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

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

Joe

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

Washington Redskins 13 at Cleveland Browns 17

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Washington Redskins

The last time Clinton Portis faced the Cleveland Browns, he ran for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns as a Denver Bronco. This time around things were very different, as Portis was limited to just 58 yards on 20 carries, with his longest run going for just 10 yards. While he did add a 1-yard touchdown which made it a decent fantasy outing, the Redskins were simply unable to give him the holes he needed to run through. Portis was pulled from the game on obvious passing downs, in favor of Ladell Betts.

Laveranues Coles made up for a lackluster week 3 showing with a 7 catch, 122 yard performance against the Browns, which was the only real bright spot for the Redskins' offense. Coles' fumble in the game was close enough to warrant an instant replay challenge, but for the second week in a row the Redskins had used up all of their 2nd half time outs early, and were unable to challenge the play. Last week's hero, Rod Gardner, was limited to just 19 yards on 3 catches, and rookie Chris Cooley was held without a catch.

Mark Brunell faced some pressure in the pocket, but a combination of scrambling and throwing the ball away allowed him to escape without a sack. Unfortunately, this did not help his passing numbers, which were a very mediocre 17 of 32 for 192 yards.

On defense, the Redskins limited the yards they allowed, but were not able to stop Cleveland on their game-winning, fourth quarter touchdown drive. Top cornerback Fred Smoot forced a Quincy Morgan fumble early on, but was later beaten in coverage for a couple of deep catches by Andre' Davis.

Cleveland Browns

William Green's latest hold on the Browns' starting running back job ended the instant Lee Suggs broke a 25-yard run on his first carry of the season. Suggs wound up with 82 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, while Green was not used after the second quarter, and finished with just 4 touches in the game. Suggs showed the quickness and agility which had earned him the starting job in the preseason, before a lingering neck stinger kept him out of action in the first three games of the season. Suggs showed no ill effects from that injury, running hard into contact and ducking low to squeeze into the end zone on his 3-yard touchdown run.

Jeff Garcia continued to struggle with the Browns' offensive scheme during the first half of the game, but when the team returned to the field after the intermission Cleveland adjusted with more bootlegs and play-action passing. Garcia looked a lot better in that situation, completing 10 of 13 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown in the 2nd half, vs. his total game numbers of 14-21-195.

Andre' Davis was the leading Browns receiver in every category save touchdowns, with 3 receptions for 93 yards in the game. Quincy Morgan and Dennis Northcutt each caught two passes, for 18 and 11 yards respectively, while Aaron Shea and Steve Heiden split the work at tight end, in replacement of rookie tight end Kellen Winslow who is lost for the season after breaking his leg. Shea had 2 receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown in the game, while Heiden caught 2 for 19 yards.

Kicker Phil Dawson's 18th consecutive converted field goal attempt marked the first points scored by the Browns in the first quarter this season; however they still have yet to score a touchdown in the first half of a game. Defensively, Cleveland was able to frustrate the Redskins both on the ground and through the air.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Washington Redskins

QB: Mark Brunell (17-32-192, 3-9 rushing) received good protection from his offensive line for most of the day, but was unable to find open receivers against the Browns' coverage. Brunell enjoyed some success early in the game, throwing for a combined 7 of 9 and 46 yards on Washington's first two possessions, but things fell apart quickly after that. When he had time in the pocket the receivers were often covered, and several of his incompletions came on passes which he had to throw the ball away when protection finally broke down. Brunell did display some surprising agility in ducking under a Kenard Lang sack attempt, but his legs just aren't up to the task of creating plays anymore.

Brunell definitely favored Laveranues Coles in this game, lofting 12 of his 32 passes in Coles' direction. He was also quoted during the last week as saying that the Redskins have "the best set of wide receivers that I've ever played with", lofty praise considering that Brunell threw to Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell for some years in Jacksonville.

RB: Clinton Portis (20-58 rushing, 1 TD, 1 fumble lost, 2-15 receiving on 3 targets) struggled to find holes in a Browns' defense which had allowed only 3.8 yards per carry this season, facing the likes of Jamal Lewis, Eddie George, and Tiki Barber. Four of Portis' first 5 carries in the game went for first down yardage, including a 10-yard gainer, his longest run of the day. While Portis did look good in punching in a 1-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter, he simply didn't have the space to run in on most plays with the Browns able to stack the box while their cornerbacks kept the Washington receivers in check. Portis' fourth fumble of the season came when he was stripped by Browns' defensive tackle Michael Myers, and led to a Browns' touchdown.

Ladell Betts (2-6 rushing, 0-0 receiving on 1 target) was used to give Portis the occasional breather, and also as the sole back in obvious passing situations.

WR: Laveranues Coles (7-122 receiving on 12 targets, 1 fumble lost) bounced back from a poor Monday night showing in week 3 with his best day of the season thus far, and second 100 yard receiving performance of 2004. Coles looked like Brunell's favorite receiver in the game, and the Fox announcing team stated that most of the Redskins' passing plays feature Coles as the #1 option. It was also reported that Coles dislocated a finger during the game against Dallas last week but popped it back into place himself and continued to play, which could have contributed to his dropped passes in that game. With the game on the line in the fourth quarter Brunell all but locked on to Coles, but the Redskins final drive ended when Coles was ruled to have fumbled on a 12-yard reception. Television reviews were inconclusive as to whether or not he had possession before dropping the ball, but the point was moot as the Redskins were out of time outs at the time and could not challenge the call.

Rod Gardner (3-29 receiving on 5 targets) came back down to Earth, hard, following his 166 yard, 2 TD performance in week 3. He did have a fourth reception for 4 yards negated by a penalty on Washington's first drive. When the Redskins got the ball back trailing by 4 points with 2:30 left in the game, their first play was a long pass down the right sideline to Gardner, just like last week. This time, however, the pass was incomplete.

James Thrash (2-7 receiving on 2 targets) picked up a couple of short catches in his role as the #3 receiver, as well as handling the punt return duties with regular return man Chad Morton sidelined.

TE: Walter Rasby (3-29 receiving on 5 targets) had his best receiving day since week 17 of 2001 and is now on pace to catch 16 passes this year, which would be the highest total of his 11 year career.

Chris Cooley (0-0 receiving on 5 targets) had plenty of looks, including two inside the Cleveland 15-yard line, but was unable to record a reception on the day.

K: John Hall (1 XP, 2-2 FG) connected on kicks of 26 and 31 yards in the game. Midway through the second quarter, the Redskins opted to go for it on 4th and 6 rather than attempting a 55 yard field goal. The play was successful and led to Portis' touchdown run.

Pass Defense: Washington recorded 3 sacks in the game and blitzed mercilessly against Jeff Garcia, but a couple of blown coverages in the secondary led to big plays for the Browns, and contributed heavily to the Redskins' loss. While they were successful in keeping the notoriously mobile Jeff Garcia contained, they lacked the speed to catch Garcia when he rolled out or bootlegged, and the cornerbacks proved unable to keep up with the speedy Browns' receivers when Garcia bought extra time. Andre' Davis was able to beat coverage for receptions of 22, 33, and 37 yards in the game.

Run Defense: Washington had not allowed an opposing running back to rush for more than 42 yards in a game this season, until Lee Suggs got onto the field and racked up 82 yards and a touchdown on his first 22 carries of the year. While the 3.7 yards per carry that Suggs managed sounds like a good defensive effort, especially considering that his first carry went for 25 yards, the Redskins were unable to stop Suggs with the game on the line in the fourth quarter. Suggs carried 8 times for 45 yards and the game-winning touchdown on the Browns' final two drives.

Cleveland Browns

QB: Jeff Garcia (14-21-195, 1 TD, 3 for -5 rushing) certainly didn't put up the kind of numbers you'd remember from his days as a 49er, but his effort in this game represented a marked improvement over his first 3 outings with the Browns. Garcia was just 4 of 8 for 54 yards in the first half of the game, and was sacked twice, but Cleveland adjusted their offense during the break and incorporated more of the bootlegs and play action passing that Garcia favors, resulting in his improved 10-13-141 numbers in the second half. It also didn't hurt at all that Lee Suggs started to get into a groove rushing the ball as the game wore on, forcing the Redskins to focus more attention on stopping the run. Garcia's numbers would have been even better had Andre' Davis not dropped a 13-yard pass in the end zone at the end of the first quarter.

All 3 of his official rushing attempts in the game were actually kneel downs at the end of the game.

RB: Lee Suggs (22-82 rushing, 1 TD, 1-6 receiving on 2 targets) saw his first action of the 2004 season, returning from a lingering neck stinger, and clearly outclassed William Green. On his first touch of the game, Suggs broke an arm tackle and then ran through a gaping hole at left guard, finally being dragged down after a 25-yard gain. As the game wore on, Suggs added a very nice 3-yard touchdown run, and his 45 yards on 8 late carries helped to lock the victory up for the Browns. In running the ball, Suggs showed acceleration and moves that William Green frankly lacks, and every indication from this game is that Suggs will now be the starter for the Browns. Suggs did have a fumble on his third carry of the game, coming when an offensive lineman was pushed back into him as he cut, but the Browns recovered the ball.

William Green (4-17 rushing) started the game, but apparently lost his hold on that job as soon as Suggs broke a 25-yard run near the end of the first quarter. Green had two carries to start the Browns' next drive after that run, but saw no action beyond that.

Terrelle Smith (1-4 rushing, 2-20 receiving on 2 targets), the former Saint, has been gaining favor as a pass-catching fullback in the Browns' offense, and had a nifty 16-yard reception on a third and two play in the fourth quarter.

WR: Andre' Davis (3-93 receiving on 7 targets, 1 for -3 rushing) caught passes for 22, 33, and 37 yards on the day, but also dropped what would have been a tough but catchable 13-yard touchdown late in the first quarter. Davis' 37-yard reception came against brash cornerback Fred Smoot, when Jeff Garcia's perfect throw enabled Davis to make an over-the-shoulder catch to beat Smoot's near-perfect coverage. Davis was clearly the receiver used to stretch the field in the game.

Quincy Morgan (2-18 receiving on 2 targets, 1 fumble lost) had a 14-yard reception on a third and 8 play in the fourth quarter, which atoned for allowing Fred Smoot to strip him of the ball on his first reception.

Dennis Northcutt (2-11 receiving on 4 targets) narrowly missed a touchdown on a punt return, when punter Tom Tupa pushed him out of bounds with no other defenders between him and the goal line. The return wound up as a 44-yarder.

TE: Aaron Shea (2-28, 1 TD receiving on 3 targets) did a fine job of finding an open space against the zone, catching the ball, and then turning up field on his 15-yard touchdown reception.

Steve Heiden (2-19 receiving on 2 targets) will split time with Shea at tight end for the Browns after rookie Kellen Winslow was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.

K: Phil Dawson (2 XP, 1-1 FG) made a 30-yard field goal, his 18th consecutive successful kick. With a 4 point lead and less than 2:30 left in the game, the Browns lined up for a 45-yard field goal try, but holder/punter Derrick Frost ran the ball on a designed fake. Frost was stopped by several defenders after a 1-yard gain.

Pass Defense: Despite allowing 7 catches and 122 yards to Laveranues Coles, the Browns' secondary was outstanding in this game, especially cornerback Anthony Henry. While the defensive front was unable to record a sack in the game, they were persistent in their attempts to get to Mark Brunell, forcing a number of throwaways and three scrambles. Defensive end Kenard Lang narrowly missed a sack when Brunell ducked under his arms at the last second.

Rushing Defense: Holding Clinton Portis to less than 3 yards per carry in a close game definitely qualifies as a good defensive outing. The Browns were able to clog the line and plug the gaps all day long, limiting the explosive Portis to a long run of 10 yards. In all, the Redskins managed just 73 yards on 25 carries.

Cincinnati Bengals 17 at Pittsburgh Steelers 28

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Cincinnati Bengals

Surprisingly, given the complexion of the Pittsburgh defense the past few years, the Bengals did their biggest damage in this game on the ground. Rudi Johnson was very effective, gaining a high percentage of his rushing yards after contact. Johnson was consistently able to break the first and often second tackle during his runs, allowing him to pick up an additional 2-5 yards per carry that a smaller back would not have gained. He looked very strong in this game, picking up 123 yards, and punched in a short touchdown to boot.

Carson Palmer was very erratic. He would look sharp on one drive, only to come in for the next and fire several errant passes. He had trouble a few times on throws to his backs in the flat, firing over the intended receiver's head. Palmer also threw a back-breaking interception late in the game with the Bengals down 4 points and attempting to drive for the game-winning TD. Chad Johnson was effectively bottled-up much of the game, and with Peter Warrick out, T.J. Houshmandzadeh was heavily targeted.

Defensively, the Bengals were mediocre. The Steelers were able to move the ball pretty effectively both on the ground and through the air, and their drives were often stunted by offensive penalties as much as stout defense. The Bengals did force a pair of fumbles by Duce Staley, however, and looked to be going for the strip on almost every carry. The pass rush was not particularly strong, as Ben Roethlisberger usually had plenty of time to throw.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Duce Staley looked very sharp in this game. His slashing style and ability to break tackles and pick up tough yards are a great fit for the offense the Steelers are running, and he matched Rudi Johnson with 123 yards of his own. However, he was again pulled from the game in goal line situations. It appears as if Jerome Bettis is going to continue to be used almost exclusively inside the 5-yard line, and he punched into the end zone twice in the ball game. Staley was again conspicuous by his absence in the passing game.

Ben Roethlisberger seems to be growing more comfortable by the week, and if his progress continues, we may have seen the last of Tommy Maddox. He was poised, and he made fewer questionable throws in this game than in past weeks. It's looking more like he may hold the job all season long, regardless of when Maddox heals. Plaxico Burress was targeted much more in this game than in weeks past. He had a 57-yard completion called back after the Bengals successfully challenged that Roethlisberger's knee touched the ground before he threw the pass. Hines Ward was steady, but most of his looks were on very short routes, limiting his numbers.

The Steelers' defense was much stronger against the pass than the run, although a questionable pass-interference call on Chad Scott set up the Bengals' first touchdown. The front seven need to wrap up more effectively than they did, as Rudi Johnson was able to pick up a lot of extra yardage after breaking through the initial tackle. Troy Polamalu made a terrific play with just over two minutes remaining, following an over-the shoulder interception with a remarkable 26-yard return for a TD. About 10 guys had a crack at him on the return, but Polamalu scored through sheer force of will. They also added a late Chad Scott interception on a Hail Mary pass by Palmer after the game had been decided. The Steelers did not blitz as much as they typically do, however, and didn't generate very much in the way of a pass rush, earning only one sack.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Cincinnati Bengals

QB: Carson Palmer (20-37-164, 1 TD, 2 INT) Palmer was given adequate time to throw, but did not look very crisp with his passes. Most of his completions were of the short variety, and he overthrew a lot of receivers. His performance in this game, particularly in the final 3 minutes, is likely to elicit some cries for Jon Kitna from the Bengals' faithful. Cincinnati had the ball at their own 20 with over 2 minutes and a timeout remaining, trailing 21-17, when Palmer threw the interception to Polamalu.

RB: Rudi Johnson (24-123 rushing, 1 TD, 0-0 receiving on 2 targets) Johnson was excellent throughout this game. As mentioned, he gained a lot of yardage after contact, and also showed good speed to the outside, gaining the corner on a couple of sweeps and turning in nice gains. Johnson is clearly the strength of this offense and should continue to see a lot of carries as the season progresses. His touchdown came on a 2-yard plunge on the opening drive of the second half.

