Atlanta
Bye

Baltimore
The Ravens had the answer for Miami’s “Wildcat” offense as they held MIA RB Ronnie Brown to just 27 yards on 13 carries and are yet to allow a 100-yard rusher in the last 25 games. ILB Terrell Suggs got BAL the lead for the first time in the second quarter with 44-yard INT returned for his first career TD. Suggs also had a sack among his seven solo tackles. It was his fourth sack of the season and is having a fine rebound year after a career low of just five sacks last year. Suggs is a great play in sack-heavy leagues as a LB and especially valuable in leagues where he still has DE eligibility. He’s a bit sporadic, but has never missed a game in his career and is still a threat to return to double-digit sacks with a strong second half. MLB Ray Lewis led the team with ten tackles (nine solo). He’s still playing great at 33, but hasn’t played a full season since 2003.

CB Chris McAlister was benched in favor of Fabian Washington and journeyman Frank Walker, as Samari Rolle (neck) was also inactive. It was reported by the Carroll County Times that is was related to a violation of the team’s dress code, but that seems an extreme punishment and there have been rumors McAlister is not the same player anymore. He has been battling a lingering knee injury, which HC John Harbaugh mentioned after the game, but McAlister was not on the injury report. The empirical evidence on the field is he is being thrown at more than usual, although he has turned that in to three picks. He was burned twice by IND WR Marvin Harrison in the previous game. Rolle could return this week, but SS Dawan Landry, will miss at least another game. Jim Leonhard remains the starter at SS, for now, and is also working returns with WR Yamon Figurs hurt. The secondary is a real mess right now with chronically-injured FS Ed Reed battling a hamstring, as well.

Buffalo
A hot air balloon knocked the power out of Ralph Wilson stadium, but SLB Kawika Mitchell electrified the crowd with his play in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. With about six minutes left and Buffalo up by just six, Mitchell got his first pick as a Bill in the end zone. The offense converted worked three minutes off the clock and converted a FG. On the subsequent drive, he got his second sack of the season and forced a fumble the team recovered.

The bye week wasn’t enough time to rest DE Aaron Schobel’s foot injury or Terrence McGee’s left foot sprain, both were inactive. Ryan Denney got the start at RDE, across from Chris Kelsay, and posted four tackles (one solo). Schobel is questionable this week. CB Leodis McKelvin saw most of the work in place of McGee. McKelvin had five tackles (three solo) and was the primary KR. McGee is expected to miss this week, as well. CB Jabari Greer led the team with eight solo tackles. MLB Paul Posluszny had seven solo tackles. While Pos leads the team with 41 tackles, he has been a bit of a disappointment in returning from his knee injury last year. He hasn’t had double-digit tackles in a game this year and hasn’t shown to be a playmaker (no sacks or picks in his nine game career). I wouldn’t give up on him, but he isn’t a must-start for now.

Reserve LB John DiGiorgio had to be carted off the field after suffering a torn ligament in his right knee on a punt return during the second quarter. His season is over and depth is razor thin for the Bills at LB. The John McCargo Era isn’t over in Buffalo. After dealing the former first-round pick DT to the Colts last week for a fourth-round pick, McCargo failed a physical, nullifying the deal. He could be released outright this week.

Carolina
DE Julius Peppers was active, bringing good pressure and recording his fourth sack of the season among his three solo tackles. He also caught NO TE Jeremy Shockey for a loss in the second quarter and forced a fumble that SS Chris Harris recovered. The Panthers scored a TD on the subsequent drive for their first lead of the game, which they wouldn’t surrender the rest of the game. CB Ken Lucas had his second pick of the season and CB Chris Gamble led the team with eight solo tackles. Gamble is on pace to shatter his season high in tackles (75 in 2005). He is a great play in tackle-heavy leagues.

