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The NFL Report: Week 7 By Chuck Ludwig

The following is a recap/analysis of every NFL game of the past weekend.

Buffalo 19, Baltimore 14

Buffalo held off the Ravens to net their second win of the season. Rian Lindell got the game off to a kicking start with three field goals in the first half before adding another in the third quarter. Marshawn Lynch tacked on a 1-yard touchdown run for the Bills. Baltimore finally got on the board when their first drive of the second half ended on a Willis McGahee 46-yard run. They got within 5 with midway through the fourth when Kyle Boller connected with Derrick Mason in the endzone but they went 3 and out on their next two possessions. Rookie Trent Edwards got his second win in three starts.

The Triplets: BALTIMORE – RB McGahee (19-114, 1 TD); QB Boller (21-36, 191, 1 TD); WR Mason (7-78, 1 TD). McGahee, in his return to Buffalo, is the real story here, as he picked up his third rushing score of the season whille passing the 600-yard mark (639) in his second 100-yard game of the year. Also, Boller showed the type of efficiency he has rarely showed since being drafting out of Cal. More games like this will make him a good spot start, as long as he holds off Steve McNair. BUFFALO – RB Lynch (27-84, 1 TD, 3 rec., 14 yards); QB Edwards (11-21, 153, 1 INT); WR Evans (5-98). The stat lines don’t reflect it, but Lynch displayed the tough running skills and shiftiness that makes him a solid #2 fantasy back. Evans came through with his best performance of a disappointing year, setting a season-high in yardage. Edwards remains waiver wire fodder… as a rookie, do not expect that to change any time soon.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: TE Quinn Sypniewski (BAL) – With 4 catches for 33 yards, the little-known backup to All-Everything TE Todd Heap showed he can be a fantasy factor as long as injuries keep him in the spotlight. He did have a first-half fumble, however; Buffalo D/ST – The much maligned unit limited the Baltimore offense to 14 points, tallying a sack and a fumble recovery along the way. Not stellar numbers, but passable if you were forced to use them.

Extra points: Lynch has now accounted for 4 of the 5 touchdowns scored by the Bills offense this season. McGahee’s 46-yard scoring run was his longest play from scrimmage this season, and his longest since a 57-yard run against the New York Jets in December. The former Buffalo Bill also missed part of the third quarter with dehydration.

New Orleans 22, Atlanta 16

The Saints picked up their second straight win, but not before watching the 1-6 Falcons gave them a major-league scare. Pierre Thomas scored on a 24-yard run, his first offensive touchdown, and a Drew Brees threw two scoring passes in the victory. Brees also added a 37-yard scoring strike to Devery Henderson in the first quarter, but the Falcons responded with two Morten Anderson field goals and a Byron Leftwich touchdown pass to Roddy White. Leftwich gave way to Joey Harrington in the second half after an ankle injury. Reggie Bush scored the eventual game-winning score, capping off 3-yard screen pass by uncharacteristically running through two defenders at the goal line.

The Triplets: ATLANTA – QB Leftwich (15-23, 145, 1 TD); RB Jerrious Norwood (6-38); WR White (8-110, 1 TD). Leftwich showed his critics that he still has some gas left in the tank, giving the Falcon offense a spark that was sorely needed. And the offense continued moving the ball when Harrington took over after Leftwich’s high-ankle sprain, but much of that may have been the result of playing the Saints’ poor pass defense. Norwood, in what many experts thought would be a breakout game, continued to disappoint, gaining his measly 38 yards and seeing less than half the number of carries Warrick Dunn saw (13). White was the star today, taking advantage of the Saints defensive backfield for his second 100-yard game of the season. NEW ORLEANS – QB Brees (22-34, 219, 2 TDs, 1 INT); RB Reggie Bush (17-54, 5 rec., 19 yards, 1 TD); TE Eric Johnson (5-54). A week after finally seeing an offensive explosion versus the Seattle Seahawks, the Saints reverted back to their up-and-down ways. There were a few big plays (Devery Henderson’s 37-yard touchdown reception, Marques Colston’s 33-yard catch and run), but Brees once again had some troubles getting in sync with his receivers. Bush had a subpar game by his standards, but showed the tough-running skills that many thought he lacked on the game-winning touchdown reception. And Johnson continued to show why he is one of the top sleeper tight ends in fantasy. He should continue to see more opportunities, particularly in the red zone, as the season progresses.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: WR Michael Jenkins (ATL) – Rendered useless with Harrington as quarterback, Jenkins showed signs of life Sunday, catching 6 passes for 69 yards in the loss. Given that Leftwich returns after the bye week, Jenkins should make for a fine fourth receiver on a fantasy roster near you. Be a little wary before starting the former Ohio State receiver, though, as he did his work against a weak Saints’ secondary. RB Pierre Thomas (NOR) – Thomas, the undrafted free agent from Illinois, scored his second touchdown in two weeks (the other on a blocked punt) when he gashed the Falcon defense on a shifty 24-yard run in the third quarter. Thomas could see increased carries in the coming weeks as the Saints continue to search for a decent fill-in for injured Deuce McAllister.

