Atlanta
DE John Abraham is one of the best passing rushers in the league…when he can stay healthy. He’s healthy, for now, and picked up two more sacks on Sunday, giving him six on the season. He forced a fumble on one of his sacks and brought good pressure all day. DT Grady Jackson was back in the starting lineup after missing the previous game with a knee problem. WLB Keith Brooking had 10 tackles (seven solo). SLB Michael Boley was limited by a neck strain suffered in the previous game and played only in certain pass packages. He had four solo tackles. Coy Wire played SLB on the base defense.

FS Erik Coleman led the team with 10 solo tackles, he also forced a fumble and grabbed his first interception as a Falcon. SS Lawyer Milloy started despite a DUI arrest last week. The team said they are addressing this “internally”, while Milloy hasn’t been fined or suspended by the league yet. If he missed any time, rookie S Thomas DeCloud would get the start. CB Brent Grimes had his first career pick and CB Chris Houston piled on the victory when he returned a pick ten yards for his first career TD in the fourth quarter.

Baltimore
FS Ed Reed has been battling a painful nerve problem in his neck and left shoulder, limiting his fantasy impact, but it should be no surprise that facing the Browns helped make him productive, at least for one game. Going in to Sunday, six of Reed’s 34 career interceptions have come against the Browns, with two returned for TDs. Reed help put the game away in the third quarter when he grabbed a pick and return it 32 yards for a TD. On the previous offensive series by Cleveland, CB Chris McAlister got his second pick of the season that led to a TD. OLB tweener Terrell Suggs got his first two sacks of the season, forcing a fumble on one. Suggs didn’t get his first sack until Week six last year, when he posted a career-worst five sacks on the season.

Not all the news was good on Sunday, as SS Dawan Landry was left lying motionless and taken off the field on a cart after hitting CLE RB Jamal Lewis low on a tackle and taking a knee to the head in the second quarter. He was diagnosed with a spinal cord concussion. He will wear a collar for a week to stabilize his neck while it heals and will miss some time, but is expected to return this season. Jim Leonhard replaced him in the game and had a sack. The Ravens drafted two safeties this year, Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura, but it appears DC Rex Ryan will go with the cagey vet in Leonhard to replace Landry, leaving the youngsters on special teams. Leonhard had some nice value as an injury replacement in Buffalo last year. He is also being used as a return man with specialist Yamon Figurs and Reed dinged up, so he has some potential additional value in leagues that count return yards, although Figurs figures to return this week. CB Samari Rolle aggravated a right shoulder injury in the game, but is expected to play through it this week. He had his first pick of the season on Sunday. The secondary is dinged up top to bottom, although McAlister (right knee) and nickel CB Corey Ivy (right ankle sprain) seem like they benefit from the unexpected by in Week Two and could be past their injuries. Reserve CB Derrick Martin was active for the first time this year, but he’s behind Ivy and Frank Walker, as well. Fabian Washington (neck) remained inactive. NT Kelly Gregg missed another game with a knee injury and is expected to miss at least this week, as well, with some concern it could end his season.

Buffalo
DE Chris Kelsay had his first sack of the season, the only one in the game for the Bills. He forced a fumble on the sack that MLB Paul Posluszny recovered. It set up Buffalo’s first TD. DE Aaron Schobel brought good pressure, but is still looking for his second sack of the season. Posluszny shared the team-lead of six tackles (5 solo) with DT Marcus Stroud (four solo) and FS Ko Simpson. Stroud through bulldozing OAK RB Michael Bush for a two-yard loss on a second down on Oakland’s final drive, setting up a third-and-long they didn’t convert. On the previous play, DT Kyle Williams stopped Bush at the line of scrimmage. Williams continued to thrive and posted four tackles (three solo) in the game.

SLB Keith Ellison was shaken up during the game, but returned quickly. Rookie Leodis McKelvin didn’t see much time of defense, but team’s new top kick returner brought back five for 137 yards, including a 56-yard return.

Carolina
RDE Julius Peppers broke an eight-game sackless streak with his first sack of the season in the third quarter. LDE Tyler Brayton and third DE Charles Johnson split a sack on the next play. Johnson suffered a minor hamstring injury in the game. Rookie FS Charles Godfrey had his first career sack. CB Chris Gamble had his first pick of the season.

WLB Thomas Davis led the team with eight tackles (five solo). Reserve rookie LB Dan Connor tore his ACL on special teams and is done for the year.

Chicago
In a game full of aggressiveness past whistle, it was unsurprising the outcome turned on a penalty. On Tampa Bay’s second possession of overtime, the Bears buried them inside their own ten-yard line. After stopping the Bucs on a third-and-nine, CB Charles Tillman allegedly jumped in the pile late, drawing a brutal 15-yard penalty that kept the eventual game-winning drive alive. Tillman led the team with 11 tackles (10 solo), forcing a fumble on one and breaking up two passes. CB Nathan Vasher had his first pick of the season and SS Kevin Payne had his first career interception, but also struggled in coverage. Vasher returned punts with WR Devin Hester inactive and reserve DB Danieal Manning returned kicks.

MLB Brian Urlacher had six solo tackles and was involved in two turnovers. He tipped a pass deep in Tampa Bay territory that WLB Lance Briggs picked, leading to the first points for Chicago. Urlacher also recovered the fumble Tillman forced. Briggs also had six solo tackles and broke up three passes.

Cincinnati
The defense was unable to put enough pressure on the NYG O, they had no sacks and forced no turnovers, in the OT loss. MLB Dhani Jones led the team with 12 tackles (eight solo). Rookie WLB Keith Rivers had just two assists.

