Sophomore/Rookie Challenge, Week 7

Saturday October 31, 2009 10:22 AM By Chris Mascaro

Easy week in the soph/rook challenge this week since Matthew Stafford's Detroit Lions and Joe Flacco's Baltimore Ravens were on their bye week.

So that left us with hot-dog boy in Oakland and Matt Ryan in Dallas.

Sanchez didn't have to do much in a 38-0 shutout of the Raiders, but he played his most efficient game as a pro, going 9 of 15 for 143 yards and a touchdown. Sanchez, who is now 4-3 as a starter, didn't throw an interception and was sacked just once.

Sanchez was aided by a potent rushing attack (316 yards and four TDs on 54 attempts). That came at a price however, as Leon Washington suffered a season-ending injury. We'll see how Sanchez and the offense responds tomorrow at home against the Dolphins. The Jets lost to Miami 31-27 just three weeks ago.

Ryan's Falcons suffered their second setback of the season in a 37-21 loss in the Jerry Dome. Ryan, who is 15-8 as a starter, played decently, throwing for 198 yards on 19 of 35 passing with two TDs. But he was intercepted twice, and the Cowboys scored on a 59-yard TD pass to Miles Austin one play after he lost a fumble in the second quarter. Ryan's 66.1 passer rating was his lowest of the season (he's now 14th in the league in that category on the season). He'll try to bounce back Monday night in New Orleans.

This week goes to the rookies.

Sophomores: 5 (combined record: 7-5)

Rookies: 2 (combined record: 5-6)

Sophomore/Rookie Challenge, Week 6

Thursday October 22, 2009 1:22 PM By Chris Mascaro

Because Matthew Stafford sat out the past two weeks with a right knee injury — reportedly a partially dislocated kneecap — Mark Sanchez has had to carry the torch for the rookies.

And, as you Jet fans know, he's faltered.

Sanchez threw five interceptions in a 16-13 overtime loss to the Bills on Sunday, and was so flummoxed by the Giants Stadium wind and cold, wet weather (though he says he wasn't), that he was nearly brought to tears in the postgame press conference (scroll to the 3:15 mark of this video to see). 

Rex Ryan said he's going to stick with Sanchez as his starter, but how long can he afford to stay with a guy who has turned the ball over eight times in the past three weeks?

Sanchez hit rock bottom Sunday with a passer rating of 8.3 and completion percentage of 34.5. Those are JaMarcus Russell kind of numbers.

Sanchez and the Jets will visit Russell's Raiders this Sunday, as he and Jet fans just try to move on from a dismal few weeks.

But with the return of Stafford up in the air (there's talk the injury could require surgery, plus Detroit has a bye this week), it could be a long time before the rookies get the better of their sophomore counterparts again. Or even another win, period.

As for the sophs, Joe Flacco's Ravens have hit a wall, losing three straight, while Matt Ryan's Falcons are flying high after a 21-14 win over da Bears (sorry, I had to).

After torching the 49ers for 329 yards in Week 5, Ryan and the Falcons had a more conservative attack Sunday night. He completed 19 passes to eight different receivers, including touchdown passes to Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez.

After Eric Weems returned a kick 62 yards to the Chicago 41-yard line, Gonzalez became the go-to guy with catches of 16 yards (on 3rd-and-6 from the 37) and 15 yards (on 2nd-and-9 from the 20) to setup Michael Turner's game-winning 5-yard TD run.

On the season, Ryan has nine TDs and four INTs with a 95.6 passer rating, which is 10th best in the league. Atlanta visits Dallas on Sunday.

Flacco and company played arguably the most exciting game of the week, a 33-31 loss in Minnesota. Flacco had a superb day with a season-high 385 yards on 28 of 43 passing, two touchdowns (both in the fourth quarter) and no interceptions. His passer rating eclipsed 100 (109.2) for the second time this season.

Flacco was 4 of 7 on the final drive (not including a spike), which concluded with Steven Hauschka's missed 44-yard field goal. He threw for all but three of the 41 yards on the drive, including a 9-yard strike to Derrick Mason on 3rd-and-7 from the Vikings' 38.

But Flacco's most impressive plays came earlier in the quarter, in my eyes. After the Vikings took a 17-point lead with just over 10 minutes to play, the Ravens took over on their own 25. Flacco was sacked by Jared Allen on the first play, bringing up a 2nd-and-18 from their own 17.

On that play, the Vikings jumped offside and, knowing he had a free play, Flacco went downfield to Kelley Washington for a 28-yard pickup. Completions of 17, 6 and 32 yards — the final one being a touchdown to Mark Clayton — brought the Ravens back within 10, and the drive took just 1:33 off the clock. Those were big-time throws by Flacco.

Oddly enough, the Ravens have only their defense, which allowed 167 rushing yards (5.4 a carry) and 259 passing yards (8.9 per attempt), to blame for their third straight loss — not Flacco and the offense.

Baltimore has a bye this week, but plays host to Denver next Sunday in one of the more highly anticipated matchups of Week 8.

Sophomores: 5 (combined record: 7-4)

Rookies: 1 (combined record: 4-6)

Sophomore/Rookie Challenge, Week 5

Thursday October 15, 2009 4:14 PM By Chris Mascaro

The youngsters are slowing down.

Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez both led their teams to victory in Week 3, but neither has won since (to be fair, Stafford didn't play in the Lions' 28-20 loss to Pittsburgh because of a partially dislocated right kneecap. He is questionable for Sunday at Green Bay).

The league seems to be catching up with Sanchez, as he's thrown just one TD and three INTs in the last two games. He's failed to go over 200 yards passing since Week 1, and on Monday night — a game he called his "best yet" — Sanchez completed just 50 percent of his throws (12 of 24). He did seem to find a reliable target in Braylon Edwards in the 31-27 loss in Miami, but he seems to be telegraphing his passes far too much. As a result, he's plummeted to 26th in the league in passer rating at 74.1.

For the sophomores, it appears Matt Ryan is separating himself from Joe Flacco. Ryan threw for 329 yards (his first game of 300+ yards this season) and two touchdowns in the Falcons' 45-10 demolition at San Francisco. He had an impressive 10.28 yards per attempt, aided greatly by Roddy White's 90-yard TD reception.

The emergence of Michael Turner (97 yards and three TDs on Sunday) is making the Falcons offense a force to be reckoned with.

As for the Ravens, they might want to rely a little more on their potent rushing attack, which averages 4.9 yards per carry, than Flacco's arm. They've thrown the ball 185 times this season and run it 136, including a stark 31-18 passing advantage in Sunday's 17-14 loss to the Bengals. This led to a nearly 10-minute time of possession advantage for Cincinnati.

