NFL Week 12

-Texans lose to Colts....again. You can't tell me that the Texans don't have a bit of an inferiority complex when it comes to the Colts. They have now 1-15 against the Colts in their history, and despite steadily improving the last few seasons, they have been able to convert that improvement into wins over their divisional rivals.

The truth is despite their fantastic start, a first possession touchdown drive and a 20-7 halftime lead, the Texans didn't look like they believed they could win the game. Their defense intercepted Peyton Manning twice and managed to slow down the Colts in the first half, but was unable to keep up the pressure in second half. (They were facing the best quarterback in the NFL after all.)

Perhaps more surprisingly, their offense that had scored a touchdown or field goal on every one of its possessions in the first half turned the ball over three times in the second, including two Matt Schaub interceptions and a fumble, and didn't score another point until garbage time.

Make no mistake, the Colts did a phenomenal job to get back into it, but this game was there to win for the Texans. While they still have a shot at the playoffs thanks to their weak remaining schedule, it won't matter if they don't back themselves to beat elite teams.

-Is T.O. back? Two games, two big touchdown plays from the mercurial receiver. Is T.O. just glad Dick Jauron is gone and Ryan Fitzpatrick rather than Trent Edwards is throwing him the ball right now? Are his eyes already on next season and increasing his market value? Either way the player everyone thought was done halfway through the season will be closely watched the next few weeks.

-Jake Delhomme has another one of his bad days. The guy is just too inconsistent to be starting for an above average NFL team right now. After it seemed like he had cut back on the mistakes, throwing only one pick in the last four games, he goes out and throws four interceptions against the slipping Jets.

Carolina have two good running backs in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart but teams are stacking the line against them (the Jets held them to 75 yards on 25 carries) and taking their chances with Delhomme and he seems unable to make them pay.

Whether John Fox is there or not this off-season, the Panthers will in the market for a quarterback...big time.

-There might not be a lot of bright spots for the Seattle Seahawks this year, but the running of Justin Forsett is one of them. Forsett, a seventh round pick in 2008, has already been cut twice in his short professional career and he runs like a man who has had to fight for every NFL carry he has got. Two weeks ago, after starter Julius Jones got hurt against the Cardinals, Forsett came in and rushed for 123 yards and his first NFL touchdown. He was then shut down by the Vikings in the next game, but bounced back for 130 yards and two touchdowns against the Rams Sunday.

I'll tell you one thing, Jones is going to have a fight on his hands to win his job back.

-The Bears may have the worst offensive line in football. The more I watch Chicago (and I have the last two weeks), the more I think the root of their offensive problems is not the play Jay Cutler but rather that of their offensive lines. Sure the Vikings pass rush is above average (okay, it's one of the best in the league), but I don't remember Cutler having a good pocket to throw from too many times all game. Orlando Pace got exposed time after time by Jared Allen, who beat him continuously with both bull and speed rushes. Pace continues to be a huge bust and has one of the worst free agent signings of the season for the Bears.

Picking NFL Week 12

Redskins at Eagles: The Eagles won their game against the Redskins 27-17 on a Monday Night earlier this year, and traditionally the Eagles have been strong at this time of year under Andy Reid. Even so, I'm far from convinced about Philadelphia this season. They'll just be a little too good for Washington though. Eagles.

Seahawks at Rams: The Seahawks got killed by Minnesota last week, but they haven't really lost to any bad teams this year. So although it might be a while till they knock off a good team, they should take care of a Marc Bulger-less Rams team. Seahawks.

Dolphins at Bills: T.O. Finally came alive last week, coming up with his first big play of the season, a 98 yard TD catch. He finished with 190 receiving yards on the day. The Dolphins will try and run the ball down the Bills throats, and get Ricky Williams, who looked impressive against the Panthers, plenty of touches. If the Bills can stop Williams like they did Maurice Jones-Drew last week, this might be a close game. Dolphins.

Buccaneers at Falcons: The Falcons have got cold this last month, having lost 4 of their last 5 games. Their loss against the Giants looked all the worse after watching the Giants' terrible loss to the Broncos on Thanksgiving. I'm tempted to go for the upset here, but with the Falcons being back home (all four losses have come on the road), and Bucs QB Josh Freeman struggling last week, I think this will be the Falcons bounce back game. Falcons.

Colts at Texans: The Colts have come through three tough weeks undefeated and this could easily be the week they slip up as the wear and tear of those games gets to them. With neither team running the ball well, this is going to be another shootout, and I would think twice before picking against Peyton Manning in that type of game. Colts.

Browns at Bengals: I have not picked a Bengals game right all year (well at least since I started making picks three weeks ago), a streak that continued with their shock loss against the Raiders last week. However there is no logical reason I can pick the abysmal Browns in this one, meaning that if they do actually end up with the win, I know I have no chance of getting a Bengals game right for the rest of the season. Bengals.

Panthers at Jets: Calls for backup Kellen Clemens to take over from rookie QB Mark Sanchez started in earnest after last week's loss to the Patriots. No whispers of it actually happening against the Panthers though, and I can't see Sanchez getting any better this week. He's looked like a deer in the headlights in the Jets losing streak, and isn't learning anything right now. Panthers.

Chiefs at Chargers: The Chiefs had their biggest win of the Scott Pioli-Todd Haley era in overtime against the Steelers last week. Too bad they face the red hot Chargers this week or they might have been able to build on that win. I think San Diego has too much on both sides of the ball. Chargers.

Jaguars at 49ers: Recently, the 49ers defense has been a completely different unit from the one that was so dominant early in the year. LB Patrick Willis continues to be a superstar, but level of play around him has fallen off. On the other side, the Jaguars, without looking particularly good, are 6-4 and have a decent shot at the playoffs. Jaguars.

Bears at Vikings: The Bears are in a shambles right now, and Jay Cutler is taking all the heat for the team being mediocre across the board. I can't see any way they pull it together to beat the Vikings on Sunday. Vikings.

Cardinals at Titans: This game between two form teams might be one of the best of the weekend. The Cardinals have looked like the team that made the Superbowl in the last few games, while the Titans continue to ride Vince Young's rebirth. This game will tell us if the Titans have actually improved enough to beat a top ten NFL team. I think their hot streak will come to an end. Cardinals.

Steelers at Ravens: The Steelers have held a clear edge over the Ravens their last few games, but the injury to Troy Polamalu is huge leveler. What we all know is that it will be close, and it will be hard-hitting. I think if the Ravens need Ray Rice to pick up some rushing yards, to get their offense rolling, and Pittsburgh, even without Polamalu, will fancy their chances of shutting the run down. Steelers.

Patriots at Saints: Upset of the Week: I just can't see the Patriots coming out on the losing side two monster games in a row. The Saints can score in a heartbeat, and Drew Brees has a ton of receivers he can throw to, but the Patriots were better than the Colts for long periods of their Sunday Night game, and this will their chance to get some revenge. Patriots.

Thoughts on NFL Thanksgiving Games

-The Broncos are back. Whatever Josh McDaniels did with his team this week (and we may have caught a glimpse of it in the game against the Giants, thanks to the NFL Network mistakenly broadcasting an expletive-filled sideline rant of his), should be captured in a bottle and shopped around the league to struggling teams. (Tom Coughlin could certainly use a few vials...)

