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San Francisco 49ers 17, New Orleans Saints 31

What you need to know

San Francisco 49ers - San Francisco was unable to mount any type of consistent offense against the Saints. It seemed that when they had good opportunities to score touchdowns they would make a mistake and only be able to come away with a field goal at best. The defensive game plan of the Saints was to concentrate on the running game and force the 49ers into passing situations, where the Saints could blitz aggressively and force the 49ers into mistakes.

J.T. O'Sullivan seemed to be affected by the pressure being applied by the Saints front seven. O'Sullivan was under pressure and rarely had time to get comfortable in the pocket. The pressure forced him to hurry his throws and make bad decisions.

49ers coaches did not abandon the running game, even when they got down by three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Frank Gore was used extensively in both the running and passing game, only came out for a short breather in the fourth quarter.

Arnaz Battle and Isaac Bruce were a formidable receiving combination, when O'Sullivan had the time to get the ball to them. Battle was the main focus of the quick slant routes and Bruce stretched the defense out by going deep.

New Orleans Saints - The Saints started slow, punting on two of their first three possessions and throwing an interception on the other one. After that the offense started to click. Drew Brees threw three touchdown passes on the next three drives to give the Saints a commanding 21-6 lead at halftime.

The offense seemed to react positively to the presence of Deuce McAllister in the backfield. McAllister, starting for the first time this season, gave the offense a lift with his hard running style. He gave the Saints an effective inside rusher, something they have lacked in the previous three weeks.

With injuries to Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey it appeared that the Saints would be short handed at receiver. Lance Moore was able to rise to the occasion and provide Brees with a reliable target at wide receiver and Billy Miller was able to adequately fill in for Shockey.

What you ought to know

QB J.T. OSullivan, Pass: 18 - 36 - 257 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 2 - 0 - 0 - O'Sullivan was under constant pressure from the Saint front seven as he was constantly harassed by aggressive defensive lineman and blitzing linebackers. He started good, completing four of his first five passes and getting sacked just once. The incompletion was on a ball that was almost intercepted at the goal line. After that things went downhill as he was only able to complete three of his next twelve passes before half time. His timing appeared to be off as he was not able to get into any type of rhythm while being pressured into bad passes. In the second half he was able to generate some drives, but they were stopped on two bad throws that were intercepted in the end zone. On his only touchdown pass he was forced out of the pocket and was running away from the rush when he say Isaac Bruce open in the corner of the end zone.

RB Frank Gore, Rush: 16 - 82 - 0, Rec: 2 - 31 - 0 (6 targets) - Frank Gore was able to average over five yards per carry in spite of being the focal point of the Saints defense. The defense seemed to key on him, giving him limited room to run. Gore was able to slip through some small creases in the line for long gains, but was not able to bust a run for more than 11 yards. His main contribution was running the football as he had problems catching the ball. Of his six targets he was only able to haul in two passes. He dropped both of his targets in the first half on screen plays that had the potential to gain good yardage. On the first drive of the third quarter he touched the ball on the first four plays, gaining a total of 40 yards. The big play of the series was when he found himself wide open in the flat and took a pass 25 yards.

RB DeShaun Foster, Rush: 1 - 9 - 0, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets) - Foster only saw two touches in limited relief of Frank Gore.

WR Arnaz Battle, Rec: 7 - 120 - 0 (13 targets) - Battle was the beneficiary of the pressure being applied to J.T. O'Sullivan. Battle was the hot read on most pass plays and had to be ready to catch the ball on little notice. Battle was able to take the short quick passes and turn them into long gains as he caught the ball in stride and was able to get downfield quickly. He could have had an even bigger game if he had been able to connect with O'Sullivan twice in the end zone. On the second end zone target the defensive back ran in front of him and intercepted the pass.

WR Isaac Bruce, Rec: 5 - 54 - 1 (10 targets) - Isaac Bruce knows the style of offense being run in San Francisco from his time playing under Mike Martz in St. Louis and used that knowledge for his benefit. On the second drive of the game he was the intended receiver on a pass that was almost intercepted in the end zone. He seemed to be the receiver that O'Sullivan looked for when a play was needed, but was unable to connect with him often. Bruce showed his veteran skills on the touchdown reception when he noticed O'Sullivan scrambling and ran toward the corner of end zone to give an open target and was able to haul the pass in.

WR Josh Morgan, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) - Morgan only saw action during the first half and had no targets in the second half.

WR Bryant Johnson (4 targets) - Bryant Johnson was unable to connect with O'Sullivan on any of the four passes that come his way. The passes were either to high or behind him.

TE Vernon Davis, Rec: 1 - 19 - 0 (1 targets) - Vernon Davis was not involved in the passing game until late in the fourth quarter. He was able to convert his only target into a 19 yard reception on the 49ers only touchdown drive.

TE Delanie Walker, Rec: 1 - 21 - 0 (1 targets) - Walker mainly saw action as the second tight end when the 49ers were in a two tight end set.

PK Joe Nedney 3 - 3 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 9 points - Nedney was busy in the first half as the 49ers were unable to convert scoring opportunities into touchdowns.

SF Rush Defense - The 49ers rushing defense was tough as they limited the Saints to just over 100 yards rushing. They were able to bottle up Reggie Bush and prevent him from getting outside and breaking off long runs. However, they were victimized by the hard inside running of Deuce McAllister, as he was able to gain over three and one half yards per carry on mainly inside runs.

SF Pass Defense - The 49ers pass defense was shredded by Drew Brees and the Saint receivers. Defensive backs were torched for over 350 yards, mainly on deep balls that they were unable to get the proper position on to bat away or intercept. The defensive backs were not helped by the pass rush, which was unable to generate any pressure on Drew Brees

QB Drew Brees, Pass: 23 - 35 - 363 - 3 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 - Drew Brees did not seem to be affected by the loss of two of his main receiving weapons. He was given plenty of time to throw by his offensive line and he used that time to find receivers three times on deep passes that led to three touchdowns. Brees started slow, only connecting on five of his first thirteen throws, with an interception. The passing game began to open up in the second quarter as Brees began hitting his receivers in stride on short routes. The success in the short passing game led to openings on deep passes and Brees took full advantage by connecting with his receivers on two long touchdown passes, and almost had a third one when the receiver was tackled at the one yard line.

RB Deuce McAllister, Rush: 20 - 73 - 1, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (1 targets) - Deuce McAllister saw his first extensive action since last season's knee injury. He started and saw his first touches on the second series, gaining tough yards inside. On his first carry he showed that he is healthy by refusing to stop moving until he heard the whistle blow, gaining an extra couple of yards just by keeping his legs moving. McAllister is a fan favorite who inspires the team with his hard nosed style. When the Saints got the ball on first and goal from the two early in the fourth quarter they gave him the ball on two consecutive carries to provide the final touchdown of the game.

RB Reggie Bush, Rush: 10 - 31 - 0, Rec: 5 - 7 - 0 (10 targets) - Bush was able to do most of his damage while being paired in the backfield with Deuce McAllister. When the two were on the field together Bush would be used to catch short screens or quick passes in the flat designed to get close to the first down marker. Bush seemed to have trouble running inside among traffic, but was also unable to get outside on runs against the quick line backing corps.

RB Olaniyi Sobomehin, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (3 targets) - Sobomehin filled in for an injured Mike Karney. He almost scored on his last target but was stopped just short of the end zone before fumbling on a fourth down play.

WR Lance Moore, Rec: 7 - 101 - 2 (10 targets) - Lance Moore stepped in for the injured Marques Colston and was frequently targeted while the Saints were establishing themselves on offense. He saw eight of his ten targets in the first half as he was open mainly on crossing routes. His career day was capped off by two touchdown receptions in the first half, the second of which was on an excellent throw that he caught between two defenders in the end zone.

WR Robert Meachem, Rec: 2 - 99 - 1 (3 targets) - Meachem's first reception was on a beautiful deep ball that he was able catch while in stride and take it all the way into the end zone. His second reception was on a flea flicker play where the ball was slightly underthrown, but on target. This reception led to the final Saints touchdown.

WR David Patten, Rec: 1 - 21 - 0 (2 targets) - Patten saw both of his targets in the first quarter but was only able to come down with the first pass thrown his way.

WR Devery Henderson, Rec: 1 - 81 - 0 (2 targets) - Henderson did not see any targets until the fourth quarter, but was targeted on back to back plays. On the first play he caught the ball in the open field and was on his way to the end zone only to be tripped by the trailing defensive back and he fell at the one yard line. He was targeted in the end zone on the very next play, but the ball was thrown way to high.

TE Billy Miller, Rec: 3 - 30 - 0 (6 targets) - Billy Miller started at tight end due to the injury to Jeremy Shockey. It took him a little while to get adjusted to the flow of the game as he was unable to haul in his first two targets, one of which was intercepted. After the initial problems he was able to settle down and provide a reliable target over the middle.

TE Mark Campbell, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - The second tight end for the Saints offense was Mark Campbell. He only saw one pass thrown his way and he came up limping after the reception.

PK Martin Gramatica 1 - 1 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points - Gramatica connected on his only field goal attempt and was perfect on his extra points.

NO Rush Defense - The rushing defense concentrated on stopping Frank Gore and forcing the 49ers into passing situations. They were able to do that early and held the 49ers to 91 yards rushing. 49ers backs had very little room to run and were often met in the backfield before they could locate a hole.

NO Pass Defense - The Saints were able to put pressure on J.T. O'Sullivan and force him to make bad decisions. The defensive line sacked O'Sullivan six times and he was intercepted twice. The defensive backs covered the wide receivers well and disrupted their routes and the timing between the receiver and quarterback.

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Green Bay Packers 21, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30

What you need to know

Green Bay Packers - Despite throwing two touchdown passes, Aaron Rodgers was heavily pressured throughout this game and really struggled to lead the Green Bay offense. The quarterback was sacked three times and was knocked out of the game after injuring his shoulder on a run. Rodgers was able to return after sitting out a series, but his third interception of the game ended Green Bay's hope of a victory. He finished the game 14 of 27 for 165 yards with the two touchdowns and three interceptions. The nature and severity of Rodgers' shoulder injury was not disclosed during the television broadcast. The Packers could not get anything going in the running game against the stingy Tampa Bay defense as Green Bay only was able to muster a paltry 28 yards rushing. Ryan Grant averaged only 1.3 yards on 15 carriers and his third quarter fumble was returned 38 yards for a Buccaneers' touchdown.

Greg Jennings came into this contest leading the league in receiving yards and he had himself another good game against the Tampa Bay secondary. Targeted a team high 11 times, Jennings caught six passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns. The scoring catches of 25 and 48 yards were his first two touchdowns of the year.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Coming off a game in which he threw for 407 yards and two touchdowns, Brian Griese came back to earth in Week 4 as he finished this contest with only 149 passing yards and one scoring throw. The Tampa Bay signal caller completed only 50% of his passes and almost gave the game away in the second half with two interceptions that were turned into 14 Green Bay points. Griese's lone touchdown toss was a nine yard pass to TE Alex Smith that tied the game at seven.

Though only able to accumulate 34 yards on the ground by half time, the Tampa Bay running game heated up in the second half and finished with 178 yards on 41 attempts. Earnest Graham led the way with 111 rushing yards while backup Warrick Dunn totaled 63 yards. Graham's score late in the fourth quarter put the Buccaneers up by nine with less than two minutes remaining. The big story of this game was the Tampa Bay defense. Holding Green Bay to only 181 total yards on offense, the Buccaneers recorded three sacks and forced four turnovers that were turned into 17 points. In addition to forcing a fumble, Derrick Brooks had an interception and Jermaine Phillips' 38 yard fumble return for a touchdown was the Tampa Bay defenses' third score of the year.

What you ought to know

QB Aaron Rodgers, Pass: 14 - 27 - 165 - 2 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 2 - 8 - 0 - Things looked promising for Rodgers early on as he led Green Bay to a touchdown on the team's opening drive. The Green Bay signal caller capped the initial series with a 25 yard touchdown pass to WR Greg Jennings. Rodgers struggled for the remainder of the afternoon, but he got Green Bay back in the game when he threaded a laser to Jennings in the third quarter that went for a 48 yard score. Rodgers sat out a series in the fourth quarter after he injured his shoulder on a run in which he came down on his extended, right arm. After missing the one drive, he came back in with Green Bay down by two, but his third interception of the game ended up being his final pass as QB Matt Flynn came in for the final Packers' series.

QB Matt Flynn, Pass: 2 - 5 - 6 - 0 TD / 0 INT - Flynn made his first appearance in a regular season game in the fourth quarter when he went in for the injured Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers eventually returned, but Flynn also quarterbacked the final Green Bay drive after Tampa Bay went up by two scores late in the fourth quarter. He completed the first regular season pass of his career to RB Brandon Jackson.

RB Ryan Grant, Rush: 15 - 20 - 0, Rec: 2 - -4 - 0 (3 targets) - It appeared that the Packers wanted to get Grant involved early in this game as he received 11 rushes in the first quarter, but those 11 attempts only went for 21 yards. Grant got only four more carriers for the rest of the game and his last nine touches went for a total of negative 9 yards. His third quarter fumble was returned 38 yards for a touchdown by Tampa Bay S Jermaine Phillips.

RB Brandon Jackson, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0, Rec: 2 - 21 - 0 (3 targets) - Jackson's biggest play on offense came late in the second quarter when he took a pass for a gain of 18 yards. QB Aaron Rodgers' first interception came when a pass to Jackson that hit him in the chest bounced into the hands of Tampa Bay LB Derrick Brooks.

WR Greg Jennings, Rec: 6 - 109 - 2 (11 targets) - Jennings got going quickly in this game as he took his first target for a 25 yard touchdown. His second score came near the end of the third quarter when he caught a pass from QB Aaron Rodgers that went for a 48 yard touchdown. Jennings finished the day leading all Packers' pass catchers in targets, catches and yards.

WR Jordy Nelson, Rec: 4 - 31 - 0 (5 targets) - Nelson caught four of his five targets, but he averaged only 7.8 yards per catch. His long reception of the game came on Green Bay's first drive when his 11 yard catch on a third down play gave the Packers a first down.

WR Donald Driver, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (4 targets) - Driver had a quiet day as his only catch of the game came during Green Bay's second series.

TE Donald Lee, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (3 targets) - Lee's only catch of the day came near the end of the first quarter on Green Bay's third series.

TE Tory Humphrey (1 targets) - Humphrey's only target came in the first quarter and fell incomplete.

PK Mason Crosby 0 - 0 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 3 points - Crosby had no field goal attempts in this game, but he did make good on all three of his extra point attempts.

GB Rush Defense - The Green Bay rush defense surrendered 178 rushing yards on 41 attempts for an average of 4.3 yards per run. Tampa Bay RB Earnest Graham scored on a one yard rushing touchdown that put the Buccaneers up by nine late in the fourth quarter.

GB Pass Defense - The Packers allowed Tampa Bay QB Brian Griese to complete 15 passes for only 149 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. CB Charles Woodson returned one of those interceptions 68 yards for a touchdown that gave Green Bay a 21--20 lead. The other two interceptions were by CB Tramon Williams and S Nick Collins. The Packers' pass rush was unable to record any sacks in this game.

QB Brian Griese, Pass: 15 - 30 - 149 - 1 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 4 - 0 - 0 - Despite a less than stellar performance, Griese made enough timely plays in this game to lead the Buccaneers to their third straight victory. Playing on Green Bay's half of the field for a large portion of this game, the quarterback led the Tampa Bay offense on five scoring drives that resulted in two touchdowns and three field goals. His nine yard touchdown pass to TE Alex Smith was his fourth scoring toss of the year, but for the second game in a row the Tampa Bay signal caller threw three interceptions.

RB Earnest Graham, Rush: 20 - 111 - 1, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (2 targets) - Held in check during the first half, Graham accumulated 103 of his 111 yards over the final two quarters of the game. His long run of 47 yards came as Tampa Bay was attempting to run out the clock late in the fourth quarter and he just missed a touchdown on the play after he was pushed out of bounds near the one yard line. On the very next play, Graham scored his second rushing touchdown of the year when he plunged into the end zone from one yard out.

