 5 - 67 - 0 (10 targets) - Walter was Schaub's favorite receiver, getting ten targets in the game and coming down with five receptions for 67 yards. He also had nine yards rushing on an end around.
WR Andre Davis, Rec: 4 - 79 - 0 (9 targets) - Davis had another strong game for the Texans, catching four passes for 79 yards on nine targets. He showed good burst off the line and the ability to get behind the defense, and had catches of 18 and 30 yards nullified for penalties.
TE Owen Daniels, Rec: 6 - 96 - 0 (7 targets) - Daniels had the best game statistically for the Texans, catching six passes for 96 yards on seven targets. He seemed to be wide open on most of his receptions and also seems to have a nice chemistry working with QB Matt Schaub.
PK Kris Brown 5 - 5 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 16 points - Brown had a game to remember for the Texans, connecting on five field goals, including three from over 50 yards out, that included a 57 yarder as time expired to win the game for Houston. He also added an extra point, finishing with 16 points in the game.
HOU Rush Defense - The Texans were tested early and often by the Miami running game, and gave up 137 yards and a score on the ground, 114 of which came from Ronnie Brown. They were unable to get to Brown for the majority of the game, evident by his 5.0 yard per carry average.
LB DeMeco Ryans led the Texans with seven solo tackles and one assist.
HOU Pass Defense - Houston's pass defense was able to keep the Miami passing game in check, but really was not tested much with the inexperienced Lemon at quarterback. The secondary was able to limit any big plays for WR Chris Chambers downfield, and kept everything completed in front of them.DB C.C. Brown led the way for the Texans secondary with eight tackles and one interception and DL Mario Williams tallied the club's only sack for the game.
Detroit Lions 3, Washington Redskins 34
What you need to know
Detroit Lions - The Detroit Lions Mike Martz offense, a juggernaught for the first quarter of the season, ran into a brick wall Sunday, posting an embarrassing 144 yards of total offense.Jon Kitna was sacked another five times, to go with his 19 sacks coming into the game. Detroit's offensive line woes were central in their inability to post more than three points today. Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams had only five targets between them as the defense stayed back in a deeper zone and only allowed the Lions short passes underneath and runs on the day.
Kevin Jones, held out of the first half, was the bulk of the Lions offense in the second half.
Washington Redskins - The Washington Redskins, playing with out three starters on offense, spread the ball around with eight different receivers targeted and five different players getting carries. The result was a well balanced attack, tallying 366 net yards and three offensive touchdowns to go with one defensive touchdown and a safety.Antwaan Randle El stepped in for the injured Santana Moss and posted 100 yards receiving before leaving at halftime with a minor hamstring injury.
What you ought to know
QB Jon Kitna, Pass: 16 - 29 - 106 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 4 - 3 - 0 - Kitna took what the defense gave him, bumps and bruises on five sacks along with the short stuff. He completed 16 of 29 for an abysmal 3.65 yards per attempt. The five sacks came primarily due to failures by the offensive line. While there were a couple of drops, the Lions were playing from behind as they only had six plays total in the first quarter. The Washington Redskins defense seemed to confuse and frustrate Kitna, as he threw two interceptions and fumbled three times, losing two.RB Kevin Jones, Rush: 11 - 48 - 0, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (4 targets) - Jones didn't play at all in the first half, but was the central figure of the offense in the second half, carrying the ball 11 times for 48 yards and catching two passes for 17 yards. Jones may have been a viable offensive force if he had been allowed to play the entire game.
RB Tatum Bell, Rush: 4 - 15 - 0 (1 targets) - Bell started the game and played the first half, but did not touch the ball in the second half. He managed 15 yards on four carries, but could not get a rhythm established as the Detroit Lions never seemed to get the wheels of offense rolling.
RB Aveion Cason, Rec: 2 - 5 - 0 (2 targets) - Cason had two catches for five yards, but fumbled on his first touch and was not a factor in the game.
WR Shaun McDonald, Rec: 4 - 19 - 0 (6 targets) - McDonald managed to haul in four short passes, totaling 19 yards. McDonald led the team in targets, running primarily short underneath patterns.
WR Roy Williams, Rec: 3 - 36 - 0 (3 targets) - Williams was well covered most of the game, only targeted three times, all in the second half. Williams managed to haul in all three targets for 36 yards, but was frustrated by a mix of man and zone coverage the whole game.
WR Mike Furrey, Rec: 1 - 14 - 0 (4 targets) - Like all the Detroit receivers Mike Furrey had a tough day, posting just one catch for 14 yards.
WR Troy Walters, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (2 targets) - Walters got into the game late, posting one catch for five yards.
