Patriots 52, Redskins 7
Holy crap. Bill Belichick is obviously still angry with people questioning if the Patriots were frauds after they were caught stealing defensive signals from the Jets. New England was up 38-0 early in the fourth quarter and instead of just trying to milk the clock, Tom Brady led the offense all the way down the field and threw his third touchdown of the game. I don’t think the Patriots are just trying to win the Super Bowl this year – they’re trying to crush records and embarrass the rest of the league. Washington was just another team blocking New England’s way to absolute greatness, and much like many other teams, they were disposed of quickly.
Lions 16, Bears 7
Except for one long Devin Hester punt return and a Greg Olsen touchdown reception, the Lions played a perfect game. Their defense played fantastic, forcing four turnovers – all Brian Griese interceptions – and limited Cedric Benson to only 50 yards rushing. Offensively, Jon Kitna was solid, passing for 268 yards, and Kevin Jones looked healthy again, rushing for 105 yards. This was a huge win for the Lions, as it proved that they could win a big game on the road and beat a formidable division opponent. The Bears on the other hand, have a ton of issues, most notably stopping the run and running the ball.
Colts 31, Panthers 7
Credit Indy for a big win, because this was the perfect trap game. The Colts were coming off a short week, had never beaten the Panthers and had never played in Carolina. Yet they stayed focused – even with the Patriots only a week away – and cruised to an easy victory. Joseph Addai (100 yards, 3 total TDs) and Peyton Manning (255 yards, 2 TDs) were spectacular, and the defense once again played outstanding. Carolina, on the other hand, continues to struggle without Jake Delhomme. Indy did a great job on Steve Smith all day, holding him to just two catches for 18 yards.
Jaguars 24, Bucs 23
This was an impressive victory for the Jags, especially with how bad they looked against the Colts on Monday night. Quinn Gray (100 yards, 1 TD) struggled again, but he made enough plays for Jacksonville to sneak one out. Boy, Jeff Garcia looked awful. Give credit to the Jags defense for making a couple of huge plays, but Garcia missed the mark the entire game. He overthrew a receiver at the end of the game that could have lead to a Bucs victory. It’s tough to figure out how good this Tampa team really is.
Steelers 24, Bengals 13
Not that it’s hard to do against the Bengals defense, but Ben Roethlisberger and Willie Parker were absolutely fantastic. Both shredded the Cincy defense, Parker rushing for 126 yards and a touchdown, while Big Ben threw for 230 yards and two scores. Carson Palmer (205 yards, 1 TD) was solid, as was T.J. Houshmandzadeh (7 rec., 81 yards, 1 TD) and Kenny Watson (88 rush yards). Yet despite success moving the ball, the Bengals just couldn’t muster any points.
Chargers 35, Texans 10
For the week they had, this was a much-deserved victory for the Chargers and the people of San Diego. The defense played great, forcing five turnovers and keeping Houston out of the end zone for most of the game. Philip Rivers also played well, throwing for 130 yards and three touchdowns. LT “only” rushed for 90 yards though – what a terrible performance by him. Good thing Antonio Gates (2 TDs) and newcomer Chris Chambers (1 TD) picked up the slack.
Giants 13, Dolphins 10
Folks in London must be saying, “That’s it? That’s American football?” What a slop-fest the Giants and Dolphins put on in the NFL’s attempt to expand its market overseas. Eli Manning threw for only 59 yards and both teams combined for three turnovers. Other than two solid performances by backs Brandon Jacobs (131 rushing yards) and Jesse Chatman (79 yards), Londoners saw an ugly game.
Saints 31, 49ers 10
Think the Saints are back? Drew Brees completed 31 of 39 passes for 336 yards and four touchdowns as New Orleans absolutely rolled over San Fran. The Saints defense stole the show, however, as they held the 49ers out of the end zone until a garbage touchdown late in the fourth. If the Saints can get even half the defensive effort they got today for the rest of the season, the NFC South crown is still very much in reach. Of course, Brees and the offense has to click like they did today too.
Browns 27, Rams 20
How about them Browns? What a game by Derek Anderson (248 yards, 3 TDs) and Braylon Edwards (8 rec., 117 yards, 2 TDs). Edwards made a couple of spectacular catches and Anderson threaded the needle like a 10-year vet. Poor Rams. They finally get some offensive firepower, Torry Holt makes three unbelievable catches, but the defense fails them once again. How about the Browns defense stuffing St. Louis on multiple short yardage plays, including a huge 4th and 1 late in the fourth quarter? They were putting nine men in the box and the Rams kept trying to run dives up the middle. Where’s the imagination Scott Linehan? How about running an audible Marc Bulger?
Titans 13, Raiders 9
What a brutal, brutal drop by Mike Williams at the end of this game. The Raiders had hung in all day and were driving late in the fourth quarter, but Williams dropped one right in the breadbasket, which allowed the Titans to run out the clock. Other than LenDale White (133 yards) and a terrific 24-yard TD run by Chris Henry, Tennessee didn’t look that great. The defense is solid, but Vince Young (6 for 14, 42 yards) continues to struggle passing, making the offense one-dimensional.
Eagles 23, Vikings 16
This is the type of game where Donovan McNabb (333 yards, 1 TD) shuts his critics up. His pass to Greg Lewis in the first quarter was unbelievable and with a little help from some amazing catches by his receivers, he shredded Minnesota’s secondary all day. For once, the Vikings offense wasn’t to blame for their loss. Under Kelly Holcomb and later, Brooks Bollinger, the offense actually moved the ball threw the air. Tavaris Jackson, for all intents and purposes, had a tough road ahead of him trying to get back into the lineup.
Bills 13, Jets 3
Well, fantasy owners waited eight weeks, but Lee Evans finally exploded. He caught five passes for 138 yards and a touchdown, so he’s due for one more of these games and then he’ll go back to being useless. Nevertheless, the Bills are slowly putting together a nice season. They could have easily beat Denver and Dallas and if they had, they would be 4-2 right now. Wait until this team figures out how to win tight games, because they’re slowly building something good in Buffalo. As for the Jets, Chad Pennington lost two fumbles, barely threw for over 100 yards and almost got Laveranues Coles killed. Mangini has to see what Kellen Clemons can do, because Pennington just doesn’t have it.
