Atlanta
DE John Abraham left early in the fourth quarter when he aggravated a stinger in his left shoulder that has bothered him this month. He racked up his 12th sack of the season before departing, tying him for second in the league. Abraham also missed time in the previous game due to the injury. He is expected to play this week and is a must-start in sack-heavy leagues, as is almost automatic for at least one sack, even playing hurt. Third DE Chauncey Davis replaced him and got his second sack of the game. The team forced no turnovers.

Like a handful of players on other teams, DT Grady Jackson is awaiting to hear the results of his appeal for his four-game suspensions for a banned diuretic. The players involved claim it was in water pills used for weight loss, but it is banned because it is a masking agent that can be used to hide steroid use. A decision is expected next week. It seems likely the suspension will be upheld, so be prepared to be without him for the fantasy playoffs, in the unlikely event you have him on your team.

Baltimore
Despite being questionable due to a lingering neck injury, FS Ed Reed started and put the game away with a pick in the fourth quarter. After driving to the BAL one-yard line, PHI QB Kevin Kolb, who started in the second half after Donovan McNabb was benched for the first time in his career, threw an interception to Reed in the end zone that Reed returned 108 yards for a TD, breaking his own record for longest interception return for a TD in NFL history he first set in 2004 (104 yards). It was the second pick Reed returned for a TD this season. He also returned a pick off McNabb in the first quarter 43 yards to set up a TD. Reed broke up two other passes and had two solo tackles. Starting corners Samari Rolle and Fabian Washington each had a pick, as well. Rolle has two picks in the three games since returning from surgery for a bulging disc in his neck. Rolle was questionable for the game with his neck and shoulder bothering him and limiting his practice last week.

OLB Jarret Johnson and SS Jim Leonhard led the team with six tackles (four solo). Johnson brought good pressure, sharing a sack with DE Trevor Pryce in the first quarter and getting the sack trifecta to stop a drive early in the second quarter. He stripped McNabb and recovered the fumble on the play. He has 2.5 sacks in the last two games and a career-high 4.5 so far this season. Pryce suffered a concussion in the game and his status is in question this week. Rookie UDFA Jameel McClain got his second safety of his career when he blocked a punt out of the end zone in the third quarter. He got credit for a safety on his first career sack in Week Eight.

Buffalo
After aggravating his separated shoulder in the previous game, SS Donte Whitner was inactive again on Sunday and is doubtful for this week. Back-up Bryan Scott was limited by a tender left knee, injured in the previous game, so George Wilson got the start at SS. Wilson, OLB Keith Ellison, and CB Terrence McGee led the team with four solo tackles. Wilson notched a sack, giving him 1.5 in his last three games, and for his career. He also recovered a fumble forced by rookie nickel CB Reggie Corner. Corner was bumped up with CB Jabari Greer inactive and first-round pick Leodis McKelvin starting in place of Greer opposite McGee. Greer was inactive with a knee sprain suffered in the previous game. McKelvin had the first two picks of his career, returning one 64 yards for a TD. The short-handed secondary brought DB Dustin Fox up from the practice squad for depth.

DE Aaron Schobel missed his sixth game with bone bruise on his foot and torn tendon on his toe and is expected to miss another 2-3 weeks. Ryan Denney continues to start in his place and notched his second sack of the season, a disappointing total for a player who has been given a huge opportunity with Schobel missing so much time. Denney has one more year on his contract, but the team will need to find another pass rush threat from the edge in the off-season.

Carolina
MLB Jon Beason led the team with 8 tackles (seven solo) and is tied for fourth in the league with 92 tackles on the season. He is on track to put up almost identical numbers to his breakout rookie season last year. He is a tackle-machine, who is now establishing himself as one of the elite fantasy LBs, but it would be nice to see some more big plays from him. He has no sacks or forced fumbles in his career, although he has two picks this year compared to one last year.

CB Chris Gamble had two solo tackles and forced a fumble. A relatively quiet game, but Gamble is quietly putting together a big year. He is on his way to a 90-tackle season, shattering his career best, and his 15 passes defensed are already his best single-season total by far. Only two picks are a bit disappointing, but the increase in tackles has him back to being one of the top fantasy CBs that he was his first two years in the league.