Baltimore took over on its own 32-yard line with 5:29 to play and a 14-10 lead, and threw the ball three times in six plays. Sure they completed a 3rd-and-12 to Kelley Washington for 21 yards, but at that time of the game, draining clock is more important than yardage. And if they hadn't lost five yards on a short pass to Ray Rice on first down, they wouldn't have been in a 3rd-and-12 situation to begin with.

As a result, the Bengals scored the winning touchdown with 22 seconds to play.

Flacco has thrown the third most passes (182) in the league behind only Tom Brady (207) and Kerry Collins (185). He's done well for the most part, racking up 1,289 yards with a 64.3 completion percentage, nine TDs and five INTs. But if Baltimore wants to get back on the winning track, it needs to get back to its roots as a defense/rushing team immediately.

*By the way, Phil Simms told the Detroit Free Press he'd take Stafford over Flacco, Ryan and Sanchez if he were starting a team.

Said Simms: "[Stafford's] got the arm and he’s a lot more mobile then I thought he would be when I saw him at Georgia. I’m not saying he’s got Brett Favre’s arm, but he has an arm that is going to last a long time. Of course, Joe Flacco does too, but Stafford would be my type of quarterback."

Sophomores: 4 (combined record: 6-3)

Rookies: 1 (combined record: 4-5)

Sophomore/Rookie Challenge, Week 4

Thursday October 8, 2009 5:21 PM By Chris Mascaro

This was the first week both these groups stumbled (well, to be fair, Matt Ryan didn't play). But Mark Sanchez, Matthew Stafford and Joe Flacco were all losers in Week 4.

Let's start with the semi-good news. Flacco (pictured) was 27 of 47 (a career-high in passing attempts) for 264 yards and two touchdowns in the Ravens' 27-21 loss at New England (their first of the season).

His fourth-down pass to Mark Clayton would have given the Ravens the ball inside the New England 10-yard line with less than a minute to play. But Clayton dropped the pass to seal the win. (You can see the play at the 2:28 mark of this video.)

Said Clayton after the game: "Flat out drop. It was a perfect ball. Joe put it on the money. To not come up with it is tough. It cost us the game."

Flacco was also very good in clutch situations, as he went 8 of 11 for 85 yards and two touchdowns on third down.

That was the good. The bad?

Flacco was intercepted with 1:11 left in the first half (his third of the season) on a play that originated from the Pats' 17-yard line. He also was flagged for intentional grounding on a 3rd-and-5 from his own 25. It led to a punt from the 15, and the Pats scored six plays later to make it 17-7.

Look for Flacco to bounce back this Sunday against Cincinnati, the fifth worst defense in passing yards allowed.

As for the rookies, Stafford improved in passer rating for the fourth consecutive week (it was 89.6 this week) and tossed for a career-high 296 yards. His interception on his own 8-yard line led to a Chicago touchdown (he also lost a fumble leading to a field goal), but Detroit's biggest issue in its 48-24 loss to the Bears was its inability to stop the running game (Chicago ran for 151 yards) and Johnny Knox's 102-yard kick return for a score.

Stafford injured his right knee on a sack early in the fourth quarter and was replaced by Daunte Culpepper. His availability for this Sunday against Pittsburgh is up in the air.

As you all know, Sanchez finally had his "Welcome to the NFL" game against the undefeated Saints. He threw three interceptions (he has five on the season) and had a passer rating of just 27.0 in his first loss as a pro. Two of the Saints' three touchdowns in their 24-10 win were a result of Sanchez turnovers (99-yard INT return by Darren Sharper and Remi Ayodele's recovered fumble in the end zone). He was even fined for an illegal block.

Sanchez will have a new toy to play with this Monday night in Miami, so we'll see if he can right the ship.

So we're going with the sophomores in this battle of attrition. Tune in again next week.

Sophomores: 3 (combined record: 5-2)

Rookies: 1 (combined record: 4-4)

Rookie/Sophomore Challenge

Tuesday September 29, 2009 5:35 PM By Chris Mascaro

Is it the end of the road for some of the older quarterbacks around the league? Eight of the top 10 in QB rating are 30 or less -- the two exceptions being Peyton Manning (33) and Brett Favre (39).  Granted, QB rating isn't the best gauge of play (Jason Campbell is ninth in the league at 92.5.)

But look at the league's elder statesmen. Donovan McNabb (32), Matt Hasselbeck (34) and Chad Pennington (33) are injured. Tom Brady (32) and Kurt Warner (38) have struggled by their standards, while Jake Delhomme (34), Kerry Collins (36) and Marc Bulger (32) appear to be on their last legs.

If you think about it, Drew Brees (30) and Manning are the only QBs in the "prime" of their career. The Class of 2004 QBs -- Eli Manning (28), Ben Roethlisberger (27), Philip Rivers (27) -- are now the core group of signal callers in the league, along with Carson Palmer (29). 

But the future is bright. This week, the rookies actually got the better of their sophomore counterparts (which isn't an easy task).

Mark Sanchez continued his magical start by passing for 171 yards and two TDs, as the Jets moved to 3-0. The impressive thing about Sanchez is that he's not only being asked to be a "game manager." He's had at least one 40-yard completion in each of the first three games, and Rex Ryan hasn't been shy about letting him air it out after his miscues.

Matt Stafford (pictured) had his best game as a pro, throwing for 241 yards on 21 of 36 passing with one TD and no interceptions in Detroit's first win since 2007. He also rushed for 23 yards. Stafford has improved in each game, and does anyone doubt that the Lions will win at least one or two more games this season?

Joe Flacco kept rolling along, although I'll caution that the three defenses he's faced (Chiefs, Chargers, Browns) haven't been anything to write home about. He'll face tougher tests the next three weeks against the Pats, Bengals and Vikings (who are a combined 7-2). If he keeps up these MVP-type numbers, then we can get excited about this Ravens offense.

Matt Ryan had the most disappointing week of the group because he actually lost (his Falcons were defeated in New England, 26-10). Still, Ryan has completed at least 60 percent of his passes in all three games this season (he's seventh in the league in that category at 65.9 percent). However, Ryan needs to start going downfield more. His longest completion of the season is 27 yards. And his best receiver, Roddy White, has just 15 catches for 119 yards (7.9 per catch).