Chris Perry (2-24 receiving on 2 targets) The rookie got no carries in this ball game, but did catch two passes for 24 yards. It seems that the Bengals will utilize Perry on third downs and in obvious passing situations.

Jeremi Johnson (3-6 receiving, 1 TD on 4 targets) Johnson scored on a 4-yard pass from Palmer for the Bengals' first score. He was not utilized in the running game.

Kenny Watson (1-0 rushing, 1 fumble lost, 2-17 receiving on 4 targets) Watson fumbled the ball away on a crucial 4th down play in the third quarter. He was the only running back to get a carry for Cincinnati aside from Rudi Johnson.

WR: Chad Johnson (4-54 receiving on 6 targets) Johnson was defended well all game long. He was able to draw an early 35-yard pass interference penalty against Chad Scott to set up Cincinnati's first touchdown. But he was contained nicely throughout the rest of the game. Most of his yardage came late in the game on quick out routes. He wasn't used downfield as often as usual, as the Steelers took away the deep passing game.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh (6-53 receiving on 12 targets) Houshmandzadeh benefited from Peter Warrick's absence in this game. Palmer looked his way frequently, as the target number shows, but most of his catches were of the 5-10 yard variety, limiting his fantasy value.

Kelley Washington (1-6 receiving on 2 targets) Washington was a non-factor in the game.

Cliff Russell (0-0 receiving on 2 targets, 1-13 rushing) Russell did not catch a pass, but gained 13 yards on a nice reverse.

TE: Reggie Kelly (1-4 receiving on 1 target) Kelly was not used much in the passing game, and made his impact on the game primarily in run-blocking.

K: Shayne Graham (2 XP, 1-1 FG) Graham knocked through a 34-yard field goal on his only attempt.

Pass Defense: Cincinnati's pass defense was somewhat porous. The line only recorded one sack, and Roethlisberger was able to connect on 68% of his throws. A crucial pass-interference call on a throw into the end zone to Burress led directly to Bettis' second touchdown.

Rush Defense: Cincinnati was not particularly stout against the rush either. The defense seemed a bit slow to react on counter plays, and Staley was able to rip off chunks of yardage almost at will throughout the game.

Pittsburgh Steelers

QB: Ben Roethlisberger (17-25-174, 1 TD) Roethlisberger is growing into the role of NFL quarterback quite nicely. He looks comfortable in the pocket, and throws equally well with his feet set and on the run. He did miss an open Burress streaking downfield on a throw he clearly wanted back, but his mistakes were minimal. Roethlisberger ran the offense efficiently, and did not turn the ball over.

RB: Duce Staley (25-123 rushing, 2 fumbles lost) Staley was excellent in this game, but continues to be yanked in goal line situations. This is a trend that, if it continues, will keep Staley out of the upper echelon of fantasy backs all year long. He also will need to carry the ball more securely, as the Bengals were able to strip him twice without much resistance.

Jerome Bettis (6-9 rushing, 2 TD, 0-0 receiving on 0 targets) Bettis appears to have settled into the role that Zack Crockett held in Oakland the past couple of years. He is being used primarily at the goal line. He was used as the primary back on one possession, and fumbled a pitch, but was able to fall on it.

Verron Haynes (2-15 rushing, 4-25 receiving, 1 TD on 4 targets) Haynes continues to shine in the role of third down back. He did a nice job catching the ball out of the backfield, and showed good speed on his limited carries. Haynes scored on an 11-yard pass play on which he made the catch at the 3 yard line and was able to plow into the end zone.

WR: Plaxico Burress (4-69 receiving on 10 targets) Burress had a solid game, which could have been a lot better. He was able to get open with consistency and was close to having a monster game, if a few things had gone his way. Aside from the long play which was called back, Burress nearly had a TD in the fourth quarter. A Roethlisberger pass into the back of the end zone drew a pass interference call, but Burress nearly made a circus catch regardless, with the ball glancing off his hands at the last second. He received a lot of looks throughout the game.

Hines Ward (6-48 receiving on 7 targets, 1-10 rushing) The Bengals made a much more concerted effort to contain Ward than most teams do. He was typically swarmed immediately upon catching the ball, and was not able to compile much in the way of yards after the catch. The additional attention paid to Ward this week opened the door for Burress' success.

Antwaan Randle-El (2-24 receiving on 4 targets, 2-6 rushing) Randle-El did most of his damage in the return game, breaking off a couple of nice runs. He seems to be an attractive option over the middle on third downs, as his speed and agility allows him to get open in front of the defense a few yards short of the marker, and then turn up field to pick up the first down yardage after catching the ball.

TE: Jay Riemersma (1-8 receiving on 1 target) Riemersma is the TE in the game on passing downs for the Steelers, but never receives very many looks.

K: Jeff Reed (4 XP) Reed converted all four of his extra point attempts.

Pass Defense: The Steelers' pass defense did a very nice job covering the Cincinnati receivers, but didn't mount much in the way of pass rush, recording only 1 sack. Polamalu and Scott each recorded an interception, and Polamalu ran his back for a touchdown.

Rush Defense: The Pittsburgh rush defense was the weakest it has appeared this season. It seemed like Pittsburgh more determined to take the vertical passing game away, as they rarely stacked the box. Rudi Johnson was able to run very effectively, but it proved not to be quite enough for the Bengals.

Denver Broncos 16 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Denver Broncos

Questions had been raised about the effectiveness of starting RB Quentin Griffin, especially due to his propensity to fumble so far this season. Griffin had fumbled once in every game so far, but Griffin was given a vote of confidence by HC Mike Shanahan that he would continue to be the starter.

This confidence looked to be waning after an ineffective first half, where Denver only gained 33 yards on the ground. However, once the Broncos led 16-13 in the fourth quarter, 12 of the last 15 plays were rushing calls, mostly for Griffin. Griffin had 14 of his 21 carries in the fourth quarter, securing both the ball and the victory for Denver.

Jake Plummer only completed 13 of 31 passes. His first half was solid, going 10-18-112 and one touchdown pass to TE Patrick Hape, but it was all downhill in the second half. Plummer only connected three times on 13 pass attempts after halftime, but his teammates were able to overcome his inaccuracy. Plummer at least held onto the ball, not allowing any interceptions or losing any fumbles.

FS John Lynch returned to Tampa Bay for the first time since he was released.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Michael Pittman returned after a 3-game suspension, and he was definitely needed in the Tampa Bay backfield. With the loss of Charlie Garner last week for the season, the timing was certainly fortunate for the Buccaneers. Pittman played well for his first game, gaining 72 yards on 15 touches. However, he was never able to break a long run and none of his carries went for over 15 yards.

Michael Clayton was the offensive highlight of the game for Tampa Bay, making two remarkable plays in the second quarter. Clayton leaped and acrobatically caught a 25-yard pass from QB Brad Johnson, then got to his feet before he was touched and ran the rest of the way for the only Tampa Bay touchdown. Safety John Lynch made an error in thinking he could tag him down instead of tackling him. A few minutes later, Clayton showed excellent concentration by catching a pass that went off of two defenders and wound up in his hands. The completion went for 22 yards and a first down.

QB Brad Johnson had a sub par game, completing over 60% of his passes but for just 163 yards.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Denver Broncos

QB: Jake Plummer (13-31-138, 1 TD, 5-18 rushing) had a modest first half, finishing 10-18-112 with a touchdown. Unfortunately for Denver, this was his more productive half. Plummer completed just 3 passes on 13 tries for a measly 24 yards passing in the second half. The good news was that Plummer played virtually error-free, only fumbling the ball once which he quickly recovered. With the team emphasis focused on the run game in the fourth quarter, the pressure came off of Plummer and his lack of production did not cost Denver the game.

RB: Quentin Griffin (21-66 rushing, 1-15 receiving on 2 targets) had a quiet day, but received a strong confidence boost from HC Mike Shanahan. 14 of Griffin's 21 carries came in the fourth quarter, which was significant for a few reasons. First, Griffin has had a battle with fumbling, turning the ball over once in every game this season. In addition, the Broncos were simply not effective on the ground in the first half, gaining just 33 yards on the ground. The workload allowed the Broncos to secure the victory and buoy the self-confidence of their starting running back.

Reuben Droughns (8-20 rushing, 1-12 receiving on 6 targets) assisted Denver in the backfield with the limited availability of running backs for the game. Droughns touched the ball 9 times, spelling Griffin in the Denver backfield. Much of his work came in the first half, as he reached halftime with 6 carries for 15 yards and his lone catch. Droughns also contributed to the victory as a kickoff returner, running 2 back for 45 total yards.

RB Garrison Hearst was deactivated for the game. Tatum Bell played, but did not touch the ball. Both players were listed on the injury list before the game as probable.

WR: Rod Smith (4-32 receiving on 7 targets) tied for the most targets in the game with WR Ashley Lelie. Smith is usually Plummer's favorite target, often getting multiple looks during each quarter, but was not even targeted in the fourth quarter of this game. However, this lack of attention has to be tempered with the Broncos' emphasis on the running attack once they were ahead 16-13 and made only 3 pass attempts after they gained that lead.

Ashley Lelie (1-3 receiving on 7 targets) was used as the deep threat for Denver, but finished with just one reception, a 3-yard pass in the third quarter. Despite the lack of production, Lelie was so closely guarded that he was able to draw two pass interference penalties and gain 10 yards and 37 yards, respectively. The 37-yard penalty was key to the final go-ahead drive for the Broncos in the fourth quarter.

Darius Watts (2-20 receiving on 3 targets, 1-7 rushing) caught two balls in the second quarter for 20 yards, but his biggest impact came late in the fourth quarter. As Denver tried to hang on to their tenuous 3-point lead, they had a third down with 3 yards to go with less than three minutes remaining in the contest. Watts was entrusted with the ball on a flanker reverse, and he came through for his team gaining 7 yards and arguably the biggest first down of the game.

Nate Jackson (1-9 receiving on 3 targets) made his lone catch in the fourth quarter for 9 yards. He was also fortunate that another fourth quarter target that deflected off of his hands was not intercepted.

TE: Jeb Putzier (2-42 receiving on 6 targets) contributed two catches for 28 and 14 yards each. Both catches went for first downs. Putzier also juggled a pass and dropped it over the middle on one of his targets.

Patrick Hape (1-5, 1 TD receiving on 1 target) is a very efficient receiver. Hape has two catches this year, and both for touchdowns. On Sunday, Hape caught the only Denver touchdown in the game, a 5-yard pass on first and goal in the first quarter.

K: Jason Elam (1-1 XP, 3-3 FG) connected on all his attempts, making field goals of 49, 50 and 23 yards. Elam also made a 31-yarder in the fourth quarter that was taken off the scoreboard as a result of a Tampa Bay penalty that gave the Broncos a fresh set of downs. However, Denver was only able to gain 8 more yards, which led directly to the 23-yard field goal that gave Elam and his teammates the lead for good.

Pass Defense: The Broncos were able to contain the Tampa Bay receivers on all but one play, WR Michael Clayton's catch and run. And they were in position to make a tackle on every pass. Clayton was downed by FS John Lynch, but Clayton's elbows and knees were not in contact with the ground any longer when he was touched. Aside from this miscue, all the pass completions by Tampa Bay were kept under 25 yards and for no scores. QB Brad Johnson was contained and confined to the pocket, and despite only recording one sack, the Buccaneer passing attack was kept in check.

Rush Defense: The Tampa Bay running game was sparked by the return of Michael Pittman, but Denver never allowed a big play. All of the Buccaneer carries were for less than 15 yards, and Tampa Bay finished with just 110 total rushing yards. In addition, when the first downs were at stake, the Broncos held their ground and the line. Tampa Bay only gained four first downs on the ground.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

QB: Brad Johnson (15-23-162, 1 TD, 1-7 rushing) completed over 60% of his passes, but could only produce one score for Tampa Bay. In fact, most of his numbers were reflective of the excellent efforts of WR Michael Clayton, whose 51-yard catch and run for a touchdown accounted for the most significant Buccaneer pass play of the game.

Chris Simms (0-1-0 passing) entered the game on the final play, a final Hail Mary pass that was intended for Tim Brown but was almost intercepted by John Lynch.

RB: Michael Pittman (15-72 rushing, 0-0 receiving on 2 targets) Pittman returned from a 3-game suspension, a welcome return given the loss of Charlie Garner for the rest of the year. Pittman looked strong at times, especially on Tampa's scoring drive in the third quarter where he broke off two 14-yard runs, his longest for the day.

Pittman was targeted on two passes - one a long pass that was over his head, the other a 20-yard completion that was nullified due to offensive pass interference on WR Michael Clayton.

Jamel White (4-17 rushing) was used to spell Pittman. White had just 4 carries for 17 yards, but also contributed as a kick returner for Tampa Bay. White returned four kickoffs for an additional 99 all-purpose yards.

Mike Alstott (3-7 rushing, 3-9 receiving on 3 targets) had a minimal impact on the game. Alstott never gained more than 7 yards, nor did he ever pick up a first down for Tampa Bay.

WR: Michael Clayton (4-91 receiving on 6 targets, 1 TD, 1-7 rushing) was the most targeted and most productive receiver. Clayton had two highlight reel catches - the first of which produced the lone touchdown for Tampa Bay. Clayton leaped and acrobatically caught a 25-yard pass from QB Brad Johnson, then got to his feet before he was touched and ran the rest of the way for the score in the second quarter. He should have been tackled by safety John Lynch but Lynch made an error in thinking he could tag him down instead of tackling him. Later in the same quarter, Clayton showed excellent concentration by catching a pass that went off of two defenders and wound up in his hands. The completion was for 22 yards and a first down.

Charles Lee (5-47 receiving on 9 targets) was targeted five times and caught every one. Lee's production was tempered by a fumble after his first catch, which was the only turnover of the game. Another limitation was that Lee simply could not separate from the defense. All five of his catches were for less than 15 yards.

Tim Brown (1-3 receiving on 2 targets) contributed just one catch for 3 yards in the third quarter, and was technically the intended recipient of the final pass of the game, a Hail Mary pass from Chris Simms. The ball never reached him in order to make a play.

TE: Ken Dilger (1-7 receiving on 3 targets) dropped the first ball thrown his way, then was overthrown on a play that did not count due to a roughing the passer penalty. Dilger finally hauled in the third for 7 yards.

Will Heller (1-5 receiving on 2 targets) was not a significant factor in the game.

K: Martin Gramatica (1-1 XP, 2-2 FG) connected on both his field goals of 28 and 30 yards and his lone extra point attempt.

Pass Defense: Jake Plummer was very ineffective all day, completing under 50% of his pass attempts. Aside from a 28-yard post route to TE Jeb Putzier, Denver did not complete a pass for over 15 yards. However, Tampa Bay was not able to control the line of scrimmage effectively, garnering no sacks and allowing Plummer to roll the pocket or escape when necessary. Even more detrimental were 3 pass interference penalties for 57 total yards, which kept Denver moving the chains.

Rush Defense: Tampa Bay held Denver to just 33 rushing yards in the first half, but they could not get them off the field when the game was on the line. Denver ran the ball right at them in the fourth quarter with the lead, driving 90 yards for over seven minutes to wind the clock down to just :03 left. Denver put up 111 total rushing yards and controlled the clock for most of the second half.

