All our week 14 content

New York Giants 23, Washington Redskins 7

What you need to know

New York Giants - On a cold and rainy day, Eli Manning was able to lead his troops to another impressive road win as they controlled the clock and moved the ball at will, racking up over 400 yards of total offense. Manning, who has struggled through the air as of late, had a break out performance throwing for 305 yards and a touchdown in the Giants 11th victory of 2008.

On the ground, Brandon Jacobs returned to the Giants lineup and continued his punishing rushing campaign, carrying 21 times in total while gaining 71 yards and scoring his 12th touchdown of the season. He pounded the ball in the wet weather and let his teammate, Derrick Ward kill with his quickness going over 100 yards on only 15 touches. Ward did most of his damage through the air and was used to counteract the pressure that Washington brought on various blitz schemes, catching five balls for 75 yards.

Through the air the Giants found success, as Eli Manning hit six different receivers including Amani Toomer, who led the Giants in receiving, and hauled in a 40 yard touchdown in the first quarter. With star wide out Plaxico Burress inactive, it was Domenik Hixon who stepped up and produced, making a few nice plays to help New York move the chains and control the clock. Defensively, it was the same old story for New York, harassing Jason Campbell into four sacks while hawking the ball and forcing two Washington turnovers in the rout.

Washington Redskins - With a rushing attack that was banged up and battered, Washington relied heavily on the play of Jason Campbell who was unable to deliver an eighth Redskins victory. Campbell completed 23 passes to nine different receivers, throwing for 232 yards and an interception.

It was Campbell's forth game of the season without throwing a touchdown pass as he struggled to find time in the pocket as well as the open receiver. Running back Clinton Portis started the game and was bottled up on his 11 rushing attempts. Hobbling off to the sidelines throughout the game, Portis only touched the ball four times in the second half as Washington went with backup Ladell Betts in many passing situations. Portis and Betts combined to find little room as they were out rushed on the ground by Campbell, who was flushed out of the pocket on many plays due to the tight coverage.

Through the air, the Redskins faltered, recording no touchdown receptions and turning the ball over on Aaron Ross' third interception of the season. It was wide receiver Devin Thomas who had one of the only Washington bright spots, taking an end around 29 yards through traffic and scoring his first career touchdown. It was all the offense that Washington could muster, as they missed on some key opportunities and were beaten on both sides of the ball, failing to 7-5 in the brutal NFC East.

What you ought to know

QB Eli Manning, Pass: 21 - 34 - 305 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 4 - 7 - 0 - Manning had a solid day through the air despite the wet and windy conditions, completing 21 of his 34 attempts and surpassing the 300 yard mark while throwing one touchdown. He stayed clean in the pocket and picked apart a Washington defense that had no answer for the Manning-led offensive attack. Early in the second quarter Manning was able to throw a perfectly placed ball down the sidelines, connecting with Amani Toomer for a 40 yard score.

RB Brandon Jacobs, Rush: 21 - 71 - 1 - Jacobs who had missed the last game with an injury, returned to see a 21 carry workload as he gained 71 yards on the ground while running hard and looking healthy. He started the game and was in for a majority of the Giants offensive snaps. While starting slow in the first half, Jacobs remained persistent and was able to break off big runs in the second half while punching in a 3rd quarter touchdown run from one yard out.

RB Derrick Ward, Rush: 10 - 30 - 0, Rec: 5 - 75 - 0 (6 targets) - Ward was used in his normal role of third down back and backup to Brandon Jacobs. As usual, Ward was able to capitalize on his limited touches as he topped 100 total yards on only 15 touches. Carrying ten times for 30 yards, Eli Manning made use of him through the air, targeting him six times on various short routes. Ward caught five balls for 75 yards and showed good vision is space as he took a bubble screen 40 yards for a big gain early in the second quarter.

WR Amani Toomer, Rec: 5 - 85 - 1 (9 targets) - Toomer tied a team high in targets, catching five of nine balls for 85 yards and a score. He provided Manning with another reliable target to move the chains and showed that he still can make the big play, winning a one on one match up down the sidelines and hauling in a 40 yard pass for New York's first touchdown of the game. With Burress out Toomer looked to be more involved in the vertical passing game rather than his usual role as possession receiver.

WR Domenik Hixon, Rec: 5 - 71 - 0 (9 targets) - Starting for the injured Burress, Domenik Hixon filled in and had another productive outing while seeing a team high nine targets come his way. Hixon was able to catch five balls for 75 yards and did most of his damage on ten to 12 yard timing patterns. He seemed very much in sync with Manning and was able to show off his great hands, bringing in a few tough catches in traffic.

WR Steve Smith, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (5 targets) - Smith was a clear third option as usual, catching only two balls for 22 yards. His two catches were productive as they both were for 11 yards and resulted in first downs.

WR Sinorice Moss, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Moss saw only one target which he brought in for a seven yard gain.

TE Kevin Boss, Rec: 3 - 45 - 0 (4 targets) - Boss was productive on his limited number of looks catching all but one of his four targets. He was tough to bring down and fought his way for 45 tough yards on his three catches.

PK John Carney 3 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points - Carney was able to hit all three of his field goal attempts in the dreary weather as well as hitting both of his PAT attempts.

NYG Rush Defense - The Giants rush defense dominated the line of scrimmage again and won the battle in the trenches, holding Washington to less than 100 yards rushing and knocking Clinton Portis out of the game. The relentless pursuit of the defensive front set the tone early and was involved in their only blemish of the game as they got caught on a misdirection play, allowing rookie wide receiver Devin Thomas to score on a 29 yard end around.

NYG Pass Defense - The Giants pass defense caused havoc yet again and was aided by a strong physical pass rush up front. Sacking Jason Campbell four times in total, the Giants prevented the long ball and kept Washington grounded, forcing one interception while keeping the Redskins out of the end zone through the air. Aaron Ross was able to take yet another ball away blanketing Santana Moss in coverage and making a play on an under thrown pass for his third interception of the season.

QB Jason Campbell, Pass: 23 - 38 - 232 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 5 - 38 - 0 - Campbell had a poor outing against the dominating defense of the Giants. With virtually not time in the pocket, Campbell was pressured and rushed for four full quarters, failing to toss a touchdown while throwing his fourth interception of the season. He took what the defense gave him, finding nine different targets to move the ball, however was pressured all day and was unable to sustain any sort of offensive production.

RB Clinton Portis, Rush: 11 - 22 - 0, Rec: 1 - 15 - 0 (1 targets) - Portis was bottled up for most of the day and was on and off of the field as he aggravated an injury during the game. He caught his lone target for a 15 yard gain and averaged a measly two yards on 11 rushes.

RB Ladell Betts, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0, Rec: 4 - 22 - 0 (4 targets) - Betts carried only once on the day however found some success through the air as he caught all four targets for 22 yards. He was a reliable safety valve for Campbell as Washington struggled to move the ball vertically down the field.

RB Mike Sellers, Rec: 1 - 20 - 0 (2 targets) - The bruising fullback used primarily as a lead blocker was able to slip out of the backfield and catch one of his two targets for a 20 yard gain.

WR Antwaan Randle El, Pass: 1 - 1 - 17 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rec: 4 - 37 - 0 (8 targets) - Randle El saw eight total targets against the Giants and was only able to come away with half of them, totaling only 37 yards, as New York played tight man coverage in the wet conditions. He was targeted deep downfield by Campbell but the ball was under thrown allowing cornerback Aaron Ross to make an adjustment to the ball and come up with an interception. Randle was also involved in some misdirection as he took an end around from Jason Campbell only to throw downfield, hitting Chris Cooley for a 17 yard completion.

WR Santana Moss, Rec: 4 - 55 - 0 (9 targets) - Santana Moss had a quiet day as he could not get open against cornerbacks Aaron Ross or Corey Webster. Blanketed for most of the game, Moss saw a team high nine looks come his way but could only manage four receptions. He was targeted on a few deep balls which Campbell misfired on badly and was unable to make the big play downfield that he is known for. On his underneath routes there seemed to be a Giants defender always close to Moss, able to break up the play.

WR James Thrash, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (2 targets) - Thrash was not used extensively but was able to catch one of his three targets for four yards.

WR Devin Thomas, Rush: 1 - 29 - 1 (1 targets) - Thomas did not see much action in the passing game however showed off his speed and elusiveness when he took an end around 29 yards, making defenders miss and scoring Washington's only touchdown of the game.

TE Chris Cooley, Rec: 6 - 71 - 0 (7 targets) - Cooley was used extensively in the passing game and led the Redskins in receiving. He caught six balls for 71 yards as it often took multiple Giants defenders to bring him down. He primarily was targeted short, being forced to use his legs to gain good yardage after the catch and do everything he could to keep the Redskins offense on the field.

TE Todd Yoder, Rec: 3 - 25 - 0 (3 targets) - Yoder caught all three of his targets for a total of 25 yards.

PK Shaun Suisham 0 - 1 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 1 points - Suisham missed his lone field goal attempt while adding the PAT conversion on the Washington touchdown run.

WAS Rush Defense - The Redskins rush defense fared better than most against the Giants ground game but had to put an extra defender in the box to do so. Still, New York fought for 116 physical yards on the ground and used the play action pass to set up the Giant's passing attack and deep ball. As the game wore on, so did the Redskins defensive unit, surrendering most of their rushing yards in the last 30 minutes of the game as Jacobs and Ward found open space, allowing them to move the ball and controlling the clock.

WAS Pass Defense - With an extra defender in the box, Washington dared Eli to throw downfield and in the first half that is just what he did. Mounting a first half lead of 13-7, Manning took up the challenge Washington presented him, throwing for a total of 239 first half yards against the mismatched secondary. In man coverage they were consistently beat off the ball, allowing the Giants wide receivers to maneuver in space and catch the ball on the run. In the second half, New York mainly turned to their ground game as the worn down unit had no answer for the power rushing attack.

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San Francisco 49ers 10, Buffalo Bills 3

What you need to know

San Francisco 49ers - San Francisco opened the game with a 14 play, 72 yard drive that ate up over eight minutes and resulted in the only touchdown they would need. Frank Gore carried nine times on that drive.

Shaun Hill continued his consistent play and did not throw an interception, although he had a down game statistically hitting 14 of 23 for 161 yards and just one touchdown. Ageless Isaac Bruce caught five passes for 67 yards and scored the only touchdown in the game. Jason Hill also caught five passes for 55 yards.

San Francisco only scored ten points and gained 195 yards of offense. Despite allowing 350 yards of offense, the Niners won this game with their defense. The Bills never crossed their goal line and only scored one field goal in four trips to the red zone. San Francisco has now improved to 2-3 under interim head coach Mike Singletary.

Buffalo Bills - The loss may have extinguished Buffalo's flickering hope for a playoff spot, although the freezing rain and gusty winds did not overtly affect the Bills' offense. They were able to generate 350 yards, but four trips inside the red zone only netted three points. Trent Edwards was a little shaky completing ten of 21 for 112 yards in the first half. He sat out the rest of the game with a reported groin injury.

J.P. Losman replaced Edwards in the second half and solidified his role as backup quarterback. While he managed to complete 11 of 17 for 93 yards he also held the ball too long and took three critical sacks when Buffalo was trying to tie the score. If Losman has to replace Edwards for any length of time his performance could improve with additional work with the starters.

Marshawn Lynch rushed for over 100 yards in his second straight game while Lee Evans led all receivers with seven catches for 80 yards. TE Derek Schouman replaced the injured Robert Royal and caught four balls for 44 yards.

Two Rian Lindell field goal attempts clunked off the left upright, one from just 20 yards away.

What you ought to know

QB Shaun Hill, Pass: 14 - 23 - 161 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 0 - 0 - Shaun Hill continued his consistent play, as he completed 14 of 23 for 161 yards and one touchdown and zero interceptions. A second TD pass was called back on a penalty and he posted a QB rating of 96.5. In his previous three games Hill had thrown a total of six touchdowns with an average QB rating of 94.3.

RB Frank Gore, Rush: 24 - 66 - 0, Rec: 3 - 23 - 0 (4 targets) - Even though Gore had 24 carries there were times when he was all but forgotten. On San Francisco's 14 play opening drive of the game, their only drive that resulted in a touchdown, Gore carried nine times. While his longest run of the day was just 12 yards, he was effective running inside and picking up key first downs. More importantly, he prevented the Bills from pinning their ears back and blitzing Shaun Hill.

WR Jason Hill, Rush: 1 - -4 - 0, Rec: 5 - 55 - 0 (5 targets) - Hill had a nice game, catching five passes for 55 yards, with his longest going for 20 yards. The young receiver is worth tracking as he will enter his third NFL season next year and veterans that are currently ahead of him on the depth chart may not be back.

WR Isaac Bruce, Rec: 5 - 67 - 1 (6 targets) - Bruce led the 49ers with five receptions for 67 yards. His 12 yard TD catch in the first quarter was the 90th touchdown of his 15 year NFL career. Rookie Leodis McKelvin had coverage but Bruce faked running a slant and broke it out to the corner.

WR Bryant Johnson, Rec: 1 - 16 - 0 (3 targets) - Johnson was targeted early and seldom, with two targets in the first quarter and just one in the third. He caught one pass for 16 yards.

WR Dominique Zeigler (3 targets) - With both Arnaz Battle and Josh Morgan inactive, Zeigler saw limited playing time. He flat out dropped one pass in the second quarter but later broke up a possible interception.

TE Billy Bajema (1 targets) - Bajema saw limited duty and was not a factor in this game.

TE Vernon Davis (2 targets) - While Davis did not make the stat sheet, in the third quarter he caught a 37 yard touchdown pass but was flagged for offensive pass interference.

PK Joe Nedney 1 - 1 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points - Nedney hit a clutch 50 yard field goal at the end of the first half and also converted his sole PAT.

SF Rush Defense - Marshawn Lynch had the best day of this season although he was held out of the end zone. His running mate, Fred Jackson, was limited to just eight carries on five attempts. Patrick Willis was credited with 14 tackles and forced a fumble that led to their field goal.

SF Pass Defense - Edwards and Losman combined for about 200 passing yards. Neither threw TD passes but neither were intercepted.

QB Trent Edwards, Pass: 10 - 21 - 112 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - 5 - 0 - Edwards had a mediocre first half, hitting ten for 21 for 112 yards. Worse, he started bouncing passes to receivers again. When it was announced that Losman was replacing him in the second half it was thought to be a change based on performance. Then it was announced that Edwards had suffered a groin injury at some point during the first half.

QB J.P. Losman, Pass: 11 - 17 - 93 - 0 TD / 0 INT - Losman was understandably rusty. His last start was one year ago and had only seen mop up duty since. Still, a backup should be ready to play, despite the lack of first team reps, and a case could be made that Losman wasn't terrible. He did not throw an interception, although he didn't pull out the victory in a 'must win" game, either. He appeared cautious, and he held the ball too long which led to three sacks. He also missed Lee Evans late in the game on a play that could have tied the score.

RB Marshawn Lynch, Rush: 16 - 134 - 0, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (5 targets) - Lynch had his best rushing performance of the season and his 50 yard burst in the third quarter helped set up the Bills' only field goal. His fumble late in the second quarter also led to San Francisco's' field goal just before half time.

RB Fred Jackson, Rush: 5 - 8 - 0, Rec: 2 - 13 - 0 (4 targets) - Jackson only gained eight yards on five carries although a 28 yard run in the first quarter was called back when rookie James Hardy's downfield block away from the play was ruled holding.

RB Corey McIntyre (1 targets) - The big blocking back helped Lynch gain over 100 yards but dropped an easy pass in the fourth quarter.

WR Lee Evans, Rec: 7 - 80 - 0 (9 targets) - Evans was the leading receiver in the game with 80 yards on seven receptions and was targeted throughout the game by both quarterbacks. Late in the game, with the Bills down by a touchdown, on fourth down deep in 49er territory he broke open across the middle on a short crossing route. Losman did not get him the ball on time, however, so instead of a sure first down or possibly tying the game the Bills turned the ball over on downs.

WR Josh Reed, Rec: 5 - 58 - 0 (9 targets) - Reed was targeted seven times by Edwards in the first half but only twice by Losman. He knows how to get open and Edwards looks for him on hot reads. His presence in the lineup takes pressure off the other receivers, especially Lee Evans.

WR Roscoe Parrish, Rush: 1 - 9 - 0, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (3 targets) - His targets continue to come on short passes into an attempt to get him in space. Parrish also gained nine yards for a first down on a reverse with Lynch lined up shotgun formation.

WR James Hardy - With the return of Josh Reed, Hardy's role has been reduced to spot duty. He was called for holding on a Fred Jackson run in the first quarter.

TE Derek Schouman, Rec: 4 - 44 - 0 (6 targets) - Schouman filled in nicely for Robert Royal and caught four passes for 44 yards with the longest going for 17 yards. The Bills also threw a screen pass to the second year man from Boise State.

TE Derek Fine (1 targets) - Fine's one target was in the end zone but Edwards' pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage.

PK Rian Lindell 1 - 3 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 3 points - Lindell had a miserable day. He bounced two field goal attempts off the left upright, one just a little closer than a PAT, the other from 40 yards. He made his third try from 22 yards out.

BUF Rush Defense - The Bills managed to hold Frank Gore to just 66 yards and 2.8 yards per carry. Defensive ends Chris Kelsey registered seven tackles while Ryan Denney, continuing to fill in for Aaron Schobel, was credited with six tackles.

BUF Pass Defense - Chris Kelsey was credited with one sack, while Ryan Denney had two sacks and a forced fumble.

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Tennessee Titans 47, Detroit Lions 10

What you need to know

Tennessee Titans - Kerry Collins remains almost an after thought in fantasy terms. The Titans philosophy continues to focus on running the ball and conversely stopping the run while on defense as this has been a proven winning formula in the NFL. Collins had a meager stat line and barely broke 100 yards passing.

LenDale White and partner Chris Johnson both had absolutely monster days. Both scored a pair of touchdowns for the Titans as Tennessee destroyed the hapless Detroit Lions. The pair also both eclipsed the 100 yard rushing mark. Fantasy owners had to be excited about this week's matchup and White and Johnson delivered.

K-Rob Bironas had a big game with all of the touchdowns scored while also making four field goals from some stalled Tennessee drives after the frequent Detroit punts and turnovers.

Detroit Lions - Daunte Culpepper struggled in this game only passing for 131 yards while throwing an interception that went for a Titans touchdown. With only a few games under his belt the Culpepper experiment is still a work in progress as he learns the Lions playbook. This continues to bear watching.

Kevin Smith had a rough outing and never got untracked. The Titans front seven just beat up the Lions and Smith. He was held to 22 yards and a single reception for an addition nine yards.

Calvin Johnson looked absolutely emotionally drained and upset. The cameras caught an introspective Johnson being consoled by a member of the Lions staff well after the final gun had sounded. During the game, Johnson was consistently doubled and the Titans left a safety sitting back on his side of the field. The net result was 66 yards on five grabs.

What you ought to know

QB Kerry Collins, Pass: 11 - 18 - 127 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 12 - 0 - He is definitely in the Trent Dilfer Baltimore Ravens bus driver mold of a quarterback. The team continues to rely on a strong running game mixed in with some throws to keep the defense guessing. When Collins did throw the ball he was accurate and made good decisions. The problem for any Collins owners is that there just weren't very many attempts.