WR Calvin Johnson, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (2 targets) - Returning from injury, Calvin Johnson had one short catch for three yards. Johnson seemed to run smoothly and showed no ill effects of his previous back injury.
TE Casey Fitzsimmons, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) - Backup tight end Casey Fitzsimmons pulled in one catch in the third quarter for four yards.
TE Sean McHugh, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (2 targets) - Starting tight end Sean McHugh was held to just one reception for three yards. Playing from behind the whole game, Detroit's need to run four wide receivers kept McHugh off the playing field much of the second half.
PK Jason Hanson 1 - 1 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 3 points - Hanson converted his only attempt on the day, a 39 yard attempt in the third quarter.
DET Rush Defense - The front seven of the Detroit Lions did well trying to get the Washington Redskins out of their 'grind it out' mentality, holding the Redskins to 118 yards on 35 carries. The Lions did manage to force and recover one fumble.
DET Pass Defense - The Detroit Lions pass defense posted no sacks and no interceptions, allowing Jason Campbell to pass for 248 yards and two touchdowns on 23 of 29 passing for an 8.55 yards per attempt average. QB Jason Campbell, Pass: 23 - 29 - 248 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 0 - 0 - Campbell looked more like the veteran QB he had many believing he was after the first two weeks of the season, passing for 248 yards on 23 of 29 passing. He did not throw any interceptions, but did have one fumble that he managed to recover. Campbell used subtle footwork to avoid the pass rush and did not surrender a sack.RB Clinton Portis, Rush: 18 - 72 - 0, Rec: 2 - 19 - 0 (2 targets) - Portis, coming into the game a little banged up, ended up with the largest portion of the running back duties, tallying 72 yards on 18 carries. He also added two receptions for 19 yards. He did tweak his ankle in the first quarter but continued to play the rest of the game.
RB Ladell Betts, Rush: 8 - 22 - 0, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (2 targets) - Betts continued his sharing of the running back duties with Clinton Portis. However, most of Betts' touches came in the first half, seven of his eight carries and both of his receptions. He posted 22 yards rushing and eight yards receiving. Mike Sellers vultured a goalline carry that could have belonged to Betts.
RB Mike Sellers, Rush: 5 - 24 - 1, Rec: 3 - 36 - 1 (4 targets) - This was possibly the biggest game of Mike Sellers' career in terms of offensive production, he posted 24 yards on five carries, including a one yard touchdown run. Sellers also hauled in three passes for 36 yards, capped off by an eight yard touchdown reception. It has been reported in the media that Sellers has been lobbying Coach Joe Gibbs for more short yardage touches, and it appears that Coach Gibbs is listening.
RB Rock Cartwright, Rush: 2 - 0 - 0 - Mainly a special teams player, Rock Cartwright was rewarded for his hustle earlier in the game where he ran the length of the field on a James Thrash punt return and recovered a fumble. That reward came in the form of a couple rare carries that he was unable to convert into any yards.
WR Antwaan Randle El, Rec: 7 - 100 - 0 (8 targets) - Randle El was the number one receiver with Santana Moss out, and looked like a number one receiver for the first half. Randle El posted 100 yards on seven receptions in the first half. On the final reception, a 37 yard play to the one yard line, Randle El strained a hamstring and did not return after halftime.
WR Keenan McCardell, Rec: 2 - 39 - 0 (2 targets) - Due to injuries to other receivers, the Washington Redskins signed Keenan McCardell this week. McCardell hauled in two passes for 39 yards, getting into the game when Antwaan Randle El went out with an injury.
WR James Thrash, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (4 targets) - Pressed into more receiver duty than usual due to injuries, James Thrash had one reception for one yard. Thrash did have a 62 yard punt return to set up a score early in the fourth quarter.
WR Brandon Lloyd, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets) - Was there a Brandon Lloyd sighting in Washington? Lloyd pulled in his first catch of the season, good for nine yards in the third quarter.
TE Chris Cooley, Rec: 4 - 26 - 1 (8 targets) - Cooley had a very productive day, hauling in four passes for 26 yards. The real production came in the form of a seven yard TD catch in the second quarter and a two point conversion catch in the fourth quarter.
PK Shaun Suisham 1 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points - Suisham was one of two on field goals, converting on a 28 yard attempt, missing a 48 yard attempt. He also was successful on all three PATs he attempted.
WAS Rush Defense - The Washington Redskins defense was more geared towards the pass rush and defending the passing game, but managed to do well against the run, especially in the first half. In the first half they held Tatum Bell to just 15 yards. In the second half, Kevin Jones came in and managed 48 yards, but the Redskins were playing with a comfortable lead at that point.