Philadelphia Eagles 19 at Chicago Bears 9

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles remained unbeaten against the Bears, but failed to play their best football. Although they led the game from start to finish, 10 penalties and several dropped balls prevented the Eagles from putting this one out of reach early. David Akers connected on 4 of 6 field goal attempts.

Despite his team's miscues, Donovan McNabb played a solid, efficient football game. He connected on 24 of 38 passes for 247 yards, but also threw his first interception of the season. Terrell Owens was McNabb's favorite receiver of the day, as he was targeted 10 times and finished with 110 yards receiving. He also scored the lone Eagles touchdown on a perfectly thrown 11-yard slant pass from McNabb.

Brian Westbrook had a busy day, with 178 combined rushing and receiving yards on 32 touches. Westbrook found plenty of room to run against the Bears porous run defense, finishing with 115 rushing yards on 23 carries. He was also targeted 11 times in the passing game.

The Eagles defense gave a solid all around effort. They neutralized the Bears running game, forcing them to rely on the inexperienced arm of Jonathan Quinn. Most of the Bears offensive production came on two drives: one at the end of the first half and one at the end of the second half. The Bears were in their hurry-up offense for both of these drives, which resulted in a field goal and touchdown, respectively.

Chicago Bears

The Bears were unimpressive throughout most of this game. Offensively, they failed to move the football, going three and out on 6 of 10 total possessions and managing just 4 of 15 conversions on third down. On defense, the Bears played just well enough to keep the game within reach, although the Eagles were in control pretty much from start to finish.

For the most part, Jonathan Quinn played like someone making his first NFL start at quarterback in 3 years. Although he managed 215 yards and a touchdown, most of this production came at the end of the game, when the outcome was more or less decided. Quinn's favorite target was David Terrell, who finished the game with 116 yards on 9 completions. Bears fullback Bryant Johnson scored the only Chicago touchdown on a play fake from Quinn in the fourth quarter.

Thomas Jones found little room to run against the Eagles defense, finishing with a paltry 32 yards on 13 attempts. In the second half, when the Bears were playing come from behind football, he was used primarily in the passing game, with 40 yards on 6 receptions.

Without the services of Brian Urlacher, who sat out to rest his ailing hamstring, the Bears struggled against both the run and the pass. However, they were able to hold the Eagles to one touchdown, and frequently pressured McNabb into incompletions on third down. The Eagles were held to just 4 of 14 on third down conversions.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Philadelphia Eagles

QB: Donovan McNabb (24-38-247, 1 TD, 1 Int, 1-2 rushing) McNabb had an efficient afternoon, and his stats could have been much better were it not for several dropped balls and a multitude of offensive penalties on the Eagles. Early in the game, he had a touchdown pass dropped by L.J. Smith in the end zone. He also displayed great touch on a 44-yard deep throw to Terrell Owens. He displayed good accuracy most of the day, with a number of his incompletions coming under heavy pressure from the Bears on third down passing situations. McNabb's interception came on a deflected ball thrown across his body into tight coverage while he was scrambling to his right.

RB: Brian Westbrook (23-115 rushing, 0 TD, 9-63 receiving on 11 targets) was the workhorse for the Eagles offense, with 32 touches on the afternoon. He found plenty of running room against the Bears injury-ridden defense, including a long run of 29 yards. He was also heavily targeted in the passing game, catching passes both out of the backfield and lined up as a wide receiver. Westbrook's number was also called on a halfback option pass, but he opted to pull the ball in rather than throw to a well-covered Terrell Owens downfield.

Dorsey Levens (8-26 rushing, 0 TD, 1-3 receiving on 1 target) came into the game primarily to spell Brian Westbrook. His long carry on the afternoon was for 9 yards.

Reno Mahe (0-0 rushing, 0 TD, 1-6 receiving on 1 target) had 1 reception for 6 yards.

WR: Terrell Owens (8-110 receiving on 10 targets, 1 TD) has clearly won the confidence of his quarterback. Owens turned in his second straight 100+ yard effort, as he had no problem getting open against the Bears secondary all afternoon. Owens touchdown came on an 11-yard slant pass from McNabb. He also caught a 44-yard pass from McNabb on a deep sideline route. Any lingering questions about Owens getting enough opportunities to make plays in the Eagles West Coast offense seem to have been answered.

Todd Pinkston (2-25 receiving on 4 targets, 0 TD) had a quiet afternoon, with 2 catches on 25 yards.

Freddie Mitchell (2-21 receiving on 5 targets, 0 TD) caught two balls for 21 total yards.

Greg Lewis (0-0 receiving on 1 target, 0 TD, 1-11 rushing) was hardly used in the passing game, but managed 11 yards rushing on a reverse.

TE: Chad Lewis (1-9 receiving on 3 targets, 0 TD) did not play a major role in the Eagles passing game, despite the limited role of L.J. Smith in this game.

L.J. Smith (0-0 receiving on 2 target, 0 TD) started the game despite having an injured shoulder, but after a shaky start, was not heard from again. Three penalties were called on Smith in the first half, and he dropped a sure touchdown pass on the Eagles first drive.

K: David Akers (1 XP, 4-6 FG) Despite missing on field goal attempts of 39 and 45 yards late in the game, Akers was good on his first 4 attempts, connecting from 51, 42, 42, and 40 yards.

Pass Defense: The Eagles pass defense turned in a good performance on the afternoon, although it had some difficulty against the Bears hurry-up offense on drives at the end of the first and second half respectively. Known for their elaborate blitz schemes, the Eagles instead opted to rush four lineman for much of the day, challenging the Bears Jonathan Quinn to beat them. The Eagles did finish with four sacks on the day, one coming on a cornerback blitz when Lito Sheppard got to the quarterback untouched.

Rush Defense: The Eagles rush defense played well against the Bears, forcing them to abandon their rush-oriented attack in the second half. The Bears were held to 32 total yards on the ground.

Chicago Bears

QB: Jonathan Quinn (26-43-215, 1 TD ) played about as well as you could expect for a guy making only his fourth NFL start in seven years in the league. He threw for one score and avoided throwing any interceptions, but frequently looked uncomfortable in the pocket. He rushed many of his throws, and badly overthrew and underthrew his receivers throughout most of the first half. He seemed to settle down at the end of the first half, when he began throwing from the shotgun in the Bears hurry-up offense. He enjoyed similar success at the end of the second half, when the Bears were driving with time running out. His lone touchdown throw of the day came on a play-action fake to his fullback.

RB: Thomas Jones (13-32 rushing, 0 TD, 6-40 receiving on 8 targets) struggled to find room against the Eagles rush defense, which was able to stack the line and challenge the inexperienced Quinn to beat them downfield. In the second half, with the Bears playing catch-up football, Thomas was used primarily in the short-yardage passing game. He made the most of his opportunities, with 40 receiving yards on 6 catches. Jones was given the ball on a Bears two-point conversion attempt, but was stuffed at the line of scrimmage.

Bryant Johnson (0-0 rushing, 1 TD, 4-11 receiving on 6 targets) seemed to provide a bit of a safety valve for the struggling Bears offense, as he was targeted 6 times during the game. He scored the only Bears touchdown on a play-action pass from Quinn in the fourth quarter.

Anthony Thomas did not see any action in the game.

WR: David Terrell (9-116 receiving on 11 targets, 0 TD) is finally emerging as a go to receiver for the Bears. He made the most of his 11 targets on the afternoon, catching nine balls for 116 yards. Three of his catches helped convert Bears third downs late in the game. His long catch of the day was for 32 yards.

Bobby Wade (4-36 receiving on 7 targets, 0 TD) was the Bears number two option at wide receiver, with 4 catches on 7 targets for 36 total yards. He also had a 9-yard run on an end around called back because of an illegal pick.

Justin Gage (0-0 receiving on 1 target, 0 TD) had no catches on the afternoon.

Bernard Berrian (0-0 receiving on 4 targets, 0 TD) had no catches on 4 targets. Notably, two of those targets came on fade routes in the end zone, neither of which was well-thrown.

TE: Desmond Clark (2-11 receiving on 3 targets, 0 TD) had a quiet afternoon, but did drop a ball in the red zone that would have resulted in a touchdown.

Dustin Lyman (1-1 receiving on 3 targets, 0 TD) had one catch for one yard.

K: Paul Edinger (0 XP, 1-1 FG) had one 25-yard field goal.

Pass Defense: The Bears pass defense gave up several big plays, but overall played effectively, keeping the game from getting out of control. They also were able to pressure McNabb when it mattered, namely on third down. The Eagles were only 4-14 on third down for the afternoon.

Rush Defense: Without Brian Urlacher in the game, the Bears rush defense struggled to contain Brian Westbrook and the Eagles run game. It is worth noting that much of Westbrook's success came when the Eagles spread the Bears defense with one-back 3 and 4-wide receiver sets.

Oakland Raiders 17 at Houston Texans 30

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Oakland Raiders

QB Kerry Collins killed the Raiders chances with five turnovers. Three second half interceptions combined with two lost fumbles kept the Raiders from being able to build any sense of continuity. If you throw in the thirteen Raider penalties (including eight false starts) it was a surprise that Oakland was within three points at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

RB Tyrone Wheatley injured a shoulder and was replaced by RB Amos Zereoue. Wheatley was seen standing on the sideline later in the game. Zereoue strung together a few longer gains to top the century mark and score two TDs.

WR Ronald Curry started ahead of WR Doug Gabriel. Curry led the Raiders in receptions and yards while Gabriel wasn't targeted until the third quarter. Gabriel also returned kickoffs the entire game.

Houston Texans

RB Jonathon Wells got the bulk of action topping one hundred yards and scoring a TD, but was spelled by Tony Hollings a few times. If RB Dominick Davis is not able to go next Sunday, it wasn't clear which RB would start in place of Davis.

The Texan defense generated five turnovers, but each was more of a bad play by QB Kerry Collins more than a great play by a Texan. Rookie CB Dunta Robinson had two interceptions on poorly thrown balls. LB Jamie Sharper got a sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery, and touchdown all in one play when QB Kerry Collins was attempting to throw a pass. The play was close to being a pass and was reviewed, but the call on the field was upheld. All the turnovers did a good job of hiding the fact that Houston did a very poor job of stopping the Oakland running game.

WR Andre Johnson used his size advantage against the Raider defensive backs to catch balls over the top and break tackles for extra yards. He and QB David Carr are quickly becoming one of the more dangerous (and reliable) combinations in the league.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Oakland Raiders

QB: Kerry Collins (21-38-237 passing 3 INT, 2 fumbles lost) Collins had a terrible game. Each of his interceptions was a poorly thrown pass. They were either over or under thrown in each case. Perhaps his worst moment was on one of his lost fumbles. While standing in shotgun formation Collins was scanning the defense. The snap hit him in the chest and bounced in front of him. Collins took a step back and watched the scrum for the ball. His other fumble came when he was preparing to pass and was sacked by LB Jamie Sharper.

RB: Amos Zereoue (14-117 2 TD rushing, 2-17 receiving on 3 targets) Zereoue filled in at RB after Tyrone Wheatley dinged his shoulder. Seventy-three of his yards came on successive plays in the second quarter shortly after Wheatley went down, a fifty-five yard touchdown run and an eighteen yard run off right tackle. On his long touchdown run Zereoue did a great job of setting up his blocks and making hard cuts in the open field. Early in the game Zereoue dropped an easy swing pass that would have been a certain first down. The drop forced the Raiders to settle for a long Janikowski FG.

Tyrone Wheatley (3-27 rushing, 2-2 receiving on 2 targets) Wheatley left the game early in the second quarter after being tackled awkwardly and injuring his shoulder. Wheatley did not return to the game. Just before his injury Wheatley broke off a long run of twenty-four yards up the gut.

WR: Jerry Porter (2-40 receiving on 6 targets) Porter connected with Collins early in the game on a thirty-three yard ball down the left sideline. After this Porter was almost non-existent in the game. His second catch converted a third down inside the ten-yard line that led to RB Amos Zereoue's second TD. A positive for Porter was a great block down field on a defensive back that allowed Zereoue to cut back and eventually get into the end zone

Ronald Curry (5-69 receiving on 5 targets) Curry got the start and was targeted early pulling in seven and sixteen yard receptions in the first quarter. The TV announcers were raving about Curry and how high the Raiders are on him. Much was made of his athletic accomplishments dating back to his high school glory days and nation wide accolades.

Doug Gabriel (2-20 receiving on 3 targets) Gabriel wasn't targeted until third quarter when he made both of his receptions. He was also targeted on a deep end zone corner route in the fourth quarter that was intercepted. Gabriel returned kickoffs through the game.

Jerry Rice (1-18 receiving on 5 target) Rice didn't make his lone reception until late in the game. He was targeted early, but didn't have much of a chance to make a play on a ball. His first target was thrown too late by QB Kerry Collins on a sideline route, and under thrown on a deep sideline streak later in the first quarter.

TE: Courtney Anderson (3-37 receiving on 4 targets) Anderson saw three early targets in the first quarter quickly replacing TE Doug Jolley in the lineup. Anderson is a former college basketball player without much experience as a TE. The Raiders love his size (6-7 270) and athletic ability. Anderson showed uncanny agility and speed for a man of his size.

Doug Jolley (2-12 receiving on 4 targets) Jolley started the game at TE and was targeted once in the Raider's first series. Jolley was targeted in the end zone once in the second quarter, but QB Kerry Collins was hurried into getting rid of the ball early and the pass was more of a throw away.

K: Sebastian Janikowski (2 XP, 1-2 FG: 50) Janikowski's miss from thirty-five yards was his first missed FG under forty-five yards in forty attempts.

Pass Defense: The Raiders were able to only bring mild pressure on QB David Carr (zero sacks). When they did get close, Carr was able to leave the pocket and scramble up field for positive yards. They only were able to put a hit on Carr a hand full of times. CB Charles Woodson spent the bulk of the game matched up with WR Jabar Gaffney while CB Ray Buchanon covered WR Andre Johnson. Buchanon struggled to keep Johnson in front of him, but he did make a nice play batting a pass away in the corner of the end zone on a gimmick play from the Texans.

Rush Defense: The Raiders ability to stuff the run that got them two wins earlier this season was non-existent. The Texans ran the ball forty times for one hundred sixty-two yards. It allowed the Texans to control the clock and move the sticks in the second half.

Houston Texans

QB: David Carr (14-23-228 passing 1 TD, 8-35 rushing) Carr impressed with several laser-like slant patterns. If he has to, Carr has the arm strength that allows him to thread a needle. Even more impressive, Carr was able to avoid throwing balls that had a chance to be picked off. Carr is also developing the alarm clock in his head that lets him know its time to leave the pocket. He did a great job of scrambling for positive yards after going through his receiver progressions.

RB: Jonathon Wells (26-105 TD rushing, 1 lost fumble, 1-28 receiving on 1 target) Wells got the start in place of the injured Dominick Davis. He did a nice job of pounding between the tackles and falling forward after contact. The only negative for Wells was a fumble in the red-zone killing a nice scoring opportunity for Houston.

Tony Hollings (6-22 rushing, 1-3 receiving on 2 targets) Hollings spelled Wells only one carry at a time, not entire series. Hollings would enter for only one carry, and then head back to the sideline. On his fifth carry he was stood up and stripped, but the whistle blew the play dead. Upon reviewing the play it was very close to being a fumble.