QB Vince Young, Pass: 1 - 1 - 54 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - -2 - 0 - Young came in for some late game action with the Titans up several scores. This marked the first action Young had seen since his knee injury in Week 1. He primarily handed the ball off save for a dump off throw that went for big yardage.

RB LenDale White, Rush: 23 - 106 - 2 (1 targets) - White was very vocal to his coaching staff following only a few carries in last weeks loss to the Jets. Head coach Jeff Fisher responded by giving White 23 carries to cheer him up. White made the most of his biggest workload of the season. He displayed his trademark tough running up the middle and breaking tackles. His two touchdowns were from six and two yards.

RB Chris Johnson, Rush: 16 - 125 - 2, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - The rookie had two scores on his first three touches of the game. On each of his touchdown runs he went in untouched by a single Lion. The first score followed up a Detroit fumble by Shaun MacDonald and was from six yards out. The second score was a beautifully crafted third down draw play. Johnson exploded up the middle and then made a single cut to go 58 yards. The Lions had no answer for the speed of Johnson and he had many long runs on the day. He was the more effective back despite LenDale White also racking up two scores and over a 100 yards.

RB Quinton Ganther, Rush: 3 - 23 - 0 - The backup running back was used in short yardage and garbage time. He was not successful in converting his short yardage situation and was dropped for a small loss. Ganther had a nice run late in the game on the edge that went for 22 yards.

RB Ahmard Hall, Rec: 2 - 53 - 0 (2 targets) - The fullback had a very nice catch and run that went for 54 yards. He showed good speed for a big guy and was even elusive in the open field. Hall had no carries in the game.

WR Justin Gage, Rec: 2 - 40 - 0 (4 targets) - Gage had a quiet day as did all of the Titans receivers. He caught two of his four targets and was used for short passing primarily. Although he was targeted deep one time and missed hooking with Kerry Collins on the go route.

WR Justin McCareins, Rec: 2 - 43 - 0 (3 targets) - McCareins worked the slot in three wide receiver sets. He caught a nice deep slant route that gained the Titans 20 yards. Also of note, a Detroit penalty negated a lost fumble by McCareins.

WR Brandon Jones, Rush: 1 - 28 - 0, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (2 targets) - The Titans first offensive play was an impressive end around by Jones that went for 28 yards and set up the opening Chris Johnson score. Other than that he only caught one ball for six yards.

TE Alge Crumpler, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (3 targets) - Crumpler was used as possession type target during the game and also got a red zone look. He was able to convert a couple of first downs for the Titans on his 22 receiving yards.

TE Bo Scaife, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Scaife was not a factor in the game catching only the one ball for short yardage.

PK Rob Bironas 4 - 4 FG, 5 - 5 XP, 17 points - Bironas had a very nice outing racking up a total of 16 points. He made field goals of 49, 41, 45 and 43 yards respectively. He was also perfect on his four extra point attempts.

TEN Rush Defense - They did an outstanding job of limiting any Lions' ground game and really clogged the interior of the line. The Titans were playing a little snarly after their loss last week to the New York Jets. Lion running backs only amassed

TEN Pass Defense - The front four was able to generate sufficient pressure to keep new quarterback Daunte Culpepper under the gun and uncomfortable. The Titans did a solid job of doubling stud receiver Calvin Johnson and limiting his after the catch yardage. The Lions only passed for 134 yards and an awful 0-11on third down conversion.

QB Daunte Culpepper, Pass: 13 - 26 - 134 - 1 TD / 1 INT - Culpepper showed some rapport with star receiver Calvin Johnson especially on slant routes. This was used frequently during the game with moderate success. Teams know that Culpepper wants to throw the ball to Calvin Johnson and they defend accordingly. The other impressive facet of Culpepper's game was his ability to scramble to avoid being sacked despite his 277 pound frame. This also helped him power out of potential sacks and make positive yards by extending the play. The biggest challenge for Culpepper is this game was the frequent long yardage the Lions faced due to negative plays and penalties.

QB Drew Henson, Pass: 1 - 2 - 20 - 0 TD / 0 INT - Heck, why not? The team was down by multiple scores so there was nothing to lose in giving rarely used Henson some work. His last playing time was a few Thanksgiving Days ago when he started for the Cowboys against the Bears before being pulled at the half. In this game Henson only saw one drive, he made one throw, was sacked and then sacked again and fumbled the ball. It was ugly.

RB Kevin Smith, Rush: 12 - 22 - 0, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (4 targets) - Smith ran his best when the Lions gave him plays out of the I formation and he had a lead blocker. He was frequently battling Titan defenders in the backfield. He did break one play for 22 yards and showed some speed and shifty cut back.

RB Aveion Cason, Rush: 2 - 1 - 0 - Cason, was a non factor in this game other then returning multiple kickoffs after Tennessee scores.

WR Calvin Johnson, Rec: 5 - 66 - 0 (10 targets) - Johnson did not have the greatest fantasy stats, but he did play well. He is consistently seeing opposing teams best corner and usually with safety help. This limited his deep threat, so he and Culpepper took more of the shorter routes. Johnson ran lots of slants and outs for average yardage.

WR Shaun McDonald, Rec: 4 - 44 - 0 (4 targets) - McDonald had a nice pick up for 22 yards when he made the Titans defender bite on a fake to the middle of the field only to bust his route to the outside for an easy pitch and catch. The first Tennessee touchdown was a result of MacDonald coughing the ball up when he was stripped by free safety Michael Griffin.

WR John Standeford, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - Standeford was on the field for three wide receiver sets. He made a nice catch and showed great control with dragging his feet to remain in bounds.

TE Casey Fitzsimmons, Rec: 1 - 14 - 0 (4 targets) - Most of Fitzsimmons targets were when Culpepper was under pressure. Fitzsimmons appears to be safety valve or hot read for Culpepper when facing opposing blitzes.

TE Michael Gaines, Rec: 1 - 2 - 1 (3 targets) - Aside from Calvin Johnson, Gaines seems to have a decent rapport with Culpepper. He caught the lone touchdown for the Lions on a beautiful play action fake where Culpepper hid the ball only to hit Gaines a couple of seconds later for an easy score.

TE John Owens, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (1 targets) - Owens was a non factor in the game with only one catch.

PK Jason Hanson 1 - 1 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points - The veteran Lions kicker made yet another bomb from 53 yards out and also added an extra point. This was good for a total of four points.

DET Rush Defense - The group has been putrid all year. It's very hard to find any bright spots to discuss. The Titans ran this group into the ground. The Titans had a 14-0 lead and Chris Johnson had only been touched one time on three carries. The total damage inflicted was 292 yards.

DET Pass Defense - The coverage actually looked quite and usually fairly tight. The problem however was the enormous Tennessee lead. There was no real reason for Tennessee to throw ball in the second half. Hence the low 164 yards of passing.

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Carolina Panthers 35, Green Bay Packers 31

What you need to know

Carolina Panthers - DeAngelo Williams had a great day. He didn't share the ball much due in part to Jonathan Stewart's big fumble and possible leg cramps. Williams ran with power and speed.

Jonathan Stewart fumbled his second touch of the game. It almost cost Carolina a touchdown and he was caught from behind. He suffered from leg cramps the rest of the day.

Steve Smith had two great receptions where he was downed at the one yard line. He was two yards away from two touchdowns on the day.

Green Bay Packers - Aaron Rodgers played well throwing for three touchdowns and nearly 300 yards. It was the coldest game he ever played in and it didn't seem to bother him. He killed the Packers chance for a comeback though with a bad interception with 1:19 left on the clock.

Brandon Jackson had a decent showing but it came as a result of Ryan Grant being injured during the second half.

Ryan Grant's injury did not look serious but his status was not determined during the game.

What you ought to know

QB Jake Delhomme, Pass: 12 - 17 - 177 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 0 - 1 - Jake Delhomme only had to throw the ball seventeen times to win this game. He did run one very nice touchdown. But, he was only two yards away from two touchdowns. WR Steve Smith was tackled twice on the one yard line. Delhomme had a very clean and impressive game and this was his first game ever in Lambeau Field. If the Carolina defense could have stopped Green Bay more Delhomme would have had a bigger day. The Panthers only possessed the ball for 22 minutes.

RB DeAngelo Williams, Rush: 21 - 72 - 4, Rec: 3 - 14 - 0 (3 targets) - Right when DeAngelo Williams was starting to get hot and in typical John Fox style, Williams was replaced by Jonathan Stewart. After the leg cramps showed up in Stewart they had no choice and Williams showed power pushing piles and driving through for the last three touchdown runs. Don't get too excited about the four touchdowns as all of them were from the one yard line. But, his one long run of the day was almost a touchdown if it weren't for the saving play of DB Nick Collins. Before Jonathan Stewart was out with leg cramps Carolina did leave Williams in for the short yardage runs. Williams did not have a huge yards per carry day but it was nice to see him used in many short yardage situations.

RB Jonathan Stewart, Rush: 4 - 58 - 0, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 - Jonathan Stewart had a nice run in the first half but was caught from behind. He did not show the speed that he demonstrated at the Combine. However, it might have been due to leg cramps and this limited him from seeing the field during the rest of the game. He fumbled the ball on the play and was immediately replaced by DeAngelo Williams. It was hard to tell if Stewart was taken out because of the fumble or due to leg cramps.

RB Nick Goings, Rec: 1 - -4 - 0 (1 targets) - Nick Goings had one reception and target for a loss of four yards.

WR Steve Smith, Rec: 4 - 105 - 0 (7 targets) - Steve Smith was two yards away from two touchdowns in this game. On two long pass plays Smith was tackled on the one yard line. One was an incredible catch. This could have been a very scary good day for Smith on very few targets and receptions.

WR Muhsin Muhammad, Rec: 2 - 50 - 0 (4 targets) - The first play of the game was a flea flicker to Muhsin Muhammad and the only thing that kept him from catching this long pass was pass interference. Muhammad was thrown to the ground on that play. He was still able to get 50 yards on the day even after losing that big play.

TE Jeff King, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - The Panthers used three TEs sets many times maybe because of their injuries at WR. There were only three targets to TEs on seventeen passes all day. King had two of the targets and nine yards to show for it.

TE Dante Rosario (1 targets) - Dante Rosario was on the field many times in three TE sets but only had one target.

PK John Kasay 0 - 0 FG, 5 - 5 XP, 5 points - John Kasay only kicked extra points.

CAR Rush Defense - The Panthers were pushed around all day. Because of the Green Bay effectiveness running the ball they were able to possess the ball for almost 38 minutes. The Panthers gave up 145 rushing yards on the day and the Packers were able to move the pile. It was a disappointing show of rush defense.

CAR Pass Defense - As bad as the rush defense was the pass defense was worse. The Packers were able to give Aaron Rodgers huge amounts of time. Rodgers was able to run underneath Charles Johnson and Julius Peppers and either throw the ball or run. There were only two sacks on the day and Peppers even made a very dirty hit out of bounds in frustration. Carolina could not stop the Packers from picking up conversions or moving the ball at all.

QB Aaron Rodgers, Pass: 29 - 45 - 298 - 3 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 5 - 26 - 0 - Aaron Rodgers played in his coldest game of his life. He was a little high on his first two possessions but after that you wouldn't know the temperature. The Packers scored on two consecutive drives and then Rodgers converted the two point conversion to WR Greg Jennings to tie the game. To start one of those scoring drives, Rodgers hit Donald Driver in stride will sitting in the endzone. It was amazing to see what the Green Bay QB could do when the offensive line gave him some time. Rodgers targeted ten different receivers. Rodgers had the chance to be a hero as the Packers had the ball with a minute remaining trailing by four. He threw a bad interception though and pretty much ended the Packers' chances.

RB Ryan Grant, Rush: 12 - 39 - 0 - Ryan Grant was off to a good start grinding out yards and showing some power. But he was hurt close to the end of the second quarter and did not see the field again. He was in uniform and it did not look serious.

RB Brandon Jackson, Rush: 11 - 80 - 0, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (2 targets) - Brandon Jackson relieved Ryan Grant after his injury. Jackson started off with a 32 yard run that setup a touchdown. Also, he averaged almost eight yards per carry. He wasn't such a bright spot in the receiving game but was targeted two times. It is uncertain what Grant's status will be but Jackson made a very nice fill in.

RB John Kuhn, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets) - John Kuhn was mostly a blocker but he did get targeted once.

WR Greg Jennings, Rec: 8 - 91 - 1 (14 targets) - The Panthers tried to keep Greg Jennings out of the endzone but that ended at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Jennings was targeted a couple times deep but most of his receptions were on outs or slants. His longest play of the day was the 21 yard touchdown on busted coverage that Jennings took advantage. It was a very nice read by Aaron Rodgers and Jennings and gave Green Bay their first lead of the game. Jennings had to work hard for his 91 yards.

WR Donald Driver, Rec: 5 - 83 - 1 (10 targets) - Donald Driver was catching passes and taking hits across the middle again. There were a couple deep throws to Driver and in a switch Driver was the main deep target. Driver also caught a six yard touchdown as Green Bay's first.

WR Ruvell Martin, Rec: 4 - 32 - 0 (4 targets) - Ruvell Martin benefitted from Aaron Rodgers hitting many different targets. The normally very quiet WR earned four receptions and 32 yards.

WR James Jones, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (3 targets) - James Jones had two receptions but only for twelve yards.

WR Jordy Nelson, Rec: 2 - 28 - 0 (3 targets) - Jordy Nelson played very gutsy again and was targeted mainly on third downs. He made two nice receptions for first downs to keep drives alive.

TE Donald Lee, Rec: 4 - 37 - 1 (5 targets) - Donald Lee was very active receiving the ball and throwing some key blocks. The touchdown reception was a very nice fade that Lee setup by selling a block very well.

TE Jermichael Finley, Rec: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets) - The rookie Jermichael Finley had one target and one reception that went for no yards.

PK Mason Crosby 3 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points - Mason Crosby had a very productive day with three field goals and no misses. His long of the day was from 44 yards.

GB Rush Defense - The Green Bay Packers struggled stopping the run. Carolina was able to move the ball at will. It would have been worst but Green Bay possessed the ball almost two to one. If Carolina could have ran more plays it would have been a lot worse. RB DeAngelo Williams was able to push a pile of Packers all day.

GB Pass Defense - There were only two sacks the whole day by the Green Bay defense. The Packers were not in the field very much because the offense was able to chew up the clock and score. But, when they were on the field they were torched. There should have been two more passing touchdowns but WR Steve Smith was stopped at the one both times. On only seventeen pass plays the Panthers earned 177 yards and almost two touchdowns.

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Miami Dolphins 16, St. Louis Rams 12

What you need to know

Miami Dolphins - The Dolphins relied on their defense and a win in the turnover column to gain victory on the road versus the St Louis Rams. Chad Pennington had an unspectacular day, completing 13 of 23 passes for 166 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. Ronnie Brown added a 12 yard pass completion. Though the Dolphins didn't rely much on the passing game against the Rams, Davone Bess stepped into a starting role and caught six balls for 84 yards. Fellow starter Ted Ginn finished with 55 yards on four catches, but was guilty of a couple of drops. Rookie wide receiver Brandon London saw game action and caught one pass for sixteen yards. Tight ends David Martin and Anthony Fasano pitched in with one reception a piece (twelve and seven yards respectively) with fullback Lousaka Polite adding the final catch for six yards.

Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams shared the backfield most of the day, and finished with similar yardage totals, but Brown claimed the only touchdown of the afternoon for both teams. Brown gained 48 yards and a touchdown on fifteen carries, while teammate Ricky Williams added 54 yards on twelve carries. Williams did depart briefly in this game with an ankle injury which should be monitored. Both fullbacks were active in the backfield against the Rams, with Lousaka Polite carrying the ball three times for twenty yards, while Patrick Cobbs gained twelve yards on a pair of touches. Chad Pennington officially gained fifteen yards on three attempts.

St. Louis Rams - The return of Steven Jackson was not enough to help propel the Rams to victory over the Dolphins at home. Jackson came out of the gates hot, and finished with 21 carries for 94 yards, but was kept off the field at the end of a close game in a coaches decision which Jackson did not agree with. Jackson looked very fluid and at or near top speed early in the game, though coach Jim Haslett felt his hamstring had tightened up and limited his playing time in the second half. Antonio Pittman saw six carries late in the game, and gained 25 yards on those touches, with Kenneth Darby spelling both backs for a total of eight yards on two attempts. Wide receiver Donnie Avery added two yards on his only touch of the game.

Marc Bulger struggled against the Dolphins defense, throwing three interceptions and completing just 16 of 35 passes for 149 yards. Dane Looker led all Rams receivers with six receptions and 52 yards, followed by Torry Holt with 30 yards on three catches. Rookie Donnie Avery failed to catch a pass in this game. Fourth wide receiver Keenan Burton caught a 23 yard pass against the Dolphins secondary. Tight end Daniel Fells caught three balls for 18 yards, while fellow tight end Anthony Becht chipped in one catch for five yards. Steven Jackson and Kenneth Darby added 23 and 5 yard receptions (respectively) out of the backfield.

What you ought to know

QB Chad Pennington, Pass: 13 - 23 - 166 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - 15 - 0 - Pennington completed 57% of his passes for an average gain of 7.2 yards per attempt en route to a 79.3 passer rating on the afternoon. The Dolphins employed a conservative offense in this game, and focused on wearing down the Rams with a combination of Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams and their fullbacks. Pennington did work well with Davone Bess out of the slot, though saw his numbers reduced by a pair of drops by Ted Ginn.

RB Ronnie Brown, Pass: 1 - 1 - 12 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 15 - 48 - 1 - While Brown averaged just 3.2 yards per carry, he saw 15 carries to Ricky Williams' 12 touches, in part because of the additional moves which Ronnie offers, highlighted by his touchdown, where he spun out of the defenders would-be tackle for a three yard burst. Brown was not targeted out of the backfield, but did complete his only pass attempt on the day to tight end David Martin.

RB Ricky Williams, Rush: 12 - 54 - 0 - Ricky Williams outgained Ronnie Brown in this game (54 to 48 yards) on fewer touches, and averaged a solid 4.5 yards per attempt, however was hobbled by an ankle injury in this contest and saw his numbers limited as a result of this. Williams did have a fourteen yard touchdown nullified by a holding penalty.

WR Davone Bess, Rec: 6 - 84 - 0 (10 targets) - Bess looked impressive in his elevation to a starting role following the season ending knee injury to Greg Camarillo. Against the Rams, Bess was Chad Pennington's favorite receiver, and averaged 14.0 yards per reception coming out of the slot.

WR Ted Ginn, Rec: 4 - 55 - 0 (8 targets) - Ginn averaged 13.8 yards per pass reception, however saw another two balls which he should have caught to make it a bigger day. With the loss of Greg Camarillo, Ginn's role in the offense would expect to be increased, though it did not show on this day with the Dolphins committed to the run. Ginn retained kick return duties, while fellow receiver Davone Bess handled punt returns.

