Down 24 at halftime, Broncos stun Chargers with epic comeback

CBSSports.com wire reports
Oct. 15, 2012

SAN DIEGO -- It took a quarterback of Peyton Manning's caliber to pull off this kind of comeback.

After the Denver Broncos slogged through a nightmare of a first half, Manning showed that he's still one of the NFL's best.

Manning threw three touchdown passes in the second half and Tony Carter and Chris Harris scored off turnovers by Philip Rivers as the Broncos overcame a 24-0 halftime deficit to shock the San Diego Chargers 35-24 on Monday night.

"It sure was special considering what was on the line," said Manning, a Super Bowl winner and four-time NFL MVP who's in his first season with the Broncos.

Manning was 13 of 14 for 167 yards in the second half for the Broncos (3-3) who tied the Chargers (3-3) atop the AFC West.

It tied for the fourth-biggest regular-season comeback in NFL history.

Manning had been 1-5 in his previous six games against San Diego, all with Indianapolis.

Rivers was intercepted four times -- three in the fourth quarter -- and lost two fumbles. The four pickoffs and six turnovers were both career-highs.

A week earlier, the Chargers blew a 10-point lead in the third quarter in a 31-24 loss at New Orleans.

"When you lose, it's rough, especially in a game where you had a big lead and so much at stake," Rivers said.

The Broncos seemed finished after an awful first half in which Manning served up an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown by Quentin Jammer and two special-teams fumbles led to 10 points for the Chargers.

"I thought we had a good plan. It was so disappointing to have these special team mistakes," Manning said.

Manning began the comeback when he hit Demaryius Thomas on a 29-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive of the second half.

On the ensuing San Diego possession, Elvis Dumervil stripped the ball from Rivers and Carter ran 65 yards for a touchdown, holding up the ball in celebration as he approached the end zone.

Denver then sacked Rivers to force a punt and Manning capped the next drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Eric Decker to pull to 24-21.

Manning's 21-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Stokley gave Denver its first lead of the game, 28-24 with 9:03 left. Stokley outleaped defensive back Marcus Gilchrist to catch the ball, and then got both feet down before tumbling out of the end zone.

That score was set up by Carter's interception.

Harris sealed the victory with a 46-yard interception return for a touchdown with 2:05 left. It was his second pick of the game.

"This was as good a second half of football as I've been involved in," Broncos coach John Fox said.

As for Manning, "He's real high on my list," the coach said. "He performed very well and has performed well in the last four games. He's going to keep getting better and better."

Manning finished 24 of 30 for 309 yards with one interception.

"Regular-season game, I think this is the best," said Stokley, who was a teammate of Manning's with the Colts. "The second half was unbelievable. We needed to win big-time and to perform like he did, it was awesome."

Fox said there were no mystery words of wisdom at halftime. "Given how poorly we played in the first half, we just said we could play better in the second half and we broke out of it."

Manning agreed.

"We came out in the second half, everybody was accountable and professional," he said. "We had 30 minutes and I thought it was important to get off to a good start with that first drive. Hitting DT for the touchdown really set the tempo for the second half."

Jammer intercepted Manning and returned it 80 yards for his first career touchdown, and Antonio Gates caught his second TD pass of the game in the second quarter, extending the Chargers' lead to 24-0.

Before Jammer's TD, the Broncos appeared on their way to their first score of the game with Manning's 55-yard pass to a wide-open Decker. But Decker tripped himself at the Chargers' 40, got up and was tackled at the 30-yard line.

Manning clapped both hands to his helmet in disbelief, one of several times the star quarterback expressed frustration.

"A piece of grass made a nice tackle," Manning joked. "Those kind of plays happen. You do kind of wonder, is this not meant to happen? Obviously Decker was sick about it.

"It's about playing 60 minutes. There's no quit in this team," Manning said.

Three plays later, Manning threw a pass straight to Jammer.

Rivers was 25 of 41 for 242 yards.

"We've got to go play a complete game," San Diego coach Norv Turner said. "We've shown through three quarters of a game what we can do."

Notes

Both teams are heading into their bye weeks. Gates had TD catches of 15 and 11 yards and Nick Novak kicked a 32-yard field goal for San Diego in the first half. Decker had six catches for 98 yards while Gates had six catches for 81 yards.

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Monday Observations: Lewis' injury may end era in Baltimore; Lions save season

It is virtually unfathomable to consider the Baltimore Ravens without Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis. He has defined the franchise and been its leader seemingly from the day Baltimore took him with its second pick in its first draft class back in 1996. But, given all that transpired Sunday in Baltimore, and given that Lewis has a season-ending torn triceps injury, it is not without reason to wonder if perhaps the icon has played his last game in the purple and black.

This setback could mean that next season, then at age 37, there are no guarantees moving forward. A change that was inevitable, but one Lewis has fought so hard to stave off, could be afoot, with more questions than answers. It's a cruel thought to consider, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't run through my head, and I doubt I'm alone.

Would Lewis even want to come back? With his play already slipping -- as would be the case for any mortal linebacker approaching age 40 -- is his body telling him something, to go out while still close enough to the top? With the Ravens already facing possibly some uncomfortable issues already this offseason, given the age and plummeting production of their once-unimpeachable defense -- would this prove to be the time to move on, with Lewis set to make $5.4 million in 2013? And, dare I utter the thought, could the Ravens defense, particularly the run game, be better without Lewis?

Make no mistake, no one would ever discredit the unparalleled leadership, football intellect, spiritual and emotional lift and sheer presence that Lewis brings to any locker room, any huddle, any field of play. But, again, nothing is forever, particularly in this sport, and at some point there will come a time when the Ravens open a season without Lewis on the roster to serve as that sensei.

These are quandaries no franchise covets. There is a degree of deference and respect for the man -- and what he gave to the team and the city and the impeccable on-field service for all those years; but there is also a balance in that this is a business that requires uncompromising honesty at times as teams change and evolve. I can recall covering the Baltimore Orioles near the end of Cal Ripken's career, and watching the verbal tiptoeing that went on in contract negotiations and the eventual move from shortstop and then finally, the end, and it is rarely smooth with any player who fans feels this passionately about.

But even the Iron Man eventually made way.

Lewis, who slimmed down in the offseason to try to run in coverage in this era of freakishly gifted tight ends and all these spread formations, was getting washed out in the run game more than ever before, scouts say. And Baltimore's run defense has been horrible, allowing 200 yards in consecutive games, getting gashed every week. The loss of edge-setter Jarret Johnson in free agency has been crushing, and the struggles in the run game, when coupled with a limp pass rush sans Terrell Suggs and now the expected loss of top corner Lardarius Webb for the season with an ACL tear, leaves this defense in perilous straits.

New ideas, a new approach and possibly new personnel are required to try to right the run defense, and the overall defense, and perhaps younger legs may fare better in some spots to some degree.

Personally, as a lifelong Baltimorean who has had the pleasure to watch Lewis' entire career from fairly close range, I hope Lewis comes back and then goes out fully on his own terms. But I'm also not naive enough to know football rarely provides that opportunity, and if Lewis cannot play football again, I can only wonder about what this winter will be like in my hometown, and if in fact the time when No. 52 is in the rafters and not on the field is near.

We were reaching the point where some teams were getting desperate. In a league of parity, I will concede that few teams truly fall out of it, but if you don't have at least two wins by the end of Week 6 -- which really, isn't too much to ask, is it? -- then you are threatening to let your season slip away.

A few teams needed to get up off the mat and show a little something, clubs that entered the season harboring playoff talk, and by and large they did. The Titans were teetering on overall ineptitude but managed to stick it out over the wounded Steelers on Thursday night, albeit aided and assisted by getting to host a home game on a very short week. The Chiefs, the most tumultuous team in America these days, had to show something against the slumping Bucs, but managed to show only that they could indeed sink lower in another lopsided loss. And, for my money, the Lions made the most significant statement of all. A franchise that showed so much promise in surging to the postseason a year ago badly needed a win at Philadelphia.

It wouldn't be easy, nothing ever is with these Lions, really, but if Detroit was going to have a chance to stay on the periphery of the postseason picture, coming out of the bye with a loss to drop to 1-4 wouldn't get it done. And when they fell behind by 10 points late in the game, it certainly looked like Detroit was in fact done. Matthew Stafford couldn't get anything going, Calvin Johnson was suffocated in double coverage for the most part. Detroit's defense was having its best outing of the season, by far, but it looked like it would be for naught.

Then Stafford to Megatron got rolling (Johnson had more than 100 yards receiving in the fourth quarter), Stafford hit big throws to Tony Scheffler and Nate Burleson, and even after getting stopped at the 1-yard line late and having to settle for a game-tying field goal, the Lions still pulled it out in overtime. They scored 17 points in the final quarter, began to get some of their passing mojo back, and put some of their late-game nightmares to rest.

Mikel Leshoure didn't get the workload the Lions would have hoped, with them chasing the game in the second half and Stafford attempting 45 passes, but the young running back averaged nearly five yards per carry and is providing that physical element Detroit has long been seeking to balance its vertical game.

The pass rush, the supposed hallmark of their defense, finally came back, with Michael Vick sacked on successive plays in overtime to help set up Jason Hanson's game-winning field goal. And the return of stud safety Louis Delmas, making his first appearance of the season, was immense. He changed the face of that suffering secondary, aiding the tackling, bringing a hard-nosed edge to it, making big stuffs in the run game, creating turnovers. His presence cannot be overstated, and keeping him healthy is imperative.

Recall, Detroit limped into its bye following losses to the hapless Titans and the rival Vikings. The Tennessee loss was devastating, with ridiculous turnovers and special-teams miscues resulting in the Lions blowing what had been an improbable comeback. The loss to the Vikings led to some soul searching, and a look up the standings of the NFC North.

Consider this a strong step in the right direction, and if the Lions can manage to do to Chicago next Monday night what they did to the Bears on Monday night just about a year ago, then you have to start looking at the Lions as a viable option in what looks like a wide-open division.

• That was a very tough loss for the Rams in Miami. As the chief bandwagon leader for this, the Year of the Rookie Kicker, I was surprised to see Greg Zuerlein miss three attempts Sunday. But I continue to be impressed with how quickly Jeff Fisher has added punch to that defense. They get after the quarterback and have become a physical, tough team to play against, and they managed to take that same chippy defense on the road to Miami this week.

• While on the topic of aging, once-superb defenders, it's become more and more difficult to watch Dwight Freeney. He doesn't look close to being the pass rusher he once was, and seems perpetually hobbled by injuries. Especially with no Robert Mathis opposite him in Sunday's thrashing by the Jets, some of the images were striking.

• Anyone who watched Robert Griffin III sprint and slither down the sidelines Sunday for a 76-yard touchdown won't forget it anytime soon. This kid is special. To come back from a concussion with this stellar outing -- he was 17-for-22 as a passer, ran for 138 yards, and accounted for three touchdowns -- and get the Redskins their first home win in a year in the process, should provide a boost for weeks to come. He will run away with Rookie of the Year if the Redskins can keep him healthy. He's already among the league leaders in rushing touchdowns, and he's already set the franchise record for rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback with five. He bounced back from an early touchdown and 9-0 deficit, got better as the game wore on and clearly loves the fourth quarter.