RB Warrick Dunn, Rush: 16 - 63 - 0, Rec: 2 - 23 - 0 (6 targets) - Dunn's 16 rushing attempts were only four less than starting RB Earnest Graham. A few times after appearing to be bottled up for minimal gains, the veteran running back would make a cut and squirt through the mass of bodies to pick up gains of four or five yards. On his longest play from scrimmage, Dunn caught a short pass, broke a tackle, and scampered for 17 yards.

WR Antonio Bryant, Rec: 4 - 39 - 0 (9 targets) - Targeted a team high nine times, Bryant finished the day with four catches that went for 39 yards. The wide out was the intended receiver on a couple of deep balls and though both fell incomplete, the wide out was able to draw a 33 yard pass interference penalty on the second deep pass. His long reception of the game came in the third quarter when he took a 17 yard reception to the Buccaneers 40 yard line.

WR Michael Clayton, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0, Rec: 3 - 28 - 0 (8 targets) - Clayton showed good effort on his longest play from scrimmage when he hauled in a short pass, made a move to make a defender miss and then plowed his way forward for a gain of twelve. He was the intended receiver on a pass near the Packers' goal line, but he was only able to take the short pass down to the Green Bay five yard line. Clayton's day could have been a little bit better, but he dropped a short pass that hit him in the hands where it appeared he could have taken it for a longer gain. In addition to his pass catching duties, he also received an end around rush that went for a gain of four yards.

WR Ike Hilliard, Rec: 2 - 21 - 0 (3 targets) - Hilliard made a nice grab on his first catch when, despite being covered tightly, he went up high for a ball along the sideline that he brought down for a 13 yard gain. On his only other catch of the game, he caught a pass in the fourth quarter that went for a gain of eight.

WR Maurice Stovall (1 targets) - Stovall's only target of the game fell incomplete.

WR Dexter Jackson - Though not involved in the offense, Jackson averaged 33 yards on three kickoff returns and returned one punt for 19 yards.

TE Alex Smith, Rec: 2 - 26 - 1 (2 targets) - Smith's first catch of the game went for a nine yard touchdown catch that tied the game at seven. His only other reception came in the fourth quarter when he hauled in a pass that went for a gain of 17.

TE John Gilmore, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - Gilmore's only grab of the game came in the fourth quarter when his nine yard gain resulted in a Tampa Bay first down.

TE Jerramy Stevens (2 targets) - Stevens didn't catch a pass in the game, but he was the intended receiver on pass that went to the back of the end zone. The pass was high, but it did seem catchable as it went through the hands of Stevens.

PK Matt Bryant 3 - 3 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 12 points - Bryant was good on all three of his field goal attempts from distances of 23, 37, and 24 yards respectively. He also made all three of his extra point attempts.

TB Rush Defense - The Tampa Bay rush defense did a stellar job against the Green Bay ground game as it gave up only 28 yards rushing on 18 attempts. LB Derrick Brooks' hit on RB Ryan Grant forced a fumble that S Jermaine Phillips returned 38 yards for a touchdown.

TB Pass Defense - The Buccaneers allowed the two Green Bay quarterbacks to complete 16 passes for 171 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. LB Derrick Brooks, LB Barrett Ruud, and DE Gaines Adams all had picks, while Ruud, DE Kevin Carter, and DE Jimmy Wilkerson all recorded solo sacks.

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Buffalo Bills 31, St. Louis Rams 14

What you need to know

Buffalo Bills - The surprising 3--0 Bills trailed the winless but fired up Rams 14--6 at half time. In the fourth quarter Buffalo used a defensive touchdown, an offensive touchdown, and a two point conversion to help pull out a win that was closer than the final score might suggest.

Trent Edwards was sacked four times in the first half but remained cool throughout the game. He completed 15 of 25 for 197 yards and one touchdown and scrambled five times for eight yards. Marshawn Lynch failed to score for the first time this year but picked up 57 tough yards on 19 carries, while Fred Jackson chipped in with 46 yards on seven carries. He scored in the fourth quarter on a sweet 29 yard run up the middle and is proving to be handcuff worthy for all Lynch owners.

Lee Evans caught two passes for 88 yards and scored his first touchdown of the season. He is having a fine contract year and remains a consistent downfield threat. With Roscoe Parrish sidelined up to a month following hand surgery, rookie James Hardy got the start and was targeted twice in the end zone unsuccessfully. Josh Reed caught four for 47 yards.

Jabari Greer scored a touchdown on a 33 yard interception return in the fourth quarter to give Bills the lead for good.

St. Louis Rams - The Rams made six lineup changes, emptied the playbook, and played inspired football in hopes of winning their first game of the year and possibly saving their coach from being fired.

Trent Green started at quarterback and threw for 236 yards but failed to score a touchdown. His timing was a little off, but St. Louis still held the lead at the end of the third quarter. A balanced attack, spiced up with a wide receiver option pass and a few reverses out gained the Bills by over 100 yards. While Green benefited from a much improved running game a badly under thrown pass in the fourth quarter was returned for a Buffalo touchdown which put the Rams down for good.

Steven Jackson has officially shaken off the rust from his 27 day holdout and had his best game of the year. He scored his first touchdown, became the first runner to gain over 100 yards on the Bills' defense, and once again was the Rams leading pass receiver. He ran angry and it seemed gang tackling was the only way to stop him.

First round pick Donnie Avery got his first start and scored his first NFL touchdown, but on a running play, not a pass. His blazing speed showed why the Rams made him the first receiver taken in the 2008 draft. Torry Holt caught four passes for 65 yards which is okay, but his days as an elite receiver suddenly seem long ago.

The defense blitzed Edwards with everyone but the equipment manager and registered four sacks in the fist half. They had the Bills back on their heels through much of the game but ultimately couldn't hold the lead in the fourth quarter.

What you ought to know

QB Trent Edwards, Pass: 15 - 25 - 197 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 5 - 8 - 0 - Edwards faced a St. Louis defense that rushed him from every angle and roughed him up. He was sacked four times, took at least five additional shots just as he released the ball, and was forced to scramble five times. But he kept his composure and helped engineer three scoring drives in the second half to lead his team to victory. He completed 15 of 25 for 197 yards, including a 39 yard pinpoint TD pass to Lee Evans in the fourth quarter to put the game away. It's easy to forget how young he is. For now, he is at least good enough to use as a bye week replacement. His quick delivery looks a little awkward but he has great accuracy. The Bills have yet to get into a shoot out this season, but when they do Edwards could put up sick numbers.

RB Marshawn Lynch, Rush: 19 - 57 - 0, Rec: 4 - 24 - 0 (4 targets) - Lynch had a down game for him, averaging just three yards a carry for 57 yards and no touchdowns, but he helped Buffalo control the game in the fourth quarter. He runs behind the biggest offensive line in the NFL and is able to stay quick late in games because of Fred Jackson.

RB Fred Jackson, Rush: 7 - 46 - 1, Rec: 3 - 9 - 0 (3 targets) - Jackson continues to be a great role player, whether he spells Marshawn Lynch in the backfield, catches passes down field, or fills in for Roscoe Parrish returning punts. He also punched in a two point conversion on a short run up the middle but the play was flagged for illegal procedure. Lindell then kicked the extra point.

WR Josh Reed, Rec: 4 - 47 - 0 (4 targets) - Reed is a sure handed possession receiver who picks up key first downs and often goes over the middle. He averaged 11.8 yards per catch.

WR Lee Evans, Rec: 2 - 88 - 1 (6 targets) - Evans only caught two passes, one on the Bills' first play of the game for 49 yards and one in the fourth quarter for 39 yards and a touchdown, but the Rams secondary had to account for him on every play. He is clearly the team's top vertical threat and has sneaky speed. Evans is in his contract year and has gotten off to a much better start than he has in past seasons.

WR James Hardy (4 targets) - Hardy got the start with Roscoe Parrish sidelined. He was targeted twice in the red zone in the first quarter but was unable to properly use his 6'5" height advantage to box out the defender. He was not targeted after that, although he remains in Buffalo's plans. They drafted him to be a red zone target.

TE Robert Royal, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (2 targets) - His role in the passing offense is somewhat limited, although he is a TD threat. He is a good blocker and has pretty good hands but the Tight End position has never been a focal point of the Bills offense.

TE Derek Schouman, Rec: 1 - 21 - 0 (1 targets) - Schouman wasn't targeted until the fourth quarter, but he often lined up as a blocking back behind Trent Edwards in place of the injured Darian Barnes.

PK Rian Lindell 3 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points - One of the more accurate kickers in the NFL, Lindell hit two field goals from 45 yards, one from 35 yards, and converted both extra points.

BUF Rush Defense - Steven Jackson had his best game of the season, gaining 110 yards and scoring a touchdown. The Rams gained 167 total yards on the ground when you include wide receiver pitch plays and reverses. MLB Paul Posluszny led the team with 8 tackles. Most of the yardage came in the first half, but when the Bills took the lead St. Louis tried to pass the ball more often.

BUF Pass Defense - Jabari Greer intercepted Trent Green on the first play of the fourth quarter and returned it for a touchdown, while Donte Whitner and Spencer Johnson recorded sacks. Green passed for 236 yards but was held out of the end zone.

QB Trent Green, Pass: 17 - 32 - 236 - 0 TD / 1 INT - The Rams turned to Green because they needed a spark, and they scored a TD in the first quarter for the first time this year. They also out gained Buffalo by 100 yards, held the lead into the fourth quarter, but didn't have enough to earn the victory. He was a little rusty, his timing wasn't always perfect, but he gave the Rams a real chance to win this game against a team that was heavily favored.

Green had productive seasons in Kansas City from 2001 through 2005 when Saunders was the offensive coordinator.

RB Steven Jackson, Rush: 24 - 110 - 1, Rec: 5 - 78 - 0 (5 targets) - After having missed most of the preseason in a contract dispute Jackson finally has his timing back. Earlier in the week he was openly critical of the decision to bench Marc Bulger and took out his frustration on the Buffalo defense. He ran angry and broke too many tackles to count. He also scored his first TD of the season on a 29 yard effort, became the first back to rush for over 100 yards against the Bills, and led the Rams in receiving yet again. His ability to pick up chunks of yards in the first half enabled the passing game to become more of a factor.

RB Brian Leonard, Rush: 2 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Leonard made his first start of the year but saw little action. He gained seven yards on two carries and was targeted in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach.

RB Dan Kreider (1 targets) - Kreider was targeted in the third quarter but he couldn't make the catch.

WR Torry Holt, Rec: 4 - 65 - 0 (8 targets) - There was a little more room for Holt in this game and he responded with four balls four 65 yards. Green waited on him to break into space on at least two occasions and knew where the pass had to be thrown. While these numbers are far from his glory days, Holt may yet be productive enough keep off your bench. Maybe Green can help Holt rediscover the magic.

WR Donnie Avery, Rush: 1 - 37 - 1, Rec: 3 - 22 - 0 (6 targets) - Avery made his first NFL start a memorable one. He was targeted on the Rams first play, a 50 yard bomb that Green under threw slightly and was knocked down by a defender. Later in the first quarter Avery lined up in the backfield with Jackson, faked right, and then took a pitch 37 yards around left end for the touchdown. That play really fired up the fans and the whole team.

WR Dante Hall, Pass: 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 13 - 0 - Hall had a busy day, with six kickoff returns for 144 yards, one punt return for eight yards, two running plays for 13 yards, and one pass attempt for Randy McMichael that fell incomplete. He picked up a key first down on a fourth down run when the game was still winnable.

WR Dane Looker, Rec: 2 - 37 - 0 (2 targets) - Donnie Avery has replaced Looker in the starting lineup and he didn't get into the game until the fourth quarter. After his second reception he was knocked woozy and fumbled the ball. He was down for a few minutes before being helped to the sidelines.

WR Eddie Kennison (1 targets) - With the game out of reach in the fourth quarter Kennison was targeted once in the end zone.

TE Randy McMichael, Rec: 2 - 26 - 0 (6 targets) - On a passing attempt from Dante Hall, McMichael hurt his ankle. It was taped on the sidelines, but he reinjured it in the fourth quarter, had to be helped off the field, and was unable to put any weight on it.

TE Joe Klopfenstein, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (2 targets) - He managed to catch half of all the passes thrown to him.

TE Anthony Becht - He started opposite McMichael but did not show up in the stats.

PK Josh Brown 0 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points - The former Husker missed a 51 yard FG attempt but made both extra points.

STL Rush Defense - Marshawn Lynch only averaged three yards per carry and did not score a touchdown for the first time this year, but Fred Jackson averaged 6.6 yards a carry and scored one TD. The Rams did a good job against the biggest offensive line in the NFL, and was by far their best effort of the season.

STL Pass Defense - The Rams had only registered three sacks through three games, but Leonard Little sacked Trent Edwards twice while Chris Long and Ricky Manning pitched in with one each. Edwards was also pressured into throwing a rare interception that was picked by O.J. Atogwe. Newly signed Jason Craft was beaten by Lee Evans for the touchdown.

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Minnesota Vikings 17, Tennessee Titans 30

What you need to know

Minnesota Vikings - Despite being listed as questionable coming into the game, there was nothing questionable about RB Adrian Peterson's production and he looked healthy. While he didn't hit the century mark on the ground, he still displayed his characteristic explosiveness and notched two scores.

While QB Gus Frerotte began the game efficient and effective, that effectiveness waned as the game progressed and the Titans' defense was able to focus more and more on the pass. By the end of the game Frerotte was under steady pressure, was regularly off target (including on a late interception) and was ultimately forced from the game with an injury to his non-throwing hand.

While WR Bernard Berrian saw increased production due to Minnesota's need to pass in an attempt to catch up for much of the game, Berrian's day could have been much better (and would have included a long TD) had he shown more focus and been able to hold on to the balls that landed right in, and then went through, his hands.

Tennessee Titans - QB Kerry Collins began the game hitting on all cylinders -- and hitting all of his receivers -- but as the game progressed his accuracy diminished and he missed a number of opportunities. Even so, he played an intelligent game that allowed his team to emerge victorious.

RB Chris Johnson finally managed to punch in a couple of scores on the ground, and both were from within the ten yard line -- an area where carries were formerly reserved for fellow RB LenDale White. All was not lost for White, however, as despite very limited opportunities, he did convert one of his goal line carries and notch a touchdown for his fourth consecutive game.

In the passing game, the Titans' most consistent deep target was WR Justin Gage who was consistently able to get open and make plays whenever Kerry Collins was able to get the ball to him.

What you ought to know

QB Gus Frerotte, Pass: 25 - 43 - 266 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - In the first half, with the game still close and the threat of Adrian Peterson on the ground, Frerotte was able to work the passing game efficiently, if unspectacularly. He rarely sought to throw the ball deep and was content to keep to high-percentage passes. When he did throw the ball deep he tended to be on target, but his receivers had difficulty making the catches. The most striking example was a dropped pass by wide receiver Bernard Berrian late in the second quarter where Frerotte laid the ball right in his hands and a 44 yard touchdown would have resulted had Berrian not bobbled the ball away. In the second half, however, as the Vikings were increasingly forced to pass and the Titans were able to pay less attention to Adrian Peterson, bring more pressure and drop more men into coverage, Frerotte found it much more difficult to continue his early success. This slide in production culminated in a bad fourth quarter interception deep in his own end on an overthrow to the Titans' Nick Harper. On the following, and final series, Frerotte was replaced by Tarvaris Jackson due to an injury to his non-throwing hand.

QB Tarvaris Jackson, Pass: 1 - 1 - 8 - 0 TD / 0 INT - Jackson saw only one series of action in relief of injured starter Gus Frerotte, and it was the final series of the day. While he completed his first pass for an eight yard gain, the following two attempts were not nearly as successful. On both occasions Jackson held on to the ball too long resulting in consecutive sacks.

RB Adrian Peterson, Rush: 18 - 80 - 2, Rec: 4 - 21 - 0 (6 targets) - While his status was questionable all week, Peterson was able to start the game and quickly made his presence felt. In the Vikings' second series, Peterson showed few ill-effects from his tweaked hamstring and capped off the series (and started the second quarter) with a 28 yard scamper to the right side that saw him hit a hole, tight rope walk the sideline, and fight through a Titans defensive back tugging on his jersey to squeak into the end-zone. This explosiveness was again on display in the third quarter when he reversed field on a carry that saw him convert a probable loss into a 21 yard gain. Peterson later added a second touchdown, running it in from the three. The only negative on his day occurred in the second quarter as he fumbled away the ball during an attempt to rush up the middle against the imposing Titans defensive line. Ultimately, Peterson's production was limited by the fact that Minnesota was forced to play catch-up and he ended up with only 18 carries on the day. In the passing game, Peterson received regular looks, particularly in the second half, but was unable to make anything significant happen.

