Here are our exclusive Game Recaps where we sit a couple of our guys down in front of every NFL game to pull out the important items you need to know from a Fantasy Football standpoint.

We try to go way beyond what the box score or standard game recaps will offer and bring you what you really Need to Know and what you Ought to Know. Let's jump to it.

Joe

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Joe Bryant
Owner - www.Footballguys.com

Week 16 GAME RECAPS

Footballguys Game Recap Writers: Mike Anderson, Bill Brown, Michael Brown, Jeff Caldwell, Stan Dorsey, Cathy Fazio, Rich Fix, Mike Flynn, Bradley Gabbard, Cory Gilbert, Clayton Gray, Tracy Hackler, A. Jalen, Alex Knapik, Mike Krucek Jeff Lewis, Scott Martin, Allen Matirossian, Dave Oleyar, Jeff Pasquino, Greg Porzucek, Steve Prosapio, Steve Schone, David Shick, Jeff Siedsma, Mark Strickland, Dave Teller, Michael Tudor, Kerry Walls, Mark Westmyer, Todd Young

Edited by Joe Bryant

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

ESPN made a big deal about this being their 200th all-time NFL broadcast. You would think that with 199 other games to work on it, the technical difficulties would be kept to a minimum. Twice the picture went out during the action, and one time they cut away from a still-speaking Mike Patrick to go to commercial. In addition, the breathalyzer machine apparently wasn't working when they decided to conduct an interview with Joe Namath, during which he slurred his speech and told Suzy Kolber how badly he wanted to kiss her. The commentators tried to play it off, saying Namath was just a happy guy…

New England Patriots

Prior to the game, Suzy Kolber commented on how the Patriots were 'a fantasy nightmare'. While this held true for much of the season, several Patriots skill players came up with more than respectable efforts, albeit against a terrible defense.

The opportunistic New England defense took advantage of five Chad Pennington interceptions to assume control of this game. Several of the interceptions were outstanding individual defensive efforts in order to create the turnovers. One pick, an interception by Willie McGinest, led directly to a touchdown.

No Patriots running back had gone over 100 yards in a game all season long until this game. The Jets, who possess one of the league's worst rushing defenses, ended that little streak by allowing Antowain Smith 121 yards on just 18 carries.

Tom Brady played smartly and efficiently. He started the game off on the right foot for New England when his first pass went for a 35-yard touchdown to David Givens less than a minute into the game.

New York Jets

Chad Pennington's passing stat line looks atrocious due to the 5 interceptions, but at least 2 of them weren't entirely his fault. In addition, he salvaged what would have been a fantasy disaster by running in 2 scores. The 5 interceptions set a new career high.

Santana Moss came on like gangbusters in midseason, but has since tailed off considerably. In addition to just 52 receiving yards, he was also directly at fault for 2 of Pennington's interceptions.

Curtis Martin had a very solid game, considering the defense he was going up against. Martin ran for 89 yards on 22 carries (4.0 YPC) and added 21 more receiving yards. He remained in the game when the Jets got down near the goal line, and carried the ball once, but was stopped. Chad Pennington, not LaMont Jordan, hawked the two short rushing scores from him this time.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

New England Patriots

QB: Tom Brady was excellent. The announcers hit it right on the head when discussing him. He may not have the best stats in the league, but he's always there to make the big play when the Patriots need him. Of course, most fantasy owners could care less about how well he does in real life. In this game, he combined real-life good play with a decent fantasy stat line, throwing for 2 scores without getting picked. Overall, he went 15-25 for 138 yards and those 2 scores. New England, as all of the Jets other opponents have realized, knew the Jets weakness was in their run defense and opted to attack there for most of the game. The Patriots took over at the Jets 35 following a Pennington interception on the first drive of the game, and Brady promptly hooked up with David Givens on a long score. Brady's numbers would have been better, but TE Daniel Graham dropped what would have been at least a 30-yard reception over the middle.

RB: Antowain Smith carried the load for New England against the Jets. Since Belichik uses backs based on how they match up with the opposition, it's tough to get a read on who'll get the majority of the carries any given week. But recently, it's been Smith who has gotten the vast majority of the carries, and he responded with 121 yards on 18 carries. He added 2 yards on 2 receptions (2 targets). Thirty of his yards came on one big burst up the middle, but even if you didn't include that run, he still had an outstanding night. He was the first Patriots back to go over 100 yards in a game all season long.

Kevin Faulk was used sparingly. He carried just 3 times for 8 yards, and didn't catch a pass (1 target).

WR: At this point, it's become pretty obvious that Troy Brown is just another receiver on this team. There is no concerted effort to get him the ball, as Brady prefers to just throw to the open man (hey, maybe that's why they are so good). Brown caught just 4 balls for 35 yards, and one of the catches wasn't even intended for him.

David Givens hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Brady on the Patriots' first offensive play of the game, and later added a 5-yard touchdown on a crossing route. Givens was only targeted 5 times, but made the most of his opportunities with 4 receptions for 61 yards and 2 touchdowns. On what was a very odd call and New England in control of the game, Charlie Weis called for a WR option pass that Givens had picked off by Tyrone Carter.

Deion Branch was the odd man out, catching just 2 balls for 24 yards (5 targets). He was targeted once on a deep ball that fell incomplete. He was also the target of a Brady pass that Troy Brown leapt in front of and snagged out of mid-air.

TE: Daniel Graham continues to have some problems hanging onto the football. He caught 1 ball for 4 yards, but dropped what would have been at least a 30-yard reception over the middle. If he had been able to beat the last man, it could have gone for a 40-yard touchdown.

Christian Fauria was absent from the action. He caught 1 ball for 10 yards and was only targeted twice.

Pass Defense: If 5 interceptions and 4 sacks aren't enough evidence of a defense's dominance, then I don't know what is. Chad Pennington's second pass of the game was intercepted by Tedy Bruschi at very close range, a play eerily reminiscent of Bruschi's interception return touchdown against the Dolphins. In the second quarter, Pennington was again intercepted at close range, this time by Willie McGinest. It was no accident that these balls were snagged by Patriot defenders. Suzy Kolber reported that the Patriots' linebackers work on a close-range interception drill after practice every Friday, and there have now been three key examples in the past 3 weeks of how that drill has come into play during the course of a game. Some individual standout performers included CB Ty Law, who played Santana Moss to perfection all game. He nearly came up with an interception in the end zone, and the next time the Jets tried running that play, Law was in perfect position and made the interception. He did appear to be limping late in the contest, perhaps still residual effects of an early-season groin injury. Pro Bowl snub safety Rodney Harrison had a huge game as well. He constantly was blitzing Pennington and also came up with an interception of his own. As with Law, however, Harrison also came up lame after a blitz in which he appeared to turn an ankle while turning the corner. The Pats defense nearly caused two additional turnovers when it forced fumbles on Pennington, but New York recovered each one. On yet another tipped ball, Richard Seymour had the ball pop straight up in the air and go right through his hands for what should have been an easy interception.

Run Defense: Curtis Martin actually had a good day against this team. He ran 22 times for 89 yards, having much more success than most people expected him to have. In addition, Chad Pennington was able to sneak in 2 scores, accounting for all of the Jets' touchdowns in the game.

Special Teams: The Patriots passed up two potential field goal situations in the first half. One would have been a 53-yard attempt, and the second would have been a 43-yard attempt. Each time, the Patriots were facing the wind and Bill Belichik (who knows how tough the conditions are at Giants Stadium) opted to go for it on 4th down. They converted one of the fourth down situations, and missed once.

New York Jets

QB: Chad Pennington's stat line will tell you he played his worst game as a pro, throwing 5 interceptions and fumbling twice (although each was recovered). But thankfully for his fantasy owners, he managed to run in two touchdowns. The 2 rushing scores propelled him ahead of Curtis Martin for the season, 2-1. Pennington's first two interceptions were the result of great defense by New England, as both Tedy Bruschi and Willie McGinest caught passes that were fired from very close range. Another interception was likely a poor decision by Pennington, throwing deep to Santana Moss who had Ty Law draped all over him. But Pennington's other two interceptions were both Moss' fault, from where I sat. First, Pennington threw a deep ball to Moss that was sailing over the receiver's head. Rather than try to catch up to the ball and knock it down, Moss cut off his route. One problem: S Rodney Harrison was giving coverage over the top and standing right where the ball came down - for an easy interception.

On the Jets' last drive of the game, Pennington tried connecting with Moss on a 3rd and 10 slant, but the ball was picked by Eugene Wilson. The announcers made no mention of it, but the ball actually tipped slightly off of Moss's hand. He possibly could have caught it, or at the very LEAST knocked it down, but he pulled back at the last minute in preparation for a hit to his midsection and the ball continued on its path and into the hands of Wilson. Pennington doesn't get a pass for his performance, however, because he also fumbled the ball twice and let's face it - he did make throws that were questionable to begin with. He could have had even one more interception had Richard Seymour not dropped a very catchable deflection that went right through his fingers.

RB: Curtis Martin had a solid day against a tough defense. He carried 22 times for 89 yards, and added 21 more yards on 4 receptions (6 targets). He stayed in on goal-line situations, but saw QB Chad Pennington double up his own season rushing total and hawk two scores from him. Martin had a chance to score, but was stuffed. Pennington took the next play in for his first TD.

LaMont Jordan's work has been limited in recent weeks to kick returns. He didn't carry once.

Jerald Sowell continues to be productive out of the backfield, catching two more balls for 24 yards (4 targets).

WR: In addition to being at fault on the two interceptions, Santana Moss just wasn't very productive. He was targeted three times on deep routes, and one was nearly intercepted while the other two were intercepted. Moss was targeted 10 times, but caught just 5 passes for 52 yards. He did, however, go over 1,000 receiving yards for the season.

Curtis Conway made several very nice catches, but unfortunately most fantasy owners don't receive style points. Conway caught just 4 balls for 38 yards on 8 targets, though one was a highlight-reel circus catch in which Tyron Poole deflected the ball and Conway (with defenders tugging at him already) kept his concentration and held onto the ball in heavy traffic.

TE: Anthony Becht was more involved than usual, hauling in 4 receptions for 29 yards.

Little-used Chris Baker was nearly the story of the game for the Jets offensively. While he did catch 3 passes for 31 yards, it was the one that got away that he'll remember more. Baker came over the middle wide open in the end zone, but dropped a sure touchdown. The ball was thrown slightly high, but it was a catchable pass - especially with no one around him whatsoever.

Pass Defense: Not only did New York fail to intercept Tom Brady, but they didn't even sack him. In fact, he was barely even hit during the course of the game. The Patriots offensive line did a fabulous job of protecting their quarterback, and Brady took full advantage of the Jets' inept pass rush by precisely executing the New England offensive scheme to perfection.

Run Defense: One might see that the Jets allowed 133 rushing yards and think they have made improvements, because it isn't quite in the 160-180 range we've become accustomed to seeing from them. But keep in mind - this was against the Patriots, a team that has struggled to run the ball all season long. To allow a player like Antowain Smith to rumble for nearly 7 yards per carry shows what a disgrace this unit has become.

Atlanta Falcons 30 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons converted four 1st half turnovers (all INTs by Tampa Bay QB Brad Johnson) into 24 points (3 TDs and 1 FG), giving them a fairly comfortable 27-7 halftime lead in against a Buccaneer team that was fighting to stay alive for a spot in the playoffs. However, Atlanta's lack of scoring in the 2nd half (3 points total) almost cost them the win- Tampa Bay's late 4th quarter rally (3 TDs by Brad Johnson) ended on a failed 2-point conversion that could have tied the game with under 30 seconds left in regulation.

QB Michael Vick didn't do much Sunday to get on any highlight reels, but he did manage to get the Tampa Bay monkey off of his back-he was 0-2 against them prior to the game and did not play when the two teams met earlier this season. Vick finished with 119 yards passing (8 completions on 15 attempts), 39 yards rushing (12 rushes), 2 TDs (both passing), and 0 INTs. His most significant contribution was helping turn Tampa Bay turnovers into points. Also, he appeared to be a little gimpy after a play in the 3rd quarter, but he stayed in the game, showing no signs of being seriously injured.

Running back TJ Duckett pounded out 93 yards on the ground, but the big news is that he never found the end zone. Prior to Saturday's game, he had scored at least one touchdown in each of Atlanta's previous 7 games.

The passing game wasn't too much of a factor for the Falcons (only 2 WRs caught a pass from Vick), despite scores by WR Brian Finneran and TE Alge Crumpler, each of whom had only 1 catch in the game. WR Peerless Price led the team with 4 receptions for 76 yards, but did not score.

The Atlanta defense came up huge in the 1st half, netting four interceptions and a defensive TD. But in the 2nd half, the 4th quarter in particular, they didn't do anything except for fall apart. The unit only gave up 7 points heading into the 4th quarter, but finished the day allowing 28.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay's offense was counter-productive for the first 3 quarters of the game. Seven of their first eight possessions resulted in 2 punts, 4 interceptions, and a turnover on downs. However, the Buccaneers came alive in a fourth quarter scoring barrage that almost earned them a chance of taking the contest into overtime. Their late heroics went unrewarded, as Atlanta defensive end Travis Hall swatted down QB Brad Johnson's 2-point conversion attempt with little time remaining on the clock, all but sealing the victory.

Brad Johnson finished the day with mixed results. He completed 34 of 48 passes for 346 yards and 4 touchdowns, but he also had 4 interceptions. His QB rating at halftime was 51.0 (13 of 21 for 106 yards, 1 TD, and 4 INTs). Tampa Bay is now 0-4 in games where Johnson has thrown for more than 300 yards.

Overall, the Buccaneers running attack wasn't really a factor in the game, considering that Tampa was down 20 points by halftime. RB Thomas Jones gained 73 yards on the ground, with no scores. Michael Pittman was used almost exclusively in the passing game, catching 9 passes for 85 yards, and 0 TDs.

WR's Keenan McCardell and Charles Lee never got a chance to make anything happen in the turnover riddled 1st half, but both came up big late in the game when Tampa Bay was playing catch up-each player caught a 4th quarter touchdown.

Tampa Bay's defense was worthless from a Fantasy Football perspective. In fact, their only noteworthy contributions include: holding Atlanta to 267 total net yards, and forcing 2 fumbles, recovering 1.

The Buccaneers also recovered a brilliant on-side kick. Instead of going the traditional route and kicking the ball at an angle towards a sideline, K Martin Gramatica kicked the ball straight ahead. It totally caught the Falcons and everyone else on the planet off-guard. The ball drilled an Atlanta player in the center of the chest, and bounced right back to incoming Tampa Bay players.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Atlanta Falcons

QB: Michael Vick has now played three full games since returning from a broken leg. He exploded against Carolina in his first game back, combining for 320 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT. In his second game back, a loss against the Colts, he only combined for 77 yards, 0 TDs, and 0 INTs. And on Saturday in Tampa, he combined for 158 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 INTs. Clearly, Vick isn't putting up great fantasy numbers on a consistent basis. However, he is helping his team win by not making many mistakes. And that's very surprising when you consider his lengthy layoff from the game. His only mistake in Sunday's game actually helped the Falcons convert on 4th down-he collided with Duckett in the backfield on a busted running play, then took off running for a 1st down. Vick also came close to botching a quick handoff to Duckett during Atlanta's first series of the game. After that 3rd and goal play, the Falcons had to settle for a field goal.

RB: TJ Duckett was a difference maker in this game. His bullish-style running often kept the chains moving and the clock ticking. He finished with 27 carries for 93 yards (3.4 yards per carry), and 0 TDs. Duckett's performance was filled with effort, but it cost him a turnover on one play in particular-the ball was knocked from his grasp as he was attempting to get his team additional yards.

WR: Peerless Price made the most of his 5 targets, catching 4 passes for 76 yards, 0 TDs. Brian Finneran had only one catch on three targets, but it went for a 13-yard touchdown. His 6'5" frame allowed him an easy score over the defender, a 5'9" defensive back.