• Had Kevin Kolb managed to stay in the game and complete the final drive of regulation I have no doubt the Cardinals would have knocked off the Bills. Instead Kolb eventually was knocked out of the game with a rib injury, with his porous offensive line getting him battered and beaten again. Kolb had led a game-tying drive, and continually confounded the Bills with his feet, rushing five times for 66 yards -- often on third down -- and moving the Cards again on his final drive. Kolb had just pulled off another big run on the play prior to being slammed hard to the ground, and making way for John Skelton. Jay Feely missed a kick he normally makes, but Skelton was beyond shaky, and his interception deep in Arizona territory in overtime gave the game away. There is no quarterback controversy in Arizona and hasn't been for some time, but now the Cardinals just need Kolb back as soon as possible.

• What's happened to the Eagles pass rush? Seven sacks through six games? Seriously? With Jason Babin and Trent Cole and Cullen Jenkins and the wide nine, and with drafting Fletcher Cox and with all of their cover corners who can hold up the back end and allow the guys up front to play the run on the way to the quarterback? As much as Vick is under fire for the team's minus-9 turnover ratio, if this team was getting to the quarterback as expected they would be creating more takeaways as well. As much as we've seen Stafford knocked around in his brief career, I thought Sunday might be a day where the Eagles rush got healthy, but they mustered not a single sack. Philadelphia enters its bye with a minus-10 ratio in sacks allowed to sacks created -- if that continues through the season I don't see them in the playoffs, or Vick making it through the season.

• Can't remember another year where I have seen so many touchdowns negated by offensive pass interference, and it's not just from the replacement refs.

• Full marks to Antonio Cromartie, who is playing at an elite level with Darrelle Revis out, getting his hands on balls, shifting momentum and is a big reason why the Jets, despite all of their issues, are in a four-way tie in the AFC East at 3-3.

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Raiders: Veteran defensive end Carter to be active against Falcons

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders defensive end Andre Carter was always taught to do everything on the field at full speed. Recovering from a torn quadriceps injury required a bit more patience.

Nearly 10 months after being carted off the field in Denver, Carter plans to take the restraints off again in his 2012 regular-season debut. Oakland coach Dennis Allen said Friday that Carter will be active for Oakland's game this week against the undefeated Atlanta Falcons.

Carter was signed on Sept. 26 to help a pass rush that has produced just three sacks in four games. The 33-year-old has 76 career sacks, including 10 last year with New England before he suffered the season-ending leg injury.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Giants' Nicks, out since Week 2, practices and looks ready to face Niners

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has practiced for the second straight day and there is a chance he will play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers in a rematch of the NFC title game.

The Giants listed Nicks as questionable in their injury report Friday, but teammates seemed to indicate that his chances of playing were better than 50-50.

Nicks has not played since the second week of the season, when he was sidelined with soreness in the right foot that he broke in the offseason, and swelling in his left knee. He returned to practice on Thursday for the first time in two weeks.

Coach Tom Coughlin said Nicks' status will be better determined Saturday when doctors see whether practicing aggravated either his foot or knee.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Five Colts players do not make trip to New York

Four-time Pro Bowler Robert Mathis and starting running back Donald Brown did not make the trip when the Indianapolis Colts traveled to New York on Saturday for their game against the Jets.

Neither absence was a surprise. The Colts (2-2) had said both would miss two to three weeks with knee injuries.

Linebacker Jerry Hughes is expected to replace Mathis in the starting lineup, while rookie Vick Ballard is slated to make his first NFL start in place of Brown.

Linebacker Pat Angerer (foot), defensive end Fili Moala (knee) and nose tackle Martin Tevaseu (ankle) also stayed home.

On Friday, interim coach Bruce Arians said starting offensive guard Joe Reitz would miss the game with a knee injury.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Titans' Griffin earns biggest Week 5 fine, $21K for hit on Vikings' Jenkins

NEW YORK -- Tennessee Titans safety Michael Griffin has been fined $21,000 by the NFL for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Vikings wide receiver Michael Jenkins.

The league said Friday that Griffin committed unnecessary roughness against a defenseless player.

Fined $15,750 by the league were Green Bay Packers linebacker Nick Perry, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Chris Clemons, St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn and San Diego Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram.

Perry was docked for striking Colts quarterback Andrew Luck in the neck and head area. Clemons unnecessarily drove Panthers quarterback Cam Newton to the ground. Quinn made helmet-to-helmet contact against Cardinals QB Kevin Kolb. Ingram struck Saints QB Drew Brees in the head and neck area and drove him to the ground.

New York Jets guard Matt Slauson was docked $10,000 for his illegal block on Texans linebacker Brian Cushing that tore ligaments in Cushing's left knee, sidelining him for the season.

Colts defensive end Cory Redding was fined $7,875 for unnecessary roughness against Packers running back Cedric Benson. Titans DT Sen'Derrick Marks was docked $7,875 for unnecessary roughness on a late hit against Minnesota. Rams DT Jermelle Cudjo was fined $7,875 for roughing the passer; he grabbed Kolb by the facemask in an attempt to tackle him and ripped off his helmet.

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Game rankings: Chance to right the ship makes Week 6 huge for some teams

DeMarco Murray and the Cowboys can prove they're still a threat with a win at Baltimore. (US Presswire)

I'm liking the way this shapes up. After a few weeks with less than sizzling matchups, and coming off a Week 5 in which almost every late game was a blowout and the Monday night game looked like it was going to be a blowout, we get to find out what some of these teams are made of in Week 6.

Teams like Denver, Green Bay and Detroit, who were in the playoffs a year ago and harbored some lofty expectations this season, need to make a statement. The Cowboys find themselves in a critical spot, having to play in one of the toughest environments in the NFL. Can teams like the reeling Bills and Chiefs find a way to make a stand and maybe start to reverse their fortunes? going to be a blowout, we get to find out what some of these teams are made of in Week 6.

Besides all of that, we've got a championship game rematch, too. And, this week, we've got the Bears, Panthers, Saints and Jaguars on the bye, so that isn't exactly depriving us of a bevy of playmakers and spectacular teams. After all, only one of those teams has won more than one game thus far. going to be a blowout, we get to find out what some of these teams are made of in Week 6.

Green Bay at Houston
Sunday, Oct. 14, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)

Why To Watch: This is my preseason Super Bowl pick and I'm not backing off it merely because the Packers have been pretty darn ordinary. This is a great test for them hobbling in at 2-3, having recently blown a big lead to the Colts, of all teams. They need to bow up on the road, while the Texans, who haven't exactly played a brutal schedule, will have to perform better than they did Monday night in New York to remain unbeaten. Green Bay must get its pass rush revved back up, while Matt Schaub gets a shot at a secondary that has been giving up big passes with alarming regularity. Could be a shootout.

What To Watch For: The Texans were so adept at surviving injuries a year ago, but who steps up for Brian Cushing now that he's lost for the season? Can Tim Dobbins get it done? ... The Packers, already trying to find consistency in the run game with Cedric Benson rounding into form, now face their first game without him with a big-time backfield by committee. Can any standout emerge? ... JJ Watt against this slumping Green Bay offensive line looks like a mismatch ... Packers likely without Greg Jennings again, which is huge as Jonathan Joseph can play around with different matchups now. James Jones has become the go-to guy in his absence ... How do the Packers slow down Arian Foster?

N.Y. Giants at San Francisco
Sunday, Oct. 14, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)

Why To Watch: Rematch of the 2011 NFC Championship Game could be another classic, only this time you would think the home team would cling to the ball a bit better on special teams. Both appear to be playoff teams again, both quarterbacks seem to only get better, and there is no reason to believe this might not be the precursor to another meeting in the postseason. Ahmad Bradshaw comes in off one of his most powerful efforts ever and Frank Gore is tied for the rushing lead in the conference. Will this be another week where Eli Manning has to throw a lot of balls to depth receivers, or can Hakeem Nicks get healthy enough to play?

What To Watch For: Victor Cruz had three touchdowns last week and went for 142 yards against the 49ers last year in the playoffs ... Michael Boley's three interceptions are the most of any linebacker this season, but who is going to match up on 49ers monster TE Vernon Davis? ... 49ers are adding more big plays to their wildcat packages and trickery with Colin Kaepernick in for Alex Smith ... Mario Manningham should show up against his former team, which he was helping win a Super Bowl not that long ago ... Smith is the NFL's highest-rated passer, and faces a depleted secondary here.

New England at Seattle
Sunday, Oct. 14, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)

Why To Watch: Tom Brady and his precision timing pass game comes up against what might be the game's best secondary, filled with big physical defensive backs. Seattle already shut down and battered Aaron Rodgers this season and few surroundings create more problems for even the most sage of quarterbacks. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll gets a shot at the team he used to coach back in the day. Will the Pats, now dominant on the ground, try to beat Seattle at its own, physical game, which would help to keep Brady upright against this defense? Simply put, it's arguably the league's best offense against the only defense in the NFL in the top 10 in yards allowed, rush defense and pass defense.

What To Watch For: Aaron Hernandez just might be back for this one, which could change the entire look of New England's attack ... Chandler Jones and Bruce Irvin are two of the more intriguing rookie pass rushers in the game, and both could do some damage here ... Can Russell Wilson do enough on third down -- and from within the pocket -- to save his job and hold off Matt Flynn as Seattle's quarterback? ... Ho hum, the once written-off Wes Welker goes for his fourth straight 100-yard game, but he will get knocked around a lot in the slot in this one ... Seattle allowed fewer than 260 yards per game ... Wilson has protected the ball better at home, yet to throw an interception there.

Dallas at Baltimore
Sunday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)

Why To Watch: Once upon a time Ravens fans were irate that the team didn't land Jason Garrett and hired John Harbaugh to replace fired Brian Billick. But, um, yeah, that was a long time ago. Now Garrett is seemingly coaching for his job, again, with Dallas failing to meet expectations, and Harbaugh is atop his division again.  The Ravens know they stole one in Kansas City last week and are almost impossible to beat at home, while this Cowboys team has often come up small in tough spots, and Tony Romo is coming off a five-pick game.

What To Watch For: If Garrett watches film of Jamaal Charles destroying the Ravens last week, and doesn't try to attack Baltimore at the edges, and puts the ball up in the air with abandon, well, would you be shocked? And similarly, if Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron remains committed to under-utilizing Ray Rice, despite Dallas being first in net passing yards allowed per game, well, you know he's going to hear about it, too ... Teams have had success picking on Ravens corner Cary Williams, and Jimmy Smith is not getting his hands on the ball enough, either ... Could be a big day for DeMarcus Ware -- Baltimore's receivers are having trouble gaining separation against physical corners, Joe Flacco still holds the ball too long at times, and Ravens' tackles are vulnerable.  

Denver at San Diego
Monday, Oct. 15, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Why To Watch: Peyton Manning in a divisional game with his team reeling a bit at 2-3 and facing the AFC West's best team thus far. That's fairly big for early October in and of itself.  Teams have some nearly identical solid defensive stats, but Manning is finding ways again to make every part of his offense better, with him spreading the ball around. Philip Rivers knows that anything less than a division title could mean the end for his coach and mentor Norv Turner, and he tends to thrive in these shootouts. Simply put, this is a game that could end up deciding the AFC West.