RB Chester Taylor, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets) - With fellow running back Adrian Peterson able to suit up for the Vikings and start, Chester Taylor was already destined to see limited action by the opening whistle. Taylor's prospects only worsened as Tennessee opened up a lead that they would never give up. As the Vikings increasingly looked to the pass, and what limited runs were called went to home run hitter Peterson, Taylor became a forgotten man and ended with only one carry and one target for a combined total of zero yards.

WR Bobby Wade, Rec: 7 - 75 - 0 (7 targets) - With fellow wide receiver, and former starter, Sidney Rice still nursing an ailing knee, Wade received the start and took advantage of the opportunity as he hauled in all seven of his targets in the active Vikings passing game, six of them in the second half. While he was initially used to run shorter routes, as the game progressed and the Vikings continued to trail, Wade was sent downfield and hauled in two consecutive completions in the fourth quarter of 15 and 23 yards respectively. Wade was effective enough that Rice, who saw only two targets even though he was active for the game.

WR Bernard Berrian, Rec: 5 - 78 - 0 (7 targets) - For the first time this season, the Vikings were forced to go to the passing game for a significant amount of the day, and do so with a quarterback under center capable of making plays. As would be expected in such circumstances, Berrian's stats benefitted. With eight targets he was tied for the team lead, and he was able to haul in five of them. Almost two-thirds of Berrian's 78 yards came on two plays down the right side of the field, including a dramatic fourth quarter reception that saw Berrian hit in stride, but heading out of bounds. While Berrian (somewhat amazingly) got both feet in-bounds, had quarterback Gus Frerotte thrown the ball only slightly more towards the center of the field, Berrian would not have gone out at the three and would have had a touchdown. Berrian might also have had a 44 yard touchdown on a late second quarter pass where Frerotte laid the ball right in his hands and in stride, but Berrian bobbled the ball away.

WR Sidney Rice, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (2 targets) - Still showing the effects of his injured knee, Rice did not start the game and was not really a factor. Despite the fact the Vikings went to the air fifteen times in the final quarter, Rice was not targeted on any of those pass attempts.

TE Visanthe Shiancoe, Rec: 4 - 47 - 0 (8 targets) - Shiancoe was one of QB Gus Frerotte's two favorite targets on the day and early on was used both under coverage and as a downfield receiver. His biggest gain came in the second quarter when he easily blew past the linebacker assigned to cover him and hauled in a 22 yard reception. Had Frerotte not thrown the ball slightly behind him, he might have been able to gain an additional ten yards. As the game progressed, however, and the Vikings were forced to try and amass points quickly deeper downfield, Shiancoe saw his targets drained away. As a result, a day that began with some promise for above average production ended with solid, if unspectacular, yardage totals.

PK Ryan Longwell 1 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Longwell was given two opportunities to kick field goals, with both coming in the second quarter. While he was able to convert on his first, 42 yard attempt. He was unable to hit a 49 yarder at on the final play of the half that would have converted a Tennessee fumble into three points and would have pulled the Vikings within a touchdown going into the break.

MIN Rush Defense - While the Vikings rush defense appeared strong on paper, giving up only 76 yards on 34 carries, it was unable to stop the run when it mattered. All three of Tennessee's touchdowns came on the ground, and all of them came on runs from inside the ten yard line. Also, while the Vikings were able to limit any damage done on the ground from runs up the middle, they did show occasional vulnerability to runs to the outside -- including on two of the aforementioned touchdowns.

MIN Pass Defense - The Vikings' pass defense was unsteady, at best. Early on, the Titan QB, Kerry Collins, was able to shred them long and short and march his team down the field. As the game progressed, however, they were able to apply some pressure and force Collins from the pocket. While they failed to record a sack or force an interception, it did seem to squeeze Collins out of his comfort zone and his accuracy suffered as a result.

QB Kerry Collins, Pass: 18 - 35 - 199 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 6 - 2 - 0 - The day was a tale of two halves for Collins. Out of the gates Collins was able to use the time his offensive line gave him to work the Titans down the field using deep, medium and play action passes. In short he looked every bit like the veteran QB that he is. As the game wore on, however, Collins' was able to complete fewer and fewer passes and struggled with his accuracy. Part of the reason for this was the fact that he was regularly forced to step out of the pocket and call upon what little mobility he possesses. Even so, while he only completed five of his 14 second half pass attempts, Collins did play smart, avoiding sacks, ill-advised throws or anything else that would have put his team's lead in any jeopardy.

RB Chris Johnson, Rush: 17 - 61 - 2, Rec: 3 - 14 - 0 (5 targets) - Having split carries almost evenly with running mate LenDale White in the Titans' first three games, Johnson saw his workload increase against the Vikings. Most of these additional touches came inside the ten yard line where, earlier in the season, White had been given the bulk of the carries. It's unlikely that coach Jeff Fisher was disappointed with Johnson's red-zone production as the rookie was able to score his first two rushing touchdowns of the season on runs to either side of the field -- including the late fourth quarter score that sealed up the win for the Titans. While the two scores certainly made for a successful fantasy day, Johnson's yardage statistics were unremarkable due to the Vikings' stalwart rushing defense. That being said, he was semi-regularly able to gain the corner and gash the defense for gains of six to nine yards. He also was able to use his elusiveness to avoid being dropped for a loss on all but one occasion. In the rare instances where Johnson was called upon to rush inside, he was unable to make anything happen. In the passing game, Johnson received five targets and converted on three of them, including an impressive first quarter grab at the Viking two yard line that saw him leap above the coverage and snag the ball out of the air well above his head.

RB LenDale White, Rush: 11 - 13 - 1 - The fact that White was facing the vaunted Minnesota rush defense probably made a lot of owners leery of giving him the start. That concern was justified. While White was able to salvage his fantasy day by pounding in a one yard score late in the second quarter (making this his fourth straight game with a touchdown), the rest of his day was forgettable. White was given only eleven carries despite the fact that the Titans had the lead for much of the game, and he was unable to convert any of them for more than a three yard gain. Moreover, White did not have the near monopoly on inside the twenty carries that he enjoyed in the first three weeks, as more of those opportunities were given to fellow running back Chris Johnson -- two of which Johnson converted for scores.

WR Justin Gage, Rec: 5 - 92 - 0 (10 targets) - While Gage and fellow wide receiver Justin McCareins both saw double digit targets, Gage was clearly the receiver being used to go deep more often. Early on, while QB Kerry Collins was on-target with his throws, Gage was able to convert his looks into significant gains all over the field as he had little difficulty beating the coverage and getting open (though he did drop a third down pass in the second quarter that would have resulted in a first down). In the later stages of the game, however, Collins rarely put the ball in a position where Gage could make the reception, and as a result, while Gage racked up four catches for 73 yards in the first half, he added only one more for 19 yards in the second.

WR Justin McCareins, Rec: 3 - 37 - 0 (10 targets) - While he shared the team lead with ten targets, McCareins was unable to convert those looks into any meaningful production. While he had two receptions in the first quarter for 27 yards, he only managed to catch one more pass over the remaining three quarters. A portion of these struggles resulted from the decline in QB Kerry Collins' accuracy over the course of the game, but some of the blame must fall on McCareins as well. All day long he struggled to gain separation, and he rarely presented a completely open or attractive target.

TE Bo Scaife, Rec: 3 - 17 - 0 (3 targets) - While he did not start the game, Scaife ended the day as the most targeted Titan tight end. Even given that fact, however, Scaife saw only three targets. While he converted on all three for a total of 17 yards, none of the targets were near the end zone.

TE Alge Crumpler - While he was listed as the starting tight end for the Titans to begin the game, Crumpler was not meaningfully involved in the Tennessee passing attack and ended the day not having been targeted a single time.

PK Rob Bironas 3 - 3 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 12 points - With three field goals from 20, 32 and 49 yards, Bironas was given the opportunity to demonstrate his leg strength and accuracy at short, medium and long ranges. He passed each test with flying colors.

TEN Rush Defense - Facing arguably the best running back in the league in Adrian Peterson, the Titans' rush defense played well early on, holding the explosive back to only 16 yards on his first five carries. On the sixth carry, however, Peterson was able to exploit a hole and charge down the sideline for a 28 yard score. While this might normally have been a sign of difficulties to come, the success of the Titans' offense soon forced the Vikings to turn more to the pass, and the Tennessee rush defense was, as a result, called upon to contain Peterson on far fewer occasions.

TEN Pass Defense - Due to the points the Titans were able to put on the board, the Vikings dropped back to pass 44 times on the day. Early on, the Titans' pass defense looked suspect, and was unable to generate consistent pressure on Minnesota QB Gus Frerotte. By the second half, however, they buckled down and regularly forced Frerotte from the pocket, forced him into poor throws and eventually picked off a pass deep in Minnesota territory. On the final series of the game, after Tarvaris Jackson replaced Frerotte, the Titans were able to register consecutive sacks and end any hope of a miraculous Minnesota comeback.

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Cleveland Browns 20, Cincinnati Bengals 12

What you need to know

Cleveland Browns - QB Derek Anderson started extremely slow, having a terrible first half. He often missed receivers and threw into good coverage. In the second half he got going after he ran 11 yards for a first down. He started stringing together receptions again, his main targets being Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards.

RB Jamal Lewis had a short touchdown run off of a Ryan Fitzpatrick turnover. Lewis was not making people miss, but he was falling forward and showing good vision to gain as many yards as possible.

WR Braylon Edwards made a nice one handed touchdown catch on a fade route. His hands seemed to be very solid against the Bengals although many of the targets thrown his way were uncatchable. TE Kellen Winslow caught five balls in the second half and he seemed to be what calmed Derek Anderson down.

Cincinnati Bengals - QB Ryan Fitzpatrick started in place of Carson Palmer who was a late scratch with an elbow issue. Fitzpatrick looked out of tune with the offense, unable to control the game at all. He was responsible for three interceptions and a fumble which ultimately ended up sealing up the loss for the Bengals.

RB Chris Perry was unable to be effective against the Browns rush defense. He only rushed for 28 yards and also fumbled the ball once. The offensive line of the Bengals offered Perry little help.

WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh led the receiving corps with six catches, most of them coming over the middle of the field. Chad Johnson caught a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter by making a nice move in the end zone to free himself up from the coverage.

What you ought to know

QB Derek Anderson, Pass: 15 - 24 - 138 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 4 - 11 - 0 - Anderson struggled early, but pulled it together in the second half. He calmed down and started stringing together a few receptions which led the Browns to victory. He was completely ineffective in the first half, as he was unable to hit wide open receivers on multiple occasions. It seemed like everything shifted back from stress to fun once he ran for 11 yards and a first down in the third quarter.

RB Jamal Lewis, Rush: 25 - 79 - 1, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (2 targets) - Lewis worked hard at grinding out yards all day. He was unable to gain yards in bunches, and often faced pressure from the Cincinnati defense before he was out of the backfield. His rushing TD involved him leaping up and putting the ball over the goalline, showing that he still has the awareness and ability to get into the end zone.

RB Jason Wright, Rush: 5 - 18 - 0, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (1 targets) - Wright shared time with Jerome Harrison in changing the pace of the Cleveland rushing attack. He looked very quick on the field and made a couple good cuts when he was in.

RB Jerome Harrison, Rush: 4 - 20 - 0, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (3 targets) - Harrison continues to be used as a change of pace back that comes in often for screen passes. He was also used on an end around and a pitch out play that were both successful, however he was a yard short of a first down that looked easily within reach when he danced around trying to make a big play.

RB Lawrence Vickers, Rush: 1 - 6 - 0, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Vickers served as the fullback and continues to sneak out of the backfield unexpectedly to make a catch or two a game.

WR Braylon Edwards, Rec: 3 - 22 - 1 (5 targets) - Edwards was visibly frustrated early in the game about how the offense was being run, but eventually calmed down and made some plays. He made a couple of touch catches, one being a one handed catch in the end zone for a touchdown.

WR Syndric Steptoe, Rec: 2 - 24 - 0 (2 targets) - Steptoe was the second wide out for the Browns, and he made a couple of nice catches on the day. He should move down to the third wide receiver when Donte Stallworth gets back from his injury.

WR Josh Cribbs, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets) - Cribbs was used sparingly, but started to run back kicks better which could lead to more offensive touches.

WR Steve Sanders (1 targets) - Sanders saw limited action as a wide out against the Bengals.

TE Kellen Winslow Jr, Rec: 5 - 54 - 0 (8 targets) - Winslow was the key to getting Derek Anderson back on track. He made a couple of short catches that calmed him down and led the Browns into the red zone with a tough catch later in the drive. He continues to show amazing hands.

PK Phil Dawson 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points - Dawson made two short field goals and showed no problems doing so.

CLE Rush Defense - The Browns completely dominated the Bengals' rushing attack. They pushed the line into the backfield and forced Ryan Fitzpatrick to try to carry the team.

CLE Pass Defense - Cleveland's passing defense was solid, pressuring Ryan Fitzpatrick often and coming up with four turnovers.

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, Pass: 21 - 35 - 156 - 1 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 4 - 41 - 0 - Fitzpatrick looked out of synch all day, looking uneasy in the pocket and being late on his reads. He threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, and seemed to try to force some throws in where coverage was tight. He took off running several times when he was unable to locate a receiver.

RB Chris Perry, Rush: 12 - 28 - 0, Rec: 5 - 15 - 0 (8 targets) - Perry was ineffective running the ball because there was nowhere for him to run. Cleveland was in the backfield early and often. Perry was involved heavily in the passing game as Fitzpatrick often checked down to him.

WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Rec: 6 - 50 - 0 (8 targets) - Houshmandzadeh was the most successful receiver for the Bengals, as he caught six of the eight balls thrown his way. His longest catch was 15 yards, though, so he could not break away from the Cleveland pass defense.

WR Chad Johnson, Rec: 3 - 28 - 1 (7 targets) - Johnson was covered well all day, but did escape for a short touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter. He looked okay but Fitzpatrick was unable to deliver him the ball.

WR Antonio Chatman, Rec: 2 - 32 - 0 (8 targets) - Chatman only caught two of the eight balls thrown his way, but many of those throws were forced into tight coverage. He was the third receiver for the Bengals.

TE Reggie Kelly, Rec: 3 - 21 - 0 (4 targets) - Kelly was used underneath and caught three of the four balls thrown his way.

TE Ben Utecht, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) - Utecht was the second tight end for the Bengals and caught both of the balls thrown his way, although he totaled only ten yards on the game.

PK Shayne Graham 2 - 2 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 6 points - Graham made both of his field goal attempts and looked good, hitting from 42 and 45 yards.

CIN Rush Defense - The Bengals looked like they were in for a long day, giving up 45 yards on the first possession but they tightened up and held the Browns to 134 yards on the day.

CIN Pass Defense - The pass defense gave up some big plays and allowed a confused Derek Anderson to rebuild his confidence and lead the Browns to two second half touchdowns. They pressured Anderson well but could not prevent him from getting back into a groove and leading the Browns to two passing touchdowns.

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Arizona Cardinals 35, New York Jets 56

What you need to know

Arizona Cardinals - Arizona was manhandled in the first half, as the Jets forced five turnovers (four by QB Kurt Warner) and as a result, they fell behind 34-0. Warner and the Cardinals made a game of it on a number of occasions in the second half, cutting the lead to 13 three different times, but each time the Jets answered with scores of their own. Warner finished with 472 passing yards and two touchdowns, but his six turnovers were too much to overcome.

With the club down big early, RB Edgerrin James was used sparingly running the ball. He finished with just nine attempts for 29 yards, but was able to punch in two short touchdown runs in the third quarter from four and two yards out. Rookie RB Tim Hightower also added a one yard rushing touchdown for the Cardinals.

The Arizona wideouts couldn't get much going in the first half due to turnover after turnover, but they came back strong in the second half. Anquan Boldin scored on an eight yard reception in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 13, but the Jets responded with a touchdown of their own to put the lead back to 20. Boldin finished with ten catches for 119 yards and WR's Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston each recorded 122 receiving yards on eight and nine receptions, respectively.