WAS Pass Defense - The scheme Greg Williams put together for this game was highly effective, forcing two interceptions, one returned by Carlos Rogers 61 yards for a touchdown, and also added five sacks. Coming in, the Detroit Lions passing attack was one of the top units in the league, but the Redskins pass defense made them look otherwise.Chicago Bears 27, Green Bay Packers 20
What you need to know
Chicago Bears - After getting off to a poor start, both offensively and defensively, the Chicago Bears rallied behind stout and opportunistic defense to steal this game from the Green Bay Packers. Quarterback Brian Griese showed improvement from his week four outing, completing 60% of his passes for 214 yards, two scores, and only one interception. He confidently led the Bears back into contention in the second half, taking advantage of Green Bay turnovers and making some nice reads and throws, especially to his two tight ends.Both Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark were targeted frequently, finishing as the top two looks for Griese. Both finished with over 50 yards receiving and a touchdown. Griese rarely looked outside to his wide receivers, with starters Bernard Berrian and Muhsin Muhammad leading the way with three targets each.
Cedric Benson carried the ball 27 times, but was nothing more than three yards and a cloud of dust, finishing with only 64 yards for 2.4 yards per carry on average. His longest run of the game was 11 yards. Despite his low totals, Benson was clearly an important cog in the Chicago offense, as his numerous rushes eventually established some play action that directly resulted in the Bears go ahead fourth quarter score.
The Bears' defense allowed 439 yards in the game, but their opportunism played a key role in determining the outcome of the game. Cornerback Charles Tillman stripped Green Bay wide receiver James Jones of the ball twice in the first quarter, both of which were recovered by Chicago, and ended drives that seemed destined to put points on the board for the Packers. Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher had a quiet game until his third quarter interception of an ill-advised Brett Favre pass shifted the momentum from the Packers to the Bears. Finally, it was safety Brandon McGowan who intercepted Green Bay's last second Hail Mary effort in the end zone to seal the victory for the Bears. It wasn't a dominating defensive performance, but it was enough to get the win.
Cornerback Nathan Vasher missed another game with his injured groin. Bernard Berrian was reportedly limited during the game with an injured toe. Defensive lineman Darwin Walker was reported to leave the game with an undisclosed injury.
Green Bay Packers - Green Bay got off to a hot start offensively, but turnovers reared their ugly head and prevented them from earning their fifth straight win to open the 2007 season. Brett Favre played brilliantly in the first half, completing nearly all of his passes and hooking up with wide receiver Greg Jennings for a 41 yard touchdown in the second quarter. The second half was a different story though, as Favre was less accurate and made one of his trademarked boneheaded throws that changed the direction of the game. He was picked twice, both in the second half, although it was the first, a scramble with an attempt to force something good to happen that landed directly in Bears' middle linebacker Brian Urlacher's gut, giving the Bears great field position, but more importantly, hope.Favre's accuracy was very good, and he used it to distribute the ball to nine different targets. Most of his passes were of the short variety, including wide receiver slants, running back check-downs and screens, and tight ends slants and curls. When he did have the occasion to go deep, he preferred wide receiver Greg Jennings. His two favorite looks, with eight targets each, were wide receivers Donald Driver and James Jones. Jones had an up and down game, catching five balls for 61 yards but spending most of this day on the bench after losing two fumbles in the opening quarter. It was clear head coach Mike McCarthy wasn't very pleased with the rookie pass catcher.
The running game started strong, especially considering the label this Green Bay team has acquired as a non-running team. Rookie DeShawn Wynn had an excellent opening drive, capping it off with a two yard touchdown. Unfortunately he missed a significant chunk of the game getting treatment for dehydration. Vernand Morency made his return to the Green Bay lineup, and played well, leading the team in receptions and finishing with 91 total yards from scrimmage.
The Packers defense did a good job of limiting the Bears' running game, but gave up some crucial scores in tough situations late in the game. Brady Poppinga intercepted a fourth quarter Brian Griese pass that was tipped by a teammate, while Nick Barnett and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila combined for two sacks.
Greg Jennings left the game temporarily with a shoulder injury. Center Scott Wells left the game late with an undisclosed injury.