Sophomores: 2 (combined record: 5-1)

Rookies: 1 (combined record: 4-2)

Sophomore/Rookie Challenge, Week 2

Tuesday September 22, 2009 12:30 PM By Chris Mascaro

Last week I debuted an item pitting the league's two rookie starters (Mark Sanchez of the Jets and Matthew Stafford of the Lions) against the two sophomores who burst onto the scene with playoff appearances last season (Joe Flacco of the Ravens and Matt Ryan of the Falcons). 

Thus far, the sophomores are cruising to victory. But it's not Sanchez' fault. 

As you all know, Sanchez has guided the Jets to wins over two teams that went a combined 19-13 last season and are a combined 2-0 against teams other than the Jets so far this year.

He has thrown just one interception (19 quarterbacks have thrown two or more already) and he's completing 60.4 percent of his passes. And it's not all dink-and-dunk — his 8.21 yards per attempt are sixth best in the league.

Sanchez has only two touchdown passes, but both were technically game-winners. His 30-yard strike to Chansi Stuckey put the Jets up 10-0 in Houston (they won 24-7), while his 9-yard completion to Dustin Keller gave the Jets their first lead over New England at 10-9 (they scored 13 unanswered points in the second half). Not too shabby for the rookie.

Things for his counterpart in Detroit haven't gone as smoothly. We all knew the Lions weren't going to be good this season, but we didn't think Stafford would be a big part of the problem. He's thrown five INTs in two games (tied for the league lead with Jake Delhomme) and his passer rating is just 40.5 (also a league worst). 

Lions coach Jim Schwartz has already had to answer questions about keeping Stafford the starting quarterback, and star receiver Calvin Johnson — the Lions' best weapon on offense — has mostly been contained, with just eight catches so far.

As for Ryan and Flacco, livin's easy. Both guys are 2-0, are their teams are among the best in the league in the early-going. The sophomores have the most touchdown passes this side of Drew Brees, and their offenses have scored 28 points or more in three of the four games they've played.

Last season, Baltimore scored 30 or more points five times — they've done it twice already this season.

The crazy thing about Flacco and Ryan is that both are just 24 years old, and are still maturing as starting NFL quarterbacks.

Said Ryan to the Atlanta Journal Constitution after Sunday's win: "I think I’ve got a long way to go. Something that I learned when I was young, your tape is never as good as you think and it’s never as bad. Even though you might think you completed a lot of passes, there is still room for improvement."

Week 3 Power Rankings

Tuesday September 22, 2009 2:28 AM By Bob Glauber

Well, that didn’t take long.

After a week of relatively predictable results – and not too many changes in the upper reaches of the power rankings – the rule of thumb took over in the NFL last weekend: Chaos reigns.

Plenty of teams in last week’s top 10 wound up losing, some to teams previously in the lower reaches.

Welcome to the NFL as it should be: delightfully – and maddeningly – unpredictable.

Here’s the NFL 1-32 as we see it:

(ranking, team, record, last week’s ranking)

1. Giants (2-0) (1): The Cowboys ran through the Giants’ defense at will, certainly not a good sign for a team with such promising talent on the roster. But in the end, Eli Manning pulled off the game-winning drive in the final seconds to give the Giants a commanding early lead in the NFC East.

2. Ravens (2-0) (5): Can’t remember the last time the Ravens won back-to-back shootout wins, especially with a defense capable of greatness. But Joe Flacco has been phenomenal early on, and Baltimore beating San Diego on the road was huge.

3. Falcons (2-0) (8): Like Flacco, there’s no hint of a sophomore slump for Matt Ryan, who gets the best of divisional rival Carolina at home.

4. Vikings (2-0) (7): Another slow start for the Vikings, who fell behind early to Detroit after doing the same to Cleveland the week before. In the end, though, Vikes get untracked and score blowout win.

5. Saints (2-0) (12): Saints have scored a combined 93 points in their first two games, as Drew Brees is off to the best start of his career. Defense showing signs of improvement, too.

6. Jets (2-0) (15): Jets haven’t allowed a defensive touchdown in two games, while rookie Mark Sanchez shows plenty of grit in besting Bill Belichick’s defense in the second half.

7. Colts (2-0) (9): They get scorched in the time-of-possession battle against the Dolphins on Monday night, but come out with a 27-23 win, sealing it when Chad Pennington was intercepted in the endzone while going for the winning score.

8. Steelers (1-1) (3): Steelers have problems getting the running game untracked, and the defense can’t hold back Jay Cutler from coming up with the game-winning drive in the final seconds.

9. 49ers (2-0) (18): After an impressive road win in Arizona, the Niners come home and smack the Seahawks to take the early lead in the NFC West. Frank Gore isn’t too far behind Adrian Peterson as the NFL’s best runner.

10. Chargers (1-1) (2): Philip Rivers throws for 436 yards against the Ravens, but can’t out-last Flacco in a disappointing home loss. Running game was a non-factor, especially without LaDainian Tomlinson.

11. Patriots (1-1) (4): Big problems on the offensive line after the Jets constantly pressured Tom Brady with an assortment of blitzes. Pats have eight-game road win streak over Jets snapped at the Meadowlands.

12. Cardinals (1-1) (22): Kurt Warner sets highest completion percentage – 92.3 percent – in NFL history as Cardinals beat Jags and recover from dispiriting home loss to Niners the week before.

13. Bears (1-1) (14): Jay Cutler doesn’t blow it this time. After four interception meltdown in Green Bay the week before, the Bears’ new QB gets the best of the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers with a buzzer beater field goal drive.

14. Cowboys (1-1) (13): Cowboys turned ball over four times, leading to 24 Giants’ points. Three more picks for Tony Romo.

15. Packers (1-1) (10): Sloppy effort from Aaron Rodgers in home loss to Bengals, who can’t follow up impressive Week 1 effort against Bears.

16. Eagles (1-1) (6): Iggles can’t get Donovan McNabb back soon enough. And that defensive meltdown against the Saints? Ouch.

17. Broncos (2-0) (25): Opening wins over Bengals and then Browns have the Josh McDaniels era off in decent fashion.

18. Texans (1-1) (27): Welcome to the Go Figure League. Texans look abysmal in opening day blowout loss at home to Jets. So what do they do? They go on the road and win a shootout on the road in Tennessee.

19. Titans (0-2) (11): A week after an overtime slugfest loss to the defending champs on the road, the Titans’ defense collapses at home against Houston.

20. Bengals (1-1) (29): Carson Palmer throws 3 TD, and Chad Ochocinco does the "Lambeau Leap" as Bengals recover from Week 1 shocker at home to Denver.