New York Jets - Brett Favre and the Jets were helped tremendously by their defense in the first half, and they capitalized on turnover after turnover for a 34-0 halftime lead. Favre connected with WR Laveranues Coles for three first half scores, but he wasn't done there. Favre matched those three first half scores with three more in the second half, two to WR Jerricho Cotchery and one to rookie TE Dustin Keller. The New York passing game was just too much for Arizona to handle.

Thomas Jones led the way rushing for the Jets with 18 carries for 46 yards, but had a long of just nine yards and couldn't get much going against his former club. RB Leon Washington had the biggest contribution in the running game for the club, taking a two point conversion attempt in for a successful two point score.

Favre's two favorite targets, Coles and Cotchery, each came through big, combining for 12 catches for 172 yards and five touchdowns. Coles accounted for eight receptions for 105 yards and three touchdowns, all of which came in the first half.

Aside from the big offensive numbers here, the Jets defense cannot be overlooked. While they ended up giving up big numbers in the second half, their efforts in the first half allowed the club to jump out to a big lead and gave them the ability to take some chances in the second half which could have contributed to some of the big numbers for Arizona. Of the five first half turnovers, the biggest play came on a 32 yard interception return for a score from DB Darrelle Revis.

What you ought to know

QB Kurt Warner, Pass: 40 - 57 - 472 - 2 TD / 3 INT - Kurt Warner was just abused by the Jets defense in the first half, where four of the five turnovers came on two Warner fumbles and two interceptions that they turned into a 34-0 halftime lead. Warner came out strong in the second half as he led three third quarter scoring drives to cut the lead to 34-21, but that 13 point deficit was as close as Arizona would get for the rest of the game. Warner was able to connect with WR Anquan Boldin from eight yards out and WR Jerheme Urban from 14 yards out for his two passing scores of the game, and he finished with an astonishing 57 attempts and 472 passing yards. He did lose three fumbles and threw three picks, but was still able to post good fantasy numbers.

RB Edgerrin James, Rush: 9 - 29 - 2, Rec: 5 - 37 - 0 (6 targets) - James did not have a particularly huge game against the Jets, largely due to Arizona falling behind so quickly, but he was able to put together a solid fantasy outing by the end of the game. He ran the ball nine times for 29 yards and scored twice in the third quarter, from four and two yards out for the Cardinals first scores of the game, and he followed the second score up with a successful two point conversion run. James also contributed in the passing game, catching five passes for 37 yards on six targets. He also showed his alertness, recovering one of Kurt Warner's four fumbles.

RB Tim Hightower, Rush: 6 - 13 - 1, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (2 targets) - Hightower gave way to Edgerrin James on two short yardage touchdowns, but he was able to muster up a score of his own on the ground from one yard out. The score followed a few passing attempts from the one, but Hightower was eventually able to punch it in for the score. He was targeted two times in the passing game, where he caught one pass for five yards.

WR Anquan Boldin, Rec: 10 - 119 - 1 (14 targets) - Like the rest of the Arizona receivers, Anquan Boldin struggled in the first half numbers wise, with three receptions for 27 yards, but his play picked up in the second half and his numbers showed. He finished with a team high ten receptions for 119 yards and was able to haul in one reception for an eight yard touchdown. Four of his receptions resulted in first downs, but he lost a fumble, had an attempt thrown his way picked off, and could not convert on a two point conversion attempt. More importantly, Boldin needed to be carted off the field after being hit helmet to helmet in the end zone with under a minute to play. He was moving all of his extremities but was taken to the hospital for precaution. Hopefully things check out and Boldin is able to make it back on the field quickly. Initial reports Sunday night were that he had been knocked out but was going to be ok.

WR Steve Breaston, Rec: 9 - 122 - 0 (11 targets) - Breaston filled the third wide receiver spot and continued to show improvement, as he caught nine balls for 122 yards on 11 targets, and had two receptions that could have been scores had he been able to break tackles inside the two yard line. He was brought down at the two yard line and the one yard line on two plays that could have been scores. He was targeted three times on third downs and was targeted deep a number of times.

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Rec: 8 - 122 - 0 (15 targets) - Larry Fitzgerald had just one reception for 16 yards at halftime, but blew up after the break to finish with eight receptions for 122 yards on a team high 15 targets. At times, he showed his physical dominance over any defensive back trying to contain him, using his size and athletic ability to punish the Jets defensive backfield. He had seven receptions that resulted in first downs, converted a fourth down pass play for a first and was targeted three times in the red zone, including two consecutive plays before the Hightower one yard score.

WR Jerheme Urban, Rec: 5 - 50 - 1 (7 targets) - Urban was the team's fourth passing option in their wide open attack, and he responded nicely with five receptions for 50 yards, including a 14 yard touchdown. Of his seven targets, two came on third down situations.

TE Leonard Pope - Pope was not targeted in the game and with Arizona down so quickly, he was relegated to the sidelines as the team went to a wide open, multiple wideout attack.

PK Neil Rackers 0 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 3 points - Rackers had a 37 yard field goal attempt blocked, and added just three extra points to finish with three points in the game.

ARI Rush Defense - The Arizona rush defense didn't have much work to do. They were too busy chasing New York receivers all over the place throughout the game, and watching them score touchdown after touchdown. They held the Jets to 89 yards on 26 attempts, for just a 3.4 average, but that doesn't matter much when you're getting lit up through the air like they did against Favre and the Jets.

LB Gerald Hayes led the front seven with five solo tackles and one assist and Karlos Dansby chipped in four solo tackles and one assist of his own for the Cardinals.

ARI Pass Defense - This game was a disaster for the Arizona pass defense. While they gave up just 289 yards through the air, it's the six touchdowns they allowed that put this game out of reach. At times, it seemed like the Jets were playing 15 on 11 and receivers were open all over the field. Eight different Jets caught passes, and their wide receivers combined to catch five touchdowns.

LB Chike Okeafor had the lone positive play in the pass defense for the Cardinals as he recorded their only interception and one sack and DL Darnell Dockett added a sack of his own.

QB Brett Favre, Pass: 24 - 34 - 289 - 6 TD / 1 INT - Brett Favre only added to his legend against the Cardinals. He threw three first half touchdowns and was helped by his defense and kicking game as the Jets took a 34-0 lead into halftime. Favre wasn't finished there and he wound up throwing three more scores in the second half to finish with six touchdowns in the game. He connected with Laveranues Coles from 12, 34 and 2 yards out, Jerricho Cotchery from 17 and 40 yards out and TE Dustin Keller from 24 yards out. For the game, he finished 24 of 34 for 289 yards and the aforementioned six touchdowns. The only negative for Favre was one interception, but I'm sure Jet fans and fantasy owners are willing to overlook that one miscue with the game he posted.

RB Thomas Jones, Rush: 18 - 46 - 0, Rec: 2 - 23 - 0 (2 targets) - Thomas Jones ran the ball 18 times for 46 yards on the ground and caught two passes for 23 yards on two targets in the passing game. His numbers suffered with an obvious emphasis on the passing attack, and the fact that Arizona showed some fight and made a comeback attempt in the second half, and New York kept going back to what got them the lead in the first place, their passing game.

RB Leon Washington, Rush: 7 - 26 - 0, Rec: 4 - 17 - 0 (5 targets) - Washington ran the ball seven times for 26 yards and added a successful two point conversion run on the ground, and he caught four passes for 17 yards in the passing game on five targets.

WR Laveranues Coles, Rec: 8 - 105 - 3 (13 targets) - Coles had a monster game, following somewhat of a shaky start. He was missed on a deep target on his first look of the game, and the second attempt thrown to him was picked off by Arizona. After that, it seemed like he was running routes against air, as he caught eight passes for 105 yards and three touchdowns. Those scores were from 12, 34 and two yards out, respectively. He was also targeted on another red zone play that would have been a score, but an absolute bullet from Brett Favre went through his hands in the back of the end zone. He had a team high 13 targets, including five on third downs. His chemistry with Favre definitely seems to be on the rise.

WR Jerricho Cotchery, Rec: 4 - 67 - 2 (5 targets) - Cotchery was targeted just five times, but made the most of them. He caught four passes for 67 yards, including scores of 17 and 40 yards. The 40 yard score came on a fourth down play.

WR Chansi Stuckey, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (2 targets) - Stuckey was targeted just two times, but he was able to come down with both to finish with two receptions for 12 yards. Both of his receptions netted Jets first downs.

TE Bubba Franks, Rec: 2 - 32 - 0 (4 targets) - Franks was targeted four times and came down with two receptions for 32 yards. On one play he was brought down at the one yard line, and he had a touchdown nullified for a holding penalty.

TE Dustin Keller, Rec: 1 - 24 - 1 (3 targets) - Dustin Keller was targeted three times, and was able to make one big play for his club, catching a 24 yard touchdown on his only reception of the game.

PK Jay Feely 2 - 3 FG, 6 - 6 XP, 12 points - Feely missed a 44 yard attempt, but made good from 20 and 30 yards out and added six extra points to finish with 12 points in the game.

NYJ Rush Defense - With a big cushion, the Jets were able to drop back and defend the pass without having to worry at all about a rushing attack. For the game they allowed just 42 yards on 15 carries, but did give up three rushing scores. However, all three came inside the five yard line following big passing plays.

LB David Harris led the way with six solo tackles and two assists, but most of the tackle numbers for the Jets came downfield following pass plays.

NYJ Pass Defense - It was a tale of two halves for the Jets pass defense. In the first half, they held Kurt Warner to 99 yards, sacked him three times, picked off two passes and forced and recovered three fumbles. That effort helped lead the way to their 34-0 halftime lead. In the second half, the Cardinals went all out with the spread, and were able to throw the ball all over the place. Warner ended up throwing for 472 yards and two touchdowns, but the big first half deficit was too much to overcome in the end.

DB Darelle Revis returned one of his two interceptions for a 32 yard score and DB Dwight Lowery finished with nine solo tackles and one forced fumble to lead the Jets secondary. The unit sacked Kurt Warner five times and forced five fumbles, recovering four of them.

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Denver Broncos 19, Kansas City Chiefs 33

What you need to know

Denver Broncos - This was the week that the Broncos offense wasn't able to keep pace with the Broncos defensive failures, compounded by too many mistakes of their own. QB Jay Cutler threw for over 350 yards, but only one touchdown and two interceptions. He completed 59% of his passes.

RB Selvin Young again led Denver's three headed backfield with eleven carries. Andre Hall and Michael Pittman had four each. Like last week, the trio totaled about a hundred yards. None of them scored.

WR Brandon Marshall caught another touchdown pass, but was held to under a hundred yards. Eddie Royal went over the century mark to lead the team's receivers. Brandon Stokley was very involved this week.

Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs' QB merry go round stopped at Damon Huard this week and he handled the job nicely, not being asked to do too much. Huard guided Kansas City down the field several times, though they had to settle for field goal attempts five times. He threw one touchdown pass.

RB Larry Johnson essentially was the offense, accounting for nearly 200 of the team's 370 total yards. No other back played much of a role.

WR Dwayne Bowe was Huard's main target, followed by Larry Johnson and TE Tony Gonzales, who caught the lone TD pass.

What you ought to know

QB Jay Cutler, Pass: 29 - 49 - 361 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 2 - 6 - 0 - He had his worst game of the young season. Despite a ton of yardage Cutler threw for only one TD, though he just missed two others with passes that sailed high and out of reach of the receivers. Cutler also had two interceptions in the span of 60 seconds...KC picked him midway through the third quarter. On the next play Larry Johnson fumbled the ball back to the Broncos. Two plays later Cutler was intercepted again. He was sacked only once.

RB Selvin Young, Rush: 11 - 49 - 0 (1 targets) - He continues to be the number one back, though in this RBBC situation that doesn't usually amount to much. In a game that should have produced plenty of yards against a rushing defense ranked near the bottom of the league, Young didn't get very far. His one pass target came inside the Chiefs' five yard line. Late in the game Young had 30 and 31 yard kick off returns.

RB Michael Pittman, Rush: 4 - 36 - 0, Rec: 2 - 45 - 0 (3 targets) - Pittman didn't score this week, though he did put up decent yardage totals including a nifty 40 yard screen pass play.

RB Andre Hall, Rush: 4 - 14 - 0 (1 targets) - Hall wasn't much of a factor in the offense, but did have some nice kick returns.

WR Eddie Royal, Rec: 9 - 104 - 0 (12 targets) - Royal fumbled the ball on his first catch of the game, but came back to post the best numbers of the receiving corps. He nearly scored on a pass from Cutler at the Kansas City three yard line, but couldn't bring it in.

WR Brandon Marshall, Rush: 1 - -11 - 0, Rec: 7 - 77 - 1 (12 targets) - His yardage wasn't great this week, yet Marshall scored again on a 16 yard pass play. He missed a second TD when Cutler overthrew him in the end zone. Marshall was the target on both of Cutler's interceptions. He also lost a fumble on a disastrous pitch play from Cutler. The Chiefs scored a touchdown two plays later.

WR Brandon Stokley, Rec: 7 - 80 - 0 (10 targets) - He was utilized a lot as the Broncos tried to play catch-up late in the second half. Stokley edged out Marshall in receiving yards.

TE Daniel Graham, Rec: 3 - 29 - 0 (6 targets) - Graham was more active this week and came through with a couple clutch catches.

TE Tony Scheffler, Rec: 1 - 26 - 0 (3 targets) - Another quiet week for Scheffler as he only pulled down one pass in the second quarter, albeit for a nice 26 yard gain.

PK Matt Prater 4 - 5 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 13 points - Jason who? Although missing wide right on a 32 yard field goal attempt Prater hit four others, including Elam like 51 and 56 yarders.

DEN Rush Defense - You knew it wasn't going to be pretty when RB Larry Johnson broke off a 65 yard run on the second play of the game. Although the Broncos made the Chiefs settle for field goal tries on five occasions, they couldn't stop Johnson from racking up almost 200 yards and two rushing TDs.

DEN Pass Defense - They held Huard well under 200 yards and just one TD pass, though with the Kansas City running game clicking it's hard to know if the Chiefs could have put up more through the air. Even without a heavy pass attack, KC scored their most points since 2006.

QB Damon Huard, Pass: 21 - 28 - 160 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 - He was efficient and did just enough to lead his team to an upset victory and end their 12 game losing streak. With RB Larry Johnson going off, Huard didn't need to fill the air with passes, but he was effective with those he did throw and completed three fourths of his attempts.

RB Larry Johnson, Rush: 28 - 198 - 2, Rec: 5 - 0 - 0 (5 targets) - Johnson had zero total yards on his five receptions. Of course, on the positive side he rambled for 198 yards, 93 by half time, and scored twice. Johnson did fumble once, but the Chiefs got it right back on an interception. Looks like he's involved in the offense again.

RB Jamaal Charles, Rush: 2 - 7 - 0, Rec: 2 - 1 - 0 (2 targets) - Backs not named Larry Johnson weren't all that involved in this game...Charles had two carries and caught both his pass targets, but total yards were negligible.

RB Kolby Smith, Rush: 2 - 9 - 0 - Smith had a couple carries for a total of nine yards, but his biggest contribution was recovering the Broncos' onside kick at the end of the game to help seal the victory.

WR Dwayne Bowe, Rec: 7 - 85 - 0 (12 targets) - Huard basically zeroed in on Bowe all day. Bowe could have scored twice, but one pass was out of reach in the end zone and another was too high and just out of bounds at the two yard line. It's clear that Bowe has become and should remain the main target for the Chiefs all season.

TE Tony Gonzalez, Rec: 3 - 47 - 1 (4 targets) - Gonzales didn't get his first look till midway through the second quarter, and only four targets all day, but he made the most of them. He scored the Chiefs only TD through the air on a ten yard reception in the end zone, coming down hard, but hanging on. Gonzales moved to within three yards of former Bronco Shannon Sharpe's Tight End yardage record.

PK Nick Novak 4 - 5 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 15 points - Novak had a very busy day. He was four for five on field goals, missing wide right on the longest--a 48 yarder. Novak hit all three extra points.

KC Rush Defense - One of the worst run defenses in the league slowed down one of the most potent offenses in the league. The Chiefs allowed a total of 94 net rushing yards and no touchdowns. The Chiefs defense played their best game of the year so far.

KC Pass Defense - Jay Cutler put up big yards, but just one touchdown. The Chiefs seemed to be in the right place at the right time, intercepting Cutler twice and forcing three fumbles, recovering two. Kansas City only managed to sack the Bronco QB once.