What you ought to know
QB Brian Griese, Pass: 15 - 25 - 214 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 - Griese managed a good game, especially on the heels of week four's three interception debacle. He was 15 of 25 (60%) for 214 yards (for an 8.56 yards per attempt average) with two touchdowns and one interception. He showed decent instincts and appeared to be growing comfortable as the Bears leader on the offense. Griese preferred targeting his tight ends, throwing eight balls to rookie Greg Olsen and five to Desmond Clark. Olsen and Clark were also the recipient of Griese's touchdown passes. He didn't look to his wide receivers much, although when he did look deep it was usually to Bernard Berrian and it was usually well off target. He was much more accurate with short and medium length throws. His play action pass to Clark was the game clinching score that allowed Chicago to complete their comeback from ten points down. Head coach Lovie Smith mentioned in his post game press conference that he was pleased with the quarterback play.RB Cedric Benson, Rush: 27 - 64 - 1, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (2 targets) - Benson had a season high 27 carries, but only managed 64 yards out of them, a 2.4 yards per carry average. He had a nice ten yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Benson continued to show little creativity with his running, but there also didn't seem to be very many holes for him to run through. His numerous carries were good for the Bears in maintaining offensive and clock-control balance throughout the game, and despite a lack of explosiveness, Benson's work on the ground was vital. It was a play action pass that won the game for the Bears, and it was set up by numerous Benson runs to that point. Despite his perceived ineffectiveness, it is clear that the Bears will continue to hand Benson the ball frequently.
RB Adrian Peterson, Rush: 3 - 12 - 0, Rec: 2 - 32 - 0 (2 targets) - Peterson played well in spot duty to both spell Cedric Benson and serve as the third down running back. He had a 30 yard on a swing pass in the second quarter, and his 32 receiving yards was good enough for third on the team.
RB Jason McKie, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - McKie served as the fullback for the Bears and while his contribution in the blocking phase of the game is questionable, he did manage to snag the only ball Griese sent his way for a five yard gain.
RB Garrett Wolfe, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0 - Wolfe had a two yard run that was nearly a catch, as the ball was thrown to him but it was a backwards pass.
WR Bernard Berrian, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (3 targets) - Berrian suffered from an injured toe and a lack of accuracy on Griese's deep ball. His only catch was of the short variety, and the two deep looks he received were well overthrown.
WR Muhsin Muhammad, Rec: 1 - 17 - 0 (3 targets) - Muhammad's numbers suffered as all the Bears' receivers did with Griese at the helm. Griese targeted the tight ends 13 times, and the wide receivers nine.
WR Mark Bradley, Rec: 1 - 17 - 0 (2 targets) - Bradley had a couple of third quarter looks from Griese.
WR Devin Hester, Rush: 1 - 5 - 0 - Hester was limited in the return game as the Packers decided not to kick to him on kickoffs and managed to contain him on punt returns. In an effort to get the ball in his hands, the Bears handed off to him on an end around that resulted in a five yard gain.
WR Rashied Davis, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Davis had one first quarter catch but was otherwise not a factor.
TE Greg Olsen, Rec: 4 - 57 - 1 (8 targets) - Olsen had his best game yet as a professional, leading the Bears in targets, receptions, and finishing second on the team in receiving yards. He had a nice jump ball catch for a 19 yard touchdown in the third quarter. Olsen was the target on Griese's lone interception.
TE Desmond Clark, Rec: 3 - 62 - 1 (5 targets) - Clark and Griese have chemistry, perhaps dating back to their time in Denver, according to NBC's John Madden. Clark led the team in receiving yards and caught the game winning 34 yard touchdown on a play action pass where he was wide open and Griese made a perfect throw.
PK Robbie Gould 2 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 9 points - Gould was his typically accurate and strong-legged self, easily making both his field goal attempts of 44 and 36 yards and all three of his PATs.
CHI Rush Defense - Chicago's rush defense started slow but recovered well in the second half. They gave up 121 yards total to Packers' rushers DeShawn Wynn and Vernand Morency, but 102 came in the first half and only 19 came in the second. They allowed an early two-yard score to Wynn, but otherwise kept Green Bay's runners out of the end zone.
CHI Pass Defense - Chicago's pass defense gave up 322 yards on 29 of 40 passing for an average of 8.05 yards per attempt. They allowed one touchdown and had two interceptions. Brian Urlacher made the first interception that changed the momentum of the game, while safety Brandon McGowan picked off Green Bay's last second Hail Mary attempt. The pass rush generated one sack, by Tommie Harris. QB Brett Favre, Pass: 29 - 40 - 322 - 1 TD / 2 INT - Favre had an excellent first half, but fell victim to a stout second half Bears' defense. He made plenty of good throws but it was one of his worst that changed the direction of the game. Favre tried to make a play happen after a scramble in the third quarter and ended up throwing the ball straight to middle linebacker Brian Urlacher. The sense at the time was that it was a game changing play, and that proved correct. Favre preferred his wide receivers Donald Driver and James Jones, targeting each eight times. His accuracy was mostly due to the short, dink-and-dunk type throws his was making, particularly to his tight ends (eight total targets) and running backs (ten total targets). He hooked up with Greg Jennings for a 41 yard touchdown strike in the second quarter that was a beautiful, perfectly thrown pass on a streak near the left sideline. Favre's second interception was a Hail Mary toss up that Driver nearly caught.RB Vernand Morency, Rush: 9 - 43 - 0, Rec: 7 - 48 - 0 (6 targets) - Morency's return to the Green Bay was a good one, as he made the most of this time in the game when the starter DeShawn Wynn temporarily left the game with cramping and dehydration.