Chicago
The Bears defense was missing starting corners Nathan Vasher (thumb and wrist) and Charles Tillman, but their youth stepped up with big plays in the high-scoring contest. The two players added for depth at corner in the 2007 draft, Corey Graham (fifth round) and Trumaine McBride (seventh round), were the starters and both got their first career picks in the game. Graham broke up another pass and had eight tackles, as he matures at a tremendous rate continuing to fill in for Vasher, who missed his third straight game. Depth was razor thin, with nickel back Danieal Manning (hamstring) also inactive, so fourth-round pick S Craig Steltz saw a lot of work as the nickel and fifth-round pick CB Zackary Bowman was activated from the practice squad last week. Both were huge contributors to the win. Steltz blocked a punt on a mishandled snap that was kicked in to the hands of reserve RB Garrett Wolfe for a TD. Later in the first half, Bowman was the gunner on a punt and drove MIN PR Charles Gordon in to the ball and Bowman eventually recovered the ball in the end zone for his first career TD in his first NFL game. On the next play from scrimmage after Bowman’s TD, Graham grabbed his pick to keep the momentum. Graham had to leave the game later with a concussion, forcing Bowman in to duty on defense, and he would respond with his first career pick to end any chance of another fourth quarter heartbreak for the Bears. Bowman also suffered a right biceps injury in the game and briefly left before returning for his big fourth quarter play. Unfortunately his season is over after his brilliant debut, as Bowman will need surgery and was put on the IR. Graham is expected back after the bye, as is Vasher, but Graham should, at a minimum, remain the nickel corner. Nickel might be a better fit for Vasher, who lacks size and would be a bit freer to use his great ball skills. SS Kevin Payne also had a pick off a ball tipped by WLB Lance Briggs. Payne called upon his former collegiate RB experience to take a nice return 50 yards and set up the eventual game-winning TD. Payne led the team with nine tackles (eight solo), including his first career sack. DT Tommie Harris looks like he is finally beginning to turn his season around after some personal and professional issues this year. He brought great interior pressure the whole game and notched his first sack of the season. The Bears have a bye this week, so we’ll check in on their multiple injuries in the secondary next week. They added FA Terrence Holt to take Bowman’s spot on the roster.

MLB Brian Urlacher had another mediocre game, posting just eight tackles (seven solo). He may be hiding an injury, like his lingering back problem, or age may be catching up, or both. Regardless, Urlacher is not getting to the point of attack as fast this year. He still has sporadic flashes, like when he caught MIN RB Adrian Peterson for a four-yard loss in the second quarter, but his consistency and big-play ability are lacking this year.

Cincinnati
Bengals rookie WLB got welcomed to the NFL with a, literally, jaw-dropping block from PIT WR Hines Ward. Ward blindsided Rivers during pursuit after a short pass and broke his jaw with the block during the first series of the game. Rivers, the ninth overall pick this year, had started every game, despite a holdout. Brandon Johnson replaced him in the game and will be the new starting WLB. Johnson (four solo), FS Dexter Jackson (four solo), and DE Robert Geathers (two solo) led the team with seven tackles. Jackson was active for the first time since breaking his thumb in the season opener. He was in the starting lineup, but at FS, where he replaced Marvin White. Chinedum Ndukwe remains the starter at SS.

MLB Dhani Jones led the team with ten tackles (eight solo, including one on special teams) and leads the team, but fell behind WLB D.J. Williams for the league lead. SS Chinedum Ndukwe got the team started on the right foot when he recovered a fumble on the Jets’ first drive of the game and returned it 15 yards for a TD. DE Antwan Odom forced the fumble on a sack. Dexter Jackson (thumb) remained inactive despite returning to practice last week. I expect Ndukwe to remain the starter when Jackson returns.

CB Jonathan Joseph returned to the starting lineup after being eased back in the previous game. CB Jamar Fletcher, who was signed for depth, has a hamstring injury and is not expected to play. FS Marvin White had his first career pick. DT John Thornton was inactive with a sore Achilles’ tendon, but is expected back this week.

Cleveland
SS Sean Jones returned from a knee injury and was back in the starting lineup, posting ten solo tackles and forcing a fumble. His return was timely, as Mike Adams, who was replacing him, was inactive with a hamstring. ILB D’Qwell Jackson led the team with 11 tackles (four solo).

Browns DL Corey Williams suffered a left shoulder injury in the second quarter, but would return and says he is playing this week. The team is desperately thin at DE, with Robaire Smith on the IR and Shaun Smith inactive. Louis Leonard started again in place of Smith and will again this week. DT Shaun Rogers brought the pressure, getting his third sack among his seven tackles (four solo).