Props go to the young head coach for breathing some fire back into his team that looked dead in the water against the Chargers last week. The offense still is a work in progress but McDaniels got both his most dangerous play makers, Brandon Marshall and Knowshon Moreno, plenty of the ball Thursday.

The defense was back to the level it was playing at the start of the season, stuffing the run, swarming the quarterback, and covering in the secondary. Brian Dawkins continues to prove to Philly that he had plenty left in the tank, and after only recording two sacks in the last four game, Elvis Dumervil got to Eli Manning twice and forced a fumble.

It'll be interesting to see which version of the Broncos turns up against the Chiefs and Colts in the next two weeks.

-Charles Woodson is one of the best defensive players in the NFL right now. Woodson is still the only defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy, and today at 33, he is quietly one of the best cornerbacks in the league. He had a huge day at Lambeau against the Cowboys a couple weeks ago, and was possibly even more impressive against Detroit, getting 2 interceptions, defending 4 passes, making 6 tackles, and recovering a fumble. In those games, he held two of game's brightest young receivers, Miles Austin and Calvin Johnson, to a total of 30 yards. Woodson is said to have quite an interest in wine ( I guess all those years in California with Oakland weren't a complete waste of time), and much like a fine wine, he seems to be getting better with age. (oh, what a horrible cliche!)

-Brandon Jacobs looks slow. I haven't wanted to jump on the anti-Jacobs bandwagon simply because I haven't seen him play live that much this year, but after watching him against the Broncos, the man looks awfully slow. Jacobs had 27 yards on 11 rushes (if anyone's keeping track at home, that's a portly 2.5 yards a carry). More worrying than that, he wasn't hitting the hole hard or breaking any tackles. A back of his size isn't going to burn many players with speed, so therefore needs to run hard and wear defenses down by plowing his 6'4, 264 pound frame into them 20 times a game. If anything, it looked like the Broncos defense was wearing him down with stuff after stuff on Sunday.

-Does anyone else see the Miles Austin/ A-Rod resemblance? Or is it just me? Especially when he has his helmet on. It might not be as a solid a look-alike as the classic Kyle Orton/ Dave Grohl one, but there's definitely something there. Might be part of the reason why Austin hasn't really endeared himself to me yet.

-I guess anointing Bruce Gradkowski as the solution to Oakland's woes, after he led them to victory over the Bengals, was a tad premature.

Picking NFL Thankisgiving Games

-How I did last week: 12-3

Much like Matthew Stafford, I may just have had my breakout performance last weekend. And just like him (perhaps minus the shoulder pain), I've had a smile on my face all week.

-Record on the season: 27-15

Now that looks a lot better doesn't it.

Packers at Lions: Last time these teams played, earlier this season, the Packers shut out the Lions 26-0. The Lions have improved since then, but with their two biggest offensive play makers Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson questionable for the game, my money is on the Lions Thanksgiving woes to continue. Packers.

Raiders at Cowboys: You know what, I'm going to go for the Raiders here. I feel like there's going to be one upset in these three Thanksgiving games that on paper look like fairly straight forward picks. And now Oakland have sat JaMarcus Russell down indefinitely, I feel a lot more confident picking them against a hobbling Cowboys team. Raiders.

Giants at Broncos: I don't think anyone who actually watched the Chargers Broncos game last week, and therefore is aware of how much of a mismatch that game turned out to be, could pick the Broncos to win this one. No team has risen and fallen as quickly as Denver this year. Giants.

NFL Week 11 Rankings

The Fab Five

1. Colts (10-0): The Colts have won three big games the last few weeks. Although they haven't been demolishing teams, they have kept winning. If they beat the Texans and Titans the next two weeks they'll have a shot at going undefeated.

2. Saints (10-0): The Saints haven't been part of a marquee match up since they destroyed the Giants in Week 6. They now take on the Patriots on Monday night at the end of a long football weekend. It's hard not to start to lick your chops at the prospect of watching those two offenses go at it.

3. Vikings (9-1): Week after week, I keep expecting some kind of drop in Favre's form, but it just isn't happening. If he doesn't falter soon, the Vikings will have wrapped home field advantage through the playoffs before you know it.

4. Chargers (7-3): Interesting game with the Chiefs coming this weekend. About a month ago, the Chargers crushed the Chiefs at Arrowhead 37-7. After the Chiefs victory against the Steelers last week, I have a feeling they won't find this game so easy.

5. Patriots (7-3): My gut tells me the Pats are better than the Chargers. But they've lost more recently, and after the Chargers looked so impressive against the Broncos, I had a hard time dropping them down. The Pats can change that on Monday.

The Fat Five

32. Browns (1-9): Good news: the Brown managed to put together a lot of offense last week. Bad news: that offense came against the Lions that on average give up 30 points a game.

31. Buccaneers (1-9): The Bucs were actually up 7-0 over the Saints with 4 minutes left in the first quarter. Then New Orleans poured on 38 consecutive points. Josh Freeman also tossed up 3 interceptions and coughed up a fumble in the game. The Bucs will be hoping that after his first two successful starts teams haven't already figured out how to stop him.

30. Rams (1-9): Another 100 yard rushing day for Steven Jackson, another loss for the Rams. Who says the NFL isn't predictable?

29. Lions (2-8): Detroit beat bottom team Cleveland on Sunday but it took a last second pass interference call on a Matthew Stafford desperation heave. Stafford also hurt his non-throwing shoulder in the contest, and the Lions really need him right now.

28. Seahawks (3-7): Seattle has only beaten the Rams, Jags, and Lions this year. Hardly an impressive list. They got trounced by the Vikings last weekend, and slip into the bottom after the Raiders and the Chiefs came up with upset wins.

NFL Week 11

-Jay Cutler's woes continue as Chicago loses at home to Philly. After the game was over, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb spoke into Jay Cutler's ear for a good minute. Cutler seemed receptive to his words, if a little embarrassed at the situation.

I'm sure that McNabb was simply trying to remind Cutler of his ability and that he needs to have confidence in himself, after he produced another poor display. While he did not match last week's 5 interceptions, Cutler looked skittish, was inaccurate all day, and overthrew three potential touchdown passes.

Chicago did not make the blockbuster trade for Cutler this summer for the numbers he has put up so far, and that pressure and the Soldier Field boos have obviously affected him. He hasn't been helped out by his weak offensive line, absent running game and inexperienced receiver corps, but ultimately the Bears brought him in to be the star.

Cutler may have angered many people with the way he went about getting himself out of Denver, but I think it's easy understand why McNabb, among others, is concerned by his rapid demise. At his best with the Broncos, Cutler was a joy to watch, a young quarterback with a powerful arm who could throw accurately from the pocket and on the run. On Sunday night, he looked like a different player, and we all know he is better than that.

-I hope the Eagles don't think they impressed us with that win. Philadelphia has been hot and cold all year, and while they scraped by the Bears 24-20 for a crucial victory, for much of the game they didn't look much better than Chicago, which is having more than its fair share of problems.

While the Eagles defense looked better on Sunday, their offense sputtered, turning the ball over three times, and punting five. At the moment, their passing game seems to be split between the short dump off and the deep home run ball with not much else in between.

So, while they did get their big play on the night, McNabb's 48 yard bomb to DeSean Jackson for a touchdown, they continued to struggle to both sustain long drives and execute efficiently in the red zone.

