As we do each week, 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.

Here are the recaps from the three early games this week. I'll have all the recaps from Sunday's games to you Monday as normal.

Let's jump to it.

Joe

PS - These reports will be available online at the Footballguys.com website later on today in a much better looking format. I'm just sending to you now as I know many of you want these just as soon as they're finished.

**************************************
Joe Bryant
Owner - www.Footballguys.com
**************************************

Thanks to Footballguys recap writers: Andrew Abouzeid, Mike Anderson,
Michael Bartlett, Bill Brown, Michael Brown, Christopher Clark,
Timothy Creech, Cathy Fazio, Bradley Gabbard, Cory Gilbert, Chris
Gilman, Anoop Jalan, Alex Knapik, Jeff Lewis, Scott Martin, John
Matthes, Doug Mobley, David Oleyar, Jeff Pasquino, Greg Porzucek,
Steve Prosapio, David Shick, Jeff Siedsma, Dave Teller, Chris Thomas,
Dave Thompson, Rob Umberger, Mark Westmyer, George Willock, and Todd
Young

Edited by Joe Bryant with Cathy Fazio

Green Bay Packers 34 at Minnesota Vikings 31

Oakland Raiders 30 at Kansas City Chiefs 31

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Oakland Raiders

QB Kerry Collins followed up his 5-touchdown performance from last week with a lackluster effort. Collins completed fewer than 50% of his passes, gaining just over 200 yards through the air. WRs Doug Gabriel and Alvis Whitted were getting open, often deep, yet Collins would miss them by quite a bit. Collins' completions were often for 15 yards and under - even the 43-yard catch and run by WR Jerry Porter was a short pass that Porter caught and ran for extended yardage.

The Oakland running game was RBBC, as four rushers all had appearances in the backfield. No ball carrier had over 10 carries or 40 yards, and only Zack Crockett scored.

WR Jerry Porter led all receivers with 4 catches for 57 yards, which was highly inefficient given his 11 targets, the team high.

K Sebastian Janikowski hit all of his 40+ yard field goals, including a go-ahead kick with just 1:03 remaining. But even that score proved not to be enough as the Chiefs scored only 41 seconds later.

Kansas City Chiefs

QB Trent Green (32-45-358, 2 TD, 1 INT passing, 2-12 rushing, 1 fumble lost) had a productive day under center, but he almost threw it all away with less than two minutes left in the game. While trying to run out the clock, Green was sacked and fumbled away the ball, setting the Raiders up for a potential game-winning drive. Fortunately for Green, KR/WR Dante Hall returned the ensuing kickoff 49 yards to set up a short drive for an answering score.

Aside from the fumble, Green was nearly flawless. Green led the Chiefs up and down the field against the porous Oakland defense, throwing to TE Tony Gonzalez (12 targets) and WR Eddie Kennison (11 targets) much of the afternoon. The first possession ended abruptly, as his first pass was tipped and intercepted - his first first-quarter interception all year. After that turnover, all of the following first half Kansas City possessions ended with either a score (3 touchdowns) or a missed field goal (2 misses).

RB Larry Johnson (25-79, 2 TD rushing, 4-43 receiving on 5 targets) did not have a 100-yard game for the fourth consecutive game, but he did amass 100+ all-purpose yards and was able to find the end zone twice. He never broke a long run, yet Johnson was crucial in helping the Chiefs control the ball for over 34 minutes in the game.

K Lawrence Tynes hit his first career game-winning field goal was 22 seconds left in the game, a 38-yard kick. Tynes had missed his first two attempts, the second hitting the cross bar on a 50-yard try.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Oakland Raiders

QB: Kerry Collins (18-37-217, 2 TD, 1 INT passing) missed multiple wide open receivers throughout the contest, yet was posting competent numbers through the third quarter. Collins was 14 of 25 for 164 yards and two touchdowns at that point despite missing WRs Doug Gabriel and Alvis Whitted, who were getting open deep consistently. The fourth quarter was Collins' demise, as he completed just four passes for 52 yards on 12 tries. The 12th attempt can be overlooked as it was a "Hail Mary" that was intercepted.

RB: Justin Fargas (6-38 rushing, 1 for -4 receiving on 1 target) was the leading Oakland rusher, which isn't saying very much. Fargas did average over six yards a carry, and none of his rushes were for less than 5 yards.

Zack Crockett (10-32, 1 TD rushing, 0-0 receiving on 1 target) pounded the ball inside on most every carry, moving the pile for 3-5 yards each time. Crockett also pushed the ball into the end zone in the second quarter for Oakland's only rushing touchdown.

J.R. Redmond (2-16 rushing, 3-23 receiving on 3 targets) had just five touches, but averaged nearly 8 yards a touch. Redmond was used sparingly as a change of pace running back.

Amos Zereoue (4-14 rushing, 4-38 receiving on 4 targets) had just three touches and 14 all-purpose yards before halftime. Zereoue added 38 more yards in the third and fourth quarters. He also lost a 15-yard rush due to a penalty.

WR: Jerry Porter (4-57, 1 TD receiving on 11 targets) was the most targeted Raider on the night, but all the passes seemed to be thrown into coverage or for short gains. The bulk of Porter's yardage came on a catch and run for 43 yards in the third quarter. Porter also broke free in the end zone on Oakland's first possession for his only score.

Alvis Whitted (1-32, 1 TD receiving on 6 targets) was open most of the night, but QB Collins kept missing him. Whitted only caught one ball, and he made the most of it, taking it all the way for 32 yards and a score.

Doug Gabriel (1-11 receiving on 6 targets) was targeted deep on a few occasions, but he could never connect with QB Kerry Collins' tosses. Gabriel did draw a 22-yard pass interference call in the fourth quarter. Gabriel also added 130 kick returning yards, and was very fortunate on a muffed punt in his own end. The muff was nullified due to a penalty, so the Raiders retained possession of the ball.

TE: Teyo Johnson (3-52 receiving on 3 targets) caught three passes for 10+ yards and three first downs. Johnson had two big catches of 14 and 25 yards in the fourth quarter to compliment his 13-yard reception in the second quarter.

Doug Jolley (1-8 receiving on 4 targets) had two catches, but his 7-yard reception was nullified due to a penalty.

K: Sebastian Janikowski (3 XP, 3-3 FG) hit on all his attempts, including what many thought would be the game-winner with just 1:03 left from 46 yards. Both of his other attempts were also long kicks, a 40-yarder in the third quarter and a 45-yarder in the fourth.

Pass Defense: Oakland did little to stop QB Trent Green from passing at will and moving the Chiefs up and down the field. Green had 358 passing yards and two touchdowns, connecting on over 70% of his passes. While Green was under reasonable pressure, he was usually able to escape and connect with an open receiver 10-20 yards downfield.

Rush Defense: Kansas City did not break a long run on Oakland, but they really did not need it. RB Larry Johnson carried 25 times to help control the clock, and he also was able to dive into the end zone twice for touchdowns. The efficiency in the passing game dictated the strategy of the game for Kansas City to emphasize the passing attack, since they were moving the ball faster and more efficiently that way.

Kansas City Chiefs

QB: Trent Green (32-45-358, 2 TD, 1 INT passing, 2-12 rushing, 1 fumble lost) had a productive day under center, but he almost threw it all away with less than two minutes left in the game. While trying to run out the clock, Green not only was sacked, but he fumbled the ball to Oakland near midfield, setting them up for a potential game-winning drive. Fortunately for Green, KR/WR Dante Hall returned the kickoff after the Raiders' go-ahead field goal to set up a short drive for an answering score.

Aside from this miscue, Green was nearly flawless. Green led the Chiefs up and down the field against the porous Oakland defense, throwing to TE Tony Gonzalez (12 targets) and WR Eddie Kennison (11 targets) much of the afternoon. Aside from the one interception, all of the first half Kansas City possessions ended with either a score (3 touchdowns) or a missed field goal (2 misses).

RB: Larry Johnson (25-79, 2 TD rushing, 4-43 receiving on 5 targets) did not have a 100-yard game for the fourth time in a row, but he was able to find the end zone twice. Johnson ran with power, exploding through the holes and moving the pile all night. He also added 43 receiving yards on 4 catches, going over 100 all-purpose yards. Only one of his carries was for over 10 yards, yet Johnson was crucial in helping the Chiefs control the ball for over 34 minutes in the game.

Tony Richardson (2-8 rushing, 1-7 receiving on 2 targets) had minimal stats, but this pro-bowler helped open the holes for Johnson to get through the line, especially on the two touchdowns.

WR: Eddie Kennison (6-79 receiving on 11 targets) was the most targeted wide receiver, getting 11 looks from QB Trent Green. Five of his six catches were for first downs and 10+ yards, yet the one that was the shortest was almost the most critical. Kennison caught an 8-yard pass and was hit and clearly fumbled, yet the officials ruled down by contact and no fumble -a very fortunate break for the Chiefs.

Chris Horn (4-43 receiving on 6 targets) made three catches in the second half, contributing to the passing attack. Three of his four catches were for over 10 yards and a first down.

Samie Parker (3-35 receiving on 4 targets) is making an impact as a rookie wide receiver, as he was given the starting opportunity with Johnnie Morton sidelined with an injury. Parker made the most of his targets, catching the first three, and all were for first downs. The final target was a quick chance at the end of the game to get a touchdown instead of K Lawrence Tynes' game-winning field goal, but he had no realistic chance to make the catch.

Dante Hall (2-14 receiving on 3 targets) caught two passes of 10 and 4 yards, but clearly his impact on this game came as the kick returner. Hall set up the game-winning field goal as he returned a kickoff 49 yards immediately after Oakland had scored the go-ahead field goal with just over a minute left in the game. Hall was both the kick returner and the punt returner, and he netted 180 return yards on the night.

TE: Tony Gonzalez (11-124, 2 TD receiving on 12 targets) was the most targeted receiver for Kansas City. Most of his activity came in the first half, as Gonzalez had 112 yards and 2 touchdowns before halftime. The only ball he did not catch was in the first quarter, a tipped ball that deflected off his shoulder with Gonzalez about to enter the end zone - which likely would have been the first of three touchdowns. Gonzalez' performance as a scorer was more notable than usual, as he had not visited the end zone since Week 9.

Jason Dunn (1-13 receiving on 2 targets) caught one pass in the fourth quarter for 13 yards and a first down. His other target was a hurried flip pass from QB Trent Green that bounced off his chest at short range.

K: Lawrence Tynes (4 XP, 1-3 FG) made his first game-winning field goal of his young career, a 38-yarder with 22 seconds left on the clock. Tynes had a rough game, having his first attempt (43 yards) blocked, and also missing a 50-yarder just before halftime. The second miss actually hit the cross bar and bounced back - short by inches.

Pass Defense: Kansas City did not disrupt QB Kerry Collins passing, as they did not create much pressure or sack him much (2 sacks). Collins did more to diffuse the passing game than the Chiefs, as he consistently overthrew or just flat-out missed wide open Raider receivers. Collins did finish with 2 touchdowns and over 200 yards despite his lack of accuracy.

Rush Defense: The Chiefs held Oakland to just 100 team yards rushing, but it came on just 22 carries - over a 4-yard average. Oakland often used the run as a change of pace, running draws for 5-6 yards. However, Oakland had no carries for 10+ yards, so the running game was held to a reasonable amount of productivity.

Denver Broncos 37 at Tennessee Titans 16

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Denver Broncos

RBs Reuben Droughns and Tatum Bell took turns sharing the featured running back position in the first half of the game. They traded off after each Denver possession. The pattern was broken when Bell left with a minor injury and was replaced by Droughns. Droughns aggravated his neck injury and was replaced by an effective RB Garrison Hearst during the third quarter. Droughns and Bell returned to the game, but Droughns saw the lion's share of the carries and finished the game with three touchdowns.

QB Jake Plummer was terribly efficient completing 21 of 26 passing attempts. Plummer led the Broncos on multiple lengthy scoring drives throwing and running the ball. He made only two glaring errors during the game.

WR Rod Smith was under the microscope after challenging many of his younger teammates to focus better. Smith responded by making several nice receptions and scoring a touchdown.

Tennessee Titans

The red-hot combination of QB Billy Volek to WR Drew Bennett struggled in the face of a ferocious Bronco pass rush. Volek didn't have much of a chance to top 400 yards passing for the third week in a row. He wasn't able to sit in the pocket and deliver the ball downfield.

RB Antowain Smith continues to start for Chris Brown who was officially shut down for the season with a serious case of turf toe. Smith ran hard between the tackles early in the game and scored the only touchdown in the game for the Titans.

The injury plague continues to haunt the Titans. On top of missing six starting defensive players, quarterback, tight end, and running back, the Titans added two more starting linemen and backup QB Billy Volek to the list.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Denver Broncos

QB: Jake Plummer (21-26-308 2TD INT passing, 7-28 rushing) Plummer started the game hitting 8 of 8 passes to six different receivers in the first quarter as the Broncos posted 17 points. His first touchdown pass went to RB Reuben Droughns on a screen pass. His second one went to WR Rod Smith on a fade to the right corner of the end zone. After his marvelous start, Plummer made two mistakes, but only one was costly. The first was when he tried to float an ill-advised pass over a linebacker. The ball was tipped and nearly intercepted. The second bad decision was an interception. Plummer didn't see LB Keith Bullock and drilled him in the chest with a pass. The interception allowed the Titans to close the lead 24-16 just before halftime. Plummer responded in the third quarter by orchestrating a 9+ minute scoring drive. His only incomplete pass in the second half was a ball he intentionally threw out of bounds after scrambling out of the pocket. Also, Plummer did a good job of selling several play action fakes, then bootlegged the opposite direction for solid running gains.

RB: Reuben Droughns (22-91 2TD rushing, 2-30 TD receiving on 2 targets) Droughns started the game and scored a touchdown off a screen pass. Droughns did a nice job of putting a quick chip block on the rushing defensive end, then spinning into the flat to catch the pass. His second touchdown capped off another long Bronco drive. His three carries in the drive went for 9, 6, and 8 yards. Droughns hit the hole hard with every run. Droughns left the game in the third quarter with a reported neck stinger. However, he returned to lineup and scored again on a 23-yard play.

Tatum Bell (12-44 rushing, 1-12 receiving on 1 target) Bell entered the game on the second Denver possession and proceeded to alternate as the running back with RB Reuben Droughns on every other possession. This trend ended on the sixth Denver possession when Droughns re-entered the game on to try and convert a 3rd and short. Bell re-entered the game in the third quarter replacing an injured Droughns, but he also got dinged and RB Garrison Hearst stepped in for him. Bell did return to the game late in the fourth quarter to run out the clock. He looked particularly quick converting a 3rd and 13 with a 15-yard run that effectively ended the game.

