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– Devin Hester is the most explosive returner in the NFL. That 45-yard put return he had in Chicago’s 23-13 victory over the Vikings was the best return I’ve seen since Dante Hall’s touchdown a few years ago against Denver. I think it’s time for Minnesota to see what rookie Tavaris Jackson has after Brad Johnson’s four-interception day. And what do the Bears do with Rex Grossman? Lovie Smith cannot continue to count on special teams and defensive touchdowns every week while his quarterback continues to average three interceptions a game.

– Two things about the Saints 34-10 win over the 49ers. First, New Orleans isn’t going anywhere. Everybody thought (including myself) that this team was going to fold a few weeks ago when it lost two straight. The Saints aren’t and should be the favorites to win the NFC South from here on out. Secondly, as much credit as I give San Fran for at least being in the playoff hunt this year, the Niners are obviously still a year or two away from seriously competing.

– Michael Vick threw two lasers to Alge Crumpler and Michael Jenkins in Atlanta’s 24-14 rally over the Redskins. I heard a rumor this week that the Falcons should trade Vick to the Raiders for Randy Moss. Yeah, that should fix everything down in Hotlanta. Or (and this may sound crazy), how about the receivers actually hang on to the ball for him? They did in Washington (for the most part) and the Falcons won. By the way, Vick hasn’t been intercepted in three straight games, so look elsewhere for the Falcons’ woes. Washington looked great in cruising to a 14-0 first quarter lead, but give Atlanta credit in scoring 24 unanswered points in the final three quarters. The Falcons are still very much flawed, but they will be dangerous in the final four weeks.

– Everyone talks about how Tony Romo has energized the Dallas Cowboys, but look at what rookie Vince Young is doing in Tennessee. Young isn’t overly impressive, but his leadership and demeanor in games have his teammates believing. Despite throwing two interceptions, Young threw two touchdowns in an impressive 20-17 upset win over the Colts. What happened to the Joseph Addai who scored four times last week vs. the Eagles? Addai was held to 56 yards while Peyton Manning threw two interceptions despite passing for 351 yards. I think
this game speaks more about the overachieving Titans than of the underachieving Colts, however.

– The score was close, but San Diego’s 24-21 win over the Bills was still impressive to me. For one, the Bills have played very well of late and it’s always tough for a team to go into Buffalo in December and win. Congratulations to the best player in the league, LaDainian Tomlinson, who now joins Eric Dickerson as the second player to reach 1,200 yards rushing in each of his first six NFL seasons. And where the hell did Peerless Price come from? The guy has made tiptoe touchdown grabs along the sideline in back-to-back weeks now.

– Listen closely to this, because it’s a bit shocking. Derek Anderson beat Kansas City on Sunday, the same Chiefs that have won two straight and are right in the middle of the AFC playoff picture. Anderson was damn near great replacing injured starter Charlie Frye and leading the Browns to a 31-28 overtime victory. He threw for 171 yards and two touchdowns as well as scrambled for 33 yards on a second and 15 in overtime to set up Phil Dawson’s game winning field goal. It should be noted that a KC defender rocked Anderson on the scramble, yet Anderson rolled off the player and picked up an additional seven yards. Gutsy performance by the young man from Oregon State.

– To barrow a line from my good buddy Drew about the Lions 28-21 loss to New England: “That was a typical Lions loss. They give you a little hope throughout the game and then sock you right in the nuts at the end.” Jon Kitna probably played one of the worst games of his entire life. The Patriots didn’t win, Kitna handed the game over on a tray table with his two interceptions and fumble in the fourth quarter alone. All the Patriots had to do was hand off to Corey Dillon three times inside the six yard line. Call me fickle, but New England doesn’t impress me at all again. Of course next week they’ll win by 42 and I’ll be saying how Super Bowl-bound the Patriots are.

– If I haven’t said it enough this year, I’ll say it again: Eric Mangini is doing a hell of a job with the New York Jets. What a beat down the Jets gave the Packers at Lambeau Sunday. Despite two picks, Chad Pennington threw two touchdowns and was 25 of 35 passing as the Jets built a 31-0 halftime lead on their way to a 38-10 thrashing. If New York is in the NFC its probably not only in the playoff hunt, but also leading a division. Instead the Jets will have to scratch and claw for a playoff berth in the AFC and something tells me Mangini and company wouldn’t have it any other way.

– The Cardinals hammered the Rams 34-20 in St. Louis. So much for people considering St. Louis a real sleeper team this year in the NFC. Of course, people have been calling Arizona a sleeper team for years in the NFC, so who cares right? Edgerrin James actually earned a little bit of his paycheck in rushing for 155 yards. Tell me again Denny Green why you don’t use your million-dollar back on the goal line? It’s not like Arizona has a T.J. Duckett-type to hammer in scores. It doesn’t make sense. Although, when does anything that Green does make sense?