With a 6-4 record, they still have a good shot at making the playoffs, but like the rest of the teams in the NFC East, they haven't been as good as expected this season.

-A new dawn in Kansas City? For the past two years, we've heard a lot about the rebuilding effort in Kansas City. In 2008, after a number of veteran players like Jared Allen, Ty Law and Eddie Kennison left, the Chiefs had the youngest team in the NFL, but ended up with a franchise worst 2-14 record.

Sunday might just have been the first glimpse we've had of the rebirth of the Chiefs. They stayed with the Steelers all game, and quarterback Matt Cassel led the offense on a 91-yard drive to tie the game at 24 with just under four minutes to go.

Arrowhead was rocking as the game headed into overtime, reminding us what a fantastic football venue it can be, and though the Steelers won the toss, the Chiefs managed to force the punt. Free agent rookie linebacker Jovan Belcher read Mewelde Moore's run to the right and tackled him for a three yard loss on third down, meaning Pittsburgh's hopes of a long field evaporated.

Cassel then hit Chris Chambers with a 61yard pass, their second long hook-up of the day, to set up the winning chip shot from the Steelers 4.

The Chiefs have now won two on the bounce, with Cassel, Chambers, Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe all coming up with some big offensive plays. They have a long way to go, they're 3-7 after all, but first year head coach Todd Haley's work to forge a good team is beginning to pay off.

-Great game in Baltimore, but the Colts prove to be too good for the Ravens. The wind could have so easily been taken out of the Ravens sails after Peyton Manning marched the Colts offense down the field on their very first drive for a 7 play, 89 yard touchdown.

But the Ravens defense wasn't fazed and for the rest of the game was at its aggressive big-hitting best, picking off Manning twice, forcing a fumble and three punts.

Baltimore was let down by its offense though, which struggled in the red zone. Enter Billy Cundiff, the journeyman placekicker, who had been signed by the Ravens only four days earlier. He made 5 of 6 kicks, accounting for all the Ravens points on the day. The Ravens clearly lack in targets for their quarterback Joe Flacco, who threw 16 of his 23 completions to Derrick Mason and dump-off man running back Ray Rice.

The Colts are sitting pretty at 10-0, having beaten three good teams in their last three games. Manning, last season's MVP, continues to be the league's best player and is forging a potent Colts offense out of his new young weapons, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. He even got backup tight end Tom Santi, who hadn't caught a pass all year, in on the act against the Ravens, finding him 6 times for 80 yards.

-Hands up if you saw the 75 point game between the Lions and Browns coming. That's what I thought. 51 points in the first half? 912 yards of total offense? 9 touchdown passes from two quarterbacks who had only thrown 7 between them all year?

Sure, part of the reason the shootout came about was because of the teams' awful defenses, but still both sets of fans will be relieved to see that their young quarterbacks can throw for over 300 yards and lead their teams down the field.

-How quickly form is won and lost in the NFL. Both the Patriots and Chargers lost their match ups earlier in the season against big divisional rivals, the Jets and Broncos respectively. Yet only a few weeks later, it was the Pats and Bolts turn to win convincingly Sunday afternoon against these same two teams. As the Patriots and Chargers savor their revenge, the Jets and Broncos will be left to wonder where their early season mojo has gone.

Picking NFL Week 11

How I did last week: 8-6.

I'm not a Patriots fan, but I felt their pain after Belichick's “interesting” decision cost me a pretty decent 9-5 week. Also, the Bengals have burned me two weeks in a row by winning games I picked them to lose, so you better believe it will be a while before I pick against them again, especially with their soft upcoming schedule

Record on the season: 15-12.

Still most definitely finding my predicting feet....

Colts at Ravens: Peyton Manning dissected the Patriots pass defense in the fourth quarter last week, and though the Ravens shut out the Browns on Monday night, the only other team that they've held under 17 points all season was the slumping Broncos in Week 8. The Colts have too much momentum heading into this one. Colts.

Steelers at Chiefs: Any doubts as to how important safety Troy Polamalu is to the Steelers? In the five games Polamalu has taken the field, the Steelers have given up an average of 13.8 points. The games he has watched from the sidelines? 22 points per game. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin announced on Friday that Polamalu would miss the game at Arrowhead, but the Chiefs offense is ranked 30^th in the league so it probably won't matter for this game. Looking down the road though, Pittsburgh fans better be praying that he recovers quickly. Steelers.

49ers at Packers: The Packers came up with a big win at Lambeau against the hot Cowboys last week, while the 49ers scraped by the Bears. This might be a close one because of the 49ers stout defense, but until they get more stability at the quarterback position I'll think twice before picking them. Packers.

Bills at Jaguars: Dick Jauron was the first coach to get the boot in the NFL this year, as Bills owner Ralph Wilson let him go on Tuesday. Sometimes teams get a new surge of life after a change in leadership, but the Bills run D has been abysmal this year, and in addition to missing defensive tackle Marcus Stroud on Sunday, they will be facing the red hot Maurice Jones-Drew who has averaged over 130 yards of rushing against his last four opponents. Jaguars.

Browns at Lions: I gave big props to quarterback Matthew Stafford for his performance in a losing effort against the Vikings. Now the baby-faced rookie has a chance to prove his worth by leading his team to an important victory against the awful Browns. I think he'll do it, but only just. Lions.

Seahawks at Vikings: The Vikings will look to clean up their performance against the 'Hawks after getting involved in a bit of a dogfight against the Lions last week. After watching Kurt Warner carve up Seattle's secondary, expect Brett Favre to get lots of opportunities to air it out on Sunday (which he'll love, by the way). Vikings.

Redskins at Cowboys: Upset of the Week: This should be a bounce back game for the Cowboys, as they respond to the tepid performance they produced against Green Bay, just after their hot streak had got everyone's attention. But while Dallas was struggling at Lambeau, the Redskins got a potentially very important win against the Broncos. In the NFC East, the waters tend stay murky till the last couple games. Redskins.

Falcons at Giants: Both these teams sit at 5-4, and dropping to .500 at this point in the year is not an option if you want to have a legitimate shot of making the playoffs. The G-men are coming off their bye week, and I think they have too much talent not to buck their four game losing streak and take this one. On the flip side, if New York can't get pressure on him, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan could have a field day against the Giants depleted secondary. Giants.

Saints at Buccaneers: I expect the Bucs to keep this one close just as the Rams did last week, but the Saints will not lose their undefeated record this weekend. Saints.

Cardinals at Rams: The Cardinals have been perfect away from home this year, and have won 5 of their last 6. The Rams will try to get Steven Jackson a ton of carries, chew up the clock and keep the high-octane Cardinals offense off the field. But playing the Saints as close as they did last weekend will have taken a lot out of them. Cardinals.

Jets at Patriots: The Jets season has completely unraveled from a promising start, they will be no match for an angry Patriots team intent on maintaining its two game lead in the AFC East after Miami's victory over Carolina. The Jets actually beat the Pats earlier in the year, but in terms of form and confidence, this is almost an entirely different team. Patriots.

Chargers at Broncos: The Broncos really needed to beat the Redskins last week to get back on track before playing their old divisional foe Sunday. As it turned out, not only did they lose, but their quarterback Kyle Orton went down with a sprained left ankle, meaning that backup Chris Simms might be taking the snaps against San Diego. The Chargers have turned their season around since they lost to the Broncos on October 19^th, and will be in a punishing mood for the rematch. Chargers.