WR: Rod Smith (6-58 TD receiving on 7 targets, 1-8 rushing) Smith caught all four of his first half targets. His fourth reception in the second quarter was a fade to the right corner of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown. He beat the cornerback badly with his fake to the inside making it an easy throw for a hurried Plummer. The only target Smith didn't catch was a ball thrown very high over his head out of the back of the end zone, but Smith was the receiver that Plummer was focused on. Smith's last reception was on a comeback route. Plummer through the ball way too low, but Smith made a nice grab off the top of his shoelaces.

Ashley Lelie (3-88 receiving on 3 targets) All three of Lelie's receptions were notable. His first was on a sideline pattern. Lelie made a nice move on the cornerback and gained yards running after the reception. His second catch was a 9-yard out on 3rd and 6. He took a solid hit when the ball arrived, but held on. Lelie's last target was on a deep fly route. With the ball in the air Lelie was looking over his inside shoulder for the ball. He had to turn his head and body back to the outside to make the reception over his shoulder for a 45-yard gain.

Darius Watts (2-29 receiving on 3 targets) Both of his receptions came in the first half. His second reception came while the Broncos were in a hurry up offense just before halftime. After Watts made this 15-yard reception to the Titan 38 yard line, he was targeted again crossing the middle of the field. LB Keith Bullock intercepted the pass. Watts wasn't heard from again in the game.

TE: Jeb Putzier (4-60 receiving on 4 targets) Putzier didn't start the game. Both Hape and Carswell did as Denver started in a 2-TE power formation. Putzier entered the game in the second quarter and was instantly nailed with a 5-yard false start penalty on 3rd and 9. He rebounded to lead the Broncos in receiving from that point of the game until the end.

Patrick Hape (2-12 receiving on 2 targets) Started the game. Both his receptions came on short tight end screens.

Dwayne Carswell (1-14 receiving on 2 targets) Started the game. His one reception came on 2nd and 10 on the sideline at the beginning of the second Denver possession.

K: Jason Elam (4-4 XP, 3-4 FG) made 22, 22, and 30 missed 34. Elam's miss was hooked wide to the right. Another of his short field goals was also hooked to right, but barely squeaked through.

Pass Defense: DE Reggie Hayward had a monster game with three sacks, but the Titans right tackle was like a turnstile. The Broncos allowed QB Billy Volek and RB Antowain Smith to move down the field for 75 and 50-yard scoring drives early in the game. The drives were highlighted by two long plays to WR Derrick Mason. One was a completed ball and the other drew a pass interference penalty. This came to a sudden halt as Denver rained down a variety of blitzes and fake blitzes on the Titans. From that point on The Broncos didn't allow a drive of more than 16 yards in the game. FS John Lynch made two big plays. He put a big hit on WR Drew Bennett to prevent a touchdown reception and tipped a ball up in the air that allowed CB Kelly Herndon to pick it off.

Rush Defense: The Broncos yielded decent yardage up the gut to RB Antowain Smith early in the game including a 13-yard touchdown run. As the score got out of hand the Titans completely abandoned the run. The Titans only ran the ball four times in the second half.

Tennessee Titans

QB: Billy Volek (8-20-111 2INT passing) Volek's first pass was intercepted by LB D.J. Williams. Volek simply didn't see him sitting in the zone and threw the ball right at him. He was able to make two big plays down field to WR Derrick Mason and set up scores. This all came to a sudden halt when the Broncos started blitzing from every angle. Volek got hit hard and often including six sacks. Volek got beat up by the Bronco pass rush. He injured his left knee when he was tackled from behind while running out of the pocket. Backup Doug Johnson finished the game playing the bulk of the fourth quarter.

RB: Antowain Smith (14-59 TD rushing, 1-3 receiving on 1 target) Smith was able to pound out decent yardage up the gut against the Broncos early. His 10 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter and a half kept the Denver defense honest and made them respect the run. When the Broncos turned up the heat with their blitz package the Titan's game plan went out the window. Smith didn't have much success on 1st down from this point on. His last five carries went for 1, 2, 0, 2, and -1 yards. He was hit behind the line of scrimmage several times.

WR: Derrick Mason (4-65 receiving on 8 targets) Mason was targeted deep on his first three passes on fly routes. His first one drew a pass interference penalty. His second one was a double move that QB Billy Volek set up with a pump fake. The two plays set up the first pair of Titan scores. Mason caught the third deep ball, but wasn't able to keep both feet in bounds.

Drew Bennett (2-26 receiving on 6 targets) Bennett's hot streak of late drew the respect of the Bronco's coaching staff. So much so that Bennett was paired up with CB Champ Bailey for the bulk of the game. Bennett dropped his second target in the first quarter. He was open on a deep ball down the left sideline into the end zone, but was separated from the pass by FS John Lynch on a big hit. Bennett was also targeted on a deep ball in the fourth quarter that was under thrown. If Bennett hadn't slipped on the wet turf and fell it would have been an easy completion.

Eddie Berlin (2-19 receiving on 2 targets) Berlin was a non-factor. He wasn't targeted until very late in the game when QB Doug Johnson entered the game.

TE: Ben Troupe (3-24 receiving on 8 targets) Troupe started and was a featured target. Troupe made an amazing athletic play leaping over CB Champ Bailey and getting to the sideline to set up a 50-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.

Erron Kinney (DNP) Ankle injury.

K: Gary Anderson (1-1 XP, 2-2 FG 44, 43) Anderson was perfect in the game, but missed out on another field goal opportunity at the end of the first half following a Plummer interception. The attempt was beyond Anderson's range.

Craig Hentrich (1-1 FG 50) Hentrich hit his career long field goal on the last play of the first half.

Pass Defense: The Titan pass rush didn't come close to QB Jake Plummer. The play action passes and bootlegs made the Titan's front seven hesitant and guessing. On top of not being able to get to Plummer the secondary couldn't cover. Plummer hit every pass he threw to a receiver downfield with the exception of one pass that Plummer threw out of bounds intentionally. LB Keith Bullock did intercept a Plummer pass, but it hit him square in the chest. Much more of a bad throw from Plummer than a great play by Bullock.

Rush Defense: Given the season and game situation it would have been understandable if the Titan front seven had just folded and got pounded by the great Denver ground game. This just didn't happen. They did give up yards, but they also made plays at the line of scrimmage that forced Denver into passing situations. Of the 46 Bronco rushing attempts, 22 went for 2 yards or less. However, 12 of those rushing attempts went for 8 yards or more. Three of them were by QB Jake Plummer. The Titans were badly fooled by Plummer's bootlegs off of play action fakes.

New York Giants 22 at Cincinnati Bengals 23

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

New York Giants

Tiki Barber reached several milestones in this game. He set a new career high in rushing yardage for a single season and sits at 1,423 heading into the final week of the season. He also set a new Giants' single season record for most 100-yard rushing games with his ninth. Barber also ran for his twelfth rushing touchdown of the year. He appeared just as strong as he did in week one, perhaps the result of his vigorous offseason strength training.

Eli Manning had his second consecutive respectable game. He didn't start off too well, at one point throwing seven consecutive incompletions in the first quarter. But he rebounded to lead the Giants on six straight scoring drives and put the team ahead going into the final minutes of the game. He came up short on the Giants' last possession, however, throwing an interception (that wasn't entirely his fault) that ended hopes for a late comeback.

Jeremy Shockey was very involved in the offense all game long. He led the team in receptions and receiving yards once again, and nearly had an even bigger game but was tackled down at the one-yard line.

Cincinnati Bengals

Chad Johnson's receiving yardage doesn't reflect it, but he was the man who moved the chains for the Bengals. With RB Rudi Johnson bottled up pretty much all game long, and QB Jon Kitna playing poorly, it was Johnson who came up time and again with the big reception. He caught the game-winning touchdown on the Bengals' last drive.

It appears that Marvin Lewis knew what he was doing when he started Carson Palmer over Jon Kitna all season long. Once again, Kitna bore little resemblance to the man who enjoyed fantastic success last season. While Kitna's numbers appear pretty good, he benefited from some outstanding WR play in getting this win.

Rudi Johnson almost always finds a way to do at least something for his fantasy owners. While his yardage output left a lot to be desired 31 yards on the ground and 44 yards total, he did manage to find the end zone on a very tough sequence to put up decent fantasy

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

New York Giants

QB: Eli Manning (19-37-201, 1 INT) had an up-and-down game. At one point in the first half, he threw seven straight incomplete passes. But he later led the Giants on 6 straight scoring drives. Manning was hurt by several key drops by his wide receivers, as Jeremy Shockey and Ike Hilliard combined to drop 3 balls that would have gone for first downs. Manning's stats also could have been a little better, but one of his pass completions to Jeremy Shockey ended up just 1 yard short of being a touchdown. Tiki Barber scored on the next play. The fact that Manning suffered a few tough breaks, however, doesn't mean he played flawlessly by any means. He also caught a few breaks on passes that probably should have been intercepted but weren't. Strangely, the one time he was intercepted was on his final throw of the game. With the Giants down by a point and sitting at midfield, Manning dropped back and fired a pass towards the middle of the field. The ball was deflected at the line, however, and into the hands of Carl Powell for an interception.

RB: Tiki Barber (22-109, 1 TD rushing, 2-14 receiving on 5 targets) enjoyed another productive game, going over 100 yards rushing for a Giants record ninth time this season. He also set a new career high in rushing yardage, and has an opportunity to break Joe Morris' team record for single-season rushing yardage next week. Barber's numbers could have been even better, but he dropped a screen pass out in the flat that would have gone for big yardage. Based on the setup of where the defenders were and the fact that the Giants had blockers near the goal line, there's a chance Barber could have scored had he caught the pass. It wasn't entirely his fault, however, because Eli Manning threw the pass a little bit behind him. Outside of that miscue and another fumble regained by New York, Barber was outstanding. He averaged nearly five yards per carry, and really set the tone for the game from an early point.

Ron Dayne (6-33 rushing) actually looked good running the football. He had two separate carries for 11 yards each, and added another good gain later in the game. Of course, when he got an opportunity on a short yardage red zone carry, he was stuffed for no gain. But Tiki Barber said about Dayne that he thinks he could really thrive in the right offensive system.

WR: Amani Toomer (3-35 receiving on 7 targets) didn't record his first reception of the game until the last play of the third quarter. He wasn't looked for too often, and was heard from even less.

Ike Hilliard (4-46 receiving on 6 targets) led Giants' wide receivers in receptions and receiving yards, but only caught one pass in the second half on his only target. He also dropped what would have been a drive extending first down reception in the first quarter.

TE: Jeremy Shockey (6-64 receiving on 10 targets) once again led the Giants in receptions, receiving yardage, and passing targets, well above anyone else's totals. Shockey's solid game was slightly offset by the fact that he was tackled at the 1 yard line. Shockey also had two drops in the game, both of which would have led to first downs had he been able to hang onto the football.

K: Steve Christie (5-5 FG, 1 XP) was outstanding, nailing all five of his field goal attempts in very cold, windy conditions. He hit from 31, 36, 44, 41, and 28 yards out.

Pass Defense: Yardage-wise, they didn't get lit up or anything. But the two big plays of the game for Cincinnati came on their drive of the game. First, T.J. Houshmandzadeh came up with an insane catch on 4th and 10 at the Giants' 5 yard line. Had New York been able to break that play up, they would have walked out with a win. Following that reception and a run, Chad Johnson badly beat his defender in the end zone for the game winning touchdown grab. For much of the game, the Giants' pass defense was able to hold Cincinnati in check, particularly on the deep balls. But they didn't make the plays when it mattered most. CB Will Peterson was benched for the game and Frank Walker started in his place. Walker allowed the first touchdown to Chad Johnson, but also later intercepted a Jon Kitna pass. DL William Joseph was heard from a lot during the game and had a very good day as he made four tackles and got into the backfield to disrupt runs on many occasions.

Run Defense: The Giants' defense did a great job of stuffing Rudi Johnson on most plays. For the game, he gained just 31 yards on 19 carries. The Bengals as a team had just 63 yards on 25 carries. The Giants also stopped Johnson on what was a key fourth down play early in the game. They did let up a touchdown on the ground to Johnson, but the line can hardly be blamed for that, since the pass defense is what allowed Cincinnati to take the ball all the way down to the 1 yard line. The defense may have caught a huge break when they recovered a Jeremi Johnson fumble. Replays showed that the fumble was close enough to warrant a challenge from the Bengals, but the challenge never came, giving the Giants' defense one extra turnover created.

Cincinnati Bengals

QB: Jon Kitna (20-32-186, 2 TD, 1 INT, 2-14 rushing) didn't play great, but wasn't awful, either. Most of his fantasy production came in the way of touchdowns rather than yardage, as he was held under 200 yards for the game but did manage to find the end zone twice. His stats were a product of great receiver play, though. On the Bengals' game winning drive, he misfired badly on three consecutive passes to set up a fourth and ten situation. WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh came up with a terrific catch in traffic to take it down to the 5 yard line. Two plays later, Chad Johnson made a diving touchdown catch in the end zone for the game-winning score. Thus, it should be noted that if not for Houshmandzadeh's incredible catch, there never would have been a Johnson catch, and Kitna's numbers would have looked very ordinary. Kitna didn't much resemble the player who had such an outstanding 2003. His passes were off the mark more often than not, his deep balls weren't even close to the intended targets, and even his head wasn't totally in the game. On that last drive, he inexplicably tried calling a timeout when the Bengals had none left.

RB: Rudi Johnson (19-31, 1 TD, 2-13 receiving on 3 targets) didn't have a very good game yardage wise, but he did manage to find the end zone to post respectable fantasy totals. Johnson's touchdown run was set up by a Kenny Watson shovel pass reception that he took down to the goal line. After being stopped on first down, Johnson scored on second down.

WR: Chad Johnson (8-46, 2 TD receiving on 11 targets) was very quiet in the first half with just 2 receptions on three targets, though one was a touchdown. But he exploded in the second half, if not in yardage then in receptions. Jon Kitna suddenly locked onto Johnson and the two connected time and time again for small gains here and there. Then, on the Bengals' last drive of the game, Johnson broke free in the end zone and Kitna fired a pass towards the sideline that Johnson made a fantastic catch on for the game winning score. Johnson's yardage doesn't reflect it, but he was able to consistently get open all game long. The only reason he didn't haul in those big gainers is because Kitna had a tough time throwing the deep ball, perhaps due to the cold and wind.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh (5-64 receiving on 7 targets, 1-7 rushing) basically made one big play in this game. Of course, he did catch 4 other balls and posted a decent 64 yards receiving, but it was his one big catch that stood out in this one. Facing a fourth and 10 situation, Houshmandzadeh rose above the other Giants' defenders to haul in a huge catch that extended the drive. Two plays later, Chad Johnson caught the game-winning touchdown, but that wouldn't have been possible without Houshmandzadeh's reception.