Chicago
A struggling pass defense got healthy against an embarrassing STL team. DE Adewale Ogunleye started the rout with a sack on the Rams’ first possession on which he knocked STL QB Marc Bulger and had another on replacement QB Trent Green when he came in the next series. Ogunleye leads the team with 4.5 sacks this season. DT Tommie Harris also had a pair of sacks and is turning his season around in the second half. DE Alex Brown also had his fourth sack of the season. The defense picked Green off four times in the second half, with MLB Brian Urlacher tipping a pass that WLB Lance Briggs grabbed and Briggs returning the favor to Urlacher, who got his second pick of the season. Briggs also had a second interception in the game, giving him a career-high three so far in what should be another All-Pro season for him.

CB Nathan Vasher left the game in the second half with an injury to the same right thumb and wrist he has surgery on in October. X-rays were negative and Vasher reported the prognosis looks good for him this week, but he struggled returning from the injury the first time. CB Corey Graham replaced him with DB Danieal Manning replacing Graham as the nickel. Manning has also replaced, at least for now, WR Devin Hester as the primary kick returner so Hester can focus on punt returns. Manning had a nice 50 yard return to start the game that set up a TD on the first drive of the game. Graham was a breakthrough player when he replaced Vasher the first time and is a great addition if Vasher misses any time. Graham also broke up a fake punt in the second quarter when he cut the legs from reserve DB Eric Bassey just as the pass was arriving. Graham showed his intelligence on the play when he didn’t hesitate to hit Bassey early because he was the end man in a punt formation, contact is eligible all the way down the field and there is no pass interference. A flag was thrown on the play, but was waived off when the officials conferred to affirm that ruling. FS Mike Brown also departed after the first half with a leg injury, but his absence sounds precautionary with the game in hand. Rookie Craig Steltz replaced him, but it sounds like Brown will play this week. SS Kevin Payne led the team with six tackles (five solo) and has passed Urlacher to be second to Briggs on the team for the season. SLB Nick Roach had five solo tackles, including one for a loss, and has replaced Hunter Hillenmeyer as the starting SLB.

Cincinnati
Despite PIT QB Ben Roethlisberger having been sacked the most times in the league coming in to the Thursday night game, but the Bengals failed to get to him or force a turnover on defense, although SLB Rashad Jeanty did recover a muffed punt late in the second quarter. Their 11 sacks are second-worst in the league. FS Marvin White led the team with nine tackles (six solo). Journeyman Chris Crocker got the start at SS Chinedum Ndukwe inactive. Ndukwe tore his plantar fascia, the ligament that supports the arch of the foot, in the previous game. He is unlikely to play this week. Crocker had eight tackles (seven solo), including blasting PIT WR Santonio Holmes and knocking him out of the game. The secondary was also without CB Johnathan Joseph who aggravated a foot and ankle injury from earlier in the season in the previous game. David Jones started in his place. Joseph was placed on the IR after the game, so Jones will continue to fill in. UDFA rookie Simeon Castille was brought up from the practice squad to serve as the dime and on special teams.

DE Antwan Odom missed his second straight game with a left shoulder injury. Frostee Rucker started in his place again, but left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury. Jonathan Fanene and Pat Sims worked in place of Rucker at RDE. Then in the second quarter, LDE Robert Geathers hyperextended his knee and had to leave the game. DT John Thornton replaced him. Odom sounds very questionable this week, while their depth was devastated when the placed both Geathers and Rucker on the IR. Thornton should move to LDE, with Orien Harris starting at DT in place of Thornton and Fanene seeing significant work at end, as well. DL Josh Mallard was added for depth and will see significant work immediately, especially if Odom can’t go this week.

Cleveland
Safeties Sean Jones and Brodney Pool each had a pick. It was the second in the last three games for Pool, giving him a career high of three so far this season. It was the first pick of the season for Jones, who was playing on a ginger ankle. NT Shaun Rogers blocked a FG, the 13th of his career. He was limited during the game as he is battling a litany of injury problems. DE Shaun Smith was inactive due to a calf injury in the previous game. Santonio Thomas started in his place.

OLB Kamerion Wimbley had a sack, giving him two in the last three games after having just one in the first eight games. It was the only sack of the game for the Browns. ILB D’Qwell Jackson led the team with nine tackles (four solo). Jackson leads the league in tackles and was the first player to surpass 100 tackles on the season.