What To Watch For: Von Miller is getting more effective each week ... Willis McGahee might end up seeing more of the bench if he can't hold on to the football ... Ryan Mathews could be on the brink of a breakout game as he is finally healthy and working his way out of the doghouse ... Have a feeling Eric Weddle gets his hands on a Manning pass or two ... Rivers has a career rating of 105 in 10 Monday night games, with a 7-3 record ... Champ Bailey has four career picks against the Chargers ... Denver must chip away at its minus-6 turnover ratio, or risk falling a bit off the pace in the division.

Detroit at Philadelphia
Sunday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)

Why To Watch: Few teams needed an early bye more than the Lions, who had to find a way to fix their broken special teams and inept secondary. They also must find a way to restore the roar to a once-feared defensive line, as they rank only 19th in sacks, but as we all know, few quarterbacks absorb the kind of abuse that Mike Vick does on a weekly basis. A Detroit loss, and the season could be spiraling out of control. Also, they need to find a way to get Calvin Johnson back as that big-time threat in the red zone. Neither team has been able to hold on to the football, if you happen to have a turnover fetish.

What To Watch For: Shady McCoy went for 120 yards and three touchdowns in his only game against Detroit ... Good luck find a special-teams category the Lions aren't near the bottom of the league in, and DeSean Jackson could end up putting them away in the return game in this one ... The Lions haven't been able to get their explosive-play offense going yet, and having to do so against this defense, on the road, might be too much to ask ... Lions TE Brandon Pettigrew likely to get a lot of looks, especially if the pass rush forces Matt Stafford into his hot reads with regularity.

Indianapolis at N.Y. Jets
Sunday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Why To Watch: How many Jets fans show up, how quickly do they start chanting for Tim Tebow, and how many times in the broadcast will comparisons be drawn between Andrew Luck's immediate brilliance and Mark Sanchez's ongoing struggles? Talk about teams going in different directions, with the Colts coming in off the ultimate high, winning a miracle game over Green Bay with their coach battling cancer, while the Jets are mired in more losses and injuries. A Jets home loss here would be crushing.

What To Watch For: Can Antonio Cromartie match up on Reggie Wayne, who is coming off a 200-yard game? ... How long can the Colts sustain the emotional drain of all they have been through the past few weeks? ... The Jets' already sagging defensive line continues to suffer, and with few pass-rushing options to scare Luck, it could be a big day through the air for Indy ... The Colts are poor against the run and speedy Joe McKnight could see expanded role here ... Luck has been a powerful runner when he takes off, and the Jets' defense can be slow and bogged down ... Colts' Robert Mathis had to leave last game, but if he can go, will be aiming for his eighth straight game with a sack ... Will the Jets really keep rotating guards again?

St. Louis at Miami
Sunday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)

Why To Watch: It's the Jeff Fisher Bowl! Remember when these two franchises were in a battle royale to secure his services, except for how Miami was probably only really being used again, because Fisher was pretty much headed to St. Louis all along? Now both teams have been among the league's bigger surprises, playing highly competitive football despite some talent imbalances and the Rams now going for the first three-game winning streak since 2006. The Dolphins, meantime, have Reggie Bush averaging almost 5 yards per carry and Ryan Tannehill exceeding early expectations.

What To Watch For: Sam Bradford could be having nightmares of Cameron Wake. Rams will have to chip him religiously ... Can Steven Jackson get through a game for St. Louis? ... Who steps up for the Rams in the slot with Danny Amendola out long-term? Can Steve Smith, who shined in training camp, make it happen in that regard? ... Robert Quinn is showing signs of being an impact player for the Rams ... You have to like the Rams in a close game -- rookie kicker Greg Zuerlein is setting records while veteran Dan Carpenter is still mired in a slump for the Dolphins.

Minnesota at Washington
Sunday, Oct. 14, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)

Why To Watch: The Vikings are one of the league's upstarts thus far, and are showing signs of being for real. The Redskins generally find a way to lose at home -- dropping eight straight and being abysmal at FedEx Field under Mike Shanahan -- and now must see how Robert Griffin III responds to returning from a concussion. It seems every effort will be made to get him on the field Sunday ... just in time for Jared Allen to menace him. Percy Harvin alone has been worth the price of admission, or investment of a few hours watching on the boob tube, and the Vikings are finding new ways to utilize him by the week.

What To Watch For: Can Christian Ponder keep this going, or will throwing a pick last week lead to more mistakes? ... Adrian Peterson is dealing with an ankle injury, and still not all that far removed from his knee surgery, so does that give the staff pause with his workload here? ... Alfred Morris continues to display that one-cut, downhill style Shanahan covets ... Since Ponder's first start, last October, Harvin is second in the NFL with 100 catches ... How physically will Vikings new defensive coordinator Alan Williams handle Griffin in the run game, and will he attack him liberally with the ends crashing down? ... Would expect Pierre Garcon to see his fair share of double teams.

Pittsburgh at Tennessee
Thursday, Oct. 11, 8:20 p.m. ET (NFL Network)

Why To Watch: Well, it's Thursday night, so it's the only game in town, and the Steelers are finally getting a running game going. A balanced Pittsburgh offense could sway the balance of power some and get this team out of the doldrums. The Titans are trying to pull out of a death spiral, Matt Hasselbeck will be fired up after slumping on Sunday in his first start of the season, and Kenny Britt is more healthy than he's been all year. And, heck, there's probably only 11 games left in Chris Johnson's Titans career, so time to savor every carry!

What To Watch For: Titans allowing nearly 425 yards per game, and also have scored only 67 points on offense; quite a combination and could spell quick doom in this one ... Mike Wallace, post-holdout, averaging only 13.2 yards per catch, 5 yards off his career average. Steelers' vertical game not there yet. No plays of 40 yards to this point ... Rashard Mendenhall could be monitored with this on a short week, but he's going to be leaned on soon enough ... Titans have no ball-control game and badly need one here -- they rank last in time of possession. And, um, they also rank last in most five-minute or more drives allowed this season.

Oakland at Atlanta
Sunday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Why To Watch: The Falcons are one of only two unbeaten teams, but they have endured some scares recently, against Carolina and Washington. As much as I believe the Raiders have some upset potential here, the fact is Atlanta pretty much finds a way to win at home in the regular season. Though for what it's worth, Oakland has won three of the last five meetings in Atlanta. Could be another day for Matt Ryan to pad his MVP stats -- Oakland is allowing a QB rating of 136 on attempts that travel 21 yards or more in the air, and Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez can all excel in that regard. So if you like bombs ...

What To Watch For: Can the Raiders' anemic pass rush get it going here? The Falcons' offensive line could still be an issue over time ... Carson Palmer has been quietly decent this season, finally cutting down on turnovers ... Michael Turner, no stranger to the AFC West, went for 139 yards last time these teams played ... White has a shocking 93 catches for 1,343 yards and 11 TDs in his last 12 games against the AFC ... Both kickers in this game are perfect so far this season -- is this the week one of them slips in the clutch?

Cincinnati at Cleveland
Sunday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Why To Watch: It's the battle of Ohio! Get fired up! In all seriousness, though, the Browns aren't as bad as their winless record, they finally get stud corner Joe Haden back in time to go against A.J. Green, they're sick of getting dominated by Cincy (Bengals have won 13 of the last 16 meetings), and Pat Shurmur just might be due for his first victory against the in-state rivals. Trent Richardson figures to figure big in this one, too, if you are into the rookie of the year race; he leads the Browns in rushing and receiving.

What To Watch For: Andy Dalton owns the Browns, as he is 3-0 completing over 70 percent of his passes with a 114 rating against them ... Browns stud LB D'Qwell Jackson had three sacks and a pick in the first meeting between these teams this season, but he got banged up last week ... Jermaine Gresham continues to emerge in the Bengals' attack -- only two AFC TEs have more catches this season ... Will BenJarvus Green-Ellis continue his inability to hold on to the football? ... Brandon Weeden went over 300 yards passing with two touchdowns in the first meeting with the Bengals.

Buffalo at Arizona
Sunday, Oct. 14, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)

Why To Watch: Cardinals need to show that the 4-0 start was no joke, and that they can survive their lack of running backs or serviceable offensive lineman. And after allowing over 40 points, again, the Bills need to show they can actually stop somebody, anybody, even if it's just Kevin Kolb without anyone able to keep him upright and run the ball. It's the kind of home game the Cards must win if they're really going to factor into the postseason equation.

What To Watch For: How long can Kolb keep getting back up from this kind of punishment, and will Mario Williams finally get back in the business of dishing some of it out? ... Bills tight end Scott Chandler continued to show up around the end zone ... Do the Bills have any chance of stopping Larry Fitzgerald as they hemorrhage about 450 yards per game? The Bills could be road weary -- they were crushed by the 49ers last week and stayed on the West Coast for this meeting ... Buffalo's offensive line remains injury-rattled and the Cardinals have the NFL's best sack record over the past 14 games, with Darnell Dockett getting healthy again.

Kansas City at Tampa Bay
Sunday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Why To Watch: Are you a fan of atrocious quarterback play? Enjoy games with teams that by October seem to be already jostling for draft position? Do you believe in the redemptive power of Brady Quinn? Enjoy watching teams find new ways to undermine their ability to win games? Well, then, knock yourself out here. Pull this one up on the dish and have at it.

What To Watch For: The Bucs' defense has been a mess, and the Chiefs can run the ball like few teams in the NFL. A week after running the ball on 34 of their first 38 offensive snaps, the same could be in store Sunday ... Dwayne Bowe needs to bounce back after having several balls bounce off him for interceptions last week ... Assuming Quinn does start, with embattled Matt Cassel trying to come back from a concussion, can he do enough to keep the job for any period of time? The Chiefs are getting big seasons out of Justin Houston and Brandon Flowers on defense, and actually rank third in the AFC in yards allowed ... Any chance Kansas City maintains this breakneck pace for turnovers? They're a stunning minus-15 already.

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Jets nose tackle Ellis out 4-6 weeks with knee injury

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets nose tackle Kenrick Ellis will be sidelined four to six weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

Coach Rex Ryan confirms Thursday that the backup lineman will miss at least a month after being injured in the Jets' 23-17 loss to Houston on Monday night. Ellis was filling in for starter Sione Po'uha, sidelined with a sore lower back.

Ryan says safety Eric Smith will miss New York's game Sunday against Indianapolis after he sprained a knee during "a scary moment" in practice Wednesday while trying to knock down a pass. Tests revealed the sprain, and Ryan was relieved it wasn't worse.

Ryan is hopeful center Nick Mangold (ankle), tight end Dustin Keller (hamstring) and wide receiver Stephen Hill (hamstring) will play Sunday.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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After Further Review: Here's why the Ravens run defense stinks

Numbers usually don't lie.

The tape never does.

Both say the Baltimore Ravens are struggling on defense in a lot of areas, but surprisingly one of them is against the run. The Ravens are 20th in rushing yards per game, which is so not like them.

So what's wrong?