Extra Points: Henderson’s first quarter touchdown was his first of the season after scoring five a year ago. However, that 37-yarder from Brees was his only catch of the game. He is waiver wire material until he gets more involved in the offense. Harrington finished the game 12-of-18 for 128 yards and led the Falcons on one scoring drive, capped by a Morten Andersen field goal.

Washington 21, Arizona 19:

Neil Rackers missed a 55-yard try at the buzzer, and the Redskins held on for their fourth win of the year. Washington had led 21-6 with Clinton Portis leading the way with two touchdown runs. Kurt Warner, starting despite torn ligaments in his non-throwing elbow, paced the comeback, getting the ball to Anquan Boldin for the second time in the game before Tim Rattay hooked up with Leonard Pope to get within two. Arizona had a chance to tie the game, but Boldin's pass was intercepted on the conversion try setting up an eventually successful onside kick try that ended in Rackers miss. The Redskin defense forced 4 turnovers in the game to make up for the poor overall stats from Jason Campbell.

The Triplets: ARIZONA – QB Warner (27-41, 282, 2 TDs, 2 INTs); RB Edgerrin James (27-83); WR Larry Fitzgerald (6-97). In this game, the Cardinal offense completely dominated the stat sheet, outgaining Washington 364-160 in total yardage and controlling the ball for more than 34 minutes. The injured Warner looked like his usual self, using seven different receivers to complete his 27 passes while also throwing a couple of picks and losing a fumble. James had a tough go of things against a tough Redskin defense, hardly finding any runnable holes throughout the game. Fitzgerald paced the passing attack, but it was Boldin that had one of the strangest stat lines of the season – 8 catches, 29 yards, 2 TDs. That adds up to a paltry 3.6 yards per catch – looks more like the work of a backup fullback than that of a Pro Bowl receiver. WASHINGTON – QB Campbell (12-18, 95, 1 INT); RB Portis (18-43, 2 TDs); WR Antwann Randle-El (3-54). The story of the Washington offense Sunday was one of failure and capitalization - failure to do anything in the passing game but showing the ability to cash in Arizona turnovers. Campbell had his worst day of the season, with 95 passing yards in the face of constant pressure from the Cardinal defensive front. TE Chris Cooley’s effort was especially, netting only one catch for 3 yards on the day. Portis did score his fourth and fifth touchdowns on the year, but has yet to crack the 100-yard mark in any game this year. Washington’s defense scored the team’s other touchdown on an interception return by LB London Fletcher.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: TE Leonard Pope (ARI) – In the Cardinals’ pass happy offense, the tight end is often forgotten, but not in crunch time Sunday. Pope caught a touchdown from backup QB Tim Rattay to pull the Cards to within two, 21-19. On the day, he hauled in 3 passes for 35 yards and that one score. RB Rock Cartwright (WAS) – Okay, so he didn’t even play on offense, but what am I going to do? You have anyone better for this category? Cartwright would have rewarded owners (if anyone had any reason to own him) in leagues that give points for return yards with his 80-yard kickoff return. Of course, there was no score attached to the end of it, so whatever. Bottom line: this was an absolutely dreadful offensive game for the ‘Skins.

Extra Points: James’ 83 yards rushing puts him only 10 yards short of 11,000 for his career. Rackers’ missed field goal to end the game followed a blocked extra point in the first half. For the year, he is only converting 66.7 percent of his field goal attempts. Campbell’s day (56.5 QB rating) was the worst since his third start of last season. His 95 yards was the worst for any start in his career.

NY Giants 33, San Francisco 15:

The Giants extended their winning streak to five games when Brandon Jacobs scored on a 5-yard run to break a 7-7 tie in the second and Osi Umenyiora returned a Trent Dilfer fumble 75 yards for the score to put the game out of reach. Eli Manning stared New York off with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Amani Toomer and finished the day with a 2-yard connection with Jeremy Shockey. Plaxico Burress led with 5 catches for 43 yards but ended up without a touchdown for the first time this year. Dilfer tied the game early with 17-yard touchdown pass to Arnaz Battle, but the 49ers didn't score again until hitting Darrell Jackson on a 1-yard throw with just 16 seconds left.