Bengals at Oakland: I already told you I wasn't going to pick against the Bengals, even if they had been matched up against the '72 Dolphins and '07 Patriots rolled into one. But the '09 Oakland Raiders, you must be joking. Bengals.

Eagles at Bears: The Bears have been dreadful the last two weeks, imploding on defense against Arizona and then melting down offensively against the 49ers with Jay Cutler throwing five picks. This is must win game for the Eagles as well, as they have also lost their last two and have a ways to go to prove to everyone they are a good team this year. To do that they are going to have to shore up that leaky defense. Eagles.

Titans at Texans: I was all set to pick Houston in this one, because I'm not that I'm totally buying the Titans turnaround, but then I saw that the Texans just barely snatched a victory over the Titans on September 20^th right when Tennessee was in the midst of its six game losing streak to start the year. If the Texans were only three points better than that Titans team...Titans.

Can't Miss Clip of NFL Week 10

On this play, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson shows both his greatest strengths -his moves, ability to break tackles, and accleration- and his greatest weakness - fumbling the football.

You have to give props to Lions cornerback Philip Buchanon though who not only stayed with the play but executed the perfect punchout to save a touchdown and give Detroit the ball back

NFL Week 10 Rankings

The Fab Five

1. Colts (9-0): Yes, they did benefit from Bill Belichick's strange coaching decision, and yes, their leader and best player Peyton Manning did throw two bad interceptions against New England on Sunday, but you can't ignore the fact that the Colts have come through two tough games against the Texans and the Patriots with victories.

The Pats couldn't stop or even slow Manning in the fourth quarter and Reggie Wayne, who they'd tried to take out of the equation all day, ended up with 126 receiving yards and the winning TD. Meanwhile the Colts injury-ravaged D came up with some big stops in the second half.

The best football teams make the fourth quarter theirs, and that's why the Colts take over at the top of the pile this week.

2. Saints (9-0): People were shocked to see the Rams give the Saints such a close game on Sunday, but don't be surprised if it keeps happening in the coming weeks. The undefeated Saints have a huge target on their backs, meaning that the teams they face will continue to give them their best shot week after week. There will be no easy games here on out for New Orleans.

3. Vikings (8-1): Well Brett Favre's arm looked in good shape against Detroit, didn't it? He threw deep ball after deep ball to his new favorite target Sidney Rice, completing a pass of 56, and two of 43 yards. These days, Favre seems to live to continue to prove his detractors wrong.

4. Bengals (8-2): Signing free agent "bad boy" running back Larry Johnson as an insurance policy for Cedric Benson was an interesting move by the Bengals this week. You have to wonder whether it was wise to take any chances with disrupting their new found winning chemistry. However in reality, LJ fits in perfectly with the Bengals newly-forged identity as a team of talented but troubled players who have something to prove: Benson, Roy Williams, Tank Johnson, Chris Henry, and rookies Rey Maualuga and Michael Johnson.

5. Chargers (6-3): Four weeks ago, the Chargers were 2-3 having just been outclassed in a Monday Nighter by the Broncos. Two confidence boosting wins against the Raiders and Chiefs have led to two big wins against NFC East powerhouse teams, the Giants and Eagles. Philip Rivers is performing the best out of the young generation of quarterbacks in the league, and LT has a new reason to run hard.

The Fat Five

32. Browns (1-8): With the eyes of all of America on them on Monday night, the Browns had a great opportunity to show any sign of life and give their fans some hope. They didn't. Sure he was facing a good defense, but I think there are a number of college quarterbacks who would have done better job than Brady Quinn did against the Ravens. By the second half, there was such a look of pain on coach Eric Mangini's face. He knows after this Browns job goes away, it will be a while until another NFL team hands him the reins.

31. Lions (1-8): Unlike the Browns, there were some positives for the Lions to take from their loss to the Vikings. They now need to turn those positives into wins though, starting this week, with a simply must-win game against Cleveland.

30. Oakland (2-7): The Raiders have been flirting with a spot in the bottom five all year, and thanks to another inept performance against the Chiefs, they have finally arrived. Quarterback JaMarcus Russell said he was surprised and disappointed to have been pulled in the third quarter by coach Tom Cable after completing 8 of 23 passes for 64 yards. That very statement tells you all you need to know about the former number 1 overall pick, who doesn't seem to hold himself to a high standard and lacks competitiveness. Add that to the major disappointment the Raiders last two first round picks, Darren McFadden and Darrius Heyward-Bey, have been and you begin to understand the plight Oakland find themselves in.

29. Buccaneers (1-8): Although both the next two teams, the Bucs and Rams, lost this weekend, neither team looked that bad. Though they lost the game in the end, Josh Freeman led another fourth quarter comeback, and looks the part of an NFL starter so far. Contrast his post-game quote, "I feel pretty miserable right now because of the loss. You hate to lose. That's the only thing on my mind,'' with that of Russell's and it tells you a lot about both players.

28.Rams (1-8): Small mention here for a running back in a column dominated by quarterbacks: almost unnoticed, Stephen Jackson is having a Pro Bowl season on a disappointing team. He had 131 rushing yards against the Saints, is averaging over a hundred yards a game, and his yards-per-carry average, 4.8, is the highest it's been since he burst on the scene as a rookie in 2o04. The man is still only 26, and he represents a great foundation the Rams can build upon.

NFL Week 10

- Colts triumphs in the latest installment of “Rivalry of the Decade.” It seemed all over as Tom Brady hit Randy Moss for a touchdown to put the Patriots 31-14 up with the second play of the fourth quarter. Maybe New England's D thought so too, because they went AWOL on two Colts possessions, allowing them to first march 79 yards on 5 plays in 2 minutes, then 48 yards on a 6 plays, plus a 30 yard pass interference penalty, in 1:49.

His defense's implosion was so evident to Pats coach Bill Belichick that he decided ride Tom Brady and go for it on 4^th and 2 with just over 2 minutes to go, from his own 29! I'm certainly not a fan of conservative play-calling at the end of games, but I tend to come down the side of NBC's analysts who universally trashed Belichick's decision as one of the worst of his career.

When Kevin Faulk came up short on the play, Peyton Manning and the Colts only had to go 30 yards for the win, and left the Patriots with no time.

That eventful fourth quarter may have huge on impact on both franchises' seasons. Indeed for much of the game, the Colts looked second-best to the Patriots. Uncharacteristically Manning threw a couple of really bad picks, while the Colts D got gashed on a number of big plays by Randy Moss. But they came through the game still undefeated and will get a big mental boost from their comeback.

For the Patriots, the faces of Belichick and Brady at the end of the game told the whole story: it was a soul crushing loss. Not only that, but you have to wonder about the possible repercussions of the lack of confidence shown by Belichick showed in his young defense at the end of the game.

- Bengals come out on top of the Steelers in defensive battle. Pittsburgh's D has been one of the most dominant in the NFL for a while, but Cincinnati matched it stop for stop on Sunday. The Bengals front seven harried Ben Roethlisberger all day, sacking him four times and forcing him into a number of inaccurate throws, while the secondary produced the stiffling coverage that has been its trademark all year.

Neither team gave up an offensive touchdown in what turned into the battle of the kickers and special teams at Heinz Field. In the end, Bernard Scott 96-yard kickoff return and kicker Shayne Graham's four field goals were enough for the Bengals.