TE Anthony Fasano, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Fasano had just one target on the afternoon, but made a nice diving catch on the play. He and David Martin were kept back to block for Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams for much of the afternoon.

PK Dan Carpenter 3 - 3 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 10 points - Carpenter connected on field goals of 37, 42 and 47 plus added one extra point on a perfect afternoon.

MIA Rush Defense - The Dolphins rush defense had difficulty slowing down Steven Jackson early in this game, and in between the 20 yard line markers, but were able to shut down the Rams running game when it counted most. The Rams totaled 129 yards on 30 carries, but were kept out of the end zone.

MIA Pass Defense - With three interceptions to seal the victory, and limited the Rams to 149 yards through the air at home, the Dolphins pass defense more than did their job, despite failing to record a sack against Marc Bulger.

QB Marc Bulger, Pass: 16 - 35 - 149 - 0 TD / 3 INT - Bulger completed just 46 percent of his passes and averaged only 4.3 yards per passing attempt against the Dolphins defense. Combined with three interceptions, Bulger finished with a passer rating of just 22.2. While he was not sacked all afternoon, the Dolphins kept pressure on the Bulger and made him look uncomfortable in the pocket. The Rams looked better running the ball in this back and forth game, but the Rams appeared to be committed to the pass in the second half when they felt that Steven Jackson was not ready to carry the same load as he had in the first.

RB Steven Jackson, Rush: 21 - 94 - 0, Rec: 1 - 16 - 0 (3 targets) - In his return to the playing field, Jackson averaged 4.5 yards per attempt, though the majority of his carries came in the first half. Coach Jim Haslett thought he looked "gassed" and didn't have the same speed in the second half, a point Jackson disputed. Jackson showed good burst in the first half, but missed the century mark when he spent much of the fourth quarter waiting to enter the game.

RB Antonio Pittman, Rush: 6 - 25 - 0 (2 targets) - Pittman came into the game late and averaged 4.2 yards per attempt subbing for Steven Jackson on a coach's decision, with the game on the line.

WR Dane Looker, Rec: 6 - 52 - 0 (8 targets) - As the Dolphins focused on stopping Torry Holt and Donnie Avery over the top, Looker picked up six catches underneath for an average of 8.7 yards per catch.

WR Torry Holt, Rec: 3 - 30 - 0 (9 targets) - Holt had a quiet afternoon, averaging just ten yards per reception against a Dolphins secondary he had some difficulty finding openings in. Holt was targeted twice in the end zone on the opening drive, though neither was a catchable ball. Holt took away one of his own catches with an offensive pass interference call as well. Against the Dolphins, quarterback Marc Bulger struggled, throwing three interceptions and was never in sync with any of his primary options all afternoon.

WR Donnie Avery, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0 (5 targets) - Avery failed to catch a pass all afternoon, though did draw two defensive pass interference calls on the opening drive of the game. Avery added a two yard rush as well.

TE Daniel Fells, Rec: 3 - 18 - 0 (3 targets) - With the Dolphins secondary focused on stopping Torry Holt and Donnie Avery, Fells was able to slip off the line for three short grabs in the second half, averaging just 6.0 yards per catch.

PK Josh Brown 4 - 4 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 12 points - Brown was perfect at home against the Dolphins, connecting from 23, 33, 38 and 51 yards out. Unfortunately for the Rams, they never found the end zone to give Brown any extra point attempts.

STL Rush Defense - The Rams rush defense held Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams to 102 yards on 27 carries, but were bulldozed by Lousaka Polite, Patrick Cobbs and Chad Pennington for a total of 150 yards on 35 attempts. The Dolphins kept the Rams on the defensive all afternoon by varying their rushing attack, though only gained two yards out of the Wildcat formation on two carries.

STL Pass Defense - The Dolphins appeared focused on running the ball all afternoon, and as a result the Rams secondary went generally untested, giving up just 169 yards on the afternoon.

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Indianapolis Colts 10, Cleveland Browns 6

What you need to know

Indianapolis Colts - QB Peyton Manning did not move the ball against the Browns successfully. He threw two interceptions and only threw the ball 21 times for 125 yards. He did not face much pressure but did face tough wind and great coverage, which led to a couple of mistakes.

RB Joseph Addai ran the ball well, but the Colts hardly utilized him in the second half as they relied upon Dominic Rhodes, who got 11 carries compared to Addai's 15. Addai did have more success on the ground than Rhodes did, though.

WR Reggie Wayne caught eight of Manning's 21 targets on the day, including one ball that was knocked out of his hands in the end zone. No other receiver or running back was targeted more than three times.

Cleveland Browns - QB Derek Anderson left the game with a leg injury late in the fourth quarter. He was not having much success going downfield, but did manage the game well when he was in.

RB Jamal Lewis got a lot of carries on the day, as the Browns established the run early and often. He kept the chains moving and carried most of the load in the backfield throughout the day.

TE Kellen Winslow left the game early in the third quarter with a lower ankle injury, which may be serious as he left after the game without talking to reporters. WR Braylon Edwards looked like an NFL caliber WR once again, managing to get through a game without a dropped pass.

What you ought to know

QB Peyton Manning, Pass: 15 - 21 - 125 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 3 - -2 - 0 - Manning was not impressive against the Browns. He could not consistently move the ball and seemed to have to constantly force the ball into tight spots. This led to two interceptions, and he never really moved the ball down the field like everyone has come to expect from him. He also attempted a QB-sneak from the goalline, but failed to get in.

RB Joseph Addai, Rush: 15 - 57 - 0, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (2 targets) - Addai was running the ball well in the first half, and continued to see some playing time in the second half -- but much of the playing time in the second half went to Dominic Rhodes. Addai was spinning off of hits and weaving through the defense, but he did fumble on his first carry of the day and the Colts may have been worried about his ball security once they got the lead.

RB Dominic Rhodes, Rush: 11 - 35 - 0, Rec: 2 - 6 - 0 (2 targets) - Rhodes saw quite a bit of action against the Browns, getting 11 carries. He got a lot of action in the second half and ran the ball okay, but was not impressive. He did not make many people miss but he did hit holes really well.

WR Reggie Wayne, Rec: 4 - 46 - 0 (8 targets) - Wayne ran a low of deep routes and got a few deep targets, but did not see much success on those routes. This likely is due to a combination of coverage and the wind, holding Wayne's longest reception to 16 yards. He nearly came down with what would have been a great catch in the end zone. Wayne was not able to get separation from the Cleveland defensive backs consistently.

WR Marvin Harrison, Rec: 3 - 27 - 0 (3 targets) - Harrison caught all three passes thrown his way, but was not able to get anything big once again. He still has great hands but it was clear watching him that he had lost a step.

WR Anthony Gonzalez, Rec: 2 - 13 - 0 (2 targets) - Gonzalez played the slot for most of the day but did not see much action, as he only was targeted two times, catching both of them. He ran a lot of routes over the middle but it did not seem like Manning had any chance to complete the passes over the middle to him.

TE Dallas Clark, Rec: 2 - 24 - 0 (3 targets) - Clark caught a couple of balls on short passes and had a nice run after the catch to lead the Colts into the end zone on one of them. He blocked extremely well when he was asked to, but was running routes the majority of the day.

TE Gijon Robinson, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (1 targets) - Robinson was not used much and served as a blocking tight end most of the game, but did get a target from Manning for a nine yard catch.

PK Adam Vinatieri 1 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points - Vinatieri missed a short field goal as he may have been fazed by Shaun Rogers coming up the middle. He did make his other field goal attempt, though.

IND Rush Defense - The Colts let the Browns get first downs by the bunches, but really tightened up in the end zone. Jamal Lewis was able to rush for 77 yards by weaving through their defense.

IND Pass Defense - The Colts did not allow the Browns to do too much through the air, holding them to 110 yards through the air. They got pressure on Derek Anderson frequently and caused the game defining play on a fumble recovery returned to a touchdown.

QB Derek Anderson, Pass: 16 - 26 - 110 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 5 - 0 - Anderson sprained his MCL late in the game. He was leading the Browns through a lulling victory type of game plan until he had the football knocked out of his hands -- leading to a touchdown return for the Colts' defense. Anderson looked accurate on all of his short throws but he really did not try many passes down the field. He seemed particularly focused on not turning the ball over with his arm.

QB Ken Dorsey, Pass: 0 - 3 - 0 - 0 TD / 1 INT - Dorsey came in when Derek Anderson got hurt on a sack and tried to lead the Browns to victory down by four with under two minutes on the clock. He was unable to do anything with the tough situation.

RB Jamal Lewis, Rush: 24 - 77 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (3 targets) - Lewis saw one of his largest workloads, and started off really strong. He did slow down as the game went on, though. In the first half he was able to get the Browns going by stringing together first downs. He really did not maintain that though as it seemed the Colts toughened as the game went on.

RB Jason Wright, Rush: 2 - 11 - 0, Rec: 3 - 18 - 0 (4 targets) - Wright saw some garbage time action, but really was not used much. The Browns like him as a receiver out of the backfield, but that is about all the action Wright has had lately.

RB Jerome Harrison, Rush: 2 - 6 - 0 - Harrison saw little action on the day a week after being heavily utilized. This may have been because Jamal Lewis had success on the ground early.

RB Lawrence Vickers, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (1 targets) - Vickers was the fullback and snuck out for one short reception on the day.

WR Braylon Edwards, Rec: 2 - 36 - 0 (5 targets) - Edwards did not see 16 targets like he saw the previous week, but he did hold onto the balls he was supposed to. He only caught two balls, but the other three passes were not catchable -- two coming from Ken Dorsey while Edwards was double covered with under a minute on the clock. Edwards likely saw less action due to the big crosswind and the increased attention he got when Winslow went out.

WR Donte Stallworth, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (3 targets) - Stallworth was overthrown by Derek Anderson when he smoked the Indianapolis secondary on a double move. He did not see many targets as the Browns really tried to establish the run.

WR Josh Cribbs, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - Cribbs was used again in the wildcat formation but failed to run for a first down as WR Syndric Steptoe missed a block.

WR Syndric Steptoe, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (2 targets) - Steptoe saw little action as the third wide receiver for the Browns. He caught one pass for three yards.

TE Steve Heiden, Rec: 3 - 15 - 0 (6 targets) - Heiden saw a lot of balls thrown his way in the second half when Winslow went down. He only caught three of the six targets he got, though. He was not extremely impressive.

TE Kellen Winslow, Rec: 3 - 15 - 0 (4 targets) - Winslow caught a few passes for first downs in the first half, but saw no passes that were down the field. He left the game with an ankle injury that did not seem that bad, but he did go to the locker room without returning.

PK Phil Dawson 2 - 3 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 6 points - Dawson missed another field goal this week, making it two weeks in a row with a miss. He did however have to deal with some brisk wind in Cleveland and made two other field goals on the day.

CLE Rush Defense - The Browns held the Colts rushing attack to 92 yards on 26 carries, an impressive effort. They also stopped the Colts on the goalline to keep the game in the Browns favor in the first half.

CLE Pass Defense - The Browns did not allow Peyton Manning to get anything going and largely were responsible for keeping the Browns in the game. They intercepted the ball twice, but really did not get much pressure on Manning.

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Seattle Seahawks 9, Dallas Cowboys 34

What you need to know

Seattle Seahawks - While QB Matt Hasselbeck was able to pick apart the Dallas defense through much of the first half, as the game progressed he saw more and more pressure, and thus ended the day with decent yardage totals, but no scores.

RB Julius Jones was largely ineffective against the Dallas defense, and sat out significant time with a head injury. Fellow RB Maurice Morris wasn't much better in relief.

TE John Carlson was Seattle's best receiving threat as he was consistently able to get open and exploit open areas up the middle of the field for large gains.

Dallas Cowboys - QB Tony Romo was almost perfect on the day as he was able to hit receivers all over the field for big gains and three TDs. While he did throw an ill-advised INT, it hardly diminishes an impressive day.

While RB Marion Barber ran well early, he didn't see many carries due to Dallas' success in the passing game and a foot injury that sidelined him for much of the second half. Rookie RB Tashard Choice ran very well in relief.

Romo's two biggest weapons in the passing attack were TE Jason Witten and WR Terrell Owens. While Witten was the more regularly targeted receiver and finished with more yards, both had very good days that included a TD each.

What you ought to know

QB Matt Hasselbeck, Pass: 22 - 38 - 287 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 10 - 0 - Hasselbeck was in fine form early in the game as he spread the ball around the field and seemed to have little trouble connecting with all of his receiving targets on his way to 170 yards in the first half. Unfortunately, the combination of Seahawk fumbles, penalties, an ineffective rushing attack and some ill timed sacks prevented him from turning that early success into scores. By the second half, however, the Dallas defense had figured out how to shut down Hasselbeck's passing lanes and get consistent pressure. As a result, Hasselbeck spent much of the third and fourth quarters just scrambling around trying to survive. Given this set of circumstances, it was perhaps inevitable that Hasselbeck would get caught trying to do too much, and it happened midway through the final quarter. While scrambling for his life in the pocket, he reared back and tried to get the ball deep downfield for WR Deion Branch. Instead, the pass ended up as Hasselbeck's sole interception on the day.

RB Julius Jones, Rush: 11 - 37 - 0 (1 targets) - Returning to Dallas for the first time since leaving the Cowboys, Jones got off to a rough start. On his second rush of the game, he brought what was a good looking Seattle drive to screeching halt when he lost control of the ball and Dallas recovered it. Things didn't get much better after that as he struggled to gain yards against the Dallas front seven, and then sat out the third quarter due to a reported head injury. When he returned in the fourth quarter he promptly fumbled the ball a second time, though the Seahawks retained possession when it rolled out of bounds. That would be the end of Jones' day after gaining only 37 yards on 11 rushes.

RB Maurice Morris, Rush: 6 - 10 - 0, Rec: 3 - 23 - 0 (6 targets) - After watching the Dallas defense smother fellow RB Julius Jones during the first half, Morris took over the primary rushing role to start the second half when Jones was held out due to a head injury. While Morris had some nice runs and seemed to meet with more success in his first drive, he couldn't keep it up and Jones eventually returned to handle some of the rushing duties in the fourth quarter. In the end, Morris' numbers ended up thoroughly mediocre.

WR Deion Branch, Rec: 5 - 56 - 0 (11 targets) - Though QB Matt Hasselbeck was able to orchestrate a successful passing attack in the first half, and though Branch ended the day first on the team with 11 targets and second with five receptions, he still didn't have much of an impact as most of his catches were on short to intermediate routes that did not give him the chance to make big plays.

WR Bobby Engram, Rec: 4 - 45 - 0 (6 targets) - Engram seemed to be used in the role that he excels at -- the short to medium range possession receiver and safety valve. While this enabled him to rack up four catches, it didn't allow him to make a significant impact on the stats sheet and he finished with only 45 yards.

WR Koren Robinson, Rec: 3 - 49 - 0 (5 targets) - While Robinson didn't see many balls thrown his way, when they were he showed that he is still the team's best deep threat at WR. His best catch came when he pulled down a high arcing 23 yard pass as Seattle tried to put a TD on the board before the half.

TE John Carlson, Rec: 6 - 105 - 0 (7 targets) - Carlson got off to a fast start as he took his first target, a short dump off pass, and turned it into a 33 yard gain straight up the middle of the field. Late in the first half Carlson added another big catch as he pulled down a 27 yard reception over the middle that put Seattle inside the ten yard line within the last two minutes. While these two catches would account for almost 60% of Carlson's yards, he added four more to go over the century mark. Throughout the game it was Carlson who was making plays in the passing game and despite being a TE, he led the team in receptions and average yards-per-catch.

PK Olindo Mare 3 - 3 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 9 points - Mare accounted for all of the Seahawks points on the day with his three field goals of 44, 38, and 25 yards. He did not miss any attempts.

SEA Rush Defense - While at first the Seahawks looked like they might be able to contain the Dallas rushing attack, any such appearance was soon shown to be illusory. By the end of the first quarter Dallas RB Marion Barber was gashing them for significant gains and a rushing TD. The only thing that slowed the Dallas ground attack was an injury to Barber's foot in the third quarter that clearly slowed him down. Once he was replaced by rookie Tashard Choice, however, the Dallas rushing attack again excelled and Seattle seemed incapable of stopping it.

SEA Pass Defense - When a team is unable to generate a meaningful pass rush and is also unable to cover their opponent's slew of pass receiving weapons, there isn't much promise for defensive success. So it was today for the Seahawks. Dallas QB Tony Romo had time to throw all day, and his WRs and TEs had space to make the catches. While Seattle did manage one interception, it was more a result of an unforced error on Romo's part than anything else.

QB Tony Romo, Pass: 22 - 34 - 331 - 3 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 14 - 0 - It didn't take long for Romo to get going in this contest. On the first offensive drive of the day, he led the Cowboys down the field with medium-length passes to WR Roy Williams and TE Jason Witten and then capped it off as he rolled out to the right and fired a 16 yard pass to a wide-open TE Martellus Bennett. On the third drive he added a second score as he found TE Jason Witten wide open for an eight yard score. Romo would enjoy this kind of passing success through most of the first half. The second half, however, got off to a rockier start. On the Cowboys' first drive of the third quarter, Romo tried to hit WR Terrell Owens deep in the end zone, but instead put the ball in the hands of one of the two covering DBs, Marcus Trufant. He made up for it on the next drive, though, when he hit Owens on two consecutive plays for a combined 52 yards and a TD. After that final score, with the Cowboys up as many as 25 points, Dallas looked to the rushing game to run out the clock, and thus Romo's fourth quarter numbers were virtually non-existent. Overall it was still an impressive performance.

RB Tashard Choice, Rush: 11 - 57 - 0, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (2 targets) - When starting RB Marion Barber left the game late in the third quarter due to a toe injury, Choice took over the rushing duties as the Cowboys looked to run out the clock with a big lead. He made the most of his opportunity. Choice showed that he has both the toughness to go up the middle and fight for every yard as well as the speed to go outside, round the corner, and get downfield. By the end of the game, Choice had averaged over five yards per carry and amassed 57 yards in just over a quarter of action.

RB Marion Barber, Rush: 10 - 32 - 1, Rec: 1 - 13 - 0 (1 targets) - With the Dallas passing game getting off to a fast start, Barber didn't see a lot of action early, but when he did he was effective. Perhaps the best example was a 17 yard scamper to the one-yard line near the end of the Cowboys' second offensive series. He punched it into the end zone two plays later. In the second half, just when it looked like Barber might get the chance to rack up some yards as Dallas tried to run out the clock, he left the game to have his pinkie toe x-rayed. In the end, that first half TD was all that stood between Barber and a far below average (45 total yard) fantasy day.

WR Terrell Owens, Rec: 5 - 98 - 1 (10 targets) - Owens caught his first pass -- a nine yarder on the second play of the game. He didn't catch his second until the final minute of the first quarter (a nice 26 yard gain). That would be the story of his day -- long stretches of nothing interrupted on occasion by impressive and significant receptions. Perhaps Owens' best catch was a leaping, spinning, one handed grab along the right sideline for 33 yards late in the third quarter that he then immediately followed up with a 19 yard score. Though he fell short of the 100 yard mark by two, today's was exactly the type of performance one would hope to get from Owens.