RB DeShawn Wynn, Rush: 13 - 78 - 1, Rec: 1 - 13 - 0 (3 targets) - Wynn had a solid game that was interrupted by a need to get an IV due to cramping and dehydration. Wynn had these issues in college at Florida so it's worth paying attention to going forward in case this could be a trend. He had a nice 44 yard run on the Packers' opening drive of the game that was set up by great blocking and was aided by some nice open field moves. Wynn capped that opening drive with a jumping two yard score. He led the Packers in rushing attempts, rushing yards, and added a 13 yard reception in the second half.
RB Ryan Grant, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Grant had one look in the passing game with both Wynn and Morency out of the game.
WR James Jones, Rec: 5 - 61 - 0 (8 targets) - Jones had an up and down game. On the up side, he tied with Driver for the team lead in targets, catching five of them for 61 yards, both good for second on the team. On the down side, he had two separate lost fumbles during the first quarter that sent him to the bench until Greg Jennings injured his shoulder. Both fumbles came on slant routes where Jones caught the ball but was then stripped by Bears' cornerback Charles Tillman who was covering on the play. Favre seems to trust him, despite his turnover problems, as he targeted him four times in the fourth quarter, tops on the team. Jones was the target of Favre's game changing third quarter interception.
WR Donald Driver, Rec: 4 - 51 - 0 (8 targets) - Driver tied with fellow wide receiver James Jones for the team lead in targets. Driver was mostly the target on shorter routes, and even his longest reception (26 yards) was a short route where he had a nice run after the catch. Driver suffered a bit from Favre's willingness to distribute the ball to various targets and not being targeted in the deep game. He was the target of Favre's last second Hail Mary attempt that was intercepted by Chicago.
WR Greg Jennings, Rec: 4 - 83 - 1 (4 targets) - Jennings looks all came in the first half, as he left the game temporarily with a shoulder injury, and wasn't targeted again upon his return. He was Favre's preferred deep target, with catches of 28 and 41 yards, the latter of which was a second quarter touchdown.
WR Ruvell Martin, Rec: 1 - 18 - 0 (1 targets) - Martin had an 18 yard catch and run in the first quarter. He snagged a ball behind him on a slant route, and made a great instinctual move to take the ball outside his inside leaning defender for a nice chunk of yards after the catch.
TE Bubba Franks, Rec: 3 - 18 - 0 (4 targets) - Franks had three quarters of his targets come in the late part of the game; clearly Favre trusts him.
TE Donald Lee, Rec: 3 - 23 - 0 (4 targets) - Lee was the slightly more productive of the two Packers' tight ends in this game, out gaining Franks by five yards with the same number of receptions.
PK Mason Crosby 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points - Crosby continued a nice rookie campaign with two made field goals of 37 yards and two PATs. He didn't miss any kicks.
GB Rush Defense - Green Bay's rush defense shut down Cedric Benson and the Bears running attack, yielding only 82 yards on 33 carries for a 2.5 yards per carry average. They allowed a ten yard score from Benson in the second half but otherwise kept the Bears' runner out of the end zone. They forced no turnovers.
GB Pass Defense - Green Bay's pass defense gave up 214 yards on 15 of 25 passing for 8.56 yards per attempt. They allowed two second half touchdowns to Chicago's tight end duo of Desmond Clark and rookie Greg Olsen. They sacked Griese twice and intercepted him once.Arizona Cardinals 34, St. Louis Rams 31
What you need to know
Arizona Cardinals - The quarterback platoon continued in Arizona as starter QB Matt Leinart split time with backup QB Kurt Warner, until Leinart was knocked out the game with an injury midway through the second quarter. It was reported after the game Leinart suffered a broken collarbone after being driven into the turf on his left shoulder. Warner would come off the bench again and led the Cardinals to three touchdown drives and a win over his old team. He had a solid game throwing for 190 yards, one passing touchdown, and one rushing touchdown. Warner didn't play as well in the second half as the offense only converted one third down but, he still lead them to ten offensive points, including a game clinching touchdown drive with about three minutes left in the game.RB Edgerrin James had a nice game getting 88 yards on 26 carries. He had a five yard carry that was at first ruled a touchdown, but after the officials reviewed the play, they ruled James fumbled and Arizona's OL Reggie Wells was awarded the score after recovering the ball in the end zone. The play was a bit controversial since it actually looked like James was down before the goal line. The Cardinals continued to show a commitment to the run throughout the game and James got all the carries near the goal line.
