The good news for Pittsburgh Steeler fans is that their defense is sixth in the NFL in sacks. The bad news is that they haven't registered a sack in the last two games, including Sunday's 33-30 win over the Giants…

Heading into preseason camp, many thought that Giant LB Nick Griesen would be the opening day starter. A hamstring injury delayed those hopes for Griesen, but injuries to other teammates, as well as decent play, has led to Griesen getting a few recent starts. On Sunday, he had his best game yet with 13-2 tackles and his first sack of the year…

Redskin LB Mike Barrow being hurt all year created an opportunity for Antonio Pierce. The fourth year player did not make a single start in 2003, but opportunity was all he needed this year. His breakout season continued in Sunday's 26-16 Washington win over San Francisco. Pierce had 5-2 tackles and a big interception…

The interception for Pierce was big because it came at the very end of the first half. Pierce returned it 78 yards for the score and opened up the Redskins lead to fourteen points. It was the first touchdown for Pierce of his NFL career…

The touchdown by Pierce was the first defensive score for the team since the last game of the 2002 season. More than 100 defensive touchdowns have been scored by other teams during that span…

Carolina Panther DE Julius Peppers continues his IDP march for top scoring DE. In Sunday's 34-31 loss to Atlanta, Peppers only had 2-1 tackles, but he more than made up for it with a 60-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter…

It was Peppers second touchdown of the season, his first coming three games earlier, and the first recovered fumble of his career…

With almost 60 total tackles to go with ten sacks, a forced fumble and a pair of interceptions, Peppers is winning the scoring title for DE's in many leagues…

The too little, too late award goes to Peppers counterpart on the other end, Mike Rucker. Rucker had his second sack of the season, both in the last three games. It seems unlikely, though, that any of you Rucker owners actually started him this week…

The tackle numbers have been down this season for Bills LB Takeo Spikes, but it must have felt awfully good to play in a meaningful game in December. In the second quarter of Sunday's game against Cincinnati, Spikes intercepted a Jon Kitna pass and returned it 62 yards for his second touchdown of the season. It put the Bills up by 14 and they never looked back, winning 33-17…

It must have been especially sweet for Spikes having done so against a Bengal team that he played his first five seasons with. Although Spikes tackle numbers have been down in comparison to his previous seasons, he's making other big plays this year to maintain his status as a top scoring IDP LB. For one thing, he has a career high four interceptions and two touchdowns…

With Bengal DE Duane Clemons out with an injured knee, Carl Powell got the start. Powell, a fifth round pick by the Colts in the 1997 NFL draft, has mostly been a supporting player. But he made the most of his first start of the season by getting 6-1 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble…

Powell is a free agent after this season, and his play in the last two games will go a long way in determining whether he remains a Bengal next year. Powell has missed six games this year due to knee troubles, but some think that HC Marvin Lewis is keeping a close eye on Powell, as he was the first free agent signed in the Lewis regime…

Houston Texan rookie CB Dunta Robinson continues his late season assault on FF numbers. In Sunday's 24-5 win over the Bears, Robinson posted 7-0 tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble. In the last five games, Robinson has averaged more than seven tackles per game. During that period, he also has three sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and a partridge in a pear tree…

Robinson is atop the charts for most IDP scoring amongst DBs in general, and definitely up there for those leagues that must start a CB…

By and large, second year Chief LB Kawika Mitchell has been a disappointment this year. He misses far too many tackles and he simply has not had a knack for being around the ball. You wouldn't know it from Sunday's 45-17 win over Denver though. Mitchell had 9-1 tackles and a pair of sacks. They were the first sacks of Mitchell's NFL career…

Rookie LB DJ Williams remained Denver's leading tackler with a season-high 12-0 tackles. Williams added a sack and a forced fumble. He's only one tackle away from 100 this year…

Eagle S Michael Lewis led the team with 5-2 tackles in Sunday's 12-7 win over Dallas. Lewis is currently tied for the team lead in tackles…

Jets LB Eric Barton had another big game in Sunday's 37-14 victory over Seattle. Barton had 6-4 tackles, a sack, an interception, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble. Barton is having a solid year and should be starting on most IDP squads…

Another week, another nice game for Chargers LB Donnie Edwards, who had 6-1 tackles and an interception in San Diego's 21-0 win over the Browns…

With two sacks Sunday in their 28-27 loss to the Vikings, Lions DE James Hall passed the double-digit mark. He's the first Lion to reach ten sacks since Robert Porcher did so in 2001…

Lions rookie LB Tedy Lehman had 6-4 tackles and his first NFL sack. Look for Lehman to move to the weakside next year, with Boss Bailey on the strong side and Earl Holmes in the middle. Lehman was drafted to take over the middle, but it appears he'll be better suited to work on the weakside…

Cardinals rookie LB Karlos Dansby appears to have a long future in the NFL. Regarded as a top three LB coming into the 2004 NFL draft, Dansby has been impressive in his rookie campaign. In Sunday's 31-7 win over the Rams, Dansby had 5-2 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. He currently is leading all rookie LB's in sacks with five…

Leonard Little had a 61-yard fumble return for a score. It was the second fumble return for a touchdown of the season for the Rams DE…

Despite sacking Saints QB Aaron Brooks seven times, Tampa Bay could not pull of the win. Bucs DE Simeon Rice led the way with 3.5 sacks and added 5-2 tackles. Rice, with 12.5 sacks is now tied for second in the NFL…

All talk out of Jacksonville this week has been focused on the hit safety Donovin Darius gave to Green Bay WR Robert Ferguson. Towards the end of the 28-25 Jaguar win Sunday, Ferguson was clotheslined by Darius. Ferguson was temporarily paralyzed below the waist and spent Monday night in a Green Bay hospital with a sprained neck, but was released Tuesday…

Darius has since been fined $75,000 by the league. He escaped suspension apparently because he had no prior history of violations of that magnitude. His only other fine was $7,500 for a hit on Priest Holmes. Darius has stated that it was not intentional. Ferguson was quoted as saying, "'He's not a dirty player at all. He's just an aggressive player"…

Oakland Raider LB Danny Clark continues to impress in his first year with the team. In Sunday's 40-35 win over the Titans, Clark had 8-2 tackles and a sack, his second of the season…

Wow, Colts DE Dwight Freeney is on fire. It was just a few weeks when some FBG posters called Freeney a bust for the year. Since then, Freeney has eight sacks in three games, and fifteen on the season to lead the NFL…

Until next week…

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