Rank 1-16

In the Red Zone

Slot

Team

Three easy steps/slides to get there

1

(4-0)

1. Call it revenge; call it a fire still burning; call it whatever you want. In the end, Brett Favre got what he wanted. Here’s hoping that when all is said and done –for good–, the price was worth it.
   
2. Unlike any of his power moves, Jared Allen subtlety grabbed the spotlight by amassing a career high 4 1/2 takedowns of Aaron Rodgers.
   
3. PRAISING ZONE. By taking down the Packers, Favre became the first QB to defeat all 32 teams. Quite a feat.
   

Move made:

(LW: 1)

2

(4-0)

1. Dwight Freeney would be less menacing if he didn’t have Robert Mathis (3 sacks against Seattle)
   as his partner in crime.
   
2. The Colts won their 13th straight regular-season game, the longest current streak in the NFL. Call them the Anti-Lio…I mean, Anti-Rams.
   
   
3. PRAISING ZONE. It’s been a while since he belongs in that class, but just to make sure, Peyton Manning tied Frank Tarkenton for No. 3 on the NFL’s career list for TD passes.

Move made:

(LW: 3)

3

(4-0)

1. Steve Smith should have been treated with mittens. His 11 catches for 134 yards and two TD’s were too hot for K.C. to handle.
   
2. Bryan Kehl recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff and an onside kick to start the second half. Now that’s what you want from your special-teamers.
   
3. PRAISING ZONE. The Giants completed an impressive three game road sweep. These road warriors make Mel Gibson proud.
   

Move made:

(LW: 4)

4

(4-0)

1. Safety Darren Sharper had his 10th interception return for a TD; that ranks as second best in such category in NFL history, but first in Reasons Why New Orleans Is In The Top Four.
   
2. I tried to put the Saints in front of the Giants. I decided to leave them here. In any case, I’ll get a verdict two weeks from today.
   
3. PRAISING ZONE.
   “The Saints outplayed us today,” Jets’ head coach Rex Ryan said. If you get that kind of humility from him, you’ve done something.

Move made:

(LW: 5)

5

(4-0)

1. For his career, Kyle Orton sports a 25-12 W-L record, including a 4-0 mark as Denver’s signal-caller.
   Did the Broncos actually bamboozle the Bears in the Cutler trade?
   
2. I’ve lost count of how many times Champ Bailey has affected games with a timely interception. Here’s a guess: more than a handful.
   
3. Mike Nolan does not deserve credit for Denver’s turnaround on defense. He deserves cash. And plenty.
   

Move made:

(LW:

6

(3-1)

1. With a 3-0 division record, the Niners are in the driver’s seat of the NFC West.
   
2. San Francisco scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams in the same contest for the first time since ‘97. That’s also known as team effort.
   
3. Is there a better pupil for Mike Singletary than Patrick Willis? Two and a half sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown cemented his status as the teacher’s pet.
   

Move made:

(LW: 9)

7

(3-1)

1. The Bayou proved to be the scenario where the inspiration of Broadway Jose came to a halt.
   Two turnovers that resulted in touchdowns were too much to overcome.
   
   
2. New York actually let a green gang take care of its running game. Five different runners tried. None gained 50 yards.
   
3. The Jets lost the special-teams battle; they were allowed a single kick return for the game. Shrewd tactic by the Saints, ’cause that way, Leon Washington cannot make the opposing teams pay.
   

Move made:

(LW: 2)

8

(3-1)

1. The Patriots defended their court and took care of two unbeatens (Atlanta and Baltimore) in one week of work. Not bad at all.
   
2. New England safety Brandon Merriweather had the perfect name to show up for this game. In what turned out to be a slugfest, his presence (9 tackles, 2 passes defended) was undoubtedly felt.
   
3. First Matt Ryan, then Joe Flacco. Yeap, Tom Brady just won’t pass any torch. They’re gonna have to take it away from him.
   

Move made:

(LW: 13)

Inside Enemy Territory

Slot

Team

Three easy steps/slides to get there

9

(3-1)

1. One drop prevented Joe Flacco from getting his definitive come-of-age win. He doesn’t need to worry. He has the rest of the year to find another chance.
   
2. On a related note, the tide has turned for the Ravens. They ran 17 times and passed 47 times. That might not bode well in January.
   
3. Highlight of the weekend: For a change, it was hilarious to see John Harbaugh give Bill Belichick the old look-away postgame salute.
   

Move made:

(LW: 6)

10

(2-1)

1. Matt Ryan did not throw for 350 yds. and 4 TD’s in leading the Falcons to a victory.
   
2. Jason Elam did not miss the 29-yard field goal that could have sent the game to overtime.
   
3. After last week’s loss, Atlanta DID enjoy the bye week. And that’s that.

Move made:

(LW: 7)

11

(3-1)

1. If Johnny Knox is half as dangerous as Devin Hester is on special-teams play, opponents are really gonna have to pick their poison.
   
2. Adewale Ogunleye has a very good chance to surpass his five sacks from last year. He’s got 4 1/2 already.
   
3. Forget the last three victories and trust the Elway Rule: Once a QB completes a successful helicopter dive, he gets instant credibility from his teammates.
   

Move made:

(LW: 11)

12

(3-1)

1. Carson Palmer continued his Renaissance Tour with a gutty performance in Cleveland. The word on the street is that the critics loved it. Here are some of the reviews:
   
2. “The whole thing keeping me going is No. 9″, “The way he has been the last two weeks is unbelievable” — Bengals’ WR Chad Ochocinco.
   
3. “That was just Carson” – Bengals’ head coach Marvin Lewis.
   

Move made:

(LW: 12)

13

(2-2)

1. Rashard Mendenhall (165 yards, 2 TD’s and at least, 2 vicious blocks) got lucky. Not knowing his assignments only cost him demotion for a week. Billy Joe Hobert got a ticket out of town.
   
2. The Steelers held the Chargers to 16 rushing yards, while they ran for 177 yards. In any book, that’s a good trade-off.
   
3. This time, Jeff Reed did finish it off in the final minute. The Steeler Country hopes it wasn’t two games too late.
   

Move made:

(LW: 15)

14

(2-2)

1. I’m aware that Phillip Rivers is a stud. But he can’t do it on a weekly basis without some resemblance of a running game. Neither L.T. nor Darren Sproles showed up for this one.
   
2. Encouraging sign for the Bolts? Antonio Gates (9 grabs for 124 yards) seems to have left the injury trail for good.
   
3. San Diego had the ball for 19:40. Again, for this season, the only team capable of winning with that much time is Indianapolis.
   

Move made:

(LW: 10)

15

(2-1)

1. Donovan McNabb did not return this weekend to the Eagles’ starting lineup.
   
2. Philly’s defense did not surrendered 213 rushing yards in a losing cause.
   
3. After last week’s win, Philadelphia DID enjoy the bye week. And that’s that.
   

Move made:

(LW: 17)

16

(1-2)

1. Kurt Warner wasn’t forced to throw the ball 60 times to keep the Cardinals in the ballgame.
   
2. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie did not make the interception on 4th and goal that sealed the victory.
   
3. After last week’s loss, Arizona DID enjoy the bye week. And that’s that.
   

Move made:

(LW: 16)