WR: Andre Johnson (6-115 TD receiving on 9 targets) Andre Johnson is a "special" athlete. His combination of size and speed allowed him to get down field and fight DBs for balls up in the air. His ability to snatch the ball at its highest point with his hands is a tremendous advantage over smaller defensive backs. He's done this earlier in the year, and again in this game. He also broke a tackle on a quick out and turned it up field for an extra twenty yards. Johnson was also the target of a WR end around option pass in the corner of the end zone.

Jabar Gaffney (4-48 receiving on 7 targets) Gaffney got the start due to Corey Bradford being out with a shoulder injury. His big play in the game came on a slant from the slot position when he left CB Charles Woodson back at the line of scrimmage and gained twenty-nine yards up the middle of the field. This set up RB Jonathon Wells for a short one-yard TD plunge. The Texans ran an end around option pass for Gaffney as well. He just missed hitting WR Andre Johnson in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.

TE: Billy Miller (1-27 receiving on 2 targets) Miller started the game ahead of Mark Bruener, but wasn't a big factor in the game. His twenty-seven yard reception got the Texans to the Raider twenty-yard line, but RB Jonathon Wells fumbled on the next play.

K: Kris Brown (3 XP, 3-4 FG: 46, 21, 44) Brown's one miss in the game was from fifty-seven yards on the last play of the first half.

Pass Defense: The Texans pass rush was only able to sack QB Kerry Collins only once in the game, but they hurried and hit him on several other occasions. Collins never looked comfortable in the pocket. Rookie CB Dunta Robinson was gifted an interception in the third quarter when Collins threw a pass high and behind WR Alvis Whitted. Robinson got his second interception when Collins under threw WR Jerry Porter on Oakland's last possession of the game.

Rush Defense: Houston gave up several long runs to Oakland RBs in the game. One hundred fifty-one yards on only twenty carries is usually not good enough to win an NFL game, but the Raider turnovers more than made up for the porous Houston run defense. The Raiders didn't have much of a problem opening holes in the Texan defense.

Atlanta 27 at Carolina 10

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Atlanta Falcons

This is truly a new team. They are playing with a confidence and enthusiasm that seems to be contagious and the offensive system appears to be starting to click for the Falcons.

Michael Vick played a very controlled game. Although there was little or no talk of it during the week, it was reported that he had been battling a serious cold since Tuesday and was not 100%. He is throwing the ball rather than running with the ball on most roll outs and is moving the offense efficiently.

Warrick Dunn looked electric in the first half of the game. He turned one run into a 9 yard gain after it appeared he was stopped at the line of scrimmage. Dunn merely reversed course on a dime, shed a would-be tackler and bounced to the outside. He left the game and didn't play in the 4th quarter with what was described as a "tight hamstring."

The stats would indicate that T.J. Duckett played a fairly effective game. This is not true. He came into the game only after Dunn's hamstring tightened up and put up virtually all of his stats in the 4th quarter and the majority of them on one series against a demoralized Panther defense. He was effective in helping close out the game.

Alge Crumpler put up monster stats. One need not wonder why he is Vick's favorite target after watching one particular play where four defenders together could not bring him down. It took a fifth defender to topple the TE.

Carolina Panthers

Jake Delhomme played even more poorly than his stats indicate. Despite a few close calls, he did not throw a touchdown pass and threw three interceptions. One of the interceptions was called back on an off sides penalty.

DeShaun Foster looked impressive when he was able to get to the outside and around the defenders but does not appear to be able to gain much yardage up the middle. He is running hard, however his offensive line is not opening up running lanes.

Muhsin Muhammad played a better game than even his impressive stats indicate. He narrowly missed several attempts at a touchdown pass. The replay on one play seemed to show that he had possession in the end zone and had both feet down before the ball was stripped away, however it was ruled an incompletion.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Atlanta Falcons

QB: Michael Vick (10-18-148, 7-35 rushing) is running an effective if not somewhat pedestrian offense. A good part of the success comes from a designed "bootleg option" formation where Vick fakes a pitch to the right and rolls to his left. He is then able to pass or run with the football. At this time it appears he is looking to pass first and run if there is nothing open. He made good decisions, completing the passes that he should and was not even coming close to turning the ball over. He finished the first half with 122 passing yards and cruised through the 2nd half content to run the football. He is showing fire. On the 2nd roughing the passer penalty against him, he got into the face of linebacker Brandon Short and got an unsportsmanlike penalty that negated the roughing penalty. It was Vick's only notable mistake in the game.

RB: Warrick Dunn (16-76 rushing, 1 TD, 0-0 on 2 targets) took Atlanta's fifth play from scrimmage for a 38 touchdown scamper. He was unusually quiet in the passing game as Vick completed passes to only four targets. Dunn had a 3 yard gain called back on a crack back block and had a 6 yard reception negated due to a defensive penalty. He did not play in the 4th quarter due to a "tight hamstring."

T.J. Duckett (13-63 rushing, 1 TD) made little impact rushing for just 27 yards on his first 8 carries. However, the last possession he started with a 12 yard run. He then pounded the Carolina front for 36 yards on five plays culminating in a 4 yard touchdown run.

WR: Peerless Price (2-22 receiving on 4 targets) complained last week about not being involved enough in the offensive plan. This game will likely not please him or his owners from a fantasy perspective. He made one nice catch on a sideline reception planting both feet just inches inbounds. He also dropped a catchable ball. He was targeted on a 4th quarter play in the red zone.

Dez White (2-23 receiving on 3 targets) was overthrown on a long pass in the first half when he was in single coverage.

TE: Alge Crumpler (5-85 on 9 targets) is clearly Vick's favorite receiver. He accounted for over half of the Atlanta passing offense. He is often targeted on the designed "bootleg/rollout/run/throw option" play where if the defensive end comes off Crumpler, Vick hits him with an easy dump off pass. He is human though as he dropped one catchable ball.

K: Jay Feely (3 XP, 2-2 FG).

Pass Defense: For most of the game, they gave Delhomme plenty of time to throw, however they tightened up in the 4th quarter and Patrick Kearney notched two late sacks as Carolina fell out of the ballgame.

Rush Defense: Held DeShaun Foster to just 51 rushing yards and a 2.7 average. This is definitely an above average unit.

Carolina Panthers

QB: Jake Delhomme (23-38-308, 2 Int, 1-13 rushing) threw for a lot of yards but could not get a passing touchdown on the board. According to John Fox at halftime, Delhomme "took a shot and was out of it a few series, but he is OK now." He threw a third interception, however a defensive off sides penalty negated it. He may have known that he had a free play. Delhomme's biggest mistake was on an interception intended for Colbert. There was a blitz on the play and although it was picked up, Delhomme hurried his throw, didn't account for the linebacker, and telegraphed the pass that Kevin Mathis intercepted and ran back for a touchdown.

RB: DeShaun Foster (19-51 rushing, 1 TD, 3-54 on 3 targets) had his stats padded on the day by a touchdown run that Mohammed set up with a reception to the 1 yard line and a 42 yard reception on a short pass in the 4th quarter after the game was out of reach. There was talk by the announcers that Foster is "deceptively strong," however his offensive line had difficulties opening up running lanes for him to operate.

WR: Muhsin Muhammad (7-114 receiving on 12 targets, 1-3 rushing, 1 fumble lost) played an inspired game attempting to make up for the loss of fellow wide receiver Steve Smith. He made a couple of exceptional leaping receptions and Delhomme looked to him quite often in key situations. Muhammad was targeted 3 times in the final red zone series but was unable to make the catch, twice having the ball tipped out of his hands just before pulling in a touchdown. He also nearly got into the end zone getting downed inside the 1 yard line. He claims that after working with a speed coach over the off-season, he is faster than he was last year.

Keary Colbert (4-40 receiving on 7 targets) did not make a major impact in the offense even though he saw 7 targets..

Ricky Proehl (2-27 receiving on 4 targets).

TE: Keith Mangum (3-29 receiving on 7 targets) did not perform as well as Alge Crumpler, however had an effective day. He was targeted early near the end zone but was overthrown and had a 10 yard reception negated on an illegal block penalty. He also executed a "hook and ladder" play late in the game with DeShaun Foster.

K: John Kasay (1 XP, 1-1 FG).

Pass Defense: did not sack or pressure Michael Vick but did not allow any long passes.

Rush Defense: Gave up 165 yards rushing which allowed Atlanta to control the clock and the flow of the game. This was an uninspired effort especially considering it was a home game.

Indianapolis Colts 24 at Jacksonville Jaguars 17

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts' offensive juggernaut was diluted by the tough Jaguar defense, but what it lacked in explosiveness it made up with accuracy and effectiveness. The longest Colts play was only a 21 yarder to Marvin Harrison, but Peyton Manning didn't throw an incompletion on three of Indianapolis' scoring drives.

The Colts again leaned towards the pass in the first half with success, throwing 19 times versus 8 rushes (all James). With a close second half lead to protect, the balance ended much closer (29 passes to 27 runs).

Brandon Stokley was thrown to mid-range in the first half with tremendous success. Marvin Harrison was missed almost as often as Stokley was hit as Jaguars emphasized containing him, but Harrison's 15 yard touchdown catch in the first quarter was the opening salvo.

The veteran Marcus Pollard was again looked to more often than his younger TE counterpart Dallas Clark. Seemingly a third or fourth option in this offense, Pollard still caught a 16 yard touchdown.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars by far had their most successful offensive performance, but a lack of clutch conversion and a costly fumble held them to 17 points and only one touchdown. The Jaguars amassed 408 yards against the Colts defense, nearly doubling their previous yearly average of 218. They also vastly improved a pitiful third down conversion rate, converting 8 first downs in 15 attempts.

Byron Leftwich and the passing game was more successful (143 yards) than the run (67 yards) in a balanced first half attack (21 rushes, 21 passes). Led by a 40 TD bomb to Jimmy Smith to tie the game in the fourth quarter, Leftwich continued a breakout passing game in the second half. The Jaguars pressed the Colts' secondary hard, often throwing deep in first down situations. The Colts didn't pressure Leftwich much, finishing with one sack.

Fred Taylor, Greg Jones, and LaBrandon Toefield gobbled up the clock for the Jaguars, but a weak 3.1 yards per carry, a Taylor fumble, and two fourth-and-one stops (one by Taylor that ended Jacksonville's comeback hopes) resulted in a poor rushing day.

Ten Jaguars were targeted in the passing game, blunting the fantasy stats of Jimmy Smith and Reggie Williams. The other Jaguar rookie, Ernest Wilford, translated his previous red zone success to a full-fledged mini-breakout, tying for the team lead in receptions and targets.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Indianapolis Colts

QB: Peyton Manning (20-29-220, 2 TD, 1 Int, 0 Fumbles lost, 3- -3 rushing) excelled in completing mid-range passes - far different than last week's deep strikes, but no less successful. Manning's interception, committed when a pass to Dallas Clark was tipped, was costly, leading to the Jaguars' touchdown.

RB: Edgerrin James (19-83 rushing, 1 TD, 3-25 receiving on 4 targets) was used early, unlike last week's contest, but the Colts still mostly passed in the first half. All eight first-half runs went to James, however. While James didn't break any big runs (a 13 yard gain on the final time-killing drive was his longest carry), he moved forward for decent yardage when called. His TD plunge from three yards out was the deciding score in the game.

Dominic Rhodes (5-37 rushing) was mixed in successfully in the second half, gouging out 23 total yards on three straight runs to the outside in the third quarter, giving James a breather.

WR: Brandon Stokley (8-97 receiving on 9 targets) was the big recipient of Manning's passes, producing a huge (6-81) first half. He was wide open on many of his receptions, and several of the plays seemed very clearly set up for him. Stokley quieted down in the second half, grabbing just two 8 yard passes in the fourth quarter, but the Colts only passed 10 times in the third and fourth quarters anyway.

Marvin Harrison (4-45 receiving on 8 targets, 1 TD), for the fourth straight week, did not lead his team in receiving yards. But he caught enough to continue to lead his team in total receptions for the year. Unsurprisingly, the Jaguars' secondary concentrated on Harrison and his results were limited because of that.

Reggie Wayne (2-20 receiving on 2 targets) was an afterthought with Stokley and Harrison getting 17 targets between them. He did line up as the number two wideout in the starting offense, catching two 10 yard passes.

TE: Marcus Pollard (3-33 receiving on 4 targets, 1 TD) was on his way to a modest outing until caught a sharp 16 yard pass down the middle of the field and strode right into the end zone. He caught a tipped ball behind the line of scrimmage and rumbled ahead 9 yards in the third quarter.

Dallas Clark (2 targets) was shutout, having a pass to him picked off in the fourth quarter. That pass was miraculously caught by Jacksonville's Daryl Smith as he fell to the ground after tipping it.

K: Mike Vanderjagt (3 XP, 1-1 FG) hit a 46-yarder in the second quarter.

Pass Defense:

Byron Leftwich had relatively little pressure on him, and exploded for 318 passing yards. Aside from the 40 yard TD pass to Jimmy Smith, however, the Jaguars simply didn't do enough - 17 points isn't enough to beat the Colts.

Rush Defense:

The Colts held Fred Taylor and the rest of the Jaguars to only 97 yards on 31 carries, a mediocre 3.1 yards per carry. More importantly, Jacksonville was largely stopped when they needed a short gain.

Jacksonville Jaguars

QB: Byron Leftwich (29-41-318, 1 TD) had possibly the most poised game of his NFL career, moving the ball forward throughout the game. He looked all over the field: short, long, and to many different players. Most of Jacksonville's third down conversions were Leftwich passes. His lone TD pass to Jimmy Smith in the fourth quarter, a forty yard bomb on a fourth-and-one do-or-die situation, was as flawless a throw as you're going to see. He followed it up with a heater to the end zone that was bobbled before being reeled in for the two-point conversion. Leftwich did one-hop a potential touchdown pass to Troy Edwards in the possession before the TD, simply firing it a bit too fast.

RB: Fred Taylor (21-68 rushing, 3-31 receiving on 3 targets, 1 Fumble lost) was, surprisingly, a bit of a detriment to the Jaguars' offense. He didn't convert a 3rd-and-1 or a 4th-and-1 on separate drives in the fourth quarter, the latter effectively ending the game for Jacksonville. Taylor strode forward on 7,8, and 15 yard gains in the first half, and a 17 yarder to start off the third quarter, but barely moved outside those four runs. It should be noted that the 4th and 1 attempt where he came up short was very close even after review.

Greg Jones (4-15 rushing, 1 target) converted two first downs on third down runs.

LaBrandon Toefield (6-14 rushing, 6-34 receiving on 7 targets) had 3 catches for -2 yards coming into this game, but was targeted as much as anyone Sunday, grabbing all of his passes in the middle quarters (second and third).

WR: Jimmy Smith (3-59 receiving on 7 targets, 1 TD) again proved to be the Jaguars' main threat. On pace for a disappointing game (19 yards on 6 targets through three quarters), Leftwich's perfect 40 yard TD throw redeemed his day in a big way. A well-thrown big pass to Smith was broken up in the third quarter, a compliment to the Colts defense, not Smith's or Leftwich's error. He was thrown to out of bounds into the end zone from Leftwich from the 17 yard line on a 3rd and 7 in the second quarter.