Dallas
LB DeMarcus Ware had three sacks among his seven solo tackles giving him nine sacks on the season and tying the NFL record with a sack in his 10th straight game (11, if you count the playoffs). The team record is considered 11 by DT Harvey Martin, but that was before the sack was an official statistic. It was Ware’s first multi-sack game of the season.

While CB Pacman Jones awaits his future, he is doing what he can to try to have one in the NFL. Jones entered an alcohol rehab clinic, as if that was his only problem. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended him indefinitely, indicating he would rule on the total length of the suspension Week 11. Even if he is reinstated, the Cowboys might not welcome him back. The last thing this team needs is more distractions. CB Terrence Newman was inactive, so rookie first-round pick CB Mike Jenkins got his first career start replacing Jones and Newman at LCB across from Anthony Henry. He posted six solo tackles, but struggled in coverage and missed some tackles. Newman is expected to miss up to three more weeks with groin and ab problems, so the rookie will need to learn quick. Fifth-round pick Orlando Scandrick remains the nickel. The secondary seemed to get some good news when SS Roy L. Williams returned from a broken arm and was back in the starting lineup. His return lasted less than a half, as Williams broke the same right arm in the second quarter and is done for the season. Keith Davis will return to the starting lineup at SS. The team signed FA S Darren Stone, most recently of the Falcons, to fill Williams’ roster spot. Depth is a problem as FS Pat Watkins missed another game with a stinger.

OLB Greg Ellis had his first sack since Week Two, just his second of the season. ILB Bradie James hyper-extended his left elbow in the game and had to leave. He was replaced by Bobby Carpenter, but James did return to the game. He finished with six solo tackles and his first sack of the season. Depth is a problem at LB with OLB Anthony Spencer inactive with a hamstring injury and OLB Kevin Burnett limited by a calf injury. The team signed former Charger Carlos Polk for depth and his special teams play.

Denver
It was a rough Monday night for the Bailey brothers. Both out were out of the game by halftime, Boss with a knee and Champ with a groin. Boss was placed on the IR and will undergo microfracture surgery on his left knee. Louis Green and Jaime Winborn saw more work in his absence. Winborn posted eight tackles (four solo), including sharing a sack with DE Elvis Dumervil. Winborn will take over at SLB and has some nice upside, but is injury-prone himself. He has never played all 16 games in his eight-year career. Dumervil shared another sack with DT Dewayne Robertson and had a solo. After a slow start, Dumervil has three sacks in his last three games. Champ will miss four-to-six weeks with his groin strain. Karl Paymah is expected to take his spot in the lineup. WLB D.J. Williams had 16 tackles (ten solo) and has taken over the league lead in tackles. FS Calvin Lowry had 12 tackles (seven solo).

Detroit
DE Dewayne White (seven solo) and WLB Ernie Sims (six solo) led the team with ten tackles. White had a sack on which he forced a fumble and is really heating up. He had 17 tackles (13 solo) and two sacks in the last two games. Ryan Nece has taken over the starting SLB job and had six tackles (two solo), including sharing a sack with reserve DE Ikaika Alama-Francis. FS Dwight Smith left with a foot injury and Kalvin Pearson replaced him. Pearson would get the start this week if Smith can’t go.

Green Bay
FS Nick Collins returned a pick 62 yards for a TD to extend the lead and SS Aaron Rouse returned one 99 yards to make it a blowout. Collins moved in to a tie for the league lead for interceptions with four with teammate CB Charles Woodson, among others. Rouse started in place of Atari Bigby, who remained inactive with a hamstring injury. Woodson has indicated his toe has improved, as well. Bigby is expected back after the bye this week, as is CB Al Harris, returning from a lacerated spleen. Harris returned to practice last week, but the team can afford to ease him back in with Tramon Williams playing well in his place. Williams had seven solo tackles, forced a fumble, and broke up a pass.

WLB A.J. Hawk left in the first series after aggravating his groin injury. Brandon Chillar replaced him and led the team with nine tackles (seven solo). Hawk has the bye week to heal. DT Justin Harrell remained on the PUP, but is practicing with the team.