WR Roy Williams, Rush: 1 - 13 - 0, Rec: 2 - 51 - 0 (5 targets) - In the first quarter, Williams was used in a number of different ways. In addition to going downfield in the passing game, he also ran an end around that gained 13 yards on the ground. His contributions by the end of the day would be limited, however, as QB Tony Romo was able to have his way with the Seahawk pass defense and spread the ball amongst all of his targets and not just the starting WRs. Williams' biggest play was a mid-second quarter 38 yard catch that saw Romo hit him streaking down the right side-line.

WR Patrick Crayton, Rec: 2 - 13 - 0 (4 targets) - Despite the fact that the Dallas passing game was hitting on all cylinders, Crayton played a very small role in it. There was little doubt that, at best, Crayton was the fourth receiving option, and with the continued emergence of TE Martellus Bennett, he may be slipping to fifth.

TE Jason Witten, Rec: 9 - 115 - 1 (10 targets) - After not being a big factor in recent weeks, Witten got involved in the Cowboy offense early today. During the first Dallas offensive drive he lined up as a wide receiver and corralled a Tony Romo pass for 36 yards on the fourth offensive play to get his team inside the 20 yard line. He received even more attention in the second drive as he hauled in two balls, including his 400th career reception. Could it get better? Yes, as Witten then capped off the third Cowboy drive with an eight yard TD catch. Over the rest of the day, Witten was much less involved in the action -- particularly in the final quarter as Dallas went almost exclusively to the run -- but by then he had already done enough to ensure that he would finish with a monster day.

TE Martellus Bennett, Rec: 2 - 35 - 1 (2 targets) - While he was clearly the second choice at TE for QB Tony Romo, Bennett still demonstrated that he can be a valuable part of this offense. On no play was this better demonstrated than his first quarter TD where he was able to get open as Romo ran a right bootleg and haul in the 19 yard pass.

PK Nick Folk 2 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 10 points - Folk was called upon to make two field goals -- from 41 and 42 yards, respectively -- and he had little trouble making either.

DAL Rush Defense - The Dallas rush defense was in fine form today as they consistently denied the Seahawks any chance of moving the ball in any way other than through the air. While giving up 3.5 yards per rush may not be spectacular, many of the Seahawk's best running plays came late in the game during garbage time, skewing the final numbers.

DAL Pass Defense - The Dallas pass defense was two-faced during much of the game. At times in the first half, Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck was able to drop back and pick them apart, but at other times, the Dallas pass rush was able to break free and drop Hasselbeck for significant losses. By the second half, however, Dallas seemed to have solved their coverage problems and were constantly forcing Hasselbeck out of the pocket. By the end of the day, while they had given up almost 300 yards through the air, they had not given up any passing TDs, had sacked Hasselbeck seven times, and had forced a late game interception.

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Pittsburgh Steelers 33, New England Patriots 10

What you need to know

Pittsburgh Steelers - QB Ben Roethlisberger was victimized by an early turnover, but recovered to have a decent passing game despite very poor playing conditions. The Steelers offensive game plan was to spread the ball around. Roethlisberger connected with six different receivers fairly evenly. During the second half, and facing a steady Patriot pass rush, Roethlisberger was able to move around the pocket and extend the play to make his downfield throws. Only a few passes were deep downfield, so his final yardage numbers were limited. An under thrown ball to WR Nate Washington missed a possible score in the first half. Pittsburgh's offensive line only allowed one sack.

RB Mewelde Moore did not get the start, sharing time with RB Willie Parker, but was the more effective back when the game was in doubt, both in the running and passing game. Moore led two key drives in the late second quarter and early third quarter that turned the game into Pittsburgh's favor. He showed the ability to break tackles and kept his feet. For his part, Parker seemed to benefit from the extra rest and came into the game fresh in the late second half. Both backs had solid yardage numbers. Backup RB Gary Russell was not a major factor throughout the game, but chipped in with three carries and one touchdown on short yardage.

WR Hines Ward had a quiet first half but in the second half he became Ben Roethlisberger's favorite wideout target in the passing game hauling in a third quarter touchdown that broke the game open. Ward ended up with decent numbers on a day where passing yards were hard to come by.

New England Patriots - QB Matt Cassel was unable to generate a passing game early on due to a driving rain in New England and surprisingly from some key drops in the first half by his normally sure-handed receiving corps. Cassel was kept in the pocket for most of the game and was under tremendous pressure from the Pittsburgh pass rush. New England was clearly trying to throw the ball early, given a two to one pass/run ratio at halftime. In the second half. Pittsburgh was able to consistently get pressure on him that forced two fumbles in addition to other sacks.

RB Sammy Morris was moderately productive in the first half, a surprising fact when you consider how effective the Steelers' run defense has been the season. He gained nearly five yards per carry. If anything, Morris should have gotten the ball more. The game situation and turnovers limited running attempts in the second half. RB Kevin Faulk netted 46 yards on three carries, with one on a well timed draw late in the half when the Steelers were looking for a pass. He finished with 73 yards on six carries.

WR Randy Moss was the focus of the passing game, but had some uncharacteristic dropped passes early on, one of which should have been a sure touchdown. He was out of synch with Matt Cassel and Pittsburgh defensive backs played Moss very physically all day long which disrupted his impact. His final numbers were average at best.

What you ought to know

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 17 - 33 - 179 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 3 - 6 - 0 - Pittsburgh wanted to establish balance in its passing and running games early and was able to move the ball more effectively through the air during the second half. Ben Roethlisberger was able to get the ball to his starting wideouts, his tight end and his running back, keeping drives alive by converting half of his third down attempts. Most of his passes were short and intermediate range. Roethlisberger just missed a ball deep to an open WR Nate Washington for a possible touchdown, under throwing it. Ending up with less than 200 yards, Roethlisberger's numbers were clearly impacted by the bad weather.

RB Willie Parker, Rush: 16 - 87 - 0 - RB Willie Parker's return from a knee injury did not begin very well. He was not able to get going early but did post some nice numbers in the second half running the ball. However, before a 31 yard run, he was on his way to a below average day. Even on that play, his early season speed was not there. Parker was on the bench during two drives by the Steelers with the game on the line. He is not looked for out of the backfield and now RB Gary Russell has taken the short yardage role. It is unclear how Parker will be used and his fantasy potential will drop unless he gets a more sizeable opportunity.

RB Mewelde Moore, Rush: 12 - 67 - 0, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (3 targets) - Although he did not get the start due to the return of RB Willie Parker from a knee injury, RB Mewelde Moore made the most of his opportunity. He was able to get going late in the first half with the running game and helped to break a close game open in the second half on another big drive. By staying on the field in all situations, Moore allows the Steelers to take advantage of his wide range of skills. His pass catching ability is the reason the team got him in the off season and he is a frequent target out of the backfield. Moore's role is changing given Parker's return and may not continue to be a reliable fantasy play going forward.

WR Hines Ward, Rec: 5 - 37 - 1 (7 targets) - Hines Ward had two balls thrown his way in the red zone, including a TD on a nice catch in traffic. He caught most of his short and intermediate passes in the second half. Ward remains in good health and still looks to be a solid play most weeks. He is still the focus of the passing game in Pittsburgh.

WR Nate Washington, Rec: 3 - 41 - 0 (5 targets) - WR Nate Washington did some damage I the first half, helping to keep some drives alive on third down. He did get open but could not connect on any deep passes. He is getting making the most of his limited looks, and is an integral part of the passing game.

WR Santonio Holmes, Rec: 2 - 28 - 1 (6 targets) - WR Santonio Holmes looked for by Ben Roethlisberger early on in the passing game hauling in a second quarter touchdown near the sideline, but did have a key drop as well on another ball that could have gotten him close to the end zone. Holmes's impressive talent shows itself in flashes, but he seems to have trouble staying focused in the game and is quite inconsistent.

TE Heath Miller, Rec: 4 - 60 - 0 (8 targets) - Miller was very productive today and posted a great yard per catch average. He caught two passes in the red zone and was able to turn up the field and make good yardage. Miller has all the talent to be a top flight TE, but Pittsburgh does not put up big passing numbers on a regular basis to make him a major fantasy threat.

PK Jeff Reed 4 - 5 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 15 points - Reed hit three field goals under 30 yards in the first three quarters and another from 45 yards in the fourth. He missed a 40 yard field goal. Reed has been very reliable this season.

PIT Rush Defense - The Steelers gave up over six yards a carry to Patriots rushers. Given how well the Steelers' defense has been playing well all season, that number was a major surprise. Game situations contributed to how few carries the Patriots got so they could not take full advantage.

PIT Pass Defense - The Pittsburgh pass rush was outstanding recording five sacks and several other QB pressures. LB James Harrison and brought pressure all game registering two sacks and two forced fumbles. LB Lawrence Timmons took an interception back to the one yard line late in the game. The New England offense could not produce a consistent offense.

QB Matt Cassel, Pass: 19 - 39 - 169 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 2 - 1 - 0 - Cassel was unable to continue his recent pace of great passing games, where he threw for over 400 yards the past two contests. He was under constant pressure all day, taking five sacks. He also was unable to use his legs, a normally reliable tactic for him, to keep the chains moving. His most glaring statistic was an anemic one for thirteen conversion rate on third down. That kept the New England offense off the field and when they were out there, Cassel made two critical fumbles. Fantasy owners should not read too much into his poor performance due to weather and the league's best defensive unit.

RB Kevin Faulk, Rush: 6 - 73 - 0, Rec: 7 - 48 - 0 (10 targets) - Kevin Faulk was a significant factor in both the running and passing games. He was able to take advantage of the Steelers' pass rush on draw plays and also caught a game high seven passes. He was not given the ball in any red zone situations. He had 121 total yards. His role looks to be shifting back to one of a change of pace or third down back, where it had been for most of his career.

RB Sammy Morris, Rush: 10 - 45 - 1, Rec: 1 - 12 - 0 (1 targets) - Morris was the best New England back early in the game. He was able to get a solid five yards a carry in the first half and ended up with just under that for the game. He was able to make the most of his limited opportunities and showed an ability to move the pile. His longest gain was 14 yards. The real issue was the lopsided score and the turnovers which limited time of possession and running opportunities. He had only a minor role in the passing game. In a closer game, he would have likely posted much better numbers.

WR Randy Moss, Rec: 4 - 45 - 0 (12 targets) - Moss was subjected to very physical play from the Steelers for most of the game. While one play did draw a pass interference call, other times Moss seemed to feel the defenders and that resulted in more than one dropped pass. One was potentially a long gainer and another was a possible touchdown. His longest reception was 27 yards on his first catch, but was largely quiet after that. Moss's very inconsistent season has caused some to question his elite #1 receiver status .His is limited by his still inexperienced quarterback.

WR Wes Welker, Rec: 4 - 30 - 0 (7 targets) - Welker was moderately involved in the first half, making a few catches on short patterns underneath the Steelers' linebackers, but did not generate any big plays in the first half or for the rest of game for that matter. Owners should check his status this upcoming week due to a spectacular hit he took from DB Ryan Clark late in the game. He left the field under his own power, but did not have a catch after that play. His longest play was twelve yards, hardly meeting high expectations of his fantasy owners.

WR Jabar Gaffney, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (3 targets) - Gaffney had a drop and did not catch a pass in the second half. He was never a factor.

TE Ben Watson, Rec: 1 - 12 - 0 (4 targets) - Cassel looked for Watson more than a few times, as noted by his targets. He was unable to connect however.

PK Stephen Gostkowski 1 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points - Gostkowski connected on a 29 yard field goal and one extra point. He missed a short FG in the first half which turned the momentum around to the Steelers.

NE Rush Defense - The Steelers posted over four and a half rushing yards per play. New England was not able to contain RB Mewelde Moore or Willie Parker, who combined for 154 yards on just 28 attempts. Backup RB Gary Russell, a former practice squad player, had a one yard. If anything, Pittsburgh could have run the ball more.

NE Pass Defense - The Patriots' pass rush was able to generate some pressure, but QB Ben Roethlisberger was able to escape rushers and make a few plays. They ended up with just one sack. Injuries to linemen and defensive backs caught up to the Pats today.

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Kansas City Chiefs 20, Oakland Raiders 13

What you need to know

Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs played unevenly at times but made enough big plays to come away with their second win in their last 21 games. Among their biggest plays was recovering a fake field goal attempt in the second quarter that they took in for a touchdown, which turned out to be the margin of victory. Larry Johnson ran with excellent power, and helped his team enjoy an advantage of just over ten minutes in time of possession. He showed good vision and patience in selecting which holes to attack, and used his power to break tackles and gain additional yards after initial contact, including his touchdown run, which was Kansas City's first rushing touchdown in their last 105 rushing attempts. Johnson became more effective as the game wore on, and 16 of his 24 rushing attempts came in the second half. Of those rushes, eight gained seven or more yards, and he did an excellent job of wearing down Oakland's defense late in the game.

Kansas City's passing attack was inconsistent. Tyler Thigpen only appeared comfortable with Tony Gonzalez, and targeted him on 11 of his 22 throws. Eight of Thigpen's 11 passes that were directed towards other receivers were very short passes, and he had one pass intercepted and threw another one directly to a Raiders defender, who dropped the ball. However, Thigpen and Gonzalez were on the same page, with Gonzalez running mostly intermediate and deep routes, and then using his size to shield his defender from the ball, then jump and catch the passes. Gonzalez was so effective at the beginning of the game, getting open against safeties and linebackers, that the Raiders tried covering him with their cornerbacks at times. Although Thigpen was unable to develop a consistent rhythm with his other receivers, he made several big plays with his legs, including several designed running plays, adding a different dimension to the Chiefs' offense.

The Chiefs ran eight plays in the red zone on two possessions, and came away with one field goal and one touchdown. They ran the ball seven times, with Johnson getting five of those carries, including one he punched in for a touchdown from the two yard line. Thigpen had the other two red zone rushes, including one that was designed for him. His lone pass was a check down pass to tight end Brad Cottam for minimal gain.

Oakland Raiders - The Raiders played aggressively on offense but suffered from several miscues and missed opportunities and could not overcome them all. Oakland botched a fake field goal in the second half that Kansas City recovered for a touchdown to put them up 10--3, and the Raiders seemed to lose some momentum after that play that they never fully regained. Their running game showed promise in the first half, but Oakland did not utilize their running backs much in the second half. Justin Fargas carried the ball 11 times in the first half, and just seven times in the second, while Darren McFadden only carried the ball once in the second half. Fargas ran hard on every carry, and gained positive yards on all but one of his rushing attempts. He fought for extra yards every time he was tackled, and kept his legs driving in an effort to gain additional yards. Fargas scored his first touchdown of the season. McFadden only had seven carries and averaged less than two yards per carry. He had a difficult time getting past the line of scrimmage. However, he made several contributions in the passing game. He lined up as a wide receiver several times, and was used on a variety of routes, along the sideline, across the middle, deep, intermediate and short. McFadden showed an ability to get open by running his routes well, including a play where he got open deep but was fouled by his defender.

JaMarcus Russell epitomized the Raiders' missed opportunities and miscues. He connected on four of his first six passes for 78 yards, but was an anemic six of his remaining 22 passes for 54 yards afterwards. Russell made a few outstanding deep passes, but was victimized by a drop apiece by Zach Miller and Ashley Lelie. However, he missed three scoring opportunities, when he threw low to Johnny Lee Higgins a few yards outside of the end zone with no defenders in front of him, missed Zach Miller in the end zone by throwing too high, and not connecting with an open Ronald Curry in the end zone. The pass to Curry came on a fourth down play, when Oakland eschewed going for a field goal to attempt the touchdown. Russell overthrew his receivers either too high or wide 11 times, but did have two scrambles that electrified the crowd, running for 17 and 20 yards and showing surprising mobility to elude defenders. On one of his runs, he finished the run off by taking two of Kansas City's defenders head on.

The Raiders ran four plays on two red zone possessions, and came away with a field goal and touchdown. Three of the plays were running plays, with Fargas scoring on his lone red zone rush. McFadden had one rushing attempt and Johnny Lee Higgins had an end around. The only red zone pass was to Zach Miller, who was overthrown in the end zone.

What you ought to know

QB Tyler Thigpen, Pass: 15 - 22 - 162 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 11 - 48 - 0 - Thigpen looked very efficient when passing to Tony Gonzalez, but did not create many passing plays with other receivers, except for a crucial third down pass late in the game that was caught by Dwayne Bowe. Thigpen relied on short passes with receivers other than Gonzalez, and seemed more comfortable relying on his feet to make big plays if Gonzalez was not open. He also benefited by some excellent catches by Gonzalez, who bailed him out on a couple passes that floated and could have been knocked away or intercepted. Even the pass to Bowe was close to being deflected, but to Thigpen's credit, he did not waver in his decision to throw to Bowe when he was able to get open, and that play helped seal the victory.

RB Larry Johnson, Rush: 24 - 92 - 1 (1 targets) - Johnson started slowly but as the game wore on, he ran with great determination and power. He showed excellent judgment in determining which holes to attack, and was very difficult to tackle. He routinely gained yards after contact by using his size and power to shed defenders and drag others. Johnson got stronger as the game wore on, and five of his seven rushes that gained seven or more yards, were in the second half.

RB Jamaal Charles, Rush: 2 - 5 - 0, Rec: 1 - 15 - 0 (2 targets) - Charles did not have many opportunities, but did show good elusiveness in gaining additional yards on the pass he caught.

RB Mike Cox, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets) - Cox's contributions were mostly as a blocking back

WR Dwayne Bowe, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (4 targets) - Bowe was used on shorter routes, and showed his strength by breaking three tackles to gain yards after his first catch. He dropped one of his targets, and was overthrown on another that resulted in an interception. Bowe did show good concentration in making his second catch late in the game while being well defended.

WR Devard Darling, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets) - Darling was targeted once, on a short screen pass.

WR Will Franklin, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) - Franklin had a minimal impact on the game.

TE Tony Gonzalez, Rec: 8 - 110 - 0 (11 targets) - Gonzalez had an outstanding game, getting open routinely against the Raiders' defenders. He ran his routes well to get open, and used his size, leaping ability and hands to his advantage. When he got open, he ran well to gain yards after the catch, and when he was well covered, showed excellent hands in making some tough catches.

TE Brad Cottam, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets) - Cottam was the outlet receiver on one play but was otherwise not involved much.

PK Connor Barth 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points - Barth made both of his point after attempts and both of his field goal attempts, which were from 38 and 27 yards.

KC Rush Defense - Kansas City's defense played hard throughout the game, and although they were missing starters at linebacker, turned in a solid performance. Although they allowed an average of 4.55 yards per rush and a rushing touchdown to Fargas, they corralled McFadden and held him to less than two yards per carry. They made a big play to help maintain their lead late in the game by stripping Fargas of the ball and recovering the fumble.

KC Pass Defense - The Chiefs were helped by Russell's inaccuracy in holding him to 132 yards passing. They could not generate a pass rush consistently, and did not sack the Raiders quarterback. On a couple of occasions when they did force Russell from the pocket, he managed to scramble for over 15 yards both times. Kansas City's secondary did not stop Oakland's receivers from breaking open many times, and were fortunate that the receivers and Russell could not get on the same page with any consistency.