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Washington Redskins 26, Dallas Cowboys 24

What you need to know

Washington Redskins - QB Jason Campbell looked much improved. Campbell showed poise and a very strong command of his offense. He had a good stat line that could have been even better if had not been for some penalties that nullified a passing touchdown.

Clinton Portis had a solid day on the ground and helped the Redskins dominate the Cowboys front for most of the game. The Washington offense line did a great job of allowing Portis to find some holes and allow him to run downhill.

Santana Moss was a thorn in the Dallas secondary all game long. Moss was able to catch a lot of balls in front of defenders and make solid yards after the catch. His speed allowed him to abuse corners Anthony Henry and Terrence Newman.

Dallas Cowboys - Tony Romo had a great fantasy stat line, however he did not play especially well. He threw for exactly 300 yards and three scores on the day. Many of his throws were a tiny bit late. Romo seemed to lock into his receivers all day. In the first half, he was guilty of forcing balls to Terrell Owens despite blanket coverage from the Washington corners. On his lone interception of the day, he failed to see the underneath coverage by Chris Horton.

Where is the Dallas running game? Marion Barber was held in check the entire day and rookie Felix Jones had no carries. The Redskins effectively made the Cowboys a one dimensional offense by the half. Barber was only given the ball eight times for 36 yards. This was an odd game plan from offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

Terrell Owens was basically shut out in the first half with only a couple of short gains. After the half time break they were able to find some ways to get Owens more involved. In that opening drive, Owens scored a determined touchdown where he fought through two defenders to score.

What you ought to know

QB Jason Campbell, Pass: 20 - 31 - 231 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 3 - 0 - Campbell certainly looked sharp right out of the gate completing four out of his first five passes. The game plan was clear, Campbell was completing short passes on slants, screens and outs. This really seemed to help him with his confidence and touch on the ball. Throughout the game he hung in the pocket and ran for positive yards when needed. On one particular play, Campbell was able to avoid stud pass rusher Demarcus Ware by stepping up into the pocket to hit a wide open Santana Moss. Campbell went for 231 yards passing and threw for two scores. Of note, an illegal man down field penalty nullified another would be Campbell score.

RB Clinton Portis, Rush: 21 - 121 - 0, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (3 targets) - Portis really did his part in the overall game plan by consistently gaining positive yards and keeping the Dallas defense honest early. As the game wore on, Portis got more effective and ran down hill. He was the beneficiary of some good blocking. Chris Cooley did a great job of taking out the defensive end on a third and short. The play went for big yards. In the second half Portis ran with an attitude and picked up big chunks with almost every touch. The Washington offensive line should also get some credit for his success and the lopsided time of possession the Redskins enjoyed. Portis had a touchdown called back on a holding penalty.

RB Ladell Betts, Rush: 11 - 32 - 0 (1 targets) - Betts was primarily used on the ground and spelled starter Clinton Portis when needed. He did see one series were he got back to back carries in the red zone but could not score. Betts was not a large feature in the passing game either. His presence does not negatively impact the Washington offense. He ran hard

RB Mike Sellers - Sellers left the game with an injury.

WR Santana Moss, Rec: 8 - 145 - 0 (13 targets) - Moss was dominant yet again. He went for an impressive 121 yards but he had his touchdown streak ended. He came close late in the game to scoring a TD but could not get his feet in bounds on a fade route. His early game success came from the shorter routes and his ability to run after the catch. Later in the game where the Cowboys defenders were jumping routes, he burnt a Dallas defender on a double move for a big gain deep into Cowboys territory. Moss was certainly the focal point of the passing game with him being targeted 13 times.

WR Antwaan Randle El, Rush: 1 - 5 - 0, Rec: 4 - 36 - 1 (5 targets) - Randle El was able to find some soft spots in the Dallas zone coverage and made all of his catches close to the line of scrimmage. He was also utilized in the running game as he took an end around for a short gain as well. His longest play of the game went for 17 yards on a blitz, he displayed very nice after the catch skills. Randle El was able to find the end zone after Campbell went through his progressions. It was a solid day for the veteran receiver.

WR James Thrash, Rec: 2 - 8 - 1 (2 targets) - Thrash was able to score in the red zone on a play where he actually beat his defender while in motion on a double move. Dallas cornerback Terrence Newman who had a nightmare day fell down and Thrash went in for an easy score.

WR Devin Thomas - The rookie played in multiple receiver sets, however was not targeted during the game.

TE Chris Cooley, Rec: 4 - 28 - 0 (7 targets) - Cooley was used sparingly in the passing game as he was kept in to block and help defend the Dallas pass rush. It was not until about half way through the second quarter before he made his first catch. His stat line was rather modest as Cooley was used primarily on third downs and to keep the chains moving. His blocking helped free Portis for a big game.

PK Shaun Suisham 4 - 4 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 14 points - Kicker Shaun Suisham had a very good game and was a perfect four for four of his field goal attempts. He also successfully converted both his extra point attempts.

WAS Rush Defense - This group did a fantastic job of really limiting Marion Barber on first downs. By shutting out the Cowboys run game they become very one dimensional and played right into the Washington game plan. It was apparent that the Cowboys had abandoned their run game late in the second quarter. In a shocking turn, the Cowboys only ran the ball ten times the entire game and two of those were carries by Terrell Owens.

WAS Pass Defense - It was apparent the game plan was to take the run away and limit both Owens and Witten. The Washington coaching staff did a great job of mixing up coverage. At times Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten was being bracketed on both sides. In general the secondary did a good job of keeping the play in front of them and didn't give up any long plays. The turning point of the game came on the very next play that corner Fred Smoot was knocked out of the game because of an injury. Rookie Chris Horton deftly ran underneath the zone coverage and made a huge interception.

QB Tony Romo, Pass: 28 - 47 - 300 - 3 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0 - Romo was not afforded the normal time that he has enjoyed in previous weeks. Both he and the entire Dallas offense got off to a slower start as they adjusted to what Washington was doing. It certainly appeared that Romo was forcing the ball to Terrell Owens during the first half. Romo started to show some life late in the second quarter when he kept a drive alive by scrambling for a first down on key third down. Romo certainly showed flashes of greatness with his excellent pocket presence and he often stepped up in the pocket to avoid sacks and make plays down the field. The line on Romo was three scores and 300 yards passing. He was able to split his receptions and TDs to his various weapons. However, Romo will have nightmares about his terrible interception to Horton, as it was a real game changer.

RB Marion Barber III, Rush: 8 - 26 - 0, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (2 targets) - Barber's first run of the day was his best. He absolutely ran over a Washington defender and showed great power and determination. However, after that the Redskins had all the answers and really limited Barber and his overall effectiveness. Barber was often stuffed for no gain or only very short gains.

RB Felix Jones - His highlight of the day was being used as a decoy through motioning to draw coverage away from Witten on his touchdown catch.

WR Terrell Owens, Rush: 2 - 11 - 0, Rec: 7 - 71 - 1 (18 targets) - This was a very uneven performance for the mercurial Owens. His route running was sloppy and he seemed very tentative on his crossing routes like he was afraid to run into his own man coming across the middle. Owens also had a couple of drops. This may have been a factor in the lack of chemistry Owens and quarterback Tony Romo had this game. The Washington secondary and especially Shawn Springs deserves a lot of credit of limiting him on the day. In the second half the Cowboys had the ball to start the half and they quickly drove the field with a couple of Owens catches. This led to a great ten yard touchdown catch as Owens dragged to two defenders into the end zone.

WR Patrick Crayton, Rec: 7 - 87 - 0 (10 targets) - This was the most productive game for Crayton so far this year. He made several nice catches mostly of the short variety. He was used as a possession type receiver and helped keep a few of the drives going. It appeared that Washington was alright with him catching the short balls. In fact, Crayton was open the entire last drive of the half and helped set up a Nick Folk field goal.

WR Miles Austin, Rec: 3 - 45 - 1 (6 targets) - As teams continue to double both Witten and Owens the Cowboys are forced to give their third receiver some targets. Austin continues to run nice routes and has improved his catching abilities. Late in the fourth quarter Austin scored against the Washington prevent defense when the game was virtually over.

TE Jason Witten, Rec: 7 - 90 - 1 (10 targets) - Another solid game for Witten as he was often used in various formations to create mismatches for the pro bowl tight end. He was lined up in the slot and in the backfield quite frequently. Early in the game he scored on an easy pitch and catch with Tony Romo when he easily blew past Marcus Washington. Witten showed his trademark toughness after the catch and great hands on his seven grabs for 90 yards. In the third quarter, Witten was briefly shaken up after taking a hit. He later returned to the game and appeared to be fine.

TE Tony Curtis, Rec: 1 - -4 - 0 (1 targets) - Curtis caught a ball that he ultimately fumbled out of bounds for a loss on the play. He was absolutely drilled by linebacker London Fletcher causing the fumble.

TE Martellus Bennett, Rec: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets) - The rookie second round draft pick caught one ball on a scramble for a tiny gain. He was not a factor in the game.

PK Nick Folk 1 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points - The second year kicker remains perfect on the year and converted his only field goal attempt as well as all three extra points.

DAL Rush Defense - The Washington team dictated a perfect mix of run and high percentage passing. The Cowboys defense was gassed in the fourth quarter and could not come up with any key stops. Portis and company won the time of possession stat at over 38 minutes for the game.

DAL Pass Defense - The Cowboys were able to get some early pressure on Jason Campbell by sacking him twice in the first quarter. However, as the game went on Washington picked apart the Dallas zones. The Washington offensive line was able to give Campbell enough time to find the open man on a regular basis. Many of the passes were of the quick three step variety and Dallas had no answers all day.

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Philadelphia Eagles 20, Chicago Bears 24

What you need to know

Philadelphia Eagles - The Eagles were playing from behind for much of the game and would never catch up -- falling to 2-2 and last in the NFC East after a 24-20 loss to the resurgent Chicago Bears.

Quarterback Donovan McNabb had a decent day by his own standards, but couldn't manage to drive the team for a score at all in the second half.

The team certainly felt the absence of Brian Westbrook (who was out with an ankle injury), but RB Correll Buckhalter proved to be a serviceable fill in. Although it was more to the credit of the Bears defense, Buckhalter failed to put the Eagles ahead late in the fourth with two back to back opportunities from the one yard line.

WR DeSean Jackson continued his up and down season. He totaled just over one hundred yards from scrimmage and one TD. But also fumbled a punt. Reggie Brown looked healthy and productive, finishing the night as the team leader in both receiving yardage (79) and receptions (six).

Chicago Bears - The Bears moved into a tie for first position in the NFC North with the Green Bay Packers after Sunday night's victory over the Eagles.

QB Kyle Orton looked impressive overall in the game against an Eagles defense that came into the matchup with the league's 12th best passing defense. Although he began to trail off near the end of the game, he looked decisive, accurate, and commanding for most of the night.

Rookie RB Matt Forte didn't have the most eye popping game Sunday night rushing wise, but he more than made up for it in his role as a receiving back and through his solid, play changing, blitz pickups.

The passes weren't primarily thrown to any one WR or TE in the game, but Greg Olsen looked to be a favorite target of quarterback Kyle Orton. He is blossoming into quite the TE/WR hybrid. Unlike a usual Bears game, all of the team's touchdowns came through the air and were scored by three different players: Devin Hester, the aforementioned Greg Olsen, and Marty Booker.

What you ought to know

QB Donovan McNabb, Pass: 25 - 41 - 262 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - -5 - 0 - McNabb spread the ball around in typical fashion and looked like he was primed for yet another monstrous passing day after driving the Eagles downfield for two touchdowns (74 and 67 yard drives respectively) within the games first twenty minutes. It went downhill from there though, with McNabb unable to get the Eagles into the end zone for the go ahead score until late in the fourth quarter (more on that later). Without his primary weapon in Brian Westbrook, McNabb still had an impressive game and most importantly, looked unaffected by last week's chest injury.

RB Correll Buckhalter, Rush: 16 - 66 - 1, Rec: 2 - 24 - 0 (3 targets) - Buckhalter showed flashes of the injured RB he was filling in for in route to 66 yards and one TD on the ground (24 yards thru the air). The Nebraska alum actually left the game in the third quarter with a lower back contusion, and while his night was impressive for the most part, it unfortunately ended on a sour note. Deep inside Bears territory, Buckhalter was given three rushes inside the five yard line (one from the four and two from the one) and was stuffed by the Bears rejuvenated defense each and every time. It was as much a credit to the goal line stand from the Bears D as anything though.

RB Lorenzo Booker, Rush: 2 - 7 - 0, Rec: 1 - -3 - 0 (2 targets) - Booker only ran the ball twice for seven yards and was tackled behind the line of scrimmage on his only reception for negative three yards.

WR DeSean Jackson, Rush: 2 - 35 - 0, Rec: 5 - 71 - 1 (13 targets) - Despite fellow WR Reggie Brown's impressive game in the wake of injury, Jackson remained the apparent favorite of QB Donovan McNabb's esteemed targets. In addition to being targeted the most out of anyone on the team, the rookie was also called upon in the running game -- being given two end around handoffs that resulted in 21 and 14 yard gains. Jackson finished the night with 106 yards from scrimmage and one receiving TD. On the punt returning side of the ball, Jackson did manage to make two mistakes. One came on a muffed punt early in the second quarter and the other was a misjudged no catch on a ball that rolled to a stop out of bounds at the Eagles four yard line. All in all though, it was another impressive showing for the rookie wide out.

WR Reggie Brown, Rec: 6 - 79 - 0 (10 targets) - It appeared that Reggie Brown had successfully returned from his hamstring injury. He was second to only DeSean Jackson in targets and caught six passes for 79 yards, including back to back receptions in the second quarter for 16 and 31 yards. Brown was not targeted in the red zone, but then again, neither was anyone else since the Eagles did nothing but pound the ball with the ground game whenever they were near the goal line.

WR Jason Avant, Rec: 4 - 29 - 0 (5 targets) - Avant played a part in the Eagles offensive game plan on Sunday, just not a major one. He ended the night with four receptions for 29 yards.

WR Hank Baskett, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) - Baskett played a bit role in the teams week four game, managing only one catch for ten yards on two targets.

TE Brent Celek, Rec: 3 - 21 - 0 (4 targets) - Celek did what he was asked to do in fill in work for injured TE L.J. Smith on Sunday, catching three of his four targets for 21 yards.

PK David Akers 2 - 4 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points - Akers missed two field goals from 50 and 47 yards, which could have ensured the Eagles were ahead late in the game. He did convert from 31 and 24 yards and managed to kick both of his extra point attempts thru the uprights, though.

PHI Rush Defense - The Philadelphia Eagles rush defense continued its league leading performance in week four, holding the Bears' heralded rookie RB Matt Forte to just 43 yards on 19 attempts.

PHI Pass Defense - The Eagles passing defense picked off Kyle Orton twice and sacked him four times. They also held him a yard under 200 yards but did let up three passing touchdowns in the game.

QB Kyle Orton, Pass: 18 - 34 - 199 - 3 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - Orton not only managed to have a very good game against a very tough passing defense, but he also played a major part in why the Bears won the game. For the majority of the night, Orton looked calm, collected, decisive, and accurate. In the midst of a throw in the second quarter, he was hit and the ball was flung up into the air like a lame duck -- a duck that was immediately devoured by Eagles defensive end Darren Howard. Thus, only one of Orton's two interceptions on Sunday night was actually the result of his reads and poor decisions. It's appearing as if Lovie Smith and the rest of the Bears organization made the correct decision to start him over Rex Grossman.

RB Matt Forte, Rush: 19 - 43 - 0, Rec: 5 - 42 - 0 (6 targets) - Forte's day (from a rushing perspective) may have been a tad disappointing (19 carries for 43 yards) but his contributions elsewhere had a lot to say about where his future is likely headed. The talented rookie out of Tulane University caught five balls for 42 yards and proved to be in the rare class of rookie RB's who are both intelligent and effective when it comes to blocking and quick and talented to succeed in blitz pickups.

RB Kevin Jones, Rush: 3 - 16 - 0 - Jones had three carries in relief of RB Matt Forte for 16 yards. One of the carries was a shifty 15 yard scamper that was quite impressive to say the least.