Houston
DE Mario Williams had a rare game without a sack, but emerging SLB Zach Diles had the first sack of this career among his six tackles (five solo). FS Will Demps led the team with six solo tackles. The big news was CB Dunta Robinson returning after being activated off the PUP. DeMarcus Faggins got the start, but Robinson saw most of the work at LCB. Jacques Reeves looks like he’ll remain at the other corner and Fred Bennett remains demoted to nickel.

Indianapolis
MLB Gary Brackett led the team with 12 tackles (ten solo) and forced a fumble. Tyjuan Hagler was activated from the PUP and saw work on special teams. It appears Clint Session will remain the starter at SLB. WLB Freddie Keiaho played through a sore groin. SS Bob Sanders high ankle sprain and arthroscopic knee surgery) remained inactive and is expected to miss at least two more games. Melvin Bullitt continues to start in his place and posted nine tackles (six solo). CB Kelvin Hayden (knee) remained inactive and is expected to miss at least another week after getting his knee cleaned last week. Tim Jennings replaced him across from CB Marlin Jackson, who had nine solo tackles.

Jacksonville
Bye – FS Reggie Nelson is expected to return this week.

Kansas City
Despite practicing last week after resting his ankle injury over the bye, OLB Donnie remained inactive and remains questionable this week. Demorrio Williams started in his placed again. MLB Pat Thomas led the team with nine tackles (five solo), including one for a loss. FS Jarad Page had seven solo tackles. The team signed LB Rocky Boiman for depth at LB after releasing Napoleon Harris last week.

Miami
OLB Joey Porter remains a man on fire. Two more sacks among his four solo tackles give him 8.5 on the season, good for second in the league. He has 7.5 sacks in the last four games alone and should shatter his previous career high (10.5) this year. OLB Matt Roth and DE Vonnie Holiday also shared a sack. ILB Channing Crowder led the team with ten tackles (six solo). SS Yeremiah Bell had eight solo tackles. Both are great plays in tackle-heavy leagues.

NT Jason Ferguson left the game in the first quarter with a rib injury and didn't return. It sounds unlikely he’ll play this week, but his primary back-up, Paul Soliai is suspended this week for a violation of team rules. FS Chris Crocker was released. He started the first few games before Renaldo Hill returned from injury and took the job. They signed S Tyrone Culver to fill Croker’s roster spot.

Minnesota
The defense wasn’t good, but wasn’t as bad as the 48 points it surrendered to the Bears, the most for Chicago in 22 years. Special teams gave up two TDs and short kick-offs to avoid All-Pro KR Devin Hester gave the defense a short field to defend. One of QB Gus Frerotte’s four intercepted passes was also returned to the MIN six-yard line and resulted in a TD. DE Jared Allen had his best game as a Viking, posting his first multi-sack game with two of his season-high six solo tackles. In addition to his two sacks, Allen had two other tackles for a loss. He stopped CHI RB Matt Forte behind the line early in the game and caught CHI WR Rashied Davis for a loss on a third down just before the two minute warning to give the Vikings one last shot, which they blew. Allen forced a fumble on one of his sacks that DT Pat Williams recovered. Williams also had a big FG block. Allen has three sacks in his last two games. CB Cedric Griffin led the team with eight solo tackles. He also forced a fumble right before CHI TE Desmond Clark got in the end zone, but his teammate Rashied Davis fell on it and so CHI still scored the TD.

As expected, new MLB David Herron was inactive with a left ankle sprain and hip problems. After the team brought back Dontarrious Thomas last week, they went brought back their former MLB, Napoleon Harris, who was released by the Chiefs. Vinny Ciurciu got the start, but Harris, who only signed Thursday, saw the majority of the work in the middle. Harris replaced Ciurciu in the first quarter and finished with five tackles (four solo). Herron hadn’t turned any heads in his brief opportunity when E.J. Henderson was lost for the season, so Harris could retain the role and have some value the rest of the season. Thomas looks to be special teams fodder, at best, and could be released this week after the success of Harris.