21. Bills (1-1) (21): Bills recover from Week 1 fourth-quarter meltdown in New England and thump Buccaneers at home.

22 Dolphins (0-2) (18): Dolphins do everything except win. Hold the ball more than 45 minutes, but it all ends with Chad Pennington interception in the endzone.

23. Redskins (1-1) (23): This team remains challenged on offense; a measly three field goals against the Rams? At home? Sheesh.

24. Seahawks (1-1) (16): Seahawks not only lose on the road to the Niners, but QB Matt Hasselbeck suffers cracked rib. Keep the arm ready, Seneca Wallace.

25. Panthers (0-2) (24): At Jake Delhomme had only one interception this time. Then again, the Panthers still lost.

26. Raiders (1-1) (26): Some awful, awful football in Raiders-Chiefs. QB JaMarcus Russell was 7-of-24. Darren McFadden ran for just 35 yards. Only bright spot: Oakland wins.

27. Jaguars (0-2) (17): Jags kept it close against Indy the week before, but had their doors blown in at home against Cards.

28. Chiefs (0-2) (20): Chiefs signed Matt Cassel to a six-year, $63 million contract in the off-season. Still a long way to go for the payoff.

29. Buccaneers (0-2) (28): Bucs once known for great defense. Not after giving up combined 67 points in two weeks.

30: Rams (0-2) (31): Well, Rams finally got on the board. But one touchdown in two games is hardly cause for celebration.

31. Browns (0-2) (30): Eric Mangini comes up empty against former Patriots colleague Josh McDaniels. Looks like that’ll be happening on a fairly regular basis regardless of the opponent.

32. Lions (0-2) (32): Lions have lost 19 straight. NFL record is 26. Oy.

Sophomore/Rookie Challenge

Monday September 14, 2009 10:56 AM By Chris Mascaro

In the spirit of the NBA's Sophomore/Rookie Challenge: who fared better yesterday — the rookie QBs (Mark Sanchez, Matt Stafford) or the sophomores (Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan)?

Well, Sanchez, the fifth pick in the draft, got off to a nice start, leading the Jets to an upset victory over the Texans.  But the sophomores were 2-0 (Flacco's Ravens beat up on Kansas City, while Ryan's Falcons outlasted the Dolphins). 

And when it comes to the final stats, it's not even an argument. 

Stafford, the top pick in the '09 draft, completed just 16-of-37 passes (43.2 percent) for 205 yards, zero TDs and three INTs in a 45-27 loss in New Orleans. His 27.4 rating was second lowest of the week (good thing for Stafford, Jake Delhomme exists).

Sanchez was 18-for-31 for 272 yards with a TD and an INT, making the rookies a combined 34-of-68 (50 percent) for 477 yards, one TD and four INTs.

The sophomores were a combined 48-of-79 (60.7 percent) for 536 yards with five TDs and one pick. Ryan, the third pick in the '08 draft, was fifth in passer rating, while Flacco (the 18th selection in '08) was seventh. More importantly, they were 2-0.

I'll be monitoring this battle throughout the season, so stay tuned...

Sanchez wins job ... now leave him alone!!

Wednesday August 26, 2009 10:19 AM By Bob Glauber

It's official.

Mark Sanchez, the high-priced rookie the Jets selected in a blockbuster draft-day trade, has won the starting job over Kellen Clemens.

Now for the bad news: It could be a struggle for the kid.

Sure, Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan were terrific as rookies last year in Baltimore and Atlanta, respectively. But they're the exceptions, people. Even quarterbacks with Hall of Fame resumes struggle as rookies.

Consider: 

* Terry Bradshaw had 6 TDs and 24 interceptions as a Stillers rookie.

* John Elway had 7 TDs and 14 picks in his first year.

* Troy Aikman was 0-11 as a first-year starter in Big D.

* Peyton Manning's Colts were 3-13 his rookie year.

Translation: It takes time. So give Sanchez a little now.

Here's more in my column from today's newspaper.

Vick's release results in cap hit for Falcons

Monday June 15, 2009 1:37 PM By Chris Mascaro

Michael Vick's release on Friday had larger ramifications for the Falcons.

According to ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli, Atlanta will be charged $7.11 million this season in "dead money" because of "acceleration of future salary cap prorations." Here is the article, which explains the cap hit further.

The Falcons are about $20 million under the $127 million cap figure in '09, so they won't be crippled by this hit. It will not affect them beyond this season, according to general manager Thomas Dimitroff (pictured).

Atlanta has been shrewd with the cap in recent years, cutting or releasing older players such as Alge Crumpler and Warrick Dunn, while making smart signings (Michael Turner) and drafting well (Matt Ryan).

Coming off an 11-5 season, the Falcons don't need much on offense. They could use a playmaker in the secondary (they had just 10 INTs last year and were -3 in giveaway/takeaway), but they can certainly make another playoff run as constructed.

So while the cap hit isn't a good thing for Atlanta, it won't hurt the club too badly.

-Chris Mascaro

(Photo by John Bazemore/AP)

NFL Power Rankings: Panthers surge, Giants, Jets fall

Tuesday December 9, 2008 5:53 AM By Bob Glauber

Bob Mantz' super-duper Power Rankings are out, too. He puts a lot of time and effort into this, so please take a look. Notice the clever comments and the fact that he ignores every team once he gets to No. 18. (If you'd like to leave a comment for Mantz, click onto the "comments" section on his blog ... oh, wait. He doesn't have a comments section.)

Remember, if you'd like to comment - and we encourage ALL comments, as long as they're clean - please put an e-mail address under your name before posting.

1. Titans (12-1) (2): The train keeps on rollin’. After upset loss two weeks ago to Jets, Titans back on track and on the way to No. 1 seed.

2. Giants (11-2) (1): A momentary glitch, or a sign of things to come? We’ll give the defending champs the benefit of the doubt and choose the former. For a more definitive answer, tune in on Sunday night in Big D.

3. Stillers (10-3) (3): You’ve got to be good to be lucky. In Sunday’s comeback win over the Cowboys, the Stillers were both.

4. Panthers (10-3) (6): Holy Crap(honso) Thorpe! 299 rushing yards against the Bucs? Whoa. Big challenge for Panthers now is winning on the road. They’re unbeaten at home.

5. Colts (9-4) (8): That’s six wins and counting. Home to Detroit, at Jacksonville and home to a Titans team that might not need the win in the finale, and the Colts might win out.