TE: Matt Schobel (1-13 receiving on 2 targets) caught one pass, but was otherwise pretty inactive for most of the game.

K: Shayne Graham (1-1 FG, 2 XP) continued his outstanding season, connecting on his only field goal attempt from 42 yards out.

Pass Defense: Considering how much Eli Manning has struggled this season, one may have expected the Bengals to do a little more damage against him. It wasn't for a lack of opportunities, but they were never really able to deliver that knockout blow. Safety Kevin Kaesviharn nearly intercepted a Manning pass at the 10-yard line for what would have been a cakewalk of an interception return, but he was only able to get one hand on the football. Others, such as FS Kim Herring, also came close to interceptions only to come up just short. Finally, Manning's last pass of the game, with the Giants very close to Christie's field goal range, was deflected at the line of scrimmage and picked off by the Bengals, effectively ending the game.

Run Defense: Tiki Barber averaged nearly five yards per carry and scored a touchdown, which has happened most times this season. But when Ron Dayne averages over five yards per carry, there may be a problem there. The Giants were able to have their way on the ground against the Bengals for much of the game, which makes their decision to pass the ball with the lead late in the fourth quarter even more curious. The Bengals couldn't do much to stop Barber, who not only managed to run away and around them, but several times Barber delivered punishing blows to Bengals defenders for a few extra yards.

Baltimore Ravens 7, Pittsburgh Steelers 20

Cleveland Browns 7 at Miami Dolphins 10

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Cleveland Browns

Lee Suggs was the focal point of the Browns' offense. Suggs was the only running back used by the Browns and he rushed for 143 yards on 38 rushing attempts. His 38 rushing attempts broke a record for the Browns.

Cleveland's game plan was clearly unbalanced. Luke McCown made 16 passing attempts in comparison to Suggs' 38 rushes. The only downside to Suggs' rushing game was his 2 fumbles. Only one was recovered by the Dolphins, but it was at the goal line when the Browns were threatening to score.

After throwing an interception to end the Browns' first drive of the game, Luke McCown's next passing attempt was a 58 yard touchdown pass to Dennis Northcutt. McCown finished the game with only 9 completions for 161 yards.

Miami Dolphins

After two touchdowns were scored, one by each team in the first 8 minutes of game, not another point was scored until the final seconds of the game. Olindo Mare kicked the 51 yard game winning field goal.

A.J. Feeley threw an incredibly accurate touchdown pass to Derrius Thompson to score the first points of the game after Patrick Surtain intercepted Luke McCown. Thompson made the 18 yard reception in double coverage. Other than that it was a rather pedestrian outing for Feeley who finished the game with 25 completions out of 43 attempts for 176 yards. Feeley did not attempt many passes deep; his longest completion was the touchdown pass to Thompson.

Randy McMichael led all the Dolphins' receivers with his 9 receptions for 59 yards. Derrius Thompson was the leading wide receiver with his 2 receptions for 34 yards and touchdown. A.J. Feeley's last 2 touchdown passes have gone to Thompson.

Sammy Morris led the Dolphins' rather anemic rushing game with his 69 rushing yards. His longest rush of 13 yards came during Miami's last drive and set up the game winning field goal. Travis Minor added an additional 30 yards on his 6 carries.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Cleveland Browns

QB: Luke McCown (9-16-161, 1 TD, 2 INT, 2 for -1 rushing) McCown was intercepted during the Browns' first drive. It was a poorly thrown pass intended for Dennis Northcutt. On McCown's next passing attempt, he scrambled out of the pocket and threw deep to Northcutt for a 58 yard touchdown pass. McCown was fortunate that he did not have a second interception at the beginning of the second quarter. McCown's second interception did not end up as a turnover as the Dolphins fumbled the second lateral pass they attempted to move the ball downfield and it was recovered by the Browns.

RB: Lee Suggs (38-143 rushing, 1-4 receiving on 2 targets, 1 fumble lost) To say that Suggs was a huge part of the Browns' offensive plan would be an understatement. He finished with 143 rushing yards. Suggs was the starting running back for the Browns and gained 5 yards on his first carry. He displayed his speed and ability to make cut to gain yardage. During the Browns' last drive of the first quarter. He gained 26 yards on 6 consecutive carries. After the fumble recovery by Chaun Thompson, Suggs rushed for 15 yards but lost a fumble on the 1 yard line. On his next carry, he lost a fumble but it was recovered by Cleveland.

WR: Dennis Northcutt (4-114, 1 TD receiving on 8 targets) Dennis Northcutt made a 58 yard touchdown pass in the first quarter of play. Northcutt drew a defensive pass interference call.

Antonio Bryant (2-15 receiving on 3 targets) Bryant was not a fantasy factor in the game.

TE: Steve Heiden (1-27 receiving on 3 targets) Steve Heiden made his 27 yard catch in the third quarter.

K: Phil Dawson (1 XP, 0-1 FG) Phil Dawson had a 43 yard field goal attempt hit the uprights and bounce no good.

Pass Defense: Cleveland's pass defense held A.J. Feeley to 176 passing yards. He was sacked twice in the game.

Rush Defense: The Browns allowed only 116 total rushing yards to Miami. 16 of those yards were on an end around run by Chris Chambers. Gerard Warren forced A.J. Feeley's fumble that was recovered by Chaun Thompson.

Miami Dolphins

QB: A.J. Feeley (25-43-176, 1 TD, 1 fumble lost) Feeley completed a sharp 18 yard touchdown pass to Derrius Thompson. The majority of Feeley's passing attempts were of the short variety. His longest completion was the touchdown pass to Thompson. He only attempted one deep pass the entire game, but Chris Chambers was unable to make the reception.

Sage Rosenfels (0-1-0) Sage Rosenfels came in for one passing attempt in the third quarter.

RB: Sammy Morris (17-69 rushing, 3-5 receiving on 6 targets) Sammy Morris was the focus of the Dolphins' first drive. He made a 3 yard run with the first play following that with a 6 yard reception on the second. But on the third down, A.J. Feeley under threw him on a play action pass. Morris made a 13 yard run on third down, his longest of the game with a minute left in the game.

Travis Minor (6-30 rushing, 2-4 receiving on 3 targets) Travis Minor gained 13 yards on his first carry in the first quarter. Minor made a short 2 yard reception and could have gained a few more yards, but he fell down.

WR: Derrius Thompson (2-34, 1 TD receiving on 4 targets) Derrius Thompson made a sharp touchdown reception in double coverage. He's not catching a lot of passes but he seems to be the clutch target for Feeley.

Marty Booker (4-31 receiving on 5 targets) Marty Booker was the first Dolphins' receiver to record a catch. Booker made a 4 yard catch on 4th and 2 during the opening drive of the second half.

Chris Chambers (3-25 receiving on 8 targets, 1-16 rushing) Chris Chambers gained 16 yards on an end around carry in the first quarter. Chambers was the target of Feeley's only deep passing attempt of the game. He nearly came up with a one handed catch.

TE: Randy McMichael (9-59 receiving on 13 targets) McMichael was Feeley's favorite target of the game and led all the receivers with his 59 receiving yards. He made an 11 yard reception over the middle. McMichael dropped a pass near the sidelines at the end of the first half.

K: Olindo Mare (1 XP, 1-1 FG) Olindo Mare made a 51 yard field goal game winning field goal with 7 seconds left in the game.

Pass Defense: The Dolphins contained the passing game of the Browns and McCown finished with only 161 passing yards. Patrick Surtain intercepted Luke McCown during the Browns' opening drive, the Dolphins' capitalized on that with Derrius Thompson's touchdown reception. Reggie Howard nearly intercepted McCown but couldn't quite make the catch. What should have been an interception by Patrick Surtain was fouled up with two lateral passes. The second was fumbled by Sam Madison and recovered by the Browns.

Rush Defense: The Dolphins were unable to stop Lee Suggs, even though it was apparent that he was the focus of the Browns' offensive attack. Sammy Knight recovered Lee Suggs' fumble at the goal line. Reggie Howard recovered a Browns' fumble on the kick off of the second half. Jason Taylor sacked McCown. David Bowens had what would have been a sack nullified with a defensive holding penalty. 5 plays later, Bowens chased McCown down for an 11 yard loss, forcing the Browns to punt.

Chicago Bears 13 at Detroit Lions 19

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Chicago Bears

Quarterback Chad Hutchinson completed 20 of 35 passes, but finished the day with an anemic 114 passing yards. The majority of his day was spent throwing short, quick passes out of the pocket, rarely attempting to throw downfield. As a result, he completed only one pass greater than 15 yards before hitting Bernard Berrian deep down the sideline for what appeared to be a game winning fourth quarter touchdown. The booth official called for a review of the play, which was initially ruled incomplete and the call was upheld.

The Bears' inability to spread the Lions' defense with a passing threat made Thomas Jones' day difficult as Detroit was able to stack the line. Despite this, Jones posted solid numbers with 109 yards on 22 carries. He added an additional 34 yards in the passing game, which made him the team's leading receiver on the day.

The Bears showed some offensive life on their first drive, putting together a couple of first downs and sneaking the ball into Detroit territory before they had to punt. Their next three offensive possessions were three and outs and the Bears' offense did not cross the 50 yard line again until midway through the fourth quarter, even though they began a third quarter drive from their own 45 yard line. The fantasy production of all Bears' offensive players will continue to languish until the team finds a way to put them into scoring position.

Detroit Lions

It was a tale of two halves type of game for the Lions. Though four first half trips deep into Bears' territory elicited only 1 touchdown, they showed nice offensive balance in building a 16 point first half lead. Joey Harrington was 13 of 21 passing, connecting with seven different receivers for 154 yards, while Kevin Jones rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown. In the second half, Harrington threw for only 12 yards as his receivers had some trouble holding on to the ball. Jones added another 52 rushing yards, but Detroit recorded only three first downs in the entire second half and was barely able to withstand the Bears' version of a comeback to record the win.

Kevin Jones averaged just under 5 yards per carry with 25 carries for 123 yards and went over the 1,000 yard mark for the season. He showed quick decision-making and excellent speed in the open field, breaking off long runs of 39 and 35 yards. Jones also found the end zone from inside the 1 yard line.

Detroit wide receivers were a big fantasy disappointment recording no touchdowns and dropping some very catchable balls. Roy Williams came up a foot or so short of the goal line on one reception when it looked like he could have made it in with some extra effort. The wide receiving corps totaled only eight catches for 94 yards.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Chicago Bears

QB: Chad Hutchinson (20-35-114, 1 TD passing) Hutchinson played this game very close to the vest, rarely deviating from his primary receiver and seldom looking far downfield. The Lions' rush wasn't terribly daunting, but Hutchinson often looked like a scared quarterback. On one of his few long pass attempts, Bernard Berrian made what appeared to be an excellent catch in the end zone, but the play was ruled incomplete and officials upheld the call on replay stating that he bobbled the ball when he hit the ground. It's pretty clear that Bears' coaches have little confidence in their fourth-string signal caller as they allowed him little room to show off any quarterback skills.

RB: Thomas Jones (22-109 rushing, 4-34 receiving on 4 targets, 1 fumble lost) Given the limited success of the Bears' passing game, Jones put up a strong performance. His first run of the game went for 14 yards, yet he finished the first half with only 38 rushing yards. The Bears came out running in the second half and Jones saw some success before losing a fumble at the end of an 8 yard run. Adrian Peterson replaced Jones on the next two Bears' possessions. When Jones returned, he found running room a bit more plentiful and helped bring his team back into the game.

Adrian Peterson (2-4 rushing, 1-0 receiving on 1 target) Peterson replaced Thomas Jones on a pair of third quarter possessions with no success.

Jason McKie (5-21, 1 TD receiving on 5 targets) McKie was given no carries, but caught everything thrown his way, including the Bears' first offensive touchdown since their week 13 victory against Minnesota.

WR: Bobby Wade (4-27 receiving on 7 targets, 1-11 rushing) Both of Wade's first half passes were caught at or behind the line of scrimmage. He picked up 11 yards and a Chicago first down on a nice reverse in the fourth quarter.

David Terrell (2-10 receiving on 8 targets) Terrell was the most targeted receiver for Chicago today, but made little of it. He was called for offensive pass interference twice in the game, costing the Bears valuable yardage.

Bernard Berrian (1-3 receiving on 4 targets) Berrian appeared to have a nice game-winning touchdown reception stolen from him by the officials when the ruled incompletion was upheld after upstairs' officials called for a booth review.

Justin Gage (0-0 receiving on 1 target) Gage was not a fantasy factor.

TE: Desmond Clark (2-12 receiving on 6 targets) Clark was not targeted until the third quarter and shared the field with Dustin Lyman on many offensive plays.

Dustin Lyman (1-7 receiving on 1 target) Lyman was not a fantasy factor.

K: Paul Edinger (1-1 XP) The Bears went for two after their other touchdown and were never in position to kick a field goal.

Pass Defense: The Bears' defense played well despite the score, limiting Detroit to mostly field goals and scoring the team's only points on a Lance Briggs' interception return for touchdown in the third quarter. The Bears' Mike Green came on a blitz and forced Joey Harrington to make a horrible pass on the interception. Harrington saw a fair amount of pressure throughout the game and had a few passes tipped at the line of scrimmage.

Rush Defense: Kevin Jones averaged just under five yards per carry against the Bears' rush defense and found some nice holes to exploit. Harrington, not usually a mobile quarterback, also scrambled five times for 26 yards and a couple of first downs.

Detroit Lions

QB: Joey Harrington (15-30-166, 1 INT passing, 5-26 rushing) Harrington followed last week's big game with an uneventful and rather uninspiring performance. His receivers weren't much help, dropping at least 4 catchable balls. Harrington nearly had a touchdown pass to Roy Williams, but he was tackled inside the 1 yard line. Lions' coaches tried to build Harrington's confidence, opting to go for it on fourth and five in the second quarter and he scrambled for a first down. The Bears' defense applied a fair amount of pressure, but he was able to maintain his composure until the third quarter when a Chicago blitz forced a poor decision and easy interception return for touchdown. Harrington came up limping after a hit just before halftime, but didn't miss a play and ran up the middle for 10 yards and another first down shortly thereafter.

RB: Kevin Jones (25-123, 1 TD rushing, 1-8 receiving on 2 targets) The rookie back ran hard and went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season. He had a beautiful 39 yard run in first quarter, showing quick stutter step cuts and making three defenders miss. His second quarter touchdown came from inside the 1 yard line. Jones had another brilliant long run in the fourth quarter after breaking tackles at the line of scrimmage. It looks like the Lions have finally found a running back that they can build their team around.

Shawn Bryson (2-9 rushing, 4-24 receiving on 5 targets) Bryson's contributions came almost exclusively on third downs and in obvious passing situations, including the Lions 2-minute offensive set used in the waning minutes of the first half.