TE: Alge Crumpler's day was almost identical to Finneran's. He was targeted 3 times in the passing game, catching only 1 ball, which went for a 6-yard TD.

K: Jay Feely was 3 for 3 on field goals attempts (26, 38, and 37). He also missed a 43-yarder on a 4th and 2 attempt, but a 5-yard penalty for roughing the kicker gave the Falcons a 1st down instead. Feely also made 3 extra points.

Pass Defense: The Atlanta pass defense went from dominant in the 1st half, to doormat in the 2nd half. Brad Johnson threw for 3 touchdowns and 240 yards, after being held to 106 yards in the opening half. Defensive end Travis Hall also knocked down two passes, one being Tampa's second 2-point conversion attempt.

Rush Defense: Atlanta's defense did a great job keeping Tampa Bay's rushing attack out of the end zone. The unit also pressured Brad Johnson into four 1st half turnovers, and held the Buccaneers to 94 net yards rushing.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

QB: Brad Johnson had a rough 1st half. He was intercepted four times, but to his credit, he wasn't getting many breaks. One of his interceptions resulted from a tipped pass. Another came when his pass went off target because he got tackled just as he was throwing. And lastly, he had one picked off because of a great diving catch by Atlanta FS Keion Carpenter. His other interception was an overthrown pass. Johnson did manage a little luck in the 1st half, connecting on a 3-yard TD with TE Rickey Dudley, who was not covered at all on the play.

RB: Thomas Jones was the feature back, gaining 73 yards on 17 carries (4.3 yards per carry), and no scores. He also caught 4 passes (5 targets) for 14 yards. Jones had several good runs, often hitting the hole with lightning speed. However, he was also shut down on occasion because he had no room to run.

Michael Pittman had only 4 carries for 20 yards, but he came up big out of the backfield on passing plays. He was also used in the slot and occasionally went in motion. Pittman finished the day with 9 catches (11 targets) for 85 yards (almost 10 yards per catch). He did not score rushing or receiving.

FB Jameel Cook did not get a single carry, but he did catch 2 passes for 19 yards, and 1 TD.

WR: Keenan McCardell caught 6 passes for 122 yards, and 1 TD. He was targeted 10 times, but three of his four targets in the 1st half were intercepted.

Charles Lee played one of his best games since taking over for Keyshawn Johnson. He led all Tampa Bay players in receptions, catching 10 passes for 88 yards, and 1 TD. He was clearly Johnson's favorite receiver, with 15 targets. Lee gave Tampa a spark when their 4th possession of the game was stalling. He had a nice catch/run on a 3rd down play that resulted in a 1st down. The Buccaneers scored 3 plays later.

Karl Williams was targeted three times, catching 1 pass for 6 yards. One of his other targets resulted in a successful 2-point conversion attempt from Brad Johnson.

TE: Ricky Dudley (2 targets) and Ken Dilger (3 targets) each finished the day with 1 catch. The only difference in their performances is the fact that Dudley's catch went for a 3-yard touchdown.

K: Martin Gramatica did not have any field goal attempts. However, he did convert 2 extra points.

Pass Defense: Containing a rusty Michael Vick was the challenge and they fared well as they kept him under 160 combined yards.

Rush Defense: The defense did a decent job keeping Duckett under 100 yards with no scores. But overall, Atlanta rolled up 148 total yards on the ground. The unit did not record a sack, and never really pressured Vick all day. Defensive tackle Warren Sapp returned after sitting out one week with an injury, but he wasn't a huge factor, finishing with 3 tackles. Tampa Bay's least impressive defensive effort came on the 2nd play of the game-TJ Duckett reeled off a 25-yard run through a hole the size of the Grand Canyon. And to add insult to injury, John Lynch was penalized for a 5-yard facemask violation at the end of the play.

Kansas City Chiefs 20 at Minnesota Vikings 45

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City tried to put pressure on Culpepper, and it cost them. On both of the TDs to Randy Moss, the Chief's defense cheated up leaving Moss in single coverage for a touchdown.

QB Trent Green was 18 of 38 for 224 yards for Kansas City, which failed to score in the first half for the first time this season and trailed 31-0 midway through the third quarter. He looked like a deer caught in headlights, he seemed scared, and just plain awful.

RB Priest Holmes had a down day for rushing yardage. Sure, he scored 3 touch downs, tying him with Emmitt Smith for the most touchdowns scored in a season, but he did it on a mere 55 yards rushing. With the Chiefs playing catch-up late in the game, Holmes was able to add another 50 yards receiving.

Reports from after the game state there was an altercation among a number of Chief players in the locker room. If true, it would not bode well for team chemistry heading into the playoffs. "There were guys in there having a disagreement, and I don't know what it was over," QB Trent Green said. "Everybody's frustrated. We anticipated coming up here and playing better."

Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota offensive line completely dominated the Chiefs. Onterrio Smith had huge holes to run through, and he made the most of it. You do need to understand that Anna Nicole Smith could have run behind this line though.

WR Randy Moss had two huge things going for him in this game. The first was gaudy numbers, as the Chiefs failed to contain him. The second was the best blow out afro seen in years. Watching the game, all you could think about was when was Moss going to get hair tackled?

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Kansas City Chiefs

QB: Trent Green (18/38, 224, 2 INT) Green came out throwing the ball, and with Holmes absolutely shut out in the first half, Green threw the ball with limited success. Green was hurried and pressured most of the game, he couldn't get comfortable, seemed scared, and looked out of sync for most of the game.

RB: Priest Holmes (18/55, 3 TDs, 5/50 receiving) Holmes was shut down in the first half, with 5 total touches. He had a nice set of plays in the second half, but did not see the ball as often as what we are used to seeing out of Holmes. MLB EJ Henderson made a clean strip of Holmes down in the red zone which was recovered by the Vikings. However, Holmes was ruled down by forward progress, and scored on the next play. He finished with great TD numbers but only 55 yards rushing.

Tony Richardson (4/11) Richardson was not a factor in the game.

Derrick Blaylock (1/4 receiving, fumble) Blaylock took a nice hit and was leveled to the turf. He was not a factor.

WR:. Eddie Kennison (5/89, fumble) With Gonzalez, Kennison was a bright spot for the Chief's passing attack. He worked well with Green, who struggled all game.

Johnnie Morton (1/13, 1/39 rushing) Morton's lone carry was an end around, that Fran Tarkenton would have been proud of. Morton took the ball down field for 39 yards, but also crossed the entire field side to side in very heavy traffic. In a tacky display, at the end of the run, with the Chiefs down by over 20, Morton stood on the sideline posing for the crowd.

Dante Hall (1/3, fumble) Hall left the game in the 3rd quarter with and injured hand and leg cramps. Hall was held to a long kick return of 21 yards.

TE: Tony Gonzalez (5/65) Lost a nice reception for a gain on a blown call where Gonzalez got both feet in, but he was ruled out of bounds. The Chiefs were out of challenges having squandered them early.

K: Morten Anderson (2/2 XP)

Pass Defense: SS Greg Wesley both sacked and intercepted Culpepper. NT Montique Sharpe also sacked Culpepper. The Chiefs were beaten by Moss every time they tried to bring pressure on Culpepper.

Rush Defense: SS Greg Wesley (11 tackles) led the squad. The Chief's defense was man-handled all day. The Vikings owned the line of scrimmage, created huge holes, and blocked until the whistle. The Chief's run defense was clearly, and completely dominated.

Minnesota Vikings

QB: Daunte Culpepper (20/29, 260, 3 TDs, interception, 2 fumbles, 3/16 rushing) Missed two passing touchdowns. The first was a ruled touchdown to Moss, that was overturned, and led to a Smith score. The second came with D'Wayne Bates open in the end zone, and Culpepper just overthrew him.

Gus Frerotte (2/-2 rushing) Frerotte picked up -2 rushing yards as he knelt down to run out the clock on the last play of the game.

RB: Onterrio Smith (21/146, 3 TDs, 4/37 receiving) Although Bennett officially got the start, Smith came in half way through the first series, and had a career day. He looked fantastic as he ran with authority, however, anyone could have put up monster numbers today as the Viking's front line dominated the Chiefs. Smith's running lanes where huge. He showed great moves and misdirection shifts in traffic. Smith picked up a career long run of 47 yards.

Moe Williams (3/34, 2/18 receiving) Williams was used as a 3rd down back.

Michael Bennett (6/31) He actually got the start, but with Bennett's ankle injury still bothering him, Smith took the bulk of the carries. Bennett still had a good game, and actually looked better than Smith early on, averaging over 5 yards a carry.

WR: Randy Moss (7/111, 2 TDs, failed passing attempt) Moss' first touchdown came when KC run a corner blitz at Culpepper leaving Moss in single coverage, easy score. The second touchdown was more of the same. The Chief's safety shifted up to blitz, again leaving Moss in single coverage for the score. Moss scored a third TD as ruled on the field. Unfortunately, the Vikings couldn't get the extra point attempt off fast enough, allowing the Chiefs to challenge the play. It was overturned, and the result was a ruling that Moss was down at the 1. Smith plunged the ball in for a TD on the next play. Moss limped off the field on his "3rd touchdown", and was not on the field as the Vikings scored. He did continue to play in the game.

Kelly Campbell (1/7, fumble, 2/-2 rushing) Took a huge shot to the head/face. Aside from that, he wasn't much of a factor.

Nate Burleson (3/57) Worked well both with and without the ball. Took a back seat to Moss and all the other weapons the Vikings had working in the game.

D'Wayne Bates (1/17) Bates lost a sure touchdown as he was open in the end zone, but Culpepper overthrew him.

TE: Jimmy Kleinsasser (2/13, TD) The touchdown came as Randy Moss cut across the end zone, drawing three defenders with him, and leaving Kleinsasser wide open.

K: Aaron Elling (1/1 FG [46], 6/6 XP) Elling's FG would have been good from 65 yards.

Pass Defense: FS Brian Russell (3 tackles) intercepted Trent Green twice. The Chiefs were able to move the ball with some ease early on, but couldn't capitalize.

Rush Defense: MLB Greg Biekert (5 tackles), and SS Corey Chavous (5 tackles) led the squad. The Vikings did a good job of shutting down Holmes in the first half, and holding him to under 60 rushing on the day.

New York Giants 3 at Dallas Cowboys 19

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

New York Giants

The Giants offense was without the services of QB Kerry Collins, WR Ike Hilliard, and TE Jeremy Shockey and it clearly showed, as New York was only able to muster up 3 points for the game.

QB Jesse Palmer, making his second consecutive start, looked terrible. Palmer consistently locked on to his intended receivers and telegraphed his passes. While he had several passes go through and off his receivers' hands, Palmer's inability to connect with his wide-open teammates downfield doomed the offense. An energized Dallas defense put continuous pressure on Palmer and caused him to throw erratically.

RB Tiki Barber could not get on track against a fast Dallas defense and was held to just 47 yards on only 13 carries. His backup Dorsey Levens fared even worse, rushing for a measly 4 yards on 6 carries.

WR Amani Toomer had just 1 catch for 3 yards in the first half and was held more in check by Palmer's underthrown passes than the Dallas secondary. He finished with 5 catches for 66 yards
(Most of those yards coming on a 40 yard completion).

The New York defense had three new starters in the secondary and they showed their inexperience letting Dallas receivers roam free downfield. The only bright spot for the Giants was the stellar play of their front seven. They shut down the ground game of the Cowboys and applied decent pressure on QB Quincy Carter.

Dallas Cowboys

Dallas used a dominating defense and an efficient offensive attack to assure themselves a spot in the playoffs. Head coach Bill Parcells became the first coach in NFL history to lead four different teams to the playoffs and to achieve ten or more wins with four different teams.

QB Quincy Carter managed a nearly perfect game, making all the right decisions and throwing the ball well. Carter used his elusiveness to turn what appeared to be losses into big plays. He made quick reads and showed his maturation by throwing the ball away when there was nothing open. With his 240 yards passing, Carter became the first Dallas QB to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season since Troy Aikman in 1997.

RB Troy Hambrick's downhill, straight-ahead running style was fruitless against an imposing front seven of the Giants. Hambrick was completely bottled up and only managed a lackluster 36 yards on 12 carries. RB Richie Anderson was able to hit small creases and make people miss and was clearly the more effective back for Dallas. Anderson had 7 carries for 34 yards and added 4 catches out of the backfield.

The Cowboys' receivers were able to get open easily against a youthful, inexperienced New York secondary that was missing several starters. WR Terry Glenn led all receivers with 5 catches for 64 yards. WR Antonio Bryant was Carter's favorite receiver with 8 targets.

K Billy Cundiff wishes he could play against the Giants every week. Cundiff converted on all four of his field goal attempts, giving him 11 made field goals against the Giants this season.

The Cowboys defense used their speed and gang tackling to throttle the Giants rushing attack. They only allowed an impressive 54 yards on 22 carries, a magnificent 2.45-yard per carry average. The Dallas pass defense was equally dominating, giving up only 190 yards passing and recording 5 sacks.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

New York Giants

QB: Jesse Palmer (18-32-190 passing; 2-(-2) rushing) struggled with his accuracy on the long pass. He regularly underthrew open receivers downfield and heavily relied on short passes and dumpoffs for completions. In the first half, Palmer was only able to connect on 4 passes for 23 yards to his wide receivers. His longest completion of 40 yards was a badly underthrown ball that Toomer came back for and wrestled away from the defender, saving an interception. Palmer gave the Dallas defense time to react as he stared down his intended targets and never looked off defenders.

RB: Tiki Barber (13-47 rushing, 5-55 receiving, 6 targets) was ineffective running the ball as he was unable to turn the corner against the speedy Dallas linebackers. Barber didn't fare any better going up the middle as his offensive line failed to create holes for him to run through. Barber did have 5 catches for 55 yards, with the bulk of those coming on a 27-yard completion at the end of the game with the outcome already decided.

Dorsey Levens (6-4 rushing) was not a factor in the game.

FB Jim Finn (1-25 receiving, 1 target) received his only touch on a short dumpoff out in the flat that he turned up field for 25 yards. His catch aided the Giants in their only scoring drive of the day.

WR: Amani Toomer (5-66 receiving, 10 targets; 1-5 rushing) was the leading receiver for New York and clearly Palmer's favorite target. Unfortunately, Toomer's numbers were hurt severely by Palmer's throwing woes. Toomer had gotten behind double coverage deep down the sidelines and Palmer's pass was once again badly underthrown.

David Tyree (3-20 receiving, 6 targets) had all his catches in the first half and was also hampered by Palmer's ineffectiveness.

Willie Ponder (1-4 receiving, 2 targets) was a non-factor.

TE: Visanthe Shiancoe (3-20 receiving, 5 targets) had all his catches in the second half. Shiancoe was wide-open down the middle of the field, but was badly overthrown by Palmer.

K: Matt Bryant (1-1 FGs of 45) converted on his only opportunity from 45 yards for the only Giants points of the game.

Pass Defense: The Giants' pass defense was able to put a decent amount of pressure on Quincy Carter, but his elusiveness outside the pocket was a thorn in their side. DE Michael Strahan recorded all three sacks for the defense and was on the sidelines getting retaped during the only Cowboys TD. The secondary was outmatched and struggled to stay with the Dallas receivers.

Rush Defense: The New York rush defense was the only unit healthy for the injury plagued Giants and they played wonderfully, holding Cowboys' running backs to a mere 78 yards on 26 carries. They plugged up the middle and forced Quincy Carter to beat them through the air. The defense turned in an impressive goal line stand, turning back the Dallas offense three times after 1st and goal from the Dallas 4.

Dallas Cowboys

QB: Quincy Carter (17-25-240 passing, 1 TD; 5-26 rushing) started off with a bang, performing a great play action fake and hitting Joey Galloway in stride deep down the sidelines for 64 yards on the first play from scrimmage. Had Galloway not stumbled and fallen at the 4, Carter would have had another TD pass. Late in the 1st quarter, Carter avoided a blitz and hit a wide-open Jason Witten down the middle of the field for a 36-yard TD strike. Carter did everything right in the 1st half and finished 10-16 for 189 yards and 1 TD. In the second half, Carter protected the lead and made smart decisions, not allowing the Giants any opportunities to get back in the game.