6. Buccaneers (9-4) (4): How often do you see this defense get pushed around like they did last night? Answer: not very.

7. Ravens (9-4) (9): Ravens are in the hunt in the AFC North, but we see Ray Lewis, Joe Flacco & Co. as a wild card team. ‘Specially if they lose at home to the Stillers this weekend.

8. Falcons (8-5) (5): Matt Ryan can’t close the deal in N’Awlins.

9. Patriots (8-5) (11): Huge day for Wes Welker as the receiver keys New England’s comeback in Seattle to insure three-way tie atop AFC East.

10. Dolphins (8-5) (14): The classic example of a well-coached team that doesn’t beat itself.11. Cowboys (8-5) (10): Tony Romo is still a young quarterback, but he is putting together a series of late-season clunkers that can’t be ignored. Latest example: Sunday in Pittsburgh with a pick-six in the final moments against the Stillers.

12. Vikings (8-5) (12): In a word: whew! Vikes get past upset-minded Lions on the road.

13. Cardinals (8-5) (13): Kurt Warner beats his old Rams team to clinch a rare divisional title for the Cards.

14. Jets (8-5) (7): How many more ways can they break the fans’ hearts? After mega-wins at New England and Tennessee, losses to Denver and San Francisco bring them back to earth with a thud.

15. Iggles (7-5-1) (18): As long as Brian Westbrook is in the lineup, the Iggles have a chance. Massive win against defending champs on the road keeps their slim playoff hopes alive.

16. Broncos (8-5) (15): Looked like the Broncos were gonna lose against to an awful divisional opponent at home. Then Jay Cutler and the Broncos’ D saved the day against the Chiefs.

17. Saints (8-6) (17): Season-saving win over the Falcons.

18. Bears (7-6) (19): Bears manhandle woeful Jags to keep pace in what figures to be a down-to-the-wire race in the NFC North.

19. Texans (6-7) (22): It’s too little too late, but at least the Texans are showing something down the stretch.

20. 49ers (5-8) (23): Ever since Mike Singletary realized dropping his pants wasn’t the best way to win his players’ hearts, the 49ers have played some solid ball. Latest evidence: upset win over the Jets on Sunday.

21. Bills (6-7) (20): Nice way to export the NFL. Bills look completely inept in “home” game in Toronto against Dolphins.

22. Redskins (7-6) (16): They’re at Cincinnati, but they’re still no lock. They’re just awful.

23. Chargers (5-8) (26): Bolts thrash Raiders at home in 3-D on NFL Network. Whoop-de-do.

24. Packers (5-8) (21): How do you give up more than 500 yards … at home … to the Texans?

25. Jaguars (4-9) (24): Put Jack Del Rio at the head of the 2009 class of Coaches on the Hot Seat.

26. Browns (4-9) (25): Even Marty Schottenheimer is poo-pooing a return to Cleveland. Then again, he’s not offering a flat-out “no.”

27. Seahawks (2-11) (27): About the only good thing you can say about this team: They still play hard. Always the loser’s lament.

28. Chiefs (2-11) (28): See comment above.

29. Raiders (3-10) (29): The three words in the NFL that ring hollow: Pride and poise.

30. Bengals (1-11-1) (30): Well, at least Carson Palmer might not need elbow surgery.

31. Rams (2-11) (31): Did this team really beat the Redskins and Cowboys?

32. Lions (0-13) (32): Before Sunday’s game against the Vikings, head coach Rod Marinelli showed his players the team picture and asked if they wanted to see this in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, representative of the league’s first-ever 0-16 team. Even that didn’t work, as Lions blow a lead against the Vikings in what have been their last best chance to win.

Power rankings: Jets stumble, Cowboys climb

Tuesday December 2, 2008 3:30 AM By Bob Glauber

1. Giants (11-1) (1): At some point, the Plaxico Burress situation has to have some effect on this team … or does it? Jints pound ‘Skins a day after Burress shooting incident.

2. Titans (11-1) (3): After lay-up win over Lions on Turkey Day, Titans are home to Cleveland and then at Houston before finishing up at home to Stillers and at Indy. That wounds like 13-3 at worst.

3. Stillers (9-3) (4): Major thumping of Patriots on the road leaves no doubt that Stillers are ready to make a meaningful playoff statement. Can’t wait for Stillers-Titans Dec. 21.

4. Buccaneers (9-3) (5): They don’t always win pretty, but they usually win. Huge one against Saints at home, proving once more that good defense beats good offense.

5. Falcons (8-4) (7): When is Matt Ryan gonna realize he’s a rookie and he shouldn’t be winning games like this week-in and week-out? Another one in the books, as Falcons beat Chargers in Chilkoot Land.

6. Panthers (9-3) (8): Panthers win track meet at the Tundra, as DeAngelo Williams scores four TDs, including the game winner late in the fourth quarter.

7. Jets (8-4) (2): That was a tough one, people. Denver’s defense is awful, but gets the best of Favre. Jets’ defense has troubles of its own.

8. Colts (8-4) (6): Peyton Manning has a clunker, but defense – and the Browns – bail him out in Cleveland.

9. Ravens (8-4) (10): See remarks above about Matt Ryan. Change name of opponent to Bengals.

10. Cowboys (8-4) (12): Pokes starting to hit their stride with Tony Romo back in the saddle. (No Jessica Simpson remarks!)11. Patriots (7-5) (9): I should have known better. Patriots just didn’t match up well against Stillers, especially on a rain-soaked field. Pats’ weak running game is a major, major issue.

12. Vikings (7-5) (13): Vikes finally show the kind of defense that made them preseason favorites in the NFC North. 99-yard TD pass to Bernard Berrian helped, too.

13. Cardinals (7-5) (11): Cards look to dust themselves off after Thanksgiving night blowout loss in Philly. St. Louis comes to town this weekend.

14. Dolphins (7-5) (16): Ugly win in St. Louis keeps Fish (I know they’re mammals, but fish just sounds better) a game off AFC East lead. Huge one at Toronto on Sunday … yes, Toronto. Bills now play there once a year.

15. Broncos (7-5) (19): After getting their doors blown in the week before at home against the Raiders, Broncos smoke the Jets on the road and are now all but assured of AFC West title.

16. Redskins (7-5) (14): Incredibly shrinking offense puts up just one TD against Jints.

17. Saints (7-6) (15): Saints’ high-flying offense can’t contend with Bucs’ smashmouth “D.”

18. Iggles (6-5-1) (20): Donovan McNabb recovers from benching with brilliant performance against Cardinals on Thursday. Let’s see what he can do at Giants Stadium this weekend.