Ernest Wilford (6-56 receiving on 7 targets) The Jaguars' 4th round draft pick essentially doubled his previous career statistics (3-25 yards) with this game. Previously a red zone target (2 TDs this year on 3 total catches), Wilford was looked to throughout the game, including snatching a 24 yard laser in the fourth quarter.

Troy Edwards (4-54 receiving on 5 targets) was well-used in the second half, snagging 3 of his catches. His only missed target, a potential 4-yard TD, was thrown too low for Edwards to grab.

Reggie Williams (3-40 receiving on 4 targets), a fantasy disappointment coming into the game with only 32 yards, made a little progress in this game.

TE: George Wrighster (3-27 receiving on 3 targets) caught 5, 10 (a first down), and 12 yard passes in the second, third, and fourth quarters, respectively. His 12 yard catch in the fourth was 1 yard away from a critical first down, though he had virtually no chance of getting it.

Brian Jones (1-17 receiving on 3 targets) The rookie tight end, previously without a reception in the NFL, caught the two point conversion on Jacksonville's lone touchdown.

Todd Yoder (1 target) didn't catch the pass his way in the fourth quarter.

K: Josh Scobee (0 XP, 3-4 FG) had a busy day, hitting field goals of 48, 42, and 22 yards. His deep connections were redemption for Scobee shanking a 35 yard attempt early in the second quarter that would have put Jacksonville's first points on the board.

Pass Defense:

Jacksonville clearly set up to prevent the big pass plays that killed the Packers last week, and, while that was successful, not much else was for Jaguars' pass defense. 20 for 29 with two touchdowns, Peyton Manning moved the ball flawlessly on three separate scoring drives. The Jaguars' interception was a very nice tip and catch.

Rush Defense:

Like the passing game, neither Edgerrin James or Dominic Rhodes broke out any big plays, but they moved the chains when needed. The Colts avoided Jacksonville's strong interior defense running primarily to the outside, which may show a way for successive Jaguars' opponents to operate. James and Rhodes totaled 120 yards rushing with a 5 yards-per-carry average.

New York Jets 17 at Miami Dolphins 9

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

New York Jets

RB Curtis Martin is on pace to finish the year amongst the very best fantasy backs in the NFL. He took on a tough Miami defense and rolled to 141 total yards and a touchdown. He gets all of the red zone and goal line carries, is featured prominently in the passing game, and plays for coaches who love to pound the ball. He looked great again, and registered yet another 100-yard day on the ground.

QB Chad Pennington was off his game, and it was reflected in the numbers. Two weeks ago, Pennington went through a bit of an inaccurate spot during the game that didn't really cost him. Today it did. Despite a fast start, he cooled off and failed to find the end zone. The Dolphins defense did a fantastic job of eliminating the Jets' main offensive weapons, forcing Pennington to utilize Wayne Chrebet and Jerald Sowell much more than anyone else.

WR Santana Moss had about as quiet a day as a player can have. He caught just one ball for 17 yards, and was only targeted twice all game long. He was really taken out of the game and was barely even mentioned by the announcers.

Miami Dolphins

RB Leonard Henry earned his first start of the year, and responded with 85 yards on 18 carries. It should be noted, however, that 53 of those yards came on one carry. His other 17 carries went for 32 yards. Still, he seemed to hit the hole much harder than Lamar Gordon did and exhibited an ability to at least move the pile forward. Clearly, though, the Dolphins' offensive line has a lot of work to do before it is to be considered even just adequate.

QB Jay Fiedler was back in the starter's spot, but the stay may be short-lived. He turned the ball over four times, including one especially critical one on the Dolphins' last-gasp drive. It was a boneheaded play on which he was about to be sacked but instead thought it better to try and attempt to lateral the ball to an offensive lineman. He also cost the team more directly by telegraphing a pass that Donnie Abraham jumped all over and returned for a touchdown.

With WR Chris Chambers out for the game, the Miami plan was to distribute the ball to a number of different players. TE Randy McMichael was the early recipient, and caught a game-high 5 balls for 51 yards. But he injured his ankle later on in the contest and seemed to be in a lot of pain. Now, he did remain in the game but his production suffered after that point, only catching one more pass the rest of the way.

DE Jason Taylor hurt himself early on and briefly left the field. He would return to action, but both announcers commented on how he didn't 'seem like himself' the rest of the contest. In addition, starting right tackle John St. Claire hurt his knee and ankle during the Donnie Abraham interception return and was replaced by Wade Smith. St. Claire did not return.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

New York Jets

QB: Chad Pennington (14-24-143, 1 Int passing; 6-3 rushing) seemed just a little "off" all game long. He started off well, completing several early tough passes that really threaded the needle. But as the game wore on, and his favorite target, Santana Moss, was nowhere to be found, Pennington had to settle for a lot of 'dink-and-dunk' plays. Worse for fantasy owners is that he failed to throw a touchdown pass and was intercepted for the first time in 99 attempts. Another problem facing Pennington was the hand injury suffered two weeks ago by center Kevin Mawae. Mawae had his right hand in a big wrap and was snapping the ball left handed, which caused at least one fumble and possibly led to another near-miscue. Pennington retained possession, but it could have been costly. The Pennington interception came just before halftime when the Jets (who were already leading at the time) tried adding to their lead but Pennington was picked by Arturo Freeman on a pass intended for Wayne Chrebet. He was later almost picked off by Sammy Knight, but Knight couldn't hang onto the football.

RB: Curtis Martin (14-110, 1 TD rushing; 4-31 receiving on 5 targets) got every single running back carry there was for New York. He played a prominent role all-around for the Jets and was clearly the focus of their offense. He ran for over 100 yards against a stout Miami defense, and the touchdown was his fourth of the year already (had he two all of last year). Most importantly for Martin owners, of course, is the fact that he got all of the red zone and goal line carries. Not only that, but the Jets fed him the ball once they got close. On his first red zone carry, he was stuffed before he could get in. But Herm Edwards went right back to him on the next play and Martin responded with the score. Martin passed former Bills great Thurman Thomas for tenth place on the NFL's all-time rushing yardage list.

WR: There was an overall philosophy by New York's offense to play it conservatively in the second half, but they did throw a few passes here and there.

Santana Moss (1-17 receiving on 2 targets) was unusually quiet. He was completely taken out of the game by the Miami defensive backs. Moss was targeted on one deep ball early on, then not heard from again until almost halftime. He didn't register his first catch of the game until there was 1:26 remaining in the first half. It would also be his last catch of the day, as he wasn't even thrown to once in the second half.

Wayne Chrebet (3-48 receiving on 5 targets) was the primary beneficiary of Moss' disappearing act. Pennington looked his way early on, and Chrebet responded with some nice grabs in traffic. But like Moss, Chrebet also disappeared in the second half and wasn't thrown to once.

Justin McCareins (1-14 receiving on 2 targets) was pretty much a non-factor. He caught one ball for 14 yards in the second half, and not much else.

TE: Chris Baker (1-15 receiving on 3 targets) seems to be the bigger receiving threat of the Jets' two tight ends these days. While his numbers weren't big with just one reception, he has been getting several looks consistently throughout the early part of the season. At least more than Becht.

Anthony Becht (1-0 receiving on 2 targets) who is by now a complete afterthought in this offense.

K: Doug Brien (1-1 FG, 2 XP) booted a 53-yard field goal, the longest of his career on grass. He had missed his last six attempts from over fifty yards, and had never hit from further than 52 yards on grass, but he drilled this one with plenty of room to spare.

Pass Defense: Against the Dolphins, many defensive units are going to look superb. This game was no exception. The Jets forced Jay Fiedler into three turnovers, including one interception by Donnie Abraham that was returned for a touchdown and really turned the tide completely in New York's favor. The Jets also got consistent pressure on Fiedler and had very little trouble with the Miami offensive line, sacking the QB four times and forcing two fumbles. After the game, it was discovered that Donnie Abraham had suffered a hip pointer, but no update was given on his condition.

Rush Defense: Leonard Henry had a tough time running against New York for much of the day. He did pop one big run, a 53-yard gain from near his own end zone, but outside of that the Jets held him in check. Taking away that one big run, the Jets held Miami to 32 yards on 17 carries.

Miami Dolphins

QB: Jay Fiedler (18-33-206, 2 Int passing; 2-13 rushing). One of Fiedler's best attributes is supposed to be his on-field decision making. But that was questioned in this game. He floated a pass to the outside to fullback Rob Konrad that was returned for a touchdown by Donnie Abraham, effectively putting the Jets in complete control of the game, in the third quarter. Late in the game, with Miami trying to drive for a potential game-tying touchdown, Fiedler made a terrible decision that ultimately ended the game. Fiedler was in the middle of being sacked but rather than take the sack, he tried to lateral the ball to an offensive lineman standing several feet away. The Jets pounced on the ball and knelt out the clock. The day could have been even worse for Fiedler, as he was nearly intercepted early on. Later, he fumbled during a scramble but Miami challenged and had it overturned. It was a bit surprising because at the very least, it seemed inconclusive. But they determined he was down before the ball came out. One of his interceptions wasn't totally his fault, as his arm was struck and the ball sort of hung in the air while Eric Barton picked it off. But the other turnovers were all on Fiedler, and Wannstedt has already assured everyone that he won't hesitate to make another change. Stay tuned.

RB: Leonard Henry (18-85 rushing; 3-12 receiving on 3 targets) did a much better job than did Lamar Gordon or any other back Miami has trotted out since the preseason. Of course, much of Henry's damage came on one 53-yard run that really padded his totals. But the run did come at a key time and wasn't just some garbage time pickup. In addition, he actually ran pretty well behind a terrible Miami line. The holes weren't there, but he showed a decent ability to at least move the pile a little bit on several occasions. He was also involved in the passing game, albeit minimally.

WR: Chris Chambers did not play

Marty Booker (4-46 receiving on 8 targets) was thrown to a lot in this game, and targeted several times on deep balls. Booker's talent is evident, but in this system and situation, and with these quarterbacks throwing to him, it's unlikely he'll be able to do much more than he showed in this game. Booker was targeted once over the middle in the end zone, and again on a crucial 4th and 6 that Miami could not convert, so he was thrown to in big spots with Chambers out.

Bryan Gilmore (3-57 receiving on 7 targets) was Fiedler's primary target early on. The ex-Cardinal got a number of opportunities and didn't put up bad stats for a number two receiver. Gilmore dropped a pass that would have resulted in a decent (10+ yard) gain.

TE: Randy McMichael (5-51 receiving on 6 targets) is, with Chris Chambers out, the Dolphins de-facto number one receiver. Still, McMichael suffered an apparent lower leg injury in the second half that seemed to limit his production (though he did remain in the game). After catching four balls in the first half, McMichael was only targeted once more the rest of the game. He had no catches in the entire second half until there was 2:06 remaining in the game. It was during this time that backup Donald Lee caught his only two balls of the game, perhaps because McMichael was hobbled slightly.

K: Olindo Mare (3-3 FG, 0 XP) had a typical uneventful day. Take note of the zero extra points, however. Most kicker points do come from field goals obviously, but Mare is going to have a tough time padding that points total if the Dolphins can't ever get near the end zone. Mare was fortunate that Miami got close enough for him in this game.

Pass Defense: Did a fantastic job of not allowing Chad Pennington to pick them apart. They completely removed the threat of Santana Moss, and his name was hardly mentioned throughout the contest. The Dolphins got adequate pressure on Chad Pennington and managed to sack him three times and intercept him once. Sammy Knight nearly added another interception late in the contest, but couldn't maintain the football.

Rush Defense: A defensive unit that hasn't been bad looked surprisingly vulnerable against New York. Curtis Martin was the only rushing threat for New York, as he got 24 of the Jets' 31 rushing attempts (6 by Pennington - two kneel downs, 1 by McCareins). Despite seeing one guy the entire game, the Dolphins couldn't really adjust and slow Martin any. They were seemingly content to let Martin have his way as long as they shut down the passing game. But Martin, despite no run of over 13 yards, picked Miami apart to the tune of 4.5 yards per carry and was really the difference-maker in this one.

New York Giants 14 at Green Bay Packers 7

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

New York Giants

The final score does not tell the story on this one, as New York dominated this game. The Giants held the ball for nearly 21 minutes in the first half and rolled up 245 rushing yards and 403 total yards. The Giants should've had at least six more points with kicker Steve Christie hooking two chip shots in the fourth quarter.

Tiki Barber had the second best game of his career and 16th 100 yard game tallying 182 rushing yards, 14 receiving yards and a touchdown. Barber broke a 52-yarder early in the 3rd quarter for his second long touchdown run of this short season and later took a 38-yarder down to the Green Bay 11 yard line. All in all quite an impressive day for Barber.

Jeremy Shockey got himself back to a prominent place on the fantasy map leading the Giants with 74 receiving yards and scoring the go-ahead touchdown.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers were dominated in the first half by the New York Giants, prompting Fox commentator Chris Collinsworth to declare "The Packers look lost on offense." Green Bay failed to cross into Giant territory in the first half, had the ball for just 9:21 and chipped in a pair of turnovers (one Favre interception and one Green fumble). The Packers were able to move the ball more effectively on the first series of the second half…which leads us too…

Brett Favre was unable to finish his second straight game. Favre was knocked out of the contest on the first series of the third quarter snapping his head into the ground after a hit by William Joseph (seemingly suffering a concussion). Favre trotted back onto the field three plays later to the delight of the Lambeau faithful on 4th and 5. Favre hit Javon Walker for a big 28 yard score giving the Packers the lead. However, it appeared the doctors would not allow Favre to return. The Packers were not particularly effective with Favre in the game, but fared no better when backup Doug Pederson came on.

Fantasy phenom Ahman Green was held in check with just 58 rushing yards and 48 receiving yards, no scores and once again lost a fumble. Javon Walker, aside the above mentioned touchdown, only managed 2 more receptions for 9 yards.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

New York Giants

QB: Kurt Warner (20-26-187, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2-22 rushing) Warner had a pedestrian but efficient afternoon against the Packers. But, with the running game working as it was, why pass more? Warner managed the game nicely, but had a few bad mistakes. In the first quarter, Warner tried to hit Toomer in the end zone. However, he never looked off the zone coverage and the pass could have been intercepted by any of three Green Bay defenders. Second, Warner was scrambling near the goal line in the fourth quarter and chose to slide at the goal line instead of diving and was denied a score (due to the slide rule although you can debate whether he got in or not). This play wound up being inconsequential to the game result as three plays later Warner hit Shockey on a fade route in the right corner of the end zone.

RB: Tiki Barber (23-182 rushing, 1 TD, 4-14 receiving on 5 targets) What a day for Tiki Barber. Barber paced the Giants with a huge afternoon rushing the football amassing 182 yards for nearly 8 yards a carry and the second best game of his career. Barber was able to shift the momentum of the game in the third quarter after Favre's heroics…Barber took the handoff from the Giant 48 yard line into a Packer blitz. Barber was able to squirt free past the safety and was gone for a 52 yard touchdown run. Later, Barber cut back a run left through the offensive line and was free down the left side line before being pushed out at the 11 for a 38 yard gain. Barber nearly broke a screen pass on the last play of the third quarter as Nick Barnett made a shoe-string tackle where Barber had a convoy of blockers.

Ron Dayne (9-26 rushing, 0-0 receiving on 1 target) Dayne seems to have his opportunities with the Giants slipping away. Barber was getting in the game on more sets in the red zone, which have previously been Ron Dayne territory. Of course it did not help that Barber was having a fantastic day. Dayne did lose a run to a false start penalty where it seems he crossed the goal line.