Dallas
OLB DeMarcus Ware got his 12th sack of the season and remains in a tie for second in the league. He has been held without a sack in just one game this season. On the other side, OLB Greg Ellis got his fourth sack of the season, and first since Week Seven. Ellis started, but Anthony Spencer continues to take snaps away. Spencer got his first sack of the season in the game. FS Ken Hamlin led the team with eight solo tackles, including his first sack of the season on which he forced a fumble.

CB Terence Newman started his second game since returning from surgery for a sports hernia. He continues to be limited in practice, but is expected to remain in the lineup this week. On the other side, Anthony Henry had his first pick of the season. Rookie Mike Jenkins injured his hamstring on special teams and is expected to be out this week. He is buried on the bench with both corners back, as Orlando Scandrick and S Pat Watkins handle the nickel work. CB Pacman Jones was reinstated and although he cannot play this week, he is back practicing with the team and will return the following game. He reportedly has some stringent terms and will be banned for life for the smallest screw-up. So we should be done with him for good shortly.

Denver
SLB Jaime Winborn led the team with eight tackles (six solo). Since moving in the starting lineup, he has 48 tackles in five games. After his double-duty in the previous game, rookie Spencer Larsen started at MLB again, but wasn’t called on to play fullback on Sunday, although he remained on special teams, as well. Larsen had six solo tackles, including one on special teams. Mario Haggan spelled him in the middle and posted five solo tackles. NLB Nate Webster missed his second game with a second-degree MCL sprain in his knee. He has been practicing and could return this week. WLB D.J. Williams is still a few weeks away, as he remained inactive, as well, with a torn MCL. UDFA rookie Wesley Woodyard continued to start in place of Williams and had four solo tackles. Niko Koutovides has been working at WLB in practice, but looks no closer to gaining a starting role despite all the injuries to LBs. The team had no sacks and forced no turnovers.

HC Mike Shanahan continues to be dissatisfied with his FS situation. After Calvin Lowrey replaced a healthy Marlon McCree, Lowry was a healthy scratch and McCree was inactive with an ankle sprain on Sunday, so it was Roderick Rogers who got his first career start. The former UDFA had five solo tackles, but Shanahan wasn’t impressed after the game and Rogers was released this week. McCree is still out a couple of weeks, so it looks like back to Lowry this week. CB Champ Bailey missed his fourth game with a groin injury, although it sounds like he could be back this week. UDFA agent Josh Bell started over Karl Paymah in place of Baily, opposite Dre Bly, but both saw work.

Detroit
RDE Dewayne White missed his second game with a calf injury and LDE Jared DeVries was playing with a broken hand, but Corey Smith and rookie Cliff Avril stepped up with the opportunity to play more. Smith, who started again in place of White, had two sacks to give him a career-high of four on the season. Avril saw more work and got his second sack of the season. He stripped the ball on it and DT Chuck Darby recovered it. Darby had his first sack of the season in the game. DeVries further injured his broken hand and has been placed on the IR. Avril or Ikaika Alama-Francis will get the start in his place on Thanksgiving, while White remains doubtful to play and should continue to be replaced by White, also giving Avril and Alama-Francis more chances.

MLB Paris Lenon led the defense with seven tackles (five solo). He is closing in on WLB Ernie Sims for the team lead in tackles. Sims continues to battle a lingering shoulder problem and has had no more than five tackles in the last five games. Despite returning to practice last week, FS Dwight Smith missed his fifth game with a foot sprain. Kalvin Pearson continued to start in his place and posted seven tackles (five solo, including one on special teams) and forced a fumble on a kick return. The team added S Stuart Schweigert for depth with Smith still out. Schweigert worked on special teams.

Green Bay
The reorganized LB corps has A.J. Hawk at MLB replacing Nick Barnett, who is done for the season with a torn right ACL, and Brandon Chillar taking over WLB from Hawk. Brady Poppinga remains the SLB. Hawk’s adjustment was spotlighted on national TV Monday night when his drop wasn’t deep enough and NO TE Billy Miller beat him for an easy 16-yard TD. Hawk had five solo tackles. Chillar led the team with 10 solo tackles, including one on special teams. He also had his first sack of the season, the only one in the game for the defense.