It's really simple. They aren't getting off blocks and they aren't tackling.

Inside linebacker Ray Lewis is a big part of the problem, but he's not the only part. The down linemen are getting blocked. The linebackers are getting mauled at times, including Lewis. And the safeties aren't tackling like they should on some long runs.

The end result is games like we saw last week from the Chiefs, who ran for 214 yards with Jamaal Charles getting 140 of those on 30 carries. That's 4.7 yards per rush.

Who are those guys in the purple uniforms?

The Ravens are also 24th in total defense, tied for 28th in first downs per game and they're 24th in sacks per pass play. The latter we might have expected with star pass rusher Terrell Suggs out with an Achilles tendon injury, but it's the other numbers, especially the run problems, which have to be most concerning.

They were helped last week by some bad quarterback play by Matt Cassel, a fortunate bounce off Dwayne Bowe's hands for a pick and a called-back touchdown on a questionable pick-play call, or else this might be even more alarming.

One play from that game best illustrates the problems for the Ravens. It was a 25-yard run by Charles that came in the first quarter. The pictures below will tell the problematic story for the Ravens.

The Chiefs had a first-and-10 at their own 27. The Ravens had three down linemen, four linebackers, one -- Paul Kruger (yellow circle) -- who was split wide on the left side of the defense on a slot receiver. Safety Bernard Pollard (red circle) was also over there about five yards behind Kruger, who would eventually come on a blitz with Ed Reed (blue circle) as a single safety. With nine guys near the line of scrimmage, it looked to be a good run-stopping defense.

As you can see from the end-zone view below, the Chiefs blocked this play well. Center Ryan Lilja got a good reach block on nose tackle Ma'ake Kemoeatu. Left tackle Brandon Albert got a good kick-out block on Haloti Ngata, and that left a lane for left guard Jeff Allen to get out on Lewis, which you can see in the second shot he did do, creating a huge lane for Charles.

Charles blasted through the hole, ran past Lewis, and tight end Steve Maneri also got a block on corner Cary Williams that helped Charles fly through a hole we all could run through. As Charles ran through it, Reed raced over from deep centerfield to tackle him. As you can see, he missed badly, which allowed Charles to gain an additional 10 yards before backside linebacker Jameel McClain could pull him down from behind.

It's just one play in a game of many, but that 25-yard run shows why the Ravens are struggling on defense, even when they give up just six points. There were several more runs that certainly had to stir the coaches during film work this week in Baltimore.

1. One of the things you notice sometimes with young quarterbacks who have star receivers is that they sometimes focus on them too much -- rather than scanning the field all the time. That was the case with Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton some last week against the Dolphins. He has A.J. Green, one of the game's best receivers, but at times he seemed to lock on him rather than find the open receiver. Here are two examples below of Dalton missing what should have been easy completions trying to get to the ball to Green.

On the first play of the game, you could see Dalton looking for Green deep. But he and receiver Andrew Hawkins (yellow circles) were in the middle of five Dolphins defenders. Down in the bottom of the picture, in the red circle, was tight end Jermaine Gresham. He was wide open for an easy throw. But Dalton looked deep too long and the pocket collapsed and he was sacked.

Later in the game, Dalton missed Gresham for what should have been a big play as he tried to force the ball to Green. You can see by the picture below that Green (yellow circle) was well covered by Sean Smith of the Dolphins. But Dalton forced the ball there anyway. You can also see that Gresham (red circle) was wide open in the middle of the field. That should have been an easy throw for a big play. As it turned out, it was an incomplete pass.

Dalton is too good and too smart for this pattern to continue, but I saw it a couple more times against Miami. He has to be patient and come off Green to other receivers when Green is covered.

2. Why do the Jacksonville Jaguars have the worst offense in the league? There are a lot of reasons, but how about playing too scared in terms of scheme? There has been a lot of blame placed on second-year quarterback Blaine Gabbert, but take a look at the formations for the first two plays of last week's blowout loss to the Chicago Bears.

In the first one -- a run by Maurice Jones-Drew -- the Jaguars had nine guys in the box area, including an extra tackle in Guy Whimper. The run went for no gain. In the second picture, it's even worse. The Jaguars had 11 players in the box area. That means the entire offensive unit is in the picture. That's horrible. They ran it to Jones-Drew, who gained three yards. On third down, the Jaguars asked Gabbert to go make a play into a six-man rush, and he had to throw hot to Mike Thomas for a 3-yard gain. That meant time to punt. That's how offenses get put in bad situations. Why not dictate to the defense? If the Jaguars don't open things up, they have no chance to win and they just might be killing any chance Gabbert has to show he can succeed.

3. Watching the San Francisco offensive line last week against the Bills was a real treat. They were special. Aside from one or two breakdowns, the line dominated all day. It is a line that has improved over last year. The right side is really upgraded. Adam Snyder, who started at right guard last year, is now with the Cardinals. Alex Boone, a converted tackle, plays right guard now and he is much more physical than Snyder. Center Jonathan Goodwin is playing really well, and right tackle Anthony Davis might be the most improved lineman in the league. He is dominant now. The only real negative at times is the pass protection of right guard Mike Iupati, who tends to get too aggressive. But he is a mauler in the run game. Right tackle Joe Staley is a good player as well. This is a unit that will be tested against the Giants this week. But it is a unit that is improving by the week. 4. With Jon Beason out with an injury, the Panthers moved Luke Kuechly into the middle last week against the Seahawks. While he was far from flawless, he did some nice things and looked much more comfortable in the middle than he did on the weakside. On a third-quarter run by Marshawn Lynch, Kuechly showed off his speed and instincts when he knifed through to drop Lynch for a 2-yard gain. Kuechly was still sometimes too aggressive and over-pursued plays, but I think his future is in the middle.

5. There are some who think Matt Slausen's block on Brian Cushing, which led to a torn ACL for the Houston linebacker, was cheap. After watching the play, I don't think it was cheap. But I also don’t think it was necessary. There was no way Cushing was going to be a part of the tackle on the run to the right from his right linebacker spot. But Slausen chopped him down from the side anyway, which led to Cushing immediately grabbing his knee. It is big loss for the Texans. Tim Dobbins came in against the Jets and did a nice job in the run game, but he lacks the ability to play the pass as well as Cushing. That will show up down the road.

6. Sometimes we are just wrong about a player. That player for me is Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict. When he came out of Arizona State last spring, a lot of people dropped him on draft boards because of his off-the-field issues and propensity for getting personal fouls. As a graduate of ASU, I watched him his entire career. The thing that turned me off was that he lacked suddenness. He played slow. But so far as a surprise starter for the Bengals, he has displayed much more athletic ability than he did at ASU. He had a solid game last week against Miami. And he has a knack for finding the football. In fact, he is playing better than the more-heralded Rey Maualuga. On one play against the Dolphins, Burfict shed a block and as he did he was able to slide down and trip Daniel Thomas as he was ready to make a big play. The other thing you notice on tape about Burfict: He runs to the football, which is something he didn't always do at ASU. I was wrong about this kid.

7. Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez had 13 catches last week for the Falcons. He might want to send Roddy White and Julio Jones thank-you cards. Because those two receivers are so good outside, they see a lot of doubles. That means Gonzalez is singled, sometimes with a linebacker. Even with Gonzalez at 36, that's a tough matchup for any linebacker. Gonzalez doesn't run like he once did, but he knows the tricks, such as using his body to box out defenders. Look for him to continue to put up big numbers, at least as long as teams double both outside receivers.

8. When 49ers tight end Vernon Davis told me this summer he couldn't beg for the ball, I could tell he wanted to be more involved in the down-the-field passing game. This is the era of the tight end after all. Davis is getting his chances now, and he's responding. He had a 53-yard catch on a wheel route against the Bills last week that put his athletic ability on display. Matched up with Bills safety George Wilson, he whipped him with a quick move off the line, then faked an out and ran the wheel up the sideline. He was wide open, and Alex Smith dropped the ball easily into his hands for a big play. Davis has tons of athletic ability and the 49ers are finally starting to use it more and more.

9. Why are the Bills so bad on defense? How can they give up more than 550 yards in consecutive games? After watching both the Patriots and 49ers tapes the past couple of weeks, there are a lot of reasons. It starts with the down four getting blocked, including Mario Williams, the $100-million man, and Marcell Dareus, the team's 2011 first-round pick. The linebackers are really bad. They don't fill holes. They miss tackles. And they look slow. The corners have really struggled, in part because there is no pass rush. And the safeties, George Wilson and Jairus Byrd, both bright spots last season, aren't playing nearly as well. Add it all up, and now you know why the Bills are horrible on defense right now.

10. This might sound crazy to Packers fans, but they will be a better offense with Alex Green than they would have been with Cedric Benson. The reason: He has quickness and speed. Benson is a plodder. On a second-quarter inside draw to Green against the Colts, he showed off his inside quickness with a nice 10-yard run. Later, he came back with a big 41-yard run in the fourth quarter. On that play, Green was lined up deep behind Rodgers between two lead blockers. He made a quick cut in the hole to the left side, made the safety miss with a nice shake move, cut back to the right and made Antoine Bethea, the other safety, miss and then ran down the right side for a 41-yard gain. It's the type of run the Packers wouldn't get from Benson. So put me on record as saying Green will help the Green Bay offense with Benson out, not hurt it.

1. Broncos OLB Von Miller: He was all over the field against the Patriots, getting two sacks.

2. Saints WR Marques Colston: He had three touchdown catches and put the Saints offense on his back against San Diego.

3. Texans DE J.J. Watt: Can we just keep him here? The guy is playing some amazing football. Is he the next Merlin Olsen?

4. Jaguars LT Eugene Monroe: He did a really nice job on Julius Peppers last week when matched with him.

5. Redskins DT Barry Cofield: Some of his coaches said he was the best nose guard in the league before the season. He just might be.

1. Eagles QB Michael Vick: He fumbled three times against the Steelers, losing two, to give him 11 turnovers on the season. He has to take care of the football.

2. Packers receivers: They didn't win enough against man coverage last week against the Colts.

3. Cardinals tackles D'Anthony Batiste and Bobby Massie: If they don't pick it up, Kevin Kolb won't make it.

4. Titans S Michael Griffin: Titans fans have to wonder why they paid this guy.

5. Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert: He just isn't taking shots down the field and two pick-sixes will kill you.

Three assistants who won't sleep this week

1. Giants defensive line coach Robert Nunn: Normally he's the guy sleeping well, but he's preparing his guys to face one of the better lines from early in this season against the 49ers.

2. Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley: Yes, he has a damn good defense. But he has to get ready to face a New England offense that is tops in the NFL and getting better.

3. Oakland secondary coach Johnny Lynn: His group faces a tough test against that Atlanta passing game.

Three underrated rookies

1. Browns T Mitchell Schwartz: He has proved to be a nice complement to Joe Thomas on the other side.

2. Panthers DE Frank Alexander: This fourth-round pick has flashed some pass-rush ability.

3. Bucs LB Lavonte David: He was one of my favorites heading into the draft and he's done nothing to dispute that he's going to be a quality starter for a long time.