The Triplets: SAN FRANCISCO – QB Dilfer (23-38, 209, 2 TDs, 2 INTs); RB Frank Gore (14-88, 3 rec., 23 yards); WR Battle (6-57, 1 TD). To say that this was a tough game for the 49er offense would be an understatement. The resurgent Giants’ defense wreaked havoc on the Dilfer-helmed unit all day, leading to a six-sack, three turnaround performance. Dilfer himself did nothing to make fantasy owners view him as anything more than waiver wire fodder, and Gore continues to disappoint those that picked him the top-five of their respective fantasy drafts. Battle was the one bright spot, catching a season-high six passes and scoring his second touchdown in two weeks. NEW YORK – QB Manning (18-31, 146, 2 TDs, 1 INT); RB Jacobs (18-107, 1 TD; 3 rec., 16 yards); WR Burress (5-43). Jacobs and the Giant rushing game set the tone for the offensive attack all game. As a team, New York ran for 140 yards on 31 carries (a 4.5 YPC average) That production gave Manning more wiggle room than usual in the passing game, leading to what is seen by fantasy gurus as a subpar performance. However, Manning remains an every-week play in all fantasy formats.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: WR Ashley Lelie (SF) – Lelie, an offseason acquisition from the Atlanta Falcons, finally contributed for the 49ers Sunday with his first two catches as a member of the team. Two catches isn’t normally something to get worked up over, but one was a 47-yard completion, proving that he may live up to the deep threat potential that has eluded him thus far. Keep an eye on him as Alex Smith works his way back into the lineup. WR Amani Toomer (NYG) – Toomer, always a forgotten man in the fantasy realm, followed up his 7 rec., 89 yard, 1 score performance last week with another score this week. He won’t be the most productive of receivers, but he is certainly a good pickup for bye week issues.

Extra Points: 49er Moran Norris added somewhat of a bright spot for San Francisco, blocking a Giant punt for a safety in the third quarter. After giving up 80 points in its first two games, the Giants' defense has surrendered 53 in its last five, not counting 17 points on special teams and offensive mistakes. The have recorded 25 sacks in the winning streak. Toomer’s TD catch made him the all time Giant leader with 49.

New England 49, Miami 28:

Can they really keep this up? Tom Brady threw for six more touchdowns, setting a new team record, and completed his first eleven passes for 220 yards, with four touchdowns. In the end Randy Moss and Wes Welker each had two touchdowns while Donte Stallworth and Kyle Brady brought in the other two. At the half, New England led 42-7… in a National Football League game. Ridiculous. Just ridiculous. Cleo Lemon turned in a decent game statwise for the Dolphins completing 24 of 37 for 236 yards with an interception. He also scored on a 4-yard run. Patrick Cobbs and Jesse Chatman also scored on the ground, but it was Ronnie Brown carrying the bulk of the load for the 0-7 Miami. Brown's successful start did not end well, however; he had to be carted off the field with what was later diagnosed as a torn ACL. He's out for the season.

The Triplets: NEW ENGLAND – QB Brady (21-25, 354, 6 TDs); RB Laurence Maroney (6-31); WR Welker (9-138, 2 TDs). The format for the Triplets section does not do the Patriots credit. It can’t possibly when you have two receivers go for more than 100 yards with 2 scores apiece like the Pats did Sunday. As mentioned earlier, Brady connected with four different receivers for his 6 scoring tosses. Four receivers (Welker, Moss, Stallworth and RB Heath Bell) were all on the end of at least one pass of 29 yards or more. The only complaint with this team is its lack of a running game. But with Maroney back, it’s a safe bet that Coach Bill Belicheck will begin remedying that situation soon. MIAMI – QB Lemon (24-37, 236, 1 INT); RB Brown (17-76); WR Derek Hagan (4-56). Lost among the Pats’ dominant performance (did I mention it was ridiculous?) was a fine game from Lemon. Starting his second game in relief of Trent Green, Lemon showed himself to be an accurate passer, completing 65 percent of his passes to eight different receivers. Brown had a solid game rushing, but he is no longer a fantasy factor with his current status. The Miami defense chipped in with a score on an interception return from DE Jason Taylor. But no worries, Brady owners, that came off of backup QB Matt Cassel. Brady promptly returned to the game.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: TE Kyle Brady (NE) – Okay, maybe you did think of him, but true to told, there isn’t much unexpected coming from New England right now. Either way, Brady caught another touchdown pass Sunday, and more will certainly be in store for as long as TE Benjamin Watson is out with an injury. RB Jesse Chatman (MIA) – The one time lusted after backup to LaDanian Tomlinson, Chatman is at it again, rushing for 73 yards and score on only 7 carries. Chatman should take on a heavy role now that Brown is out for the season.