Houston
MLB DeMeco Ryans continues to return to form as he gets healthy. He led the defense with six tackles (five solo) and recovered a fumble forced by CB Jacques Reeves. He had 11 tackles in each the previous two games. Reeves had six solo tackles, including one on special teams, and grabbed his team-leading third pick of the season, in addition to the forced fumble. Nickel CB Fred Bennett had his first pick of the season and DE Anthony Weaver grabbed his third career INT when CLE QB Brady Quinn didn’t notice he dropped back in to coverage. Dunta Robinson is back starting at RCB and Reeves looks like he’ll hold on to the starting job while Bennett plays the nickel.

Morlon Greenwood has recovered from an ankle sprain, but rookie Xavier Adibi has kept the starting WLB job. After 15 tackles in his first career start the previous game, Adibi had just four solo tackles on Sunday, but could be a nice late-season addition for fantasy players hurting at LB. DT Amobi Okoye returned after missing two games with a high ankle sprain, but was limited and put up a blank sheet in the box score. DE Mario Williams had just one tackle, for a loss. He’s stuck on eight sacks this season, having gone without one the last three games, his longest stretch without getting a sack this season. Third DE Earl Cochran, who was showing some potential as a pass rusher, was placed on the IR with turf toe. Nick Ferguson (SS) and Eugene Wilson (FS) remain the starting safety tandem. FS Will Demps, who Wilson replaced a few weeks ago, was inactive as he battles a lingering hamstring.

Indianapolis
SS Bob Sanders missed a second straight game with swelling in his surgically-repaired right knee, but CB Kelvin Hayden returned after missing six games for surgery on his left knee and then a right hamstring injury. Hayden returned to his LCB spot, moving Tim Jennings to the right side, while Keiwan Ratliff is demoted to the nickel. Melvin Bullitt started in place of Sanders again, on a tender ankle. He and MLB Gary Brackett posted eight tackles (seven solo). Brackett is third in the league with 96 tackles. WLB Freddie Keiaho led the team with ten solo tackles, including one for a loss.

UDFA rookie DT Eric Foster shared his first career sack with DE Robert Mathis. Mathis also had a solo sack and forced a fumble. He has 6.5 on the season.

Jacksonville
Darryl Smith remains the starting MLB, and he led the defense with seven tackles (five solo). Mike Peterson remains in the picture, as he is working at WLB on running downs, cutting in to the snaps of Justin Durant. FS Reggie Nelson had seven tackles (six solo, including one on special teams). CB Rashean Mathis had six solo tackles, including is first career sack, as he plays with a lingering foot injury. SS Gerald Sensabaugh had his third pick of the season, the only turnover the defense forced. CB Brian Williams had five tackles (four solo).

DT John Henderson returned after missing two games with a MCL sprain. He had four tackles (three solo). First-round pick DE Derrick Harvey is back in the starting lineup the last two games, but has just a solo sack in each. On the other side, DE Reggie Hayward had a sack and former starter Paul Spicer, rotating in, also had one. They lead the team, along with Smith, with all of 2.5 each on the season.

Kansas City
With MLB Pat Thomas (hamstring) and LB Donnie Edwards (knee and hamstring) inactive, the versatile Rocky Boiman got the start in the middle and led the team with 11 tackles (nine solo) and forced a fumble. Boiman had started the previous two games outside with Derrick Johnson inactive, but Johnson returned from a hamstring injury to start on Sunday. Boiman could hold on to the job and have some value the rest of the way. Edwards is expected to miss this week and Thomas’ status is in question.

CB Brandon Flowers returned after missing two games with a hamstring to start opposite fellow rookie Brandon Carr. Maurice Leggett worked the nickel, as veteran Patrick Surtain remained inactive with a quad injury. FS Jarrad Page played through a tender groin, but is expected to play this week. DE Tamba Hali returned from a right ankle sprain and Alfonse Boone started on the other side, as Turk McBride went on the IR last week. The team added former first-round pick DE Jason Babin for depth, who saw significant work as the third DE and with Hali eased back in. Babin had seven solo tackles, including one for a loss, but the inept pass rush produced no sacks and the Chiefs remain last in the league with just six sacks on the season.

Miami
After battling back much of the game, the defense lost it’s poise as the game wound down. ILB Channing Crowder and NE OT Matt Light were ejected for a fight halfway through the fourth quarter, then OLB Joey Porter drew personal fouls on back-to-back plays on the Patriots’ final drive. Porter did have a sack in the game, moving his league lead in sacks to 14.5 on the season. SS Yeremiah Bell led the team with nine tackles (eight solo), including his first sack of the season. He leads the team in tackles on the season.