Three things I am tired of already

1. Mike Pereira sticking it to the replacement refs. They're gone, Mike. Your buddies are back. Move on.

2. Bounty-gate. Who cares? The Saints season is all but over.

3. The pro-Tim Tebow media. When will it end? He's found his niche -- as a punt-protector. That doesn't change who he is, right? And isn't that why most love him anyway? He's bigger than football, after all.

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Peek at the Week: Niners seek revenge, Brady gets first taste of Seattle

N.Y. Giants at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m. ET

The line: 49ers by 6?

The story: It's the 2011 NFC Championship Game all over again, only this time Kyle Williams won't be playing Santa Claus. This is the 49ers' chance to prove -- at least in their minds -- that they were the better team nine months ago when Williams' botched punt returns led to an overtime victory for Big Blue.

Only this is more than that. It's San Francisco's chance to prove that it is the best team out there, period.

I know I haven't seen anyone better. Granted, the 49ers lost at Minnesota. It happens. Sometimes you take one step back to go two steps forward, and all I know is that after that loss the 49ers outscored their next two opponents 79-3 and have the attention of Giants coach Tom Coughlin.

"Nobody gives us a chance to win," Coughlin said. "We'll see."

I give them a chance. I just don't give them much of one.

This game will be closer, a lot closer, than what San Francisco experienced the past two weeks -- especially if the Giants' pass rush wakes up. The pressure Alex Smith felt in the conference championship game hasn't been felt by much of anyone playing the Giants, with only five clubs having fewer sacks than New York (8). That's not the New York Giants, and if it is again this weekend they're doomed.

Not only is Smith accurate when he has the time (he's the league's top-rated passer); he has receivers he didn't the last time these two met. That's when Michael Crabtree was the only wideout with a catch, and he had one for three yards. Pathetic, huh? The 49ers agreed, so they went out and added Randy Moss and Super Bowl hero Mario Manningham and believe they plugged the holes that held them back a year ago.

I guess this is where we find out. The Giants are formidable, especially with Eli Manning playing as well as he has this season, but that's another thing I remember from the championship game: Manning got clobbered. Yeah, he survived. Yeah, he won. But he still got hammered.

The Giants' pass protection must be better. The Giants must be able to produce a rushing attack to keep defensive linemen honest. And, of course, they can't screw up. The 49ers don't make mistakes, seldom miss tackles and don't miss field goals -- a formula that has them at the top of their division and near the top of the league. Don't expect many points here, but do expect the better defense to determine the outcome.

And, for the moment, that defense is in San Francisco.

The back story: The 49ers have scored on 49.1 percent of their offensive possessions, second only to ... who else? ... the Giants, at 51.8.

Dallas at Baltimore, 1 p.m. ET | Preview

The line: Ravens by 3?

The story: The last time we saw the Cowboys, Tony Romo was the Bears' best quarterback, Dez Bryant was a sieve, DeMarco Murray was a nonfactor and the entire Dallas team was getting the Matt Cassel treatment from its fans. But that was over a week ago, and the Cowboys have had plenty of time to think about turning what was wrong then into what can be right now. And they better ... because they're in for a grind, with four of the next five games on the road -- beginning with an opponent (Baltimore) they have never defeated.

Yep, they're 0-3 against the Ravens. That makes this more a measuring stick of the Cowboys than it does Baltimore, a chance to discover how resilient and tough and, yes, playoff worthy Dallas is.

First, of course, the Cowboys must address a number of shortcomings, including the offensive line, the running game, Bryant, Murray, Romo ... basically, anything involved with a first-team offense in such a funk that it has just three touchdowns the past three games.

People in Dallas want to see more of a commitment to the run, and maybe this is the chance. Jamaal Charles shredded Baltimore for 140 yards rushing last week, which means there must be holes in the Ravens' run defense that Dallas can exploit. So find them, take the heat off Romo and an underachieving pass attack and maybe, just maybe, you pull the upset.

I don't expect that to happen. Neither do most people and not just because of what the Cowboys do but because of what Baltimore doesn't -- lose at home. The Ravens are 30-5 there under John Harbaugh and are unbeaten (8-0) at home under Harbaugh vs. NFC opponents.

Nevertheless, I do expect Dallas to shake up an offense stuck in neutral. A year ago it was the defense that was the problem, particularly a pass defense that hemorrhaged too many points and yards, but now it's an offense that can't find the end zone with a compass. That better change, and fast.

The back story: Since Harbaugh took over the Ravens in 2008, opposing quarterbacks have a 63.8 passer rating in Baltimore and opposing teams are averaging 13.9 points per game there.

New England at Seattle, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

The line: Patriots by 3?

The story: Conventional wisdom says this shouldn't be close. There's no comparison between veteran Tom Brady and rookie Russell Wilson, there's no comparison between the two teams. The Patriots have won the AFC East eight of the past nine years. Seattle hasn't had a winning season since 2007. But conventional wisdom seldom applies when it comes to playing in Seattle.

That's because there's the 12th man ... or 13th man if you're Green Bay ... and it causes a riot of trouble for visiting teams. Dallas lost here this season. So did Green Bay. The Giants once had 11 false-start penalties. Yeah, the Seahawks' record the past few years at home hasn't been all that great, but that's because the Seahawks haven't been all that great.

They're better now because their defense is superb. They rush the passer. They defend the run. Their defensive backs are tall, physical and rangy. In short, they're tough to solve. People tell me Brady and Co. will figure these guys out with their no-huddle, and maybe they're right. But it's never easy here, and don't say you weren't warned, Brady. Seattle and San Francisco are the only two places he hasn't played in his pro career, and he'll learn soon that noise is a factor.

To solve it, you take the crowd out of the game, and there's no better solution than jumping on top early, then padding a lead. The problem with New England is that it sometimes doesn't protect those leads, and that can happen when you have the NFL's 30th-ranked pass defense. Only look how Seattle wins: It's not with the pass; its with its defense and Marshawn Lynch. So maybe the Patriots have just what it takes to silence this crowd.

The back story: Since 2003 the Patriots are an NFL-best 33-6 in October, including a 14-5 record on the road.

Green Bay at Houston, 8:20 p.m. ET

The line: Texans by 4?

The story: The Texans just lost linebacker and leading tackler Brian Cushing for the season, and while that's a blow, it's not one they can't overcome. Remember, this is a team that overcame the losses of Matt Schaub and Mario Williams last season and played through the absences of Andre Johnson and Arian Foster. So they've been through this before, and they not only survived; they flourished, reaching the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

I guess what I'm saying is that the Texans know how to overcome adversity. I just wonder if they know how to overcome the Green Bay Packers.

Houston is one of two undefeated teams, but the Texans' 5-0 record is built on losing opponents, and you can look it up. Not one of their five wins have come vs. a club with a winning record, and that's not a complaint. They don't have to apologize for the schedule; they just have to take advantage of it ... and they have.

But while Green Bay is another opponent without a winning record, I have a feeling the Packers are a more difficult puzzle to solve basically because they're beginning to get the feeling that the season is slipping away. So there's an urgency here there might not have been with other opponents.

Green Bay hasn't been right all season, with its offense struggling, Greg Jennings in and out of the lineup and its defense blowing a 21-3 lead last weekend. So something has to give, and give quickly. That's why this is a dangerous game for a Houston team coming off a short week of practice and a desultory performance in its last outing.

I expect the Texans to pound Foster into the middle of the league's 17th-ranked run defense, and I expect them to succeed. But it's the passing game that concerns me. I'm not sold on Schaub, even though the guy has won his last nine starts. For that matter, I'm not particularly sold on Aaron Rodgers this year, either, but I know how good Rodgers can be because I've seen it. I don't know how good Schaub can be, and we may have to see it here.

Houston is ripe for the upset. Green Bay is overdue for a big game. This has all the makings of a trap waiting to happen.

The back story: The Texans have trailed opponents for only 18 minutes, 52 seconds this season. They've also led for 242:36 out of possible 300 minutes.

Denver at San Diego, 8:30 p.m. ET

The line: Chargers by 2?

Peyton Manning has a history of struggling vs. the Chargers, his Week 6 foe. (Getty Images) The story: Now we get a look at the two best teams in a division that continues to get sand kicked in its face -- and I offer last week as the latest evidence. Three of the AFC West's teams played, and all three lost.

San Diego is the only club with a winning record, but the Bolts' three wins have come against opponents with a combined record of 4-11. So the question becomes: Does anybody out there want to win the West?

We're about to find out.

Peyton Manning has been hot lately, with eight touchdown passes and no interceptions in his past three games, and that's great. But the Broncos lost two of those games, and that's not. Denver has won two of its past three in San Diego, before Manning arrived ... and he's supposed to be the guy who puts the Broncos over the top.

Maybe he does, except remember this: When he was in Indianapolis, there was one team that had his number ... and you're looking at it. San Diego beat him five of the past six times the two met, including twice in the playoffs. If Denver is going to win the division, this is the team it must beat.

And if San Diego is going to prevail, this is a team it must hold off in the fourth quarter. A week ago, the Bolts blew a 10-point lead to New Orleans in a game they should've won ... but didn't. Now they're facing an opponent that not only features a future Hall of Fame quarterback but that, like New Orleans, is never out of game. In fact, Denver's plus-52-point fourth-quarter differential is the best in the league.

This will be a measure of both clubs, but it's more of a measure of San Diego defensive coordinator John Pagano's defense. The Chargers haven't been able to make big stops in big games the past couple of years, and this qualifies as a big game.

The back story: Denver linebacker Von Miller leads the league with 12 tackles for loss, five fewer than he put up all of last season when he was the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Kansas City at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

The line: Bucs by 3?

The story: I really don't know what to say about this game. One team has a quarterback its fans don't like. The other has a head coach opposing quarterbacks don't like. Both clubs don't know how to win.

With Cassel sidelined by a concussion he suffered last week, Brady Quinn will start at quarterback for the Chiefs, and while Chiefs fans may think that's a step forward they might want to review Quinn's history. There's a reason he didn't stick with Cleveland and Denver.

Kansas City isn't that bad on defense. Neither is Tampa Bay. But both teams are -- how shall we put this -- QB-challenged, with Josh Freeman the star of this group with a ranking of 26th among quarterbacks in 2012. The Chiefs, meanwhile, wheel out Quinn and a league-high 19 turnovers, and you want to know why Tampa Bay can't sell out games? Offense sells tickets, and you'll have to look hard for one here.

New coach Greg Schiano may have Tom Coughlin hot and bothered with his approach to the game, but he hasn't moved the needle here ... and let's be honest: What would you rather be doing Sunday -- hitting the beaches in Clearwater or spending three hours at this game?

I thought so.

The back story: Bad news, Kansas City: Not only does Tampa Bay rank fourth vs. the run; it has allowed only one 100-yard rusher this season.

Green Bay (+5?) over Houston

The story: At some point, the Packers have to wake up -- on offense and defense -- and I say that point is now. There's just too much talent on this team for it to flounder, starting with Rodgers. He needs to play better, and so does virtually everyone on offense. A year ago the Packers produced points in prodigious numbers, but now they are averaging 22.2 points a game. While that's not bad it's not the Green Bay Packers.