WR Devin Hester, Rush: 1 - 15 - 0, Rec: 3 - 27 - 1 (5 targets) - Hester added 27 yards and one TD on three receptions to his 99 kick return and 15 rushing yards (one attempt) in a performance that showed a lot of promise for the electric young player as a wide receiver. He could have made the night even more memorable had he managed to pull in a long first quarter pass that would have most certainly ended in a touchdown.

WR Marty Booker, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0, Rec: 1 - 23 - 1 (4 targets) - Veteran WR Marty Booker only converted one of his four targets into a reception, but it was quite the reception, going for 23 yards and a touchdown.

WR Brandon Lloyd, Rec: 2 - 33 - 0 (3 targets) - Lloyd looked promising in what he played in thru the first two quarters; however he suddenly began walking towards the sidelines right before a second quarter play, and fell to the ground after an Orton offered suggestion in order to show that he was injured. The confusion at first suggested that Lloyd may have a concussion, but that was quickly put to rest when it was confirmed his exit was due to a knee injury. As of the wee hours of Sunday morning, nothing further had been reported on the seriousness of the injury.

WR Rashied Davis, Rec: 1 - 34 - 0 (2 targets) - Davis looked to be a sure part of the Bears game plan after a 34 yard catch and run on the first play of the game. However, he was only targeted once more and would finish the game with the same stats that he started off with.

TE Greg Olsen, Rec: 4 - 35 - 1 (7 targets) - Olsen was targeted early and often and had arguably the best finishing stat line out of anyone in the teams receiving category. He ran hard, he blocked hard, and he looked like a wide receiver crossed with a ballet dancer during a 19 yard first quarter catch that was oh so close to being called out of bounds.

PK Robbie Gould 1 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points - Gould converted all three of his extra point attempts and his only field goal attempt of 41 yards.

CHI Rush Defense - Even if the rushing defense had let up 500 yards rushing prior to its goal line stand at the end of the game, the accomplishment still would have been incredibly impressive. In addition to stopping Correll Buckhalter form punching it in from the four yard line, the defense would go on to stop Tony Hunt and Buckhalter from the one not once, not twice, but three times.

CHI Pass Defense - The passing defense didn't exactly shut down the Eagles passing game or anything, but they did manage to pick off McNabb once and hold him to one passing TD.

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San Diego Chargers 28, Oakland Raiders 18

What you need to know

San Diego Chargers - RB LaDainian Tomlinson finally had a big statistical day, with 115 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. Still, nearly half of his production came on one big run and he didn't look good on a consistent basis.

QB Philip Rivers put up pedestrian statistics for the first time all season long, and never was able to get into a rhythm with Oakland pressuring him all game long.

TE Antonio Gates looked like he was all the way back from offseason toe surgery, as he put up 58 more yards and another score. He didn't look to be limited in any way down the field.

Oakland Raiders - With starting halfback Darren McFadden slowed by a turf toe injury, Michael Bush took over the majority of the carries for the Raiders. He turned 21 touches into 128 yards and was the team's go to guy in the fourth quarter.

QB JaMarcus Russell played a nice game considering he was under a lot of pressure late in the contest. He doesn't look like someone in their first full season as a starter.

TE Zach Miller broke out in a big way, with a game high 95 yards receiving that included a 63 yard catch and run for a touchdown that really demonstrated his speed and athletic ability.

What you ought to know

QB Philip Rivers, Pass: 14 - 25 - 180 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 3 - 12 - 0 - Rivers faced relentless pressure almost from the moment he stepped onto the field. On just his second series of the game, he tried handing off to LaDainian Tomlinson in the shadow of his own end zone. The Oakland defensive front has pushed through so quickly that the handoff was never made, the ball was fumbled, and Rivers had no choice but to cover it up in the end zone and take a safety. The ensuing possessions resulted in three punts, two interceptions, and a couple of field goal attempts. Never once in the first three quarters did the Chargers put a serious drive together and come close to scoring a touchdown through the air. Despite all the pressure he faced, Rivers didn't flinch. He stood in on the blitz, and took several nasty shots. One hit was particularly scary, as he had his left leg rolled up on by an Oakland defender. After limping around a bit, he remained in the game. Later, he was sacked by Terdell Sands and was seen rotating his arm to try and loosen his shoulder. Despite his willingness to stand in the pocket, that doesn't necessarily mean he was playing well. The pressure clearly affected his timing and rhythm, as he made two uncharacteristically bad throws that both resulted in interceptions. One was a floater off his back leg that lacked any kind of velocity, and the other was a forced pass into double coverage that was actually picked off by DeAngelo Hall that was thrown well beyond the intended receiver.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson, Rush: 20 - 106 - 2, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (3 targets) - For much of the afternoon, Tomlinson looked a lot like the back who has struggled through the season's first three weeks. He had very little running room as the Raiders were getting a great push from their defensive front, and through the third quarter his long run of the game went for just five yards. Not only that, but he had dropped a handoff exchange from Philip Rivers early in the game that led to a safety (a fumble charged to Rivers), he had fumbled himself (though he recovered it moments later), and he had dropped an easy pass in the flat. The dropped pass was especially costly, because he would have waltzed into the end zone had he been able to catch the ball. But he tried running before he had it, and with that lost a chance at a ten yard touchdown. Through three quarters, Tomlinson had run the ball 13 times for just 31 yards (2.4 YPC). But early in the fourth quarter, he slipped off a tackler on an inside handoff and found the end zone from thirteen yards out. That appeared to spark him, as his next six carries went for 34 yards and he seemed to be getting stronger. Finally, with San Diego up by three and in possession of the ball, he took a handoff towards the left side of the line. He opted to cut it back to the right, and there wasn't an Oakland defender in sight. He sprinted up the right sideline, broke a tackle at the five yard line, and scored his second touchdown of the game. On the play, Tomlinson had a chance to duplicate Brian Westbrook's maneuver of 2007 and fall down shy of the goal line to guarantee his team a victory, but with his season going the way it has so far he's not about to give up any touchdowns at this point.

RB Darren Sproles, Rush: 6 - 12 - 0, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (3 targets) - With starter LaDainian Tomlinson's toe feeling a lot better, Sproles didn't see much action on offense. He spelled Tomlinson at times to give him a breather, but didn't fill a specific role in the game. However, he did make his presence felt on two occasions. He gave a great effort in breaking a tackle on a two point conversion reception to put San Diego up 18-15, and his 67 yard kick return helped set up the eventual game-winning field goal.

RB Mike Tolbert, Rush: 1 - 11 - 0, Rec: 1 - 14 - 0 (1 targets) - Tolbert has become a legitimate part of the passing game over the last few weeks. He again displayed nice footwork and vision in this game after a quick screen pass, but was reported to have limped off the field. No update was given on his condition, and while he's not a terribly significant fantasy player he does hold some value in deep PPR leagues.

WR Vincent Jackson, Rec: 3 - 52 - 0 (8 targets) - As has been the case most weeks this season, Jackson did what he could with the action he saw. While he did get a team high eight targets, several of the passes were simply uncatchable. The ones Jackson was near, he hauled in.

WR Chris Chambers, Rec: 2 - 42 - 0 (5 targets) - Chambers' streak of consecutive games with a touchdown ended with this contest, and this game demonstrated why it is so difficult to include Chambers with the league's very elite receiving options. While he has put up very solid stats with the Chargers, his opportunities are much fewer and further between than a typical number one receiver. For instance, Chambers was thrown to just once in the entire second half despite the Chargers throwing the ball fourteen times. The pass was almost a touchdown, but Chambers was held on the play and it disrupted the timing. Had the Oakland defender (DeAngelo Hall) not committed the penalty, Chambers likely would've easily scored from 29 yards out.

TE Antonio Gates, Rec: 5 - 58 - 1 (7 targets) - Gates just keeps on plugging along, this time putting up another solid effort of 58 yards and a touchdown. With the production of both Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson a bit sporadic to open the season, Gates has re-established himself as San Diego's go to guy.

PK Nate Kaeding 2 - 4 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points - Kaeding was inconsistent on the day, converting just two of the four kick attempts he had. He had a 44 yard attempt blocked midway through the second quarter, and later missed badly to the right from 47 yards out. But with the game tied at 18 late in the fourth quarter, Kaeding's 47 yard attempt was true and proved to be the game-winning points.

SD Rush Defense - Despite some early issues with poor tackling, the Chargers recovered to put up a nice performance against the run. Michael Bush did a lot of damage in the short passing game, but running the ball was another story. His long gain went for just twelve yards, and he averaged just 3.4 yards per carry. Darren McFadden fared even worse, gaining just 2.9 per carry on his seven rushes. Perhaps most importantly, they didn't allow the Raiders to punch the ball into the end zone on the ground when they had a golden opportunity. QB JaMarcus Russell took off towards the goal line on third down and looked to have an easy score ahead of him. But CB Quentin Jammer made a phenomenal tackle of the much larger Russell right at the goal line to save the touchdown. On the next play, Bush got in for a touchdown but the play was nullified by a penalty and the Raiders had to settle for a field goal.

SD Pass Defense - Once again, San Diego had issues with the pass defense. At least for the first three quarters. Early on, the Chargers had zero pass rush against the Raiders. JaMarcus Russell stood back and fired the ball around without fear. On one play in particular, he had so much time to throw that TE Zach Miller managed to get up the field and down the seam behind every single San Diego defender before Russell even had to throw it. When he finally did, Miller was well beyond everyone else and he took it in for a long touchdown. The Chargers simply lost track of Miller, which is made more amazing by the fact that they weren't even blitzing on the play and were back in coverage. Eventually, however, things began breaking right for the Chargers. LB Tim Dobbins was in the right place at the right time in intercepting a screen pass intended for RB Darren McFadden that bounced off his hands. That turnover was quickly turned into a San Diego touchdown. As the fourth quarter went on, the Chargers ramped up the defensive intensity. By the end of the game, this team that had shown no pass rush early on suddenly had six sacks (including one that caused a Russell fumble).

QB JaMarcus Russell, Pass: 22 - 37 - 277 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 4 - 0 - At times, JaMarcus Russell showed the tools that made him the first overall pick in the 2007 draft. He's poised in the pocket, typically hits his receivers in stride, and obviously has a huge arm. On one pass play, he was rolling to his left and falling backwards when he launched a pass downfield. The ball, intended for WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, would travel somewhere between sixty and seventy yards before falling incomplete, but it was a great illustration of his phenomenal arm strength. Late in the contest with the outcome mostly decided, he managed to complete two passes with his left (non-throwing) hand. Unfortunately, he doesn't always know what to do with those great tools he's got. He still lacks touch on the softer stuff, fades and screens mostly, as evidenced on his screen pass to Darren McFadden. The ball wasn't precisely where it needed to be, was batted in the air, and intercepted by a San Diego defender. In fairness, it was Russell's first interception in his last 113 pass attempts. Russell also showed that just having a big body doesn't necessarily translate into an ability to pick up yardage on the ground. He appeared to be on his way to a rushing score late in the second quarter, but the 260 pound Russell allowed himself to be tripped up by 204 pound Quentin Jammer just at the goal line. Following a penalty on the following play, Oakland had to settle for a field goal rather than the touchdown.

RB Michael Bush, Rush: 14 - 48 - 0, Rec: 7 - 80 - 0 (8 targets) - With Darren McFadden still not feeling 100%, the primary halfback duties fell on Bush this week. He responded with 128 yards from scrimmage and a rushing touchdown that was called back due to a penalty. Right from the outset, it was obvious that Bush was going to have a role in the game. He entered as soon as the Raiders got near the goal line, and saw regular carries the entire first half. Late in the second quarter, Bush was given a fourth down carry from the San Diego one yard line. He dove into the end zone for the apparent score, but the touchdown was nullified due to a holding penalty. Bush remained in the game and had compiled a serviceable 81 yards from scrimmage near the end of the fourth quarter. But with the Raiders trailing by ten and the Chargers in a prevent defense, Bush added another four receptions for 47 yards on the final drive to put a stamp on his afternoon with some "garbage time" gems.

RB Darren McFadden, Rush: 7 - 20 - 0, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (3 targets) - McFadden appeared to be favoring his right foot from the outset of the game. During the second quarter, he was on the bench with his shoe off as Michael Bush got all of the work. McFadden practiced on a limited basis this week, and the team was unsure how much of a workload he'd be able to handle. If this game was any indication, the answer is not much. He had just nine touches for a mere 37 yards, was out of the game on the goal line package, and wasn't seen or heard from the entire fourth quarter as Michael Bush was the team's go-to guy.

WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, Rec: 4 - 35 - 0 (7 targets) - Higgins opened the game with a bang, taking the opening kick out to midfield. He's clearly got big-play potential and the ability to score from anywhere on the field every time he touches the ball. His opportunities were limited with the Chargers giving the Raiders a lot of short passing options underneath, whereas Higgins excels more in the deep passing game. He still managed to finish as the most targeted wide receiver on the team and is slowly creeping towards becoming Oakland's number one wide receiver option.

WR Javon Walker, Rec: 2 - 34 - 0 (3 targets) - In a game very similar to last week's result, Walker caught passes on the first two plays of the game and then didn't catch another ball the rest of the afternoon. At this point it is becoming quite apparent that he's not someone to rely upon for any kind of fantasy production unless you are absolutely desperate. He'll need to show a lot more before anyone should worry about putting him into a lineup.

WR Ronald Curry, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (4 targets) - Curry did very little with the small amount of action he saw, and with the tight end and running backs becoming more and more involved in the passing game, Curry doesn't appear to be boosting his value any time soon.

TE Zach Miller, Rec: 5 - 95 - 1 (8 targets) - Miller's wildly successful day could've been even better had he been able to maintain his footing down near the goal line. After hauling in a 63 yard touchdown and leading the team in receiving yardage, Miller was targeted on a fourth quarter pass in the end zone. The play called for a timing route, and the ball was released as Miller went into his break. Unfortunately for him, he slipped while trying to make his move and he was unable to recover in time to get to the ball. Had he been able to stay on his feet, it's all but certain that he would've caught a 14 yard touchdown pass. The touchdown he did manage to catch was simply a case of getting lost in the deep secondary. He took off down the seam and the defensive backs just lost track of him. That being said, he still had to outrun several defenders a good portion of the way to the end zone, and he did just that. If he keeps making plays like that, there's no reason why he won't continue to be the most heavily-targeted player on the team.

PK Sebastian Janikowski 3 - 4 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 10 points - On a day where Janikowski connected for three field goals, it was what he didn't do that was more noteworthy. His longest field goal of the game was from just 32 yards out, so each of his made kicks was nothing more than a chip shot. But just before halftime, coach Lane Kiffin trotted Janikowski onto the field to attempt what would have been a record-shattering 76 yard field goal. Kicking into a slight wind, the kick came up well short of the target, just shy of the end zone. But the mere fact that Kiffin thought it possible for Janikowski could connect from such a distance is amazing in itself, and is a testament to the kicker's leg strength. One oddity that isn't likely to factor into much scoring for this week. Janikowski connected on a 31 yard field goal in the second quarter. There was a penalty on San Diego that gave the Raiders a first down, so they took the points off the board. The drive stalled three plays later, however, and the Raiders called for another field goal. This time, the kick was from just 28 yards out. In most scoring systems, there is no difference between a 28 and a 31 yard field goal, but it's worth noting for the few scoring systems where there is a difference.

OAK Rush Defense - For most of the afternoon, the Raiders held LaDainian Tomlinson and company in check. Tomlinson entered the fourth quarter with 13 carries for just 31 yards, a meager 2.4 YPC average, and zero touchdowns. That he finished with 106 yards on 20 carries and two scores is a testament to how well the Chargers ran the ball in the fourth quarter. Or more specifically, it serves to show just how poorly the Raiders tackled. They had opportunities to bring Tomlinson down on each of his touchdown runs, but arm tackles against one of the greatest runners of all-time aren't normally going to get the job done. They got a great push early on and really bottled up the vaunted San Diego rushing attack in the first half. They even got on the backfield so quickly on one particular first quarter play that the timing was disrupted on a handoff and the ball was fumbled. Oakland pounced on it for a safety, and controlled the early portion of the game from that point forward. Tomlinson was held in check, with his long run going for just five yards through three quarters. But until they learn to do it for a full four quarters they are going to continue to have problems in this area.