Minnesota
The Williams DT duo had their day in court with the league last week regarding their potential four-game suspensions for a banned diuretic. The players claim it was in water pills used for weight loss, but it is banned because it is a masking agent that can be used to hide steroid use. A decision is expected next week. It seems likely the suspensions will be upheld, so be prepared to be without them for the fantasy playoffs. Both tackles started on Sunday and both had a sack, with Kevin also sharing one with DE Ray Edwards. Kevin leads the team with 8.5 sacks this season, the most he’s had since 2004.

DE Jared Allen continues to play through the pain of a third-degree sprain of the AC joint. He posted three tackles (two solo), including two for a loss and had a QB hit, but no sacks. Allen also had to visit the league office last week due to some recent cheap shots on QBs. He was fined $25K on top of a previous $50K he was hit with, but not suspended. However, any more questionable hits this year and expect him to miss a game. The shoulder continues to be a concern, although he reported it felt better after the game Sunday than it did the previous week. Expect him to continue to miss practices and be listed as questionable. However, it looks like he will be able to play with pain on game day, especially this week with a critical match up with the Bears for first place in the division.

MLB Napoleon Harris got the team off to a huge start when JAX aborted the center exchange on the first play from scrimmage. Harris picked up the loose ball and returned it 27 yards for a TD just seconds in to the game. CB Cedric Griffin was benched for the first series of the game because of missing a team meeting. Marcus McCauley officially got the start across from Antoine Winfield before Griffin returned and played the rest of the game. Nickel CB Benny Sapp grabbed his first pick of the season and also forced a fumble on a punt that JAX recovered. It was Sapp, instead of McCauley, who was tabbed to replace Charles Gordon at nickel. Gordon is done for the season with a serious left leg injury suffered two weeks ago. Winfield led the team with 12 tackles (11 solo) and forced a fumble. FS Madieu Williams had his second pick of the season despite battling a shoulder injury that has had him questionable to doubtful the last two games.

New England
SS Brandon Meriweather sealed the victory with a pick in the fourth quarter after WR Randy Moss’ third TD of the game. It was the fourth pick of the season for Meriweather, who leads the team, and the only turnover the team forced. He also had five tackles (four solo). DE Richard Seymour had a sack for the third straight game. He leads the team with seven on the season, one shy of his career high in 2003. OLB Mike Vrabel had his third sack of the season and first since Week One in what has been a season of disappointing production following his career-high 12.5 sacks last year.

OLB Adalius Thomas remains out indefinitely with a broken left forearm, but the team has not put him on the IR in hopes he is ready for the playoffs. Pierre Woods continues to start in his place opposite Vrabel. The team placed LB Eric Alexander on the IR and brought up LB Vince Redd from the practice squad for depth. The team also placed rookie CB Terrence Wheatley on the IR. He needed surgery on his left wrist, an injury dating back to college.

New Orleans
CB Jason David, who has been victimized on national TV a few times since coming to NO, got some redemption on MNF. He grabbed two big picks, one helped by WR Greg Jennings falling down. MLB Jonathan Vilma led the team with eight solo tackles. DE Will Smith is waiting to hear the results of his appeal for his four-game suspensions for a banned diuretic. The players involved claim it was in water pills used for weight loss, but it is banned because it is a masking agent that can be used to hide steroid use. A decision is expected next week. It seems likely the suspension will be upheld, so be prepared to be without him for the fantasy playoffs.

New York Giants
Rookie nickel Terrell Thomas helped progress toward the win when he grabbed his first career pick early in the fourth quarter after the Giants had just scored a TD to go up 31-19. The offense ran four minutes off the clock and converted a FG following the pick. Thomas also led the team in tackles with eight (six solo, including two on special teams). It appears he has retained the nickel role as Kevin Dockery returned from injury to a lesser role. SS James Butler returned to the starting lineup with FS Michael Johnson, but rookie Kenny Phillips still had a prominent role. He led the defense with seven solo tackles. DE Justin Tuck got the only sack of the game, his first since Week Nine. He forced a fumble on it that DE Mathias Kiwanuka. Tuck leads the team with 9.5 sack this season. DT Fred Robbins left in the third quarter when he dinged his shoulder in the game. He is expected to play this week.