I know the Packers won't have running back Cedric Benson for eight weeks. OK, fine. He wasn't doing a lot for them anyway. They still have Rodgers, and it's time he starts acting like the MVP he was a year ago instead of the league's eighth-ranked passer.

There's another reason I like the Packers, and it has nothing to do with panic buttons. Nope, it has more to do with Houston, which stumbled through its latest victory over the Jets. Granted, a win is a win is a win, and a win on the road when you play mediocre football is the mark of a good team.

So I'm not arguing these guys aren't solid. Heck, they're one of two unbeaten teams left in the league and should be the first to clinch a division this season. But I don't know if Schaub can take you to the next level, I wonder why Johnson disappeared against the Jets and I worry about the loss of Cushing.

The Texans will win a lot of games this year, but they're ripe for a loss sooner or later. I say it's sooner because Green Bay needs this game more ... a lot more ... than a Texans did that hasn't really been tested and that just lost one of its key players.

1. Atlanta DE John Abraham: In four games vs. Oakland, he has seven sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery -- including three sacks the last time he played them.

2. Baltimore QB Joe Flacco: He's 8-0 vs. the NFC at home, with 13 touchdown passes, three interceptions and a passer rating of 98.7. He's also 30-5 overall as a starter at M&T Stadium.

3. Arizona QB Kevin Kolb: The Cardinals have won their past five at home when he played.

4. Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch: Over his past nine home games, he has produced either 95 or more yards rushing or scored a rushing TD. He has also averaged 115.7 yards per game in his past seven starts at home, with six touchdowns.

5. San Diego RB Ryan Mathews: He has rushed for at least 120 yards in each of three career games vs. Denver (120, 125, 137), including one in Week 17 of 2010 where he scored three times.

1. Houston DE J.J. Watt vs. Green Bay LB Clay Matthews: OK, let's get something straight: I know they're not lining up against each other. Now, the reason I'm intrigued by the matchup is that Matthews leads the league in sacks with eight and Watt (7?) is second. Watt is the runaway front-runner for Defensive MVP, but I would never count out Matthews. Here's a chance to get your vote in early.

2. San Francisco WR Mario Manningham vs. his former team: Manningham was a hero in Super Bowl XLVI for the Giants, but they showed little interest in re-signing him when he became a free agent. "Do I have a grudge?" said Manningham. "No. Am I motivated? Yeah."

3. Philadelphia QB Michael Vick vs. ball security: Maybe we should just make this a weekly item because in all but one game Vick has had a turnover. His total for the season is 11. Entering this week, that exceeded all but six teams. That, in turn, has cut down on the Eagles' production, with the club having fewer points (80) than anyone but Jacksonville (65) among teams with five starts. This weekend's game with Detroit is Philadelphia's last before a bye so it's Vick's chance to get on track. "There's nobody more competitive than this guy," said Andy Reid, "and he knows that he can't fumble."

4. Dallas FB Lawrence Vickers vs. Baltimore LB Ray Lewis: Lewis suggested the Cowboys might want to reconsider when it comes to improving their running game this weekend; Vickers suggested he doesn't care what Ray Lewis thinks. "Names don't scare me," he said. "Teams don't scare me. He is Ray Lewis, that's all I know."

5. New England coach Bill Belichick vs. Seattle's Pete Carroll: Before there was Belichick in New England, there was Carroll in New England ... and the Patriots went to the playoffs. Twice. But they didn't go to the Super Bowl. In fact, they were nowhere close, with Carroll fired after the 1999 season. Carroll went away quietly, but getting fired always hurts. He proved how good he can be as a head coach at Southern California, then won a division title in his first season with the Seahawks. Granted, it was with a 7-9 record, but give him this: He beat the defending Super Bowl champions in the playoffs. This, of course, is something different because this can be ... well, personal, though Carroll would never let on. He's having too much fun at his job, a stark contrast to the dour and brooding Belichick. "The differences?" said wide receiver Deion Branch, who has played for both. "They're different." I would say that about sums it up.

1. Since the start of the 2011, Philadelphia has scored 13 touchdowns and 106 points in the final two minutes of either half, the most in the league. The Giants are second with 11 touchdowns and 103 points.

2. The Bears are the first team in league history to return five interceptions for touchdowns through the first five weeks of the season.

3. Dating back to 2010, the 49ers have at least one interception in each of their past 12 home games.

4. Since the current playoff format was adopted in 1990, 13 teams that were at least three games under .500 after five weeks rebounded to make the playoffs -- with two of them, the 1996 Jaguars and 2002 Titans, reaching the conference championship game.

5. Reggie Jackson, move over. The Giants' Manning has become the NFL's Mr. October with a 24-5 record this month that is the best among quarterbacks who began their careers in the Super Bowl-era. His .828 percentage puts him ahead of Kordell Stewart (.800) and Daryle Lamonica (.771).

3: Points allowed by San Francisco off turnovers, best in the league
9-5: Dallas on the road following a bye
11-4: Peyton Manning's Monday night record
13-0: Baltimore's record at home in its past 13 games
13-5: Philip Rivers' record at home vs. AFC West
14-1: Chicago's record since 2005 when the Bears return an interception for a touchdown
20?: Aldon Smith sacks in 20 NFL games
30: Offensive plays of 30 or more yards for Baltimore, best in the NFL
52.9: Percentage of completions by opposing quarterbacks vs. Houston

• Atlanta: Dome
• Baltimore: Partly cloudy, high of 72
• Cleveland: Thunderstorms, high of 67
• Miami: Isolated thunderstorms, high of 84
• East Rutherford, N.J.: Partly cloudy, high of 68
• Philadelphia: Partly cloudy, high of 69
• Tampa, Fla.: Partly cloudy, high of 87
• Glendale, Ariz.: Sunny, high of 92 (retractable roof)
• Seattle: Rain, high of 60
• San Francisco: Mostly sunny, high of 71
• Landover, Md.: Partly cloudy, high of 73
• Houston: Partly cloudy, high of 84 (retractable roof)

• I'll be at Candlestick Park, waiting for the Beatles to return, then fly to San Diego on Monday to treat Laz, Eddie and Darren Bennett to lunch at the Encinitas Cafe.
• Pete Prisco will be in Houston to join Aaron Rodgers for pizza.
• Mike Freeman will be in Baltimore to give Detroit coach Jim Schwartz the Mt. St. Joe's handshake.

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Four players file bounty appeals with NFL, seek Goodell's removal as arbitrator

NEW ORLEANS -- All four players punished in the NFL's bounty investigation have filed appeals with the league. People familiar with the situation say the players have asked commissioner Roger Goodell to remove himself as arbitrator because they do not believe he can be impartial.

One of the people also said New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma expects to play at Tampa Bay on Oct. 21 while his appeal is pending. The people spoke to the Associated Press on Friday on condition of anonymity because the appeals were filed as private documents with the league.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed Friday that all four players had filed appeals, but said the league would decline comment on the substance of those documents.

It's the latest round of appeals by the players.

About a month ago, a three-member appeal panel created by the NFL's collective bargaining agreement vacated initial disciplinary rulings handed down by Goodell. Then Tuesday, the commissioner upheld his initial suspensions of Vilma and Saints defensive end Will Smith, and revised his suspensions of Cleveland Browns linebacker and former Saint Scott Fujita and free-agent defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove.

Vilma has been on the Saints' physically unable to perform list while continuing his comeback from offseason surgery on his left knee, but may be activated after the first six weeks of the regular season. Goodell said Vilma could be paid for his time on New Orleans' PUP list. New Orleans has a bye this week.

Vilma remains suspended for the season, while Smith remains suspended four games. Hargrove's suspension was reduced from eight to seven games and Fujita's was cut from three games to one.

In effect, Hargrove now faces a two-game ban because his initial eight-game suspension was reduced by one and he was given credit for five games missed as a free agent after he was cut by Green Bay in the preseason.

The appeals filed Friday are only the latest of many maneuvers in a contentious back-and-forth involving the players, the NFL Players Association and the league office.

Vilma has a related defamation case pending against Goodell in federal court in New Orleans.

In addition, Vilma and the NFLPA, which is representing the other three players, could ask U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan to revisit their earlier legal challenge of the suspensions.

The union and Vilma would have to refile those requests with Berrigan, who placed the matter on indefinite hold when the three-member NFL appeal panel vacated the initial suspensions on technical grounds and informed Goodell that he had to clarify his basis for the punishment.

The panel, which did not address the merits of the investigation, said it needed to be clear that Goodell's disciplinary decisions in the Saints' cash-for-hits pool pertained exclusively to conduct detrimental to football, and not salary cap violations, which would have to be handled by an arbitrator other than the commissioner.

Berrigan has stated that she found the NFL's disciplinary process unfair and that she would be inclined to grant Vilma at least a temporary restraining order if she believed she had jurisdiction on the matter.

However, Berrigan also has stated that she is hesitant to rule until she is certain the players have exhausted all possible remedies available to them through the NFL's labor agreement. She has further stressed that all parties would be wise to settle the matter out of court, but a federal magistrate has had little success getting meaningful settlement talks moving.

The four players were implicated in what the NFL said was a bounty pool run by former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and paid improper cash bonuses for hits that injured opponents. The players have acknowledged a pool but denied they intended to injure anyone. Goodell has been unmoved by the players' distinction regarding intent, outlining several instances in which Williams made notations of player rewards due for hits that knocked opponents out of games.

Williams, now with St. Louis, has cooperated with the league's investigation but is currently suspended indefinitely. Saints head coach Sean Payton is suspended for the season, general manager Mickey Loomis for eight games and assistant head coach Joe Vitt six games. They were punished separately from the players and all are serving out their punishment.

By contrast, the players and their union have put up intense resistance for the past half-year with no sign of letting up.

Even after his suspension was reduced this week, Fujita was harshly critical of Goodell, calling the "condescending tone" of his disciplinary letter unproductive, accusing the commissioner of misusing his power and questioning Goodell's record on player safety.

"The commissioner says he is disappointed in me," Fujita said Wednesday. "The truth is, I'm disappointed in him."

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Dolphins' thin secondary takes hit with Marshall out; QB Tannehill probable

DAVIE, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins cornerback Richard Marshall has been ruled out of Sunday's game at Cincinnati with a back injury, putting a further strain on the team's week secondary.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was added to the injury report Friday with a right thumb injury. He participated fully in practice and was listed as probable.

Nolan Carroll or R.J. Stanford will likely replace Marshall in the starting lineup. Carroll is listed as probable with an Achilles tendon injury.

The Dolphins (1-3) rank third worst in the NFL in pass defense, while the Bengals (3-1) rank eighth in passing.

Other Dolphins listed as probable include running back Reggie Bush (hip), linebacker Kevin Burnett (foot) and defensive tackle Paul Soliai (ankle). All participated fully in practice.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Vikings' Greenway fined $21K; Cards kicker Feely docked for roughness

Chad Greenway, talking to officials during Sunday's game, says he's glad nobody was hurt. (Getty Images)

NEW YORK -- Linebackers Chad Greenway of the Minnesota Vikings and Brandon Spikes of the New England Patriots were fined $21,000 by the NFL on Friday for unnecessary roughness in games last weekend.