Extra Points: With his six scoring tosses, Brady now has 27 through seven games. Until this point, the most ever through that timeframe was Peyton Manning’s 22 in 2004. The Patriots’ 42 points was a record for a first half. Lemon now has two consecutive games of at least 200 passing yards. Hagan marked career highs in both catches and yardage Sunday. With Chris Chambers now a Charger, Hagan may step up into a more consistent productive role.

Tennessee 38, Houston 36:

The Titans blew a 32-7 fourth quarter lead, allowing 29 points in the final quarter, and needed an NFL record eighth Rob Bironas field goal to come out on top. Tennessee also scored on a 1-yard run by LenDale White in the first and a 4-yard run from rookie Chris Henry in the second. Kerry Collins, starting for the Titans in place of an injured Vince Young, went 25 of 42 for 280 yards. Sage Rosenfels, who came in after Matt Schaub left with a hip and ankle injuries, recovered from a horrible start that saw him turnover the ball four times to throw four touchdowns in the final quarter, including a 53-yard pass to Andre Davis that gave Houston the lead with less than a minute remaining.

The Triplets: TENNESSEE – QB Collins (25-42, 280); RB White (27-104, 1 TD); WR Roydell Williams (5-124). It should come as no surprise in a game that featured a record eight field goals that the Titan offense racked up plenty of yards but failed to consistently get into the end zone. Collins helped people forget about his dreadful start to last season with an efficient game from the first quarter on. White had his best day as a pro, breaking the 100-yard barrier and constantly battering the Texan defensive line with power runs. Williams also easily had a career game, capping his day with a 46-yard reception to set up the game-winning kick. HOUSTON – QB Rosenfels (22-35, 290, 4 TDs, 3 INTs); RB Ahman Green (11-39); WR Kevin Walter (6-97, 1 TD). It took awhile, but once Houston got going on offense, they REALLY got going. Rosenfels took over for Schaub at halftime and promptly got off to a gruesome start, but the fourth quarter saw the quarterback throw for a record-tying four scores in the fourth quarter. He hit four different receivers on the tosses. Of course, this is all for naught when it comes to fantasy owners, since Schaub is no doubt still the quarterback. Walter capitalized on the pass-heavy scheme, having his second straight big day in relief of WR Andre Johnson.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: TE Bo Scaife (TEN) – Anyone looking for relief at the tight end position should look no further than Scaife, who has collected more than 40 yards receiving in each of the last two games. He’s not a fantasy starter, but pick the right matchup and you can have success with him. WR Andre Davis (HOU) – Davis is officially a threat, averaging nearly four catches for 67 yards in his last three games. He also has caught a touchdown in each of those games. He’ll take a hit in production when Johnson returns, but until then, add him and use the former Brown when you’re in a bind.

Extra Points: The Texans accumulated a depressingly-low 39 yards rushing. Walter has played well enough in the last several games to earn some looks even after Andre Johnson’s return. Add him now, and don’t worry about cutting him when he return happens. He’ll still produce. Bironas’ eight field goals may have many of you running to the waiver wire to add the new record holder. If so, slow down – in the previous five games this year, Bironas’ totaled EIGHT field goals. On average, he’ll put points on the board, but not necessarily any better than what you already have.

Detroit 23, Tampa Bay 16:

Kevin Jones and Calvin Johnson each had a rushing touchdown while Jason Hanson connected on three field goal attempts for the Lions to get to 4-2. Jeff Garcia had a 5-yard touchdown pass to Ike Hilliard in the second quarter then tried to rally his team with a 4-yard scoring throw to Maurice Stovall late in the fourth but an onside attempt failed after a Matt Bryant 48-yard field goal closed the gap to seven and the comeback fell short.

The Triplets: TAMPA BAY – QB Garcia (37-45, 316, 2 TDs); RB Earnest Graham (19-92, 13 rec., 99 yards); WR Ike Hilliard (9-92, 1 TD). The continued excellent play from Garcia is obviously the story here. With this performance, he is now completing more than 70 percent of his passes with nary an interception. And his game has boosted the entire receiving corps, especially another resurrected player, Hilliard. Both are weekly plays at this point. But as great of Garcia’s story is, there was another Sunday – that of Graham. A disappointment since taking over for Carnell Williams, Graham was a beast Sunday, totaling 191 yards on his 32 touches. Looks like the transition to the Michael Bennett era will take longer than expected. DETROIT – QB Jon Kitna (16-20, 147); RB Jones (15-76, 1 TD; 6 rec., 24 yards); WR Johnson (2-37, 1 rush, 32 yards, 1 TD). Truth is, the Lions were dominated in nearly every facet of the game Sunday with the exception of turnovers. And it showed in the statbook with a very un-Mike Martz like game. Kitna had his second straight low scoring game, and as a result, the usually reliable Lion receiving corps suffered. But there were bright spots – Johnson scored on a reverse that was nothing short of spectacular; he looks more and more comfortable with the pro level every week. And the comeback of Kevin Jones continues to go well, as he posted season highs in yards and attempts.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: TE Jerramy Stevens (TAM) – Stevens, the former Seattle Seahawk and fantasy scapegoat, hauled in 4 passes from Garcia Sunday for 19 yards. Not great numbers, but if Garcia continues to use his tight ends in the offense good things could be ahead. Particularly in the red zone, where Stevens could use his 6-7, 260 pound frame to gain position in the end zone. K Jason Hansen (DET) – The ancient one is still excelling, this 16 years after beginning his kicking career in the Motor City. Hansen has converted four straight field goals and has upped his percentage to 76.7 percent. Basically, not much here unexpected.

