Giant of the week: Jeremy Shockey. Had a career-high 12 catches and was the only consistent bright spot for an offense that sputtered too much in the second half.
Player of the week: Marc Bulger, QB, Rams. It isn’t every day the quarterback of an 0-8 team makes our list. But you’ve got to give credit to Bulger and his mates for finally getting on the board against the red hot Saints. Bulger, finally recovered from a rib injury, threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns in the Saints’ 37-29 upset. 
Bush league play-call of the week: If we’re gonna get on the Patriots for running up the score in the fourth quarter - and we have - then we’ve got to treat everyone the same. So why is Brett Favre throwing for a touchdown with less than six minutes to play in the fourth quarter and Green Bay already up 27-0? And with Adrian Peterson (knee) out of the game and the Vikings playing their third-string quarterback? We expect more from Mike McCarthy, who was our mid-season Coach of the Year.
Special teams player of the week: Bengals K Shayne Graham kicked a team-record seven field goals to help Cincy beat punchless Baltimore on the road.
Rising star: Ryan Grant, RB, Packers. He went from a longshot with the Giants to a starter with the Packers after DeShawn Wynn was injured. In a 34-0 win over the Vikings, Grant 119 yards and a touchdown. (Believe it or not, Grant grew up a mile from where I used to live in Nanuet, NY.)
Falling star: Steve McNair, QB, Ravens. Looks like it’s over.
Rookie of the week: Selvin Young, RB, Broncos. Filling in for the injured Travis Henry, Young ran for 109 yards and a touchdown in a huge win over the Chiefs on the road. At 4-5, the Broncos are still very much alive in the AFC West.
Best play: Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie making a leaping, one-handed interception of Peyton Manning in the first half of the Chargers’ Sunday night win over the Colts.
Worst play: Chargers QB Philip Rivers dropping the ball in the endzone in the fourth quarter. Colts LB Gary Brackett recovered for the touchdown, and pulled to within two points. San Diego got lucky when clutch kicker Adam Vinatieri choked on a 29-yard game-winning attempt in the final seconds. 
Coach on the hot seat: Brian Billick of the Ravens is under intense pressure now that the offense has flopped. Guess Jim Fassel wasn’t the only one at fault for all that ails the Ravens. Billick may have no other choice but to give Kyle Boller a try.
Comeback of the week: The Steelers rally from 21-3 deficit to beat the Browns, 31-28. Not sure what we’re more surprised by – the comeback, or the fact that the Steelers’ defense let the Browns walk all over them early. Either way, it was an emotional win and yet another sign the Steelers are ready for a return trip to January.
Hold-your-breath moment of the week: Vikings rookie RB Adrian Peterson going down with a knee injury against the Packers. Let’s hope it doesn’t short-circuit what was turning into a record-breaking season for the former Oklahoma running back.
Comeback player of the week: Rex Grossman, QB, Bears. He takes over for an injured Brian Griese and helps the Bears beat Oakland. We had a sneaking suspicion we hadn’t heard the last of Grossman, even after he got benched.
Best game: Steelers 31, Browns 28. That’s two weeks in a row the Brownies have put on a show.
Worst game: Bills 13, Dolphins 10. Can we get a look at John Beck, please?
Who’da-thunk-it-award: The Jaguars are finding a way to win even without David Garrard. Thanks to a strong running game and an even better defense, they beat Tennessee on the road and join the Titans a game behind the suddenly reeling Colts.
Not-dead-yet award: The Eagles. They beat Washington on the road to keep their feint hopes flickering. Nice work by Donovan McNabb (20-of-28, 251 yards, 2 TDs) and Brian Westbrook (100 rushing yards, a rushing TD and two receiving TDs).
Condolences: To 49ers coach Mike Nolan, whose father, former 49ers coach Dick Nolan, died Sunday after a long illness. Dick Nolan was 75. Mike must somehow find a way to get through tonight’s game against the Seahawks in Seattle. Our thoughts and prayers are with him.
Comments (19)
How many tds does Darren Sproles need to score to win the special teams award?
Best game of the week?
Tell that to my wife after I kicked the dog, broke a lamp, threw the remote and was a generally unbearable during the game, only too hug everyone and be perfectly happy, and clueless, about why my family wouldn't come near me, afterwards. :-)
We get the point, Lance. And you can easily make a case for Sproles. Guess the only reason I resisted was because Graham scored every single point for the Bengals, and because Indy's coverage teams are miserable.
Black N Gold:
And your point would be?
:)
Sproles has to be special teamer of the week .. if not player of the week. Hands down, not close.
"The Steelers defense let teh Browns walk all over them in the first half?!" Hardly. I know you couldn't watch the game, but the Browns scored thanks to a 90 yard KO return to the 3 yd line and a pick deep in Pittsburgh territory. All told, the Browns had 1, count 'em, one drive of significance and in fact had about 130 yards of total offense at the half. Hardly the 'D' s fault.
Big Ben is Back!
My, oh, my. What, did you not catch up on your sleep over the weekend or something? A bunch of 10-year-olds sleep over, or what? So touchy about a couple of words. Hey, if you want to believe the Browns didn't walk all over the defense, that's fine with US. WE thought great defenses could respond, especially when the going gets tough in the red zone. Guess you've lowered your standards for your beloved 'Lers.