FS Madieu Williams remained inactive and rookie Tyrell Johnson continues to replace him. The team has a bye this week, so expect Williams back in their next game. Nickel CB Charles Gordon made a costly mistake deciding to try and block a gunner after not fielding a punt inside the ten-yard line. The punt bounced and hit him and was eventually recovered by CHI for a TD.

New England
SS Rodney Harrison tore his quad Monday night and is done for the season…at least. There is discussion that his career could be over. Brandon Meriweather had a pick and broke up another pass. His value gets a boost with Harrison out.

ILB Jerod Mayo led the team with eight solo tackles and recovered a fumble. DE Richard Seymour had a solo sack and shared another with OLB Adalius Thomas.

New Orleans
DT Kendrick Clancy had the only sack and the team forced no turnovers. Clancy’s second sack ties his career high and the journeyman is on pace to put up a career high in tackles in a rare opportunity in his career as a full-time player. First-round pick DT Sedrick Ellis remained inactive as he recovers from surgery for a torn medial meniscus in his right knee in early October. He is expected to return this week. CB Aaron Glenn remained inactive with an ankle sprain. FS Kevin Kaesviharn started after missing the previous game with a back injury. Kaesviharn and MLB Jonathan Vilma led the team with seven tackles (six solo). Vilma had one for a loss and broke up a pass. Vilma is second in the league in tackles and has erased concerns about the stigma attached to his knee injury by the Jets in their ugly divorce last year.

New York Giants
MLB Antonio Pierce was inactive a quad strain, giving Chase Blackburn the start in the middle. Blackburn led the team with ten tackles (eight solo), including a sack on which he forced a fumble. Pierce expected to play last week, so he seems probably this week. If not, Blackburn is a great play. WLB Gerris Wilkinson was also inactive with a MCL sprain. Rookie Bryan Kehl, who had been splitting snaps with Wilkinson, got his first career start and posted three tackles (two solo). FS Michael Johnson had a pair of picks, his first of the season. DE Justin Tuck had a pair of sacks, forcing fumbles on both, including one that went out of bounds for a safety in the fourth quarter. DT tandem Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins each had a sack, and so did third DE Darrell Tollefson. Tuck and Robbins lead the team with five on the season.

New York Jets
DE Shaun Ellis had a sack for the third straight game, his fifth of the season. He’s had a sack in every game but one. Injuries plague the front seven as OLB Bryan Thomas played through a calf injury, Kris Jenkins continues to battle a bad back, and OLB Calvin Pace injured his toe. SS Eric Smith returned from his one game suspension and returned to the starting job. FS Kerry Rhodes led the team with nine tackles (seven solo), including one for a loss.

Oakland
FS Michael Huff was demoted and Hiram Eugene replaced him as a starter. Huff rotated in, limiting the value of both. SS Gibril Wilson led the team with ten tackles (seven solo) and had a pick. CB DeAngelo Hall also had a pick.

DE Derrick Burgess remained inactive with a strained triceps. Jay Richardson started at LDE and Kalimba Edward moved to RDE, but it was rookie DE Trevor Scott who stepped up to bring the pass rush with the first two sacks for his career. DT Tommy Kelly had a sack for the second straight game.

Philadelphia
Bye – reserve S J.R. Reed was cut over the bye, as he couldn’t overcome a lingering hamstring injury.

Pittsburgh
Days after complaining the NFL was becoming a “pansy game”, SS Troy Polamalu had to leave the game in the fourth quarter after suffering a concussion during a head-first tackle on CIN RB Cedric Benson. Polamalu sounds like he’ll play this week. CB Bryant McFadden broke his right radius on the same play. He is out four-to-six weeks, so Deshea Townsend returns to the starting lineup. However, Townsend is battling a lingering heel problem. William Gay moves up to nickel and would start if Townsend can’t go. McFadden took over the job from Townsend earlier this year. Veteran S Tyrone Carter replaced Polamalu. DE Brett Keisel returned from a calf injury, but NT Casey Hampton remained inactive with a groin injury and is still questionable this week.