WR: Reggie Swinton (2-42 receiving on 2 targets) Swinton showed amazing concentration when he tiptoed the sideline and caught Harrington's perfectly placed 28 yard pass to set up a Lions' field goal just before halftime.

Roy Williams (3-33 receiving on 10 targets) Williams continues his hit-and-miss rookie campaign. His 26 yard reception in the second quarter came up a foot short of a touchdown. Otherwise, he made little contribution to the Detroit offense and dropped at least three passes that should have been easy receptions.

Az-Zahir Hakim (2-16 receiving on 3 targets) Dropped a perfect third down pass that would have been a Lions' first down in the red zone.

Tai Streets (1-3 receiving on 1 target) Streets was not a fantasy factor.

Scottie Vines (0-0 receiving on 1 target) Vines was not a fantasy factor.

TE: Casey Fitzsimmons (1-27 receiving on 2 targets) Fitzsimmons had a nice first quarter catch on a slant route for 27 yards.

Stephen Alexander (1-13 receiving on 6 targets) Alexander had a 4 yard reception taken away when the Lions opted to accept a 5 yard holding penalty instead. His only catch came in the second quarter and resulted in a clutch first down.

K: Jason Hanson (1 XP, 4-4 FG) Hanson was the fantasy star of the game, hitting from 31, 39, 34 and 40 yards.

Pass Defense: The Lions' pass defense applied just enough pressure to keep Hutchinson from doing much of anything. He dropped back to pass 35 times in the game, but was sacked only twice, primarily due to the conservative play calling that kept Hutchinson from making many decisions.

Rush Defense: Detroit's defensive line started strong, keeping Thomas Jones in check for most of the first three quarters, but Jones and his offensive line appeared to wear them down and made a run at the game in the fourth quarter.

Buffalo Bills 41 at San Francisco 49ers 7

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Buffalo Bills

This game was a great example of what happens when a hot team fighting for the playoffs runs into a team that has packed it in for the year. The Buffalo Bills manhandled the Forty Niners on both sides of the ball in a dominating win in San Francisco. The Bills offense was stopped on its opening drive but scored on its next 4 straight drives and 7 of 10 before San Francisco finally got on the board. By that time the Bills had built a 41-0 lead on the arm of Drew Bledsoe and the legs of Willis McGahee.

Bledsoe was able to pick apart the Forty Niners on their second drive going 4 for 4 for 50 yards before McGahee pounded it in from the 3. Aside from a couple blitzes, Bledsoe was able to stand in the pocket untouched and hit Eric Moulds and Lee Evans on hooks and square ins & outs. The San Francisco cornerbacks gave the Bills receivers huge cushions and Bledsoe repeatedly took advantage of it. Bledsoe ended up throwing 32 times on the day and he did not even play the last 18 minutes of the game. He completed 21 for 172 yards and 1 TD. Shane Matthews came in and threw a sideline scoring strike to Lee Evans. JP Losman finished the game.

McGahee, questionable all week with a hyper extended knee, did in fact start the game and showed no ill effects. He ran confident and strong throughout the game and was helped by the open field the passing game created. Although he only carried the ball 15 times and was spelled often by backup Shaud Williams, McGahee did break the 100 yard barrier and had 2 short scoring runs. Williams started the second drive getting the first 3 carries, the last of which went for 22 yards. Williams saw more playing time than usual with the first offense and showed great quickness compared to McGahee's power running game. After McGahee fumbled with 3 minutes to go in third quarter, he was replaced for good by Williams. Of course the Bills were already up 27-0 at this point. Williams ended up rushing for 93 yards and 1 touchdown.

Both Bills starting WRs had nice games with Lee Evans again staking claim to being the number 1 target, especially for big plays on this Bills team. While Evans and Moulds both finished with 8 catches it was Evans who again struck paydirt, in fact doing so twice. Evans' first TD came on a third down rollout by Bledsoe from the 5 yard line and his second was a 33 yard sideline toss from Shane Matthews. Evans out gained Moulds 92 yards to 81.

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers bad season took an even uglier turn on Sunday as they were thoroughly dominated by the Bills in their home stadium. On defense they could not get any pressure on Drew Bledsoe and simply could not stop the Bills offense. This allowed the Bills to eat up the clock and forced the San Francisco offense to play from behind from their second drive on, not a good plan against a defense as aggressive as the Bills.

Ken Dorsey started the game for San Francisco, but with the Bills dominating in the trenches he could not move the team. On three different drives the Bills pressure either forced Dorsey into an incomplete pass, a fumble on a sack or an intercepted throw. Dorsey only completed 5 of 10 passes for 54 yards and 1 interception. Dorsey ended up leaving the game early in the third quarter with a hand injury and was replaced by Cody Pickett. While Pickett did not fare any better, only going 4 for 10 for 55 yards and 2 interceptions, he did show a much stronger arm than Dorsey.

Kevan Barlow started the game for San Francisco and finished with decent numbers, rushing for 72 yards and 1 touchdown, although much of that came in garbage time after the Bills had replaced their starters on defense. In one telling moment Barlow was stopped by a big hit at the 1 yard line and got up jawing at the Bills defenders, bouncing his head around when one of the Bills defenders grabbed him by the shoulder and pointed at the scoreboard - it read 41-0.

Maurice Hicks split a lot of time in the backfield but you wouldn't know it by the stats as he only gained 10 yards on his 10 carries. Brandon Lloyd was the Forty Niners leading receiver with 25 yards on 2 catches but missed most of the second half with a foot injury. All in all a pathetic offensive showing by San Francisco.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Buffalo Bills

QB: Drew Bledsoe (21-32-172, 1 TD passing, 2-9 rushing) Bledsoe was given a pass first game plan this week and used it to pick apart the San Francisco secondary. With the defensive backs giving at least 5 - 7 yard cushions to the wide receivers, Bledsoe hit them with hooks & quick ins and outs for 7 - 10 yards a pop. It was a very efficient performance as no long passes were attempted and it was not necessary. To keep the defense even more off balance, a nice mix of no huddle offense was added at times and each time Bledsoe was throwing. Bledsoe's touchdown came on a rollout to the right where he hit Lee Evans perfectly. Bledsoe's day ended with 3 minutes left in the third quarter having given the Bills a 27-0 lead.

Shane Matthews (2-3-44, 1 TD passing) Matthews was the #2 quarterback for the Bills this week and played 1 full series (his first series ended after 1 play - a fumble by McGahee). He threw a perfect sideline pass to Lee Evans for a 33 yard touchdown. JP Losman finished the game but did not attempt a pass.

RB: Willis McGahee (15-102, 2 TD rushing, 1-14 receiving on 1 target, 1 fumble lost) McGahee was a game time decision since he only practiced on Saturday. He ended up starting but was spelled more often than usual by Shaud Williams. Unlike past Bills games this took on a reverse game plan as it was the pass that opened up the field for the running attack. McGahee looked strong and showed no signs of the knee injury he suffered a week ago. He showed his power on a 3 yard touchdown run by breaking a couple tackles and spinning into the end zone. With the strong Buffalo passing game, the field was opened for pitchouts to McGahee as evidenced on the Bills third quarter TD drive. McGahee had 2 runs over 10 yards and finally scored from 1 yard out by bouncing the play to the right and outrunning the defense to the end zone. After McGahee fumbled late in the third quarter, he was removed from the game.

Shaud Williams (17-93, 1 TD rushing, 1 for -1 receiving on 1 target) Shaud Williams saw more time with the first team offense due to McGahee's lack of practice all week. Williams started the Bills second drive with 3 straight runs, including a 22 yarder. He showed great quickness especially when compared to McGahee's power game. He played the final 18 minutes of the game and finished off Buffalo's scoring with a nifty 27 yard TD run. He almost ran out the final 6 minutes of game time on the Bills final drive rushing 9 times for 27 yards.

Daimon Shelton (1-3 receiving on 2 targets) Strong game for Shelton opening holes for McGahee and Williams.

WR: Lee Evans (8-92, 2 TD receiving on 9 targets, 1-21 rushing) With each successive game Evans plays you start to get an even stronger feeling that he and Moulds will come into next year as 1A & 1B as far as targets are concerned. And don't be fooled into thinking this is similar to the Peerless Price scenario as Evans shows much better hands and route running ability. Bledsoe has such confidence in Evans that he regularly looks to him on third down. In fact, the first TD of the game came on a third down rollout by Bledsoe to Evans' side. Later Evans showed off his speed to get separation from the defensive back and leapt to snare a pass from Matthews and then dove for the goal line for the touchdown.

Eric Moulds (8-81 receiving on 12 targets, 1-1 rushing) Moulds was open all day on hooks, slants etc. The Forty Niners were giving each of the WRs a huge cushion and they took advantage of it. The only drawback was that Moulds again was held out of the end zone. He did get 2 end zone targets but Bledsoe threw incomplete both times.

Josh Reed (2-11 receiving on 2 targets) Still shows ability to break tackles on his 1 or 2 catches each game.

Jonathan Smith (1-11 receiving on 2 targets) Smith was not much of a factor.

TE: Rod Trafford (1-5 receiving on 2 targets) Only TE reception for Bills.

K: Rian Lindell (5 XP, 2-2 FG) Hit field goals from 23 and 31 yards.

Pass Defense: Bills pass defense was at the top of its game coming up with 3 sacks, 1 fumble off a sack and 3 interceptions. Pressure came on blitzes from the secondary by Rashard Baker and Kevin Thomas to end 2 different drives. The secondary was in the receiver's faces the entire game and never allowed them to get deep and kept them in front of them to limit first down opportunities.

Rush Defense: Not until the Bills removed their starting defense did the Forty Niners have any rushing success at all. San Francisco only ran for a 3.5 yard average as Sam Adams and Pat Williams ate up the offensive line.

San Francisco 49ers

QB: Ken Dorsey (5-10-54, 1 INT passing, 1 fumble lost) Dorsey started for San Francisco but was very ineffective leading the team. Of course, pressure from the Bills didn't allow him to get comfortable. Pressure forced him into 2 drive ending incompletions, 1 lost fumble and 1 interception. Dorsey left the game 3 minutes into the second half as he was hit while throwing a pass that Nate Clements intercepted.

Cody Pickett (4-10-55, 2 INT passing, 1-5 rushing) Pickett was not anymore successful than Dorsey although he did lead San Francisco to their only score, albeit in garbage time. Pickett did show a very strong arm, though a little too strong as the only time the Forty Niners went deep rookie Rashaun Woods had a step on the defensive back but Pickett overthrew him by a couple yards.

RB: Kevan Barlow (15-72, 1 TD rushing) Barlow had some decent success running on the Bills but padded his stats on the last drive. At that time the Bills had substituted many backups into their defense and Barlow took advantage by running 6 times for 27 yards and a 1 yard touchdown. He averaged nearly 5 yards per carry against the Bills defense, the one bright spot for San Francisco in this game.

Terry Jackson (2-11 rushing, 1-5 receiving on 1 target) Jackson had a 9 yard run called back on a hold.

Maurice Hicks (10-10 rushing, 1-15 receiving on 2 targets) Was exclusive running back on a couple drives but otherwise came in to change up with Barlow.

Fred Beasley saw 1 target but could not make the reception.

WR: Brandon Lloyd (2-25 receiving on 2 targets) Lloyd was the leading receiver which just shows how tough a day it was for San Francisco. He missed most of the second half with a foot injury.

Cedrick Wilson (1-18 receiving on 5 targets) One catch came on soft 4th and 17 coverage by Bills' Terrence McGee to San Francisco's scoring drive alive.

Rashaun Woods (1-17 receiving on 3 targets) The Forty Niners wanted to see more of Woods but didn't get the opportunity. Had a step on secondary for what could have been along touchdown by was just overthrown by Pickett.

Curtis Conway (1-12 receiving on 1 target) Only catch also came on coverage by Terrence McGee. Wonder what this says about McGee?

TE: Eric Johnson (2-17 receiving on 4 targets) All of Johnson's targets came in the 1st half and 3 came on 3rd down. Unfortunately 2 were incomplete and 1 was far short of the first down.

K: Todd Peterson (1 XP) No field goal attempts.

Pass Defense: Too much cushion and too little pressure allowed Bledsoe to pick apart this unit. A blitz on the Bills first drive forced an incompletion by Bledsoe but after that he was able to sit in the pocket nearly untouched. As noted previously the cornerbacks allowed Moulds and Evans too much of a cushion off the line.

Rush Defense: The rush defense was dominated by the Bills offensive line. The Bills ran for 226 yards, a 6.3 yard per carry average. McGahee didn't practice all week and he ran over and around defenders. Rarely was a Bills running back stopped at the line of scrimmage.

New England Patriots 23 at New York Jets 7

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

New England Patriots

Tom Brady and the Patriots looked to be in World Champion form as they trounced the Jets in what started off as a defensive battle. After throwing 4 picks last week against the hapless Dolphins, Brady showed poise as he completed 21 passes for 246 yards, 2 touchdowns with no interceptions. Furthermore, Brady was able to connect with 3 different receivers for gains of over 20 yards.

Corey Dillon was held to roughly 3.1 yards per carry - but was still able to amass 89 yards on the ground with 29 carries. Deion Branch was Brady's primary receiver with 82 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. No one else on the offense saw more than 5 targets, to put it in perspective.

The New England defense stifled Chad Pennington and the Jets. The Patriots logged 3 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 2 fumble recoveries. The Jets had a great deal of trouble moving the ball until they went in to their hurry up offense in the fourth quarter. Pro Bowl defensive end Richard Seymour was forced to leave the game in the 3rd quarter with a leg injury.

New York Jets

After having a blowout with reporters this week over his folding in big games, Pennington folded in this big game. He threw for 252 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw 2 critical interceptions. The only success the Jets offense saw was in the fourth quarter; they seemed to find a little rhythm in the hurry up offense but it was too little too late.

Pro Bowl and league leading running back Curtis Martin was consistently stuffed; he only managed 33 yards rushing on 13 carries with a long run of 5 yards. There were no real gems among the receiving corps either. Justin McCareins was the leading pass catcher with 76 yards, while Santana Moss caught the only Jets touchdown.

The Jets defense had only 1 sack and no interceptions but played to keep it close. They allowed 13 points in the first half, and only 10 in the second half. Coming in to the game their goal was to contain Corey Dillon, and were somewhat successful as he only managed 89 yards in the game.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

New England Patriots

QB: Tom Brady (21-32-264, 2 TD passing, 4-3 rushing) Tom Brady rebounded nicely from last weeks embarrassment where he threw 4 interceptions against Miami. This week Brady made good decisions and great throws, connecting for several large gains. He would have added to his stats, but the Patriots were content to run nearly every play in the 4th quarter.