New York Jets
SS Abram Elam popped the ball out from the hands of TEN rookie RB Chris Johnson on the first play from scrimmage after a NYJ FG gave the visitors a 13-3 lead. OLB Bryan Thomas recovered and the offense converted it to the eventual game-winning TD late in the third quarter. Elam continues to have a nose for the big play and is locked in as the new starter, even once Eric Smith returns from a concussion. Smith remained inactive on Sunday and is expected to be out again this week. Elam also led the team with nine tackles (six solo). Like Smith, ILB David Harris missed his fourth straight game. Harris is recovering from groin surgery and is expected to miss another week or two. OLB Calvin Pace had his fifth sack of the season, the only one in the game for the Jets. DE Shaun Ellis leads the team with seven, but he hasn’t gotten one in the last three games. He is battling a bit of a shoulder problem after a hot start that has him on his way to his best numbers in a few years.

CB Ty Law stepped in to the starting lineup in his third game, replacing rookie Dwight Lowery opposite Darrelle Revis. However, Law strained his hamstring early in the game and Lowery saw plenty of action, especially since Drew Coleman was a healthy scratch since being bumped by Law and now Lowery as the nickel. Lowery had been putting up great numbers since he was tested regularly and giving up some big plays. Law’s injury doesn’t sound serious, so if he is back next week, Lowery’s fantasy value takes a hit. He also got dinged in the game, so Coleman could be back this week.

Oakland
After six picks last year, WLB Thomas Howard finally got his first of the season on Sunday to help seal the victory in the fourth quarter. The offense converted the turnover to their second TD on the day, after not scoring one for 15 consecutive quarters. Howard also led the team with eight tackles (seven solo). CB Chris Johnson had a pick returned 65 yards for a TD nullified by a questionable defensive holding call on him. Johnson has been impressive since replace DeAngelo Hall. DE Derrick Burgess returned after missing six games, but the registered no sacks in the game.

SS Gibril Wilson recovered an aborted snap and had six tackles (five solo). He is tied with teammate MLB Kirk Morrison for fourth in the league on the season with 92 tackles. Undersized Jon Alston got his first career start over Sam Williams at SLB because Alston is better in pass defense. SLB Ricky Brown remained inactive with a groin injury. Reserve DB Michael Huff left the game with a neck stinger, but is expected to play this week. The team claimed former Jets CB Justin Miller off waivers last week and have installed him as the primary kick returner.

Philadelphia
HC Andy Reid’s desperation to shake up the lineup began before he benched QB Donovan McNabb before the game. WLB Omar Gaither was benched for Akeem Jordan. Jordan led the team with nine tackles (eight solo), including two for a loss. An UDFA out of FCS James Madison, he was the Atlantic 10 Defensive POY in 2006. As a rookie last year, he was a key special teams contributor much of the season and got his first career start in the final game of the season. He started this season again on special teams, but saw more work on defense. MLB Stewart Bradley had a season-low three tackles (one solo). He leads the team in tackles this season, but his output is sporadic. He had back-to-back double-digit tackles in his previous two games, but also four games with four tackles.

DE Trent Cole continued his hot streak, posting his seventh sack of the season among his eight tackles (seven solo). After just three sacks in his first eight games, he has four in his last three games. He also has 24 tackles (18 solo) in that span. Reserve DE Victor Abiamiri got his first career sack. His role has grown more recently, seeing more time in the end rotation and also playing inside in the nickel package. DL Darren Howard left the game in the fourth quarter with a neck injury. He is having an outstanding year in the DE rotation and situational work inside, he leads the team with eight sacks. DT Brodrick Bunkley was also dinged early, but returned to the game. CB Asante Samuel suffered a stinger in the game. None of the injuries appear serious, but the team is on a short week with a Thanksgiving game on the schedule. SS Quentin Mikell had his second sack of the season among his six tackles (five solo) and forced a fumble on it.

Pittsburgh
ILB James Farrior led the league’s best defense with 11 tackles (eight solo), including one for a loss. Farrior leads the team in tackles for the season and after a dip in numbers the past couple of games, he posted his fourth double-digit tackle game of the season. All four were in the last six weeks. OLB LaMarr Woodley had the only sack in the game. He now has 10.5 on the season, trailing teammate OLB James Harrison who has 12.