WR Larry Fitzgerald had another big game as his counterpart, WR Anquan Boldin, missed a second consecutive game with a hip injury. As a result, Fitzgerald saw a game high 16 targets and he responded by catching nine balls for 136 yards, including a seven yard touchdown pass late in the game to seal a Cardinals victory.
St. Louis Rams - QB Gus Frerotte made his first start since 2005 in place of injured and ineffective QB Marc Bulger. Frerotte was able to snap a streak of 32 possessions without a touchdown by the Rams offense early in the second quarter when he hit WR Drew Bennett on a 16 yard pass. Frerotte put up very good numbers in the game, throwing for 262 yards and three touchdowns. But he also had three very costly interceptions, including a bad throw that Cardinals' CB Roderick Hood took back 68 yards for touchdown. Frerotte not only struggled with decision making at times but, also with accuracy, as he only completed 24 of 43 passes.In only his second NFL start, RB Brian Leonard had a very good game as he accounted for 135 of the Rams' 385 total yards of offense in the game. Leonard showed pretty good vision as a runner, hitting open lanes in the running game and versatility as receiver in the passing game.
WR Torry Holt got off to a very slow start in this game as he only had one catch for 12 yards in the first half. But Holt picked it up in the second half as he caught four more passes for 77 yards, including an 11 yard touchdown. WR Isaac Bruce missed this game with a hamstring injury.
What you ought to know
QB Kurt Warner, Pass: 14 - 28 - 190 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 3 - 0 - 1 - Warner came into the game with about seven minutes left in the first half. Arizona went to the no huddle with Warner in and proceeded to march down the field. He looked sharp again on his initial drive and led them to a 78 yard touchdown drive by completing five of six passes for 58 yards. Leinart replaced Warner on the next series of the game for the Cardinals, but he would have to come back into the game two plays later after Leinart was injured. Warner would stay in the game as Leinart did not return. He would get a one yard touchdown plunge on the last play of the first half. He would finish the half seven for 13 for 100 yards. Warner didn't look as sharp in the second half as he seemed to lock in one receiver and tried getting the ball in some tight places. He had a costly turnover in the red zone in the third quarter, he was intercepted trying to get a pass to WR Larry Fitzgerald in the end zone. The Arizona offense struggled in the first half, converting only one third down in the second half. But Warner did hit Fitzgerald toward the end of the game on a seven yard touchdown pass. Warner would finish the second half with 90 yards passing.QB Matt Leinart, Pass: 7 - 13 - 100 - 0 TD / 1 INT - Leinart got off to a shaky start by throwing an interception on the Cardinals first drive of the game. He looked ok early on going seven for 12 for 100 yards before making way to QB Kurt Warner midway through the second quarter for one possession. Leinart would return on the next series of the game. He would leave the game on his second play back in the game as he was driven into the turf on a sack. His left shoulder appeared to be injured on the play as he was holding his left arm awkwardly as he left the field. The sideline reporter said it was a left collarbone injury. He did not return to the game.
RB Edgerrin James, Rush: 26 - 88 - 0, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (4 targets) - James had a decent first half rushing 14 times for 54 yards and almost got a touchdown. He would be initially awarded a touchdown on a six yard running play that looked like he was down before crossing the goal line. After a review by the officials they would take the score away from James and award it to Arizona OL Reggie Wells, saying James fumbled the ball into the end zone and the score occurred on the recovery. He would get another chance to score a touchdown with the ball on the one yard line late in the first half, but he was stopped.
James was never able to break off a big gain in the game, his longest run was only 13 yards. But he got a lot of carries as the Cardinals showed a commitment to the run and, he got all the carries around the goal line. He would have 34 yards rushing in the second half, but wouldn't get another good scoring opportunity.RB J.J. Arrington, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0, Rec: 1 - 32 - 0 (2 targets) - Arrington did have one big play in the game as he caught a pass in the flat and took it 32 yards late in the first half. He also added a one carry for four yards.
RB Marcel Shipp, Rush: 1 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) - Shipp's first and only run came on a draw play up the middle for ten yards on a third and long play that came up short for a first down.
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Rec: 9 - 136 - 1 (16 targets) - Fitzgerald picked up the slack on offense for teammate WR Anquan Boldin being out for a second consecutive week by responding with another big game. He started out strong by catching a 27 yard pass by making a nice diving catch. The play could have went for much more had QB Matt Leinart's pass been more accurate and not forced Fitzgerald to make a diving catch. He would catch a big pass on fourth down to extend a drive late in the first half and he would come back two plays later and catch a 34 yard pass, just missing a touchdown by being tackled on the one yard line. He had a great first half catching six passes for 108 yards, with ten targets.