OAK Pass Defense - The Raiders made sure Philip Rivers never got comfortable in the pocket all afternoon. The proof is in the numbers, as he was sacked four times and intercepted twice. What's more, the relentless Raider pass rush caused Rivers to rush a few throws and put them in places he didn't necessarily want them to be. Both of his interceptions were a direct result of his timing being off due to the oncoming rush, and there were a few other instances where he was close to getting picked as well. The fact that San Diego overcame a 12 point fourth quarter deficit to put up 25 points and STILL Rivers was held under 200 yards goes to show just how well the pass defense for this team played. If only the run defense has matched the other unit, the Raiders may have been able to escape with a victory.

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Houston Texans 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 30

What you need to know

Houston Texans - The Texans used a very effective passing attack to send a close game into overtime, where they eventually lost. Houston attempted to establish the run early on, but with limited success. Ahman Green did not suit up for this game, and the running game was placed in the hands of Chris Taylor and Steve Slaton. Both players ran hard, but found very few openings at the line of scrimmage. They were stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage on 30 percent of their rushing attempts.

As a result of their futile rushing game, Houston turned to their passing game, which proved very successful. Matt Schaub began by focusing on shorter passes in some part due to the pressure he faced early on and once he got into a rhythm, connected on more intermediate throws and some deeper ones. Schaub was very accurate on his short and intermediate routes, but less so when he attempted deep passes. However, he came close on a couple of long pass plays where his intended receiver Andre Davis tripped over his own feet while breaking open, and on another pass to the same player that just missed. Schaub was most successful throwing to his tight end, Owen Daniels, as well as Kevin Walter and Slaton. They all ran mostly short and intermediate routes, and Schaub made good decisions as to which one to throw to. He got them the ball in positions where they were able to gain positive yards after securing the passes.

The Texans attempted eight plays on three possessions in the red zone, and came away with two touchdowns and a field goal. They only ran twice, with Slaton and Taylor getting one carry apiece. Schaub targeted Daniels three times inside the ten yard line, but Walter came away with the touchdowns on both of his red zone targets. Slaton was the recipient of a screen pass that he took to the nine yard line before being tackled.

Jacksonville Jaguars - The Jaguars were unable to generate the type of dominant running game they had the previous week, and instead relied on some creativity and a very efficient short passing game to stay in this close game. Coach Del Rio showed creativity early by calling for a direct snap to backup fullback Montell Owens on a fourth and six play on their first series that caught the Texans off guard. While their punting team was scrambling around, Owens took the ball and ran 41 yards for a touchdown. Jacksonville was unable to get much going in the running game, and Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew combined for a 3.35 yards per carry average on 17 rushing attempts. They were stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage on just under 30 percent of their rushing attempts, and were unable to get many yards when they managed to get through.

Garrard picked up the slack by focusing on short passes to his wide receivers, and to a lesser extent his running backs. He was very accurate, usually hitting them in stride to allow them to catch the ball and gain a few yards afterwards. Several of Garrard's passes were between six and eight yards that resulted in first downs. Although Jerry Porter made his season debut, he was only targeted once, as Garrard targeted Matt Jones, Mile Walker and Reggie Williams the most. Garrard did attempt to involve tight end Marcedes Lewis, but Lewis dropped all four of the passes thrown to him, albeit he was well defended on one of those plays. Garrard's numbers could have been enhanced further had it not been for a 25 yard catch by Williams being nullified by offsetting penalties.

The Jaguars ran eight plays on three red zone possessions, and came away with two touchdowns and the game winning field goal. Three of four running plays were by Garrard, including a designed run that resulted in a touchdown that gave Jacksonville the lead with under two minutes remaining in the game. Taylor had the other red zone carry, which set up the game winning field goal. Garrard distributed his red zone passes to four different receivers, with Matt Jones turning his target into a touchdown.

What you ought to know

QB Matt Schaub, Pass: 29 - 40 - 307 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 5 - 24 - 0 - Schaub was very effective passing against an aggressive Jacksonville pass rush. He usually made the right decisions in terms of which passes to attempt and when to scramble, averaging just under five yards per scramble. Schaub took what the defense gave him, which was mostly short and intermediate passes, and capitalized on them. He displayed good poise in leading his team to score-tying drives several times, and as a result kept his team in the game until overtime. Schaub had good rapport with Owen Daniels, Steve Slaton and Kevin Walter, targeting them a combined 26 times out of the 40 total passes he threw.

RB Steve Slaton, Rush: 10 - 33 - 0, Rec: 8 - 83 - 1 (8 targets) - Slaton was unable to generate much in the running game, but showed excellent versatility by being a major contributor in the passing game. He was used on more than dump off passes, running a variety of routes very well, including a deep pass pattern when he caught a pass for a 30 yard touchdown, outrunning defensive backs in the process.

RB Chris Taylor, Rush: 8 - 22 - 0 - Taylor ran hard, but without much success. He left the game at one point with a leg injury, but returned shortly afterwards.

RB Vonta Leach, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) - The fullback was used almost exclusively as a blocker.

WR Kevin Walter, Rec: 8 - 76 - 2 (9 targets) - Walter ran mostly short and intermediate routes, and did so very crisply, routinely getting open. Even when he was not open by much, he displayed excellent hands catching passes that were thrown where only he could make a play on them. The only pass Walter did not catch was thrown too high.

WR Andre Johnson, Rec: 3 - 38 - 0 (7 targets) - Johnson's numbers were modest, but he was over thrown twice while open on intermediate patterns, and drew a flag on the defender covering him on another deep pattern. Although Johnson managed to get open several times throughout the game, they were on mostly intermediate and deep patterns, and Schaub did not have time to get him the ball due to Jacksonville's pass rush.

WR Jacoby Jones, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) - Jones' involvement was more as a kick returner than a receiver.

WR Andre Davis, Rec: 1 - 14 - 0 (3 targets) - Davis was targeted deep early, but tripped over his own feet as he separated from his defender, and slightly overthrown on the other deep pass thrown to him.

TE Owen Daniels, Rec: 7 - 87 - 0 (9 targets) - Daniels and Schaub were in sync throughout the game, with Daniels running excellent routes, and showing good running ability after the catch several times. He ran a variety of routes, and was the primary receiving option on most of his targets. Daniels continued to prove he is more than a possession receiver by running several routes that were designed for big gains, and only excellent help by the Jaguars' secondary prevented him from having even bigger numbers.

PK Kris Brown 2 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 9 points - Brown made all three of his point after attempts and both of his field goal attempts, which were from 27 and 47 yards.

HOU Rush Defense - Houston's rush defense did a commendable job although they were not repeatedly tested. They placed eight men in the box on a lot of running downs and did a good job of bottling up Jacksonville's running backs and stopped Taylor and Jones-Drew at or behind the line of scrimmage on just under 30 percent of their rushing attempts. However, they were unable to contain Garrard on some designed quarterback runs, including one for a touchdown.

HOU Pass Defense - The Texans did not get to Garrard much, in large part to him utilizing a quick-strike, short passing game. They blitzed at times, but only managed to record one sack, as the Jaguars were able to pick up the blitzes successfully. Houston was unable to prevent Jacksonville's receivers from getting open on the short passes and gave up some yards after the catch. They prevented big plays in the passing game, but did not generate any turnovers.

QB David Garrard, Pass: 23 - 32 - 236 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 7 - 41 - 1 - Garrard was impressive in taking command of the offense with both pinpoint passing in the short game and timely running both to escape pressure and on designed running plays. He spread the ball around to whoever was open, and made good decisions in terms of who to pass to and when to scramble. Garrard would have posted even better numbers but several of his passes were dropped, most notably by Marcedes Lewis who dropped four passes. Undaunted, Garrard continued to look for ways to put his team in position to score, and had excellent all-around numbers both rushing and passing.

RB Fred Taylor, Rush: 10 - 25 - 0, Rec: 3 - 21 - 0 (3 targets) - Taylor also had limited opportunities, also in large part due to the success of the short passing game. He had 13 touches, and ran with good strength on his pass receptions, turning short passes into good yards after the catch. He did not have much room to run, and as a result posted low rushing numbers.

RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Rush: 7 - 32 - 0, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (2 targets) - Jones-Drew did not have many opportunities during the game. He showed flashes of his power by carrying defenders for additional yards after contact a couple of occasions, but only touched the ball nine times in the game. Part of the reason was the success of the short passing game with Garrard and Jacksonville's wide receivers.

RB Greg Jones, Rec: 2 - 28 - 0 (2 targets) - Jones was used mostly for his blocking, but made a big play in overtime, taking a short pass and breaking several tackles for a 22 yard run to Houston's 19 yard line in overtime. That play set up Josh Scobee's game winning field goal.

RB Montell Owens, Rush: 1 - 41 - 1 - The backup fullback made the most of his one opportunity, taking a direct snap on a fake punt and running 41 yards for a touchdown on the Jaguars' opening drive.

WR Matt Jones, Rec: 5 - 71 - 1 (6 targets) - Jones continued the good start to his season by posting his fourth consecutive game with five or more receptions. He used his size to advantage by getting between the ball and his defenders for some of his receptions. Jones also ran well after the catch on a couple other receptions, including the short pass he turned into a touchdown. He played with a lot of confidence in this game.

WR Mike Walker, Rec: 5 - 46 - 0 (6 targets) - Walker enjoyed being a featured part of Jacksonville's passing game. He managed to get open on short routes, and showed very good hands and feet awareness. The only pass Walker did not catch was one that was thrown too low by Garrard.

WR Reggie Williams, Rec: 4 - 46 - 0 (7 targets) - Williams was very effective going over the middle and catching passes in traffic. He ran hard after the catch and gained several yards after initial contact. He had a 25 yard reception called back due to offsetting penalties that took place behind the line of scrimmage.

WR Jerry Porter, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - Porter made his season debut but was only involved in one pass play, a short pass that he caught. He was on the field for several plays, but was only targeted once.

TE Richard Angulo, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (2 targets) - Angulo caught his first pass of the season but was not much of a factor in the game.

TE Marcedes Lewis (4 targets) - Lewis dropped each pass thrown to him. Although he was very well covered on one of the plays, the ball hit his hands on each of his targets. Garrard continued to show faith in him and kept throwing his way if he became open.

PK Josh Scobee 3 - 3 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 12 points - Scobee made all three of his point after attempts, and all three of his field goal attempts, which were from 46, 40 and the game winner from 37 yards.

JAX Rush Defense - Jacksonville's rush defense was effective in the limited opportunities they had. Thanks to the defensive line along with the linebackers help, they were able to stop Houston's running backs for little gains on most of their rushing attempts. They flowed quickly to the ball carriers and prevented many yards after the first tackler got to the runners.

JAX Pass Defense - The Jaguars' pass defense was aggressive, but not very effective. In an effort to generate more pressure, they attempted more blitzes in the second half, but were unable to record a sack or get an interception. Top cornerback Rashean Mathis left the game in the first half, and his replacements did not prevent Houston's receivers from getting open. Jacksonville gave up over 300 yards in the air and three passing touchdowns, and their secondary was beaten on all three.

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Baltimore Ravens 20, Pittsburgh Steelers 23

What you need to know

Baltimore Ravens - The Baltimore Ravens appeared to have the game under their control into the third quarter but let up two quick scores which allowed Pittsburgh to get back into the game. To their credit, they did not fold after Pittsburgh regained the lead and battled back to the tie the game and force overtime.

QB Joe Flacco lost one fumble for a Steelers' score but generally managed the game well. He heaved a few deep balls but had trouble finding his receivers downfield. He targeted WR Derrick Mason frequently and the two hooked up for a 35 yard play to the five yard line that setup the game tying run from RB Le'Ron McClain. Flacco's touchdown pass to TE Daniel Wilcox was the first touchdown pass of his career.

RB Willis McGahee left the game on two separate occasions with injury and ultimately finished the game on the sidelines. His eye was still blood red from the eye injury he suffered in week three and at one point he was in the locker room having his chest x-rayed. LeRon McClain took most of the carries in McGahee's absence as RB Ray Rice was only used sparingly.

Outside of Mason, no Ravens receivers did anything of note. TE Todd Heap had no catches but did play and blocked.

The Ravens defense looked inspired for most of the game and stopped the Steelers on a goal to go situation late in the game, limiting them to a field goal, which allowed the Ravens to come back and score the game tying touchdown. They were forced to defend a short field in overtime and after the 24 yard reception by RB Mewelde Moore, there was not much they could do to stop the game winning field goal by Steelers K Jeff Reed.

Pittsburgh Steelers - The Pittsburgh Steelers looked awful for the most of the game and were booed by their home crowd. But they were able to pick up the win after coming alive in the second half.

The Steelers had six straight possessions without a first down at one point in the game but managed two quick scores in the third quarter that put them ahead.

QB Ben Roethlisberger is still dealing with separate hand, knee, and shoulder injuries and did not seem to be his normal self. The team was missing RB Willie Parker and generally had trouble moving the ball down the field. Roethlisberger's interception was a ball that he tried to pump fake and pull back in but it got out of his hand.

The Steelers also lost two running backs as RB Rashard Mendenhall and RB Carey Davis left the game in the second half with injuries. RB Mewelde Moore was the only remaining, active running back for Pittsburgh. He took advantage of the situation by setting up the game winning field goal in overtime with a 24 yard catch and run through the stout Baltimore defense.

WR Santonio Holmes avoided two Ravens defenders and scampered into the end zone for the Steelers' only offensive touchdown after catching a Roethlisberger pass over the middle. WR Hines Ward was relatively quiet outside of a 49 yard reception in which Ravens CB Chris McAllister stumbled, leaving Ward open.

LB James Harrison ran a fumble recovery into the end zone just seconds after Holmes' touchdown. The Steelers were unable to haul in any interceptions but batted a few balls away to prevent catches and they were able to keep frequent pressure on young QB Joe Flacco.

The Ravens received the ball first in overtime but the Pittsburgh defense forced them to punt.

What you ought to know

QB Joe Flacco, Pass: 16 - 31 - 192 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - -1 - 0 - QB Joe Flacco suffered the first loss of his young NFL career but was able to keep his team in the game in a high pressure situation on the road. Flacco exhibited superb arm strength but had trouble with accuracy hitting his receivers with the deep ball.

He fumbled twice. The first fumble was recovered by LB James Harrison who ran the ball into the end zone for a go ahead score. The second fumble was recovered by a teammate. The Ravens ran a conservative offense, as usual, but Flacco was able to hit WR Derrick Mason on a number of plays which helped a historically stagnant offense move the ball down the field.

RB LeRon McClain, Rush: 16 - 63 - 1, Rec: 3 - 26 - 0 (5 targets) - RB LeRon McClain was the most reliable running back for the Ravens in the loss. RB Willis McGahee was knocked out of the game twice which allowed McClain to see increased playing time. McClain scored the game tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

RB Willis McGahee, Rush: 13 - 42 - 0, Rec: 3 - 19 - 0 (3 targets) - RB Willis McGahee left the game twice due to injury. After his second departure, he was in the locker room receiving x-rays on his chest and returned for only one more carry. He was on the sideline for the rest of the game. His left eye is still completely red because of the eye injury he sustained in week three.

RB Ray Rice, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - RB Ray Rice only saw limited action despite the two injuries to RB Willis McGahee.

WR Derrick Mason, Rec: 8 - 137 - 0 (15 targets) - WR Derrick Mason had a big game for the Ravens. He brought the ball to the five yard line on a third down reception for 35 yards which setup the game-tying score from RB LeRon McClain. He was easily QB Joe Flacco's favorite target throughout the game. One reception was originally ruled incomplete but a booth challenge overturned the play as Mason clearly dragged both feet in bounds.

In the first quarter, Mason nearly had a touchdown catch but the play was ruled incomplete. Replay revealed that Mason may have had both feet in bounds but there was no challenge from the Ravens' coaching staff.

WR Mark Clayton, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 (4 targets) - WR Mark Clayton was very quiet in the loss but did take one end-around handoff for the Ravens.

WR Demetrius Williams, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (3 targets) - WR Demetrius Williams was not a big factor for the Ravens in week four. He was the target of a deep pass from QB Joe Flacco in the first quarter but the ball was slightly underthrown. Williams made a nice attempt at an acrobatic play but was unable to completely get around the defender.

TE Daniel Wilcox, Rec: 1 - 4 - 1 (1 targets) - TE Daniel Wilcox caught only one pass but it was QB Joe Flacco's first career touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone.

TE Todd Heap (2 targets) - TE Todd Heap did not bring in a catch in the loss but did block on the line for the Ravens.