Extra Points: Garcia broke Steve DeBerg's franchise record for consecutive completions in a game, and tied the mark Brad Johnson set spanning two games. Garcia had 18 straight completions in the first half. He has also thrown 270 passes without an interception, including attempts in the postseason last season for the Eagles, for the longest active streak.

Kansas City 12, Oakland 10:

Larry Johnson's 1-yard touchdown run was just enough for the Chiefs to come out on top and improve to 4-3 to take the lead in the tight AFC West race. Dave Rayner accounted for he only scores in the first half as he made good on two field goal attempts to give Kansas City a 6-0 halftime lead. Daunte Culpepper finally got the Raiders on the board with a 21-yard pass to Ronald Curry and later led a drive that ended in a Sebastian Janikowski 37-yard kick but the Raiders fell to 2-4.

The Triplets: KANSAS CITY – QB Damon Huard (16-31, 177, 1 TD); RB Johnson (24-112, 1 TD; 6 rec., 21 yards); WR Dwayne Bowe (3-84). The surprising Kansas City Chiefs used a balanced combination from the passing and rushing games to collect another win. Huard continues to post pedestrian numbers for the Chiefs, throwing for less than 200 yards for the fourth time this season. Despite that, Dwayne Bowe looks more and more like a potential All-Rookie teamer, and he is on pace for more than 1,000 yards and 7 scores. On Sunday he collected his longest play from scrimmage – a 58-yard reception from Huard. Johnson had his third 100-yard rushing game in his last four contests. Looks like all the rust is gone… OAKLAND – QB Culpepper (18-29, 228, 1 TD, 1 INT); RB Lamont Jordan (11-29; 4 rec., 40 yards); WR Jerry Porter (1-59). Culpepper came through with his finest passing performance this season for the Raiders (83.7 QB rating), but he is still nowhere near the passer he was before his knee injury (or before Randy Moss was traded). You have to wonder if JaMarcus Russell will start getting snaps sometime soon. Jordan been in a consistent downtrend since posting back-to-back 100 games in week 2 and 3. He’s still worth owning, but sit him for now. Despite Porter’s yardage rank, the leading receiver on this team is Ronald Curry. Curry caught four passes Sunday for 45 yards and a score. He is the only fantasy-viable receiver on the Raiders right now.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: RB Priest Holmes (KAN) – Yes, THAT Priest Holmes… he is back on the active roster, and although he did a bunch of nothing against Oakland (4 car., 9 yards; 1 rec., -6 yards), just the fact that he took the field should put him on people’s radars. As the second running back, he is only one snap from regaining the role he had on the Chief teams of the early part of the decade. TE Zach Miller (OAK) - Miller, a rookie out of Arizona State, is proving himself on the NFL level, with 14 catches for 119 yards and a score thus far. Four of those catches came yesterday, and more will be in store if and when the Raiders finally give Russell a chance under center. Young quarterbacks love sure handed tight ends (think Chris Cooley).

Extra Points: Johnson has scored Kansas City's last 35 TDs rushing since Holmes scored Oct. 21, 2005, against Miami. ... Kansas City DE Jared Allen had two sacks, giving him eight in five games this season.

Cincinnati 38, NY Jets 31:

The Bengals ended a four-game skid when Johnathan Joseph returned a Chad Pennington interception 42 yards for the eventual game-winning score late in fourth quarter. Kenny Watson turned in a career day playing for an injured Rudi Johnson, scoring 3 times and rushing for 130 yards on 31 carries. Carson Palmer went 14 of 21 for 226 yards and an interception, including a 3-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Houshmanzadeh that cut the Jets lead to six midway through the third. Chad Johnson had just three catches on the day, but led with 102 yards. Pennington had two first half touchdown passes to Laveranues Coles to get New York out to a 20-10 halftime lead. He later added a 32-yard scoring throw to Jerricho Cotchery as time expired to end up 20 of 31 for 272 yards.