Greenway struck Lions receiver Calvin Johnson in the head and neck area in last Sunday's victory over Detroit. He apologized to Johnson afterward.

"I didn't mean any intent to hurt him or anything. I was just trying to play the game," Greenway said. "Once I saw he was in a vulnerable position I tried to pull off -- a little late obviously. Glad he wasn't hurt and I hope he's good."

Greenway said Johnson catches so many passes over the middle he just assumed that one would be caught and didn't realize it was dropped until he made the hit. Greenway pulled his hands back immediately after the hit.

"I was trying to show that I didn't finish the hit. I tried to pull off," he said. "Just something about being a defensive player in the NFL right now. That's what it's going to be. So you've got to expect it."

Spikes used an illegal blindside block during an interception return, hitting Bills tight end Scott Chandler, who left the game with a head injury. No penalty was called.

Chandler has been cleared to play this Sunday at San Francisco.

Buffalo defensive tackle Kyle Williams was fined $15,750 for roughing the passer, hitting Tom Brady below the knee area. Williams intends to appeal the fine, questioning what he did wrong when attempting to make a tackle while Brady still had the ball.

Also fined Friday were Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins, Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji, Titans tackle Dave Stewart and Cardinals placekicker Jay Feely, all docked $7,875 for unnecessary roughness.

Jenkins grabbed Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers' facemask and also poked Rodgers in the right eye. Raji struck Saints long snapper Justin Drescher with his knee. Feely struck Miami's Jimmy Wilson late and in the back during a kickoff return.

Stewart was docked for striking an opponent in the head against Houston. Stewart was involved in three incidents, drawing personal fouls for a late takedown of defensive end J.J. Watt and for a hit on defensive end Tim Jamison during an interception return. Stewart also pulled the hair of linebacker Brooks Reed.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Rookie rusher Richardson misses Browns practice while third child born

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns rookie running back Trent Richardson missed practice Friday to be with his girlfriend during the birth of his third child.

Richardson was not at the team's facility while the team prepared for this week's game against the Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Browns coach Pat Shurmur said Richardson will travel with the team and play in Sunday's game.

The Browns were forced to practice inside because of rain.

With Richardson out, running backs Montario Hardesty and Chris Ogbonnaya took snaps with Cleveland's starting offense.

Richardson, who missed the entire preseason after undergoing knee surgery, has rushed for 222 yards and scored four touchdowns for the Browns (0-4), the AFC's only winless team. The No. 3 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, Richardson leads the Browns with 15 receptions for 122 yards.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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NFL adds three games to Broncos LB Williams' suspension

D.J. Williams won't be eligible to return until Nov. 12. (Getty Images)

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos will be without linebacker D.J. Williams until mid-November after the NFL added three games to his suspension Friday.

Williams was punished for violating the league's substance abuse policy following his conviction in August of driving while ability impaired.

He already was serving a six-game suspension to start the season for violating the league's banned-substances policy -- such as performance enhancing drugs -- after the NFL said he supplied a "non-human" urine sample during a drug test.

Williams, the team's leading tackler in four of the last five seasons, won't be eligible to return to the Broncos until Nov. 12.

He was originally slated to return in time for the game against New Orleans on Oct. 28, but will now miss that game and road contests at Cincinnati and Carolina, too.

The Broncos were flying to New England for their game against the Patriots when the new suspension was handed down.

Wesley Woodyard and Keith Brooking have shared snaps at weakside linebacker in Williams' absence.

Williams met with Commissioner Roger Goodell in New York last month in hopes of avoiding further punishment from the league following his latest run-in, a case that stemmed from a drunken driving arrest nearly two years ago.

He was originally charged with driving under the influence, but a jury returned a conviction on a lesser charge. He was also convicted of driving without headlights, the offense that prompted police to stop him near downtown Denver about 3 a.m. on Nov. 12, 2010.

Prosecutors said Williams failed roadside sobriety tests during his traffic stop and refused to take a blood test to determine his possible alcohol level. He was taken to a detox facility.

The Broncos stripped Williams of his captaincy shortly after his arrest - the second time he'd been detained for suspicion of drunken driving. In 2005, he pleaded guilty to impaired driving.

Williams has led the Broncos in tackles five times in his eight years since joining the NFL as Denver's top draft pick in 2004 out of the University of Miami.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Titans' McCarthy, Britt questionable for Vikings game

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Titans linebacker Colin McCarthy and receiver Kenny Britt both are questionable for Sunday's game against Minnesota. McCarthy at least has practiced; Britt has not seen any action in two consecutive weeks due to his sprained left ankle.

McCarthy has not played since injuring the ankle in the season opener against New England. He practiced Wednesday and was limited Friday, so coach Mike Munchak said they will have to see how much they can use the defensive captain against the Vikings (3-1).

"We'll have to see how the game goes and what kind of game it is," Munchak said. "We're going there to win, and we need him on the field, So if he can help us win, we're doing that. We'll have to see how he is on Sunday. If we have to limit him, we'll decide what package to keep him in."

Britt will test his ankle Saturday and before the game Sunday to determine if he can play. He has played only one game this season in the Titans' overtime win Sept. 23 against Detroit.

"Whoever is healthy to play and we feel can help us will go in there and play. If we feel they're both good and can contribute to Sunday, then we'll have them on the field. If we feel they can't help us, then there's no reason them to play, and we'll wait till Thursday," said Munchak, whose team faces a quick turnaround hosting Pittsburgh on Thursday.

Tight end Jared Cook said his injured left shoulder is feeling better, and he is probable for Sunday.

"I feel a lot better than last week," said Cook who sprained his AC joint against Detroit. "It just comes with the territory. It's gonna take some time to fully heal, but it feels a heck of a lot better."

Defensive end Scott Solomon (hamstring) and linebacker Patrick Bailey (hand) both practiced Friday and are questionable as is tackle Mike Otto (hand/knee).

Jake Locker was ruled out earlier in the week due to a dislocated left shoulder with Matt Hasselbeck starting for the Titans (1-3).

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Former All-Pro Johnson arrested in Vegas on domestic violence charge

LAS VEGAS -- Las Vegas police say former NFL running back Larry Johnson is in jail after he was arrested in a felony domestic violence case involving an ex-girlfriend at a Las Vegas Strip resort.

Police officer Jose Hernandez says the 32-year-old Johnson was arrested early Friday at the Bellagio. It wasn't clear if the 32-year-old woman received medical treatment.

Records show Johnson is being held at the Clark County jail on $15,000 bail.

Johnson starred for the Kansas City Chiefs, but most recently played for the Miami Dolphins in 2011.

He has been arrested several times during his nine-year NFL career.

Johnson was sentenced in March 2009 to two years' probation after pleading guilty to two disturbing the peace charges in separate incidents involving women at Kansas City nightclubs.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Peek at the Week: Manning-Brady, Keystone State showdown, Brees chasing Unitas

Denver at New England, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

The line: Patriots by 6?

The story: Another year, another Manning-Brady showdown. Appreciate it while you can, folks. These are two of the best in the game, and watching them reminds me of, oh, say, when John Elway and Dan Marino took on each other. Your job is to simply sit back and enjoy what you're watching.

Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterbacks ever. So is Tom Brady. Manning has been to two Super Bowls. Brady has been to five. Manning won four MVP trophies. Brady has two. Manning is fourth in career regular-season wins. Brady is fifth. Manning is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. So is Brady.

Every year, it seems, the two meet either during the season or the playoffs, with Brady holding an 8-4 edge. But look what happens when he faces Denver: He's 3-6, including the playoffs, with last year's playoff win his first defeat of the Broncos at Gillette Stadium.

Moreover, Denver is the only NFL team with a winning record vs. Brady, and no more than four points separated Brady and Manning in any of their past four meetings. So what happens now that Manning quarterbacks the Broncos?

That's why we're here.

Denver is in the midst of a torturous schedule that features six 2011 playoff teams in eight games. Manning has looked good (Pittsburgh, Oakland), and not so good (Atlanta), and maybe that's the new normal with this guy. My guess is that he starts a track meet here, with the Patriots' secondary the target. It was a problem last year, and it's still a problem, and if you don't believe me run the videotape of the first half of last weekend's defeat of Buffalo.

The Bills exploited gaping holes. The problem for them was that Brady exploited more in the back end of their defense. Both teams can run, with the Patriots producing two 100-yard backs last week, but both teams will do what they do best -- which is throw.

It's hard not to side with Brady. He has won twice as many as he has lost vs. Peyton, and he's 0-1 at home this year. Tell me the last time he dropped back-to-back home games, and I'll tell you that's another reason I like Brady here. The Patriots are looking for a signature win to launch them to another AFC East title. Maybe this is the game.

The back story: In their past three wins over the Broncos, the Patriots have averaged 42.3 points, going over 40 in each contest.

Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m. ET | Preview

The line: Steelers by 3?

The story: This is the Ed Rendell Bowl, or something like that, and Pittsburgh has the advantage for a number of reasons. First, the Steelers are home. Second, they're coming off a bye. Third, the Eagles are not. In fact, they're coming off an emotional and physical defeat of the New York Giants. Fourth, the Steelers could have Troy Polamalu, James Harrison and Rashard Mendenhall back. And fifth ... and most important ... when is the last time you remember the Steelers being 1-3?

Try 2006. What's more, it has been 38 games since they lost two straight.

So the edge goes to Pittsburgh, but I would be careful not to undersell Philadelphia. The Eagles are winning games this year they didn't last season, in the fourth quarter -- where their defense has held opponents in check, and their offense has scored three come-from-behind victories.

I just returned from Dallas, where tight end Jason Witten told reporters that teams that turn the ball over as the Cowboys did Monday can't win. Normally, that's true. Except the Eagles have. They had 12 turnovers in their first three games and were 2-1. Then they practiced ball security last week, not losing the ball once, and nudged out the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Eagles are supposed to be an offensive machine, but check the numbers, people: Only Cleveland and Dallas have scored less. Quarterback Michael Vick has been erratic and too often serves as a pinata for opponents. But he looked more like himself last weekend, and so did the Eagles -- maybe because they remembered they had LeSean McCoy in the backfield.

Anyway, I would look for more McCoy and less Vick, especially with the Steelers (ranked 14th) no longer invincible against the run. And the Steelers' defense doesn't force turnovers. In fact, it has fewer (3) than all but two teams.

That's the way it has been in Pittsburgh, where the team seems tilted more toward offense, with Ben Roethlisberger the ring leader of a multitalented unit that can beat you with deep threats and tight end Heath Miller. The key for Pittsburgh, as it usually is, is keeping Roethlisberger upright. He gets hit way too much, and he might have trouble avoiding a pass rush that last year tied for the league lead in sacks.

Having Mendenhall back might perk up a rushing attack that is stuck in neutral, averaging a league-worst 2.6 yards per carry. But the pressure here is not on Mendenhall; it's on a defense that needs to shape up, stop McCoy and produce takeaways for the Steelers to move forward.

The back story: Under coach Mike Tomlin, the Steelers are 9-1 at home vs. the NFC and 4-1 in games immediately following a bye.

Atlanta at Washington, 1 p.m. ET | Preview

The line: Falcons by 3?