QB JaMarcus Russell, Pass: 10 - 28 - 132 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 37 - 0 - Russell looked as though he was on his way to a big game early by connecting on some well thrown passes, averaging 19.5 yards on his first four completions. However, he became inaccurate after that, and missed open receivers several times, and not because he was facing a stellar pass rush. He and his receivers seemed to be disconnected on where they should be, as Russell seemingly was throwing to a place where he thought they would be, but were not. Zach Miller was Russell's favorite target with 11 passes thrown Miller's way.

RB Justin Fargas, Rush: 18 - 82 - 1, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (2 targets) - Fargas ran with tremendous desire and rarely went down on first contact. He showed excellent burst through the line of scrimmage, and kept his legs driving as he fought for additional yards after being tackled. His tenacity was rewarded as he was the primary running back on the Raiders' first goal-to-go possession, and he scored his first rushing touchdown of the season. He did have a miscue when he lost a fumble late in the game as Oakland was trying to rally.

RB Darren McFadden, Rush: 7 - 13 - 0, Rec: 3 - 50 - 0 (2 targets) - McFadden did not contribute much running the ball, but contributed well in the passing game. He lined up outside as a wide receiver several times, and not only showed very good hands in making tough catches, but ran his routes very well. McFadden got open deep twice, and was able to get a penalty called on his defender who did so in an effort to prevent a potentially big score. McFadden was also involved on a hook and ladder-type play where he took a short pass from Ronald Curry after Curry had caught a pass and ran for several yards.

WR Ronald Curry, Rec: 1 - 0 - 0 (4 targets) - Curry was open the four times he was targeted. His one catch was part of a play where he immediately threw it to McFadden, while his other three targets were thrown out of his reach, including one where he had gotten open in the end zone.

WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Higgins was involved in an end around play in the red zone, but otherwise his contributions were on special teams as a punt returner.

WR Ashley Lelie (4 targets) - Lelie ran intermediate and deep routes, dropped one of his targets, and was overthrown or thrown too wide on the others. He and Russell seemed to be on different pages.

WR Todd Watkins (1 targets) - Watkins made a nice catch of a deep pass, but it was called back due to offsetting penalties. He was not involved afterwards.

TE Zach Miller, Rec: 5 - 79 - 0 (11 targets) - Miller was Russell's favorite target, and they connected on several intermediate routes where timing was important. Seven of the passes thrown to Miller were of the intermediate or deep variety, and his number could have been even better, had he not dropped a pass where he was open as well as being hit as the ball arrived, forcing him to drop another pass. Miller was overthrown twice, including once in the end zone.

PK Sebastian Janikowski 2 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points - Janikowski made his only point after attempt and made both of his field goal attempts, which were from 25 and 51 yards. He was part of the botched fake field goal attempt that gave up the touchdown.

OAK Rush Defense - Oakland's rush defense was put to the test by a hard-charging Larry Johnson, and while at times they stopped him for minimal gain, they gave up several significant runs in the second half, including a touchdown run in the fourth quarter to put Kansas City up by a touchdown. They could not stop Johnson at first contact, and gave up several yards after the initial hit. The Raiders' defenders did not make many plays behind the line of scrimmage as they rarely penetrated the line of scrimmage.

OAK Pass Defense - The Raiders' pass defense played aggressively, but was not consistent. They did not have an answer for Tony Gonzalez, trying linebackers, safeties and cornerbacks to defend him with little success. Their pass rush only recorded one sack, but caused Thigpen to scramble at other times. Oakland's secondary did a good job of containing the other receivers, but did not have many big plays. They did take an interception to the one yard line, but dropped a potential interception in the third quarter with the score tied.

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Chicago Bears 14, Minnesota Vikings 34

What you need to know

Chicago Bears - The Chicago Bears were outmatched in the trenches on both sides of the ball and the score in this game does not nearly reflect how lopsided this victory was for Minnesota.

The Bears had a chance in the second quarter to shift the game in their favor. After stopping the Bears on third down, Vikings DB Benny Sapp was flagged for a personal foul. The Bears ended up with a first and goal at the one yard line but failed to punch the ball into the end zone after four tries. When the Vikings took over they quickly scored on a 99 yard strike from QB Gus Frerotte to WR Bernard Berrian and Minnesota never looked back.

QB Kyle Orton struggled in the game, especially in the second half. He threw three interceptions, all following bad decisions and was sacked three times. His two touchdown passes had a bit of luck behind them as WR Devin Hester left three defenders in his dust to score on a quick slant pass. The second touchdown pass from Orton came after an interception placed the Bears offense at the five yard line. Orton appeared lost at times and was not able to connect on any big plays when they were needed.

RB Matt Forte was the lone bright spot for the Bears' offense. He ran determined and aggressively but had a tough time running through the middle with both DL Pat Williams and DL Kevin Williams standing in his way. He still ended up with very solid numbers on the day. He lined up as a wide receiver for his touchdown catch.

Outside of WR Devin Hester's long catch and run, the Bears' receiving corps were not very effective. They dropped at least three catchable passes but they were not helped much by Orton's miscues throughout the game.

The Bears' defense was forced to deal with the offense's slew of turnovers in the second half. The Vikings benefited from solid field position after each of the interceptions and they took advantage by scoring 17 points off of them. The Bears only managed to sack Frerotte twice and despite stacking the box had difficult time bringing down RB Adrian Peterson.

DL Dustin Dvoracek left the game after the first drive of the game with an injury. His return was ruled out immediately.

Minnesota Vikings - The Minnesota Vikings played well in every facet of the game, especially in the run game and defense, and they took sole control of the NFC North with the win.

QB Gus Frerotte did not light the world on fire with his performance in this game but he managed the game well and led his team to victory in resounding fashion. He hit WR Bernard Berrian for a record-tying 99 yard touchdown in the second quarter. Berrian ran down the right sideline and was left alone by the cornerback making for an easy score.

RB Adrian Peterson was once again a dominant force in the game. He ran aggressively and did not shy away from contact. He regularly required multiple defenders to bring him down and even showcased some nifty jumping and juke moves to gain extra yardage. His touchdown in the fourth quarter iced the game for good. RB Chester Taylor was a great change-of-pace back for the Vikings, mostly playing on third downs. He showed-off some impressive quickness on his 20 yard touchdown scamper in the second half.

Besides WR Bernard Berrian's touchdown score, the receivers for Minnesota were not very effective. TE Jim Kleinsasser nearly had a touchdown but an official's review ruled him down at the one yard line which set up a short touchdown run by Frerotte.

The Vikings defensive front seven played exceptionally well. They clogged up the line of scrimmage and made things difficult for RB Matt Forte. QB Kyle Orton was under regular pressure and DL Jared Allen sacked him three times. The Vikings also pulled down three interceptions in the second half.

What you ought to know

QB Kyle Orton, Pass: 11 - 29 - 153 - 2 TD / 3 INT - QB Kyle Orton faced a lot of pressure from the Vikings front line and he was sacked three times by DL Jared Allen. He was often knocked down as he threw and made three bad decisions on each of his interceptions.

He did not read the defense well and was inaccurate throughout the game. His first touchdown pass was on a quick slant to WR Devin Hester, who grabbed the ball and beat three defenders into the end zone for a long score. The second touchdown came after an interception return brought the Bears into a first and goal situation and Orton hit RB Matt Forte on the left side of the end zone for the score.

RB Matt Forte, Rush: 22 - 96 - 0, Rec: 4 - 29 - 1 (4 targets) - RB Matt Forte put in an incredible effort in the loss. The Vikings defensive front line dominated the game but Forte ran hard and nearly managed 100 yards on the ground. On his touchdown reception, he initially lined up as the only running back but shifted over to become the only receiver on the left side and Orton hit him with a nice pass for the touchdown.

Forte also took one snap from the wildcat formation and ran it for a small gain.

RB Adrian Peterson, Rush: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) - RB Adrian Peterson did not see much action in the loss.

WR Devin Hester, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0, Rec: 3 - 67 - 1 (8 targets) - WR Devin Hester took a quick slant pass from QB Kyle Orton 64 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. He made three defenders miss him and then scampered his way into the end zone. Hester also returned kickoffs in addition to punts. He had recently been replaced on kickoff returns. He also took one handoff on an end around.

Hester could have caught another pass for a relatively nice gain but the ball bounced off his arm and Hester did not make any attempt to catch the ball until it was too late. It is likely he did not see the ball coming but he was looking back long enough in advance to have seen the football spiraling toward him.

WR Brandon Lloyd, Rec: 1 - 24 - 0 (3 targets) - WR Brandon Lloyd was not much of a factor in the game.

WR Rashied Davis, Rec: 1 - 17 - 0 (5 targets) - WR Rashied Davis only had one catch in the game. He had two drops including a deep pass down the sideline that could have ended in a score if he had been able to hold on. He was able to get the ball into his grasp but dropped it as he tried to bring it in.

TE Desmond Clark, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - TE Desmond Clark only had one catch in the game. TE Greg Olsen saw more playing time as the pass receiving tight end.

TE Greg Olsen, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (4 targets) - TE Greg Olsen was quiet in the game. In the second half, he showed some hustle by tracking down LB Ben Leber after his interception and then managed to strip the ball away. Unfortunately for the Bears, the ball skipped out of bounds before OL John Tait could knock it back in bounds.

PK Robbie Gould 0 - 0 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points - PK Robbie Gould did not attempt any field goals and connected on both extra point attempts.

CHI Rush Defense - The Chicago Bears had a hard time taking down RB Adrian Peterson who racked up over 100 yards rushing in the first half alone. DL Dustin Dvoracek left the game in the first quarter with an injury and did not return.

CHI Pass Defense - The Bears pass defense managed one interception of QB Gus Frerotte and DB Kevin Payne nearly took it in for a score but stepped out of bounds at the five yard line. They also sacked Frerotte twice but did not put consistent pressure on the Vikings passing game. They also allowed a 99 yard touchdown pass to WR Bernard Berrian.

QB Gus Frerotte, Pass: 16 - 25 - 210 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 1 - 1 - QB Gus Frerotte was not flashy in the win but managed to get the job done. He hooked up with WR Bernard Berrian for a 99 yard touchdown score down the left sideline. The Bears defense left Berrian unguarded and he made an easy catch and score.

He nearly had another touchdown to TE Jim Kleinsasser but after review the referees ruled that the tight end was done at the one yard line.

In the first quarter, Frerotte was hit late by Adewale Ogunleye on third down but no flag was thrown. Frerotte went down to the ground hard and laid facedown but was then able to walk onto the sidelines. The Vikings kicked a field goal on the next play and Frerotte returned on the next series and showed no ill effects from the hit.

RB Adrian Peterson, Rush: 28 - 131 - 1, Rec: 2 - -1 - 0 (3 targets) - RB Adrian Peterson ran with a fierce determination through the Bears' defense. He was difficult to tackle and jumped, cut, and juked his way to over 100 rushing yards in the first half despite facing a stacked box for most of the game. By the end of the game, Peterson's uniform was splattered with blood. His touchdown in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach for good.

On two occasions, Peterson was seen limping to the sidelines but each time he was able to return to the game.

RB Chester Taylor, Rush: 10 - 46 - 1, Rec: 4 - 19 - 0 (4 targets) - RB Chester Taylor was mostly a third down back. His touchdown scamper in the third quarter exhibited a surprising amount of speed and swiftness as he dodged defenders for 20 yards into the end zone.

WR Bernard Berrian, Rec: 4 - 122 - 1 (3 targets) - WR Bernard Berrian reeled in a 99 yard touchdown catch in the first half. The play was an integral part of the game and caused a large momentum shift that never moved back to Chicago's side. Berrian sprinted down the sideline and after the cornerback dropped out of coverage QB Gus Frerotte hit him in stride for an easy, long score.

WR Bobby Wade, Rec: 1 - 15 - 0 (3 targets) - WR Bobby Wade was targeted once in the end zone but the pas fell incomplete.

WR Sidney Rice, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (4 targets) - WR Sidney Rice was targeted once in the end zone but the pass was incomplete. Otherwise, he was not much of a factor in the game.

TE Jim Kleinsasser, Rec: 1 - 20 - 0 (1 targets) - TE Jim Kleinsasser nearly had a touchdown in the second quarter but the referees reviewed the play and ruled that he was down at the one yard line. QB Gus Frerotte ran the ball in on the next play for the score. That was Kleinsasser's only catch of the day.

TE Visanthe Shiancoe, Rec: 1 - 20 - 0 (3 targets) - TE Visanthe Shiancoe was not much of a factor in the win.

PK Ryan Longwell 2 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 10 points - PK Ryan Longwell hit two short field goals and connected on all of his extra point attempts.

MIN Rush Defense - The Vikings defense played well all around but RB Matt Forte was determined and racked-up nearly 100 yards on the ground. However, the Vikings made a strong goal line stand in the first half that set the tone for the rest of the game where they stopped the Bears three times on the ground. Both DL Pat Williams and DL Kevin Williams were big factors clogging up the middle.

MIN Pass Defense - The Vikings had a field day against QB Kyle Orton. They picked him off three times in the second half and DL Jared Allen sacked him three times in the game

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Arizona Cardinals 20, Philadelphia Eagles 48

What you need to know

Arizona Cardinals - For the first time this season, QB Kurt Warner did a really bad job of protecting the football. He threw interceptions on two of his first five pass attempts, which set the tone for the rest of the game. From the first quarter on, Arizona was playing catch up.

WR Larry Fitzgerald started slowly, as did most of the Arizona offense. But two touchdowns and a long bomb reception in the second half helped him put up big numbers.

WR Anquan Boldin had a forgettable game, with two dropped passes and two fumbles (one of which was lost). Steve Breaston, on the other hand, looked outstanding. He made a fine catch on his first target of the game, and later added a touchdown when the outcome had already been decided.

RB Tim Hightower and the running game could get nothing going. This was mostly due to Arizona being behind by so many points early on and the fact that the Eagles controlled the clock for nearly forty minutes.

Philadelphia Eagles - QB Donovan McNabb, fresh off the first benching of his career, turned in one of his finest performances of the season. He threw four touchdown passes, didn't turn the ball over once, and led the Eagles to a dominating victory over a quality opponent.

RB Brian Westbrook tied a team record with four touchdowns (two rushing, two receiving) and had plenty of room to roam all night long.

There wasn't one Philadelphia receiver whose stat line really stands out, but DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Hank Baskett, L.J. Smith, and Jason Avant all caught between three and six passes. Avant and Jackson added touchdowns.

What you ought to know

QB Kurt Warner, Pass: 21 - 39 - 235 - 3 TD / 3 INT - Warner's evening began about as badly as possible, throwing interceptions on two of his first five pass attempts. The first one was thrown off his back foot and sort of floated into coverage, while the second one was simply a bad overthrow that was easily picked. Late in the fourth quarter, he threw a ball up in coverage to TE Jerheme Urban that was also intercepted. It wasn't all bad, as he did manage to toss three touchdown passes along the way. He twice found Larry Fitzgerald and once connected with Steve Breaston for scores. The first touchdown to Fitzgerald marked the twentieth consecutive game that Warner has thrown a touchdown pass, breaking the franchise record set by Neil Lomax and tied by Warner last week. Though he wasn't sacked once, Warner was under a fair amount of pressure at times. But he did a nice job avoiding it and stepping up in the pocket. On one such occasion, the protection broke down as he stepped forward and found Fitzgerald streaking downfield for a 40 yard bomb.

Obviously the turnovers are Warner's fault, but his defense did him no favors. They couldn't keep the Eagles off the field at times. And with the Eagles controlling the ball for 39:33 to Arizona's 20:27, it was difficult for Warner to have enough drives to put up numbers that were any better than what he did.

RB Tim Hightower, Rush: 7 - 7 - 0, Rec: 3 - 34 - 0 (3 targets) - Hightower's rushing line tells you all you need to know about his performance in the ground game. His big gain went for just four yards, and the Eagles early start really forced Arizona to get away from the running game much earlier than they would've liked. Hightower did have a nice 26 yard catch and run on a third down screen. That extended a drive that eventually led to a Larry Fitzgerald touchdown. What was very telling about this game was the way Hightower was used, or rather not used, near the goal line. On a second quarter possession, Arizona got down to the one yard line. Hightower had helped get them there with a two yard rush from the three yard line. Facing a third and one, the ball was thrown to Anquan Boldin. Philadelphia was whistled for a holding penalty, giving the Cardinals first and goal at the one. The next two plays were both passes, the second one being the aforementioned touchdown to Fitzgerald. Philadelphia later had a third and one at the six, and again opted to pass (this time resulting in a Steve Breaston touchdown). And at one point in the second half, Arizona threw the ball on 18 consecutive plays.

RB J.J. Arrington, Rush: 2 - 10 - 0 (1 targets) - Arrington certainly didn't do enough to get recognition, but he needs mentioning only because he was the team's leading rusher. Starter Tim Hightower had seven carries for just seven yards, three fewer than Arrington, who had runs of one and nine yards.

WR Anquan Boldin, Rush: 1 - 8 - 0, Rec: 5 - 63 - 0 (12 targets) - Boldin had a game he'd soon love to forget. Amongst his many lowlights were a fumble on an end-around that Arizona recovered, a dropped touchdown in the end zone (Larry Fitzgerald caught a touchdown on the next play), another dropped pass late in the game, and a crucial fumble early in the fourth quarter with Arizona down by 14 points. On the first drop, the one that would have gone for a touchdown, he ran a quick slant and had the ball put right on his hands. He simply dropped the ball. He had nearly scored on a previous play but was tackled down at the two yard line. The fumble is tough to blame on him, because just about every NFL receiver would have fumbled in the same situation. Philadelphia S Brian Dawkins dove in and laid his helmet perfectly on the football, jarring it loose. Boldin was about to be tackled on the play, and had no chance to get his bearings and recover the football. Boldin was also shaken up on a hard hit late in the game and limped off the field, but returned and didn't seem to be bothered by it.

WR Steve Breaston, Rec: 6 - 45 - 1 (10 targets) - Breaston was every bit as involved as the stars, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. He had just two fewer targets than Boldin, and one more than Fitzgerald. His first catch of the game was a fantastic leaping grab along the right sideline early on. Breaston caught a late third quarter touchdown that pulled Arizona to within 34-13. On the play, CB Lito Sheppard left Breaston a ton of room in front. He took advantage by running a curl, and Warner found him with a quick strike right at the edge of the goal line. It was debatable at first whether Breaston had crossed the plane, but replays confirmed that he had.

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Rec: 5 - 65 - 2 (9 targets) - On his first touchdown, Fitzgerald was able to take advantage of a situation which Anquan Boldin could not. On a first down pass, Boldin was wide open in the end zone for a sure touchdown, but dropped the football. On the next play, Fitzgerald was the target and he made sure to hold on. Later on, he displayed the hands that commentator Cris Collinsworth referred to as the best he has ever seen. Fitzgerald hauled in a 40 yard bomb down the middle of the field, and two plays later caught his second touchdown of the game. The second one was particularly tough, as he had to reach back across his body and pick the ball out of the air, then use his strength to pull it away from the defender, all the while moving in the other direction towards the end zone. It was an excellent display of strength, hands, body control, and concentration.