WR: Amani Toomer (3-34 receiving on 7 targets) Toomer had a relatively quiet afternoon. Warner did not take any deep shots to Toomer in the contest and seemingly did not see him wide open in the end zone from 40 yards out. Toomer was targeted twice in the red zone - the first of which was intercepted, the second Toomer was unable to come up with the catch on a fade route.

Ike Hilliard (5-36 receiving on 5 targets) The Giants are using Hilliard mostly as a possession receiver as he was the recipient of mostly screen passes. Hilliard was able to use his quickness and elusiveness to pick up some yards after these catches including a key third down conversion in the fourth quarter.

Tim Carter (2-23 receiving on 2 targets, 1-15 rushing) The Giants were content to really not test the Packers secondary down the field which was probably also influenced by the windy conditions. Accordingly, Carter's opportunities were limited. Carter did have a nice end around in the first quarter picking up 15 yards with nice blocks on the left side of the line and Toomer on the corner.

TE: Jeremy Shockey (5-74 receiving on 6 targets, 1 TD) Shockey had his first big fantasy game of the year in this contest pacing the Giants in receiving yards and tying for the lead in receptions. Shockey is getting more comfortable in the offense and Kurt Warner. Shockey's TD came on a fade to the right side in the fourth quarter when he was split wide right and matched up against a corner. Fittingly enough, Shockey's biggest reception of the game was on a corner route where he picked up 26 yards and promptly spiked the ball drawing a 15 yard taunting penalty.

K: Steve Christie (2 XP, 0-3 FG) Christie may be lucky to have a job on Monday morning. His first miss was from 49 yards out, missing wide right with enough distance. However on most of his kicks, Christie had his kicks tailing left. He missed two short field goals in the fourth quarter which would have iced the game, hooking both of them left.

Pass Defense: The Giant secondary and linebacking crew had a very good afternoon defending the pass. The exceptions being Javon Walker's 28 yard TD reception and the multiple interference and contact calls. This unit played with much confidence and may have been aided by the windy conditions keeping the passing game short. Rookie Gibril Wilson nearly had an interception on the first series of the game. Will Peterson was able to come up with an interception on a Favre fade pass in the first quarter. Terry Cousin clinched the game on a tipped pass from Doug Pederson with 2:25 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Rush Defense: The Giant rush defense did a good job in containing Ahman Green. The Packers only picked up 81 yards on the day, with Green getting 58 yards. The Giants were also able to force yet another Green fumble, which ended a promising drive just short of mid-field.

Green Bay Packers

QB: Brett Favre (12-18-110, 1 TD, 1 Int) While Favre completed 12 of 18 passes, the Packer offense looked a little out of sync and was unable to generate any rhythm or flow. Favre also threw a bad interception on a fade route early on, under-throwing the ball. As noted above, Favre left this game early in the third quarter after engineering a scoring drive to put the Pack ahead by 7-0. While trying to avoid the pass rush, Favre was planted by William Joseph where his helmet snapped back into the ground. However, even the scoring throw probably should have been intercepted had the corner turned and looked for the ball. Favre getting knocked out of a second consecutive game is definitely cause for concern.

Doug Pederson (7-17-86, 1 Int, 2-15 rushing) Pederson is a career back-up for a reason. Pederson was only able to connect on 7 of his 17 attempts and made defending the pass an easy task for the Giants defense as he was only willing to throw short passes. Pederson's interception was tipped up before being grabbed by a Giant defender. He suffered an injury to his side at the end of the game and was replaced by Craig Nall for the last play of the game.

RB: Ahman Green (15-58 rushing, 3-48 receiving on 3 targets, 1 Fumble lost) Ahman Green was kept in check by the Giants defense (by his standards anyway) as 116 total yards is not a bad day. Green was held under four yards a carry and was not a factor catching the football until late in the fourth quarter. Also of note, Green once again coughed up the football ending a promising Green Bay drive on the first play of the second quarter. Of note, this was an outside run to the right side, and as some of you may know, Green only holds the ball in his left hand and arm. This may be a big factor in Green's fumbling woes as the pursuing defenders get a clear shot at the ball (as opposed to the ball being carried on his outside hip).

WR: Javon Walker (3-38 receiving on 6 targets, 1 TD) Coming off a career day, Walker was unable to stay heavily involved in this contest with only 6 targets. Walker did manage a touchdown reception from Favre, leaping high at the three yard line and muscling into the endzone for an impressive 28-yard touchdown reception. However, for the balance of the afternoon Walker was quiet and contained by the Giant secondary.

Donald Driver (4-31 receiving on 7 targets) Driver had a relatively quiet afternoon managing some short receptions over the middle of the field. Driver was unable to hang onto a Pederson pass in the fourth quarter tipping the ball up and leading to a Giant interception.

Robert Ferguson (1-24 receiving on 9 targets) Although leading the Packer receivers in targets, Ferguson was unable to reel one in until the last play of the game, catching a 24-yarder as time ran out. Ferguson was targeted in the end zone earlier by Pederson and nearly pulled in the reception but was flagged for offensive interference.

TE: Bubba Franks (3-21 receiving on 5 targets) Franks was not much of a receiving factor for the Packers, but did make a reception on the oddest play of the game where Favre scrambled in circles until finding Franks for a 14 yard gain.

K: Ryan Longwell (1 XP, 0-0 FG) Longwell hit his lone extra point attempt, but did not get the opportunity to kick a field goal. The Packers seemed resistant to trying any long field goals in the windy conditions and either punted or went for it on several fourth downs.

Pass Defense: The Packer pass defense had a respectable afternoon. They held the Giants to 187 passing yards, much improved over their effort against the Colts last week. Darren Sharper made an easy interception in the end zone as Kurt Warner telegraphed a pass into heavy coverage.

Rush Defense: Swiss cheese…the best way to describe the Packer run defense. Green Bay gave up an astounding 245 yards on the ground including two long Barber runs. Not much more to say here than the Pack run defense was awful.

New England Patriots 31 at Buffalo Bills 17

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

New England Patriots

QB Tom Brady (17-30-298, 2 TD, 0 INT) led the Patriots to their 18th straight win with his reading of the defense and hitting open receivers downfield. Despite aggressive blitzing, Brady threw no interceptions and did not take a sack on his way to 298 passing yards and two TDs.

WR David Patten (5-113 receiving on 10 targets, 1 TD) was the most-targeted receiver with Deion Branch out of the lineup. Patten was effective downfield against the Bills secondary, producing two gains of at least 30 yards, and just missing a second TD juggling a ball in the end zone.

RB Corey Dillon (19-79 rushing, 1 TD, 3-23 receiving on 4 targets) was feast-or-famine in the red zone, rushing 15 yards for a TD on one drive, and losing a fumble inside the Buffalo 5 on another. 45 of his 79 rushing yards came on three plays.

The Patriots pass rush utilized a variety of blitzes to sack Drew Bledsoe five times, forcing a fumble on one that DE Richard Seymour recovered and returned 68 yards for a TD, putting the game away in the fourth quarter.

Buffalo Bills

WR Eric Moulds (10-126 receiving on 16 targets) produced excellent yardage and a score on a heavy workload - 16 targets. Moulds hauled in a 41-yard TD in the second quarter, and is still the only Bill to score from scrimmage all season.

WR Lee Evans (4-93 receiving on 5 targets) pulled down a 55-yard catch on Buffalo's first play from scrimmage, and finished with 93 receiving yards in his first NFL start. Evans looked much more impressive than WR Josh Reed, who did not catch a pass.

RB Travis Henry (24-98 rushing, 1-10 receiving on 1 target) was solid if not spectacular, but was never a threat to score. Buffalo rarely drove deep enough to threaten to score on the ground.

DB Terrence McGee returned a kickoff 98 yards for Buffalo's first TD of the game.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

New England Patriots

QB: Tom Brady (17-30-298, 2 TD, 0 INT, 2-2 rushing) had an efficient game with minimal mistakes. Brady read defenses well, and hit receivers downfield for big chunks of yardage - four completions of at least 30 yards, and six different receivers all caught passes for at least double-digit gains. While New England called just two pass plays in the red zone, Brady took four more shots at the end zone from farther upfield. In the first quarter, Brady threw an apparent INT in the end zone that was overturned on a replay challenge.

RB: Corey Dillon (19-79 rushing 1 TD, 3-23 receiving on 4 targets) gained 45 yards on 3 carries, and just 34 on his other 16. Dillon got the bulk of the New England touches in the red zone - four carries out of eight Pats plays inside the Buffalo 20. Dillon scored a 15-yard TD in the first quarter, taking advantage of a spread-out defense against 4 WRs and running up the middle for the score. Dillon later lost a fumble inside the Buffalo 5.

Patrick Pass (5-18 rushing, 0-0 receiving on 0 targets) played sparingly, in a few passing situations or to spell Dillon. He was never on the field when New England got inside the Buffalo 10.

DE Richard Seymour played fullback on some short yardage plays, but did not carry the ball.

WR: David Patten (5-113 receiving on 10 targets, 1 TD) was the most-targeted New England receiver, and was an effective deep threat - two catches resulted in at least 30-yard gains. Patten had one bad drop in the second quarter on a pass through his hands about 15 yards downfield. He nearly made a spectacular TD catch late in the 2nd quarter, juggling the ball as he came down in the end zone, but incomplete. But two plays later, Patten scored a 30-yard TD, catching a deep cross at the 10, and turning upfield for the score.

David Givens (4-86 receiving on 7 targets) was also an effective deep threat, catching a 44-yarder on the opening drive, and back-to-back catches for double-digit gains in the third quarter. He was not targeted in the red zone.

Troy Brown (0-0 receiving on 2 targets) left the game in the first quarter with an arm injury, and did not return.

Bethel Johnson (1-17 receiving on 4 targets) played in 3- and 4-wideout sets, but did not see the ball much. The most significant play involving Johnson came on his lone reception in the first quarter, when Troy Vincent injured his knee pushing Johnson out of bounds, knocking Vincent out of the game.

TE: Daniel Graham (2-35 on 3 targets, 1 TD) had no receptions in the first half, dropping one pass that hit him in the numbers 20 yards downfield. Graham made up for his mistake in the second half with two big receptions - a 33-yard gain with New England backed up on their own 1-yard line, and a 2-yard TD pass over the middle of the back of the end zone early in the fourth quarter to give New England the lead for good.

Christian Fauria (2-24 on 3 targets) played a lot, as the Patriots often used two-TE sets on first downs and in short yardage situations. Brady targeted him once in the end zone, but Brady was pressured on the play and overthrew the ball.

K: Adam Vinatieri made a 42-yard FG and all four PATs he attempted. He had a made 31-yard FG taken off the scoreboard early in the fourth quarter when Buffalo was ruled offside, and New England took the penalty for a first down.

Pass Defense: Eric Moulds had a big game, and they gave up a long gain to Lee Evans. Ty Poole intercepted a pass in the second quarter. The most effective part of the pass defense was the pass rush, using a variety of blitzes to sack Drew Bledsoe five times, one of which forced a fumble than DE Richard Seymour returned 68 yards for a TD.

Rush Defense: Travis Henry had some success moving the chains in the middle of the field, but never had a gain longer than 13 yards, and was not effective in the red zone. The rushing yards allowed total is artificially high - 34 of Buffalo's 138 team rushing yards came on a botched Buffalo punt that turned into a long run.

Buffalo Bills

QB: Drew Bledsoe (18-30-247, 1 TD, 1 INT) completed 60% of his passes, mostly to WRs Eric Moulds and Lee Evans. All of Buffalo's attempts at the end zone were through the air, scoring one TD. Bledsoe was sacked five times, and lost a costly fumble late in the fourth quarter - Buffalo was driving for the potential game-tying TD, when Bledsoe was sacked, coughed up the ball, and DE Richard Seymour returned the fumble 68 yards for a TD.

RB: Travis Henry (24-98 rushing, 1-10 receiving on 1 target) had some success moving the chains in the middle of the field. Four yards here, three yards there, mostly working between the tackles. Henry was not effective in the red zone, and did not break off any huge gains - his longest run was 13 yards.

P Brian Moorman was credited with 34 rushing yards on a botched punt, technically Buffalo's longest run of the day. A bad snap prevented Moorman from getting the punt away, but he scooped up the loose ball and ran up the right side for 34 yards and a first down.

WR: Eric Moulds (10-126 receiving on 16 targets) was busy all day with 16 targets, and scored Buffalo's only offensive touchdown. Most of his pass routes were short or intermediate patterns on the left side, but he did venture across the middle a few times, and went deep for a 41-yard TD catch late in the second quarter. He had one drop across the middle that cost him a short gain, but the other non-catch targets were poorly thrown balls and/or into coverage.

Lee Evans (4-93 receiving on 5 targets) shined in his first NFL start. The rookie pulled down a 55-yard catch on Buffalo's first play from scrimmage, turning enough attention towards him to open up the other side of the field for Moulds. Evans's only non-catch target was on the last play of the game, a ball out of his reach in the end zone.

Sam Aiken (2-12 receiving on 2 targets) caught passes on back-to-back plays during the Bills' final drive, after the game was out of reach.

Josh Reed (0-0 receiving on 2 targets, 1-6 rushing) did not catch a pass, but was targeted once in the end zone. The ball was overthrown. He gained six rushing yards on a reverse.

TE: Ryan Neufeld (1-6 receiving on 2 targets) had to be helped off the field after his first target, a pass that fell incomplete. He returned in the fourth quarter to catch a 6-yard pass.

K: Ryan Lindell made all his kicks - a 33-yard field goal, and both of his PATs.

Pass Defense: had trouble adjusting to New England's multiple looks on passing downs, and often left receivers open downfield. The pass rush produced no sacks, and the pass defense did not intercept a pass.

Rush Defense: gave up a couple big runs when New England spread the field with 4 WRs (including Dillon's TD), but held the Patriots under 100 rushing yards on the day, and recovered a fumble at the goal line.

Tennessee Titans 17 at San Diego Chargers 38

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Tennessee Titans

Chris Brown was held in check by an aggressive Chargers defense, carrying 15 times for 55 yards. It was even worse for Brown than those meager numbers would indicate, as Brown broke off 9 and 17 yard gains on the Titans last drive when the Chargers were in a prevent defense. At halftime, Brown had carried the ball 10 times for 20 yards. San Diego sold out on defense to stop the run and Brown simply had no room to maneuver.

Steve McNair decided his bruised sternum was still bothering him in pregame warm-ups, so Billy Volek started at quarterback for the Titans. McNair dressed for the game, but was relegated to an emergency quarterback role. In a game where the Titans often found themselves trailing by multiple scores, Volek had to go to the air frequently, completing 39 of 58 passes and 2 touchdowns. Volek played valiantly rallying the Titans to within a TD in the fourth quarter after they had previously trailed by 17. However, the Tennessee defense gave up a long touchdown on the next drive and it broke the Titans back.

Drew Bennett and Derrick Mason both had big games as the Titans found themselves frequently trailing in this game and aired the ball out. Bennett's 109 yards on nine catches were a career high. Mason caught 12 passes for 94 yards. Mason scored on a 4 yard fade route early in the second quarter when the game was still close. Mason and Bennett combined for 30 targets.