RB: Corey Dillon (29-89 rushing, 2-12 receiving on 3 targets) While Dillon was held to 3.1 yards per carry, he saw a lot of carries. Most of which were late in the game while the Patriots were content to run out the clock.

Patrick Pass (4-17 rushing, 5-32 receiving on 5 targets) Patrick Pass saw some rushing duty while spelling Dillon. For the most part, however, he was used as a pass catching back, which is his forte.

WR: Deion Branch (7-82, 1 TD receiving on 10 targets) Branch was clearly Brady's favorite target and was the recipient of a 6 yard touchdown throw. He also had long catches of 19 and 21 yards

David Givens (2-64 receiving on 3 targets) Givens made the most of the balls thrown his way, with 35 and 29 yard receptions.

TE: Christian Fauria (3-44 receiving on 3 targets) Fauria was yet another member of the Patriots offense to log a catch of over 20 yards (23 yards to be exact).

Daniel Graham (2-30, 1 TD receiving on 2 targets) Although Graham was only thrown to twice he caught both. One catch was for a 16 yard touchdown.

K: Adam Vinatieri (2 XP, 3-4 FG) Vinatieri hit field goals of 28, 29,and 26 yards. At the close of the first half he missed one from 50 yards wide left.

Pass Defense: The injury riddled Patriots secondary had a good showing as they intercepted Pennington twice and only allowed one touchdown. They did allow 14 first downs.

Rush Defense: The rush defense was able to stuff Curtis Martin and any other jet attempting to carry the ball, holding them to 2.6 yards per rush and only allowing 2 first downs. Unfortunately they lost defensive end Richard Seymour to a leg injury in the 3rd quarter.

New York Jets

QB: Chad Pennington (22-36-252, 1 TD, 2 INT passing, 3-7 rushing, 1 fumble lost) Pennington's stats don't look that bad, until you consider that a good portion of his yardage and his touchdown came in the fourth quarter. Pennington and the Jets couldn't find any kind of rhythm until they switched to the hurry up offense.

RB: Curtis Martin (13-33 rushing, 5-44 receiving on 7 targets) Martin was stopped cold by the Patriots defense. Due to the Patriots lead, Martin and the rushing attack was pretty well abandoned as the necessity to score quickly became more and more pressing.

LaMont Jordan (2-6 rushing, 3-16 receiving on 3 targets) Jordan saw limited and unproductive action spelling Martin.

Jerald Sowell (2-15 receiving on 3 targets) Sowell dropped a pass that would have resulted in a first down for the Jets in the second quarter, forcing the Jets to punt.

WR: Justin McCareins (5-76 receiving on 7 targets) Although McCareins didn't see the most opportunities; he did make the most catches and have the most yardage of the Jets receivers.
He had a nice 36 yard reception to bring the Jets into scoring distance but Pennington fumbled away the ball on the next play.

Wayne Chrebet (4-51 receiving on 8 targets, 1 fumble lost) Chrebet was able to contribute to his team's loss by losing a fumble himself.

Santana Moss (2-32, 1 TD receiving on 8 targets) Moss battled his way into the end zone on a 15 yard touchdown catch. He was otherwise pretty quiet in the game.

Jerricho Cotchery (1-18 receiving on 1 target) The big rookie Cotchery was able to snag a catch for his team in limited action.

K: Doug Brien (1 XP) Brien was given no field goal opportunities in the sluggish Jets offense.

Pass Defense: The Jets pass defense gave up several long plays to the Patriots passing game in addition to 2 touchdowns. Although they were unable to intercept Brady all day, they did at times look competent if not good. They allowed 13 first downs.

Rush Defense: The rush defense fared better giving up no touchdowns, and holding Dillon to 89 yards on 29 carries. They allowed 7 first downs.

Arizona Cardinals 21 at Seattle Seahawks 24

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Arizona Cardinals

QB Josh McCown threw three long touchdown passes, but also turned the ball over twice. He nearly accounted for eight turnovers, but caught some breaks. McCown had three passes hit defenders directly in the chest that were dropped. He also fumbled three times when sacked, but each was recovered by a teammate.

RB Emmitt Smith ran into a wall of blockers and defensive lineman way too often to be productive. When there was even the smallest hole Smith was able to pound out decent yardage, but he only had a handful of those in his 23 carries.

WRs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald worked exclusively on the outside while WR Bryant Johnson ran out of the slot. All three WRs were used on short hitch and out routes for the most part, but only Boldin and Fitzgerald were targeted on deep jump-ball passes.

Seattle Seahawks

QB Matt Hasselbeck was a late scratch as his injured elbow flared up in pre game warm ups. Trent Dilfer started in his place. Dilfer was atrocious at the outset and improved to only marginal during the middle of the game. He was inaccurate and looked hesitant in the pocket. He made just enough plays to keep Seattle moving and win the game.

RB Shaun Alexander overcame a very slow start (5 carries for 9 yards midway through the second quarter). Seattle continued to feed Alexander the ball and he responded with 154 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. Alexander now holds the Seahawks single season rushing record with 1,616 yards.

WR Jerry Rice started the game and shared time with WR Koren Robinson (back from suspension). However, the duo was only targeted a combined three times in the game. QB Trent Dilfer looked to WR Darrel Jackson on nearly every passing down. Jackson also broke a Seattle single season record and now holds the mark for receptions in a season by a Seahawk (84).

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Arizona Cardinals

QB: Josh McCown (21-33-248 3TD 2INT passing, 2-10 rushing) McCown took a beating from the Seattle pass rush and blitzes, but was able to keep his head in the game. He almost brought the Cardinals back in a fourth quarter charge with two late touchdown passes to WR Larry Fitzgerald, but it wasn't enough to overcome the second and third quarter drought when the Cardinal offense screeched to a halt. McCown got Arizona moving with over 120 yards of total offense in the first quarter, but only managed 45 yards during the second and third quarters combined. The bulk of his passing yardage came in a hurried comeback attempt. His first touchdown was a beautifully thrown deep ball down the left sideline to WR Anquan Boldin. The other two scoring passes went to WR Larry Fitzgerald on deep post routes. His first interception in the first quarter was not such a bad pass, but a fantastic play by CB Ken Lucas. His other interception in the third quarter was a bad decision. McCown nearly threw three other interceptions in the game, and fumbled three times as well when getting sacked.

RB: Emmitt Smith (23-65 rushing, 0-0 receiving on 0 targets) Smith didn't have much of a chance to contribute. His offensive line wasn't able to open up even the smallest hole on most plays. When he did get a crease Smith hit it picking up decent yardage, but he definitely lacks the extra gear to turn those into huge gains. His best run was in the fourth quarter when a hard cut got him to the outside for an 11-yard gain that set up the first Fitzgerald touchdown.

Obafemi Ayanbadejo (2-9 rushing, 4-34 receiving on 4 targets) Ayanbadejo was used almost exclusively out of the backfield as a receiver. His two carries were on back-to-back plays in the fourth quarter on the drive that ended in a missed field goal by PK Neil Rackers.

WR: Anquan Boldin (7-107 TD receiving on 10 targets, 1-3 rushing) Boldin was QB Josh McCown's favorite target out of the gate. They connected on four first quarter passes concluding with the first touchdown of the game. Boldin made a nice twisting catch falling into the end zone near the left pylon on the 31-yard score. Boldin was used mostly near the line of scrimmage. McCown hit him on several quick hitches and outs to allow Boldin to go one on one with a cornerback. Boldin was able to break a few tackles and gain extra yardage on his own. In the third quarter Boldin made a great athletic grab reaching back while getting hit over the middle.

Larry Fitzgerald (4-70 2TD receiving on 9 targets, 2-10 rushing) Fitzgerald was targeted deep several times in the game. The Cardinals like to run him deep down field and throw him floaters allowing him to use his leaping ability to fight with the defensive backs in the air. CB Ken Lucas intercepted the first deep ball thrown to him like this. Lucas made an outstanding play on the ball tipping it to himself. Both of Fitzgerald's touchdown's late in the game came on similar plays. He has a great ability to make adjustments on the ball while it's in the air. Fitzgerald was targeted on both of McCown's interceptions. Also of note, Fitzgerald continues to show the outstanding hands that made him a Heisman trophy candidate.

Bryant Johnson (4-41 receiving on 9 targets) Johnson's first catch (11 yards) came on 3rd and 9 in the first quarter to pick up a first down. Johnson worked out of the slot for the bulk of the game. In the third quarter he allowed FS Ken Hamelin to nearly intercept a pass on a hitch route when Johnson didn't work his way back to the ball. A repeat of this same situation occurred late in the game as well. Johnson made two big receptions in the fourth quarter to keep the Cardinals hopes alive while driving for two late touchdowns.

TE: Freddie Jones (1-5 receiving on 2 targets) Jones lone reception came in the second quarter. He was an after thought in the Arizona passing game as the Cardinals focused on getting the ball to their wide receivers on the outside.

K: Neil Rackers (3-3 XP, 0-1 FG) Rackers missed from 52 yards wide to the left.

Pass Defense: Arizona blitzed their safeties early in the game and rattled QB Trent Dilfer. FS Quentin Harris was able to drop Dilfer for a 2-yard loss on the first play from scrimmage for Seattle, but they weren't able to get to him again on the day. When hurried, Dilfer threw the ball away on most plays or was just terribly inaccurate. They prevented the Seahawks from completing a ball until the final play of the first quarter. The only Seahawk that hurt the Cardinals in the air was WR Darrell Jackson. CB David Macklin allowed Jackson to burn him on a 53-yard slant. Macklin allowed Jackson to run free with no bump off the line of scrimmage. Jackson burned Macklin on a few other longer plays, but QB Trent Dilfer was unable to accurately deliver the ball. Also of note, DE Bertrand Berry was able to beat LT Walter Jones on several plays with his speed, but was one step short of getting to Dilfer.

Rush Defense: The Cardinals did an excellent job of stuffing RB Shaun Alexander for the first 22 minutes of the game, but after Alexander scored on a 1-yard touchdown the flood gates let loose. Arizona was able to bottle up Alexander a few times, but more often, gapping holes allowed Alexander to rip off double digit yardage including 17 and 23-yard scores.

Seattle Seahawks

QB: Trent Dilfer (10-26-128 INT passing, 4-4 rushing) Despite not being able to put together a drive of more than 21 yards through most of the first half, Dilfer got Seattle to half time with a 10-7 lead. Seattle went three and out on their first three possessions. They were able to get only one first down on each of their next three possessions, but a big play by WR Bobby Engram (punt return) got Seattle the lead. Dilfer looked uncomfortable in the pocket and was harassed just enough to keep him from being able to set his feet and deliver the ball. Most of his incomplete passes were thrown off balance or while on the run. After starting 1-8 early on, Dilfer hit a stretch during the second third quarter where he radar-locked himself on WR Darrell Jackson and got Seattle moving. Late in the third quarter he directed two scoring drives (82 and 39 yards) featuring a much more effective running game. Dilfer didn't complete a pass in the fourth quarter with a 17-point lead. He missed an open Bobby Engram deep. His under thrown pass was intercepted. The big positive for Dilfer came on their last possession. After blowing several leads in the fourth quarter this season the home crowd could feel it happening again. With a 10-point lead Seattle went three and out allowing the Cardinals to quickly score and pull to within 3 points. After two Alexander runs were stuffed, Dilfer scrambled for a first down on 3rd and 7 to put the game out of reach and run out the clock by taking three knee downs.

RB: Shaun Alexander (30-154 3TD rushing, 0-0 receiving on 1 target) Alexander got off to a terrible start early in the game. Seattle had to punt on each of their first five possessions because QB Trent Dilfer wasn't able to convert any third downs. However, most of those third down plays weren't easily convertible due to the lack of a running game. When Dilfer began to complete a few balls on the outside to WR Darrell Jackson things opened up for Alexander. Before this happened, Alexander was able to manage a 1-yard touchdown plunge that was set up by the Engram punt return. Alexander actually fumbled the ball just before the goal line, but fell forward onto the ball and scooped it in for the score. Alexander was given three consecutive carries from inside the 5-yard line on this series. Alexander had a typical game for himself with several longer runs and lots of short ones. He had carries of 15, 11, 12, 17T, and 23T yards in the game (half of his total yards came on these six carries). His cuts in the open field to making secondary players miss after the line of scrimmage puts him among the elite NFL running backs.

Maurice Morris (1-10 rushing, 1-3 receiving on 2 targets) Morris got a few more plays than he usually does when FB Mack Strong left the game with a thigh bruise. He began the game returning kickoffs and punts, but gave way to WR Bobby Engram on the punt return duties after Strong's injury.

Mack Strong (1-7 rushing, 0-0 receiving on 1 target) Strong's singular carry came on 3rd and very long early in the game. After leaving with a thigh bruise (Quad contusion) he was listed as questionable to return.

WR: Darrell Jackson (6-101 receiving on 13 targets) Jackson wasn't targeted until the second quarter, but from that point on he saw 13 of the 16 passes thrown towards wide receivers. Jackson's 53-yard reception set up RB Shaun Alexander's 17-yard touchdown run. The play was a slant to the middle of the field. Jackson beat the cornerback with his wheels, and then made a nice cut back to the outside for the big gain. Jackson was targeted twice in the end zone during the second quarter. He drew an illegal contact flag on the first play. On the second one Jackson was open, but QB Trent Dilfer was simply inaccurate with his pass.

Jerry Rice (0-0 receiving on 2 targets) Rice saw his first target late in the second quarter. His second target early in the third quarter was a deep floater by QB Trent Dilfer. It probably should have been picked off, but both defensive backs collided giving Rice a chance to make the reception. The ball hit his hands, but he couldn't come up with it.

Koren Robinson (0-0- receiving on 1 target) Robinson saw one target early in the game. It was a crossing route on third down. Robinson had run across the entire formation underneath the linebackers and was open, but the pass from QB Trent Dilfer was a poor one.

Bobby Engram (1-3 receiving on 3 targets) Engram caught only one short pass in the third quarter that converted a third down opportunity, but he made a huge play that swung momentum in the game during the second quarter. Engram returned a punt 47 yards to set up the game-tying touchdown. He got excellent blocking on the play. Engram was able to make one cut and broke the run straight up the field before cutting it to the outside for the big gain. The only negative was that Engram didn't have the wheels to go the distance as he was caught from behind on the play.

TE: Itula Mili (0-0 receiving on 1 target) Mili started the game, but only saw one target that wasn't close to be completed.

Ryan Hannam (1-18 receiving on 2 targets) Hannam made the first Seattle reception in the game on the last play of the first quarter. Of note, Hannam was inserted into the game before TE Jerramy Stevens.

Jerramy Stevens (1-3 receiving on 1 target) Stevens only target came on a third down play in the second quarter. He caught the ball in the right flat and had a chance to get the first down, but was unable to evade the defender as he was dropped immediately.