RB: Troy Hambrick (12-36 rushing) looked slow and clumsy as he consistently was tackled for little or no gain. He ran right into the strength of the Giants defense and was not quick to the holes.

Richie Anderson (7-34 rushing; 4-17 receiving, 6 targets; 0-1 passing) continues to be a nice threat for the offense with his catching abilities out of the backfield. He leads the Cowboys in receptions with 59. Late in the first half, Anderson caught New York off guard throwing a perfect halfback pass to a streaking Antonio Bryant. Bryant dropped the ball at the New York 5 and cost Anderson a probable TD pass.

WR: Terry Glenn (5-64 receiving, 6 targets) was very active in the game and made an excellent diving catch for 24 yards on his first reception. Carter's first pass to Glenn was incomplete at the goal line in the opening drive, but the two connected on all five attempts afterwards. Two of Glenn's catches were for 3rd down conversions.

Joey Galloway (1-64 receiving, 1 target) made an impact on his only chance of the day. Galloway hauled in a perfect throw from Carter for a 64-yard catch and set the tone for the game. As previously stated, had he been able to keep his balance, Galloway would have walked into the end zone for a 68-yard TD.

Antonio Bryant (4-41 receiving, 8 targets) was Carter's favorite target and Bryant was targeted in the end zone from the New York 24. The pass was thrown too high.

TE: Dan Campbell (2-18 receiving, 2 targets) caught both passes thrown his way, but was not a factor in the game.

Jason Witten (1-36 receiving, 1 TD, 2 targets) made a nice move to get wide open down the middle for a 36-yard TD catch late in the first quarter. The reception was the first touchdown catch and the longest catch of Witten's career.

K: Billy Cundiff (4-4 FGs of 24, 42, 21, and 49; 1-1 XPs) kicked a field goal in every quarter and turned in another big performance against the Giants.

Pass Defense: The Cowboys pass defense played most of the game in the Giants backfield. Their unrelenting pass rush gave Jesse Palmer little time to throw and he was never able to get into a rhythm. Several of Palmer's passes to open receivers came up short because he could not move up into the pocket and had to throw off his back foot. FS Roy Williams showed his versatility by coming up to stop the run and then blanketing a wide receiver down field.

Rush Defense: The Dallas rush defense was exceptional in limiting Tiki Barber to 47 yards rushing and causing him to be more worried about holding onto the ball than hitting the hole. They completely took away the Giants' ground attack and forced Palmer to try and beat them via the passing game. The defense has allowed just three points in the last two games.

Arizona Cardinals 10 at Seattle Seahawks 28

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Arizona Cardinals

QB Josh McCown's numbers in the game were much better than his performance. He almost threw for 300 yards and didn't throw any interceptions. However, he did take 8 sacks. He held onto the ball too long on several instances relying on his athleticism to help him avoid the rush.

WR Anquan Boldin broke Terry Glenn's rookie receiving mark of 90 receptions after being named as the only rookie to the Pro-Bowl this season. He didn't disappoint. He looked like the only playmaker on the Arizona roster. On his 60-yard TD reception, Boldin put CB Ken Lucas on his back shedding him like bothersome fly before leaping for the ball down the sideline and running the distance for the score.

RB Marcel Shipp was the featured running back in the Cardinal offense through 3 quarters, but spent the fourth quarter on the bench. It was unclear as to why. Emmitt Smith saw all the garbage time at the end of the game. All 4 of Smith's receptions occurred in the last Arizona possession when the game was clearly over.

Just how bad are the Cardinals? They were up in turnover differential 4 to 0 at one point, but down on the scoreboard 21-3.

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle came out throwing the ball for the fourth week in a row. It helped to set up the running game by getting the defense back on its heels early. RB Shaun Alexander torched the Cardinals with several long runs in the first half. His speed, once getting through the line of scrimmage, was outstanding breaking one for a 44-yard TD.

WR Darrell Jackson left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury and was replaced by WR Bobby Engram. Engram responded with 55 yards receiving along with a TD. The extent of the injury was not clear at the conclusion of the game.

The Seahawk offense turned the ball over four times, two interceptions and two lost fumbles. The turnovers allowed the Cardinals to hang around in the game that could have easily been a blowout.

QB Matt Hasselbeck sustained a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, but returned to the game. In the fourth quarter he turned an ankle rolling it over to the outside. Trent Dilfer replaced him for the second time in the game. The shoulder injury shouldn't keep Hasselbeck from playing next week, but the severity of the ankle injury had not been determined at the end of the game.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Arizona Cardinals

QB: Josh McCown: (25-40-274 1 TD passing, 8-38 rushing) McCown is an athletic guy at 6-4 and 223 lbs. He led the Cardinals with his 38 yards rushing, and took some hits in the open field because he didn't want to slide. His arm strength was adequate, but he held on to the ball in the pocket too long. He could have avoided several of the sacks in the game if he would have got the ball out quicker. His accuracy was suspect. He missed some wide-open receivers on what should have been easy completions for an NFL starting QB. The Seattle defense played lots of single man coverage on the outside. It was clear that they didn't think McCown would be able to beat them. McCown did hit both Bryant Johnson and Anquan Boldin on deep balls, but the ball to Johnson was terribly under thrown and Johnson made a nice play on the ball.

RB: Marcel Shipp: (12-32 rushing, 1-4 receiving on 1 target) Shipp didn't have much a chance to be successful. No room to run when he got the ball. He was met in the backfield on several carries. It was a chore for him to get back to the line of scrimmage. His carry distribution by quarter was 5:3:4:0. His longest (and first) carry of the game went for only 6 yards.

Emmitt Smith: (4-9 rushing, 4-27 receiving on 4 targets) Smith didn't fare any better than Shipp. His receptions were not an indication of any thing special. They all occurred on Arizona's last possession.

WR: Anquan Boldin: (10-122 1 TD receiving on 14 targets, 1- -5 rushing) Boldin displayed all the tools necessary to be considered a special WR. He made fantastic grabs "snatching" the ball with his hands. He ran sharp routes. He made an athletic grab down the sideline after shedding a CB, then went the distance for the score. The Cardinals also ran a special play for Boldin. On 3rd and long they set up a WR screen up the middle, but a DT sniffed it out well.

Bryant Johnson: (4-70 receiving on 7 targets) Johnson opened the game with a deep ball down the sideline for 41 yards. He made a nice adjustment coming back to the ball.

TE: Freddie Jones: (2-11 receiving on 6 targets) The Cardinals tried to get Jones the ball, but he couldn't connect with McCown. Jones was also targeted in the end zone.

K: Neil Rackers: (1-3 FG, made 49, missed 38, 33, 1-1 XP) Rackers hit a 49-yarder earlier, and then missed both his other attempts. Rackers missed out on other opportunities late in the game when the Cardinals opted to go for it on fourth down twice instead of attempting FGs.

Pass Defense: The pass rush hit Matt Hasselbeck several times and knocked him out of the game twice. They did a nice job of blanketing WR Koren Robinson, but allowed the Seattle TEs to run free into the secondary for a combined 96 yards.

Rush Defense: The Cardinals allowed RB Shaun Alexander to break into the secondary on five of his nine first half carries. They adjusted in the second half and held him to 1 yard or less on 7 of 12 attempts. They allowed 16 first downs in the first half, but reduced this to only 7 in the second.

Seattle Seahawks

QB: Matt Hasselbeck: (17-24-179 1 TD 1 INT passing, 3- -5 rushing) Hasselbeck returned to the sharp passing that evaded him over the past two weeks. He was on target and kept the team moving through the first half. Hasselbeck got knocked around a bit by the Cardinals pass rush. His status should be monitored if you are depending on him to be your starter next week. Hasselbeck suffered a shoulder and ankle injury in the game.

Trent Dilfer: (2-3-11 1 TD 1 INT passing, 1-0 rushing) Dilfer's first two snaps in the game resulted in turnovers. The first was a muffed handoff to QB Shaun Alexander. The second was a bizarre interception. The ball bounced off just about every body part of the cornerback as he was rolling around on the field and ended up trapped between his legs and thigh. Dilfer rebounded nicely throwing his TD to WR Bobby Engram to ice the game.

RB: Shaun Alexander: (21-135 2 TD rushing, 1-7 receiving on 2 targets) Alexander's first 9 carries in the game netted him 109 yards. His last 12 carries got him 26 yards. The Seahawks had trouble trying to move the ball after building an 18-point lead. Also, with Hasselbeck on the sideline the Cardinals stacked the line of scrimmage. Alexander's 44-yard run was a great example of Alexander's greatest skill, his speed and cuts in the open field. He got two DBs turned around and outran another to the corner of the end zone. On a negative note, Alexander fumbled on the 1-yard line early in the game, and appeared to be responsible for another fumble when taking a handoff from QB Trent Dilfer.

Mack Strong: (4-17 rushing, 2-12 receiving on 2 targets) Strong had his typical load of work. Of note, his 10-yard rush on 3rd and 10 helped to burn up the clock in the fourth quarter.

Maurice Morris: (1-13 rushing, 1-4 1 TD receiving on 1 target) In an odd pattern, the Seahawks kept true to form giving Morris a few snaps in the first quarter. They've done this every game over the past four weeks. This week Morris delivered with a nice 13-yard pickup on a sweep around the right, and scored two plays later on a swing pass in the right flat. Other than this, his only other action was returning kicks.

WR: Koren Robinson: (3-16 receiving on 7 targets) Also holding true to form of late, the Seahawks kept Robinson within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage in the game. His only target down field was a deep in. The cornerback made a nice play to break it up.

Darrell Jackson: (0-0 receiving on 1 target) Jackson left the game after injuring his ankle in the first quarter. He did not return. He was shown on the sideline in obvious pain. Later he was on the sideline in a coat and hat.

Bobby Engram: (5-55 1 TD receiving on 7 targets) Engram replaced Darrell Jackson (ankle injury) from the middle of the first quarter to the end of the game. Engram would not have seen as much of the field today without the Jackson injury. Seattle started the game in a 2-TE set and utilized the formation a lot today. Engram's TD came from backup QB Trent Dilfer.

TE: Itula Mili: (6-70 receiving on 8 targets) Mili had his most active game of the season. It was apparent that he was scripted more into the Seattle game plan today. Seattle started the game with two roll out passes to Mili that got them rolling. Both of his non-completion targets were in the red zone that could have been TDs. One was just a bit overthrown.

Jeremy Stevens: (1-26 receiving on 1 target) Stevens only target went for a nice gain. He showed his athleticism in getting up the seam for the longest Seattle pass play in the game.

K: Josh Brown: 0-0 FG, 4-4 XP The Seattle offense was rolling early and was effective in the red zone (with the exception of the Alexander fumble). Brown didn't get a chance to kick any FGs because of it.

Pass Defense: Seattle recorded 8 sacks in the game. 7 of the sacks came from the defensive line. Seattle showed little respect for the Arizona passing game. They left their DBs in single coverage all game long. They were burned on two long passing plays, but they were happy to pay that price in order to get 8 sacks. The defensive line was the beneficiary of lots of LB blitzes. Safety Ken Hamelin is building his reputation as a big hitter. Week in and week out he's making enemies on the opposing rosters. Hamelin plays hard and likes to drop the hammer on players when he gets the chance. Opponents are starting to label Hamelin as a head-hunter and trouble maker. He's a trash talker and likes to try and rattle opponents whenever possible.

Rush Defense: Seattle kept both Arizona RBs under 3 yards per carry. They stacked the line of scrimmage and dared QB Josh McCown to beat them down field. The return of a healthy LB Anthony Simmons was a big boost to the Seattle run defense. Simmons led the Seahawks in tackles and chipped in a sack to boot. Also of note, LB Chad Brown missed the game with illness.

San Diego Chargers 24 at Pittsburgh Steelers 40

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers must have arrived late and missed the first hour of their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's the only logical explanation for their -3 yards of offense, zero first downs, and 21-0 deficit early in the second quarter. To their credit, the Chargers refused to roll over, reeling off 17 unanswered points. Unfortunately for them, Drew Brees made three costly turnovers and the Chargers defense could not contain Pittsburgh RB Jerome Bettis as the Steelers pulled away for a 40-24 victory.

Drew Brees threw the ball well after a slow start, but still made enough mistakes to take away any chance at a win. Brees was benched in the 4th quarter following his second interception of the game (and third turnover), which Steelers CB Deshea Townsend returned for a touchdown. On the play, Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson got tangled up with the referee and tipped Brees' pass into Townsend's hands. Despite the circumstances, Doug Flutie replaced the angry Brees for the final two drives. Brees finished with 198 yards passing and a touchdown on 16 of 26 passing, to go with the three turnovers.

LaDainian Tomlinson carried 22 times for 91 yards and two scores. He also caught six passes but, unlike the last two weeks, he chalked up only eight receiving yards. Although he had a productive day for a typical running back, he totaled just 97 yards on 28 touches. He seldom had open space to run, especially after the catch, and had to fight for every yard.

WR Kassim Osgood came out of nowhere to accumulate 102 yards on 4 catches, including a 57-yard touchdown that cut the Steelers lead to 21-17 early in the second half. The rookie from San Diego State showed excellent speed on the play, a crossing pattern, as he outran everyone to the end zone. Sadly for the Chargers, Osgood looked much better than their star receiver David Boston, who finished with just nine yards on two receptions.

Before leaving the game late with a sprained ankle, undrafted rookie TE Antonio Gates played well. He caught five passes for 64 yards and looked like a player to watch closely heading into next season.

Tomlinson became the second player in NFL history to catch 90 passes and rush for 1000 yards, joining Roger Craig.

Pittsburgh Steelers

In a tale of three games in one, the Steelers offense dominated two of them. They scored on their first three drives, taking a 21-0 advantage in a little over 17 minutes. San Diego then scored 17 consecutive points over the next 16 minutes, but Pittsburgh took control and outscored the Chargers 19-7 over the final 27 minutes.

Like his team, RB Jerome Bettis was dominant early and late in the game. He racked up 115 yards on 32 carries and allowed the Steelers to chew up the clock in the second half. Along the way, he moved past Marcus Allen into seventh place on the all-time rushing list. Bettis also scored a touchdown from one-yard out in the first quarter. This was his second 100-yard game in three weeks.

QB Tommy Maddox played a mistake-free ballgame and threw for three touchdowns to go with 160 passing yards. His first two touchdowns went to WR Plaxico Burress, as Maddox picked on rookie CB Sammy Davis, who couldn't cover Burress one-on-one. Later, Maddox hooked up with WR Hines Ward on a 20-yard bullet that he placed perfectly for the touchdown. It took just over 17 minutes for Burress to double his touchdown total for the season. He had all 50 yards and three catches in that time. Ward took over in the second half and finished with 94 yards on six receptions. He also ran three times for 32 yards.

CB Deshea Townsend was the player of the game on defense. He had two interceptions, including the touchdown, and also recovered a fumble by Drew Brees.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

San Diego Chargers

QB: Drew Brees (16-26-198-1-2 and a fumble) played poorly early but played well in bringing the Chargers back, but his turnovers early and late proved too much to overcome. Brees looked to TE Antonio Gates often in the first half, with good success. Later, he hooked up with Kassim Osgood. Trailing 21-10 on his opening possession of the second half, Brees made a third-down completion to Osgood for 10 yards. Three plays later, he completed a 57-yard catch and run to Osgood for his only passing score. Later, Brees' fumble in his own red zone set up a Pittsburgh field goal. Then, after his pass to Tomlinson was tipped and picked off for a Steelers touchdown, Brees was benched.

Doug Flutie threw for 42 yards and ran for 23 in his late action, but was unable to lead the Chargers to any points.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson (22-91-2, 6 catches for 8 yards on 7 targets) was held in check most of the game. He did score on runs of five and two yards, but in between he found little room to run. His longest reception went for ten yards, and his other five receptions produced negative total yardage. On his two-yard score, Tomlinson did a nifty two-legged hop-step to the left and found enough of a hole to get in the end zone.