WR Jerheme Urban, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (5 targets) - Perhaps Kurt Warner should have stopped looking in Urban's direction earlier. The first pass he threw to him was deflected and then intercepted. He also failed to connect with Urban on a fourth down pass late in the second half. And Warner's final toss of the game was a deep ball down the sideline to Urban that was easily intercepted by Brian Dawkins.

TE Leonard Pope, Rec: 1 - 25 - 0 (1 targets) - Pope was only thrown to once, but he made a nice twisting grab of a floater downfield. Philadelphia head coach Andy Reid actually challenged the play, claiming that the ball hit the ground. It appeared he was correct, but the call on the field stood and Pope had his only catch of the night.

PK Neil Rackers 0 - 0 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points - Rackers was only called upon to boot a pair of extra points, both of which he converted.

ARI Rush Defense - There wasn't much the Cardinals could do to stop Brian Westbrook. With the passing game having so much success downfield, that really opened things up in the run game. And vice versa. The Eagles actually made a concerted effort to establish a strong rushing attack early on, and it worked to perfection. Brian Westbrook punched in two scores on the ground, and the gaping holes created by the Philadelphia offensive line left little doubt as to how he was able to find the goal line repeatedly. And even when an Arizona defender would get a hand on him, it was usually just a glancing blow as he simply ran right by (or over) most of them.

ARI Pass Defense - The Cardinals were utterly powerless to stop Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia passing attack. The Eagles receivers were wide open all day downfield on just about every play. And there was a gross tackling display by the Arizona defenders once a catch was made. On at least three occasions, the Eagles picked up more than double the yardage they should have due to some very spotty tackling techniques. On one, L.J. Smith carried tacklers for extra yardage. On another, Kevin Curtis faked Ralph Brown out of his shoes for a big gain. And on another, DeSean Jackson took a relatively harmless short pass and burst towards the sideline, turning a third and 23 into a first down. They did sack McNabb once, but more often than not he was stepping out and around would-be tacklers and making plays down the field without much care that anyone was going to get in his face.

QB Donovan McNabb, Pass: 27 - 39 - 260 - 4 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 24 - 0 - It is no secret to most people that Donovan McNabb was benched for the first time in his career this past Sunday. It was on everyone's minds to see how well he'd respond to the benching in this game. His response was loud and clear. He had one of his best games of the season, tossing four touchdown passes without a turnover, threw for 260 yards, and led the Eagles on eight separate scoring drives while taking apart the first place Cardinals. In addition to the passing, he looked good with his feet too. He showed nice elusiveness early on in the pocket by avoiding a sack, and added a very strong run in the second quarter that went for 13 yards. None of the touchdowns was a particularly tough throw, though that doesn't detract any from them. The first score was a shovel pass to RB Brian Westbrook. The second was a nice play by McNabb to find a wide open Westbrook in the flat with Adrian Wilson blitzing right at him. The third score was a crossing route by DeSean Jackson, a simple pass that involved Jackson making a nice move at the end to get in. And the fourth score was to Jason Avant, who appeared to actually come up short in his dive attempt at the end zone but the play was never challenged and the score stood up.

McNabb was helped a great deal not only by Arizona defenders giving the Eagles receivers a lot of cushion, but also by Arizona defenders being unable to wrap up those Eagles receivers once they got in the open field. There was a lot of yardage after first contact and this was a truly dominant effort by the Philadelphia passing attack.

RB Brian Westbrook, Rush: 22 - 110 - 2, Rec: 3 - 20 - 2 (3 targets) - Westbrook had an historic night. He tied the Philadelphia team record with four touchdowns. And he became the first player since Lydell Mitchell of the 1975 Baltimore Colts to finish a game with at least 100 yards rushing, two rushing touchdowns, and two receiving touchdowns. There were gaping holes being opened for Westbrook all over the field, and his shifty running inside made it virtually impossible for Arizona to stop or even slow him. His first touchdown reception was a simple shovel pass from McNabb, and the second was even easier as he was wide open in the flat for a score to beat the safety blitz. He didn't break any huge runs, but he consistently picked up tons of positive yardage. All night, it seemed like if the Eagles needed three yards, he got four. If they needed six, he got eight.

WR DeSean Jackson, Rush: 1 - 6 - 0, Rec: 6 - 76 - 1 (8 targets) - For a guy who had a solid but unspectacular stat line, Jackson certainly made his presence felt in this game in a major way. Facing a long third and 23 situation midway through the third quarter, Jackson caught a quick pass and looked to be out of room. But he quickly sprinted for the sideline and turned upfield. He outraced several Arizona defenders to the first down marker, and picked up 24 yards to keep the chains moving. He might have scored on the play but he couldn't keep his balance as he tip-toed down the sideline. That drive resulted in a Brian Westbrook on the very next play. Jackson celebrated with a flying chest bump for head coach Andy Reid, who didn't move an inch. Later in the fourth quarter, Jackson added a touchdown of his own. He caught a short pass from McNabb but almost didn't get in. He had a blocker helping out near the goal line and eventually found a hold just big enough to reach out and stick the ball across for the score.

It wasn't all good for Jackson as he muffed a punt midway through the third quarter. He mistakenly thought a teammate had touched the ball and was trying to dive on it to maintain possession, so it's tough to assign blame for that. But a turnover is still a turnover.

WR Kevin Curtis, Rec: 5 - 59 - 0 (9 targets) - The Philadelphia passing attack was designed to spread the ball around to several different targets rather than just one guy, so Curtis's stat line looks very similar to his Philadelphia teammates. He had one big play where he caught a pass in the flat, was squared up by Ralph Brown, and proceeded to fake Brown out of his shoes for an extra 15 yards or so.

WR Hank Baskett, Rec: 5 - 42 - 0 (5 targets) - Baskett had a mostly quiet evening, with five receptions for just 42 yards. But he certainly made his mark on one of the receptions, laying out fully to make a terrific diving catch along the left sideline. His legs dragged across the field inbounds as he displayed tremendous concentration in holding onto the football.

WR Jason Avant, Rec: 4 - 25 - 1 (6 targets) - Avant started, and had receptions on two of the first four plays of the game (and each of the first two passes). He kind of disappeared from the offense a bit after that point, catching just one pass over the next two plus quarters. Late in the game, however, he was rewarded when he caught an eight yard score from McNabb. It actually appeared as if Avant's knee was down and the ball should be placed at the one yard line or so, but the call was not challenged by Arizona so the touchdown obviously stood.

TE L.J. Smith, Rec: 3 - 32 - 0 (3 targets) - Smith caught all three passes thrown in his direction, including a big 25 yard catch and run in the second half. He hauled in a short pass, turned upfield and ran over one would-be tackler, and made it count by dragging another pair of tacklers down to the ground with him. He was looked to once in the red zone, catching a short two yard pass that he took to the Arizona four yard line. Brian Westbrook scored two plays later.

PK David Akers 2 - 2 FG, 6 - 6 XP, 12 points - Akers connected on kicks of 42 and 41 yards, both of which were nailed with relative ease.

PHI Rush Defense - The Arizona Cardinals ran the ball ten times for 25 yards. I repeat -- the Cardinals ran the ball ten times for 25 yards. The Eagles jumped out to an early lead of 14-0 after one quarter and 24-7 by halftime. This turned Arizona into a very predictable one dimensional offense, one that relied almost exclusively on the passing game to get back into it. Philadelphia controlled the ball for 39:33 to Arizona's 20:27, and with the score the way it was, the Cardinals needed every minute they had to try and strike quickly. That meant airing it out almost non-stop, leaving very little opportunity for the backs to do much of anything.

PHI Pass Defense - The Eagles didn't completely shut down Kurt Warner and company for a full sixty minutes, but they shut him down for as long as they needed to. Warner did most of his damage in the fourth quarter when the game had already long been decided (aka, garbage time). With a little less than five minutes left in the third quarter, Arizona trailed 31-7. To that point, Warner had thrown for just 111 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Over the remainder of the game, he threw for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

Philadelphia's early opportunistic defense took advantage of a couple of poorly thrown balls by Warner to grab interceptions on two of his first five pass attempts. Those turnovers really helped to set the tone for the remainder of the game, as the Eagles went up 14-0 before anyone had even settled into the game yet.

S Brian Dawkins had a big game. He had a late interception in the fourth quarter that was a fairly easy play. What was much more difficult was his forced fumble on WR Anquan Boldin. Dawkins put his head down, drove it into the football, and jarred it loose from the strong Arizona wideout. Although Arizona already trailed by 14 points at the time, that play really put a damper on Arizona's comeback hopes. The Eagles scored another touchdown five plays later, and the game was essentially over.

CB Joselio Hanson, starting in place of the injured Asante Samuel, had his first career interception.

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Denver Broncos 34, New York Jets 17

What you need to know

Denver Broncos - Jay Cutler had a strong showing, throwing for 357 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Cutler seemed able to find open receivers with ease all game, picking up big chunks of yardage through the air at will. In the first quarter, Cutler found WR Eddie Royal down the sideline for a 59 yard touchdown, and threw his second touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the game away for the Broncos when he connected with WR Brandon Stokley for a 36 yard score. His lone interception came in the red zone, as he made an ill advised throw that the Jets were able to pick off.

Peyton Hillis was the only running back to take carries for the Broncos, and he looked great the whole game. Hillis was often tough to bring down, and he had multiple runs of more than five yards. Hillis added a touchdown in the second quarter when he took a goal line carry into the end zone, and ended the game with 129 yards and a touchdown.

Brandon Marshall was again the most targeted Broncos receiver, having the ball thrown his way 11 times. However, the coverage on Marshall was often very tight, and he was only able to bring in five catches for 55 yards. TE Tony Scheffler ended the day with the most receiving yardage for the Broncos, bringing in all seven of his targets and gaining 90 yards.

New York Jets - Brett Favre struggled against the Denver defense, throwing for 247 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. Despite throwing no touchdowns, he sure had his chances. The Jets had two drives stall in the red zone, one resulting in a field goal and the other no points at all. Favre's interception came on a deep attempt to Coles, but he overthrew him and the Denver defender came up with the interception.

Thomas Jones and Leon Washington both had productive days, but Jones much more so. Jones took 16 carries for 138 yards and two touchdowns, while Washington did most of his damage in the return and receiving game, racking up 90 return yards and 60 receiving yards. Jones' touchdowns came on two long runs, one a 59 yard score where he found a hole and had half the field open to run down, and the second where he appeared tackled but rolled off the back of a defender without his elbow or shoulder touching the ground, finishing his run for a 29 yard score.

Jericho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles both had pretty quiet days, as Cotchery had 40 yards receiving and Coles had just two yards. Cotchery also lost a fumble on an attempted end around, but he dropped the pitch and was unable to get control of the ball back, resulting in a Denver touchdown.

What you ought to know

QB Jay Cutler, Pass: 27 - 43 - 357 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 3 - -2 - 0 - Cutler had a strong game, gashing the Jets' pass defense for 357 yards and two touchdowns. Cutler's lone blemish came when he threw an interception in the red zone in the third quarter, making an ill advised throw that kept the Bronco's from being able to attempt a field goal to make it a three possession game. His two touchdowns were on longer passes, as he found Eddie Royal down the sideline, and Royal broke a tackle to make the touchdown possible. Later, Cutler hit a wide open Brandon Stokley for his second touchdown.

RB Peyton Hillis, Rush: 22 - 129 - 1 (2 targets) - Hillis looked great in the first quarter, breaking off a pair of 19 yards run and making the Jets look helpless. Hillis again impressed in the second quarter, taking a handoff and spinning out of tackles for a six yard gain and a first down. Later in the quarter, Hillis had his third 19 yard run of the day when he ran into a wall at the line, cut it back, and picked up some nice yardage. Near the end of the quarter, Hillis took a goal line carry and had a good second effort to get across the line for the touchdown. In the third quarter, Hillis had a potential second touchdown called back due to a holding penalty. Hillis finished with two touchdowns and 129 rushing yards.

WR Brandon Marshall, Rec: 5 - 55 - 0 (11 targets) - Marshall caught a short pass late in the second quarter, but made a great move cutting back and changing direction, turning his short reception into a 16 yard gain. At the end of the second quarter, Marshall made a nice leaping catch for a 20 yard gain to put the Broncos in field goal range. Marshall finished the game with five receptions for 55 yards.

WR Eddie Royal, Rec: 5 - 84 - 1 (5 targets) - Royal caught a pass slanting towards the right sideline, and when he caught it he broke a tackle, kept both feet inbounds, and raced down the sideline for a 59 yard touchdown. This was just the highlight of a great day for Royal, as he caught all five of his targets and finished the game with 84 yards and a score.

WR Brandon Stokley, Rec: 2 - 44 - 1 (4 targets) - Stokley made a catch in double coverage at the end of the second quarter, gaining eight yards on the play. In the fourth quarter, Stokley got open deep when the Jets were playing to stop the short route. Stokley was wide open for the 36 yard score, just about ending any hope for a Jets win. Stokley finished with 44 yards and a touchdown.

WR Chad Jackson, Rec: 1 - 19 - 0 (1 targets) - Jackson caught a short pass in the first quarter and benefited from great blocking, running downfield and picking up 19 yards before being tackled out of bounds. It was his only catch of the game.

TE Tony Scheffler, Rec: 7 - 90 - 0 (7 targets) - Scheffler caught a 22 yard pass late in the second quarter, taking the ball right down to the goal line before being tackled, narrowly missing the touchdown. Late in the third quarter, Scheffler managed to get open and Cutler found him in between a couple Jets defenders for a 24 yard gain. Scheffler finished the game with 90 yards receiving on seven receptions.

TE Daniel Graham, Rec: 6 - 59 - 0 (7 targets) - Graham had a nine yard reception in the second quarter, breaking a tackle and picking up extra yards for a first down. Late in the second quarter, Graham got wide open and caught a pass for a 12 yard gain. In the third quarter, Graham found himself wide open again and caught a pass for a 20 yard gain. Graham finished the afternoon with six receptions for 59 yards.

PK Matt Prater 2 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 10 points - Prater made all of his kicking attempts despite the tough conditions.

DEN Rush Defense - The Denver rush defense struggled to contain Thomas Jones, but did not have to worry much about him in the second quarter as the Jets were forced to abandon the run. However, the troubling trend of running backs having big games against Denver did continue as Jones managed two rushing touchdowns and 159 total yards.

DEN Pass Defense - The Denver defense did a great job of shutting down Brett Favre, who had been leading one of the hottest teams in the NFL. Favre was completely shut down by the Broncos' defense, as he only averaged 5.7 yards per attempt, totaling 247 yards and an interception.

QB Brett Favre, Pass: 23 - 43 - 247 - 0 TD / 1 INT - Favre had a game he'd probably like to put behind him, throwing no touchdowns and an interception. The interception came in the second quarter on a deep ball attempt to Laveranues Coles. Coles didn't have position, and Favre overthrew the ball. He often struggled to find open men, and could not convert on either of his two red zone opportunities. He also seemed to struggle with gripping the slick ball, often throwing a wobbly ball and struggling with his accuracy.

RB Thomas Jones, Rush: 16 - 138 - 2, Rec: 2 - 21 - 0 (3 targets) - In the second quarter, Jones exploded through a hole on the right side, breaking down the wide open right side of the field for a 59 yard touchdown. In a bizarre play in the second quarter, Jones took a carry up the middle and got tripped up by a defender. However, Jones rolled over the back of the defender without his elbow or shoulder touching, and jumped back up and finished the run for a 29 yard score. Concluding the third quarter, Jones displayed his toughness and speed, breaking tackles on two consecutive runs for 13 and 14 yards. Jones finished with 159 total yards and two touchdowns, another great game for the Jets' running back.

RB Leon Washington, Rush: 2 - 4 - 0, Rec: 3 - 60 - 0 (6 targets) - Washington did not get many carries, and did most of his damage receiving the ball, all in one drive. Late in the third quarter, Washington caught a screen pass and made the most of his good blocking, using a couple of good cutting moves to pick up 34 yards on the play. The next two plays, Washington was again thrown to on screen passes, taking each for 14 and 12 yard gains. He finished with 60 yards receiving.

WR Jerricho Cotchery, Rec: 4 - 40 - 0 (9 targets) - In the first quarter Cotchery had the ball pitched to him on an end around, but he couldn't catch it, resulting in a fumble and a Denver touchdown. In the second quarter, Cotchery caught a pass on the line and made a nice move to shed his defender, making an 11 yard gain out of nothing. In the fourth, Cotchery got open deep down the sideline, but dropped the ball despite a perfect throw by Favre. Cotchery finished the game with five receptions for 55 yards.

WR Chansi Stuckey, Rec: 3 - 30 - 0 (4 targets) - Stuckey caught a pass in the fourth quarter for a key first down conversion, cutting across the middle to get open and gaining 16 yards on the play. He finished the day with three receptions for 30 yards.

WR Laveranues Coles, Rec: 2 - 2 - 0 (7 targets) - Coles did not have his first reception until the fourth quarter, which was just a short catch for four yards. His second and final reception resulted in a loss of two yards, bringing his final total to two receptions for two yards. Most of his targets came in the fourth quarter, most of which were not catchable.

WR Brad Smith, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (3 targets) - Smith hauled in a ten yard reception late in the fourth quarter as the Jets were attempting to come back. It was his only catch of the game.

TE Dustin Keller, Rec: 7 - 77 - 0 (11 targets) - Keller hauled in a 14 yard catch near the end of the first quarter slanting across the middle of the field. Keller had some big receptions in the fourth quarter as well, hauling in receptions for 10, 13, and 20 yards all in the same drive. Keller finished the game as Favre's favorite target, bringing in seven receptions for 77 yards.

PK Jay Feely 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Feely made all of his kicks.

NYJ Rush Defense - The Jets' rush defense struggled to contain Peyton Hillis, as he exploded for his first 100 yard game and also managed a goal line touchdown. Hillis consistently made the Jets look bad; as he broke off multiple long runs and could be counted on to get the Broncos yards when they needed them.

NYJ Pass Defense - The Jets' pass defense also struggled in this game, allowing Cutler to explode for 357 yards and two touchdowns. The Jets showed poor tackling all game, often allowing Denver's plays to go for twice as many yards as they should. In one instance, the poor tackling resulted in a long touchdown reception by Eddie Royal as he was able to break a tackle and take it all the way for a long touchdown.

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Jacksonville Jaguars 17, Houston Texans 30

What you need to know

Jacksonville Jaguars - For the majority of the contest, David Garrard and the Jacksonville offense struggled to move the ball, but a prevent defense by Houston allowed the Jaguars to score two late touchdowns. The Jacksonville signal caller finished the game 25 of 35 for 287 yards with one touchdown, one interception, and one lost fumble. Garrard's touchdown toss in the fourth quarter was his tenth of the season.

Fred Taylor led the way for a Jacksonville rushing attack that totaled 126 yards on 26 carries for an average of 4.8 yards per rush. The starting running back amassed 67 yards on nine rushes and scored his first rushing touchdown of the year in the fourth quarter. Backup running back Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for 49 yards on 12 carries and added another 22 yards through the passing game.