K: Josh Brown (3-3 XP, 1-1 FG) Brown hit his field goal from 34 yards on the last play of the first half to put Seattle ahead.

Pass Defense: Seattle sacked QB Josh McCown four times in the game. They blitzed safeties early in the game, but backed off with the 17-point lead and only rushed their front four. FS Ken Hamelin had a huge game with 10 tackles, a sack, forced fumble, and 3 passes defended. He would have had a bigger game if he hadn't dropped two sure interceptions. The Seahawks hit QB Josh McCown hard and often. Three of the sacks in the game forced fumbles, but a Seahawk recovered none of them. Rookie SS Michael Boulware also forced a fumble and continues to make big plays in the Seattle secondary.

Rush Defense: This game was a strong contrast to their match up earlier this season in Arizona. Seattle showed better gap discipline than they have for most of the second half of the season. RB Emmitt Smith had nowhere to run after getting the ball on most of his carries. Smith was held to 2 yards or less on 15 of his 23 carries.

San Diego Chargers 31 at Indianapolis Colts 34

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers controlled the game almost to the very end, and could have easily extended their winning streak to 9 games. When it was all said and done, the Colts did what they had to do in order to come back and win the in the game.

Drew Brees looked like the Pro-bowler he is. He ran up 3 TDs while the Colts struggled with field goals, and finished the game with almost 300 passing yards. He was able to read the field, and make very accurate throws continuing to extend the lead. Peyton Manning is having a season for the ages, but Brees held his own in this game.

He may not have the gaudy stats at the end of the game, but Antonio Gates was the key to this game in the passing attack. Gates was able to find a way to be open and available all game, making reception after reception. He was open at will all game.

Indianapolis Colts

History will not likely remember this game correctly as it pertains to Peyton Manning. Manning started poorly, coming out slow and frustrated. The announcers pointed out that Manning had an almost single digit passer rating at one point in the game. Manning and the Colts continued to settle for FGs as Brees and the Chargers scored 3 TDs, running up the score. A kick off return got the Colts into striking distance allowing Manning to show why he is an all-time great. With the Colts down by 8, Manning waived off the punt team on 4th and 4, took the team on his back, while he passed for a TD (his all-time record breaking 49th), and then set up the game tying 2-point conversion. Manning then went on to control overtime for the win. That is the way this game will be remembered. In reality, Manning struggled for the early part of the game.

Wayne had a terrible game, but in the end, you could argue that he won the game for the Colts. Wayne failed to catch all 6 passes that came his way in the first half. He lost two opportunities to score as one targeted to him in the end zone was intercepted, and another target to him in the end zone went incomplete. In fact, Wayne caught a total of three balls on the day. One of them was the play of the game. Manning waived off the punt team on 4th and 4, resulting in a 19-yard gain to Wayne to keep what little chance the Colts had alive. Wayne then went on to catch a 35-yard pass in overtime helping to ensure the Colt's victory.

The most memorable play(s) of the game will be the historic pass over the middle to Stokley, who broke free in the end zone. James then took a handoff from Manning on a draw play and ran for the two-point conversion, tying the game.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

San Diego Chargers

QB: Drew Brees (21-31-290, 3 TD, 1 INT passing, 6-12 rushing) Until well into the 4th quarter, this game was a tale of two different QBs. It might surprise you to know that it was Brees who looked like the superstar, and Manning who was just adequate. While the Colts had to settle for FGs, Brees threw 3 TD passes taking the Charger lead out to 24-9. Brees had a great first half, completing most of his passes, but really took off in the second half, when his accuracy was almost staggering.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson (21-81, 1 TD rushing, 5-95, 1 TD receiving on 6 targets) Tomlinson opened the game running strong, and pulled in a 74-yard pass from Brees in the 1st quarter. Tomlinson was a force in both the rushing and passing attack for the Chargers. He fought for the hard yards, and was very successful as both a dump off for Brees, and a weapon down field. Tomlinson was a favorite target in the first half, and was barely used in the second half in the passing game, as he took it to the ground, trying to ice the Colts.

Jesse Chatman (2-0 rushing) Chatman carried the ball twice, never at crucial times, losing a yard, and gaining a single yard.

WR: Eric Parker (7-103, 1 TD receiving on 10 targets) Parker was totally in sync with Brees, finding ways to get open, and make the big catch. He was clearly the go to WR.

Kassim Osgood (2-43 receiving on 4 targets) Osgood caught a pass in each half.

Tim Dwight (2 targets) Dwight's only targets on the game came back to back with under 20 seconds left in regulation. He failed to catch either ball, and was not used at any other time in the game.

TE: Antonio Gates (7-49, 1 TD receiving on 11 targets) Gates had a great game and a monster second half. After catching 2 of 3 balls in the first half, Gates pulled 5 straight targets in the second. He caught nearly everything thrown his way, and his stats are only diminished by back to back Brees interceptions (the first interception was nullified by penalty) targeted to Gates with less than 15 seconds left in regulation. Take away those two passes, and Gates finishes with 7 receptions on 9 targets. On the field, Gates was fluid, finding ways to get open in the seam, and coming away with the ball.

K: Nate Kaeding (4 XP, 1-1 FG)

Pass Defense: History might not remember this game correctly, but the Charger pass defense did an incredible job of shutting down Manning for part of the game. Manning was lost at times, couldn't move the ball, forcing passes that failed, and playing poorly. It was almost dumb luck that Manning came back to win this game. The passing D played an excellent game.

Rush Defense: The Chargers did a good job against James and the rushing attack. With Manning struggling, the Colts were able to have some success on the ground.

Indianapolis Colts

QB: Peyton Manning (27-44-383, 2 TD, 1 INT passing, 1 for -1 rushing) Manning started slowly but caught fire later in the game. The first drive down the field, Manning tried to hit Wayne in the end zone, and was intercepted. Manning was sacked for losses of 7, 8, 8, and 5 yards. It was like this for much of the game early on. As Brees celebrated his pro-bowl selection running up the score on the Colts, Manning had to settle for FG after FG. The Colts got a boost when Rhodes returned a kick off for a TD, getting the Colts to within 8. At that point, Manning engineered his record breaking 49th TD of the season, having to waive the punt team off the field to take the opportunity. James then punched in the tying two-point conversion, and Manning took over in the extra period with a 61-yard drive for a FG.

RB: Edgerrin James (22-86 rushing, 5-41 receiving on 8 targets) James fumbled on 3rd and 1 at the Charger 5. Luckily, C Jeff Saturday recovered it, and the Colts were still able to come away with a FG. James had a decent day running the ball, but struggled as the whole offense did, not really being able to get over the hump and really control the game. James did score the game tying two-point conversion, setting the Colts up for the win.

Dominic Rhodes (2-19 rushing) Rhodes did nothing on the day offensively carrying the ball just twice, and catching no passes. But he made quite a mark in the kicking game as he returned a kickoff for 88-yards getting the Colts into striking range only down 31-23.

James Mungro (1-3, 1 TD receiving on 1 target) Mungro's only action of the day was a 3-yard shovel pass reception for Manning's record tying 48th TD in a single season.

WR: Brandon Stokley (7-123, 1 TD receiving on 10 targets) Stokley caught Manning's record breaking 49th pass of the season. Although Stokley caught all three balls thrown his way in the first half, he didn't really contribute as the Colts struggled. He did help to set up the FGs that barely kept the Colts in the game, but the entire Colts offense was performing poorly. Harrison and Stokley came on like gangbusters in the second half, helping the Colts move the ball, but they started slowly.

Marvin Harrison (6-111 receiving on 9 targets) After a slow start with the rest of the team, Harrison came on strong in the second half, catching 4 of 6 balls, finding ways to get open, and pulling Manning out of the fire. Harrison set up a number of key plays, making 3rd down receptions to keep the colts head just above water. Although he was double teamed for much of the game, he found ways to get open.

Reggie Wayne (3-61 receiving on 9 targets) This was a poor performance on the day. Wayne had zero receptions deep into the 4th quarter. Wayne was targeted 6 times in the first half, failing to catch any of them. He was targeted early in the end zone. Manning threw an incomplete pass, and an interception both targeted to Wayne in the end zone in the first half. However, when it was all done and said, you could make the argument that Wayne won the game for the Colts. On 4th and 4, late in the game, and the Colts down by 8, Manning waived the punt team off the field, and completed a 19-yard gain to Wayne, keeping what small hopes the Colts had alive. This was the biggest play of the game. Wayne came right back in overtime to catch a 35-yard pass settling up the game winning FG.

TE: Dallas Clark (3-23 receiving on 6 targets) Clark was a relative non-factor catching a few balls in the game.

Ben Hartsock (2-21 receiving on 2 targets) Hartsock caught two balls. They came almost back to back in the same drive right towards the end of the first half to set up a FG. He didn't see an opportunity to make a catch at any other time in the game.

K: Mike Vanderjagt (2 XP, 4-5 FG) The game winning field goal would have been good through goal posts that were 6 feet wide.

Pass Defense: Brees dominated the Colts passing defense. At the end of the game, while trying to win, Brees got sloppy with the ball, but outside of that, he mastered the Colts in the passing game.

Rush Defense: Tomlinson was a force in the rushing attack. He was able to find running room, slide past if not run over defenders. The Colts were able to make some great stops at the end of the game, but were clearly out shined all game.

Washington Redskins 10 at Dallas Cowboys 13

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Washington Redskins

The Redskins have not won a game this season when they have trailed at any point in the game. The trend continued as they blew a late lead and surrendered a Dallas touchdown late in the game. Dallas has won the last 14 out of 15 meetings against Washington.

QB Patrick Ramsey was mildly effective using a ball control offense, throwing short conservative passes. Ramsey was victimized by his receivers as miscues resulted in two interceptions in the first half. At the start of the fourth quarter, Ramsey led the Redskins' offense on their only touchdown drive of the game. He was a perfect 7 out of 7 for 50 yards on the drive and capped it off with a 5-yard TD toss to TE Robert Royal. Ramsey completed 19 out of 29 attempts for 158 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs.

RB Clinton Portis had just 32 yards on 10 carries and left the game with a bruised chest / shoulder after his only carry of the second half. Ladell Betts took over for Portis and gained 39 yards on 11 carries in the fourth quarter. Betts finished the game with 43 yards on 11 rushes.

WR Laveranues Coles caught 7 passes for 53 yards on 11 targets to lead the Redskins' receivers. TE Robert Royal caught his only pass for a 5-yard TD and the Redskins only touchdown.

The Washington defense played brilliantly for 58 minutes and 45 seconds, sacking Testaverde 5 times, recovering a fumble and intercepting a pass in the end zone. It was last 75 seconds that undid all their excellent work as they allowed the grizzled veteran QB to go 75 yards in 6 plays and score the deciding TD with half a minute to play.

Dallas Cowboys

QB Vinny Testaverde struggled mightily against a tenacious Redskins' defense, but saved the best for last as he hit WR Patrick Crayton with a perfect 39-yard TD strike with 30 seconds left in the game. Testaverde and the Dallas offense continue to be ineffective inside the red zone, twice settling for short field goals and having a third drive end with an interception in the end zone. Testaverde finished 23 of 39 for 234 yards with 1 TD, 1 INT, but his heart and veteran leadership does not show up in the box score.

RB Julius Jones gained 55 yards on 15 carries in the first half, but lost a fumble at the Washington 6 that was recovered by the Redskins at the 1. Jones was completely shut down in the second half managing just 2 yards on 7 carries and ended the game with a sub-par 57 yards on 22 carries performance.

WR Keyshawn Johnson led all receivers with 9 catches for 84 yards on 13 targets, including 2 receptions for fourth down conversions. Patrick Crayton had 2 catches for 54 yards in the final drive, including a game-winning 39-yard TD reception. TE Jason Witten added 6 catches for 50 yards.

The Dallas defense was spectacular as they held the Redskins to only 233 total net yards and came up with big stops at the end of the game to afford Testaverde the opportunity for the comeback victory.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Washington Redskins

QB: Patrick Ramsey (19-29-158 passing, 1 TD, 2 INT, 1-2 rushing) used a three-step drop to get rid of the ball quickly and throw short, low risk passes to his receivers. On the opening drive, Ramsey completed his first 7 passes for 46 yards. His next pass went off the hands of TE Brian Kozlowski and was intercepted by safety Lynn Scott at the Dallas 3. Ramsey's second interception came midway through the second quarter when his intended target Coles stumbled and the pass went right to cornerback Terence Newman at the Dallas 43. Ramsey struggled in the third quarter completing just 1 out of 3 passes for 8 yards. However, Ramsey came out on fire at the start of the fourth quarter and methodically led the Redskins down the field on a 13- play, 80 yard drive that was capped off with a 5-yard TD pass to Royal in the end zone. On that drive, Ramsey was a perfect 7 out of 7 for 50 yards. Trailing by 3 with 17 seconds left in the game, Ramsey hit Coles on a crossing route for 32 yards to set up a game tying 57-yard field goal attempt by Chandler.

RB: Ladell Betts (13-43 rushing) had just 2 rushes for 4 yards in the first half in relief duty of Portis. After Portis left the game early in the third quarter, Betts amassed 39 yards on 11 carries, all in the fourth quarter. Late in the fourth quarter, Betts had three consecutive carries for only 3 yards and his failure to pick up a first down gave the Cowboys their comeback opportunity.

Clinton Portis (10-32 rushing) was bottled up by the Cowboys' defensive front and 5 yards was his longest carry of the day. He had just 28 yards on 9 carries in the first half. Portis injured his right shoulder / chest and left the game in the third quarter.

WR: Laveranues Coles (7-53 receiving on 11 targets, 1-7 rushing) first catch was good for 4 yards and a third down conversion in the opening drive. Ramsey targeted Coles in the end zone on the second drive, but the pass was thrown too low at the goal line. Coles was the intended target on Ramsey's second interception, but he stumbled and could not make a play on the ball. Coles caught his last pass of the game on a crossing route and raced down to the Dallas 39 for 32 yards to help set up the game tying 57-yard field goal attempt by Chandler.

Taylor Jacobs (2-37 receiving on 3 targets) first catch was good for 10 yards on a screen pass in the Redskins' first possession of the game. Jacobs made a big catch for 27 yards to help set up Washington's only touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Rod Gardner (5-31 receiving on 7 targets) was targeted early and often by Ramsey on short routes and Gardner finished the first half with 27 yards on 4 receptions. Gardner also drew a 13-yard defensive pass interference penalty midway through the second quarter. Gardner's only catch in the second half was good for 4 yards, early in the fourth quarter.

Antonio Brown (1 fumble lost) was on punt return duty and lost a fumble that was recovered at the Washington 42 with 2 minutes and 20 seconds left in the game.