PK Matt Stover 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points - K Matt Stover was perfect on the day but had a close call on the game tying extra point in the fourth quarter when the kick bounced off of the upright but managed to fall through for the score.

BAL Rush Defense - The Baltimore run defense was stout in the loss. Two Steelers running backs left the game with injuries and none were able to get anything significant through the ground.

BAL Pass Defense - The Ravens pass defense played well against the Steelers -- limiting the damage through the air. They had two missed tackles on WR Santonio Holmes' touchdown reception and allowed RB Mewelde Moore to shiftily maneuver through the defense to setup the game winning field goal in overtime.

The Ravens put regular pressure on QB Ben Roethlisberger and managed three total sacks. However, Roethlisberger was able to make a couple of nice plays despite the pressure including hitting WR Hines Ward for a large gain when CB Chris McAllister stumbled, leaving Ward wide open down the sideline.

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 14 - 24 - 191 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 3 - 0 - QB Ben Roethlisberger led his team to victory Monday night despite battling knee, hand, and shoulder injuries. He appeared to be at least slightly bothered by the injuries. On the interception, he appeared to want to pump fake the pass but the ball came out of his hand. It was an obvious error as there were no receivers in the area and he threw the ball softly right into the hands of DT Haloti Ngata.

He was sacked three times and managed to avoid a few hits in order to make plays by scrambling out of the pocket. At one point the Steelers went six possessions without a first down and only managed to break out of the slump when Ravens LB Jarret Johnson was flagged for a 15 yard personal foul penalty. The penalty setup the touchdown catch by WR Santonio Holmes.

RB Mewelde Moore, Rush: 8 - 13 - 0, Rec: 3 - 37 - 0 (4 targets) - Late in the second half, RB Mewelde Moore was the only active running back left for the Steelers. Moore was also returning kicks throughout the game. He made a large gain on a reception in overtime to setup the game winning field goal.

RB Rashard Mendenhall, Rush: 9 - 30 - 0, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - RB Rashard Mendenhall left the game early in the second half with a shoulder injury. He did not return. After a much anticipated start, he finished with nine rushes for 30 yards with a long run of 12 yards. He looked pretty much like you would have expected - a rookie running back with nice potential against a dominating and physical rush defense.

RB Carey Davis, Rush: 8 - 15 - 0, Rec: 1 - -1 - 0 (1 targets) - RB Carey Davis saw time when Mendenhall was injured but he too left the game in the second half with an injury and did not return.

WR Nate Washington, Rush: 1 - 8 - 0, Rec: 2 - 23 - 0 (2 targets) - WR Nate Washington was not very active in the victory. He took one handoff from QB Ben Roethlisberger.

WR Santonio Holmes, Rec: 3 - 61 - 1 (7 targets) - WR Santonio Holmes scored the only offensive touchdown for the Steelers. QB Ben Roethlisberger hit Holmes over the middle and then the speedy wide receiver dodged two Ravens defenders and burst into the end zone. He also returned punts.

WR Hines Ward, Rec: 2 - 57 - 0 (3 targets) - TE Hines Ward was relatively quiet in the win. He did have one big play when QB Ben Roethlisberger avoided a sack from LB Bart Scott and hit Ward who was wide-open because CB Chris McAllister had stumbled on the play for a 49 yard gain.

TE Heath Miller, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (4 targets) - TE Heath Miller was not much of a factor in the win for the Steelers.

TE Sean McHugh - TE Sean McHugh lined-up as fullback on numerous plays in this game.

PK Jeff Reed 3 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points - K Jeff Reed connected on two extra points and three field goals including a game winning 45 yarder to win the game in overtime.

PIT Rush Defense - For the most part, the Steelers were able to slow down the Ravens rushing offense. RB Willis McGahee left the game twice with injuries but RB LeRon McClain was able to put up some yardage and a touchdown late in the game when the Steelers defense appeared to be tiring. The Steelers only dressed five defensive linemen.

PIT Pass Defense - The Steelers secondary was able to get their hands on a few passes for deflections but were unable to reel in any interceptions. They limited most of the deep ball potential from QB Joe Flacco's immense arm strength but did let up a 35 yard reception to WR Derrick Mason when the quarterback dodged defenders in the backfield for over twelve seconds before heaving the ball to Mason down the sideline.

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Atlanta Falcons 9, Carolina Panthers 24

What you need to know

Atlanta Falcons - The Falcons came into the game averaging 203 yards per game on the ground and 5.7 yards per attempt. Both of those numbers were good for the league lead. They also led the league with 19 runs of at least ten yards. Atlanta tried to establish a ground led ball control offense against the Panthers, but was unsuccessful. The Falcons totaled 118 yards rushing for a respectable 5.1 yards per attempt. However, 40 of those came on one run by Jerious Norwood. Michael Turner, the NFL's leading rusher struggled to find much running room and totaled only 56 yards on his 18 attempts. Turner's long run was a ten yard gain after Atlanta trailed by 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Due to their struggles on the ground, Matt Ryan was forced to attempt a career high 41 passes. He completed 21 of them for only 158 yards. Ryan showed poise, but was unable to lead the Falcons to a touchdown. Ryan did his best work of the game running the no-huddle offense on Atlanta's second possession. The no huddle offense clearly had the Panthers' defense off balance as Ryan led the Falcons from their 20 yard line all the way to the Carolina 15 by mixing in short passes with running plays. However, the drive stalled and Atlanta settled for a field goal. The Falcons never penetrated any deeper during the remainder of the game and would manage only two more field goals.

Atlanta's defense did a good job of limiting the Carolina running game, but struggled to stop the Panthers' passing attack. Jake Delhomme completed 20 of 29 passes for 294 yards. Delhomme had the time to look downfield and frequently found Muhsin Muhammad a step ahead of rookie cornerback, Brent Grimes. While Atlanta focused its coverage on Steve Smith, Muhammad had eight catches for 147 yards and a touchdown.

John Abraham blocked a punt after a bobbled snap that led to Atlanta's second field goal.

Carolina Panthers - The Panthers went 80 yards on their opening drive to take a 7-0 lead and never trailed. The Carolina defense did a nice job of shutting down Atlanta's league leading rushing attack. However Carolina's sloppy play and mistakes helped Atlanta to stay in the game. The Panthers committed eleven penalties in the game. Many of them were costly. Carolina's first penalty (a questionable roughing the passer call on Julius Peppers) negated Richard Marshall's 29 yard interception return for a touchdown. Atlanta's second drive was helped by two separate personal fouls and resulted in a field goal. Later, the Panthers had twelve men on the field when Jason Elam missed a 49 yard field goal. Elam made good on his second chance from 44. Jason Baker also bobbled a snap and had a punt blocked that led directly to a Falcon field goal. Despite Carolina's domination, the contest was a one possession game until the fourth quarter.

Jake Delhomme was sharp throughout the contest. He completed 69 percent of his passes for 294 yards. Delhomme focused the passing attempts on his two starting wide receivers, Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad; nearly 77 percent of his attempts were directed at them. Muhsin Muhammad had his best game since he was last with the Panthers in 2004. Muhammad hauled in eight passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. Steve Smith drew the focus of Atlanta's coverage, but still caught six passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.

As has been the pattern so far this season, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart split the rushing attempts. Williams had 16 carries for 57 yards, while Stewart had 14 runs for 52 yards. So far, Stewart has received the opportunities when Carolina is near the end zone. His eight yard run opened the scoring and is his fourth touchdown in his young career.

Carolina lost both of their starting tackles during the game. However, the line played well and allowed no sacks. However, Carolina has been guilty of a league leading 15 false starts so far this season.

The win was the 100th in the history of the Panthers.

What you ought to know

QB Matt Ryan, Pass: 21 - 41 - 158 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 11 - 0 - Ryan was forced to put the ball in the air a career high 41 times as Atlanta was unable to establish much success on the ground. Ryan showed good composure, but is not at the stage of his career where he can carry the Falcon offense. Ryan looked good when the Falcons surprised the Panthers by going to the no-huddle offense during their second drive. He efficiently managed the team by mixing in runs and short passes and led the Falcons to a field goal. Afterwards, Atlanta curiously ran very little no huddle until late in the game.

Ryan showed good arm strength, but most of his passes were relatively conservative. His longest completion went for 23 yards. Ryan's second attempt of the game was nearly catastrophic; it was intercepted and returned 29 yards for a touchdown by Richard Marshall, but the play was negated by a roughing the passer penalty on Julius Peppers.

RB Michael Turner, Rush: 18 - 56 - 0, Rec: 1 - -1 - 0 (3 targets) - Turner entered the game leading the league in rushing yardage. He struggled to find room to run on the Panther defense and finished with 56 yards on 18 attempts. Turner's long run went for 19 yards. Turner was targeted three times as an outlet receiver. His lone reception lost a yard. Turner dropped another swing pass attempt, but likely would have lost yardage on that play had he caught it.

RB Jerious Norwood, Rush: 3 - 51 - 0, Rec: 4 - 1 - 0 (5 targets) - Norwood had only three rushing attempts. However, he was more effective than Turner in the game. Norwood's 40 yard scamper was Atlanta's longest play of the game. Norwood was often deployed as a single back, when Atlanta went to a three receiver set. That formation seemed to open up more running room, but for some reason, Norwood was only given three chances. Norwood's four receptions netted only one yard. He dropped his other target.

Norwood returned two kickoffs for 36 yards.

RB Jason Snelling, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (1 targets) - Snelling made the first reception of his career on a nicely executed screen pass that gained 11 yards.

WR Roddy White, Rec: 7 - 90 - 0 (17 targets) - White was targeted nearly three times as much as any Falcon receiver and is clearly Ryan's favorite choice. White managed to catch six passes for 90 yards, including the Falcon's two longest completions of 23 and 22 yards. White had some difficulty keeping his footing in the game. One one play, he slipped to his knees as he cut and Ryan's pass hit him on his shoulder pad. On another, he fell to his knees, but still caught the pass. White ran hard after the catch; on one occasion he broke a tackle and gained 13 yards afterwards.

WR Michael Jenkins, Rec: 3 - 32 - 0 (5 targets) - Jenkins was not targeted until after half time, when he hauled in three passes for 32 yards. Jenkins caught a pass in the end zone, but was out of bounds; Ryan overthrew the ball slightly and did not give Jenkins much chance.

WR Brian Finneran, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (5 targets) - Finneran, who was playing for the injured Laurent Robinson, caught two five yard passes. He dropped a pass that would have set Atlanta up with a third and short on a drive that stalled in Carolina territory.

WR Harry Douglas, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (6 targets) - Douglas caught two short passes for eight yards. One of the receptions was a nice grab in traffic, but Douglas also dropped two passes, including a key one that would have given Atlanta a first down in Carolina territory. He was the targeted receiver on Matt Ryan's intercepted pass that resulted in a touchdown for Carolina. However, the play was negated by a penalty.

TE Ben Hartsock, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Hartsock made his second reception of the season on his only target. He was also guilty of a false start penalty.

PK Jason Elam 3 - 3 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 9 points - Elam provided all of Atlanta's points. His three field goals give him 24 consecutive successful attempts. However, he originally missed a 49 yard attempt, but made good on a second chance after a Panther penalty.

ATL Rush Defense - The Falcons run defense did a respectable job of limiting Carolina's rushing attack. Neither DeAngelo Williams nor Jonathan Stewart ran wild, but both were effective at times. Stewart, in particular was adept at breaking the tackles of Atlanta defenders. He broke a tackle on his eight yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Williams was held mostly in check, but had a nice 21 yard gain.

Rookie middle linebacker Curtis Lofton had seven solo tackles and an assist.

ATL Pass Defense - Jake Delhomme mostly had his way with the Falcons secondary. The Falcons focused much of their coverage on Steve Smith. As a result, Muhsin Muhammad was shadowed mostly by rookie Brent Grimes. Muhammad responded with his best game since 2004. Atlanta's secondary was not helped by the pass rush, which registered no sacks and little pressure on Delhomme, despite the fact that the Panthers played a most of the game without their starting left tackle, Jordan Gross, and would later lose Jeff Otah, their right tackle, as well.

QB Jake Delhomme, Pass: 20 - 29 - 294 - 2 TD / 0 INT - Delhomme had his most efficient game of the season. He finished with 294 passing yards, averaging 10.1 yards per attempt, for a 124.8 rating. Delhomme looked often for his starting wide receivers and frequently found them open downfield. Delhomme's two touchdowns were his first since week one. He benefitted from great protection by his offensive line, which did not allow a sack.

Delhomme made only one potentially bad decision. He tried to lob a pass to Smith, but must not have seen the safety. Fortunately, the ball, Smith and the Falcon safety arrived at the same time and the pass fell incomplete.

QB Josh McCown, Rush: 3 - -2 - 0 - Backup quarterback Josh McCown was credited with two yards lost on three kneel down plays.

RB DeAngelo Williams, Rush: 16 - 57 - 0, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - Williams started the game and split carries with Jonathan Stewart. Williams was mostly contained, but did have a pretty 21 yard run in the second half. On the play, he ran hard and broke two tackles. Williams caught two passes for nine yards.

RB Jonathan Stewart, Rush: 14 - 52 - 1 - Stewart split carries with DeAngelo Williams. He is the harder runner of the two and showed an ability to break tackles. Stewart scored the first touchdown of the game on an eight yard run. The play started to the middle, but Stewart broke a tackle and bounced it outside, exhibiting ample speed to get to the corner.

Stewart also returned three kickoffs for 60 yards.

WR Muhsin Muhammad, Rec: 8 - 147 - 1 (10 targets) - Muhammad had his first 100 yard game since 2006 and his best receiving totals since his last year as a Panther in 2004. Muhammad benefitted from the attention Steve Smith drew from Atlanta's secondary. He made tough catches in traffic and was able to get downfield as well. He also showed some nifty running skills by making two defenders miss on one play. Muhammad's long reception was a 36 yard touchdown. He was wide open down the seam after the defensive back bit on his out move. Muhammad made a nice sideline grab and got his feet down for a 14 yard gain. He also lost a 17 yard reception to an illegal formation penalty. Muhammad had his hands on both of his other targets, but was unable to haul the passes in. Both were high passes and tough chances. Muhammad was credited with a delay of game penalty after spiking the ball following a nicely thrown fade down the sideline.

Muhammad's touchdown was his 45th as a Panther and moves him past Wesley Walls for first place on Carolina's all time list.

WR Steve Smith, Rec: 6 - 96 - 1 (13 targets) - Smith drew much of the attention of the Atlanta defenders. Still, he was targeted a team high 13 times. Like Muhammad, Smith was effective. However, he was deployed on more short routes than Muhammad was. Smith did score on a 56 yard touchdown reception. The pass came on a deep in route. Smith caught the ball, then broke a tackle and was off to the races for Carolina's longest play of the season. Delhomme targeted Smith on a deep go route, but underthrew the pass. Smith passed 6,000 career receiving yards on the day.

WR D.J. Hackett, Rec: 2 - 24 - 0 (2 targets) - Hackett caught two 12 yard passes in the game.

TE Dante Rosario, Rec: 2 - 18 - 0 (3 targets) - Rosario contributed two receptions for 18 yards.

TE Jeff King - Starting tight end Jeff King was not targeted in the game. He was often kept in to help with pass protection.

PK John Kasay 1 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points - Kasay hit his only field goal attempt from 44 yards. He remains perfect on the season. English kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd kicked three touchbacks during the game and has nine so far this season.

CAR Rush Defense - The Falcons entered the game leading the NFL with 203 rushing yards per game. The Carolina run defense played well in limiting the Falcons to 118 yards. Other than a 40 yard run by Jerious Norwood, the run defense gave up very little. Norwood's is the only run of over 20 yards against the Panthers this season. Atlanta struggled to maintain drives and was forced to go to the air more than they would have liked. Jon Beason led the unit with seven solo tackles.

CAR Pass Defense - Matt Ryan attempted 41 passes, but completed only 21 of them for 158 yards. The Falcons were limited to mostly short passes; Atlanta's longest gain through the air was 23 yards. Julius Peppers and rookie Hilee Taylor contributed sacks. Richard Marshall had a 29 yard touchdown interception called back by a roughing the passer penalty on Peppers. Though it was a questionable call, Peppers' helmet did contact Ryan's. Chris Gamble and Richard Marshall each contributed six solo tackles.

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