Fitzgerald's numbers weren't quite as good in the second half as the Cardinals offense struggled to sustain drives, but he did have three more catches for 28 yards, including a seven yard touchdown pass toward the end of the game.WR Bryant Johnson, Rec: 6 - 80 - 0 (10 targets) - Johnson started the game for the injured WR Anquan Boldin and responded with a good game. He got the Cardinals first catch of the game on a slant for 17 yards. Johnson was a frequent target in the first half as the Rams doubled WR Larry Fitzgerald often. He finished the half with five catches for 70 yards in the first half. Johnson only had one catch for ten yards in the second half.
WR Jerheme Urban, Rec: 3 - 28 - 0 (4 targets) - Urban lined up as the third wideout when the Cardinals were in three wide receiver sets and finished the game with three catches for 28 yards.
TE Leonard Pope, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (2 targets) - Pope had only one catch for five yards in the game, as Arizona rarely targeted the tight ends in this game.
PK Neil Rackers 2 - 3 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 10 points - Rackers hit a 50 yard field goal in the first quarter of the game. In the second quarter, he had a 39 yard attempt blocked by the Rams. He would add a 32 yard field goal in the third quarter and had four extra points.
ARI Rush Defense - The rush defense gave up 123 yards on the ground but, were stingy in the red zone and didn't give up a rushing touchdown.
ARI Pass Defense - CB Roderick Hood would make the biggest defensive play of the game when QB Gus Frerotte threw a ball right to him and he took it 68 yards for a touchdown, giving the Cardinals the lead in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals would have three interceptions and two sacks in the game. QB Gus Frerotte, Pass: 24 - 43 - 262 - 3 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0 - Frerotte got the start for the injured starter QB Marc Bulger who is nursing broken ribs and has not been effective. Bulger was active and served as Frerotte's backup in the game. Frerotte got off to a good start by leading the Rams to three points on the first drive of the game for St. Louis. Frerotte snapped a streak of 32 possessions without a touchdown by the Rams' offense by hitting WR Drew Bennett on a 16 yard touchdown in the second quarter. But Frerotte was inconsistent in the first half going only eight for 17 for 60 yards. Frerotte would get his second touchdown pass of the game on an 11 yard pass to WR Torry Holt on the first drive of the second half. Frerotte lead them down on a seven play, seventy yard scoring drive. He had an interception in the third quarter when Holt had a pass bounce off his hands. He would make a huge mistake early in the fourth quarter when he threw a pass right to Cardinals' CB Roderick Hood in which he would take 68 yards for a touchdown. He would get his third interception of the game later in the fourth quarter on a poorly thrown deep ball. Frerotte did lead the Rams down on 70 yard drive late in the game and hit TE Randy McMichael on a 29 yard touchdown pass. He finished with very good numbers in the game, but he was inaccurate at times and did have three big interceptions in the second half.RB Brian Leonard, Rush: 18 - 102 - 0, Rec: 5 - 33 - 0 (7 targets) - Leonard started for the second straight week for injured starter RB Steven Jackson. He would account for most of St. Louis' offense in the first half. He had a 12 yard reception out of the back field that helped set up a field goal on the first drive of the game. He had a big gain on a 31 yard carry over the right side after the offensive line opened up a huge hole. He was kind of quiet the rest of the half, until ripping off a 13 yard run for first down late in the first half. Leonard had seven carries for 63 yards in the first half, and he also added four catches for 26 yards receiving.
Leonard remained a big part of the offense in the second half even though St. Louis was forced to throw more in the second half because they were down. He had 11 more carries for 39 yards in the second half, and added a catch for seven yards.RB Travis Minor, Rush: 3 - 12 - 0, Rec: 5 - 31 - 0 (5 targets) - Minor saw some playing time with the injury to RB Steven Jackson. His best run came on an eight yard run up the middle. He came in often on passing downs in the second half and caught several balls on little check down passes.
WR Torry Holt, Rec: 5 - 89 - 1 (8 targets) - Holt had a very nice game but, was a non-factor in the first half only catching one pass for 12 yards. That would not be the case in the second half as he caught a 34 yard pass on St. Louis' first drive of the second half. QB Gus Frerotte would go back to him two plays later for an 11 yard touchdown in the right corner of the end zone. He had a ball bounce off his hands, on a play he usually makes, and the deflection lead to an interception. It looked like Holt short-armed the ball on a pass that was very catchable. But Holt would redeem himself by catching a big 26 yard pass in the fourth quarter. He also caught a pass for a two point conversion with 13 second left in the game.