TE: Chris Cooley (3-24 receiving on 5 targets) caught Ramsey's first two passes of the game for 16 yards. Cooley's only catch in the second half was good for 8 yards, midway through the fourth quarter.

Brian Kozlowski (1-8 receiving on 2 targets) had his first target bounce off his hands and was intercepted at the Dallas 3 on the Redskins opening drive of the game. Kozlowski had his only catch in the fourth quarter for 8 yards and a third down conversion in the Redskins' TD scoring drive.

Robert Royal (1-5 receiving on 1 target, 1 TD) made his only reception count with a 5-yard TD reception, midway through the fourth quarter.

K: Jeff Chandler (1-1 XP, 1-2 FG) was signed to replace John Hall who was out because of a groin injury. Chandler converted on his first FG attempt from 25 yards in the first quarter, but his 57-yard attempt at the end of the game came up a few yards short.

Pass Defense: The pass defense pressured Testaverde throughout the game and recorded 5 sacks and intercepted a pass in the end zone. Before the final fateful drive by the Cowboys, the Redskins secondary had only surrendered 142 total net yards passing. Starting cornerback Fred Smoot was hurt late in third quarter and left the game with back spasms. Cornerback Shawn Springs had 6 tackles, 1 assist, 2 sacks, and an interception, but was victimized on the game deciding TD pass to Crayton.

Rush Defense: The Washington run defense was tremendous, recovering a fumble at the Redskins 1 yard line in the second quarter and twice holding the Cowboys to short field goals in the first half. The Redskins only allowed 89 net yards rushing for the game with just 14 of those yards coming after halftime.

Dallas Cowboys

QB: Vinny Testaverde (23-39-234 passing, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3-14 rushing) was under assault by an aggressive Washington defense. He was sacked 5 times and hit another 4 times as he threw the ball. Testaverde overthrew an open Johnson in the end zone from 20 yards out, midway through the second quarter. The Cowboys had to settle for two short field goals in the first half after promising drives bogged down in the red zone. Late in the third quarter, Testaverde had another red zone miscue when his fade pass intended for Johnson was intercepted in the end zone. With that pick, it became the 9th consecutive game that Testaverde has thrown an interception. On the final drive trailing 10-6 with 1 minute and 25 seconds left and no timeouts, Testaverde threw three consecutive incomplete passes from the Cowboys 25. He then hit Crayton for 15 yards for the fourth down conversion and spiked the ball to stop the clock. Back-to-back completed passes to Witten for 14 yards and Anderson for 7 yards put the Cowboys in striking position at the Washington 39. Testaverde hit Crayton streaking down the right sideline for 39-yard game winning TD. Testaverde converted on 3 out of 4 fourth down conversions for the game.

RB: Julius Jones (22-57 rushing, 2-10 receiving on 3 targets, 1 fumble lost) showed great patience and hit holes with a burst of speed in the first half. Jones' lost fumble came at the end of his best run for 12 yards. He went up the middle and broke a couple of tackles before being stripped of the ball by safety Sean Taylor at the Redskins 6. Jones was dropped for a loss three times in the third quarter and managed just 2 yards on 7 carries after halftime. He did not have a carry in the fourth quarter.

Richie Anderson (2-12 rushing, 1-7 receiving on 3 targets) had both his carries in the first half and was the second option behind Jones. Anderson had his only catch for 7 yards in the final drive and smartly got out of bounds to stop the clock.

Eddie George (2-6 rushing, 1 target) was used sparingly and his first carry for no gain was wiped out by a defensive holding penalty. Midway through the second quarter, George burst through the left side for a 6-yard gain and a third down conversion. His only other carry was for no gain, early in third quarter. George dropped the only pass thrown his direction.

Darian Barnes (2-22 receiving on 2 targets) caught Testaverde's first pass of the game out of the backfield for 14 yards. Barnes' second catch for 8 yards came midway through the third quarter.

WR: Keyshawn Johnson (9-84 receiving on 13 targets) had his first catch for 12 yards, late in the first quarter. Johnson opened the second quarter with back-to-back catches with the second one for 6 yards and a third down conversion. Midway through the second quarter, Johnson was open in the end zone, but Testaverde overthrew him from 20 yards out. Johnson caught two passes for fourth down conversions. Late in the third quarter, Testaverde targeted Johnson in the end zone, but the fade route was under thrown and intercepted.

Patrick Crayton (2-54 receiving on 2 targets, 1 TD) did not see a pass thrown his way until the final Cowboys' drive and he made the two biggest receptions of the game. His first reception was good for 15 yards and a fourth down conversion that kept the drive alive. Five plays later, Testaverde hit Crayton deep down the right sideline for the 39-yard TD with 30 seconds left for his first career TD.

Quincy Morgan (1-7 receiving on 1 target) had his only catch on the first play of the fourth quarter. The initial spot of the ball was good for 8 yards and a third down conversion, but Washington challenged the spot of the ball and the call was reversed for only a 7-yard gain and no first down.

Terrance Copper (3 targets) was targeted 3 consecutive times by Testaverde in the Cowboys final drive of the game. Cooper dropped a perfect pass on his second target.

TE: Jason Witten (6-50 receiving on 9 targets) drew a 21-yard defensive pass interference penalty on his first target, early in the second quarter. Witten finished the first half with 2 catches for 17 yards. He had a big catch for 14 yards in the Cowboys final drive. Witten has set single season records in receptions and receiving for a Dallas Cowboys' tight end with 79 receptions for 903 yards.

K: Billy Cundiff (1-1 XP, 2-2 FG) converted on both his field goal attempts in the second quarter from 26 and 23 yards.

Pass Defense: The Dallas pass defense recorded two interceptions in the first half and defensive tackle La'Roi Glover had two sacks. They surrendered just 149 net yards passing to Patrick Ramsey with 32 of those yards coming on the last pass play of the game to Laveranues Coles.

Rush Defense: The Cowboys rush defense was equally impressive as they allowed only 84 net yards rushing and forced the Redskins offense in back-to-back three-and-outs, late in the fourth quarter to preserve time on the clock for the offensive comeback.

Carolina Panthers 37 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Carolina Panthers

Battling back from a 1-7 start to the season, the Carolina Panthers put on a dominating performance on the road in a division rivalry to give themselves control of their own destiny heading into the final week. The Panthers were firing on all cylinders in this game, with the offense, defense and special teams all coming up with huge plays to set up an even more important matchup in Week 17 versus the New Orleans Saints.

Jake Delhomme went 19/24 for 214 yards and 4 touchdowns in leading this team decimated by injuries to a 37-20 win over a tough Tampa Bay defense. The primary target in this game was Muhsin Muhammad, who caught 8 balls for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns. Kerry Colbert and Ricky Proehl caught just one pass a piece, but Colbert's was for a touchdown. The Panthers got contributions from their tight ends and out of the backfield as well, with 4 catches and a touchdown from the tight ends and 5 catches out of the backfield.

Nick Goings continued to look impressive in the Panthers backfield, finishing with 127 yards on 33 carries and absolutely wearing out the Buccaneers defense with his quick darting moves to freeze the defenders and fly right past them.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It was a solid fantasy day for the Buccaneers passing offense in a losing effort as Brian Griese completed 30 of 41 passes for 321 yards and 3 touchdowns, but 2 interceptions and a lost fumble kept the Buccaneers from winning this game. The Bucs received solid contributions from three different wide receivers, as Joey Galloway continued to make his returning presence known with 9 catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. Not to be outdone, the rookie Michael Clayton caught 4 balls for 66 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Joe Jurevicius added in 6 receptions for 66 yards. The Bucs did get 10 catches combined from their running backs and tight ends, but most of the incompletions on the day were on these shorter passes as the Panthers clogged up the passing lanes and forced Griese to unload the ball earlier than desired often.

Playing from behind, the Buccaneers did not try to really establish a running game, and as a result Pittman finished with just 10 carries for 41 yards, and this number was boosted by the final drive when the Bucs had conceded victory, where Pittman picked up 16 of those yards on 3 carries. Mike Alstott only saw one carry in the losing effort.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Carolina Panthers

QB: Jake Delhomme (19-24-214, 4 TD, 1-12 rushing) Delhomme showed great composure in completing 79% of his passes against one of the better defensive units in a classic showdown which may ultimately determine the final playoff team from the NFC. Delhomme relied on the veteran Muhsin Muhammad en route to a 143.4 passer rating, and averaged 8.9 yards per pass attempt, helping the Panthers to consistently move the ball and get first downs.

RB: Nick Goings (33-127 rushing, 4-39 receiving on 4 targets) The undrafted running back out of the University of Pittsburgh continued his hot streak, and dominated the Buccaneers rush defense in this game, penetrating from the inside of the line and getting around the corners with great stop and start moves, freezing defenders as he darted by them. Goings only averaged 3.85 yard per carry, but helped to consistently move the chains and keep the game out of Tampa Bay's reach.

WR: Muhsin Muhammad (8-115 receiving on 10 targets, 2 TD) Muhsin Muhammad has been tremendous all-season, and looks like the receiver of the 1999 and 2000 seasons where he caught 96 and 102 balls respectively. During the Super Bowl run last year, he showed great blocking skills and came up with tremendous catches, showing why he is one of the best all-around receivers in the league. This year, when Steve Smith went down, Muhammad rose to the occasion and earned a Pro Bowl spot. This was in large part because of his work ethic and highlight reel catches like his first touchdown, where he came down with a one handed catch in the corner of the end zone with the cornerback draped all over him. Delhomme and Muhammad seemed to be in sync all afternoon.

Kerry Colbert (1-4 receiving on 3 targets, 1 TD) Colbert ran a quick out to the left corner of the end zone for his only catch of the game, but was twice utilized on the long ball and spread the defense out to work underneath to the tight ends and to free up the running game.

Ricky Proehl (1-6 receiving on 1 target) The Panthers only went to Proehl once in this game, early in the 1st quarter.

TE: Kris Mangum (2-25 receiving on 3 targets) Mangum has provided solid numbers all season for desperate fantasy owners, and he continued to be an integral part of the Panthers play-action passing game versus the Buccaneers. Fellow tight end Mike Seidman caught a 2-yard touchdown from Delhomme after falling down underneath the goal posts on a play-action pass.

K: John Kasay (4-5 XP, 1-1 FG) Kasay made his only field goal attempt in this game from 26 yards out, but missed an extra point wide right which could have made the game interesting as the missed extra point left the game at 30-14 and gave Tampa Bay the opportunity to potentially tie up the game with 2 scores, though Tampa Bay was unable to convert a two point play on the ensuing drive in a missed call which enraged Brian Griese.

Pass Defense: Despite giving up 321 yards and 3 touchdowns, the Panthers pass defense held on to win this game. The Panthers took away the short passing game, as the Bucs did not even look to Michael Pittman out of the backfield until late in the third quarter, and were unsuccessful on half of their attempts to Ken Dilger. The cornerbacks played pretty well in this game, but the Panthers were beat numerous times on deep passes over the middle, where Michael Clayton and Joey Galloway were able to beat the safeties who were biting too often on the outside routes.

Rush Defense: Trailing most of the game, Tampa Bay was not dedicated to running the ball in this game, and thus Carolina didn't have to shut down Pittman and Alstott, who only attempted 11 carries for 43 yards.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

QB: Brian Griese (30-41-321, 3 TD, 2 INT, 1 fumble lost, 2-3 rushing) Brian Griese put up huge numbers, but also made a few costly mistakes which were ultimately the difference in the game, especially his 2nd interception which was returned for a touchdown to turn a 30-20 game into a 37-20 deficit. Griese seemed to be on the same page with Clayton, Galloway and Jurevicius on this day which he averaged 7.8 yards per attempt and completed 73% of his passes, but costly mistakes in the form on interceptions limited his passer rating to 99.7.

RB: Michael Pittman (10-41 rushing, 3-13 receiving on 5 targets) Pittman was utilized less in this game than in recent weeks when Tampa Bay fell behind, and as a result his stats were limited. He was still the primary ball carrier, but was often forced to stay behind to defend Carolina's pass rush.

Mike Alstott (1-2 rushing, 3-13 receiving on 3 targets) The fullback out of Purdue was not a significant factor in this game as the Bucs did not have many opportunities to use the power running game.

WR: Joey Galloway (9-98 receiving on 14 targets, 1 TD) Since returning from his injury, Galloway has been one of the league's top receivers, and just barely missed the 100 yard mark in this game. Galloway was often matched up against fellow alum Chris Gamble from The Ohio State University, which made for a great matchup, but Galloway was able to get open often enough to see 14 balls in a losing effort.

Michael Clayton (4-66 receiving on 7 targets, 2 TD) The rookie moved into the mid 70's for catches this season, and continued to build upon his already impressive resume with two touchdowns in this game. He seemed to gain greater separation than any of the other receivers, but Griese did not always have enough time to look for Clayton.

Joe Jurevicius (6-66 receiving on 9 targets) As Griese spread the ball out in attempt to come back, Jurevicius was the benefactor, seeing 9 balls and hauling in 6 of them by running precise routes and showing solid footwork on the sidelines.

TE: Ken Dilger (3-23 receiving on 6 targets) The veteran Dilger struggled somewhat in this game as he had multiple passes bounce of his fingertips, including a catchable ball in the end zone during the 2nd half of this game.

K: Jay Taylor (2-2 XP) Taylor performed much better than his predecessor had in this rivalry, converting both extra points and making sure that was not the difference on Tampa Bay's behalf as a costly extra point attempt had been missed by the departed Martin Gramatica earlier this season in a game between the two teams.

Pass Defense: The Buccaneers secondary could not contain Jake Delhomme and Muhsin Muhammad, who burnt them consistently throughout this game, giving up 4 passing touchdowns, all coming from within the red zone where they were unable to buckle down.

Rush Defense: As the Panthers passing game was so effective, it opened up their running game, and Nick Goings pounded the ball down the throats of the Bucs, who gave up 141 yards on the ground in this losing effort.

Houston Texans 21 at Jacksonville Jaguars 0

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Houston Texans

The Texans dominated the Jaguars on both sides off the ball in the game as Houston looked like the team still in the playoff hunt. The Houston defense stymied the Jacksonville offense, limiting the Jaguars to just 126 yards of total offense in the game and crippled Jacksonville's hope for the playoffs. The Texans posted their first shutout in franchise history this week after setting a franchise low, five points, to the Bears last week.

Domanick Davis had a career high 150 yards rushing in the game and a touchdown to lead the Texans to the victory. Davis scored on the opening drive for the Texans on a one yard plunge and continued his success running through the Jaguars defense. Davis had his longest run of the season, a 44 yard burst off left tackle in the second quarter that set up Houston's second score of the game. Also of note, Davis went over the 1,000 yard mark for the second consecutive season.