WR: David Boston (2-9 on 5 targets) was invisible most of the game. Trailing by 16 late in the game, he made a nice catch on 4th down. He appeared to be stopped inside the Steelers 14-yard line, which would have been a first down, but the referee moved the ball back about six inches. After review, the play stood, and the game was officially over.

The receiving star was rookie Kassim Osgood (4-102-1 on 7 targets). Osgood showed blazing speed on his touchdown catch. He caught a crossing pattern over the middle, going left to right, and turned up field. Once he did so he was gone, as nobody came near him. This came a play after Osgood had dropped a pass on second down, but Brees came back to him.

TE: Antonio Gates (5-64 on 8 targets) was the other little-known impact player in this game. Brees targeted him often early, and underthrew him on one possible touchdown at the goal line. When the ball was in reach, Gates came up with the catch, and showed the ability to run after he caught it. He left in the 4th quarter with a sprained ankle.

Justin Peelle had 2 catches for 29 yards after Gates left, on four targets.

PK: Steve Christie made a 31-yard field goal and converted all three of his extra points.

Run Defense: The Chargers could not stop Jerome Bettis, especially in the second half. They allowed 4.2 yards/carry. Jason Fisk led all linemen with 7 tackles.

Pass Defense: The Chargers also could do little to stop the Steelers passing game. They did come up with two sacks, but for the most part got no pressure on Maddox, as the play-action pass was very effective, given the Steelers success on the ground.

Pittsburgh Steelers

QB: Tommy Maddox (11-18-160-3-0) used the play-action pass effectively as he led the Steelers offensive outburst. He was not particularly sharp early on, but the Steelers still jumped to an early lead. His first touchdown pass to Burress was lobbed short, but Burress adjusted, out-jumped the defender (Sammy Davis) and scored. His touchdown pass to Hines Ward was a bullet right on Ward's hands in the end zone.

RB: Jerome Bettis (32-115-1 with 1 catch for 16 yards) rumbled his way past Marcus Allen into 7th place on the all-time rushing list. Next up is Jim Brown, 13 yards away. Bettis set the tone with seven carries on the Steelers opening possession, and 17 in the first half. He was more effective in the second half, as he consistently ground out yardage and first downs and kept the ball away from the Chargers offense.

Amos Zereoue (6-29 with 2 catches for 9 yards on 3 targets) was moderately effective as the change of pace back. He carried 4 times for 24 yards on the Steelers second possession, but from there on the running game belonged to Bettis.

WR: Plaxico Burress (3-50-2 on 7 targets) played one of his best games of the season in the first 17 minutes. He abused Sammy Davis early, catching touchdowns of 25 and 16 yards. He also forced a defensive holding penalty in the first quarter, three plays before his first touchdown catch. The first touchdown was all Burress, as he adjusted to an underthrown lob pass and then outran the defense to the left pylon. He burned the Chargers defense on the 25-yard touchdown, which was wide open in the back-right end zone.

Hines Ward (6-94-1 on 7 targets, 3-32 on the ground) took over from there. Ward caught everything that came near him and got good yardage after the catch, especially on his 28-yard reception in the second quarter, on a 5-yard pass.

Antwaan Randle El was non-existent as a receiver in the passing game. He only received one target, although he did complete a 9-yard pass to Hines Ward out of the backfield.

TE: The Steelers did not complete a pass to a tight end.

PK: Jeff Reed rebounded from his recent struggles on field goals to connect from 40 and 47 yards away. However, he did miss one of his five PATs.

Run Defense: The Steelers held LaDainian Tomlinson down, except in the red zone where they allowed two touchdowns on tough runs. LB James Farrior led the team with 11 tackles.

Pass Defense: Deshea Townsend was the defensive player of the game. He recovered a fumble, had an interception on a deep ball that was intended for David Boston, and then sealed the game with his touchdown return on Brees' second and final interception. Townsend also finished the game with eight tackles. The most impressive part pf the game, however, may have been the job the Steelers did against Tomlinson in the passing game, as they held him to eight yards on seven targets.

Washington Redskins 24 at Chicago Bears 27

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Washington Redskins

Tim Hasselbeck began as shaky as he did in last week's horrible performance, but shortly found his rhythm and didn't let up. He finished with 209 yards passing and 2 touchdowns and a fantastic QB rating of 116.9. Chicago's running game kept Washington off the field for nearly all of the third quarter, or else Hasselbeck's stats could have been fatter.

Rock Cartwright, again pressed into service, was limited by Chicago's solid defense and ball-control offense. He finished with only 41 yards, netting 3.2 yards per carry.

Laveranues Coles put up fantastic numbers as a mid-range receiver, catching both of Hasselbeck's TD passes and ending with 94 yards.

Rod Gardner was quiet as a receiver (29 yards), but dynamic throwing the ball, throwing a 36 yard TD to Chad Morton and having another end zone hit (this one to QB Hasselbeck) ruled, probably incorrectly, incomplete.

Chicago Bears

The first two TDs of Rex Grossman's career made him the only Bear quarterback to throw two touchdown passes in a game this season. After an interception and fumble spoiled the beginning of the game, Grossman took big shots, made big plays, and showed a willingness to wait for a play to open up and to fight to make it happen.

Anthony Thomas had the most rushing yards of his season, rolling 141 yards with a TD by the end of the game. Thomas made consistent progress and was the motivator for the Bears eating most of the clock in the third quarter. The first rushing TD by Thomas was called back by penalty.

Marty Booker was top notch, catching a 59 yard TD strike from Grossman and finishing with 80 yards. Rookie Justin Gage took his impressive second half of the season to the mid-range game, catching 4 passes for 42 yards, none longer than 12 yards. He caught Grossman's other TD throw.

This was not a day for kickers (3 missed kicks under 35 yards, two by Chicago). Until 10 seconds left in the game, at least, when Paul Edinger redeemed his day, if not his season, with a 45 yard field goal to give the Bears the victory.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Washington Redskins

QB: Tim Hasselbeck (16-25-209 yards passing with 2 TDs, 3-5 yards rushing) started this game like a continuation of his last (week 15's 0.0 QB rating outing); he missed his first 6 passes, several in astoundingly inaccurate fashion. He readjusted quickly and for the rest of the game, however, directing several strings of multiple completions and two touchdown throws to Laveranues Coles. Finishing with a quarterback rating of 116.9, Hasselbeck threw many accurate mid-range shots and brought Washington back a couple times, even leading 17-10 at the half. The QBs hands were tied in the 2nd half, only attempting 7 passes in the 3rd and 4th quarters (no completions in the 3rd) as Chicago chewed up the clock with their ground game.

RB: Rock Cartwright (13-41 yards rushing, 2-15 yards receiving on 4 targets) had a spotty game as Washington's feature back. The 5'7" bowling ball was fed the ball early (carries on 1st and 2nd down on Washington's first two drives) but was held in check. After 10 carries for 29 yards in the first half, Cartwright ran a paltry three times, all the runs Washington attempted in the 2nd half. Cartwright had a similarly mediocre role in the passing game, though he caught both balls that he could have.

Chad Morton (2 for -2 yards rushing, 2-38 yards receiving on 2 targets with 1 TD) made a major play for Washington, catching a 36 yard trick pass from WR Rod Gardner in the end zone. He was quiet besides that big play; he carried the ball only twice, both in the second quarter, and was stopped for zero and -2 yards, respectively.

Both RBs normally atop the depth chart, Trung Candidate and Ladell Betts, did not play due to injury.

WR: Laveranues Coles (7-94 yards receiving with 2 TDs on 8 targets) was back on top with one of his best performances as Washington's number one receiver. He pushed back weeks of dwindling statistics which culminated in last week's zero receptions (hampered by turf toe). He caught all four passes from Hasselbeck in the first half, netting 56 yards and a TD. All of his gains today were short-to-medium range (from a 6 yard gain topping out at 20).

WR Rod Gardner (2-29 yards receiving on 5 targets, 1 drop, 1-2-36 yards passing with 1 TD) was looked to but quiet in the passing game, including a drop in the first quarter, continuing a disappointing season. He redeemed himself for many fantasy teams, however, with a touchdown pass to a wide open Chad Morton in the first quarter after receiving a throw backwards from Hasselbeck. He nearly completed another TD pass on a reverse handoff from Morton from 14 yards, throwing it to an open Hasselbeck in the end zone, but the ball was ruled on the field and upheld on challenge. It was likely Hasselbeck did scoop the ball in, but the camera replay could not provide definitive proof.

WR Darnerien McCants (2-40 yards receiving on 4 targets) caught Hasselbeck's longest completed pass of the day, a bullet upfield for 28 yards, as he saw all four of his targets come in the first half of the game.

WR Patrick Johnson entered the contest but was not targeted in the passing game.

TE: Zeron Flemister (2-29 yards receiving on 3 targets) received a little attention, catching an 11-yarder in the 2nd quarter and a sharp 18 yard pass to put Washington in position for Coles's 2nd TD of the game.

K: John Hall was a victim of the chaotic Chicago wind at Soldier Field, missing a 31-yard attempt in the second quarter. He hit a 27-yarder in the first quarter, though, and made his extra points.

Pass Defense: Besides the excellent interception by Fred Smoot that was called back from being a TD return, Washington allowed Rex Grossman to have a dynamic second start. He was sacked twice, both in the first half, but Washington did not stop the Bears from completing the passes they needed to make, especially on some critical strikes in the second half.

Rush Defense: Chicago ended with 191 rushing yards, and Anthony Thomas had the most yards he's had this year. Washington's defense was left on the field for a tremendous amount of time in the third quarter as Thomas pounded his way forward.

Chicago Bears

QB: Rex Grossman (19-32 for 249 yards passing, 2 TDs and 1 INT) had much improved numbers to go with astute poise and patience in his second NFL game. The team began miserably, with WR Justin Gage fumbling Grossman's 9 yard completion on the first Bear play of the game. After a false start on Grossman, a missed handoff attempt to Anthony Thomas, and an interception on a bobbled pass by Marty Booker ran back by Washington's Fred Smoot for a touchdown, this looked like it might be a very long day for Chicago's new signal caller. But the run-back by Smoot was called down at the point of the INT, and things got much better for the Bears from there. On the first play of their next drive, Grossman threw the ball perfectly to Booker on a go route that the wideout ran in for a 59-yard touchdown. By the end of the first half and several drops and covered receivers later, Grossman was a decent 8 for 15 for 138 yards. He turned up the accuracy in the 2nd half, though, going 11 for 17 on lots of short range passes to move the chains and drain the clock, and hit Justin Gage for an 11 yard TD on a dump pass up the middle. Grossman ended with a very good QB rating of 91.8, and, as important as his actual execution, displayed for the second straight game that the Bears are willing to have him take frequent shots downfield to make big plays with his receivers.

RB: Anthony Thomas (32-141 yards rushing with 1 TD, 2-11 yards receiving on 2 targets) pushed out a few yards in the first half, totaling 34 yards on 8 carries. Then he drove forward for a huge performance in the third quarter, finishing his highest rushing total of the season. Thomas ran the ball 14 times in the third quarter, keeping Washington from making more than a token appearance on offense, and plowed in a 3 yard TD. He had a touchdown on an outside run from the 6 yard line earlier in the quarter, but the play was called back on an illegal formation penalty. Thomas, in his typical style, didn't make any electric plays (a 16 yard run in 4th was his longest), but his steady progress forward was the real engine for the Bears victory.

Stanley Pritchett (5-33 yards rushing, 2-20 yards receiving on 3 targets) saw a premium amount of touches for a Bears fullback, hitting an impressive 18 yard run in the 2nd half. He was overthrown in the end zone on an 11 yard pass in the third quarter.

Rabih Abdullah and Brock Forsey were active and entered the game, but did not get touches.

WR: Marty Booker (4-80 yards receiving and 1 TD on 8 targets, 1 drop) continued his re-entrenchment as the Bears' most important receiver and a fantasy factor. He again was the most-often targeted WR with Grossman under center and has15 targets in the last two weeks. Booker burst ahead of top CB Champ Bailey when the corner looked back, and Booker nabbed a 59 yard touchdown pass on the Bears' third drive.

Dez White (2-29 yards receiving on 4 targets, 1 run for 12 yards) has faded with his probable free agent departure at the end of the season and the emergence of rookie Justin Gage. He was covered in the end zone on his only target in the first half, though his two catches were important grabs in the fourth quarter. His other target, in the fourth quarter, was another pass in the end zone. White made a nice 12 yard run for a first down on a 4th and 2 play.

Justin Gage (4-42 yards receiving on 4 targets, 1 TD) had only one catch in the first half, a 9 yard catch that was popped loose for a fumble on the first Bears play of the game. He played a key role in the 3rd quarter, however, catching 10,11, and 12 yard passes with a touchdown strike.

David Terrell (1-22 yards receiving on 1 target) did not build on a couple encouraging performances the last two weeks and saw very little action today, catching his only target in the 4th quarter.

Rookie Bobby Wade (2-16 yards receiving on 2 targets, 1 run for 5 yards) caught a 6 and 10 yard pass in the 2nd quarter.

Ahmad Merritt (1-25 yards receiving on 2 targets) saw his first action in the passing game in weeks, making a 25 yard catch that was Chicago's second-longest pass play of the day.

TE: Desmond Clark (1-4 yards receiving on 2 targets, 1 drop) saw very little action, catching only one 4 yard pass.

Bryan Gilmore (1 drop) was hit hard in the 1st quarter and couldn't hold on to the ball.

K: Paul Edinger was on the verge of being a name more cursed in Chicago than OC John Shoop, missing 30 and 33 yard field goals in the game - both of which would have given the Bears the lead. With the severe wind swirling, Edinger succeeded in the improbable, however, radically adjusting a 45-yard attempt at the end of the game that barely had the distance to make it through the uprights.

Pass Defense: The Bears allowed a quarterback with a zero quarterback rating the week before to complete 16 of 19 passes for 209 yards after a shaky start. Several times Chicago was unable to stop strings of completions, and gave up 3 passing touchdowns. They were completely unprepared for both gimmick plays by WR Rod Gardner. Washington QB Hasselbeck was only sacked once and was not intercepted.

Rush Defense: Washington ran early, but the Bears put a stop to Rock Cartwright as they only allowed 44 total yards on the ground. Cartwright and Chad Morton logged only 15 carries. It's difficult to shower the Bears with praise for slowing a team's third string running back, but the Bears made Washington one-dimensional enough to tip the game in their own favor.

Detroit Lions 14 at Carolina Panthers 20

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions have now set the record for the most consecutive road losses with 24 straight losses.

Steve Mariucci had said before the game began that he was looking to give Mike McMahon some playing time and it came rather quickly. McMahon came into the game in the second quarter after the Lions had gone down 14 to the Panthers. Harrington was ineffective in his short playing time and only completed 3 passes for 17 yards. And McMahon was even worse, if that could be possible. He only completed 4 passes for 36 yards during his 2 and a half quarters of play.

Offensively, the Lions were simply horrific. They went 3 and out on their first 3 possessions of the game. They only maintained possession for 21:46. They were forced to punt on all of their possessions, except for the one in the second quarter when QB Mike McMahon threw an interception. David Kircus led the Lions' receivers with his sole catch for 18 yards. The only receiver with more than 1 reception was Az-Zahir Hakim and he managed to pull in 2 receptions for a grand total of 9 yards.

The rushing game wasn't any better. Rookie RB Artose Pinner is a strong back with an ability to break tackles. But he only rushed for 22 yards on his 12 attempts. He split time throughout the game with Shawn Bryson, who did not fare any better, rushing for 17 yards on 6 attempts.

The only bright spots for the Lions were the two plays on which they scored, both in the fourth quarter. But it was simply too little too late. Reggie Swinton returned a punt 89 yards for a touchdown. Boss Bailey recovered a DeShaun Foster fumble and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown.