SS Troy Polamalu grabbed his fifth pick of the season on the Bengals’ final play of the game. CB Bryant McFadden remains out with a broken arm and CB Deshea Townsend missed his second straight game with a hamstring injury, so William Gay started opposite Ike Taylor again. McFadden has returned to practice and could be back this week, but Townsend is doubtful. DE Brett Keisel left the game in the fourth quarter with a right knee sprain and was replaced by Chris Hoke. Keisel has a MCL sprain and is expected to miss a couple of weeks.

St. Louis
DE Leonard Little was out of the starting lineup again as he continues to battle a lingering hamstring injury. He only saw limited work in passing situations, while Victor Adeyanju got the start at LDE and James Hall worked in more once Adeyanju turned his ankle. Hall had the only sack for the Rams, a gift when CHI QB Kyle Orton tripped coming out from under center in the third quarter. Hall is tied with Little for the team lead with 4.5 sacks. Little hasn’t had a sack since Week 7 and isn’t worth a roster spot in all but the deepest leagues with large benches where he can be buried until he is healthy. Rookie RDE Chris Long separated the ball from fellow rookie CHI RB Matt Forte for the first time this season. FS O.J. Atogwe recovered it and then forced a fumble of his own later in the game. After a few quiet games, Atogwe is back to being one of the few playmakers on either side of the ball for the Rams. DT Clifton Ryan had six tackles (four solo, including two for a loss) as he remains in the starting lineup in place of Adam Carriker, who is active, but limited, but a lingering ankle injury and also hurt his shoulder on Sunday.

MLB Will Witherspoon led the team with eight solo tackles. WLB Pisa Tinoisamoa had eight tackles (seven solo, including one for a loss) and has a slight lead over Witherspoon for the team high on the season. Witherspoon has battled injuries this season, from a groin in the preseason to a thigh to tears in both labrums (in one shoulder on Sunday), but has teased with 20 tackles in the last two games. Proceed with caution, he doesn’t look like a promising producer for the rest of the year. SLB Chris Draft (broken foot) and CB Tye Hill (torn cartilage in knee) both remained inactive. Draft is expected to miss a few more weeks and Hill has started running, but not practicing, and it remains a mystery when, or if, he returns this year. The luster is off SLB Quinton Culberson. After posting double-digit tackles in his first game replacing Draft, he hasn’t had more than four the last two games. CB Ronald Bartell hurt his knee in the previous game, but was in the starting lineup on Sunday.

San Diego
CB Quentin Jammer led the team with 11 tackles (nine solo) and grabbed his second pick of the season, the only turnover the defense forced. He is on his way to career numbers across the board. NT Jamal Williams (nine solo) and FS Eric Weddle (eight solo) each had ten tackles. Williams had the only sack in the game. Weddle leads the team in tackles on the season. Matt Wilhelm got his first start since Week Five and saw more work than he has in a while against the pass-heavy IND O. Tim Dobbins saw little action. DE Luis Castillo was inactive with a groin injury suffered in the previous and Jacques Cesaire replaced him despite a knee injury suffered in the previous game. Castillo is expected back this week.

San Francisco
ILB Takeo Spikes led the team with nine tackles (six solo). ILB Patrick Willis had seven (five solo) and is second in the league on the season.

SS Michael Lewis was playing through a leg injury and suffered an abdomen injury during the game. He is expected to play this week. CB Walt Harris is questionable with a hamstring. OLB Manny Lawson had the only sack in the game for the team and has sacks in back-to-back games.

Seattle
It looked like the Seahawks would get one more late chance for victory when FS Brian Russell forced a fumble with less than two minutes to play that DT Baraka Atkins recovered. However, the QB Matt Hasselbeck through a pick on the next play.

OLB Julian Peterson got his fifth sack of the season and DE Darryl Tapp got his third. Peterson also led the team with ten tackles (eight solo). DE Patrick Kerney was finally put on the IR, unable to recover from chronic problems with his left shoulder. Rookie Lawrence Jackson is locked in as the starter opposite Tapp for the rest of the season.