The Triplets: NEW YORK – QB Pennington (20-31, 272, 3 TDs, 1 INT); RB Thomas Jones (19-67); WR Coles (8-133, 2 TDs). Pennington, by all accounts playing for his job, turned in one of his best days, setting a season high in scoring passes and finishing with a QB rating of 111.2. Coles and Cotchery were his main targets, combining for 14 receptions, 193 yards and three touchdowns on the day. Given it was against the horrible Bengal defense, but the Jet passing game looks alive for now. Jones’ running game took the big hit at the expense of the passing game, as he followed his season-high 130 yards last week with a stinker this week. He remains a fantasy starter, although that status is slowly starting to slip away. CINCINNATI – QB Palmer (14-21, 226, 1 TD, 1 INT); RB Watson (31-130, 3 TDs; 3 rec., 27 yards); WR Johnson (3-102). The Cincinnati offense was slow getting started in the first half, but picked it up in the second half, as Watson led the way. Watson had ran for 183 yards total in the first six games this season, but he is showing that there can be life in the Bengal offense without Rudi Johnson. Chad Johnson promised to tone things down this weekend, and he did with quiet day against a so-so Jets defense.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: TE Sean Ryan (NYJ) – It’s a stretch, but Ryan did make his first three catches of the 2007 season against the Bengals, totaling 46 yards in the process. He’s probably nothing more than a waiver wire guy, but I had to put someone here. WR Glenn Holt (CIN) – You may have never heard of this product of the University of Kentucky, but with the Bengals penchance for making receivers, you will be soon. As the third receiver Sunday, Holt contributed 4 catches for 54 yards – bettering the numbers put together by fantasy stalwort Houshmanzadeh (4 catches, 43 yards). If you are looking for a sleeper option at receiver, you could do a lot worse.

Extra Points: Pennington threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Coles on the Jets' third play. Pennington hadn't completed a pass of longer than 29 yards all season. ... Coles passed Curtis Martin into sixth place on the Jets' career receiving list. He also moved ahead of George Sauer into ninth for career touchdowns. ... Coles has six of the Jets' 10 touchdown catches. ... Joseph's interception was the first of his career.

Seattle 33, St. Louis 6:

The Seahawks took the lead in the NFC West when they rolled over the hapless Rams with two touchdown passes from Matt Hasselbeck and four Josh Brown field goals. Hasselbeck had Seattle on the board first with a 1-yard pass to Will Heller then connected with Heller again midway through the fourth quarter when the game was already out of reach. Nate Burleson didn't do much on offense, but he did take the second half's opening kickoff 97 yards for the score. Hasselbeck completed 18 of 35 for 195 yards an and interception with Bobby Engram catching 6 for 73 yards and Shaun Alexander rushed 19 times for 47 yards. Marc Bulger returned after missing a couple weeks with broken ribs to throw three interceptions and finish 21 of 40 for 225 yards. Tory Holt caugh 8 pases for 82 yards Brian Leonard picked up 44 yards on 12 attempts.

The Triplets: SEATTLE – QB Hasselbeck (18-35, 195, 2 TDs, 1 INT); RB Alexander (19-47); WR Engram (6-73). What happened to Shaun Alexander? That’s the big question after he provided back-to-back underwhelming performances against shaky defenses the last two weeks. Injuries aside, the lack of productivity is alarming, as Alexander is on pace for 1,051 rushing yards – that’s less than he’s had in any full season since his rookie year. IN this game, the passing offense picked up the slack, with Hasselbeck re-establishing his long-standing relationship with Engram. Engram is a must start in all formats at this point as a third receiver. The numbers will be there consistently. ST. LOUIS – QB Bulger (21-40, 225, 3 INT); RB Brian Leonard (12-44); WR Holt (8-82). This may be the ugliest offense in the NFL due to the various injuries all over the place. That’s really all that can be said right now. Bench everyone playing for the Rams except for Holt until RB Stephen Jackson returns. Bottom line.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: TE Will Heller (SEA) – He has only five catches on the year, and three of the came on Sunday. But he was on the receiving end of two Hasselbeck touchdown passes. You didn’t think of him, and you still won’t.

Extra Points: Brown made all four of his field-goal attempts and is 13-of-14 this season. His only miss was blocked last week against New Orleans.