Carolina Panthers

A combination of a stout defense and an efficient offense gave the Panthers their victory over the hapless Lions.

The Panthers opened the game throwing the ball and were able to throw at ease against the Lions. Jake Delhomme led the Panthers on two touchdown-scoring drives. The first was the opening drive of the game; he connected with Steve Smith for a 20-yard touchdown pass, which he beautifully threw right between two Lions. In the second quarter, he connected with DeShaun Foster on a short screen pass that Foster turned into a 10-yard touchdown reception.

As expected, Pro Bowler Stephen Davis was inactive for the game. DeShaun Foster started in his stead. Foster played well, rushing for 76 yards. He also caught 6 passes for 38 yards and 1 touchdown. Foster did fumble the ball in the fourth quarter leading to the Lions' second score of the game.

The Panthers were hoping for a strong defensive game going into the post season, and they certainly succeeded in coming up with one. They held the Lions to 106 total yards - 53 passing yards and 53 rushing yards. They blanketed the Lions' wide receivers and stuffed the Lions' running backs.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Detroit Lions

QB: Joey Harrington (3-8-17) Joey Harrington was pulled from the game in favor of Mike McMahon after the Lions went down by 14 to the Panthers. Harrington looked terrible overthrowing his receivers. He only completed 3 passing attempts for 17 yards through the first quarter.

Mike McMahon (4-11-36, 2-14 rushing, 1 Int) If the Lions were looking for an upgrade with McMahon or even a spark, they certainly did not receive it. McMahon only completed 4 passes for 36 yards. Three of his four completed passes came during his first series of play in the second quarter. He ended any momentum that was being gained by throwing an interception during that same series. McMahon demonstrated mobility, rolling out of the pocket on numerous occasions and even contributed to the rushing game with 2 attempts for 14 yards.

RB: Artose Pinner (12-22 rushing, 1-9 receiving on 4 targets) Artose Pinner started at RB for the Lions but split time with Shawn Bryson throughout the game. Pinner is a strong back with an ability to break tackles. He shows small flashes that he could be the running back of the future for the Lions, but his play during this game was clearly hurt by the overall poor play of the Lions' offense.

Shawn Bryson (6-17 rushing) Bryson followed his best game of the year with probably his worse. He only rushed for 17 yards on his 6 attempts. And Bryson was never targeted in the passing game.

WR: David Kircus (1-18 receiving on 1 target) Rookie WR David Kircus made a great catch for 18 yards. He was near the sidelines, but managed to get both feet down before going out of bounds.

Az-Zahir Hakim (2-9 receiving on 4 targets) Az-Zahir Hakim only contributed 2 receptions for 9 yards on his 4 targets. McMahon's interception was on a pass intended for Hakim.

Bill Schroeder (1-9 receiving on 3 targets) Bill Schroeder was part of the lackluster receiving corps of Lions and only made one catch for 9 yards.

Reggie Swinton (1-6 receiving on 3 targets) Reggie Swinton did not contribute very much to the receiving game, but he did return a punt 89 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

TE: Mikhael Ricks (0-0 receiving on 3 targets) Though Ricks was targeted 3 times, he was unable to catch the ball.

K: Jason Hanson (2-2 XP) Jason Hanson converted both of the extra points he attempted.

Pass Defense: The Lions' defense was able to come up with a couple of good plays, but overall they were unable to stop the Panthers. Delhomme seemingly effortlessly threw for 260 yards and 2 touchdowns. Pro Bowler Dre Bly was able to force WR Steve Smith's fumble, though it went out of bounds and the Panthers maintained possession. Terrence Holt intercepted a deep pass intended for Ricky Proehl.

Rush Defense: DeShaun Foster and the Panthers' rushing corps rushed for a total of 124 yards. Bracy Walker was able to make a great tackle on Foster preventing a long run. Defensive tackle Shaun Rogers made a number of key blocks and forced Foster to fumble. Boss Bailey recovered the fumble and returned it for a touchdown.

Carolina Panthers

QB: Jake Delhomme (29-35-260, 2 TD, 1 Int, 3-11 rushing) Jake Delhomme opened the game by connecting with Muhsin Muhammad twice and then Steve Smith for a 20-yard touchdown pass. He played near perfect football. His only mental mistake was the interception that he threw in the first quarter, he tried to get the ball to Ricky Proehl who was surrounded by three Lions at the time. In the second quarter, he made a short screen pass to DeShaun Foster, who turned it into a touchdown reception. Delhomme had plenty of time to throw and effortlessly led the Panthers downfield drive after drive, eating up time off the clock.

RB: DeShaun Foster (21-76 rushing, 6-38 receiving on 8 targets, 1 TD) DeShaun Foster started the game in place of Stephen Davis and played well in his stead. Foster had a 15-yard gain on a short screen pass brought back with a holding penalty. In the second quarter, Foster turned a short screen catch into a 10-yard touchdown reception. But in the fourth quarter, Foster was tackled by two Lions who forced a fumble that was recovered by Boss Bailey for a touchdown.

Rod Smart (9-24 rushing, 1-3 receiving on 1 target) Rod Smart played primarily in the fourth quarter of the game when the Panthers had a hold on the lead.

Nick Goings (1-11 rushing, 2-10 receiving on 2 targets) Fullback Nick Goings led the way for DeShaun Foster, making key blocks on his rushing attempts and touchdown reception.

WR: Steve Smith (5-81 receiving on 7 targets, 1 TD, 1 for -3 rushing) During the first drive of the game, Smith fumbled the ball but it went out of bounds and Panthers maintained possession. Two plays later Smith made a great 20-yard catch between 2 Lions for a touchdown. Smith returns punts for the Panthers, and in the second quarter tried to outrun the Lions by backpedaling but was tackled for a 23-yard loss.

Muhsin Muhammad (6-69 receiving on 7 targets) Muhsin Muhammad made back to back catches on the opening drive for the Panthers. In the second quarter, he made a great 29-yard reception in the middle of the field.

Ricky Proehl (3-27 receiving on 5 targets) Ricky Proehl made a 12-yard catch in the third quarter during the Panther's field goal scoring drive.

Kevin Dyson (2-15 receiving on 3 targets) Kevin Dyson saw limited playing time and contributed with 2 receptions for 15 yards in the fourth quarter.

TE: Jermaine Wiggins (2-6 receiving on 2 targets) Jermaine Wiggins wasn't really a factor in the game though he caught all of the balls that came his way.

K: John Kasay (2-2 FG, 2-2 XP) John Kasay converted two field goals of 42 yards and 44 yards. He also made both of the extra points he attempted.

Pass Defense: The Carolina defense stood strong and held the Lions' quarterbacks to only 53 net yards passing. They held Joey Harrington to only 3 completions in the first quarter. McMahon threw 3 completions in the second quarter, followed by Mike Minter's interception. He did not make another completion until the middle of the fourth quarter. They completely blanketed the Lions receivers.

Rush Defense: The Lions were held to a total of 53 yards rushing. And 14 of those yards came from QB Mike McMahon. Julius Peppers got pressure on McMahon and sacked him once.

Cincinnati Bengals 10 at Saint Louis Rams 27

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals struggled to find any consistency on offense and the defense was again beaten in whatever way the opponents chose. The Bengals were without WR Peter Warrick and LG Eric Steinbach.

QB Jon Kitna had a rough day, going 16 of 29 for 202 yards, 1 TD and 3 interceptions. The Rams had a solid pass rush in his face all day long and made several ill-advised throws that led to turnovers.

RB Corey Dillon only had 7 carries for 37 yards. He broke a 22 yard run in the first quarter, but was on the bench or shut down the remainder of the game. RB Rudi Johnson had 11 carries for 30 yards and did not get enough consistent carries to be effective.

WR Chad Johnson continued his outstanding season catching 7 balls for 115 yards. WR Kelley Washington started in place of the injured Peter Warrick, catching 3 balls for 26 yards and 1 TD.

The Bengals offensive line struggled against the Rams' front seven. They allowed 3 sacks and both Dillon and Johnson were hit in the backfield consistently. It was pretty much a poor day all around for the Bengals.

Saint Louis Rams

The Rams continue to fight for home field advantage, dispatching the Bengals without a great deal of problem. The Rams offense had its way, even without WR Isaac Bruce. The Rams defense also had an excellent game, garnering 3 sacks, 3 interceptions and limiting the Bengals to 286 total yards and only 25 minutes time of possession.

QB Marc Bulger did not put up great numbers, completing 24 of 38 for 229 yards, 2 TD and 1 interception, but was very efficient making the big throws when needed.

As the playoffs roll around, the Rams rely more than ever on Marshall Faulk. Faulk had 22 carries for 121 yards and 1 TD. He also added another 33 yards and a touchdown on 5 catches.

WR Torry Holt had another huge day catching 10 balls for 124 yards and 1 TD. He had his 10th 100 yard receiving game of the season, breaking the Rams team record.

The Rams offensive line had no problems keeping the Bengals at bay. They opened large holes for Faulk and gave Bulger all day to pick apart the Bengals shoddy secondary.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Cincinnati Bengals

QB: Jon Kitna (16 of 29 for 202 yards, 1 TD, 3 Ints) has struggled all season long when he turns over the ball and this game was no different. Clearly rattled by the pass rush, Kitna forced balls and made mistakes. It is a simple formula for the Bengals: Kitna has 1 interception in their 8 wins and 13 in their 7 losses.

RB: Corey Dillon (7 carries for 37 yards) started again, but again found the bench for most of the game. He broke off a 22 yard run early in the game, but only had 6 other carries and found little room to run. In the pre-game report, no mention was made of Dillon being limited; he just wasn't a huge factor as he shared time with Johnson.

Rudi Johnson (11 carries for 30 yards, 2 catches for 17 yards) again led the Bengals in carries, but found no room against an aggressive Rams defense. As has been stated here several times, Johnson has not responded well when he is forced to share carries, this week was no different. The Bengals did not stick consistently with the run game, and neither Johnson nor Dillon could get in the proverbial 'groove'.

WR: Chad Johnson (7 catches for 115 yards, 12 targets) had another solid day. Without Peter Warrick in the game to help the pass defense honest, Johnson still found ways to get open and make plays. His targets were double any other Bengals receiver.

Kelley Washington (3 catches for 26 yards and 1 TD, 6 targets) struggled starting in place of Peter Warrick. Some people expect Washington to be the Bengals second receiver next season, he has aways to go before he gets there.

TE: Tony Stewart (1 catch for 21 yards, 3 targets) was the only Bengals tight end with a catch. I hope no one is counting on a Bengals tight end at this point in the fantasy season.

K: Shayne Graham continues his effective season, converting his only field goal attempt of 48 yards.

Pass Defense: The Bengals pass defense was not ripped to shreds this week, but not because they played so well. The Rams had 228 net yards passing on 38 attempts (5.8 YPA). The Bengals only sacked Bulger once and were not able to get consistent pressure. And without the threat of Isaac Bruce, the Bengals still could not contain Torry Holt.

Rush Defense: The Bengals run defense was also taken to town, as the Rams run blocking was superb. The Rams finished with 143 yards on 31 carries (4.6 YPC). Taking just Faulk and Lamar Gordon, the Rams had 27 carries for 136 yards (5.0 YPC). The Bengals defensive line was clearly simply dominated.

Saint Louis Rams

QB: Marc Bulger (24 of 38 for 229 yards with 2 TDs and 1 INT) had an efficient day against the soft Bengals secondary (63% completion percentage). He did what was required of him, making completions when called upon and handed the ball off the rest of the time. Without Bruce in the lineup, Bulger played smart football and avoided making mistakes that have plagued him up until the last few weeks.

RB: Marshall Faulk (22 carries for 121 yards, 1 TD, 5 catches for 33 yards, 1 TD) may not be the same back he was a couple of seasons ago, but he continues to do the little things that make him the center of the Rams offense. Displaying his trademark patience and cutting ability, Faulk carved up the Bengals. The Rams have relied more and more on Faulk as the season moves towards the playoffs and he regained his strength from his injury. Faulk was targeted 6 times in the passing game.

WR: Torry Holt (10 catches for 124 yards and 1 TD, 15 targets) had another huge day. The Bengals had no answer for him. At one point he was targeted on four consecutive pass plays (3 completed). He will need around 200 yards next week to break the single season receiving mark held by Jerry Rice.

Dane Looker (3 catches for 17 yards, 7 targets) started in place of the injured Isaac Bruce. He was targeted early and often but made little impact in the game.

Mike Furrey (3 catches for 34 yards, 5 targets) chipped in with the absence of Bruce.

TE: Brandon Manumaleuna (2 catches for 10 yards, 1 carry for 8 yards) was targeted 3 times.

K: Jeff Wilkins celebrated his Pro Bowl berth going 2 of 2 on field goals of 26 and 50 yards.

Pass Defense: The Rams were in the Bengals backfield all day garnering 3 sacks and numerous pressures. The Bengals were limited to 187 net passing yards. Grant Wistrom had a huge day with 2.5 sacks; Leonard Little had 0.5 sacks.

Rush Defense: The Rams limited the Bengals power running game, allowing only 99 net rushing yards on 23 carries (4.3 YPC). The Bengals never were able to establish a consistent running threat, allowing the Rams defense to key on stopping Kitna and Chad Johnson.

Baltimore Ravens 35 at Cleveland Browns 0

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Baltimore Ravens

RB Jamal Lewis was held to 90 yards less than the last time he played the Cleveland Browns. Of course the last time they played, in week 2, he had 295 yards and set the single game rushing record. Lewis finished this game with 205 yards on 22 carries and 2 touchdowns. He was held in check in the first half, gaining only 41 yards, but he exploded in the third quarter with a 72-yard touchdown run off left tackle. He added a 24-yard touchdown run later in the game. In his two games against Cleveland this year Lewis gained 500 yards.

The Baltimore defense was as dominating as the shutout would suggest. The defense scored on an interception return and they held the Browns to 211 total yards. They were in QB Tim Couch's face most of the game and shut down the running game. Their 52-yard interception return for a touchdown was longer than any pass completion by the Browns.

The receiving corps didn't have much to do. QB Anthony Wright only attempted to throw 18 times, completing 10. His best work was done handing off to RB Jamal Lewis and getting out of the way. The longest pass play of the day went to RB Chester Taylor with a 23-yard catch. This game was about Jamal Lewis and the defense.

Cleveland Browns

The offense struggled mightily to get anything going. QB Tim Couch was harassed all game by an aggressive pass rush and his numbers weren't good. He completed just 17 of 33 passes for 163 yards and was intercepted once. He also lost two fumbles.

The running game wasn't much better, although rookie RB Lee Suggs saw his first extended action and showed some quickness in hitting the hole on his way to 68 yards on 20 carries. Although Jamel White started at running back, Suggs came in as the primary ball carrier on the second series.

Other than WR Dennis Northcutt it was hard to tell if Cleveland had any receivers. His 7 catches for 67 yards were more than the rest of the wide receivers had combined. WR Andre Davis had a 49-yard reception, but that was his only catch and WR Quincy Morgan was held to 2 grabs for a measly 10 yards.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Baltimore Ravens

QB: Anthony Wright (10-18-90 1 TD, 1 INT passing, 3-16 rushing) didn't do much more than hand off to RB Jamal Lewis. He threw for a touchdown on a little shovel pass to TE Terry Jones to start the scoring, but that was it. He did throw an ugly pass, more of a shot put into the air, that was intended for a wide open WR Travis Taylor, but it was so badly underthrown that it was an easy interception. He was pressured on the play but it was still one bad pass. Wright was not called upon to win this game with his arm.

Kyle Boller (1-1-10 passing) came in to mop up in the fourth quarter. He only threw the one pass as the Ravens were running out the clock.