I was first offended by your accusing Packers of running up the score. Then I realized why you were wrong.
#1 Patriots are usually up 42-49 points and still throwing touchdown passes.
#2 Favre tried to throw an interception, but the Vikings are so inept they messed that up too.
#3 You had to find some blowout, and that was the only one of the weekend!
Bob, did you actually watch the Steeler game???? The Browns had ONE drive all game, and a 164 yards of total offense. Their other scores were a 100 yard kickoff return, a score set up by a 95 yard KO return, and a score set up by an interception deep in Steeler territory. So your analysis shows that you either: 1. Don't have a clue as to what you are talking about, or 2. You did not watch the game.
Steel Curtain:
Oh, you're right. I'm sorry. Derek Anderson throwing three touchdown passes, one of which came after a long drive, shows the Steelers' defense was at its best early on. Sure, the Browns played on a short field for two of those drives. But Derek Anderson threw for three touchdowns, dude.
Oh, and thanks for inventing this great game of football we all love so much.
Karl:
I've hammered the Patriots for running it up, and yes, the scores were worse. But Green Bay up 27-0 in the fourth quarter, with Adrian Peterson out of the game, with Minnesota's third-string quarterback doing zilch, and you're still firing away at the endzone? C'mon.
A 3 yard drive and an 18yd drive can not be pinned on the 'D'. Were they great in the first half? No. Were they pushed up and down the field? Not even close. Did Derek Anderson put up big stats? No. Good stats? No. Decent? Maybe. 16-35 for 123 yards. It's these kind of snap judgments that have your rankings screwed up week after week. Just because you see the Giants' games and only the scores of other games, doesn't make the Giants better. We await your apology for this glaring mistake.
I'm more upset though for Sproles. He's missing his award this week and is probably feeling sad. Cribbs from Cleveland should be #2. A kicker? Who made 7 short field goals (35 was his LONG!)? That reeks of a quick selection there.
Don't get upset, we're here to help. And these 2 go down as wrong. But you can fix them in your rankings column tomorrow.
Interesting point about the Packer's score and the link to Pat's running it up. I'm so confused about how much to win by. It seems the last two weeks that if a team loses by 2 to 4 points that everyone discounts the victories. If you win by 20 to 40 you are running up the score. What is the perfect number? When do you send the first squad to the showers. Seems like you can't win for winning at times.
This whining stinks doesn't it!
Pest (which you're not).
There are no rules with running up the score. You either do or you don't, and sometimes it's arbitrary. I'm just sayin' that if we're gonna rip the Pats for it - and they deserved it - then it's fair to point out other teams that are walking that fine line. To me, the Packers did.
BBiB!
You ought to be grateful that you're parsing words here, my friend. Grateful that you're nitpicking after a Steelers' win, that is. If I'd written it: "Not sure what we’re more surprised by – the comeback, or the fact that the Steelers’ GAVE UP THREE TOUCHDOWNS EARLY," would you be happy? ... As for Sproles, I admitted that it was debatable, and maybe I was w-w-wwrrrr .... wwwrrrrooo... maybe I could have picked him.
Now leave me alone. I'm in the middle of the greatest Monday night matchup of the season. Seahawks-49ers is a barnburner.
Yep, that would have been better. I just don't want to read 2 weeks from now how you can't get that first half defensive collapse out of your head as you rank some 3 loss team ahead of them in your rankings. By the way, RHRN, The Steelers have to be ahead of the Colts. Interested to see.......ready to unload.....if not, I need a definition on RHRN because that team is decimated RHRN. Pats, 'Boys, Pack, Steelers, Colts. That's your top 5 -- I hope. Giants? About #11 on their way to a #15 finish. Simply an average team with an average QB.
Bob, only a dolt would take issue with your Packers observation. That Favre was on the field late in the 4th is indefensible. He took a couple heavy shots, knee to head etc, and looked banged up. Only an idiot can support the decision to leave him in the game, padding stats in garbage time. Cheeseheads should be lobbing questions at the coach, not blindly defending the indefensible.
Again, Favre threw a pass right to the defender. That shows he was having mercy. It's not his fault the two defenders tripped over themselves and the ball landed in the receiver's arms. (sarcasm is hard to detect in the printed word)
However, being up 42-0 and 27-0 is quite different to me. Favre was taken out and Rodgers was brought in at 34-0. Brady is still in the game throwing at 42-0. Some slight differences. Honestly, the fact that we are disussing the Packers running up the score on the Vikings gets me giddy....
Karl:
Are we really supposed to believe that Favre TRIED to throw an interception? C'mon, dude. You're better than that.
I agree the scores were different, but the situation was very similar in my mind. You're up 4 scores - 4! - with less than six minutes to go in the game, no Adrian Peterson, third-string QB in the game, and you're throwing for the endzone?
All I'm saying is that if we're going to talk about this with Belichick, then it's at least something to think about on this one.
Bob,
I was using sarcasm. I was trying to say that sarcasm doesn't always show up in the printed word, as opposed to face to face conversation. On the touchdown where Favre is throwing into the endzone, he did throw it right to 2 guys wearing purple. Up 27-0, should they have been running the ball with 5:38 left? No, you are right.
I now feel like a Patriot fan defending my team when rubbing the score in. Going to take a shower, I feel so dirty.
You're the best Bob. (not using sarcasm)
Karl:
Right back at you.
BG