Anyone who's been watching the NFL this season has known for a while that this Bengals team was different from previous years, but coming to Pittsburgh and beating the defending Superbowl champs for the second time this year should prove to everyone just how good this team is.

-Matthew Stafford has a good day. The number one pick of last year's draft has had his performances criticized here and everywhere else this season, but even though he didn't get the win on Sunday, the Georgia product flashed his potential against the Vikings.

After he threw five interceptions against the Seahawks last week, Detroit fans must have been fearing the worst (oh wait, that already happened last season) as he faced off with the Vikings tremendous pass rush.

I'm sure Jim Schwartz took his quarterback aside after the Seattle game and told him that his main focus this week was to cut out the mistakes from his game. Stafford responded. He managed the game well, consistently moved around in the pocket to get away from pressure, and most importantly had only his second NFL start without throwing an interception.

Lesson learned for Stafford: without any crucial mistakes, his Lions stayed in the game against a far more talented Vikings team until the fourth quarter.

Stafford's rookie learning curve was always going to be steep on a sub-par team, as his performances this year have shown, but the kid clearly has the potential to be a very good starting quarterback in this league.

-Vince Young and Chris Johnson might be the hottest combo in the NFL right. Those two have pretty much single-handedly dragged the Titans out of the mire of their 0-6 start. Young completed 17 of 25 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown, while Johnson rushed for 132 yards and caught 9 balls, more than the rest of the Titans combined, for another 100.

The Titans have won three in a row, but we'll get a better sense of whether their comeback is for real in the next few weeks, as they take on the Texans, the Colts and the Cardinals.

-It just hit Josh McDaniels that being a head coach in the NFL isn't as easy as it seemed three weeks ago. When this happens to you, you know your team is in a slump.

-The Cardinals offense is just as explosive as it was last year. Perhaps even more so with the addition of rookie running back Chris Wells. “Beanie” rushed for 85 yards and 2 touchdowns and played confidently, even drawing a penalty flag for pushing a defender after some jawing back and forth. They may be frustratingly inconsistent this season, but the Cards are a bucket of fun to watch.

Picking NFL Week 10

Falcons at Panthers: Upset of the Week: The Panthers winning this game wouldn't be a total shocker, but the Falcons are putting another steady playoff campaign together. Atlanta beat Carolina by 8 when they played earlier this year, but I just have a feeling that Jake Delhomme is settling down and the Panthers are heating up. Panthers.

Lions at Vikings: The Vikings just have far too much talent to lose to the Lions. Adrian Peterson will break a couple big runs and Matthew Stafford will struggle against Minnesota's pass rush. Vikings.

Buccaneers at Dolphins: Aside from their two shootout wins against the Jets, the Dolphins have only beaten the hapless Bills this year. Look for that to change Sunday, as Josh Freeman struggles in his second NFL start. Dolphins.

Bills at Titans: The offensive duo of Chris Johnson, perhaps the best running back in the league, and the revitalized Vince Young has looked awfully good the last two weeks. The Titans weakness is on the defensive side of the ball, something the Bills, whether or not Terrell Owens suits up to play, don't have the weapons to exploit. Titans.

Broncos at Redskins: Josh McDaniels will be glad the Redskins showed up on the Broncos schedule after two tough losses against the Ravens and Steelers. Against those two elite defenses, Kyle Orton displayed some of his limitations as a quarterback Denver fans were worried about when he stepped in for Jay Cutler. Although the Redskins D is pretty good, they won't put up enough points to beat the Broncos in this one. Broncos.

Jaguars at Jets: The Jets are coming off a bye and really need to get their season back on track at the Meadowlands. The Jags have been so-so and haven't beaten anyone good yet. Jets.

Bengals at Steelers: The first marquee match up of the weekend. I'm loathed to pick against the Bengals after they proved me wrong by beating the Ravens last week, but against the Broncos on Monday night, the Steelers looked to be nearing their Superbowl winning form of last winter. Moreover the Bengals are going to have to lose a divisional game at some point, aren't they? Steelers.

Saints at Rams: Best team in football against one of the worst the NFL has to offer. Four words: Drew Brees all day. Saints.

Chiefs at Raiders: Well, the Raiders beat the Chiefs earlier this year with JaMarcus Russell completing only 7 of 24 passes, and the running game gaining only 67 rushing yards. Yet the Chiefs were the better team on the day but committed a bucket load mistakes. I know who won't be winning on Sunday? The viewer. I'll go for the Chiefs getting some revenge in Oakland. Chiefs.

Eagles at Chargers: I won't over think this one. Eagles beat the Giants by 23 two weeks ago, Chargers beat the Giants by 1 last week. Eagles.

Seahawks at Cardinals: The Cardinals are so hot and cold, hot being when they travel, cold when they play at home. But Seattle really labored to get back into that game with Detroit, while Arizona was dicing the Bears in Chicago. The Cards have to start winning at home at some point, right? Cardinals.

Cowboys at Packers: The pressure the Cowboys got on Donovan McNabb last week was impressive, and the Packers offensive line has struggled to protect Aaron Rodgers all year. So while I'm tempted to pick Green Bay, despite Dallas' hot streak, simply because the NFL is so unpredictable sometimes, I can't quite overlook this blatant mismatch. Cowboys.

Patriots at Colts: Marquee match up number 2. When these two teams play each, it is probably still the most anticipated date on the NFL calendar, especially with Tom Brady back. Some of the games the Colts and Patriots have served up in the last few years have been simply been riveting. Expect Sunday to be no different. Manning and Brady will both be on their games, but I think Indiannapolis' injuries on D will finally catch up with them. Patriots.

Ravens at Browns: With the state the Browns are in right now both on and off the field, apart from diehard fans, does anyone really watch them play? And yet here they are on Monday Night Football for what may well be their last appearance for while. ESPN must be licking their chops at the prospect. Ravens.

NFL Week 9 Rankings

The Fab Five

1. Saints (8-0): The last two weeks, The Saints have shown their resilience coming from behind in both games to stay undefeated. Don't expect them to have to come from behind against the hapless Rams though.

2. Colts (8-0): The Colts jump above the inactive Vikings this week. They were really tested by the Texans, and I'm still not sure they would beat Minnesota head-to-head, but they are still unbeaten. We are going to know a lot more about the Colts after their showdown with the Pats on Sunday night.

3. Vikings (7-1): Brett Favre didn't look like he needed a bye week to rest his reconstructed shoulder, but he got it nonetheless. Last season that shoulder was the reason his form dipped in the second half and Jets season fell apart. Favre's continued good health will be almost as important as winning games for Minnesota in the next two months.

4. Steelers (6-2): Getting Troy Polamalu back from injury has been huge for the Steelers defense, which looked to be getting back to its stiffling best against the Broncos. The Steelers jump ahead of the Patriots this week due to the fact that after all, they are the defending Superbowl champions.

5. Patriots (6-2): The Patriots will probably never again be the football-game-winning machine they were in 2007, but they have been getting better and better as the season wears on. Just like for the Colts, Sunday night will huge in forging this Patriots team's identity.

The Fat Five:

32. Browns (1-7): Cleveland falls to the bottom of the pile this week. Disarray on the management side of things, poor performances on the field, this Browns team might sit here for a while.