RB: Jamal Lewis (22-205 2 TD rushing, 3-21 receiving, 4 targets) had another fantastic performance against the Cleveland Browns. In week 2 he set the single game mark for yards with 295. In this game he ran for 205. He was held to only 41 yards in the first half but midway through the third quarter he broke two tackles on the left side and didn't stop until he was in the end zone, 72 yards on the run. He showed power at the start of the play, breaking two tackles near the line of scrimmage, then flashed his speed, outrunning defensive backs to the goal line. He followed that up with a run of 45 yards on their next possession. He scored his second touchdown of the game on a 24-yard scamper through the right side on the first play after a turnover by Cleveland. He also had 3 catches, making him the leading receiver on the team. Lewis took a seat with 8:23 left in the game or he most certainly would have added to his numbers. When the game was over Lewis sat at 1952 yards on the season, 48 shy of the 2000-yard mark. He currently has the fifth best single season total in NFL history. He will need 154 yards in the final game to beat Eric Dickerson's NFL record of 2105 yards.

Chester Taylor (7-22 rushing, 1-23 receiving, 1 target) relieved RB Jamal Lewis on several occasions during the contest to give him a quick breather, coming on midway through the fourth quarter when the game was in hand. His 23 yards receiving led the team.

Musa Smith (4-21 1 TD rushing) had a late touchdown run as he got most of the carries on the Ravens' last possession of the game. He went in from 11 yards out.

Alan Ricard (4-9 rushing) carried the ball four times but really wasn't a factor in the game.

WR: Marcus Robinson (3-27 receiving, 3 targets) had the most catches and yards among the receivers but that really doesn't say too much. This was a game that didn't require the Ravens to throw the ball so the receivers weren't going to contribute a lot.

Travis Taylor (1-4 receiving, 1-3 rushing, 5 targets) was the most targeted receiver for the Ravens but he ended the day with a mere 4 yards on his one catch - one more yard than he had on his rushing attempt. The play that saw him actually get open also was the play that QB Anthony Wright threw poorly on, resulting in an interception.

TE: Todd Heap (1-14 receiving, 2 targets) was not a factor in the game. He had only two targets, the same number as backup TE Terry Jones. QB Anthony Wright seemed far more comfortable looking to his wideouts and even his running backs in the passing game as the drop off in Heap's numbers would suggest.

Terry Jones (2-11 1 TD receiving, 2 targets, one from Boller) accounted for the lone receiving touchdown by the Ravens, taking a shovel pass from QB Anthony Wright and walking into the end zone.

K: Matt Stover (0-1 FG (missed from 46 yards) 5-5 XP) hit the upright on his lone field goal attempt but was perfect on his extra point tries.

Pass Defense: This unit played very well. They returned an interception for a touchdown and sacked QB Tim Couch 5 times, causing him to fumble on two of the sacks. They were in his face all day and held the Browns to 133 net yards passing. They held Cleveland to just 3 of 13 on third down and 0 for 2 on fourth. DB Chad Williams provided one of the most exciting plays of the game when he intercepted QB Tim Couch, fell down then proceeded to get up and work his way through some bad tackling for the touchdown.

Rush Defense: They held the Browns to 3.3 yards per carry and a total of only 78 yards. They seldom allowed the Browns to get deep into their territory and limited them to only 4 first downs on the ground.

Cleveland Browns

QB: Tim Couch (17-33-163 1 INT passing) was hurried and hit all day long. He badly overthrew his receiver on the interception and he also fumbled after being sacked twice, the last one setting up a Baltimore touchdown on the next play. He was never able to develop a rhythm and could not start anything that resembled a sustained drive. He barely completed 50% of his passes. He did have one nice completion on a pass to WR Andre Davis that covered 49 yards but for the most part all of his attempts were short passes to the receivers or dump-offs to the backs. The talk was that this could well be the last home game Couch played in Cleveland unless he was willing to restructure his contract.

RB: Lee Suggs (20-68 rushing, 2-0 receiving, 3 targets) saw his first extended playing time, taking over for RB Jamel White on Cleveland's second possession and remaining as the primary ball-carrier for the game. He showed some flashes as he was able to hit the hole and pick up some yardage on the occasional running play. Overall his numbers were not that impressive but he showed some promise.

Jamel White 4-10 rushing, 4-21 receiving, 5 targets) started the game but was replaced as the primary back by rookie Lee Suggs early in the game. White was relegated to third down duty.

WR: Dennis Northcutt (7-67 receiving, 9 targets) was by far the busiest Cleveland receiver with his 9 targets and 7 catches but he wasn't able to do much with them. He averaged less than 10 yards per catch as most of the tosses that came his way were short and over the middle.

Andre Davis (1-49 receiving, 2 targets) had a nice catch down the right sideline near the end of the first half. It was the longest completion of the day for either team.

Quincy Morgan (2-10 receiving, 5 targets) was only able to pull in two of the five balls that came his way, managing a mere 10 yards for the game.

Andre King (1 target) was not a factor in the game.

Frisman Jackson (2 targets) was not a factor in the game.

TE: Keith Heinrich (1-16 receiving, 2 targets) had a catch for 16 yards. He made another catch that was ruled out of bounds, which Cleveland challenged but the ruling on the field was upheld.

Darnell Sanders (2 targets) was not a factor in the game.

K: Brett Conway (0-1 FG, missed 37 yards) missed his only field goal attempt. Other than that he was not a factor in the game.

Pass Defense: They had an interception and recorded 3 sacks, but Baltimore didn't really care about passing so there wasn't a lot to defend.

Rush Defense: For the second time this year this unit was chewed up by the Ravens. They gave up 276 yards and 3 touchdowns, allowing a hefty 6.7 yards per carry. They had actually done a decent job in the first half, limiting RB Jamal Lewis to 41 yards. But they looked like a sieve in the second half as they couldn't tackle, giving up scoring runs of 72, 24 and 11 yards.

New Orleans Saints 19 at Jacksonville Jaguars 20

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

New Orleans Saints

Trailing 20-13 and clinging precariously to playoff hopes that were tenuous to begin with, the Saints pulled off what must be considered one of the most spectacular plays in NFL history on the last play of regulation: On a hope-and-a-prayer play that began at the Saints' 25-yard line with six seconds left, QB Aaron Brooks threw to WR Donte Stallworth. With time expired, Stallworth advanced the ball to the Jaguars' 33-yard line before lateraling left to WR Michael Lewis, who pitched it back to RB Deuce McAllister at the Jaguars' 25-yard line. McAllister then lateraled a perfect spiral right to streaking WR Jerome Pathon, who raced untouched the final 21 yards for the most improbably remarkable touchdown you'll ever see.

Even more remarkably, K John Carney shanked the extra-point try right to lose the game - and presumably his future in New Orleans. The loss officially eliminated the Saints, who needed two wins to end the season and a lot of help elsewhere, from playoff contention.

Although it lacked the postseason backdrop, the final frenzied play absolutely belongs in the same category as the Music City Miracle, the Hail Mary and the Immaculate Reception; it was reviewed by officials to ensure that there were no illegal exchanges. For those scoring at home, Brooks (22-38-0-296, two touchdowns passing) was credited with a 75-yard touchdown pass to Pathon (4-65, one touchdown), who was credited with 21 yards receiving but no reception. The miraculous three-lateral score provided stark contrast to a Saints performance otherwise marked by lethargy for most of the day. Although Brooks' performance was solid in defeat, McAllister (21-50 rushing, 6-63 receiving), the NFC's leading rusher coming in, was limited to his second-lowest rushing total of the season.

WR Joe Horn (2-39) wasn't on the field for the final play. He suffered a sprained shoulder injury early in the fourth quarter on an 18-yard reception and did not return.

TE Boo Williams (5-54, one touchdown) made a spectacular leaping touchdown grab in the second quarter and has scored four touchdowns in his last five games.

Jacksonville Jaguars

RB Fred Taylor (34-194, one touchdown rushing; 2-31 receiving) performed brilliantly all game long, and was equally effective running up the middle or on the perimeter. His was a day highlighted by continual second effort and broken tackles. Taylor surpassed the 100-yard plateau on his first carry of the third quarter and recorded his sixth 100-yard game of the season.

On the day, Taylor had five runs of 14 yards or more, including three of 25 or more, and finished with 225 total yards..

Rookie QB Byron Leftwich (9-17-2-131, one touchdown passing, 2-23 rushing) suffered two first-half interceptions but was otherwise effective as a care-taker; he improved to 4-0 at home as a starter.

Back-up RB LaBrandon Toefield (4-11 rushing, 1-14, one touchdown receiving) made the most of his limited opportunities in place of the winded Taylor, and scored Jacksonville's first touchdown to give the Jaguars a 10-3 lead.

Jacksonville wide receivers combined for just four catches and 52 yards on a day when the primary option was to hand off to Taylor. Jimmy Smith (2-16), Kevin Johnson (1-27) and Troy Edwards (1-9) averaged just 13 yards per catch.

K Seth Marler had a 21-yard field-goal attempt blocked in the fourth quarter that would've extended the Jaguars' lead to 23-13. It was the sixth straight game during which Marler has missed a field goal.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

New Orleans Saints

QB: Aaron Brooks' final numbers (22-38-0-296, two touchdowns) probably aren't indicative of his overall performance against Jacksonville, which was largely hit or miss for most of the game. He completed just nine of his 18 first-half attempts for 109 yards and endured consecutive incompletions three different times. His two-yard touchdown pass to TE Boo Williams in the second quarter was placed high and Williams made a fantastic play to go up and get it in single coverage.

Brooks did improve in the second half, going 13-of-28 for 187 yards and the miracle touchdown. Trailing 17-10 late in the third quarter, Brooks completed four straight passes for 38 yards (including three straight to McAllister for 31) in leading the Saints to a 38-yard John Carney field goal and a 17-13 deficit. Brooks favorite targets on the day were RB Deuce McAllister (6-63), TE Boo Williams (5-54, one touchdown) and WR Jerome Pathon (4-65, one touchdown), who combined for 68 percent of his completions.

Of Brooks' 16 misfires Sunday, three were batted down, two were thrown away, four were dropped, two were overthrown and one was short-hopped.

RB: Deuce McAllister (21-50 rushing; 6-63 receiving) was much more effective as a receiver against Jacksonville than he was on the ground. He was averaging 5.0 YPC prior to Week 16 but managed just 2.4 YPC Sunday. Even his longest run of the day, a nine-yarder early in the fourth quarter, ended in failure when McAllister fumbled the ball over to Jacksonville. He also fumbled in the first half when the Saints attempted a direct snap to McAllister on fourth-and-two from the Jaguars' 29-yard line. Jacksonville recovered and marched 62 yards for a 10-3 lead.

In the absence of an effective ground game, McAllister received the bulk of Brooks' aerial targets Sunday (eight total). He took a screen pass 18 yards on New Orleans' first scoring drive (a 33-yard John Carney field goal) and recorded almost twice as many receiving yards (45) as rushing yards (24) in the second half. He caught three straight passes for 31 yards on New Orleans' second drive of the second half, but failed to pick up one yard on a third-down run that forced the Saints to settle for a 38-yard Carney field goal and a 17-13 deficit.

But McAllister's greatest contribution of the day was his perfectly spiraled lateral to Pathon amid heavy pressure that resulted in the game's final touchdown.

Backup Lamar Smith finished with one carry, a two-yard gain on second-and-three, following McAllister's three straight receptions in the third quarter.

WR: Jerome Pathon (4-65, one touchdown) started the game hot, catching two passes on each of the Saints' first two drives. He caught a pair of eight-yarders on the game-opening drive, both third-down grabs that resulted in first downs. The first catch was followed by personal foul on Jacksonville that moved the ball to Jacksonville's 48-yard line to help set up a 33-yard Carney field goal and a 3-0 Saints lead. He caught 10- and 18-yard passes on the second drive. Pathon was targeted just two other times, including on a drop that would've covered roughly 50 yards.

His role in the scintillating finale was commendable - before he raced 21 yards with McAllister's lateral he threw one key block for Stallworth on the initial reception. He raced untouched to the end zone and dived in for the score.

Stallworth (3-54) was credited with a 42-yard reception on the game's final play and recorded just two other catches for 12 yards; he was targeted five times on the day. He suffered two long drops on the day, the second one, though, was nullified by a roughing the passer penalty on Jacksonville.

Stallworth also rushed one time for three yards.

One week after his four-touchdown game last week, Joe Horn (2-39) wasn't targeted for the first time until late in the second quarter (a 21-yard reception on third-and-10). He finished the game with just three targets, the final one (an 18-yard catch early in the fourth quarter), resulting in a sprained left shoulder. Horn did not return.

Michael Lewis (1-14) was credited with seven receiving yards on the game's final play and his lone catch covered seven yards on a third-and-four play the series after Horn went down.

TE: Boo Williams (5-54, one touchdown) made a wonderful leaping catch on a two-yard touchdown reception for New Orleans' first score. Three of his receptions covered at least 10 yards, highlighted by an 18-yarder just before halftime and a 17-yarder on the Saints' penultimate drive of the game.

He was targeted a total of eight times (including in the end zone on New Orleans' first drive). Williams was twice overthrown by Brooks.

Walter Rasby finished with one reception for seven yards.

K: Unfortunately for John Carney, no one in the country will remember the two field goals he kicked to keep New Orleans close (from 33 and 38 yards). They'll simply remember that he badly missed the potential game-tying extra point following one of the greatest plays in the NFL history.

Pass Defense: The Saints' pass defense performed extremely well, registering two early interceptions, limiting Leftwich to just two completions in the second half and just 131 passing yards for the game.

Rush Defense: In two words: Not good. Fred Taylor absolutely gashed the Saints on Sunday, collecting 106 of his season-high 194 yards on just five carries. On the day, New Orleans surrendered 243 yards rushing and a 5.5 YPC.

Jacksonville Jaguars

QB: Rookie Byron Leftwich (9-17-2-131, one touchdown passing, 2-23 rushing) kept his cool despite two first-half interceptions and rebounded to make some clutch plays late in the game. An outstanding running game kept the pressure off of Leftwich, who, at one point in the first half, handed off to Taylor or Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala nine straight times.

In fact, the Jaguars were so effective running the ball on Sunday that Leftwich completed just two passes in the second half - the biggest one a 30-yard strike to TE George Wrighster on third-and-two that set up K Seth Marler's 35-yard field goal and a 20-13 lead.

Leftwich began the game by completing his first three attempts for 23 yards, but was picked off on his fourth on a pass intended for WR Kevin Johnson. He misfired on his next two attempts (overthrowing Johnson and WR Jimmy Smith) but rebounded to complete four of his next six for 69 yards and an interception (including the 14-yard TD pass to Toefield and 23- and 27-yard passes to Taylor and Johnson, respectively).

Leftwich's two runs covered 23 yards - the most important an 11-yarder down to the Saints' 1-yard line to set up Fred Taylor's touchdown just before halftime.

RB: Fred Taylor (34-194, one touchdown rushing, 2-31 receiving) turned in a Priest Holmes-like performance by leading his team in both rushing and receiving. His 194 yards rushing is the second-highest total of his career. He had 92 yards rushing and one touchdown in the first half alone, and eclipsed the 100-yard barrier for the sixth time this season with a 25-yard gain on his first carry of the second half. On the day, Taylor ripped off five gains of 14 yards or more, including jaunts of 20, 20, 14, 25 and 27. He also picked up 23 yards on a screen pass from Leftwich.

Taylor was targeted on 12 of Jacksonville's first 19 plays from scrimmage and his 225 total yards represented 60 percent of his team's 374 yards. His one-yard touchdown run just before halftime put Jacksonville up, 17-10, and culminated a seven-play, 70-yard drive during which Taylor accounted for 22 yards on four carries.

One blemish on Taylor's spectacular day was Taylor coming up short on fourth-and-1 from New Orleans' 24-yard line on Jacksonville's first drive of the second half. It's worth noting that on that drive, Taylor rushed five times for 33 yards.

LaBrandon Toefield (4-11 rushing, 1-14, one touchdown receiving) made a huge impact on a handful of touches in relief of Taylor. He rushed once of five yards and caught the 14-yard touchdown pass from Leftwich on consecutive plays following Taylor gains of 23 yards and 20 yards on a screen pass and run, respectively.