ILB James Farrior had his best game of the season, notching double-digit tackles for the first time with 11 (six solo), including his first solo sack of the season. With the Bengal frequently running three-receiver sets, the Steelers ran more nickel defense, meaning more Lawrence Timmons than Larry Foote next to Farrior. Timmons responded with the best game of his young career, totaling double-digit tackles for the first time with ten (seven solo, including one on special teams) and posting two sacks. The most productive OLB tandem in football, LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison, added two more sack each. Harrison has already matched his career high, set last year, with 8.5 sacks, good for second in the league. Woodley is fourth in the league with 7.5 sacks.

St. Louis
After looking like the worst team in the league earlier this year, the Rams are now the giant killers of the NFC. A week after knocking off the Redskins in Washington, they took down the Cowboys. The defensive took advantage of facing the aging, less-elusive DAL QB Brad Johnson in his first start since 2006. They brought pressure forcing three picks, while DE Leonard Little and third DE James Hall each sacked him one and shared another. Little has 4.5 sacks in the last three games since returning from a hamstring injury.

DT Adam Carriker suffered a sprained left ankle and was held out of the second half. He is questionable this week. FS O.J. Atogwe continues to be the big playmaker on defense, grabbing two picks in the game, giving him three on the season. CB Tye Hill (torn cartilage in knee) wants to try to return this week, but is expected to miss another week or two. Back-up S Todd Johnson will miss a few games after suffering a bruised kidney. DB Eric Bassey was signed off the practice squad to replace Johnson.

San Diego
With no sacks or turnovers forced to change momentum, the SD defense failed to stop an efficient BUF offense. ILB Stephen Cooper led the team with 11 tackles (nine solo). Tim Dobbins started next to Cooper and with the team not needing many pass packages, Matt Wilhelm saw little time. Dobbins had just two tackles (one solo), but Wilhelm had a clean sheet. Neither player is worth starting while sharing a job. OLB Jyles Tucker missed his third consecutive game with a strained hamstring, giving Marques Harris another start. Harris had three solo tackles. FS Eric Weddle played through a shoulder sprain and posted nine tackles (seven solo), including one for a loss, and broke up a pass. Weddle continues to lead the team in tackles and is top five in the league. He is the rare FS with great fantasy value.

San Francisco
ILB Patrick Willis (eight solo) and CB Walt Harris (six solo) led the team with nine tackles. After missing the last two games with a hamstring injury, OLB Manny Lawson returned and had four tackles (two solo), as well as a forced fumble. 49ers S Michael Lewis left during the third quarter with a sprained knee and did not return. He is questionable this week.

Seattle
MLB Lofa Tatupu was knocked out of the game with a concussion and D.D. Lewis filled in and led the team with 11 tackles (eight solo, including two for a loss). Tatupu is expected to play this week. DE Darryl Tapp was back in the starting lineup, bumping rookie Lawrence Jackson out. Tapp responded with nine tackles (five solo).

Tampa Bay
MLB Barrett Ruud led the team with six solo tackles, and recovered a fumble. CB Phillip Buchanon had six tackles (five solo). Rookie CB Aqib Talib had a pick for the second consecutive game, his third of the season.

Tennessee
OLB Keith Bulluck is now stacking strong performances. After posting double-digit tackles for the first time this year in the previous game, he led the team in tackles with eight (five solo), including sharing a sack with reserve DT Dave Ball. The interior brought the pass rush, with DT Albert Haynesworth getting his sixth sack of the season, tying a career high set last year, and rookie DL Jason Jones getting the first solo sack of his career. Jones started in place of DT Tony Brown (foot). DE Kyle Vanden Bosch started coming off resting his groin injury over the bye, but didn’t make it out of the first series. Ball replaced him and rookie Jacob Ford saw some more work, as well. The team gets an extra day of rest with MNF on the schedule

Washington
DE Jason Taylor continues to be limited by his calf injury. He started, but played mostly on passing downs and posted just two passes defensed. DT Cornelius Griffith aggravated a shoulder injury and looks like he will miss another game. DE Andre Carter had the only sack for the Skins, just his second of the season.

CB Shawn Springs was inactive with a calf sprain and is expected to miss another two games. Fred Smoot started in his place, playing through a sore groin that was expected to keep him out last week. Rookie SS Chris Horton played through a sore ankle to post nine tackles (four solo) and break up a pass. MLB London Fletcher led the team with 12 tackles (seven solo).