Tyrone Calico re-injured his knee in this game. Calico caught a pass in the fourth quarter in the red zone, turned, planted and then collapsed without getting hit. He was able to gingerly walk off the field on his own power. He is scheduled for an MRI on Monday.

San Diego Chargers

LaDainian Tomlinson looked like he could take the ball the distance virtually every time he touched it in this game. With the passing game providing enough of a threat to prevent Tennessee from stacking the box against him, Tomlinson was able to average over 8 yards a carry.

Reche Caldwell was not only the lone Charger wide receiver to catch a pass in this game, he was the only San Diego WR to even be targeted. Caldwell's 58 yard touchdown in the fourth quarter snuffed a late Tennessee rally and sealed the win for the Chargers. On the touchdown, Caldwell made a great one handed catch and raced down the field for the score after CB Samari Rolle had missed an interception attempting to break on the ball. Caldwell almost had a second long score early in the game after finding himself completely uncovered down the right sideline. Brees' pass was slightly off the mark and Caldwell's momentum carried him out of bounds for a 49 yard gain. Tomlinson scored on the next play.

Drew Brees bounced back from a rough outing last week to tie his career high with three touchdown passes in this game. Brees looked solid, playing with poise and throwing accurately. Brees looked for Reche Caldwell and Antonio Gates often, directing 13 of his 20 passes their way and throwing a touchdown to each. Brees injured his left shoulder after taking a sack, early in the game, but was able to re-enter the game after getting the approval of team doctors.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Tennessee Titans

QB: Billy Volek (39-58-278, 2 TD, 3-17 rushing) Volek sparked the previously dormant Tennessee passing game, but it took 58 attempts to do it. After going into the locker room trailing by two touchdowns, Volek came out in the second half airing the ball out. 42 of Volek's 58 attempts were made in the second half. Volek made it look easy early in the second quarter, lofting a touchdown to Derrick Mason in the end zone on a fade route. Volek directed 30 of his targets toward Drew Bennett and Derrick Mason, prompting both to have big days. Volek also liked to dump the ball off short to TE Shad Meier, who started the game for an injured Erron Kinney. Volek threw 10 passes to Meier including a short 3 yard touchdown to pull the Titans to within seven late in the game.

Steve McNair dressed for this game as the third quarterback after deciding he couldn't start during pregame warm-ups.

RB: Chris Brown (15-55 rushing, 2-15 receiving on 5 targets) Brown was unable to become only the second back in NFL history to rush for 100 yards in his first four starts. Brown had a miserable game against a Chargers defense that was keyed to stopping him. Brown had only 20 yards on 10 carries at the half. He simply had no room to run the ball. The Titans trailed by two touchdowns at halftime and never got closer than seven points the rest of the way. Because of the deficit and ineffectiveness of the running game, Brown was a non-factor in the second half. He broke off runs of 9 and 17 yards on the Titans' last drive, helping to make his awful day look only mediocre. Brown was unable to convert on short yardage situations in this game. Brown was stuffed on 3rd and 1 from the San Diego 5. Brown was then stuffed for a loss of a yard later on the drive from 1st and goal at the 3. When the Titans had a key 4th and 1 late in the ball game, they elected to pass for the 1st down, showing little faith in Brown and the running game.

Robert Holcombe (2-5 receiving on 3 targets) Holcombe started at fullback for the Titans, and spent most of this day blocking. Holcombe dropped a catchable ball when he heard footsteps from two charging San Diego defenders late in the game.

Troy Fleming (1-4 receiving on 2 targets) Fleming appeared to make a beautiful one handed catch down the sideline early in the second quarter. Fleming extended to make the catch and walked a tight rope down the sideline before getting knocked out of bounds. However, after a San Diego challenge, replay showed that Fleming never had control of the ball and the catch was nullified.

Antowain Smith did not play in this game.

WR: Derrick Mason (12-94 receiving on 14 targets, 1 TD) Mason was the benefit of an increased emphasis on the pass as the Titans fell behind, receiving 14 of Volek's targets. Volek caught a 4 yard touchdown on a fade route early in the second quarter. Mason found himself wide open waving his arms in the back of the end zone a few plays earlier, but Volek didn't spot him choosing hit to Bennett instead as he rolled out on a bootleg. It was Mason's clutch grab on 4th and 1 in the fourth quarter that kept a key drive alive.

Drew Bennett (9-109 receiving on 16 targets) Drew Bennett often found himself in single coverage against CB Sammy Davis and beat him frequently on his way to a career high 109 yards. Bennett often found loose coverage and typically picked up nice gains after the catch. Bennett was the target on several key downs. He was able to haul in the catch for a first down on 4th and 4 early in the fourth quarter as the Titans tried to rally. Bennett was the intended target on a Volek bomb early in the game, but got himself out of position as he apparently lost the ball in the sun.

Tyrone Calico (2-13 receiving on 4 targets) Calico was worked back into the rotation as the third receiver in this game, catching two balls on a handful of plays. However, Calico appeared to re-injure his knee in the fourth quarter without contact. Calico caught a pass on the San Diego 10 yard line, planted his foot, turned up field and then collapsed in front of the defender. Calico was able to walk off the field on his own power and is scheduled for an MRI on Monday.

TE: Shad Meier (9-31 receiving on 10 targets, 1 TD) Shad Meier started in place of the injured Erron Kinney and caught lots of short passes over the middle when Volek found himself in trouble. Kinney caught a short pass over the middle in the front of the end zone for a 3 yard score late in the fourth quarter.

Ben Troupe (1-8 receiving on 2 targets) Troupe was the second tight end in this game catching one ball for eight yards. Troupe found himself wide open streaking down the sidelines late in the game, but was overthrown by Volek.

Erron Kinney did not play due to a calf injury.

K: Gary Anderson (2 XP, 1-1 FG) Gary Anderson hit a 24 yard field goal in this contest.

Pass Defense: While they only gave up 206 yards passing, this is a day that the Tennessee pass defense would like to soon forget, giving up big plays in key situations. CB Samari Rolle gambled and lost, attempting to jump a route and intercept Drew Brees on a play that instead became a 58 yard Reche Caldwell touchdown. Earlier in the game, CB Andre Dyson let Caldwell run right past him without making a move for a 49 yard gain that setup a touchdown. DT Rien Long was able to get a key sack on 3rd and 11 that ended a Chargers drive, but for the most part the Chargers passing attack won this battle.

Rush Defense: Defenses are often asked by the media how to stop LaDainian Tomlinson, and if asked, the Titans will have no answer to that question. The Titans defense gave Tomlinson big holes and he took advantage averaging over 8 yards a carry. Tomlinson could seemingly break off large gains at will against the Titans defense. Perhaps the only saving grace for the Titans run defense was that the Tennessee offense went on two long drives in the fourth quarter back to back, keeping Tomlinson off the field. Rookie DE Antwan Odom did make a great stop on Tomlinson chasing him down and forcing him out of bounds on a 3rd and 7 short of the first down.

San Diego Chargers

QB: Drew Brees (16-20-206, 3 TD, 3-5 rushing) Drew Brees looked poised and confident, tying his career high with three touchdown passes. Brees didn't hesitate to move around in the pocket when he had to. Brees looked for Antonio Gates frequently directing 9 of his 20 passes Gates way. He injured his left shoulder after getting sacked by DT Rien Long early in the second quarter. Phillip Rivers was shown warming up on the sidelines afterwards. However, after getting the green light from team doctors, Brees remained in at quarterback, throwing an aggressive downfield block on a reverse in his first play back.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson (17-147 rushing, 1 TD, 2-13 receiving on 2 targets) The threat of a passing game forced Tennessee to respect the run, and this gave Tomlinson the room he needed to break off big gains. He took advantage of this running room to the tune of over 8 yards a carry. Tomlinson said after the game, "It's easier to run the football when you have holes, when you don't have to worry about the safeties." Tomlinson looked explosive in this game. Every time he touched the ball, he looked like he could take it the distance. Tomlinson scored on a 15 yard run where he took the ball to the outside and bounced back to find a huge hole up the middle.

Jesse Chatman (3-23 rushing, 1 TD) Chatman picked up a touchdown in garbage time as the Chargers were salting away the win. Chatman took a pitch to the right side, got held up temporarily and then cut the ball back to the left side for a 21 yard score putting an exclamation point on the Chargers victory. Chatman didn't enter the game until the fourth quarter after the Chargers had taken a two touchdown lead.

Lorenzo Neal (3-16 receiving on 4 targets) While Neal didn't receive a carry, Brees threw four passes his way out of the backfield.

WR: Reche Caldwell (3-110 receiving on 4 targets, 1 TD, 1-20 rushing) Reche Caldwell only had three receptions, but made the most of his opportunities. Caldwell made the biggest play of the game, beating Samari Rolle for a 58 yard TD to give San Diego a two touchdown lead in the fourth quarter. On that play, Samari Rolle attempted to jump the route, but missed the interception. As Rolle sailed past, Caldwell stretched out to pull in the throw one handed and then outran the defense for the score. CB Andre Dyson failed to pickup Caldwell and he ran right past him uncovered for a 49 yard gain that setup Tomlinson's score. Caldwell was so open, he would have scored on the play had Brees thrown a better ball, but Caldwell lost his balance and stepped out of bounds 15 yards short of the end zone.

Eric Parker (0-0 receiving on 0 targets) Parker strained his neck in this game and had to leave the field. Even when he was playing, he was a non-factor not receiving a single target from Brees.

Tim Dwight and Kassim Osgood did not have a target in this game.

TE: Antonio Gates (7-57 receiving on 9 targets, 1TD) Gates was Brees' favorite target on the day and was the intended receive on almost half of Brees' throws. Gates broke free on a play across the back of the end zone for a touchdown after Brees was forced from the pocket. It's pretty clear that Marty Schottenheimer considers Gates a major weapon in the Charger's offense.

Justin Peelle (1-10 receiving on 1 target, 1TD) Justin Peelle's 1st reception of the year was a good one, catching a TD at the end of the first half. Peelle found himself uncovered in the back of the end zone after Brees rolled out on a play action fake.

K: Nate Kaeding (5 XP, 1-1 FG) Kaeding continued to be perfect on the year connecting on a 31 yard try and hitting all five of his extra point attempts.

Pass Defense: San Diego sold out to stop the run, and because of this, they often left Derrick Mason and Drew Bennett in single coverage. It wasn't a very good day statistically for the Chargers passing defense as they gave up almost three hundred yards passing. However, the Chargers were able to stop the Titans in key situations, keeping them out of the end zone. The Titans were forced to go for it on fourth down four times. San Diego was able to get good pressure on Billy Volek sacking him three times.

Rush Defense: The Chargers entered this game with the 7th best rushing defense in the league, averaging less than 90 yards a game. They managed to improve that ranking against one of the hottest runners in the league, completely shutting down Chris Brown. San Diego sold out to stop the run in this game and it was effective. Chris Brown found no room to run, often cutting to avoid one tackler and then being met by several more.

New Orleans 10 at Arizona Cardinals 34

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

New Orleans

Whether it was playing outdoors for the first time this year or the heat index of 105 degrees on the field, the Saints' offense performed miserably. Two costly lost fumbles, several dropped passes, and untimely penalties all led to New Orleans' demise.

QB Aaron Brooks easily moved the offense down the field on their first possession of the game, but a fumbled snap on 4th and goal from the 1-yard line resulted in a touchback. Another promising drive at the end of the first quarter again resulted in futility after an apparent 1-yard TD run by RB Ki-Jana Carter was nullified by an offensive holding penalty. The Saints settled for a 20-yard field goal, the only points scored by the offense all day. That scoring drive was the last offensive threat of the game, as the Saints' inept offense never again reached Arizona territory.

RB Aaron Stecker, filling in for an injured Deuce McAllister, only managed 23 yards rushing on just 8 carries. His botched handoff to WR Donte Stallworth on an end around resulted in a 35-yard defensive TD return. Stecker was a weapon out of the backfield, hauling in 6 catches for 71 yards.

The Saints defense shut down the Arizona offense in the first quarter, only allowing 4 total net yards. The rest of the game was a different story as Arizona RBs Emmitt Smith and Troy Hambrick combined for a monstrous 206 yards rushing, with all but two of those yards coming in the last three quarters. The only bright spot for New Orleans was two blocked punts, with one resulting in a defensive TD.

Arizona Cardinals

After going 3 and out in their first three possessions and gaining just 4 total net yards in the first quarter, the Cardinals offense woke up and out gained the Saints 369-147 in the last three quarters. The Arizona offense really took off after the insertion of tackle L.J. Shelton and guard Jeremy Bridges on the right side of the line.

RB Emmitt Smith looked unstoppable as he used his excellent vision and cutback running style to amass 127 yards on 21 carries, with all but 2 of those yards coming after the first quarter. It was Smith's 77th 100-yard rushing game, tying the NFL record for Smith. On the day, Smith accounted for two TDs, one a 21-yard halfback option pass to FB Obafemi Ayanbadejo and the other a 29-yard run. RB Troy Hambrick also wreaked havoc on the Saints, compiling 79 yards on 16 carries and an 11-yard TD run. Hambrick's 79 yards rushing all came in the second half.

WR Larry Fitzgerald led all Arizona receivers in receptions and yards, garnering 3 catches for 71 yards on 5 targets. His numbers were hurt by the effectiveness of the Cardinals' rushing attack.

The Arizona defense has yet to allow a rushing TD this year and they kept that streak alive thanks to a recovered fumble in the end zone and an offensive holding penalty. The defense used the bend-don't-break theory in the first quarter, stopping the Saints after they had 1st and goal on two separate drives. After being gouged for 132 yards by the Saints' offense in the first quarter, the Cardinals' defense stiffened and only allowed 147 yards the rest of the game. The Arizona defense never allowed the Saints' offense to reach midfield after the first quarter. The defense recorded one sack, recovered two fumbles, and scored a TD on their way to holding New Orleans to only 3 offensive points.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

New Orleans

QB: Aaron Brooks (24-40-242 passing, 3-13 rushing, 1 fumble lost) looked to be in for a huge day as he easily marched the Saints' offense down the field on the opening drive. On 3rd and goal from the 9, Brooks scrambled and looked like he would get into the end zone, but a punishing hit from LB James Darling stopped him at the goal line. On 4th and goal, Brooks attempting a QB sneak, mishandled the snap and his fumble was recovered in the end zone for a touch back. Late in the first quarter, the Saints were again knocking on the door after a pass interference penalty gave them a 1st and goal from the 1. Brooks overthrew an open Aaron Stecker on a fade pattern in the corner of the end zone and TE Boo Williams was tackled at the 2. The rest of the game, Brooks was hampered by dropped passes and a blanketing Arizona secondary and was unable to move the offense.

RB: Aaron Stecker (8-23 rushing, 1 fumble lost, 6-71 receiving on 9 targets) was bottled up by the gang tackling of the Arizona defense. Stecker had just 1 carry for 5 yards after halftime. His bungled handoff to WR Donte Stallworth on an end around resulted in a fumble recovery for a 35-yard defensive TD. Stecker was the most effective receiver for the Saints, catching 6 passes for 71 yards out of the backfield. Brooks targeted Stecker in the end zone on a fade pattern, but the pass was overthrown.

Ki-Jana Carter (3-5 rushing) received both of the goal line carries and had an apparent 1-yard TD run around the right end taken away by an offensive holding penalty.