31. Lions (1-7): Matthew Stafford had his worst game as a Lion against the Seahawks, throwing 5 picks, and making a lot of poor decisions. Detroit also blew a 17 point lead against an average NFL team, and only scored 3 points in the last three quarters. Now they travel to Minnesota where Stafford will face a physical defense and the best defensive end in football right now, Jared Allen.

30. Chiefs (1-7): This is a rebuilding young team who played the Jaguars close last week. Interesting game against Oakland coming up, one that the Chiefs have a realistic chance of winning. Unlike some of the other teams in the bottom five, this is a team going in the right direction.

29. Rams (1-7): St Louis have only beaten the Lions this year, and that was the easiest game on their schedule this year. Time to start looking at next year's draft prospects...

28. Buccaneers (1-7): Tampa Bay jump up four spots this week on the strength of their comeback win against Green Bay. Coach Raheem Morris came out and heaped a lot of praise on rookie quarterback Josh Freeman after his performance in his first NFL start. The question is: can Freeman continue to perform as people start expect more from him?

NFL Week 9

-Last year they experimented with the Wildcat, this year the Dolphins are trying to play with two quarterbacks: The Pat White experiment was in full flow against the Patriots. Particularly in the first half of the game, White split time with Chad Henne at the quarterback position, throwing one pass and rushing six times. White broke one rush of 33 yards, but apart from that he wasn't particularly effective.

There's something strange about seeing a quarterback who has just completed a pass and picked up a first down trudging off the field, as Henne did a number of times against New England. While the Wildcat has been a big success in Miami, the two quarterback offense still has a ways to go. Just ask Michael Vick...

-The education of Vontae Davis: One of the fascinating subplots of the Patriots-Dolphins showdown was the play of rookie corner back Vontae Davis, the younger brother of 49ers tight end Vernon Davis. Entering the draft out of Illinois, questions surrounded Davis over his attitude and ability to be coached. The Dolphins gambled and picked him with the 25^th pick of the first round.

On Sunday, Davis showed his potential early on when he intercepted a slightly under-thrown deep ball from Tom Brady while covering Randy Moss. However, he then witnessed first hand why Moss is one of the league's premier pass catchers.

First, Moss got up over Davis' tight coverage to catch another long Brady pass which set up a Patriots touchdown, and then in the second half, Moss broke free from Davis' coverage on a crossing route, caught the ball, and delivered a beautiful stiff arm to Davis. As Davis stumbled and fell, Moss raced 71 yards to the end zone to give New England a lead they would not relinquish.

Davis flashed his potential one more time late in the game, when with 3:43 left, he came up with a big defensive play, breaking up a bubble screen thrown by Brady on a third and 5, forcing the Patriots to punt and giving the Dolphins one last chance to win the game.

All in all, so far Davis has responded well to the criticism he received for his attitude in college, and looks to have a great future ahead of him. It is interesting that four rookies who had question marks surrounding their character entering the draft, Davis, Percy Harvin, Michael Oher, and Rey Maualuga, have all seen lots of playing time so far this season and have been amongst the most impressive rookies.

-Something good is cooking in Cincy. The Bengals are hot right now, and running back Cedric Benson looks like a different player than the one who struggled both on the field and with the law in Chicago. With Benson having another 100 yard day, and Carson Palmer healthy and throwing the ball well, the Bengals at 6-2, and 4-0 in division play, look in a good position for their first playoffs appearance since 2005.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Bengals is their defense, which has been dismal over the last few seasons. In addition to boasting one of the best corner back tandems in the league in Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall, who both picked Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco on Sunday, they have only allowed 16.9 points per game this season.

-The Texans-Colts game lives up to expectations: The Texans have an atrocious record against their conference rivals, and although they lost again on Sunday, the Colts needed to produce a great performance to stay perfect at 8-0.

With neither team moving the ball in the running game, the match up turned into a shootout which Peyton Manning won, barely, as Texan kicker Kris Brown missed a 43-yarder as time expired which would have taken the game to overtime.

-Two rookie quarterbacks have very different days: While Josh Freeman was leading the Buccaneers to their first win of the season against Green Bay, Matthew Stafford, the no. 1 overall pick of last year's draft, got off to a hot start before letting the game slip away.

Freeman threw for 205 yards and three touchdown passes as he led the Bucs to a fourth quarter comeback. Freeman was far from perfect on the day, as he threw an interception, and had another interception wiped out because a penalty on the go-ahead drive. But he did enough.

Stafford threw two touchdowns in the first ten minutes, and the Lions were up 17-0 at the end of the first quarter. Not much went right for Stafford after that though, as he threw 5 interceptions, including a couple to linebacker David Hawthorne.

You have to feel a little sorry for Stafford, he hasn't had a lot of help from his offense, and he's now been upstaged by both the other first round quarterbacks, Mark Sanchez and Josh Freeman. But until he stops trying to do too much, and making some of the horrible throws like he did on Sunday, his slump will continue.

-For a second, I believed in Alex Smith's comeback. When, at the end of the second quarter, Smith got away from pressure, looked as if he was going to just throw it away, but instead threw a touchdown strike at the back of the end zone to Jason Hill, I believed in his comeback. I really did.

Then in the fourth quarter, the old Alex Smith reappeared. He practically bore holes in his primary receiver Josh Morgan as he stared him down, allowing Chris Hope to step in front of the pass and intercept it. On the very next offensive snap, he threw a interception to Cortland Finnegan who returned it for a touchdown, putting the final nail in the 49ers coffin. I wouldn't be surprised if Shaun Hill was back next week.

-Cowboys emerge from ugly game in Philly. 19 penalties and 3 challenges, Dallas came off the laundry-littered Lincoln Financial Field with a victory and control of the NFC East. Their defense did a fantastic job of constantly pressuring Donovan McNabb, and shutting down the Eagles young receivers. For his part, McNabb had an indifferent day, tossing up two picks and making a number of inaccurate throws.

How about Miles Austin? After lighting up the league the last few weeks, the Cowboys' receiver hadn't made a catch through three quarters, as the Eagles seemed intent on shutting him down. Then with eight minutes left in the game, Austin absolutely scorched the Eagles' experienced corner Sheldon Brown on a slant-and-go route, and took it to the house. He finished with one catch on the day, the game winner.

Whisper it for now, but Austin may just be the spark to the Cowboys offense that allows Tony Romo to recapture his mojo and saves Wade Philips' job.

Man Utd vs Chelsea

So often when the top teams in the Premier League clash, the first goal is crucially important. And when that goal comes in the 76th minute, generally it's enough to take the win.

John Terry rose above the Manchester United defense to flick in Frank Lampard's free kick with 13 minutes left to hand Chelsea all three points and leave them five points clear at the top of the Premiership table.

The last few meetings between these teams, who have dominated the English Premier League for the past five years, have been extremely close and Sunday was no different.

The teams traded blows throughout the afternoon, with neither creating an abundance of real clear cut chances.

The first half was particularly tight, with both teams primarily restricted to taking a number of low long range shots. Either side the half hour mark, each side had their best chance of the half.

First, Ryan Giggs flicked first time over Petr Cech but also also over the crossbar when he might have taken a touch. Then Nicolas Anelka cut inside from the right channel, and struck a left footed shot across goal that Edwin Van der Sar kept out with a one-handed save.

The game opened up a little in the second half, but the flow of opportunities did not increase as both sides defended stoutly. Lax refereeing on the part of Martin Atkinson, who allowed the players to get away with too much, meant the game became more and more chippy as it wore on.