Chicago 19, Philadelphia 16:

Brian Griese marched the Bears 97 yards down the field, completing 9 of 11 passes, and finished the drive with a 15-yard throw to Muhsin Muhammad in the back of the endzone with nine seconds left to take home the Bears third win of the year. Robbie Gould accounted for the rest of Chicago's points with four field goals. Griese threw for 322 yards, going 27 of 41, and Muhammad caught 5 for 79. The Eagles wasted three trips into the redzone in the first half, coming away with David Akers field goals each time rather than touchdowns. Donovan McNabb finally broke through with a 13-yard scoring throw with five minutes left in the third. McNabb finished 21 of 34 for 226 yards with Kevin Curtis catching 5 for 62 and Brian Westbrook gaining 79 yards on 18 carries.

The Triplets: CHICAGO – QB Griese (27-41, 322, 1 TD); RB Cedric Benson (17-46); WR Muhammad (5-79, 1 TD). Now look now, but the Bears are setting themselves up as a legitimate passing team. Griese, still the most popular quarterback in the Windy City, is averaging 300 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air since taking over for Rex Grossman four weeks ago. This, of course, has led to a rise in production from Muhammed and fellow receiver Bernard Berrian. Griese is now a playable fantasy quarterback, and the receivers are getting there as well. The downfall - Cedric Benson has been a complete bust for the Bears. He is averaging only 3.1 yards per carry and has only found the end zone twice. Sit him. PHILADELPHIA – QB McNabb (21-34, 226, 1 TD); RB Westbrook (18-79; 6 rec., 40 yards); WR Curtis (5-62). Speaking of utter disappointments, McNabb is likely the quarterback of the all bust team. Take away his huge four-score game against Detroit, and he has a meager three to two TD to INT ratio. Of course he is returning from an injury (when hasn’t he?), so bigger numbers could be on the way. Curtis has established himself as a solid fantasy option as a third receiver. He’ll give you occasional huge games and sturdy numbers in other games.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: TE Greg Olsen (CHI) – The rookie tight end is coming on, coinciding with Griese’s rise to starter. In his last three games, Olsen has tallied 13 catches for 168 yards and score. That averages out to 69 catches, 896 yards and 5 scores over a full season. Not too shabby. TE Brent Celek (PHI) – He is the ultimate of reaches, and I would certainly not recommend adding him now, but you have to keep an eye on him, as McNabb has targeted the rookie out of Cincinnati more often in the last three weeks. He could become a decent red zone option as time goes on.

Extra Points: K Robbie Gould missed his second field goal attempt Sunday, but overall he is having a fine season once again (13-15 FG, 14-14 XP)… David Akers is very similar (13-16 FG, 11-11 XP). Both are viable kicking options as always.

Dallas 24, Minnesota 14:

The Cowboys avoided their second loss in a row when Pat Watkins returned a blocked field goal attempt 68 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. The Vikings were attempting to break a 14 all tie late in the third when Ryan Longwell's 48-yard try was knocked down by Chris Canty. Terrell Owens had Dallas on top early with a 5-yard catch midway through the first. Marion Barber later tied the game with a 1-yard run in the third. Tony Romo finished 31 of 39 for 277 yards with Owens catching 7 for 103. Marion Barber rushed 19 times for 96 yards. Adrian Peterson's 20-yard touchdown run had the game tied at 7 and Cedric Griffin finished off an 84-yard fumble return for a 14-7 halftime lead. Peterson's production fell off drastically from last week's steller performance thanks to head coach Brad Childress's decision to let Chester Taylor have back his starting job and allowing Peterson just carry only 12 times for 63 yards. Tavaris Jackson was just 6 for 19 for 72 yards.

The Triplets: MINNESOTA - QB Jackson (6-19, 72); RB Adrian Peterson (12-63, 1 TD); WR Troy Williamson (1-25). This is a horrendous offense, and will continue to be as long as the Vikings refuse to make Peterson their consistent number one running back. Jackson’s lack of ability behind center certainly does not help anything either. Peterson remains a strong play most weeks, but be prepared for disappointments like this one if the Vikings cannot get their passing offense off the ground (all pun intended). DALLAS – QB Romo (31-39, 277, 1 TD); RB Barber (19-96, 1 TD); WR Owens (7-103, 1 TD). Romo continues to excel, showing off an accurate arm and the ability to get the ball to Owens. As long as this continues, he will continue to be the top five fantasy quarterback that he is. And in case anyone hasn’t noticed, Barber is the RB of note for the Cowboys. He is now on pace for more than 1,000 yards and 12 scores. Do yourself a favor and drop Julius Jones if you haven’t already.

Extra Points: Ron Fellows was the last Cowboys player to return a blocked field goal for a touchdown. He went 62 yards on a block by Ed "Too Tall" Jones against New Orleans on Sept. 25, 1983. Phillips was there for that one, too. He was the Saints' defensive coordinator at the time. ... The Vikings were the last team not to have allowed a rushing touchdown. ... Dallas' game-opening touchdown drive took a season-best 8:24 and tied the season-best at 14 plays.