Toefield's touchdown put Jacksonville ahead, 10-3.

Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala rushed five times for 15 yards, with a long of four yards.

WR: Jimmy Smith (2-16) led all Jaguars receiver in catches but was overwhelmingly quiet during a game when the Jaguars could afford such silence. He caught an 11-yard pass on Jacksonville's first possession of the game and wasn't heard from again until just before halftime, when he caught a five-yard pass on third-and-three to keep Jacksonville's first touchdown drive alive. On the day, Smith was targeted just five times.

Kevin Johnson (1-27) made his lone contribution count, hauling in a 27-yard pass from Leftwich just before halftime that took the ball to the Saints' 12-yard line. Two plays later, Taylor scored from one yard out. Johnson was targeted a total of three times against New Orleans.

Troy Edwards (1-9) caught his only pass during Jacksonville's opening drive of the second half.

TE: George Wrighster (1-30) registered nary a blip on the radar until late in the third quarter. How such a big target became so wide open is a mystery, but Leftwich dropped a 30-yard pass into him on third-and-two that gave Jacksonville a first down at the Saints' 25-yard line. Three plays later, Marler booted the 35-yard field goal that gave the Jaguars a 20-13 lead.

Kyle Brady (1-4) was responsible for Leftwich's first completion on the second play of the game and wasn't a factor the rest of the way.

K: Seth Marler connected on field goals of 43 and 35 yards but had a 21-yard attempt blocked late in the third quarter that would've given Jacksonville a 23-13 lead.

Pass Defense: The Jaguars' pass defense supported a spectacular performance against the run with a solid afternoon. With the exception of New Orleans' reality-defying final play that covered 75 yards, the Jaguars held up exceptionally well and sacked QB Aaron Brooks once.

Rush Defense: In a word: Spectacular. The Jaguars limited the NFC's leading rusher to just 50 yards on 21 carries (a 2.4 YPC average) and gave up a long run of just nine yards. For perspective, consider that entering the game, Deuce McAllister had averaged 110 yards per game rushing and five yards per carry.

Tennessee Titans 27 at Houston Texans 24

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Tennessee Titans

QB Steve McNair started the game despite an injured left ankle, and led the Titans to a late 27-24 victory over the Texans. McNair led a late touchdown drive that culminated with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Drew Bennett on 4th-and-10 with 17 seconds remaining in the game. McNair was 17-for-36 in the game with 268 yards passing, two touchdowns, and one interception. Even with his injury, McNair showed decent mobility, and was not sacked in the game. Last week's starting QB, Billy Volek, was placed on injured reserve earlier this week. Veteran Neil O'Donnell was signed this week to play in the event that McNair was not healthy for the game. O'Donnell was the Titans' back-up quarterback.

RB Eddie George led the rushing attack for the Titans, carrying the ball 19 times for 79 yards. Rookie RB Chris Brown continued to play an important role in the Titans' rushing offense, carrying the ball 10 times for 69 yards.

WR Drew Bennett led the Titans' receiver corps with five catches for 84 yards, including the game-winner from 23 yards late in the fourth quarter. Justin McCareins also had 82 yards receiving on two catches, including a 73-yard catch-and-run reception where McCareins was tackled at the Texans' 1-yard line.

PK Gary Anderson was perfect on the day, converting three points after touchdown, and converting his two field goal attempts, from 26 and 41 yards.

CB Samari Rolle was the Titans' defense standout in the game as he intercepted two passes and recovered a Texans' fumble that he returned for a touchdown. Rolle's first interception was on the Texans' first drive of the second half, and would have resulted in points for the Titans' if Steve McNair had not thrown an interception deep in Texans' territory. Rolle's second interception was on the Texans' last, desperate attempt to comeback on their final drive. Rolle's 61-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the middle part of the third quarter gave the Titans a 17-10 lead.

Houston Texans

David Carr returned as the starting Texans' quarterback, and the output of the Texans' offense was drastically different than the last two weeks with Dave Ragone at the controls. David Carr was 17-for-34 for 242 yards with one touchdown passing and two interceptions. Carr also had several key scrambles in the game, as he rushed four times for 40 yards. In contrast to the previous two games, the Texans were able to move the ball on offense, and nearly pulled an upset of the Titans.

RB Domanick Davis had better success than last week, but overall, was not as effective as he had been earlier in the season. Davis rushed 14 times for 51 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to give the Texans a 24-20 lead. Davis did have a key fumble in the third quarter that was returned 61 yards for a Titans' touchdown.

WR Andre Johnson led the Texans' wideouts, catching five passes for 106 yards, including a long of 42 yards. Corey Bradford also played a strong role for the Texans, catching three passes for 36 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter to tie the game at 17.

PK Kris Brown was perfect in the game, making his three points after touchdown and converting a 49-yard field goal to start the day's scoring early in the second quarter.

DB Marlon McCree had the Texans' defensive play of the game, intercepting a Steve McNair pass deep in Texans' territory and returning the ball 95 yards for a touchdown. The interception changed the complexion of the game, as the score tied the game at 10, midway in the third quarter. Without the interception return, the Titans were threatening to break the game open by going up by either two touchdowns, or at a minimum, ten points.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Tennessee Titans

QB: Steve McNair returned to the starting QB position for the Titans, throwing a 23-yard touchdown pass to Drew Bennett with 17 seconds left in the game to lead the Titans to a hard-fought 27-24 victory. McNair, even with his injured ankle, threw for 268 yards, and was not sacked in the game. McNair did try to rollout and run for a first down on 4th-and-2 early in second quarter, but came up short on the play as he was unable to fully utilize his legs to make the first down. If McNair was not able to play in the game, veteran Neil O'Donnell had been signed during the week to play QB for the Titans.

RB: Eddie George led the Titans' rushing attack with 69 yards on 19 carries. Rookie Chris Brown continues to play a greater role in the Titans' offense, rushing 10 times for 60 yards. Robert Holcombe also had 25 yards rushing on two carries, and also caught one pass for six yards.

WR: Drew Bennett led the Titans with 84 yards receiving, including the game-winning touchdown with 17 seconds remaining in the game. Justin McCareins also played a significant role in the game, catching two passes for 82 yards, including a 73-yard reception in the second quarter that led to a Titans' touchdown. (McCareins was tackled at the 1-yard line on the play.) Derrick Mason also had four receptions for 44 yards, and one receiver screen for four yards that was ruled a lateral. Justin McCareins was the primary kickoff return man for the Titans. Derrick Mason was the primary punt return man. Tyrone Calico was inactive for the game.

TE: Erron Kinney caught one pass, a two-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter that gave the Titans' a 10-3 lead. Frank Wycheck had one reception for 25 yards.

K: Gary Anderson was 2-for-2 in field goal attempts in the game, converting from 26 and 41 yards. Anderson was 3-for-3 in points after touchdown.

Pass Defense: The Titans continued to show vulnerability to the passing game, giving up 242 gross yards in the game. The Texans' game plan appeared to be to attack the Titans' defense with the short passing game, and gradually move the ball down the field. This game plan nearly pulled off the upset victory for the Texans. Samari Rolle had two interceptions in the game, one in the early part of the third quarter, and a second as time was running out late in the fourth quarter. Kevin Carter had the only sack in the game.

Run Defense: The Titans had moderate success controlling the Texans' running game, yielding only 91 yards, but giving up rushing yardage at a 5.1 yards per carry average. Samari Rolle had a fumble recovery that he returned for a 61-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Houston Texans

QB: David Carr returned to the starting lineup, passing for 242 yards on 17-for-34, with one touchdown and two interceptions. David Carr did show good mobility, scrambling for 40 yards on four attempts, including two key scrambles totaling 15 yards on a first quarter drive. Carr's touchdown pass was the Texans' first touchdown pass in four games.

RB: Domanick Davis had better success than last week, rushing for 51 yards on 14 carries that included a 5-yard touchdown run. No other Texans' running back rushed the ball in the game, although FB Moran Norris did catch one pass for 11 yards. Davis also had two receptions for nine yards.

WR: Despite tight coverage by the Titans' secondary, Andre Johnson led the Texans' receivers with 106 yards on five receptions. Johnson battled Titans' DB Beckham for a 37-yard reception in the third quarter, but he did drop a 25-yard pass in the second quarter. Johnson also threw a key block to spring David Carr free for extra yards on a third-quarter scramble. Corey Bradford chipped in with three catches for 36 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown reception. Bradford did have a 9-yard reception in the first quarter called back because of an offensive holding penalty. Derick Armstrong had two receptions in the game, and Jabar Gaffney had one.

TE: Billy Miller had three receptions in the game for 33 yards. Miller's 20-yard reception in the first quarter resulted from Miller fighting his way through several Titans' tacklers and gaining 17 yards after the initial catch.

K: Kris Brown converted a 49-yard field goal in the second quarter to start the game's scoring, and also converted on three point after touchdown attempts.

Pass Defense: The Texans yielded 268 yards passing in the game, not sacking the injured Steve McNair. The Texans' pass rush never seriously forced McNair to test his ailing ankle, but did force him to scramble occasionally to avoid the rush. DB Marlon McCree did intercept McNair deep in Texans' territory that resulted in a 95-yard interception return for a touchdown. McCree's interception return was the longest in Texans' history. Coleman nearly had an interception of a McNair pass in the early second quarter as Titans' receiver Justin McCareins slipped on the play.

Run Defense: Eddie George, Chris Brown, and Robert Holcombe chewed up much of the 182 yards against the Texans' run defense, including a 5.2 yards per carry average.

Denver Broncos 31 at Indianapolis Colts 17

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Denver Broncos

After throwing an interception that led to the Colts' first TD, Jake Plummer played remarkably, passing for 236 yards, while running for two touchdowns and passing for another. Over the past couple weeks, he appears to be developing a better rapport with Ashley Lelie, especially with the deep ball.

Mike Anderson, who replaced an injured Clinton Portis in the starting lineup, had a solid performance, helping Denver move the chains when necessary, and picking up a touchdown, but Quentin Griffin stole the show. The rookie rushed for 134 yards total, although he didn't reach pay dirt. Anderson and Griffin accounted for 192 rushing yards.

Ashley Lelie is developing a better on-field relationship with Plummer, and is becoming a factor down the field, as evidence by his 60-yard reception in the first half, which led to Denver's first TD. Lelie was injured on the play but returned later. Lelie went over 100 yards receiving for the third time in his career. Rod Smith had limited yards but did find the end zone on a 15-yard strike.

Denver dominated the time of possession, but even when Indy did have the ball, the Broncos' scheme confused Peyton Manning and the Colts. The Broncos were able to get their hands on Manning several times, getting a sack and forcing a fumble. Edgerrin James picked up a 16-yard TD run in the first half, but for the most part, Denver contained the Colts' running back.

Indianapolis Colts

Peyton Manning completed just over 50 percent of his passes in a sub par performance, even though he did go over 4,000 passing yards for the fifth straight season. Denver also did a nice job disrupting pass lanes and containing top receiver Marvin Harrison - with the exception of a 63-yard hook-up in the third quarter.

Edgerrin James could've had a nice day, but the Broncos' time of possession domination limited him to just 42 yards on 10 carries. He did get his 10th TD on the season with a 16-yard first-half run.

Marvin Harrison had a 63-yard reception in the third quarter, but other than that, was held in check by double-teams from the Broncos' defense. Tight end Marcus Pollard was Manning's favorite target early in the game, as the Colts' QB tried to stretch the field.

Indianapolis allowed nearly 200 yards rushing, as the Broncos pounded the ball down the Colts' throat. Denver's impressive running game took pressure off Jake Plummer and negated a possible Indy pass rush. Gary Brackett got the only pick of Plummer on the game - and took it to the house for a 31-yard touchdown.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Denver Broncos

QB: Jake Plummer (14 of 17 for 238 yards, 2 rush TDs, passing TD, INT) did a masterful job managing the Broncos' offense after throwing an interception that was returned for Indy's first TD. He rushed for two first-half touchdowns and nearly ran for a third, but was tripped up at the Colts' 1 in the fourth quarter. He showed great touch on a 15-yard corner route to Rod Smith on a second-quarter score.

RB: Rookie Quentin Griffin (28 carries, 136 yards) took over the bulk over the ball-carrying after an impressive first half. He showed great burst throughout the game. Even though he didn't find the end zone, he went over the century mark for the first time in his career. In the process, he doubled his season rushing total in one game. He also caught a pass for 24 yards.

Plummer tripped up handing the ball to Mike Anderson on a fourth-and-goal play at the Colts' 1, or else he might have found the end zone for a second time. Overall, Anderson contributed 56 yards on 19 carries.

WR: Ashley Lelie (5 catches, 115 yards) recorded his third career 100-yard receiving game, and is really starting to break out as a deep threat. He caught a 60-yard pass, which led to Denver's first TD. A third of his receptions this season have gone for more than 20 yards.

Rod Smith's 15-yard TD reception - just his third of the season - was a nice fade route in the back right of the end zone. He also had one end-around for 13 yards.

Ed McCaffrey's only reception was a key 23-yard first-down grab late in the fourth quarter. He's yet to go over 50 yards receiving in a game this year.

TE: Shannon Sharpe had two catches for 30 yards.

K: Jason Elam made his only field goal - a 24-yarder - and all four PATs.

Rush Defense: Well, Denver's offense was on the field most of the game, so the Broncos didn't have to worry much about Edgerrin James, who picked up 42 yards on 10 carries.

Pass Defense: Denver held Peyton Manning under 200 yards passing on the day, and for a guy who's thrown for 4,000 yards for five straight NFL seasons, that says something. The Broncos sacked him two times, forced a fumble and bottled up top wideout Marvin Harrison.

Indianapolis Colts

QB: Peyton Manning failed to throw for 200 yards for only the third time in the past two seasons and didn't pass for a touchdown for the third time in the past five games. Manning did, however, go over 4,000 yards passing for the fifth straight season.

RB: Edgerrin James averaged more than 4.0 yards per carry, but Denver dominated time of possession, keeping him from developing a rhythm. He did score on a 16-yard scamper in the first half for his 10th rushing TD of the season.

WR: Marvin Harrison was double-teamed and held in check in the first half, but finally broke free in the fourth quarter with a 63-yard reception. Overall, his six catches for 85 yards are below average for this All-Pro receiver.

Reggie Wayne was open on several plays, but Manning couldn't make connections with him all evening.

Brandon Stokley came up smaller than small as he caught one pass for five yards.

TE: Marcus Pollard (4 catches, 55 yards) was a factor early but disappeared in the second half.

K: Mike Vanderjagt knocked through a 40-yard field goal and two PATs.

Rush Defense: Denver ran up and down Indy's defense, with Mike Anderson and Quentin Griffin picking up nearly 200 yards combined. The Colts couldn't make key stops to get the ball back to the offense.

Pass Defense: Indy didn't record a sack on Jake Plummer and let him roam in and out of the pocket to make plays. Gary Brackett returned a pass 31-yards for TD in the first quarter, but that was the lone bright spot for Indianapolis' defense.

Miami Dolphins 20 at Buffalo Bills 3

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins won this game with Defense and Ricky Williams. They were actually out-gained by Buffalo 228-188, but Buffalo never even sniffed a scoring chance and the Dolphins were content to just hand the ball off to Williams over and over and let the clock run so they could get back to sunny Miami and out of the blistery cold Buffalo.

Jay Fiedler completed only one pass over 10 yards, but he made that one count as it went for a touchdown.

Buffalo Bills

The stats don't entirely show it, but this was a pathetic excuse for an NFL offense. At halftime, Miami had scored 13 points and Buffalo had gained 12 yards. That's how bad they played. Buffalo gained half of their yards against Miami's prevent defense once the game was out of reach.

Drew Bledsoe is less mobile than most offense tackles. He took 6 sacks on the day and could have avoided at least half of them by stepping away from an oncoming defender. The flip side of that is that the Dolphins could have had about 4 more sacks if not for Bledsoe barely being able to get rid of the ball. Most of the blame was being placed on Buffalo's offensive line that has been decimated by injuries.