A flashpoint occurred with 15 minutes to go when Johnny Evans went up for a header with Didier Drogba and caught the Ivorian striker in the chest with his boot. Much to the frustration of Chelsea who felt Evans' action was intentional, the defender escaped punishment and it was Drogba who went into the book.

A couple minutes later, Chelsea was in front in controversial circumstances. Darren Fletcher was penalized for a challenge on Ashley Cole where he seemed to get the ball. On the ensuing kick, which Terry headed in, United argued that Drogba was not only in an offside position, but also tugged Wesley Brown to the ground.

Their protests fell on deaf ears, and as Chelsea looked to protect their lead, off-the-ball infractions and fouls grew more and more frequent.

Chelsea defended admirably in the last few minutes, withstanding United pressure who rained balls into the box and won a number of corners. The last opportunity of the game fell to Antonio Valencia when a loose ball fell to him in the box. He snatched at the chance however, and pulled his shot well wide ending United's hope of repeating their late midweek comeback against CSKA Moscow.

Ducks go down at Stanford

Stanford did more than knock off #7 Oregon and put itself back in the Pac-10 running Saturday, they beat the hottest team in college football.

Not many picked Oregon to beat USC last weekend, and perhaps even fewer predicted a Stanford win this week.

But Stanford (6-3, 5-2 Pac-10) executed a perfect game plan and came through to record an impressive 51-42 victory over the Ducks (7-2, 5-1).

“I'm just proud of my players,” Cardinal Coach John Harbaugh said down on the field after the game, surrounded by the Stanford student body, “Our team expressed who we are today.”

The Stanford offense was the story of the day, scoring on 9 of their 13 possessions including 6 touchdowns and 3 field goals. Cardinal running back Toby Gerhart was as advertized, providing a continuous stream of tough, bruising runs. He broke 100 yards rushing in the first half, and finished with a school record 223 yards and three touchdowns. By the end of the game, he looked winded, sore and exhausted, but still wanted one last rush to ice the game for the Cardinal.

Perhaps more surprising was the performance Andrew Luck, the freshman quarterback from Houston. Much is expected of Luck in the future, but even the most diehard Cardinal fan would not have predicted his first half performance. Succeeding where Jake Locker and Matt Barkley had failed, Luck picked apart the Ducks inexperienced secondary in the first two quarters.

While he only had 12 completions on the day, two of those were touchdown passes, and he averaged an eye-popping 21 yards per throw. His ability to throw the deep ball really put Stanford in the driving seat early on. Throughout the game Luck did a great job of recognizing different coverages, and most importantly only threw one bad pass which was dropped by Spencer Paysinger. His poise was also excellent, often releasing the ball just before getting hit.

Oregon's offense responded well to playing constant catch-up. After a slow start, they ended up with 580 total yards. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli actually had one of the best days passing the football in a Duck uniform. He completed 22 of 38 passes, with a number of drops, for 343 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The Ducks rallied in the fourth quarter, scoring two touchdowns, and cutting the Stanford lead from 20 to 6. But in the end, their defense's inability to stop the power running game of Toby Gerhart throughout the second half meant Oregon always had too ground to make up and not enough time to make it happen. A Nate Whitaker field goal with 11 seconds sealed one of the biggest wins in the history of Stanford football.

Picking NFL Week 9

Cardinals at Bears: These teams look awfully similar to this point. Both have 4-3 records, both have scored a little over 22 points a game, and the Cardinals have allowed 20.4 points to the Bears 21.4 points. Cutler hasn't been as good as advertized, but Warner threw 5 picks last week. Close one, but Cutler pulls Bears through. Bears.

Redskins at Falcons: The Falcons' defense slowed down the potent Saints last week, I can't see them struggling against the Redskins toothless offense. Falcons.

Ravens at Bengals: The Bengals have surprised everyone this year, not least the Ravens who they beat in Baltimore with a last minute drive. However, Ravens defense looked much improved against the Broncos, and will be out for revenge in Cincinnati. Ravens.

Chiefs at Jaguars: The Jaguars gave the Titans their first win last weekend despite 177 rushing yards from Maurice Jones-Drew, while the Chiefs are coming off their bye. Jones-Drew will stay hot against the Chiefs and carry them the Jags victory. Jaguars.

Texans at Colts: Upset of the Week: The Texans have a horrible record against the Colts, they are 1-13 against their conference rivals. However, the Texans are hot, having won 3 of their last 4, and will look to provide the first stiff test the undefeated Colts have faced. Texans tight end Owen Daniels is out for the year, meaning Matt Schaub will be missing one of his favorite targets, but the Colts lost safety Bob Sanders for the year Friday, and are also without cornerbacks Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden. Texans.

Packers at Buccaneers: Bucs fans should not expect to much from rookie quarterback Josh Freeman in his first NFL start. I see the Packers using this game to finally get Brett Favre out of their recent memory. Packers.

Dolphins at Patriots: Last time the Dolphins visited at Foxborough, the Patriots just couldn't figure out the Wildcat offense, and Ronnie Brown had a huge game leading the Dolphins to a blowout victory and the AFC East title. Anyone who knows Bill Belichick's coaching style knows he won't the Patriots forget that game. Patriots.

Lions at Seahawks: The Seahawks aren't great this year, but they'll have too much for the re-building Lions, who couldn't overcome the Rams last week. Seahawks.

Panthers at Saints: The Saints are the best team in football right now, and the Panthers just don't have enough to challenge them. Even with the extra factor of the division rivalry, I can't see the Saints losing this one. Saints.

Chargers at Giants: The Giants looked vulnerable against McNabb's deep ball last week, and it just so happens that Philip Rivers throws one of the best deep balls in the NFL and Vincent Jackson is a legitimate deep threat. Eli Manning will be better than last week, but expect the Giants secondary to repeatedly get burned too many times for it to matter. Chargers.

Titans at 49ers: The 49ers have lost their last three, two close ones and a blowout to the Falcons. Alex Smith will get the start and needs to perform at Candlestick. Vince Young completed 15 of 18 passes last week in his comeback and running back Chris Johnson rushed for over 220 yards. Don't expect those two to find it as easy against the Niners D though. 49ers.

Cowboys at Eagles: Both teams looked good in their wins last weekend, and overall their starts to the year have been remarkably similar. However, before I would pick against Philly, Tony Romo needs to show up in a big game. Moreover, it's hard to forget the whupping the Cowboys took last time they took on the Eagles. Eagles.

Steelers at Broncos: This is a great Monday Night match-up, and another tough one to pick. The Steelers are coming off their bye after beating the Vikings last time they took the field, while the Broncos were throttled by the Ravens. I think Josh McDaniels' fairytale start as a head coach will come a little more unraveled here, as Orton struggles against another physical D. Steelers.

NFL Week 8 Rankings

The Fab Five:

1. Saints (7-0): The Saints stayed unbeaten despite a stiff test from the Falcons. Until a team manages to stop their high-powered offense, it's hard to see them falling from the top spot.

2. Vikings (6-1): Yes, they have lost a game, but that loss came against the Steelers at Heinz Field, a tough game for any team in the league. Bottom line: I feel that the Vikings would beat the Colts if they played tomorrow, and that's why they sit at 2.