19. Bears (6-6) (17): With a chance to make a statement in Minnesota, Bears come up small.

20. Bills (6-6) (18): Bills are 2-6 in their last eight.

21. Packers (5-7) (21): Defense is falling apart.

22. Texans (5-7) (25): Nice Monday night win over Jaguars in a who-cares matchup.

23. 49ers (4-8) (27): Niners still playing hard for Iron Mike Singletary.

24. Jaguars (4-8) (22): Good thing Jack Del Rio extended his contract after last season. If this happens next year, watch out.

25. Browns (4-8) (23): Nice effort by those Browns fans who cheered injured QB Derek Anderson.

26. Chargers (4-8) (24): Three behind Broncos with four to play. It’s over, Chilkoot. Then again, it was over weeks ago.

27. Seahawks (2-10) (28): Wonder what Jim Mora thinks of all this. He inherits this sorry group next season.

28. Chiefs (2-10) (30): Herm Edwards grew up not far from Oakland. He went home and beat the Raiders on Sunday.

29. Raiders (3-9) (26): Who would want to coach this team?

30. Bengals (1-10-1) (29): Why would Carson Palmer still want to play this season?

31. Rams (2-10) (31): Marc Bulger looks like he’s fallen off a cliff.

32. Lions (0-12) (32): The Lions have fallen off a cliff.

NFL Monday Memo

Monday December 1, 2008 7:23 AM By Bob Glauber

The best and worst of Week 13:

(Warning to Stillers fans: I was very, very impressed with your team yesterday. In fact, ever since picking the Patriots, I was second-guessing that decision, purely from a matchups perspective. Oh, well. See you in Tampa!)

Giant of the week: Justin Tuck, DE. He had six tackles and two sacks to lead a Giants’ defense that held No. 1 NFL rusher Clinton Portis to just 22 yards and no TDs.

Jet of the week: Thomas Jones, RB. Yesterday’s 34-17 loss to the Broncos was through no fault of Jones, who rushed for 138 yards and two TDs.

Offensive player of the week: Donovan McNabb, QB, Eagles. Coming off the first benching of his career, McNabb threw for 260 yards, four TDs and no INTs in a Thanksgiving night blowout win over the Cardinals.

Defensive player of the week: James Harrison, LB, Stillers. A repeat Glauber Nation DPOW award for Harrison, who was brilliant in a 33-10 over the Patriots on the road. He had two sacks, two forced fumbles and a team-high nine tackles as the Stillers continued to establish themselves as legit Super Bowl contenders.

Last laugh award: Michael Turner, RB, Falcons. Playing his former team for the first time since leaving as a free agent, Turner chalked up his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season as the Falcons beat the Chargers.

No last laugh award: LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, Chargers. The Bolts let Turner go thinking they had many good years left with Tomlinson. But he continued his struggles against the Falcons, running for just 24 yards on 14 carries.

Coach on the hot seat: Norv Turner, Chargers. At 4-8, he still has the backing of management and ownership. It’s another story with his players, who are starting to question whether Turner is the answer.

Hangin’ around award: Dolphins. They don’t blow anybody out, but they win more often than not. Latest example: a 16-12 win over the Rams. The Dolphins are 7-5 and just one game behind the Jets. Um … the teams play each other on Dec. 28 at the Meadowlands, in case you’d forgotten.Falling off a cliff award: Marc Bulger, QB, Rams. The Rams have a ton of money invested in him, but concussions and vastly diminished effectiveness might spell a premature end to his run in St. Louis.

Rookie of the week, Part I: Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons. I know, I know. This is getting monotonous. But what more can you say about a first-year QB who has his team in playoff contention after beating a team that went to the AFC Championship Game last year?

Rookie of the week, Part II: Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens. The kid just keeps on winning … and throwing touchdown passes. There were two more against the Bungles yesterday.

Best game: Panthers 35, Packers 31. Panthers pull out see-saw game in Green Bay on DeAngelo Williams’ fourth touchdown run of the day.

Worst game: Titans 47, Lions 10. Can we please take this Thanksgiving Day game away from the Lions?

Best play: Mark Clayton’s one-handed catch of Flacco’s long pass that turned into a 70-yard touchdown. Wow.

NFL Power Rankings: NFC East slips, Falcons rise

Tuesday October 14, 2008 4:52 AM By Bob Glauber

Lots of changes at the top as three NFC East teams lose and the Falcons continue their stunning early-season performance. About the only thing we can count on these days is Detroit losing; and even that was a close call on Sunday.

1. Titans (5-0) (2): Titans kick back and relax on bye week and emerge as NFL’s only undefeated team. It should stay that way on Sunday, since they’re at the Chiefs.

2. Steelers (4-1) (5): Steelers also get a week off after huge road win in Jax. Now it’s off to Cincinnati for what should be another win. Unless Ryan Fitzpatrick suddenly turns into Carson Palmer, the Steelers have no excuses in this one.

3. Giants (4-1) (1): A dismal day for the NFC East, starting with a 35-14 whipping in Cleveland for the defending Super Bowl champs. They haven’t looked that bad in a long, long time.

4. Redskins (4-2) (3): Evidently, the ‘Skins were reading their press clippings, because they lost at home to the previously winless Rams.

5. Cowboys (4-2) (4): Not only do they lose to the Cardinals on the road in OT, but they lose Tony Romo for a month with a broken pinkie and Felix Jones for at least a week or two – maybe longer – with a hammy.

6. Buccaneers (4-2) (9): It’s Jeff Garcia’s job to lose after a huge win over NFC South rival Carolina.

7. Panthers (4-2) (6): So much for that five-game winning streak in Tampa.

8. Broncos (4-2) (7): Repeat after me, Jay Cutler: Never, ever brag that you have a stronger arm than John Elway.

9. Bills (4-1) (8): Trent Edwards looks like he’s ready to roll after recovering from a concussion. Big one at home against the Chargers on Sunday.

10. Colts (3-2) (14): Now that’s the Peyton Manning we’ve come to know.11. Eagles (3-3) (12): Eagles back in the NFC East race with win at San Francisco, despite no Brian Westbrook.

12. Jaguars (3-3) (13): The slow start is officially over as Jags manhandle Broncos in Denver with strong running game.

13. Falcons (4-2) (22): I’m pretty sure we’ve got our offensive rookie of the year. Matt Ryan saves the day again as Falcons come back to beat Bears and move into three-way tie for top spot in NFC South.

14. Bears (3-3) (10): Kyle Orton brings back Bears back with dramatic last-second TD. But Ryan one-ups him to set up game-winning field goal with no time on the clock.