David Carr did not have a great game but was effective moving his team against the Jacksonville defense. Carr starting off the game connecting on 5-of- 5 passes including 3 for 35 yards on the opening drive which resulted in a touchdown for Houston. Although Carr had just one touchdown pass in the game, he was very effective scrambling from the pocket and keeping drives alive, as he rushed for four first downs in the game.

Jacksonville Jaguars

After a huge win on the road at Green Bay last week, the Jaguars had the playoffs in their sights and were the front runner for the second wild card spot in the AFC. However, the Jaguars came out looking flat on offense and their usually solid defense struggled to stop Houston's Domanick Davis all afternoon. The loss for Jacksonville could be costly as they must win next week against Oakland and help from others just to have a shot at the playoffs.

Jacksonville running back Fred Taylor was inactive due to a knee injury. Taylor suffered the injury last week when he rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries during the Jaguars' 28-25 triumph over Green Bay. The absence of Taylor was apparent as the Jaguars "running back by committee" just did not get the job done. Greg Jones, Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala and LaBrandon Toefield combined for 76 yards on the ground which sadly enough was more than half of the Jaguars total offense.

Byron Leftwich had one of the worst games of his NFL career. Leftwich struggled from the outset of the game and continued to struggle until being pulled from the game late in the fourth quarter. He misfired on his first three passes, over throwing and under throwing his intended receivers. Leftwich also fumbled in the first quarter without being hit, as the ball appeared to slip out of his hand. As he picked up the loose ball he was "driven" into the ground by DE Robaire Smith and suffered a mild concussion as his head hit the turf. His play appeared to be affected after the hit and he didn't seem his normal self. He finished with numbers of just 6-of-14 for 35 yards with an interception.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Houston Texans

QB: David Carr (14-20-139 passing, 1 TD, 2 INT, 8-27 rushing) Carr's numbers will not impress fantasy owners again this week but he continues his solid play and helped his team to their second consecutive road win. Carr showed his scrambling abilities as he often was under pressure from the Jaguars' pass rush. He had a decent first half throwing for 105 yards and a touchdown. Carr had a beautifully thrown 10-yard touchdown pass to WR Andre Johnson towards the corner of the end zone that put Houston in front 14-0. Although he did have two interceptions in the game, both in the first half, Jacksonville was not able to capitalize on either turnover. Carr's first interception was late in the second quarter and was tipped by WR Corey Bradford into the defenders hands. His second interception was just before halftime as he went deep down the sideline for Andre Johnson but the pass was slightly under thrown and the Jaguars defender made a one-handed grab for the interception.

RB: Domanick Davis (30-150 rushing, 1 TD, 5-39 receiving on 6 targets) Davis was unstoppable in the game and ran through, around and over the Jacksonville defense all afternoon. He seemed to overpower the Jaguars defense as he refused to be stopped by the first defender that attempted to tackle him. His touchdown came on the first possession for the Texans as Davis powered over the right guard for a 1-yard touchdown run. Also in the game, Davis went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season and surpassed his season total from a year ago.

Jonathan Wells (5-34 rushing) Wells saw all of his carries in the fourth quarter as Domanick Davis took a well deserved rest on the sideline.

WR: Andre Johnson (4-46 receiving on 7 targets, 1 TD) Johnson was matched up in single coverage against veteran CB Dewayne Washington throughout most of the game. Carr took advantage of the height mismatch between Johnson and Washington and threw a pass up for grabs in the corner of the end zone. Johnson was able to out leap Washington and managed to tuck the ball away for the touchdown. Johnson beat his defender late in the second quarter on a deep sideline pattern and possibly could have scored but the pass was slightly under thrown by Carr and intercepted at the Jaguars 11 yard line.

Jabar Gaffney (3-39 receiving on 3 targets) Gaffney's numbers were down from last week's performance but he did have a nice 19 yard reception on the first series that put the Texans in Jacksonville territory. Two of his three receptions were for first downs.

Derick Armstrong (1-8 receiving on 1 target) Armstrong had his only reception and target of the game in the second quarter and saw limited action in the game.

Corey Bradford had no receptions in the game but did have 2 targets. Unfortunately, Bradford tipped one of his targets and was intercepted by the Jaguars.

TE: Billy Miller (1-7 receiving on 1 target) Miller's only reception of the game was almost a touchdown but he was ruled down just inside the one yard line. Domanick Davis scored on the next play.

K: Kris Brown (3-3 XP, 0-1 FG) Kris Brown was perfect on extra points connecting on all three attempts. Brown's only field goal attempt had a low trajectory and struck Jacksonville's Akin Ayodele in the helmet. Brown's attempt was from 34 yards.

Pass Defense: The Texans had just three sacks in the game but throughout they forced Leftwich to hurry his passes and make poor decisions. LB Kailee Wong was in the face of Leftwich often in the game and had one sack and an interception. The Texans held Leftwich and Garrard to a measly 54 yards passing in the game and an incredible 35 net passing yards. For the second straight game, Rookie CB Dunta Robinson forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. LB Antwan Peek recovered the fumble and rumbled 66 yards for the touchdown. LB Jamie Sharper had a forced fumble late in the game that was recovered by LB Jason Babin.

Rush Defense: The Texans' rush defense was dominating as well holding Jacksonville to under 100 yards rushing. The Houston defense allowed just six first downs in the entire game. They also didn't allow the Jaguars past midfield until the third quarter and that was due to a poor punt from Houston deep in their own territory.

Jacksonville Jaguars

QB: Byron Leftwich (6-14-35, 1 INT passing, 4-19 rushing) Leftwich played a horrible game and struggled from the beginning of the game. After taking the hit by Robaire Smith early in the game he just did not seem the same as his play continued to deteriorate. He overthrew receivers and looked lost in the pocket at times. The Jaguars coaching/medical staff tested Leftwich on the sidelines in between series for an apparent concussion but allowed him to return on the Jaguars next possession. Coach Jack Del Rio elected to pull Leftwich with 4:04 remaining in the fourth quarter feeling Leftwich was still a little "cloudy" from the hit. Reports after the game stated Leftwich still appeared dazed some 30 minutes after the game.

David Garrard (4-7-19 passing) Garrard came in for one play after the Leftwich injury and then late in the fourth quarter in relief of Leftwich. Garrard was equally as ineffective as Leftwich and could not move the ball against Houston.

RB: Greg Jones (9-38 rushing, 0-0 receiving on 1 target) Jones was given his first NFL start in place of the injured Fred Taylor. Jones started off the game with 17 yards on his first two carries and looked like he might have a decent game as he broke tackles and fought for extra yardage. After the first series, Jones was being substituted with Fuamatu-Ma'afala and Toefield. His longest run of the game was a 12 yard burst up the middle in the first quarter.

Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala (4-25 rushing) Fuamatu-Ma'afala was the most effective of the running backs for Jacksonville turning his 4 carries into 25 yards rushing. He also had a 31 yard gain negated by an offensive holding penalty in the second quarter.

LaBrandon Toefield (3-13 rushing, 2 for -5 receiving on 2 targets, 1 fumble lost) Toefield was not a factor in the game and saw most of his action in the second half. On a reception late in the game, Toefield had the ball stripped by Houston LB Sharper which was recovered by the Texans.

Fred Taylor - The Jaguars top offensive weapon sat this one out with a sprained left knee and was inactive for the game. Taylor's streak of 46 consecutive starts ended.

David Allen (1-5 receiving on 1 target) Allen's only target was in third quarter. He saw most of his action on special teams.

WR: Troy Edwards (3-24 receiving on 6 targets, 1 fumble lost) Edwards was the leading receiver for the Jaguars with just 24 yards. Most of his targets came in the second half and his longest gain was 12 yards. Unfortunately, on that 12 yard gain, Edwards fumbled the ball fighting for extra yardage and the Texans returned in fumble for a touchdown.

Jimmy Smith (2-17 receiving on 6 targets) Smith had a disappointing game this week as he caught just one pass in the second quarter and one in the fourth.

Ernest Wilford (1-9 receiving on 1 target) Wilford caught his only pass early in the third quarter and came up just short of the first down.

TE: Kyle Brady (1-4 receiving on 2 targets) Brady saw his only targets of the game early in the fourth quarter and spent most of the game blocking versus out in pass patterns.

K: Josh Scobee (0-1 FG) Scobee missed his only field goal attempt of the game from 31 yards. The attempt wasn't even close as the ball went very wide right.

Pass Defense: The Jaguars pass defense did register four sacks in the game against David Carr. They held Carr to just 139 yards passing but did allow one touchdown pass of 10 yards. S Deon Grant and CB Dewayne Washington each had an interception in the game.

Rush Defense: Jacksonville's rush defense came into the game averaging just over 100 yards per game but were exposed in this game by Domanick Davis for 150 yards on 30 carries. In total, the Jaguars gave up 211 yards on the ground and allowed one touchdown.

Atlanta Falcons 13 at New Orleans Saints 26

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons played without offensive starters Michael Vick, Alge Crumpler, and T.J. Duckett in what amounted to a meaningless regular season game for them. Matt Schaub got his first NFL regular season start at the quarterback position, and for the most part looked like a rookie. Schaub threw for 188 yards on the day with no touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

The Atlanta wide receivers once again did little to distinguish themselves. Peerless Price led the Falcons' receiving crew with 6 receptions for 49 yards. No Falcons wide receiver was able to find the end zone. At the tight end position, Dwayne Blakley filled in for Alge Crumpler, though he managed just 1 reception for 12 yards.

With T.J. Duckett out for the second straight week, Warrick Dunn saw a lot of work in this game. Dunn found minimal room in the running game, but was highly effective as a receiver out of the backfield. Dunn finished the game with 139 combined rushing and receiving yards. His long run of the day was a 16-yard scamper for a touchdown through the middle of the Saints' defense.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints played surprisingly well in all phases of this game as they emerged victorious and managed to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. On defense, the Saints forced 3 Falcons turnovers and a safety, while also holding Atlanta to 13 points and 291 yards of total offense. On special teams, Michael Lewis scored a touchdown on a 95-yard kick-off return, his first of the season. And on offense, the Saints played efficient ball control football on their way to 160 total rushing yards.

Despite throwing 2 interceptions, Aaron Brooks managed the game effectively. He threw for 227 yards and 1 touchdown, and also dove for a 1-yard touchdown. Joe Horn led all Saints receivers with 5 catches for 76 yards. Donte Stallworth showed his big play ability on a 39-yard touchdown catch on which he outran the Falcons' entire secondary.

In the running game, Deuce McAllister hit the 100-yard mark for the fourth consecutive game. McAllister ran for 128 bruising yards on 29 carries, although he failed to find the end zone.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Atlanta Falcons

QB: Matt Schaub (17-41-188, 2 INT passing, 4-21 rushing) struggled often in this game - his first NFL regular season start. Schaub actually looked more comfortable at the beginning of the game, but became increasingly flustered as the contest wore on. Overall, he had difficulty throwing the ball where his receivers could make easy catches, though he was also victimized by a number of bad drops. He did try to stretch the field vertically on numerous occasions, but was unable to connect for the big play.

RB: Warrick Dunn (18-52, 1 TD rushing, 6-87 receiving on 6 targets) saw a lot more action than many expected, given that this was a meaningless game for the Falcons. He found sparse running room against a surprisingly stingy Saints run defense, although he did break one up the middle for a 16-yard touchdown run. Most of Dunn's yards came in the passing game, which included a short screen pass that he took for 59-yards.

Jason Wright (1-8 rushing, 0-0 receiving on 1 target) saw limited action in the second quarter in relief of Dunn.

WR: Peerless Price (6-49 receiving on 16 targets) was targeted often by Matt Schaub, but still had only 6 catches for 49 yards and no touchdowns. In his defense, many of the balls thrown in his direction were uncatchable.

Brian Finneran (3-38 receiving on 4 targets, 1 fumble lost) lost a fumble in Saints territory after converting a third down in the first half.

Dez White (1-2 receiving on 4 targets) was not a major factor in this game.

TE: Dwayne Blakley (1-12 receiving on 3 targets) filled in for the injured Alge Crumpler, but failed to put up big numbers.

K: Jay Feely (1 XP, 2-2 FG) made field goals of 20 and 26 yards.

Pass Defense: The Falcons played reasonably well against the pass. They gave up one long touchdown on a play in which they failed to pick-up the Saints receiver on an underneath crossing route. However, the pass defense also came up with 2 interceptions and sacked Aaron Brooks 3 times.

Rush Defense: The Falcons continued to struggle against the run, as they were manhandled by Deuce McAllister and the Saints' offensive line. The Saints gave up 160 total yards on the ground.

New Orleans Saints

QB: Aaron Brooks (12-24-227, 1 TD, 2 INT passing, 5-12, 1 TD rushing) started out just 1 for 7 and looked to be on his way to a horrendous performance. However, he was aided by a strong running game, and eventually was able to make some big plays to his receivers downfield. Brooks threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Donte Stallworth, and also scored a touchdown on a 1-yard quarterback sneak.

RB: Deuce McAllister (29-128 rushing, 0-0 receiving on 1 target) ran with power and speed against the Falcons' smallish defensive front four. McAllister finished the day with 128 yards on the ground on 29 carries. He failed to find the end zone, despite getting the ball on 3 consecutive plays inside the Atlanta 10-yard line on one first half series.

Aaron Stecker (5-20 rushing) saw limited action in relief of Deuce McAllister.

WR: Joe Horn (5-76 receiving on 11 targets) showed his ability to get open all over the field in this game. Despite having just 5 catches, Horn helped spread the Falcon defense in the first half, opening things up for his fellow wide receivers. Horn was targeted several times in the end zone, but failed to score a touchdown.

Donte' Stallworth (2-62, 1 TD receiving on 4 targets, 1-0 rushing) scored on a short crossing route on which he was able to turn the corner and run 39-yards untouched to the end zone. Stallworth was also given the ball on an end around in a third and goal situation, but the play was stuffed by the Falcons' defense.

Jerome Pathon (3-49 receiving on 4 targets) showed his play-making ability on a 36-yard catch down the seam from the slot position. Pathon also made a circus catch on a ball thrown behind him to preserve a Saints' drive in the first quarter.

TE: Boo Williams (1-21 receiving on 2 targets) made a great leaping catch on his lone reception of the day.

Ernie Conwell (1-19 receiving on 1 target) had just one catch on the day for 19 yards.

K: John Carney (3 XP, 1-1 FG) made a 22-yard field goal.

Pass Defense: The Saints' pass defense played very well in this game. In addition to holding the Falcons to just 188 yards in the air, the Saints forced a safety, a Brian Finneran fumble, and came up with 2 interceptions.

Rush Defense: The Saints' rush defense gave up a touchdown on the ground, but overall did a very good job of containing Warrick Dunn and the Atlanta rushing attack. Falcons' rushers were held to 93 total yards.