The story: Four games into the season and the Falcons' Matt Ryan is the front-runner for MVP while Washington's Robert Griffin III is the leading candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year. So what? Well, so we can figure on a spate of points when these two finish Sunday.

Ryan is the league's top-rated passer, Griffin is fourth, neither is guilty of many turnovers. Ryan has only two interceptions, RG3 has one and both teams are tied for the league best with two giveaways.

Griffin, of course, is the more dangerous runner, and I mean frighteningly dangerous. Rewind the videotape to the Redskins' final drive last weekend and the weekend before, and the first thing you notice is the guys flying around on defense ... because that's all they're doing. They can't seem to stop Griffin.

He makes the Redskins interesting. He may not make them successful -- not in the short run -- because there are so many shortcomings on defense, particularly in the secondary, where they have allowed an NFL-high 11 touchdown passes. Ryan has Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez as receivers, and quick question: Which of these guys is Washington going to stop?

But that's why RG3 is here. He had to rally his team against Cincinnati, and he nearly succeeded, and he probably has to rally it again here. But so what? He's at his best when improvising, is difficult to tackle, is an accurate passer and can throw the ball a mile -- which means Atlanta better be on alert.

I could see the Redskins pulling the upset here if it weren't for that pass defense. I just don't know how the Redskins defend a quarterback as accurate as Ryan and wide receivers as dangerous as White, Jones and Gonzalez. RG3 could make this close, but, last time I checked, football was still a team game ... and the Falcons have the superior team.

The back story: Under Mike Smith, the Falcons are 37-9 when they score first. They're also 37-1 in games where they lead after three quarters.

San Diego at New Orleans, 8:20 p.m. ET

The line: Saints by 3?

The story: The Saints are 0-4. The Chargers are 3-1. Yet the Saints are favored by more than a field goal, and it's not because they're home -- they are 0-2 there this year. Nope, it's because of Drew Brees, who can ... and will ... eclipse Johnny Unitas' NFL record of 47 straight games with a touchdown pass.

Brees finally looked like himself last weekend, as did the slumbering New Orleans offense. OK, so Jeff Triplette's crew served as the 12th man, making so many bad calls it seemed replacement refs never left. But Brees was terrific, and had Darren Sproles cradled that third-down pass in the fourth quarter, New Orleans might be working on a one-game win streak.

But it isn't, because the defense stinks. It's slow and can't force takeaways. Plus, it doesn't have an elite pass rusher. In the past, Brees and the offense masked the warts on the Saints' defense, but not this year ... at least, not until last weekend.

To say these guys are due is an understatement. There is talent galore on offense, and, yeah, the Saints miss deep threat Robert Meachem who, it just so happens, is catching passes for San Diego. Sooner or later they must wake up, and this just might be the game.

Though San Diego has lost only once, it's hard to get a read on the Chargers. The opponents they've beaten are a combined 3-9, with none having more than one victory. So make this a litmus test for a defense that last week forced six turnovers in Kansas City and ranks 12th overall. Brees will get his yards and his touchdowns, but when do the Saints break through? Oddsmakers say here and now, and given the circumstances, it's hard to argue with them.

The back story: Since 2006, the year Brees arrived from San Diego, the Saints have been the league's top-ranked offense, averaging 401.2 yards per game, and in the past five years they were ranked first in offense four times.

Houston at N.Y. Jets, 8:30 p.m. ET

The line: Texans by 8?

The story: Once upon a time, the Jets were supposed to be all about Mark Sanchez vs. Tim Tebow, with the former Denver quarterback pushing Sanchez for the starter's job. Only that's not the story. In fact, it never was. The story is that the Jets don't have the playmakers it takes to make Sanchez ... Tebow ... Broadway Joe ... you name it ... successful, and that's apparent now more than ever with the loss of wide receiver Santonio Holmes.

Andre Johnson is a prime-time star, averaging 98.2 yards on Monday night. (Getty Images) Holmes is the team's most reliable playmaker ... maybe only playmaker ... on offense. He's gone. Cornerback Darrelle Revis is the team's best playmaker on defense. He's gone, too. So the Jets subtract their best player, period, and their most dangerous player on offense, and what do you think happens?

Uh-huh, trouble.

Rex Ryan's hope is that the Jets can somehow summon something from their defense to beat opponents, but that didn't exactly work vs. San Francisco ... and the 49ers aren't one of the game's best offenses. Houston is, with only New England producing more points so far. Good luck trying to stop Arian Foster, Andre Johnson and Matt Schaub.

Of course, the Texans are loaded on defense, too, where they rank first overall and second vs. the pass, and I think you can see where this is going. It looks like a mismatch waiting to happen.

Naturally, it's up to the Jets to make sure it's not. At some point Houston will lose, and maybe this is the night. But common sense tells you it won't be because ... well, because the Jets just don't have the talent and because Schaub hasn't lost once in his past eight starts. I mean, Houston went to Denver and held off Peyton Manning, so what do you think the chances are that it overcomes Sanchez when his best wide receiver is his tight end?

The back story: Andre Johnson is bothered by a groin injury that limited him in Thursday's practice ... and that's good news for the Jets. Johnson is a Monday night monster, averaging 98.2 yards per game in four appearances, not only scoring each time but producing two 100-yard performances. His five TDs in Monday night games rank first among all receivers since 2008, the year of Johnson's first prime-time appearance.

Texans at Jets

The story: One team hasn't lost, while the other lost two of its best players and just got waxed by San Francisco. OK, so the 49ers can make you look bad. But the Jets were shut out in their own stadium, and now they're back for an encore without Revis and Holmes. I don't know, this sure looks like Blowout City to me. I know Ryan's defense should be ticked off after what Carlos Rogers said, but at some point, it's not about emotion; it's about players. And Houston has more good ones ... a lot more ... than the Jets.

Buffalo at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

The line: 49ers by 10?

The story: I'll be honest: Normally, you would find the upset of the week here, but my upset happened Thursday night and I don't have enough conviction about Kansas City to pick the Chiefs over Baltimore. So without any trust in any of the remaining games I'm taking the slam-dunk of the week ... and you tell me what happens when a club loses a starting guard, gives up 52 points, then makes a cross-country trip to play one of the best defenses anywhere.

That's why the line is what it is.

I think the impact of what happened last week is going to cripple the Bills, which means they would have a tough time vs. anyone. But San Francisco isn't just anyone. It's one of the best teams in the NFL, and it is home where it is a tough out. Yeah, the Bills can run. But how good do you think they'll be vs. the league's second-ranked rush defense? I can't see this being much of a game for more than a half ... if that.

The back story: The Bills haven't won in an NFC stadium since beating Carolina in Charlotte on Oct. 25, 2009.

1. Indianapolis LB Robert Mathis: He aims for his seventh straight game with a sack. Mathis has four in his past three starts vs. NFC opponents.

2. Philadelphia DE Jason Babin: He has seven sacks in his past four games vs. the AFC.

3. N.Y. Giants QB Eli Manning: Including the Super Bowl, he has beaten the AFC seven consecutive times.

4. San Francisco WR Randy Moss: In 10 career games vs. Buffalo he has 12 touchdown catches -- including four in one game. Then again, he did most of that damage with Tom Brady as his quarterback.

5. Houston DE J.J. Watt: He's looking for a sack in his seventh straight game, including the playoffs.

1. Philadelphia CB Brandon Boykin vs. Pittsburgh WR Antonio Brown: Brown's the guy who told (Washington and Greene counties) that the rookie was "the candy bar" of the Eagles secondary, meaning he's the guy Pittsburgh can exploit. Boykin brushed off the comment, saying he appreciated "the attention," and let the game begin.

2. Denver QB Peyton Manning vs. New England QB Tom Brady: What's not to like when you have these two playing each other? The past four times they have met no more than four points separated their teams in any game.

3. N.Y. Giants vs. the Super Bowl jinx: The Giants play winless Cleveland, so that's a slam-dunk, right? Not so fast. While the Browns have won only 18 games since the start of the 2008 season, three have been vs. defending Super Bowl champions -- including the 2008 Giants.

4. Cincinnati RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis vs. fumblitis: He didn't let one slip in 589 touches; now he has dropped the ball three times in the past 28. "Obviously," Green-Ellis said this week, "there are ball-security issues I have to tighten up. It has been terrible the last couple of weeks." Not exactly. The Bengals didn't lose.

5. Kansas City LB Tamba Hali vs. Baltimore RB Ray Rice: According to Hali, Rice talks more trash than any running back he has encountered in his pro career. "Usually, running backs are quiet and get their jobs done," he said, "but [Rice] is one of those guys ... he's a mouthful." Apparently, Hali was referring to an incident that took place in the Ravens' 2010 playoff rout of the Chiefs when, as Rice acknowledged, one of the Chiefs "was playing very dirty. Talking is usually not part of my game."

1. The Ravens lead the league with 26 plays of 20 or more yards, including a league-high 24 by pass.

2. Since the current playoff system was adopted (1990), 23 teams with losing records through the first four weeks qualified for the playoffs -- including four that made the conference championship games and one (the 2001 New England Patriots) that won a Super Bowl. In five of the past 11 years, a team that started 2-2 or worse advanced to the Super Bowl, with three of them winning it.

3. The Houston Texans have not given up a lead this year while leading opponents for a combined 194:27 out of 240 minutes. The team has trailed for only 18:52.

4. During his 47-game TD streak, Unitas threw 102 scoring passes -- with Raymond Berry (38) at the head of the pack. Seven players caught TD passes from Unitas, including Jerry Richardson with two. You might know of Richardson. He's the owner of the Carolina Panthers.

5. Since the 2003 season, the New England Patriots are 32-6 in October, winning 23 of their past 26 starts during the month. They're 18-1 at home during that time and 14-5 on the road, with their only home loss a 41-17 defeat by San Diego in 2005.

5: Career kickoff returns for touchdowns for Percy Harvin
7: Baltimore touchdowns when the Ravens start a drive inside their 20, best in the league
8: Ravens TD drives of 80 or more yards, also best in the NFL
9-3-1: Andy Reid's record vs. the AFC North
10-2: Green Bay's record in its last 12 road games, including the playoffs
14-3: Michael Vick's record in his past 17 starts vs. the AFC
25-0: Jay Cutler's record when he has a passer rating of 100 or better

• Cincinnati: Few showers, high of 54
• Indianapolis: Partly cloudy, high of 51 (retractable roof)
• Kansas City, Mo.: Sunny, high of 59
• Minneapolis: Dome
• East Rutherford, N.J.: Rain, high of 53
• Pittsburgh: Showers, high of 49
• Landover, Md.: Showers, high of 58
• Charlotte, N.C.: Few showers, high of 65
• Jacksonville, Fla.: Isolated thunderstorms, high of 85
• Foxborough, Mass.: Showers, high of 57
• San Francisco: Sunny, high of 62
• New Orleans: Dome

• I'll be in Pittsburgh to offer pregame glue samples to the Eagles.
• Mike Freeman will be in New England to collect early Hall of Fame ballots for Manning and Brady.
• Pete Prisco will be in New Orleans to drive the welcome wagon for Sean Payton.

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