15. Chargers (3-3) (15): Bolts throttle Pats and look like they’re almost back to where they should be. We’ll reserve further judgement until we see what they do in Buffalo this weekend against NKR’s beloved Bills.

16. Patriots (3-2) (11): We know about the problems at quarterback. But it’s the problems on defense that are just as worrisome.

17. Jets (3-2) (17): Brett Favre not at his best, but Jets do enough to fend off feisty Bengals.

18. Cardinals (4-2) (21): They don’t get much bigger than this: win over Dallas in OT at home after blowing 24-14 fourth-quarter lead.

19. Vikings (3-3) (18): It’s hard to say anything good about a 12-10 win over the Lions at home, other than it means the Vikings are tied for first in the division. And that ain’t bad.

20. Saints (3-3) (19): Drew Brees is on track to shatter Dan Marino’s passing record for most yards in a season.

21. Ravens (2-3) (16): Ravens’ defense comes up microscopically small in Indy.

22. Packers (3-3) (20): Packers hold serve in Seattle as Aaron Rodgers battles continues shoulder problems.

23. Browns (2-3) (26): The Browns aren’t officially out of their early-season funk. But whacking the Giants at home on Monday night will sure go a long way. Wow.

24. Dolphins (2-3) (23): Dolphins defense comes up small in Houston, as Wildcat offense is getting a tad predictable.

25. 49ers (2-4) (24): From bad to worse? After home loss to Eagles, Niners now go east to face a Giants team in bounce-back mode after drubbing in Cleveland.

26. Texans (1-4) (30): A week after Sage Rosenfels blew by trying to run in the fourth quarter, Matt Schaub wins it with quarterback draw against Dolphins.

27. Seahawks (1-4) (25): Matt Hasselback’s achin’ back and knee keep him out of the lineup, and the Seahawks go kaput at home against the Packers.

28. Rams (1-4) (32): Rams win! Rams win! Rams win!

29. Raiders (1-4) (27): Tom the Cable guy no better than Lane the Fired Guy.

30. Chiefs (1-4) (28): We’ll see if Tony Gonzalez is still a Chief at 4 p.m. Eastern.

31. Bengals (0-6) (29): They don’t win, but they do play hard. BBiB! had better have his Steelers ready on Sunday.

32. Lions (0-5) (31): Welcome home, Lions! We’ve missed you here in the basement. Make yourselves at home. Looks like you’ll be here a while.

NFL Power Rankings: NFC East slips, Falcons rise

Tuesday October 14, 2008 4:52 AM By Bob Glauber

Lots of changes at the top as three NFC East teams lose and the Falcons continue their stunning early-season performance. About the only thing we can count on these days is Detroit losing; and even that was a close call on Sunday.

I see BBiB! is up bright and early trying to influence our poll. And in this case, we agree with the lad that his Steelers should move up after all the NFC East carnage over the weekend.

1. Titans (5-0) (2): Titans kick back and relax on bye week and emerge as NFL’s only undefeated team. It should stay that way on Sunday, since they’re at the Chiefs.

2. Steelers (4-1) (5): Steelers also get a week off after huge road win in Jax. Now it’s off to Cincinnati for what should be another win. Unless Ryan Fitzpatrick suddenly turns into Carson Palmer, the Steelers have no excuses in this one.

3. Giants (4-1) (1): A dismal day for the NFC East, starting with a 35-14 whipping in Cleveland for the defending Super Bowl champs. They haven’t looked that bad in a long, long time.

4. Cowboys (4-2) (4): Not only do they lose to the Cardinals on the road in OT, but they lose Tony Romo for a month with a broken pinkie and Felix Jones for at least a week or two – maybe longer – with a hammy.

5. Buccaneers (4-2) (9): It’s Jeff Garcia’s job to lose after a huge win over NFC South rival Carolina.

6. Panthers (4-2) (6): So much for that five-game winning streak in Tampa.

7. Redskins (4-2) (3): Evidently, the ‘Skins were reading their press clippings, because they lost at home to the previously winless Rams.

8. Broncos (4-2) (7): Repeat after me, Jay Cutler: Never, ever brag that you have a stronger arm than John Elway.

9. Bills (4-1) (8): Trent Edwards looks like he’s ready to roll after recovering from a concussion. Big one at home against the Chargers on Sunday.

10. Colts (3-2) (14): Now that’s the Peyton Manning we’ve come to know.11. Jaguars (3-3) (13): The slow start is officially over as Jags manhandle Broncos in Denver with strong running game.

12. Eagles (3-3) (12): Eagles back in the NFC East race with win at San Francisco, despite no Brian Westbrook.

13. Chargers (3-3) (15): Bolts throttle Pats and look like they’re almost back to where they should be. We’ll reserve further judgement until we see what they do in Buffalo this weekend against NKR’s beloved Bills.

14. Falcons (4-2) (22): I’m pretty sure we’ve got our offensive rookie of the year. Matt Ryan saves the day again as Falcons come back to beat Bears and move into three-way tie for top spot in NFC South.

15. Cardinals (4-2) (21): They don’t get much bigger than this: win over Dallas in OT at home after blowing 24-14 fourth-quarter lead.

16. Bears (3-3) (10): Kyle Orton brings back Bears back with dramatic last-second TD. But Ryan one-ups him to set up game-winning field goal with no time on the clock.

17. Patriots (3-2) (11): We know about the problems at quarterback. But it’s the problems on defense that are just as worrisome.

18. Jets (3-2) (17): Brett Favre not at his best, but Jets do enough to fend off feisty Bengals.

19. Vikings (3-3) (18): It’s hard to say anything good about a 12-10 win over the Lions at home, other than it means the Vikings are tied for first in the division. And that ain’t bad.

20. Saints (3-3) (19): Drew Brees is on track to shatter Dan Marino’s passing record for most yards in a season.

21. Ravens (2-3) (16): Ravens’ defense comes up microscopically small in Indy.

22. Packers (3-3) (20): Packers hold serve in Seattle as Aaron Rodgers battles continues shoulder problems.

23. Browns (2-3) (26): The Browns aren’t officially out of their early-season funk. But whacking the Giants at home on Monday night will sure go a long way. Wow.

24. Dolphins (2-3) (23): Dolphins defense comes up small in Houston, as Wildcat offense is getting a tad predictable.

25. 49ers (2-4) (24): From bad to worse? After home loss to Eagles, Niners now go east to face a Giants team in bounce-back mode after drubbing in Cleveland.