3. Colts (7-0): They may be undefeated, and have the best defense in terms of points allowed, but I can't ignore their weak schedule. They've only played one team with a winning record so far, the Cardinals at 4-3. In the next four weeks they play the Texans twice, the Patriots and the Ravens. After that stretch, we'll know a lot more about this team.

4. Broncos (6-1): Even the Broncos were given a real shellacking by the Ravens, I can't ignore their previous body of work, including impressive wins against the Cowboys, the Patriots, and the Chagers.

5. Patriots (5-2): I could have gone with a number of 5-2 teams here. Up to this point, very little separates the Patriots from the Cowboys, Eagles and Steelers. Even the Ravens could stake a claim to this spot. Why I went for the Patriots? I have a feeling Tom Brady will warmed up and ready for the big games against the Colts and the Saints next month.

The Fat Five:

32. Buccanneers (0-7): As the only team without a win, the Bucs were a slam dunk for this spot. They had the bye week to think about their beat down by the Pats. Is it time for rookie quaterback Josh Freeman to be handed the keys against Green Bay?

31. Browns (1-7): Rookie GM George Kokinis has been made the scapegoat for the Browns dismal start, as he was shown the door on Monday. I'm not sure the move will keep the fans off head coach Eric Mangini for too long though.

30. Lions (1-6): The Lions lost the battle of the basement against the Rams on Sunday. Rookie QB Matthew Stafford had a bad day, and the Lions couldn't stop Steven Jackson.

29. Chiefs (1-6): Coming off a bye week and the Larry Johnson distraction, the Chiefs should be wary of an angry Jacksonville who lost to the winless Titans.

28. Rams (1-6): The Rams and the Titans both won their first games this weekend, but still stake a claim to this spot. However I can't overlook the Titans' potential (they were 13-3 last year after all), especially if the resurrection of the 2007 version of Vince Young continues.

Photo: Associated Press

MNF Thoughts: Week 8: Falcons Vs Saints

-Drew Brees and the Saints offense wasn't in full steamroll mode but they had too much for the Falcons. Brees took some pressure and hits in the first half, and the Falcons ended up sticking around until the fourth quarter. However, despite some late game theatrics, the Saints were just a little too good for the Falcons. Brees had 308 yards passing, and spread the ball around well to his stable of receivers. Saints look awfully good at 7-0

-Matt Ryan has still got some learning to do: His nickname is “Matty Ice”, and everyone talks about how great Matt Ryan's decision-making is but, boy, was that an ugly throw at the end of the second quarter.

Ryan threw a pass that just wasn't there to Roddy White, which Saints corner back Jabari Greer intercepted and took to the house. That decision meant his team went in at halftime down by 14 instead of 7.

His second pick of the night came on a deflection by Saints 'backer Jonathan Vilma, so can't be entirely pinned on him, but it nonetheless occurred at a crucial moment in the game, in the fourth quarter, with the Falcons down four.

He also threw an interception the very end of the game on a Hail Mary toss.

-Brent Grimes is only 5ft 8. He had no right to get up that high to intercept Brees' pass in the first half. Man, what a vertical.

-The fall of Reggie Bush: Pierre Thomas was an undrafted running back out of Illinois in 2007. Not only did Mike Bell go undrafted out of Arizona in 2006 but he has already been cut by two NFL teams in his short career.

Yet both of them appear to be ahead of Reggie Bush, the second overall pick of that same 2006 draft, in the Saints rushing depth chart right now. Bell had 17 carries on the night, Thomas had 14 but Bush only had two. Bush, the former Heisman winner, seems to have had his role reduced to that of a part-time gadget player and return man.

The Saints coaches seem intent on working to help Bush regain his confidence. They put the ball in his hands from a few yards out for an easy score in the first half but more tellingly when faced with the same situation in the fourth quarter, it was Thomas' number that got called. The question is: how long can they continue to coddle their former prize pick?

Can't Miss Clip of NFL Week 8

Check out the bowling ball effect in the Packers secondary allowing Percy Harvin to get to the endzone. To make matters worse, safety Nick Collins hurt his ankle on the play, though he returned later in the game.

NFL Week 8

-Brett Favre certainly enjoyed his return to Lambeau. He threw four touchdowns, to four different receivers. Although Green Bay managed to turn around what had all the makings of a blow out with the Vikings up 24-3 two minutes into the third quarter, Favre and the Vikings didn't let the momentum shift get to them first coming up with a number of big defensive plays, and a couple touchdown drives to finish the Packers off. Look out for Favre's budding relationship with rookie wide-out Percy Harvin, who is also a threat in the return game. Character questions caused Harvin to slide to 22^nd overall in the first round, but so far his head seems to be on straight, making him one of the steals of the draft.

-Both New York teams get cold: Through Week 4, the Giants were 4-0, and the Jets were 3-1, having just lost what was billed the game of the week against the red-hot Saints. Four weeks on and both teams sit at 4-4, with the Giants getting crushed by the Eagles, and the Jets losing another shoot-out with the Dolphins. In addition to Eli Manning inconsistent's play, the Giants much-heralded pass rush was non-existent against the Eagles, as McNabb picked their injury depleted secondary apart. With safety Kenny Philips is out for the year, and cornerback Aaron Ross missing Sunday's game with lingering hamstring issues, backups CC Brown and Michael Johnson and Terrell Thomas need to start performing.

For the Jets, the loss wasn't by as wide a margin, but it was perhaps more heartbreaking. Having already lost a Monday night thriller to the Dolphins, this time it was their turn to have the ball in the dying seconds with a chance to snatch the win. Sanchez took a sack on third down in the red zone, leaving him having to convert a fourth and thirteen. Pressured on the play, he backed up to the Dolphins' 30 before overthrowing his target in the end zone.

With the Yankees being as hot as they are right now, maybe there isn't enough room for another form team in the Big Apple at the moment.

-Baltimore look awfully good for a 4-3 team. First they lost to the Bengals when Carson Palmer connected with Andre Caldwell for the winning TD with 22 ticks remaining, then Steve Hauschka missed the go-ahead field goal with 2 seconds left against the Vikings. After two tough losses and coming off their bye, Baltimore looked like a hungry team against the Broncos. They knew they had a chance to knock off one of the last undefeated teams in the NFL, and came out firing.

Ed Reed's jarring hit caused Knowshon Moreno to fumble early on and was a sign of things to come. Baltimore's D shut down Orton and the Denver passing game, as receivers Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal had quiet games. What a difference two weeks makes for the Broncos who were also coming off a bye. thoroughly dominated the Chargers the last time they took the field.

-Miles Austin may not have had his best game statistically but he is one of the hottest receivers in the NFL right now: His stat sheet for the day, 5 catches for 61 yards and a touchdown, doesn't tell the whole story. He tormented Marcus Truffant all day, causing him to concede two pass interference penalties, and drew enough attention to open up other receivers for Tony Romo. No coincidence that Romo had his best game of the year throwing for over 250 yards and three touchdowns. Austin did lose some style points however for failing to get up over the crossbar for a celebratory dunk on his touchdown.

-Always be wary of teams that win when they're off their game: How often do the Colts win when Manning doesn't throw a touchdown pass? Joseph Addai accounted for the Colts' only TD when he found Reggie Wayne in the corner of the end zone on a trick play, as they moved to 7-0. Their game against the Texans looks like one of the best matchups of next weekend.