Denver 31, Pittsburgh 28:

Jason Elam kicked his third game-winner of the year to make the Broncos 3-3 and hand the Steelers their second loss of the season. Jay Cutler threw three touchdown passes and had Denver up by 14 at the end of the third quarter but Ben Roethlisberger responded with two scores in the fourth quarter, to make four overall, to knot the game at 28 with just over a minute to go. That was enough time for Cutler to to get the ball all the way down to the Steelers 32 yard line to set-up Elam's 49-yard try. Cutler finished 22 of 29 for 248 yards with 2 interceptions. Brandon Marshall caught 6 for 77 yards. Brandon Stokley, Cecil Sapp and Tony Scheffler were on the other end of Cutler's touchdown throws. Denver's second score came when Tim Crowder returned a Roethlisberger fumble 50 yards late in the first half to send them to the break up 21-7. Roethlisberger finished 24 of 35 for 290 yards and two interceptions. Heath Miller caught the first and last touchdowns of the game, Santonio Holmes and Matt Spaeth caught the other two. Hines Ward caught 7 passes for 78 and Willie Parker rushed 21 times for 93 yards.

The Triplets: PITTSBURGH – QB Roethlisberger (24-35, 290, 4 TDs, 2 INTs); RB Parker (21-93); WR Ward (7-78). Roethilisberger continued what is a disturbing trend for Pittsburgh fans. When he is forced to throw more than 30 passes in a game, the Steelers are 3-11. You won’t hear fantasy owners complaining though as Big Ben equaled his season high in scoring throws and set a new season high in yardage. He now has 13 touchdowns and a 101.1 passer rating on the season. Parker continued his fine season, rushing for at least 90 yards for the fifth time in six games. DENVER – QB Cutler (22-29, 248, 3 TDs, 2 INTs); RB Travis Henry (17-51); WR Marshall (6-77). Denver had its offense working in this game, as it gained 324 yards and converted seven of 10 third down opportunities. Marshall led the team in receiving, but others got in the act as well. Three receivers had at least 50 yards in the air, and Cutler threw scoring passes to three different receivers. The rushing game had troubles against a highly-ranked Steeler defensive front, but Henry did pass the 500-yard mark in the game (549). He is now on pace for 1,464 yards this year. No other Denver running back ran for more than 3 yards, so we are no closer to knowing who would take Henry’s place in the running game if he is forced to serve a drug-related suspension.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: WR Nate Washington (PIT) – The lesser known of the Steeler starting wideouts did not have a particularly good game, catching only one pass for 40 yards, but he has proven himself to be a decent deep threat in the offense. Keep an eye on him, he may provide some dividends late in the year. WR Brandon Stokley (DEN) – Stokley had his biggest game of the year Sunday, catching five passes for 70 yards and score. If he can come close to level he was at when he was with Indianapolis, he will be a viable fantasy option.

Indianapolis 29, Jacksonville 7:

The Triplets: INDIANAPOLIS – QB Peyton Manning (23-37, 259, 1 TD, 1 INT); RB Joseph Addai (16-85); WR Reggie Wayne (9-131). This offense just keeps rolling along, with everyone doing exactly what you expected them to. Wayne seems to have taken over as the number one receiver with Marvin Harrison’s injury struggles as of late. But with a Manning-led offense, you just never know when that is going to switch again. The big area of concern in Indy is the timeshare that has developed between Addai and rookie Kenton Keith. This week they split the carries nearly down the middle (Addai 16, Keith 15), and Keith scored a touchdown on a goal-line run. Anyone who drafted Addai in the early first round may want to temper their expectations the rest of the way. JACKSONVILLE – QB David Garrard (8-12, 72); RB Fred Taylor (11-55); WR Ernest Wilford (6-53). Also nothing unexpected here, although the loss of Garrard to an injury in the first half definitely affected the Jacksonville attack. Backup Quinn Gray had a horrible stint behind center (9-24, 56, 2 INT) and is definitely not a fantasy option worth exploring. Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew split carries as usual, with Jones-Drew at least adding a touchdown in the second half.

You Probably Didn’t Think Of: RB Kenton Keith (IND) – This is another guy who probably did think of but didn’t add because of the hype surrounding Addai. If you are hurting at RB, add Keith with no concern. He’ll have a part in the offense throughout the season, as he contributed his third straight solid game. With Tony Dungy apparently content with keep Addai fresh, Keith will get his touches week in and week out.

Extra Points: Jones-Drew sprained his left knee with a little more than a minute to play, but X-rays were negative and he should be fine. ... Keith left the game with a bruised forehead but later returned. ... The Colts finished with 384 yards; the Jaguars managed 226 and had three turnovers.

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