WR: Joe Horn (6-47 receiving on 10 targets) was never able to get on track due to excellent coverage by the Arizona secondary. Horn had to settle for short receptions on slants and quick outs. He had a 5-yard reception taken away late in the game due to a penalty.

Donte' Stallworth (5-45 receiving on 9 targets) also had problems getting open and had a couple dropped passes. Stallworth had a 12-yard completion nullified late in the game due to an offensive holding penalty.

Michael Lewis (3-38 receiving on 5 targets) was not a factor in the game and had only one catch for 9 yards in the second half.

TE: Boo Williams (4-41 receiving on 9 targets) worked the middle of the field effectively and Brooks forced several throws to him into double coverage. Williams was targeted by Brooks on a 16-yard pass in the end zone and drew a pass interference call.

Ernie Conwell (1 target) was not a factor in the game.

K: John Carney (1 XP, 1-1 FG) converted on his only attempt from 20 yards and accounted for all of the offensive scoring output on the day.

Pass Defense: The Saints' pass defense did an effective job of containing QB Josh McCown, allowing just 49 yards passing to him in the first half and only 157 yards total. However, they were completely caught off guard late in the second quarter and allowed RB Emmitt Smith to burn them with a 21-yard halfback option pass to FB Obafemi Ayanbadejo for a TD. The pass defense recorded two sacks, but the secondary was busier making tackles on Arizona running backs than covering receivers.

Rush Defense: The New Orleans' rush defense was torched for 211 yards on the ground and gave up 2 rushing TDs. The startling fact was that they looked so good in the first quarter only allowing Emmitt Smith 2 yards on 3 carries. But the inability of the Saints offense, coupled with the grueling heat wore down the defense in the second half. 152 yards of Arizona's ground assault came after halftime.

Arizona Cardinals

QB: Josh McCown (12-18-157 passing, 1-1 rushing) struggled in the first quarter, going three and out on all three possessions. McCown looked to be holding onto the ball too long and throwing to his receivers late. Luckily for him, the ground game emerged in the second quarter and McCown was more than happy just to hand the ball off to his running backs and pick his spots in the passing game. With the defense back on its heels, McCown was 7-11-108 passing in the second half.

RB: Emmitt Smith (21-127 rushing, 1 TD, 1 fumble lost, 1-18 receiving on 2 targets, 1-1-21 passing, 1 TD) looked like vintage Emmitt Smith as he ran through big holes on his way to 127 yards rushing on 21 carries. With his ability to always move forward and waiting for his blocks to develop, Smith provided Arizona with a strong running attack. Smith ran well up the middle and used his excellent cutback ability to produce an impressive 6.05 yards per carry average. It was Smith's arm and not his legs that provided the crushing blow, as he threw his first career pass for a 21-yard TD to FB Obafemi Ayanbadejo to put the Cardinals ahead 14-3 late in the second quarter. Smith added another TD when he scampered untouched up the middle for a 29-yard TD run midway through the fourth quarter. The only negative for Smith came when he lost a fumble on the Saints 2 yard line midway through the second quarter. It was Smith's first 100 yard game since 11/28/02, a Thanksgiving day game against the Washington Redskins when he was still with the Dallas Cowboys.

Troy Hambrick (16-79 rushing, 1 TD, 1 target) did a great job relieving Emmitt Smith, posting all of his 79 yards rushing in the second half and taking advantage of a tired Saints' defense. Hambrick had a nice 11-yard TD run around the left side late in the game.

FB Obafemi Ayanbadejo (2-4 rushing, 1-21 receiving on 1 target, 1 TD) was the benefactor of Emmitt Smith's halfback option TD pass and did a nice job of coming back for the wobbly, underthrown pass.

WR: Larry Fitzgerald (3-61 receiving on 5 targets) and the rest of the Arizona receivers were a victim of the successful rushing attack. His only reception in the second half was a 29-yard reception down the middle when the Saints failed to cover him.

Nate Poole (2-22 receiving on 2 targets) made a nice catch for a 3rd down conversion that helped set up Arizona's second field goal of the game.

Bryant Johnson (1-7 receiving on 5 targets) caught his only pass early in the second quarter. Johnson did draw a 36-yard pass interference penalty against FS Tebucky Jones midway through the second quarter. Johnson's production was hurt by several off target passes from McCown.

Karl Williams (1-7 receiving on 1 target) was not a factor in the game.

TE: Freddie Jones (3-36 receiving on 3 targets) caught all the passes thrown his direction, including a great 25-yard reception with two defenders draped all over him.

Lorenzo Diamond (1-6 receiving on 2 targets) was not a factor in the game.

K: Neil Rackers (4 XP, 2-2 FG) connected on both his field goal attempts from 26 and 33 yards.

Pass Defense: The Cardinals' pass defense did not get a tremendous amount of pressure on QB Aaron Brooks, only recording 1 sack. However, they blanketed the wide receivers down field and forced the Saints to settle for short passes. The secondary frustrated Brooks in the second half, only permitting a sparse 85 yards through the air while the Saints were in catch up mode.

Rush Defense: The Arizona rush defense was superb, only surrendering a stingy 41 yards on 14 carries. They came up huge in the first quarter, keeping the Saints' offense out of the end zone on two separate 1st and goal situations. LB Gerald Hayes pounced on QB Aaron Brooks' fumble in the end zone for the touchback and SS Adrian Wilson returned RB Aaron Stecker's fumble 35 yards for a TD late in the first quarter. This unit has yet to allow a rushing TD this year.

St. Louis Rams 24 at San Francisco 49ers 14

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

St. Louis Rams

After a mediocre rushing effort in a home loss to the New Orleans Saints the week before, the Rams were determined to establish the run against the 49ers. From the first St. Louis possession - a 14-play drive that consumed 7 minutes and 53 seconds - the Rams made sure running backs Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson got plenty of touches. St. Louis led at the half, 24-0, and spent much of the third and fourth quarters running the clock. The Rams finished with 174 yards rushing on 36 carries, an impressive 4.8 yards per rush, and a time of possession advantage of nearly nine minutes.

Quarterback Marc Bulger can sometimes be rattled in the pocket. Against the 49ers, he stayed cool under fire on several key plays in the first half as the Rams built their big halftime lead. On three different occasions, Bulger hung tough with rushers all around him and threw the ball sidearm through a small window to an open receiver to keep drives alive.

Three Rams players scored their first career touchdowns: fullback Joey Goodspeed and running back Steven Jackson on 2-yard runs, and wide receiver Shaun McDonald on a 6-yard reception.

The St. Louis defense forced two turnovers (1 fumble, 1 interception) after having forced zero in the first three games. The Rams led the NFL with 46 takeaways last season.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49er offense looked great…for the first five minutes of the game. After that, it was a horror show for the home fans until the fourth quarter, when the game was out of reach. San Francisco had been shut out the week before at Seattle, but moved quickly down the field with the opening kickoff. However, after the drive reached the St. Louis 22-yard line, Tim Rattay was sacked for an 8-yard loss. On the next offensive play for the 49ers, Rattay was sacked again, and this time he fumbled. The two sacks set the tone for the evening, and pointed to root of the problem - the offensive line. Pro Bowl center Jeremy Newberry is out indefinitely after knee surgery, and Kwame Harris sat out the game with an ankle injury.

Last Nov. 2, Rattay made his first career start, and it came against the St. Louis Rams. He threw for 236 yards and 3 touchdowns that day in a 30-10 49er win. Not quite one year later, Rattay made his fifth career start in an unenviable position. With stars like Terrell Owens, Tai Streets and Garrison Hearst on other rosters, and playing behind the banged-up offensive line, Rattay didn't get a lot of help. With little time to throw, he was reduced to throwing underneath coverage most of the night.

With the 49ers in an early 14-0 hole, and the Rams looking unstoppable, San Francisco had to abandon the running game. Kevan Barlow had 15 of the team's 19 rushing attempts, a minimal effort compared to the 50 pass plays the Niners called (47 attempts by Rattay, plus 3 sacks).

Cornerback Mike Rumph broke his right arm in the second quarter, which will only make things more miserable in San Francisco. The Rams didn't throw much in the second half as they were looking to run the clock with a big lead, but opposing receivers will be happy to line up against the 49ers in coming weeks.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

St. Louis Rams

QB: Marc Bulger (17-25-186 passing, 1 TD, 0 Int, 2-5 rushing). Bulger was efficient as he led the Rams to three touchdowns and a field goal in their four first-half possessions. Bulger is not known for his mobility, but his TD pass came on a designed rollout. With the Rams at the San Francisco 6-yard line following a fumble recovery and an illegal contact penalty against the 49ers, Bulger rolled right and found Shaun McDonald open in the corner of the end zone. The Niners defense didn't put much pressure on Bulger, but what they did bring, he handled well.

RB: Marshall Faulk (23-121 rushing, 1-25 receiving on 1 target) Faulk posted his 40th career 100-yard rushing game. He doesn't have the electric speed he had when he was younger (his longest rush was 13 yards), but he knows how to set up blocks and still can carry defenders for an extra two or three yards at the end of a run. Faulk carried the ball on four of the Rams first five offensive plays. His one pass reception helped set up a field goal.

Steven Jackson (10-46 rushing, 1 TD, 1-2 receiving on 1 target) The rookie running back offers a nice complement to Marshall Faulk. Jackson sometimes runs into the back of his blockers, but he is tough and strong. Jackson scored his first career touchdown on a 2-yard run in the final minute of the first half. He looked as though he might score on the Rams' prior possession, when they had second and goal at the 1, but he was stopped cold by 49er linebacker Jeff Ulbrich. Jackson broke a 24-yard run in the fourth quarter, but it was wasted when Jeff Wilkins missed a field goal try.

WR: Isaac Bruce (7-100 on 9 targets) Bruce had his fourth straight 100-yard game. All but one of his receptions came in the first half. Bruce had one catch for 19 yards to help set up the Rams' first TD. His biggest contribution came on the last St. Louis drive of the first half, when he caught 3 passes for 9, 14 and 29 yards (the latter two on back-to-back plays) to put the Rams in the red zone.

Torry Holt (3-28 receiving on 5 targets) Holt limped off the field just before Shaun McDonald's touchdown catch in the first quarter, but he returned quickly and showed no ill effects. With the Rams working the running game and Bruce catching the big passes, Holt played a small role. His longest reception was 17 yards, which came on the first St. Louis drive.

Kevin Curtis (3-22 receiving on 5 targets) Curtis displayed a nice shake-and-bake move on an 11-yard reception late in the second quarter. Two plays later, Steven Jackson scored.

Shaun McDonald (1-6 receiving on 1 targets, 1 TD) McDonald made the most of his limited time on the field, as he collected his first career touchdown on the one pass Bulger threw his way.

TE: Brandon Manumaleuna (1-3 receiving on 2 targets) Bulger only threw to the big tight end twice - a pass that fell incomplete on the third drive of the first half, and a completion for a short gain on the fourth and final drive of the first half.

K: Jeff Wilkins (3-3 XP, 1-2 FG, 20 yards) Wilkins made a chip shot field goal in the second quarter, but pulled a 33-yard attempt wide left in the fourth quarter.

Pass Defense: Other than the first drive, the Rams' pass defense was excellent. Defensive end Leonard Little was in Tim Rattay's face all night. Most of the Niners' completions were on short passes, and cornerback Jerametrius Butler had a nice interception the one time Ratty tried to throw deep. St. Louis allowed Rattay to pass for 299 yards, but most of those came in the second half when the Rams had a big lead. St. Louis had 3 sacks for 25 yards in losses.

Rush Defense: The Rams' run defense was superb, allowing just 58 yards on 19 carries, a 3.1-yard average. Of course, the big lead helped limit San Francisco's rushing attempts.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

San Francisco 49ers

QB: Tim Rattay (31-47-299 passing, 2 TDs, 1 Int) Rattay separated his right (throwing) shoulder in the Sept. 12 season opener versus the Atlanta Falcons and missed the next two games. The injury was a critical setback after the young QB had missed minicamp and training camp with a torn groin muscle and inflamed forearm. Not surprisingly, Rattay looked rusty Sunday night. He took a critical sack to end the promising drive to start the game. On the first play of the second possession, he was sacked and had the ball knocked out of his hands to give the Rams the ball at the San Francisco 11, which led to an easy touchdown. When he was given time, Rattay did a reasonable job. His final numbers were a bit deceiving because the Rams were allowing short completions in the second half, but he showed the talent he has on his final attempt of the game - a beautiful, 18-yard TD touch pass to Rashaun Woods. Rattay rolled left away from the rush and led Woods to the corner of the end zone.

RB: Kevan Barlow (15-42 rushing, 6-48 receiving on 6 targets) Like Rattay, Barlow's numbers will suffer until the 49ers O-line gets healthy. Also, Barlow has not looked like he has his usual burst since spraining his right knee against the New Orleans Saints Sept. 19. Barlow gained only 14 yards on his first 6 carries while the game was still relatively in doubt. His longest run of the day was 11 yards, which he achieved twice. Rattay threw to Barlow only once in the first half, but found him five times in the second. Barlow caught 3 passes on one drive late in the game.

Terry Jackson (3-12 rushing, 4-19 receiving on 5 targets) Jackson made only a minor contribution to the San Francisco offense. His longest rush was 8 yards, and he fumbled at the end of the play (the 49ers recovered). Jackson's 9-yard reception came three plays before Rashaun Woods' TD reception.

Fred Beasley (1-4 rushing, 0-0 receiving on 1 target) Beasley's one carry converted a third-and-1 situation from the San Francisco 38.

WR: Curtis Conway (6-55 receiving on 10 targets, 1 TD, 1 2-pt conversion) Conway didn't catch his first pass until the third quarter, but he ended up as the leading wide receiver. Conway scored San Francisco's first TD on a quick slant pass. Rattay threw both 2-point conversion passes Conway's direction, but one was knocked away.

Rashaun Woods (2-35 receiving on 5 targets, 1 TD) The rookie wide out did not make his first reception until late in the third quarter, but the 17-yard catch converted a third and 10 at the St. Louis 37. Woods' second catch was his first career touchdown, and it came with just 23 seconds left in the game.

Cedrick Wilson (3-29 receiving on 7 targets) Wilson's longest reception of the game was his first, a 12-yard pass on the 49ers opening drive that gave them a first down at the St. Louis 26. Rattay's interception was a long pass intended for Wilson. The ball was underthrown, but Wilson waited passively for the ball to come to him, allowing Jerametrius Butler to make the pick.

TE: Eric Johnson (10-113 receiving on 12 targets) Johnson was the lone bright spot for the San Francisco offense. He caught 2 passes on the opening drive - the first for 18 yards and the second a clutch, 8-yard reception on third and 5 - and was open all night. He also made a heads-up recovery of Terry Jackson's fumble.

K: Todd Peterson (0-0 FGs, 0-0 XP) Peterson was not asked to kick, as the 49ers attempted 2-point conversions after both of their touchdowns. On the opening drive of the game, San Francisco could have had Peterson try a 48-yard field goal, but punted instead.

Pass Defense: The 49ers pass defense didn't do much to stop the Rams, as Bulger was able to find his receivers with ease. San Francisco did get one sack in the first quarter, but it was negated by a penalty and the Rams scored a touchdown on the next play.

Rush Defense: San Francisco did a reasonable job of not rolling over in the second half, but St. Louis was able to establish the run from the first drive.