Jaguars' wide receivers combined to catch 17 of the team's 25 completions for a total of 219 yards. Matt Jones had a team high eight receptions for 104 yards while Reggie Williams got into the end zone with a fourth quarter touchdown grab. Jerry Porter and Dennis Northcutt both had two catches in the game for Jacksonville.

Cornerback Rashean Mathis missed the entire second half with what was reported as a sprained right knee.

Houston Texans - Sage Rosenfels led the Houston offense on six scoring drives as he helped the Texans to their fifth win of the season. Rosenfels completed 58% of his 24 passing attempts for 200 yards with one touchdown and one interception. His first quarter scoring strike was his sixth of the year and put Houston up 7--0.

Steve Slaton was the star of the game for the Texans as he totaled 182 yards on 23 touches and found the end zone twice. The rookie received all but two of the team's running back rushes, averaging an eye grabbing 6.2 yards on 21 attempts and also added 52 yards on two receptions. Slaton's touchdowns came on back to back rushes in the fourth quarter.

Andre Johnson turned his team high 11 targets into seven receptions that went for 75 yards and a touchdown. The score was Johnson's fourth of the season and his first since Week 9. No other Houston receiver had more than two grabs.

Matt Schaub was active for this game as the backup quarterback, but he did not see the field.

What you ought to know

QB David Garrard, Pass: 25 - 35 - 287 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 5 - 10 - 0, Rec: 1 - -6 - 0 (1 targets) - Garrard got off to a slow start as he finished the first half with five completions for 39 yards. His first quarter interception and fourth quarter fumble were turned into ten Houston points. Garrard did complete the game with respectable completion and yardage numbers but a large portion of those (including his lone touchdown pass) came near the end of the game with the Texans comfortably ahead. The Jacksonville field general had a reception on a batted ball, but the completion went for a loss of six yards.

RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Rush: 12 - 49 - 0, Rec: 3 - 22 - 0 (5 targets) - Jones-Drew totaled 41 of his 49 rushing yards during the first two quarters as he received only four attempts in the second half. The running back showed good effort on a second quarter, third and one carry when he broke three tackles and picked up a gain of 14. That punishing running style was on display again when Jones-Drew caught a short, fourth quarter pass and blasted his way through would be tacklers for a 16 yard pick up as he took the ball down to the Houston four yard line. The backup running back had a fumble in the first quarter that gave the Texans the ball at the Jaguars' 28 yards line. In addition to his work on offense, Jones-Drew averaged 15.5 yards on two kickoff returns.

RB Fred Taylor, Rush: 9 - 67 - 1, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - Taylor made the most of his nine carries as he averaged 7.4 yards per rush and found the end zone on a four yard run in the fourth quarter. His rushing total included longer runs of 19 and 24 yards.

RB Chauncey Washington, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - Washington's only reception of the contest came with just over a minute remaining in the game.

RB Greg Jones - Jones didn't have any touches on offense, but he did return one kick off nine yards.

RB Montell Owens - Though he received no touches on offense, Owens averaged 15 yards on two kickoff returns.

WR Matt Jones, Rec: 8 - 104 - 0 (11 targets) - Jones was QB David Garrard's favorite target as he led the Jaguars in targets, receptions and receiving yards. His eight receptions included longer gains of 17, 24, and 27 yards with the longest of those coming on a fourth and two play in which the wide out took the ball down to the Texans' six yard line. Jones was targeted on a deep pass in the third quarter, but the ball was a little overthrown.

WR Reggie Williams, Rec: 5 - 55 - 1 (7 targets) - Williams racked up 43 of his 55 receiving yards near the end of the game with the Texans in a prevent defense. His 18 yard touchdown reception was his third of the year.

WR Dennis Northcutt, Rec: 2 - 21 - 0 (2 targets) - Northcutt caught both passes thrown his way with his long reception going for a gain of 16 yards.

WR Jerry Porter, Rec: 2 - 39 - 0 (6 targets) - Porter had a 32 yard catch near the start of the third quarter wiped out because of a penalty. His long reception of the game went for 33 yards and came with just under two minutes remaining in the game. Porter was targeted in the end zone with the Jaguars operating from the Houston five yard line, but the pass was overthrown. The wide out didn't help out his quarterback when he had a third down pass that would have went for a first down bounce off his hands.

TE Marcedes Lewis, Rec: 2 - 37 - 0 (2 targets) - Lewis' first catch came in the third quarter and went for a gain of 17 yards. He followed that up with a nice grab on a low pass that went for a pickup of 20.

PK Josh Scobee 1 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Scobee missed his first field goal attempt from 43 yards out in the second quarter, but later connected from 29 yards in the third quarter. He also converted both of his point after attempts.

JAX Rush Defense - The Jaguars allowed the Texans to rush for 126 yards on 26 attempts for an average of 4.8 yards per rush. Houston RB Steve Slaton scored touchdowns on runs of seven and 40 yards.

JAX Pass Defense - Texans' QB Sage Rosenfels completed 14 passes for 200 yards with one touchdown. Jacksonville failed to record a sack but CB Rashean Mathis intercepted a pass in the first quarter.

QB Sage Rosenfels, Pass: 14 - 24 - 200 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 2 - 0 - Rosenfels got off to a good start on the team's opening series as he led the Houston offense on a six play 69 yard drive that he capped with a 31 yard touchdown throw to WR Andre Johnson. The Houston signal caller spent the remainder of the contest managing the game for the Texans as he had only 12 more completions that went for a total of 157 yards. Rosenfels' first quarter interception gave Jacksonville the ball at the Houston 44 yard line.

RB Steve Slaton, Rush: 21 - 130 - 2, Rec: 2 - 52 - 0 (4 targets) - Slaton got off to a hot start as his first four rushes went for an average of 9.8 yards per carry, but ground was a little harder to come by after that as his next 13 carries totaled only 20 yards. His final four runs included pickups of 22 and 40 as he helped keep the game out of reach for the Jaguars. Slaton scored his seventh rushing touchdown of the year with a fourth quarter score from seven yards out and on his very next carry, he exploded for the 40 yard run that put the Texans up 30 -- 10. In addition to running the ball, the running back also had a big gain in the passing game when he took a screen pass 45 yards down to the Jacksonville two yard line. On the three ensuing plays Slaton got the ball on runs from inside the five yard line, but he failed to get into the end zone.

RB Ryan Moats, Rush: 2 - -1 - 0 - Both of Moats' runs came on consecutive plays in the fourth quarter.

WR Andre Johnson, Rec: 7 - 75 - 1 (11 targets) - Johnson caught a pass on the teams' first play from scrimmage that went for a gain of 12 yards and followed that up later in the drive with a 31 yard catch and run that put Houston up 7-0. On the scoring play the wide out caught the ball around the 12 yard line, made a move, and beat the defender to the corner of the end zone for the touchdown. Johnson found himself the target on ten first half passes and was the intended receiver on an incomplete pass into the end zone with the Texans operating from the Jaguars' 28 yard line. Despite the busy first half, Johnson only had one eight yard reception over the final two quarters.

WR Kevin Walter, Rec: 2 - 38 - 0 (4 targets) - Walters' first catch came near the end of the second quarter and went for a big gain of 30 yards. His only other grab was in the third quarter for a pickup of eight.

WR Jacoby Jones, Rush: 1 - -5 - 0 - Jones' only touch on offense was a direct snap rush that went for minus five yards. He also returned one punt 28 yards.

WR David Anderson (1 targets) - Anderson's only target came in the first quarter.

WR Andre Davis (2 targets) - Davis was targeted on a deep throw into the end zone, but the ball fell to the ground incomplete. In addition to his plays on offense, he also returned one kick for 35 yards.

TE Owen Daniels, Rec: 2 - 25 - 0 (4 targets) - Daniels averaged 12.5 yards on two catches and was the intended receiver in the end zone on a botched field goal attempt.

TE Joel Dreessen, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (1 targets) - Dreessen caught his only pass of the game near the end of the second quarter for a pickup of ten yards.

PK Kris Brown 3 - 3 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 12 points - Brown made good on field goal attempts from 20, 38, and 50 yards and also converted both of his extra point attempts. A bad snap kept him from attempting a 20 yard field goal near the end of the first half.

HOU Rush Defense - The Houston run defense allowed Jacksonville to accumulate 126 rushing yards on 26 attempts for an average of 4.8 yards per carry. The Texans did force a first quarter fumble by Maurice Jones-Drew but also allowed Fred Taylor to score on a four yard rush in the fourth quarter.

HOU Pass Defense - David Garrard completed 25 passes that went for 287 yards and one touchdown. DE Mario Williams recorded all three of the team's sacks on the night and he forced a fumble of Garrard that gave the Texans the ball at the Jaguars' seven yard line. CB Jacques Reeves also got in on the action with an interception in the first quarter.

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New Orleans Saints 20, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23

What you need to know

New Orleans Saints - In a game with poor weather conditions that included tornado warnings and heavy rain at times, the Saints struck first with a Garrett Hartley field goal from 47 yards out to take an early 3-0 lead. Following two Tampa Bay field goals, New Orleans came back before halftime as Drew Brees connected with WR Lance Moore from 13 yards out to take a 10-6 lead into the break.

The Saints defense gave up two third quarter touchdowns, but were bailed out by their offense, which came back to rattle off ten fourth quarter points to tie the game. Pierre Thomas scored on a 20 yard pass play and Hartley added another field goal that would be the last score of the game for the Saints.

QB Drew Brees threw three interceptions, including two in the fourth quarter, that laid to rest any hopes the Saints had at winning the game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Tampa Bay got just two Matt Bryant field goals in the first half and trailed 10-6 at the break. In the third quarter, RB Cadillac Williams sparked the team with an eight yard touchdown run and WR Antonio Bryant caught a 39 yard touchdown pass from Garcia as the Buccaneers doubled up the Saints 20-10.

The Tampa Bay defense gave up a score on a big 11 play, 82 yard drive as Pierre Thomas scored from 20 yards out and after another Hartley field goal the score was tied at 20 apiece. After DB Jermaine Phillips came up with a big interception, Tampa Bay scored on a 37 yard Matt Bryant field goal at the two minute warning to take the lead 23-20. The Buccaneers defense came up big again on the next series, as DB Philip Buchanon intercepted Brees for his third of the day. Tampa Bay ran out the clock and came away with a big divisional win.

What you ought to know

QB Drew Brees, Pass: 25 - 47 - 296 - 2 TD / 3 INT - Against a stingy Tampa Bay defense, Drew Brees did his normal thing. He finished 25 of 47 for 296 yards and two scores. Brees connected with WR Lance Moore on a 13 yard scoring play and later hit Pierre Thomas for a 20 yard scoring play. On the negative side, he did throw three interceptions, one of which came in the red zone on a play intended for TE Jeremy Shockey, and two others that came in the crucial fourth quarter. The weather conditions were definitely a factor with the Saints passing game, where their receivers had a number of key drops due to the weather.

RB Pierre Thomas, Rush: 11 - 34 - 0, Rec: 1 - 20 - 1 (1 targets) - Thomas led New Orleans in rushing with 11 carries for 34 yards and had a long run of just nine yards. His big impact came in the passing game, where he had a 20 yard touchdown reception on his only target of the game.

RB Reggie Bush, Rush: 3 - 0 - 0, Rec: 5 - 32 - 0 (11 targets) - Reggie Bush returned for the Saints, but had a minimal impact on the game. He had just three rushes for zero yards and finished with five receptions for 32 yards on 11 targets in the passing game.

RB Deuce McAllister, Rush: 3 - 13 - 0, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (1 targets) - McAllister played sparingly and finished with three rushes for 13 yards on the ground and one reception for three yards on his only target of the game.

WR Marques Colston, Rec: 6 - 106 - 0 (12 targets) - Colston finished as the most targeted New Orleans receiver, with 12, and totaled six receptions for 106 yards. Four of his targets came on third downs.

WR Devery Henderson, Rush: 1 - -3 - 0, Rec: 2 - 33 - 0 (3 targets) - Henderson finished with two receptions for 33 yards on three targets.

WR Lance Moore, Rec: 2 - 15 - 1 (6 targets) - Moore was targeted six times and came down with two receptions for 15 yards, including a 13 yard touchdown reception.

TE Jeremy Shockey, Rec: 4 - 52 - 0 (9 targets) - Shockey was targeted nine times and finished with four receptions for 52 yards.

PK Garrett Hartley 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points - Hartley connected from 47 and 43 yard out and added two extra points to finish with eight points in the game.

NO Rush Defense - New Orleans gave up 149 rushing yards on 34 attempts, for a 4.4 ypc average. Included in that was an eight yard rushing touchdown by Tampa Bay RB Cadillac Williams. For the game, they managed just one tackle for loss and gave up two fourth down conversion attempts.

LB Scott Shanle led the Saints with eight solo tackles, two assists and a sack, and LB Scott Fujita added six solo tackles and two assists of his own. Jonathan Vilma also chipped in with six solos, one assist, a sack and two forced fumbles.

NO Pass Defense - The Saints pass defense played well against Tampa Bay. They allowed just 105 net passing yards, sacked Jeff Garcia four times and held the Buccaneers to just two of 15 on third downs. Some of that could be attributed to the weather conditions, but their defensive unit still made plays when they had to. They did allow one score through the air, but for the game forced Garcia to complete just nine of 23 attempts.

DE Bobby McCray had two solo tackles and two sacks for the Saints.

QB Jeff Garcia, Pass: 9 - 23 - 119 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 7 - 42 - 0 - Garcia had another gritty outing, and in tough weather conditions, threw for 119 yards on nine of 23 passing and adding another 42 yards rushing on seven carries. He connected with WR Antonio Bryant on a 39 yard touchdown pass for Tampa Bay's lone big play in the passing game. He did have one fumble, but the ball was recovered by the Buccaneers.

RB Warrick Dunn, Rush: 22 - 74 - 0 (1 targets) - Dunn carried the load in the running game with 22 carries for 74 yards. He was only used sparingly in the passing game where he did not record a reception on just one target.

RB Cadillac Williams, Rush: 4 - 20 - 1 - Williams was thought to be looking for a bigger role but he gave way to Warrick Dunn. Williams contributed in the rushing attack for the Buccaneers and totaled four rushes for 20 yards, including an eight yard rushing touchdown.

WR Antonio Bryant, Rush: 1 - 13 - 0, Rec: 3 - 63 - 1 (10 targets) - Bryant was the most targeted Tampa Bay receiver, with ten looks, and he finished with three receptions for 63 yards that included a 39 yard touchdown reception. Seven of his targets came on third downs.

WR Michael Clayton, Rec: 3 - 29 - 0 (4 targets) - Clayton was targeted four times and finished with three receptions for 29 yards. He did lose a fumble on one of his receptions, where New Orleans LB Jonathan Vilma ripped the ball away from Clayton following the catch.

WR Joey Galloway (1 targets) - Galloway played and had just one target, but failed to record a reception.

TE Jerramy Stevens, Rec: 2 - 21 - 0 (2 targets) - Stevens caught two passes for 21 yards, both on third down targets.

PK Matt Bryant 3 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points - Bryant connected from 38, 23 and 37 yards out and added two extra points to finish with 11 points in the game.

TB Rush Defense - Tampa Bay completely shut down the Saints rushing attack, as they allowed just 44 yards on 18 attempts, for just a 2.4 ypc average. They had three tackles for loss, including a key fourth down conversion attempt, and allowed just three rushing first downs for the game.

LB Barrett Ruud led the way with nine solo tackles and an assist and Derrick Brooks chipped in with five solos to lead the defense.

TB Pass Defense - The Buccaneers gave up the bulk of their yardage in pass defense, where the Saints threw for 288 net yards and two scores. They allowed 14 passing first down plays and New Orleans was successful on five of 13 third downs. However, they had one sack and picked off three Brees pass attempts, one of which came in the end zone and two others in the fourth quarter that helped preserve the win.

DB Ronde Barber had a strong game with seven solo tackles and tipped a ball on one of the interceptions. DB Jermaine Phillips returned with six solo tackles, two assists and a pick and DB Phillip Buchanon chipped in with Tampa Bay's other interception.

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Baltimore Ravens 34, Cincinnati Bengals 3

What you need to know

Baltimore Ravens - Rookie Joe Flacco put together a nice stat line against the porous Bengals defense as he led his squad to over 450 yards of total offense. He also threw for 280 yards and a pair of scores. Flacco showed off his fast ball several times and hooked up often with Mark Clayton for long gains.

The starter and main ball carrier in this game was LeRon McClain. Willis McGahee did not see any action as Ray Rice was the change of pace back. Rice was also used in the passing game. McClain had a steady game and put up 86 yards on 25 carries.

Mark Clayton had a studly performance with 164 yards on five receptions. He also hooked up with Derrick Mason for a touchdown pass on a razzle dazzle type of play. He and his quarterback Joe Flacco enjoyed taking advantage of single coverage on the outside and gave the Bengals secondary fits. A couple of Clayton's catches were highlight reel material.

Cincinnati Bengals - Ryan Fitzpatrick had a couple of things go wrong for him during the game. The first was a stout Ravens defense who took away the run game and forced the Bengals into third and long on almost every possession. The strong Ravens pass rush sacked and knocked Fitzpatrick passes down at the line of scrimmage with regularity. His stat line was poor with only 12 completions for 124 yards.

Cedrick Benson was abused all day. His stat line was 17 yards on ten carries as he was constantly facing defenders in the backfield. The Ravens front seven basically imposed their will all game and never let the Bengals running game to get going.

Shayne Graham and his 21 yard field goal was the entire Bengals offense on the day.

What you ought to know

QB Joe Flacco, Pass: 19 - 29 - 280 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - 15 - 0 - Flacco started this game a little bit shaky. He was under some pressure from the Bengals pass rush, especially on third downs when they frequently blitzed. He started to pick things up in the second quarter and began hitting his receivers with more regularity. He used Mason and Heap as his security blanket and then Clayton for his deeper passes. Flacco displayed a very strong arm and was able to fit throws into tight spaces especially on out routes. His decision making was flawless and he also contributed with his legs and ran for 15 yards.

QB Troy Smith, Rush: 3 - 4 - 0 - Smith came in for a handful of plays with the wildcat formation. He handed off a couple of times and also run the ball for minimal gains.

RB LeRon McClain, Rush: 25 - 86 - 0 - The 260 pound bruiser ran very hard between the tackles. He often broke the first tackle and kept his legs moving to maximize his yards on every carry. McClain runs primarily out of the I set on straight ahead power type runs. There were no goal line situations as the Ravens scored through the air from longer distances. McClain was able to pick 86 yards rushing for a solid day.

RB Ray Rice, Rush: 11 - 41 - 0, Rec: 4 - 14 - 0 (5 targets) - Rice was used on third downs and to spell the starter McClain. He was effective at running the plays on the edges, sweeps and tosses mixed in with the odd draw play. In the passing game his used for screens and short dump off passes. He was able to pick up 56 yards of offense on game.

RB Lorenzo Neal, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (2 targets) - The rarely used fullback had a carry and a short reception in the flat for very small pickups.