Tampa Bay
After falling behind 17-0 in the first quarter to the winless Lions, the defense held them to three points the rest of the way and CB Ronde Barber put the game away with an INT returned 65 yards for a TD in the third quarter. Barber had another pick earlier in the game and four solo tackles. Those were his first two picks of the season and it was his 11th career turnover returned for a TD, third in NFL history.

Reserve DE Jimmy Wilkerson had the first two-sack game of his career and has three sacks in the last two games. He has four on the season after totaling one sack in his previous five seasons. DE Gaines Adams had his team-leading fifth sack of the season. MLB Barrett Ruud led the team with six tackles (four solo). SS Jermaine Phillips returned to practice last week from a forearm injury, but was still inactive and continues to be replaced by Sabby Piscitelli. Rookie LB Geno Hayes was put on the IR with a knee injury and the team signed FA LB Matt McCoy. They brought back McCoy after cutting him earlier this year after a DUI arrest.

Tennessee
Although he was questionable and limited in practice last week, DE Kyle Vanden Bosch returned after missing all or most of the last four games with a groin injury. He had six tackles (two solo) and shared a sack with DT Albert Haynesworth. Injuries have kept KVB worthless since early in the season, but his performance on Sunday was a good indicator he is back to full strength and someone to look for on waivers after others have given up on him this season. Haynesworth forced a fumble on the shared sack in the first quarter and got a solo sack on the second-to-last play of the first half, but had to leave the game after he caught a shoulder to the head from teammate DE Jevon Kearse during the play. Haynesworth returned to the game in the second half. Keep an eye on Haynesworth’s status because he has already suffered a concussion this season. He leads the team with a career-high 8.5 sacks this season. Rookie reserve DL Jason Jones missed his second straight game with a foot injury. OLB Keith Bulluck continues to play through torn rib cartilage, but it isn’t hampering his performance. Bulluck (nine solo) and MLB Stephen Tulloch (seven solo) led the team with ten tackles. It was Bulluck’s third double-digit sack performance of the season and second in the last three games. He still isn’t turning in the big scoring fantasy plays, but tackles numbers are up from his disappointing season last year.

CB Cortland Finnegan grabbed his fifth pick of the season with an acrobatic one-handed stab in NYJ territory in the second quarter. The offense responded on the subsequent drive with a three-and-out, not gaining a yard, and having to punt. The team is dinged up at corner, with Nick Harper missing his second game with an ankle sprain. He is expected to return this week. Top reserves Eric King and Reynaldo Hill were both placed on the IR before the game. King broke his left forearm in the previous game and Hill has a hip injury. Former OAK return specialist Chris Carr got his first start at CB opposite Finnegan in the game, while the team promoted CB Tuff Harris from the practice squad and signed FA journeyman Tyrone Poole for depth.

Washington
It appeared SEA would get one last chance when RB Ladell Betts fumbled with less than two minutes left in the game, but CB Shawn Springs sealed the win on the next play from scrimmage when he grabbed his first INT of the season. Springs returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous four games with a calf injury. His return left little work for Hall, who was the fourth corner. FS LaRon Landry had his first career (regular season) pick earlier in the game.

MLB London Fletcher and DE Andre Carter both suffered foot injuries on Sunday. Carter has a sprain of the plantar fascia in his right foot. He is expected to play through, but isn’t worth a start as he’s having a thoroughly disappointing season. Fletcher has a sprain in his left foot and his status is in question, but he hasn’t missed a game in 11 years and it is hard envisioning him missing a key division match-up with the Giants. Fletcher had a season-low two solo tackles, but leads the team with 86 on the season. H.B. Blades would get the start in the middle if Fletcher can’t go. Blades started Sunday at SLB for Marcus Washington, who is out indefinitely with a high-ankle sprain suffered in the previous game, joining the hamstring and shoulder problems Washington was already battling in a forgettable season for him. If Blades has to play the middle, Alfred Fincher would be forced in to duty at SLB this week. DE Jason Taylor returned after missing two games with a recurring calf problem. He had three solo tackles and saw work at SLB, as well, on running downs. WLB Rocky McIntosh led the team with seven solo tackles, including his second sack of the season.

With top reserve DT Anthony Montgomery inactive with an Achilles’ injury and starting DT Kedric Golston battling a bone spur, little-used DT Lorenzo Alexander capitalized on his opportunity for more snaps and posted three solo tackles, including his first career sack. Montgomery is expected to play this week.