By the way, 5 fumbles and an interception didn't help things either.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Miami Dolphins

QB: Jay Fiedler (8-17/46/1TD/1Int) is not good. He did make a good throw on the TD pass to Chambers, but several times he almost got receivers killed because of his suspect arm strength. Balls take too long to get to receivers giving defenders time to catch up and crush the defenseless Dolphins. He also had another interception that could have changed the look of this game called back after a roughing the passer penalty.

RB: Ricky Williams (29-111 rushing 3-5 receiving) is right out of the old school. His performance today was only dampened by artificial turf. The Dolphins pulled out to a 13 point lead and did nothing besides hand the ball to Williams for the rest of the game. Clock management worked in Williams' favor. He was taken into the locker room briefly in the second quarter, but returned quickly only missing about half of one series.

WR: Chris Chambers (1-23/1TD) became the first Dolphin since Marc Clayton in '91 to catch 10 TDs in a season. He had another shot at a TD in the second quarter, but Fiedler overthrew him in the back of the end zone. James McKnight was the only other receiver to catch a pass (1 for 9 yards).

TE: Randy McMichael (1-6 yards) would have been shut out on the day except for he made a great twisting catch on a ball that Fiedler threw behind him. He was one of the beneficiaries of Fielders weak arm when he was open for a 25 yard catch, but by the time the ball arrived the Buffalo safety broke it up with a big hit.

K: Olindo Mare was 2 for 2 on short FGs and made both XP's.

Pass Defense: Miami played very well in pass defense giving up 155 yards. All day, Miami was just pinning their ears back and coming after Bledsoe. Terrell Buckley had a 74 yard interception returned for a TD. They also had an interception called back because of an illegal contact penalty in the 4th quarter.

Rush Defense: Played as solid as the pass defense. Not a single running play longer than 9 yards allowed the entire game. Travis Henry needed 24 carries to gain his 67 yards (2.7 per carry). They Dolphins had a 20 yard fumble returned for a TD called back because of an offside penalty. All in all a fantastic defensive performance by the Dolphins.

Buffalo Bills

QB: Drew Bledsoe (12-24/114/0TD/1INT) was dazed and confused all day. How he managed to make it to 114 yards is amazing. Many of his sacks were the result of him holding on to the ball way too long. So much so that his offensive lineman began to get upset with either him or his receivers for not getting open. Travis Brown came in late and relieved Bledsoe going 3-4 for 41 yards in mop up duty.

RB: Travis Henry (24-67 rushing 1-6 receiving) played hard despite having no room to run in and no passing threat to take pressure off him. He did give way to Sammy Morris on 3rd down plays.

WR: Eric Moulds (3-20) has really fallen this year. His 1 touchdown for 2003 is a far cry from the 10 he had last year and his 60 catches are a few short of his 100 from last year. It truly is a season for him to forget. Bobby Shaw led all receivers with 7 catches for 68 yards. Just about all these were against the prevent defense.

TE: Mark Campbell (3-55) had a pretty good day highlighted by a nice over the shoulder catch for 31 yards that set up Buffalo's only score on the day.

K: Rian Lindell made his only kick of the day - a 23 yard FG.

Pass Defense: I guess you give game balls to the Buffalo pass defense. Holding any NFL QB under 50 yards passing is a great accomplishment. Most of the credit can go to Miami's lack of confidence in Fiedler combined with the lack of a need to throw the ball.

Rush Defense: Believe it or not it wasn't as bad as it seems. They were just worn down by attrition. Only 4 of Williams' carries went for more than 5 yards, but very few went for less than 2. Knowing that Miami was not going to throw and still not having a way to stop Williams says a lot for this unit.

San Francisco 49ers 31 at Philadelphia Eagles 28 (OT)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The San Francisco 49ers, relegated to a spoiler role for the balance of the season, severely hurt the Philadelphia Eagles' chances for securing home field for the playoffs. Philadelphia, having won 9 games in a row, stumbled and now could sink to as low as the fifth seed if they do not win next week. The Eagles need a victory next Saturday at Washington to win the NFC East and earn a bye.

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers opened up their offense and put up 31 points against the usually stingy Philadelphia Eagles' defense. The victory did not come cheaply, as Pro-Bowl WR Terrell Owens suffered a season-ending injury in the second quarter. Owens landed hard out of bounds after a catch and broke his left collarbone.

The bright side is that the Niners are able to continue to evaluate other aspects of their offense, both in their backfield and in their receiving corps. RB Kevan Barlow continues to be the feature back and performed well, gaining 154 yards and scoring once on the ground and another time as a receiver.

The San Francisco defense yielded 28 points, but they forced (or Safety Tony Parrish forced) three key turnovers at critical junctures of the game. Parrish logged two interceptions that set up two field goal attempts, and forced another fumble that prevented an Eagle touchdown.

Philadelphia Eagles

The hottest team in the NFC, winners of 9 straight games, lost in overtime as their weaknesses finally caught up to them. The Eagles gave up another 100-yard running performance, the sixth time in seven games, and also committed 3 turnovers that sealed their fate.

QB Donovan McNabb had his first and last pass intercepted, which overshadowed his completion rate of nearly 75% (27-37-238). McNabb threw for just one touchdown, but did find a deep passing threat in WR Todd Pinkston. Pinkston caught two passes for 47 yards each, showing an ability to stretch the field. Pinkston (5-121-1) went for over 100 yards receiving, the first time and Eagle had over 100 yards since Week 3 last season.

RB Correll Buckhalter was deactivated by the coaches for missing meetings, so the RBBC was reduced to Brian Westbrook and Duce Staley. Staley scored 2 rushing touchdowns in the first half, and Westbrook added a score on an 81-yard punt return. Inexplicably, Philadelphia abandoned the running game after halftime. The Eagles had 81 rushing yards on just 14 carries at the half, but only called 4 run plays for 7 yards in the second half.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

San Francisco 49ers

QB: Jeff Garcia (15-29-255, 2 TD, 0 INTs, 1 2-PT pass, 6-17 rushing, 1 fumble) threw the ball around to seven different receivers, as his main target WR Terrell Owens went down with a broken collarbone in the second quarter. Garcia spread it around enough so that no one receiver had more than 3 catches or over 61 yards. He threw short but was able to hit receivers in stride. The yards after the catch added up, and Garcia ended up with six passes for 20 or more yards.
Garcia was also conservative running the ball, calling his own number only when necessary. Garcia either sneaked or scrambled three times in the third quarter, all for first downs. He finished with 6 carries and 17 yards.

RB: Kevan Barlow (30-154 rushing, 1 TD, 3-33 receiving, 1 TD, 5 targets) continued to thrive as the feature back for San Francisco. Barlow, the main ball carrier since Garrison Hearst's injury / surgery, averaged over 5 yards a carry on 30 tries. Barlow had three other touches, coming on catches out of the backfield. The first catch went 15 yards for the first Niner touchdown. The two balls thrown to him that weren't catches were not catchable - both balls were throwaways by Garcia towards Barlow on busted screens.

Jamal Robertson (4-39 rushing, 0 targets) spelled Barlow on the rare occasion that he was not in the game, and the speedy back gained 39 yards on four carries.

FB Fred Beasley (0-0 rushing, 2-11 receiving, 3 targets) was targeted out of the backfield once in each of the first three quarters. Beasley caught one for 4 yards in the first quarter and another for 7 more in the third. The miss in the second quarter was partially due to stumbling, partially due to the defender pushing him off stride. Beasley was off-balance and unable to catch the ball.

P Bill LaFleur (1-0 rushing) was credited with a carry for zero yards. This occurred due to a bad snap and hold on a first quarter field goal attempt. LaFleur is the holder, and he could not place the ball for the kick, but scurried a bit to get back to the line of scrimmage.

WR: Terrell Owens (1-20 receiving, 6 targets, broken collar bone) caught one lone pass and had difficulty getting separation from the Eagles' secondary. The one catch Owens made, a 20-yarder, came midway through the second quarter. He was forced out of bounds and landed hard on his left shoulder, and then proceeded to go towards the locker room with an apparent injury. Word came shortly thereafter that Owens' season was over, as he was diagnosed with a broken collarbone.

Tai Streets (3-46 receiving, 5 targets) had to fill in once Owens went down, and he helped carry the load by catching three balls for 46 yards. Streets caught balls for 13, 27, and 6 yards, and was targeted five times.

Brandon Lloyd (2-33 receiving, 1 TD, 4 targets) became the number two WR option once Owens went down with the injury. Lloyd elevated his game, catching a 33-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Lloyd was able to out-leap the Philadelphia defender (CB Lito Sheppard) at about the 10-yard line, then dash in for the score. Lloyd also added a crucial 2-PT reception in the fourth quarter. He was also targeted in the end zone in the third quarter, but the ball was just overthrown and out of the back of the zone.

Cedrick Wilson (1-(-4) rushing, 1-21 receiving, 2 targets, 58 kickoff return yards) got involved in the passing game, catching one ball for 21 yards in the third quarter. He also had an end-around in the third quarter, but was tackled for a loss. Wilson's main contributions continue to be on special teams, as he was the main kick returner.

TE: Jed Weaver (3-61 receiving, 4 targets) caught three balls, all in different quarters. In the first, he snagged a 23-yarder for a first down. In the third, he caught another for 8 yards, and later added a 30-yard catch in the fourth. Weaver was technically listed as a target of another pass, but the ball was batted down (and nearly intercepted) at the line of scrimmage - Weaver had no chance to catch it.

K: Todd Peterson (3/3 FGs, 33, 25, and 22 yards, 2/2 XPs) converted all of his kicks on a windy late afternoon in Lincoln Financial Field. The wind was a factor during the game, as most long field goal possibilities were not attempted. Peterson scored the final three points of the contest in overtime to win the game for the Niners.

The San Francisco kicking game did miss a field goal attempt early in the game. A bad snap and hold prevented Peterson from attempting a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter. The holder (P Bill LaFleur) was credited with a zero-yard rush on the play.
Pass Defense: The Niners pass defense struggled all day, either giving up completions or committing blatant pass interference or holding penalties. McNabb completed nearly 75% of his passes and a touchdown. However, there were a few key bright spots. Safety Tony Parrish had two interceptions, on both McNabb's first and last passes of the game. Both turnovers set up field goal attempts for San Francisco, including the game-winner. The pass defense also blitzed often, sacking McNabb 3 times.

A big third turnover came after WR Todd Pinkston apparently scored a 48-yard touchdown. After reviewing the play via a challenge, it was reversed to a fumble at the 1-yard line and the ball's continuation through the end zone and out of bounds gave the Niners the ball at their own 20.

Rush Defense: The San Francisco rush defense gave up 81 rushing yards in the first half, but clamped down after halftime to allow just 7 more. They were aided by the absence of RB Correll Buckhalter, who was deactivated, but mostly the lack of rushing attempts made their rush defense look good. Two TDs came on the ground for Philadelphia, and the Eagles averaged 4.6 yards per carry.

Philadelphia Eagles

QB: Donovan McNabb (17-27-238, 1 TD, 2 INTs, 2-5 rushing) got the deep passing game going, hitting WR Todd Pinkston twice for 47 yards. McNabb spread the ball to eight different receivers, but he focused on Pinkston (8 targets), WR James Thrash (6 targets) and RB Brian Westbrook (6 targets).

The two blunders came on the first and last pass play for McNabb. Safety Tony Parrish intercepted McNabb both times, setting up San Francisco for field goal attempts. None was more critical than the interception in overtime, as the Niners took over possession inside the Eagles 5.

McNabb nearly had a second touchdown pass on the day, but again Parrish got involved to change the fate. WR Todd Pinkston looked to have scored on a 48-yard go pattern down the sideline, but upon review it was reversed to a forced fumble and a touchback for San Francisco.

McNabb continues to be hesitant to run, rushing just twice in the first quarter for a scant 5 yards.

RB: Brian Westbrook (5-29 rushing, 1 rushing TD, 5-39 receiving, 6 targets. 91 punt return yards and a return TD) shared the backfield with Duce Staley, touching the ball five times each rushing and receiving. Westbrook's biggest impact on the game came in the third quarter on special teams. He caught a punt at his 19, and just seconds later was celebrating an 81-yard touchdown.

Westbrook continued to show his speed and quickness late in the game, where he caught a pass in the flat and juked a Niner into tackling air. The announcers compared his agility to Barry Sanders, high praise indeed. Westbrook shook the would-be tackler and sprinted 20 yards for a first down.

Duce Staley (11-53 rushing, 2 TDs, 1-1 receiving, 1 target) scored both Eagle rushing touchdowns. Staley scored from both 7 yards and 1 yard out in the first half, and went to the locker room at halftime with 46 yards on 8 carries and one catch for a yard. Staley only touched the ball three times in the second half as Philadelphia went away from the ground game.

FB Jon Ritchie (1-1 rushing, 1-6 receiving, 1 target) helped the Eagles' running attack score twice on the ground as the lead blocker in the 2-back set. Ritchie touched the ball once early on it the game, gaining one yard on that lone carry in the first quarter. He also made a catch in the fourth quarter for six yards, his only target.

WR: Todd Pinkston (5-121 receiving, 1 TD, 1 fumble, 8 targets) finally presented himself as the deep threat that Philadelphia has been looking for to stretch the field. Pinkston caught two passes for 47 yards each in the first half, and added a pretty 19-yard touchdown on a fade route late in the fourth quarter. Pinkston's second 47-yard catch was initially ruled a 48-yard TD, but was reversed to a fumble at the 1 and a touchback.

Pinkston was the most targeted receiver in the fourth quarter, as McNabb looked to him 5 times in the period. Pinkston only grabbed two, but the last was for a touchdown. The TD was important, as it allowed the Eagles to tie the score and send the game into overtime.

The 121 yards Pinkston logged was significant for Philadelphia, as it marked the first time the Eagles had a receiver exceed 100 yards since Week 3 last year.

James Thrash (1-13 receiving, 6 targets, 139 kickoff return yards) was often targeted by McNabb, but he and Thrash were just not in step this game. Twice Thrash was open for scoring plays, but was overthrown on both occasions. Both passes, if they had been complete, would have been for touchdowns. Additionally, Thrash drew a pass interference penalty to set up Duce Staley's second touchdown.

Freddie Mitchell (2-23 receiving, 3 targets) caught two balls for first downs, a 6-yarder in the second quarter and another for 17 in the fourth.

Rookie Greg Lewis (1-23 receiving, 1 target) caught one pass for 23 yards and a first down in the fourth quarter. This was his only target.

TE: LJ Smith was sidelined due to an injury.

Chad Lewis (1-12 receiving, 2 targets) was quiet all game until the fourth quarter. Lewis was targeted twice, catching one of them for 12 yards and a first down.

K: David Akers (0/2 FGs, 46 and 42 yard attempts, 4/4 XPs) had field goal issues. Akers missed two FGs for the first time since January 2002, a playoff game against Tampa Bay. The first miss was dead-on straight between the pipes, but the 42-yard attempt fell short due to a "wall of wind" as the announcers described it. The second attempt looked out of sync - Akers almost false started, moving before the snap, and his rhythm was thrown off. Akers struck the ball well, but it sailed just wide left. That second attempt came with the wind at his back, so the 46-yard attempt was plenty long enough.

Pass Defense: The Eagles pass defense kept San Francisco from hitting the deep strike. This was aided in part by the injury to WR Terrell Owens. They did yield a number of yards after the catch, as the 6 catches for 20 or more yards were all short passes. Garcia was kept under pressure by the front four linemen, and the Eagles finished with five sacks.

Rush Defense: The Philadelphia rush defense gave up yet another 100-yard rushing performance, this time to Kevan Barlow. That marks six of the last seven games that they have given up a 100-yard rushing performance. San Francisco averaged nearly 5 yards a carry, and the run defense continues to be the main Achilles' heel of the Philadelphia Eagles.