WR Derrick Mason, Rec: 6 - 91 - 1 (8 targets) - Mason is likely one of the more under appreciated wide receivers in the game. He displayed his excellent route running by giving his rookie quarterback the biggest target and opportunity to make his throws. His out and slant routes were nearly un-coverable. Mason was able to score when his buddy Mark Clayton threw to him after his defender fell for the fake end around play. He also had 91 yards on six grabs for a nice stat line.

WR Mark Clayton, Pass: 1 - 1 - 32 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rec: 5 - 164 - 1 (8 targets) - Clayton had an excellent game with a couple of highlight reel catches both on go routes. The first play, he made a diving catch while seemingly grasping only the back half of the football to haul in the long reception. The second play he blew past his defender and made a circus one handed catch in stride. He was able to stay up right and in bounds to score from 70 yards out. Clayton also hit the score sheet on an end around where took the handoff and promptly threw the ball downfield to find a streaking and wide open Derrick Mason for a 30 yard touchdown.

TE Todd Heap, Rec: 4 - 39 - 1 (4 targets) - Heap was able to act as a possession type receiver for his quarterback. He was often called upon to run shorter out routes and had a red zone target. Heap was able to score on a beautifully run drag route across the back of the end zone.

TE Daniel Wilcox (1 targets) - No catches on the day.

PK Matt Stover 2 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 10 points - Stover had a perfect day converting four extra point attempts as well as field goals from 27 and 21 yards.

BAL Rush Defense - They were absolutely dominant. Bengals running backs saw a sea of white in their backfield. The Ravens held the Bengals to only 57 yards and 29 of those yards were from Fitzpatrick running for his life.

BAL Pass Defense - The Ravens put up constant pressure and sacked Bengal quarterbacks three times and knock down several other pass attempts. Backup quarterback Jordan Palmer was greeted on his first passing attempt by being intercepted by Jim Leonhard who scored on the play. They also did a great job of shutting the formidable pair of Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh out of the end zone. The Ravens only gave up 155 passing yards while limiting Cincinnati for two of 15 attempts on third down.

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, Pass: 12 - 31 - 124 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - 29 - 0 - The lack of running game really hurt. Fitzpatrick was often in long conversion situations where the Ravens could simply pin their ears back and rush the quarterback to apply pressure. He also seemed to struggle with the wet ball. He often threw ducks and passes that appeared to just slip out of his hand. This attributed in part to his 12 of 31 passing. Give full credit to the Ravens defense in limiting the Bengals passing attack.

QB Jordan Palmer, Pass: 0 - 2 - 0 - 0 TD / 1 INT - Palmer came into the game for some mop up time after the score was well out of hand. His pass was picked off for a touchdown by Jim Leonhard.

RB Cedric Benson, Rush: 10 - 17 - 0, Rec: 2 - 1 - 0 (2 targets) - Benson really didn't have much of a chance to get untracked. The blocking simply was not there and there were several Ravens living in the Bengals backfield it seemed. On a couple of plays he was able to follow his blocking and get the available yards.

RB Chris Perry, Rush: 3 - 11 - 0, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - Perry was greeted with the same welcome that Benson got. No running room. He tried the speed plays to the outside and the Ravens were able to answer that as well. His catch came in the flat were he had a solid gain.

WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Rec: 4 - 64 - 0 (7 targets) - He led the Bengals receivers with four grabs and 64 yards. His best gain of the day was a deeper slant that he promptly took up the field for a gain of 46.

WR Chad Johnson, Rec: 4 - 45 - 0 (11 targets) - He looked a little rusty while having a pair of drops on the game. Early in the game he was involved in some deeper looks but was not able to get on the page as his quarterback Fitzpatrick. It was a quiet day for Johnson.

WR Chris Henry (4 targets) - He saw the field in some three wide sets but was not able to make a catch on his four targets. He was open on one of the plays but over thrown.

WR Jerome Simpson (1 targets) - Simpson was not able to register a catch.

TE Reggie Kelly, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (5 targets) - Kelly appeared to stop his route that led to the Ravens interception that went for a touchdown. He was only able to catch one ball for eight yards and was not used as a primary read.

PK Shayne Graham 1 - 1 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 3 points - Graham was able to score points on a short 21 yard field goal.

CIN Rush Defense - They did a solid job of run blitzing and limiting the Ravens to any big plays in the run game. However, they were also not able to stop McClain and company from controlling the game clock and driving the field. The Ravens enjoyed a 39 to 21 minute time of possession advantage.

CIN Pass Defense - The Ravens exploited defensive back Leon Hall in single coverage especially with Mark Clayton. This group gave up three touchdowns and over 300 yards of passing. In total the Bengals gave up 451 total yards of offense, not a very good performance at all.

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Atlanta Falcons 22, San Diego Chargers 16

What you need to know

Atlanta Falcons - RB Michael Turner was effective in picking up 120 yards on the ground, but he failed to get into the end zone despite getting three carries from inside the two yard line on one second quarter sequence. He also lost a fumble.

QB Matt Ryan played outstanding, as he picked the San Diego defense apart almost at will from the opening quarter right to the end.

WR Roddy White had his sixth 100 yard game of the year, and went over 1,000 yards for the second straight season. He didn't score, but he was clearly Matt Ryan's go to guy all game long.

San Diego Chargers - RB LaDainian Tomlinson scored a touchdown, but otherwise had another very forgettable performance. Fortunately, he picked up 42 yards in the passing game because he had just 24 rushing yards on 14 carries.

QB Philip Rivers did not play well, and it showed in the statistics. He lacked crispness and accuracy at times and was under a lot of pressure from the Atlanta defense.

TE Antonio Gates caught two balls early on, then just one the rest of the game. The announcers speculated that he may have been injured and that he was seen limping around on the field at one point.

What you ought to know

QB Matt Ryan, Pass: 17 - 23 - 207 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - -3 - 0 - Ryan did an excellent job of taking what the San Diego defense gave to him. He didn't force anything, was never close to turning the ball over, and was given loads of time by his offensive line to pick apart the San Diego secondary at will. About the only blemish on his afternoon was when he missed a wide open Michael Jenkins in the back of the end zone for what should have been an easy score. The ball was overthrown, and incomplete.

On the touchdown passes he did throw, he did a very nice job of reading what was in front of him. The pass to TE Justin Peelle was one of the best passes a quarterback has made this season, as he floated it perfectly over the back line of the defense but just in front of the defensive backs. On the touchdown to Harry Douglas, he was given all day to throw and showed good patience in waiting for Douglas to finish his route and the San Diego defenders to clear out.

RB Michael Turner, Rush: 31 - 120 - 0 - After last week's career game, Turner appeared primed for a huge performance against his former team. Prior to kickoff, he opted to not exchange any pleasantries with his former mates, rather kneeling at midfield stoic and focused. He looked really determined to have a big game against them.

While he did gain 120 yards on the ground, he failed to deliver the big plays when Atlanta needed them the most. It took him 31 carries to get to those 120 yards (3.9 YPC), and the Charger defenders made it tough for him to pick up every last yard that he got. San Diego clearly made a conscious effort from very early on to make sure Turner didn't beat them. This much was obvious by the fact that Turner was being bottled up on nearly every run while Atlanta receivers were running free wide open all over the field.

RB Jerious Norwood, Rush: 4 - 18 - 0, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (2 targets) - Norwood was questionable to even play in the game, and he didn't have a very large share of the offense. He was on the field on a lot of third downs, and took one third down run down to the three yard line. However, once Atlanta got there Michael Turner came back in the game.

WR Roddy White, Rec: 6 - 112 - 0 (9 targets) - White's stats look good enough, but they could've been even better. He dropped what could have been a long touchdown, and he was open for another deep ball that Eric Weddle interfered with for a 40 yard penalty. Those two plays alone would've turned White's good performance into an outstanding one. As it stood, he went over 1,000 receiving yards for the season. In doing so, he became the first Atlanta receiver since Terance Mathis in 1998-99 to post back-to-back 1,000 yard campaigns. White, who entered the afternoon questionable to play, was shaken up a bit on a second quarter run by Jerious Norwood, but he didn't seem to be affected by it the rest of the way.

WR Harry Douglas, Rec: 3 - 13 - 1 (3 targets) - Douglas had a very up and down performance. After last week's breakout game, a lot of people were interested to see how he'd do now that he was a little more of a known commodity. Early on, it appeared he was trying to do a bit too much on a punt return. He started making a move before securing the ball, and muffed the punt away to the Chargers. That led to a San Diego touchdown. But he made up for that gaffe with a 32 yard punt return with his next opportunity (he fielded the punt return following the fumble and was not replaced for any plays). Later in the game, he capped his afternoon with a wide open touchdown reception on third down from five yards out that put Atlanta up by nine.

WR Michael Jenkins, Rec: 1 - 22 - 0 (3 targets) - Jenkins had just one reception in the game, and wasn't thrown to once in the second half. He did, however, sneak away from the defense for what should have been a wide open touchdown early in the first quarter. QB Matt Ryan, however, badly overthrew the football for a harmless incompletion.

TE Justin Peelle, Rec: 3 - 38 - 1 (4 targets) - Peelle, like most opposing tight ends this season, had his best game of the season against the Chargers. He entered the contest with just nine receptions and one score for the year, but caught three balls and a touchdown in this game. His touchdown reception was an 18 yard grab down the seam. Peelle went up high to snag the ball out of the air in a lot of traffic, and came down with the score to put Atlanta up 13-7.

PK Jason Elam 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points - Elam connected with ease on kicks from 35 and 40 yards out.

ATL Rush Defense - Atlanta allowed just 70 yards on the ground, but even that is greatly misleading. They dominated the Chargers in the run game, and it would've been reflected in the stats had it not been for a flukey fake punt. The Chargers punted the ball away, but were whistled for a penalty on the kick. Atlanta opted to have the Chargers re-kick, but rather than kick it they tried a fake punt. RB Jacob Hester took the direct snap 28 yards upfield for the first down. Those 28 yards were more than RB LaDainian Tomlinson had on 14 carries. A large part of the reason the Falcons were able to shut down the San Diego running game is because the Falcons had the ball so much longer. The San Diego defense couldn't get off the field on third down pass plays against Atlanta, and the drives were often continued for several more plays because of it.

The Falcons came close to a safety of Tomlinson midway through the second quarter, missing by a matter of inches. QB Philip Rivers was whistled for intentional grounding in the end zone two plays later anyway, giving Atlanta their safety.

ATL Pass Defense - There were a number of occasions that the Falcons could have been taken advantage of, but the Chargers weren't up to the task. For instance, the Chargers' opening drive resulted in a fourth down stop when a pass intended for a wide open Antonio Gates was batted down at the line. Later, Vincent Jackson caught a huge third down conversion along the sideline but was drilled out of bounds by Chris Houston. Later, Jackson appeared to have hauled in a leaping touchdown reception but once again he had been forced out of bounds by a defender. So instead of San Diego taking advantage, it was Atlanta that made all the big plays.

In addition to the aforementioned force-outs, they shut Jackson down the rest of the game and he finished without a single reception. Chris Chambers had just one for a meager two yards. And Antonio Gates had just three, two of which came on the opening drive. The only San Diego receiver who had success of any kind was Malcolm Floyd, and five receptions for 59 yards is hardly a huge performance. In addition to shutting down the receivers, they gave QB Philip Rivers fits. They sacked him three times, and there was a point in the game from the first quarter until the 8:12 mark of the third quarter when he didn't complete a single pass.

CB Domonique Foxworth was the only defender on Atlanta to come close to forcing a turnover, but he had the long pass to Malcolm Floyd go through his hands for an incompletion.

S Erik Coleman was slow to get up after a big collision with Malcolm Floyd on a pass play late in the fourth quarter. Coleman was down for several minutes, but eventually walked off under his own power.

QB Philip Rivers, Pass: 17 - 30 - 149 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 18 - 0 - Rivers played poorly, both realistically and statistically. The numbers sort of speak for themselves, but this passing offense was really lost at times. Rivers was under a lot of pressure at times, evidenced by the three sacks. And there were a number of other occasions that he narrowly avoided being brought down. He took a very inopportune sack on what could have been the team's game-winning drive. Facing a second and ten from his own 19 with 2:41 left, he took a nine yard loss to set up an impossible third and 19 situation. Following an incomplete pass, the Chargers punted on fourth down and wouldn't see the ball again.

The numbers bear out how bad he was (5.0 YPA, 0 touchdowns) but he failed to make any plays on a day the team really needed him to do so. RB LaDainian Tomlinson was stifled right from the outset, but Rivers was unable to take advantage. At one point from the end of the first quarter to the middle of the third quarter, Rivers didn't even complete a pass. His longer passes wobbled and were off-target. The only time he came close to a touchdown pass was when Vincent Jackson skied to make a nice play of a ball along the back line of the end zone late in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for both players, Jackson was pushed out and unable to get his feet down and the play was simply an incomplete pass.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson, Rush: 14 - 24 - 1, Rec: 5 - 42 - 0 (6 targets) - On a day that Tomlinson hit a couple of noteworthy milestones, it was still a day he'd soon love to forget. His first quarter touchdown was the 136th of his career, tying Marshall Faulk for fifth place all-time. Tomlinson also caught his 500th career reception, making him one of only five players in history with at least 10,000 rushing yards and 500 receptions. Those noteworthy numbers are nice, but they do nothing to erase the sting of averaging just 1.7 yards per carry on the afternoon. Tomlinson looked fine, and didn't appear to be injured in any way. When he got in the open field, he showed nice moves and an ability to turn the corner on the defenders. But far too often, he was met in the backfield by a number of tacklers and stuffed before he could even get anything going. The offensive line failed to open up many holes for him, making it nearly impossible to establish a rhythm.

RB Jacob Hester, Rush: 1 - 28 - 0, Rec: 3 - 19 - 0 (3 targets) - Hester has gradually become more involved in the offense as the season has gone on, and in this game he saw four offensive touches. The most important play he made all game was a 28 yard run on a fourth quarter fake punt. The Chargers had actually punted on the previous play, but after a penalty Atlanta opted to have San Diego re-kick. Rather than kick it, Hester took the direct snap up the right side for the big gain. He also showed nice hands on a one-handed diving reception near the sideline in the first quarter.

RB Darren Sproles - For the first time all season, Sproles did not receive an offensive touch in the game. Until this week, he had had at least one rush in every game and at least one reception in every game except Week 1. Meanwhile, the team's other backup RB Jacob Hester, had four touches.

WR Malcom Floyd, Rec: 5 - 59 - 0 (10 targets) - Floyd's role in the offense early in the season was almost nonexistent, but his performance has made it impossible to faze him out of the action. He led the team in targets, receptions, and yardage, and was Philip Rivers' go to guy on several occasions. With the Chargers facing a desperation third and 19 late in the fourth quarter, Rivers looked Floyd's way. While the pass was incomplete, it showed a trust in Floyd at an absolutely critical point in the game. Floyd was also targeted on two deep balls and once in the end zone, all of which fell incomplete. He was also the target on the two point conversion attempt that would've tied the game at 15, but despite a strong effort he was unable to bring in the fade pass with one arm.

WR Chris Chambers, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (3 targets) - The disappearance of Chambers from the San Diego offense has truly been astounding. On a day when de facto number one receiver Vincent Jackson didn't catch a pass and TE Antonio Gates caught just three, all Chambers could muster was a two yard grab along the sideline.

WR Vincent Jackson (2 targets) - The best thing that can be said about Jackson's performance is that he almost made two very nice catches. If it was 2007, he would've been credited with a reception on each of them. However, due to the new force-out rule, Jackson finished without a single catch on the day. His first target came late in the second half. He caught the ball about five yards inbounds, but was shoved towards the sideline and couldn't drag his back leg. The second target was in the end zone, and it was a nice leaping grab along the back line -- except it didn't count, because he was again pushed out prior to getting his feet down.

TE Antonio Gates, Rec: 3 - 27 - 0 (6 targets) - Gates was active early on, catching two passes on the team's opening possession (though he did also drop a pass on that same drive). He virtually disappeared after that, catching just one ball the rest of the game and only being thrown to once after halftime. The announcers speculated that Gates may have been injured at some point, suggesting that he didn't look to be moving very well and lacking a burst out of his cuts. They also said he was limping around at times.

PK Nate Kaeding 1 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points - Kaeding had another forgettable game. He did connect on a kick from 28 yards out, only after he had one blocked from 43. In addition, the Chargers had the opportunity to attempt a 51 yard field goal on their first possession but instead opted to go for it on fourth down (they did not convert).

SD Rush Defense - The San Diego run defense is really the only aspect of the team that played well, and they played exceptionally well at times. While they did allow Michael Turner to pick up 120 yards on the ground, it took him 31 carries to get there. And the reason he got so many carries was mostly because the pass defense did such a poor job on third down that it kept drives moving. When drives move, running backs will get touches.

The Chargers were clearly making a conscious effort to try and stop Turner, who was making his first trip to San Diego since leaving as a free agent after last season. And while they allowed early conversions on third and one and then fourth and one, they also turned in a goal line stand that seemed to change the momentum late in the first half. The Falcons had the ball first and goal at the two yard line. San Diego stuffed Turner on first and second down, then stopped FB Ovie Mughelli on third down. On fourth down, Turner appeared to have a seam into the end zone, but LB Brandon Siler (with some help from LB Stephen Cooper) laid a bone-jarring hit on Turner to send him away.

Twice in the fourth quarter, the Chargers came up with huge plays to get the ball back for the offense. The first was when they caused a Michael Turner fumble, a drive that eventually led to a Nate Kaeding field goal. The second was a stop of Turner on third down and one to give the ball back to the offense with just under three minutes remaining down by six points. The offense, however, went three and out.

SD Pass Defense - All game long, the Chargers had trouble staying with the Atlanta receivers. Whether the Falcons were attempting short crossing routes, deep balls, or slants, it mattered little because there was almost always someone open on every play. The performance could have been even worse if Matt Ryan hadn't missed a wide open Michael Jenkins in the back of the end zone for a sure touchdown and Roddy White hadn't dropped a long touchdown later.

On that play and many others, the Chargers look to be a defense in disarray. There are far too many players out of position and not knowing their assignments in the defensive backfield. To make matters worse, the front seven got no pressure on Ryan whatsoever. In what has become a far too common trend of this defense, the Chargers came away from this game with zero sacks and zero interceptions. They did create one turnover, but even that one was debatable. WR Brian Finneran appeared to have caught a pass and was cradling it in the crook of his arm. It was difficult to tell if he had possession of the football, though at first look it appeared he never did. Regardless, he was hit and fumbled the football. S Eric Weddle (who had been charged with a 40 yard pass interference penalty moments earlier) picked it up and returned it 86 yards the other way for the touchdown, which cut the lead to 15-13 Atlanta.

Curiously, they have shown very little ability to cover the opposition's tight end. In this game, it was former Charger Justin Peelle who did the damage. Peelle entered the game with nine receptions and one touchdown all season, then caught three balls for 38 yards and a score.

S Clinton Hart was shaken up twice, first with a hand injury and then with a stinger. He returned to play late in the third quarter.

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