26. Texans (1-4) (30): A week after Sage Rosenfels blew by trying to run in the fourth quarter, Matt Schaub wins it with quarterback draw against Dolphins.

27. Seahawks (1-4) (25): Matt Hasselbeck’s achin’ back and knee keep him out of the lineup, and the Seahawks go kaput at home against the Packers.

28. Rams (1-4) (32): Rams win! Rams win! Rams win!

29. Raiders (1-4) (27): Tom the Cable guy no better than Lane the Fired Guy.

30. Chiefs (1-4) (28): We’ll see if Tony Gonzalez is still a Chief at 4 p.m. Eastern.

31. Bengals (0-6) (29): They don’t win, but they do play hard. BBiB! had better have his Steelers ready on Sunday.

32. Lions (0-5) (31): Welcome home, Lions! We’ve missed you here in the basement. Make yourselves at home. Looks like you’ll be here a while.

Week 1 NFL Monday Memo

Monday September 8, 2008 5:14 AM By Bob Glauber

Welcome back to one of our favorite blog items, our weekly review of the good, the bad and the ugly. Here's our Week 1 NFL Monday Memo. Enjoy Packers-Vikings tonight. Wonder if Brett F. will be watching.

Jet of the Week: Brett Favre. The 38-year-old quarterback won his debut in green-and-white by throwing for two TDs against Chad Pennington’s Dolphins. All in all, an excellent performance.

(Yeah, I guess he'll be checking out his old team on Monday Night Football.)

Giant of the Week: Brandon Jacobs. In his first game of his second season as the team’s starting tailback, Jacobs responded with 116 yards on 21 carries to lead an offense that was solid on its first four possessions but bogged down in the second half in a 16-7 win over the Redskins.

Offensive player of the week: Michael Turner, RB, Falcons. The Falcons dumped a pile of money into the free agent tailback, and he paid immediate dividends with 220 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-21 win over the Lions.

Defensive player of the week: John Abraham, DE, Falcons. When this guy’s healthy (which isn’t very often) he’s one of the league’s best pass rushers. He showed it with three sacks against the Lions.

Injury of the week: Duh … Tom Brady goes down with a torn knee ligament in the first quarter of the Patriots’ game against the Chiefs. Backup Matt Cassel wound up winning, but this injury could mean everything to a team that had every reason to believe it was ready to make another Super Bowl run. The Pats bring in Chris Simms and Tim Rattay today for workouts. Next up on the schedule: Jets on the road.

Best play, Part I: Jake Delhomme’s winning 14-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to unheralded tight end Dante Rosario with no time remaining in Carolina’s 26-24 win over the Chargers. Incredible.

Best play, Part II: Roscoe Parrish’s dazzling 63-yard punt return for touchdown in Buffalo’s 34-10 win over the Seahawks. The guy dipsy-doodled through the entire Seahawks coverage team.

Worst play: The Bengals allowing Ravens rookie QB Joe Flacco to score on a 38-yard run. Flacco is known for his arm strength, but he is a slow-footed quarterback. Just shows how awful the Bengals’ defense has become.

Domination award: Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, finally healthy after battling an assortment of injuries in recent years, threw for 361 yards and three TDs in Philly’s 38-3 thumping of the Rams.

Wing-and-a-prayer answered: Favre’s desperation heave toward the endzone on fourth-and-13 from the Dolphins’ 22. That ball is intercepted nine times out of 10, but this is Favre we’re talking about. Chansi Stuckey caught it for the first catch – and touchdown – of his career.

Wing-and-a-prayer unanswered: Pennington’s heave into the endzone on third-and-10 from the Jets’ 18 with 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Dolphins trailing by six. Pennington was aiming for Ted Ginn Jr., but the ball was picked off in the back corner of the endzone by Jets CB Darrelle Revis. Game over.

Why Chad Johnson (Ochocinco) shouldn’t worry about his last name: The NFL prevented Johnson from putting his new last name (Ochocinco) on the back of his jersey because of issues involving his contract with apparel maker Reebok. Johnson (Ochocinco) then went out and caught one pass. He is a silly, silly man.

Coming up small award: The Seahawks. Game 1 of Mike Holmgren’s final season in Seattle got off to a dreadful start, as the Hawks were routed 34-10 in Buffalo.

Coaching second guess: On fourth-and-1 from the Steelers’ 48 on the game’s first drive, Texans coach Gary Kubiak decided to go for it. Matt Schaub was stuff on a quarterback sneak. It was never a game after that, as the Texans were stomped 38-17.

Coach on the hot seat, Part I: Mike Nolan lost – again – as the 49ers were beaten at home by the Cardinals. Another losing season, and Nolan is out.

Coach on the hot seat, Part II: The Rams nearly fired Scott Linehan last season, but figured he deserved another shot. After a 38-3 loss to the Eagles, wonder if the Rams already regret the decision.

Comeback award: Willie Parker. The Steelers running back suffered a broken leg late last season, but returned with a vengeance, running for 138 yards and a career-high three TDs.

Best performance: The Steelers. After an under-the-radar preseason in which the Steelers were hardly mentioned at all, they kicked the snot out of Houston, as Parker went wild and QB Ben Roethlisberger (only one incompletion and two TD passes) came out smoking. Sources say our own BBiB! was in the crowd, although he surely found something to complain about his beloved Steelers. We’ll surely hear about it this week.

Worst performance: The Rams were humiliated by the Eagles 38-3 in Philly. Just awful. Next up: at home to the Giants. Beware the trap game, Tom Coughlin.

Reggie Bush highlight reel moment: The Saints’ running back took a dumpoff pass from Drew Brees 42 yards for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter of the Saints’ 24-20 win over NFC South rival Tampa Bay.

Rookie of the Week, Part I: Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, the third overall pick of the draft, won his debut against the Lions, 34-21.

Rookie of the Week, Part II: Flacco, the other starting rookie QB on Sunday, won his debut against the Bengals.

Emotional moment of the week: Former Bills tight end Kevin Everett, who was temporarily paralyzed on opening day last year on a kickoff return, returned to Ralph Wilson Stadium yesterday and received the George Halas Award at halftime. The award, given by the Professional Football Writers of America, honors a player who has overcome the most adversity the previous season.

That was quick; Falcons sign Ryan

Tuesday May 20, 2008 12:07 PM By Bob Glauber

The heir apparent to Michael Vick has signed a six-year contract.

Quick work for a team in a major rebuilding mode. Especially good news considering the Falcons can ill afford a training camp holdout from their franchise quarterback.