WR Drew Bennett, Rec: 2 - 32 - 1 (8 targets) - Bennett got the start because WR Isaac Bruce did not play because of an injury. His first catch was a 16 yard touchdown pass over the middle of the field. That would be Bennett's only catch of the first half. He would come and catch a 16 yard pass on the first play of the second half, but that would be his only other catch in the game.
WR Dante Hall, Rush: 1 - 8 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (5 targets) - Hall had a reverse run for eight yards and a first down on the Rams first drive of the game. Hall was targeted five times in the game but, only caught one pass for seven yards.
TE Randy McMichael, Rec: 3 - 45 - 1 (6 targets) - McMichael caught an eight pass that came up short on a third down play in the second quarter. It would be his only catch of the first half. He would add two more catches in the second half, including a 29 yard pass with 13 seconds left that was for a touchdown.
PK Jeff Wilkins 3 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points - Wilkins kicked a 46 yard field goal on the Rams first drive of the game. He would have another field goal of 35 yards in the second quarter, and a 31 yard kick in the fourth quarter. He would also add two extra points.
STL Rush Defense - The Rams defense gave up 102 yards rushing in the game but, no rushing touchdown.
STL Pass Defense - CB Fakhir Brown returned to the lineup for this game and got an interception on Arizona's opening drive. Brown would add a second interception later in the game. The Rams pass defense would give up 290 yards of passing and one touchdown pass.Dallas Cowboys 25, Buffalo Bills 24
What you need to know
Dallas Cowboys - Playing before a fired up crowd at Ralph Wilson Stadium, the Cowboys committed six turnovers, two of which were returned for TDs, and they also gave up a long kickoff return for a TD. Yet incredibly, they staged a last minute comeback to pull out the victory.QB Tony Romo had a disastrous night, turning the ball over four times in the first half and six times for the game. He threw the ball accurately at times, finished with over 300 yards, and directed two last minute scoring drives to pull out the win. But it's impossible to say he played well given the turnovers.
RB Julius Jones had one decent run (15 yards), but he was bottled up most of the night by the Buffalo front seven and did not get involved in the passing game. RB Marion Barber did not find any more room to run than Jones, but he came up with six receptions, four of them in the final two Cowboys scoring drives.
TE Jason Witten was by far the most targeted Cowboys receiver and finished with over 100 receiving yards. He pulled down a second quarter TD reception as well as several clutch grabs late in the fourth quarter. WR Patrick Crayton also played the hero, scoring the late Dallas TD and shagging the final sideline pass from Romo to set up the dramatic game winning field goal. WR Terrell Owens came up small in this game and had a couple of second half drops.
PK Nick Folk was stellar as usual, converting all of his place kicks, including the game winner (twice) as time ran out. Overall, though, the Cowboys special teams did not have a great night, as they could not break off any long returns, and also gave up a 100+ yard kickoff return for a TD. The Dallas defense yielded only three offensive points and made enough plays to keep their team in the game despite the rash of turnovers by the offense.
Buffalo Bills - The Buffalo offense played conservatively, ultimately too conservatively, and produced only a single field goal in sixty minutes of action.Rookie QB Trent Edwards played ball control and had some success moving the chains, but the Bills offense frequently stalled and ultimately accounted for only three points on the night. Edwards stood up well in the pocket, despite facing a variety of Cowboy blitz packages, and he usually found a way to get rid of the ball before getting hit (though he was sacked three times). Edwards took care of the ball for three and a half quarters, but he tossed a disastrous INT late in the game, killing a Buffalo scoring drive that could have clinched a Bills victory.
RB Marshawn Lynch was very involved in the passing game, and he also ran hard, though his final totals don't show it. The rookie showed some elusiveness and wiggle, but overall, he was contained pretty well by the Dallas front seven.
WR Lee Evans did not break out of his slump and accounted for only one second quarter reception. WR Josh Reed, filling in for the injured Peerless Price, was fairly active and finished with five grabs. Starting TE Robert Royal had his busiest game of the year, serving as Edwards' safety valve and coming up with several big catch and runs.
PK Rian Lindell made one out of two field goal attempts, but his long range miss late in the second quarter provided the Cowboys an opportunity to kick a field goal of their own just before halftime.
The Buffalo special teams had a great night, producing a 103 yard TD return by Terrence McGee, and also surprising the Cowboys on a fake punt that resulted in a first down run by P Brian Moorman. The Bills defended the run better than expected, and they put occasional pressure on Tony Romo, though they did not come up with a sack. The big story of the game was the six Cowboys turnovers, which, incredibly, were not enough to secure a win for the Bills.