SS Dexter Jackson remained inactive with a broken thumb. Chinedum Ndukwe started at SS and posted seven tackles (six solo). CB Johnathan Joseph was inactive with an ankle sprain, giving David Jones a start. Jackson and Joseph may be able to play this week, but their return is still uncertain. Ndukwe could keep the starting job over Jackson when he returns.

Cleveland
ILB D’Qwell Jackson led the team with 14 tackles (five solo) and grabbed BAL QB Joe Flacco’s first career interception. Next to him, ILB Andra Davis posted 10 tackles (eight solo) and continues to distance himself from third ILB Leon Williams in snaps. Willie McGinest was inactive with a hamstring, so seventh-round pick Alex Hall got the start at OLB and notched his first career sack among his seven tackles (six solo). Hall looks like revelation and could finally be the player they’ve needed opposite Kamerion Wimbley so they can finally move McGinest out of a starting role. McGinest is expected to return this week, but it seems Hall has earned the opportunity to see more snaps.

Mike Adams started a SS, as expected, for the injured Sean Jones and had a pick. Shaun Smith replaced Robaire Smith, who went on the IR last week, as a starting DE.

Dallas
CB Adam Jones worked as the third nickel, but saw plenty of snaps. On the second play from scrimmage, he forced a fumble on GB RB Ryan Grant, then recovered it himself and returned it 21 yards to set up a field goal, the first points of the game. Jones led the team with eight tackles (six solo). With the team missing SS Roy Williams with a broken arm, they worked Jones in more than back-up S Pat Watkins. CB Anthony Henry was used in some timely blitzes and racked up the first two sacks of his career. ILB Zach Thomas, OLB Demarcus Ware, and DE Jay Ratliff each had a solo sack. Ware has one sack in each game this year and a streak of at least one sack in six straight games dating back to last year (seven, if you include their one playoff game).

Denver
As if HC Mike Shanahan didn’t give fantasy players enough fits on the offensive side of the ball with his unpredictable handling of running backs, we now have a reason to dislike him from an IDP perspective. The Broncos unveiled some 3-4 looks on Sunday. The biggest beneficiary was OLB Jaime Winborn, who was relegated to the bench in the previous game when Boss Bailey returned from a preseason high ankle sprain. Bailey and Winborn worked outside, while D.J. Williams slid inside with Nate Webster. Bailey aggravated his ankle sprain during the game, but says he is fine and will play this week. Kenny Peterson and Josh Shaw worked the nose tackle, while several players rotated at DE. The most negative impact seemed to be to DE Elvis Dumervil, who would never work inside in a 3-4 like he does in a 4-3 on some passing downs and isn’t a good fit for OLB either in a 3-4. However, it’s a bit hard to gauge Dumervil’s performance Sunday as he was playing with a broken right pinky with four pins in it. At least initially, the scheme didn’t help the pass rush. They posted one sack, by reserve DE Ebenezer Ekuban.

Regardless of the scheme, Webster and Williams should continue to produce well. Williams had a game-high 16 tackles (14 solo), including one for a loss. Webster totaled 12 tackles (seven solo) in the game and had a couple huge plays. He saved a TD when he stuffed NO RB Pierre Thomas on a fourth-and-goal at the Denver one-yard line late in the second quarter. However, the offense yielded a safety on the next play, but the four- or five-point difference the stop meant made a difference in the end. Earlier in the quarter, Webster also contributed six more points when he picked up a fumble forced by DE John Engelberger and went 34 yards for a TD.

Former first-round pick DE Jarvis Moss was active for the first time after being a healthy scratch the first two weeks. He brought some pressure, but only posted one solo tackle. It wasn’t coincidental Moss being active came with the 3-4 experiment. Moss is a good fit to rush from the edge as an OLB in a 3-4. Moss being active came at the expense of DE Tim Crowder, who instead was a healthy scratch. The team released S Hamza Abdullah this week. It was a swift fall from grace for Abdullah, who ended the last few weeks of last season as a starter for the first time in his career until he was bumped by Marquand Manuel in camp and a few weeks in to this season he’s jobless. The team signed S Vernon Fox to replace him.

Detroit
WLB Ernie Sims led the team with 13 tackles (11 solo). Jordon Dizon was inactive due to a neck injury, ensuring all the work in the middle remained with Paris Lenon. Lenon had seven tackles (six solo).

Green Bay
CB Al Harris was laid out in pain after a collision with teammate WLB A.J. Hawk, and tried to return, but was pulled at the end of the first quarter. Tests discovered he has a ruptured spleen and he is expected to miss the season. Tramon Williams replaced him and gave up a long TD to DAL WR Austin Miles that sealed the victory in the fourth quarter. Williams has the first shot at replacing Harris. SS Atari Bigby was sidelined with a hamstring strain from the previous game giving Aaron Rouse the start and he once again capitalized on the opportunity. Rouse led the team with 12 tackles (nine solo). FS Nick Collins ended an early scoring threat after a long Dallas drive with a pick in the end zone he took out and returned 61 yards before DAL WR Terrell Owens caught him from behind. Collins hurt his back during the game and there is some concern about his availability this week. CB Charles Woodson played through his to toe injury to do a solid job on Owens, but it resulted in little fantasy production.

DE Aaron Kampman and DE Cullen Jenkins split a sack and each had one of their own. Brandon Chillar passed Brady Poppinga for his first start of the season at SLB. Chillar responded with nine tackles (seven solo, including one on special teams) and forced a fumble.

Houston
The unexpected bye week didn’t help the defense game plan any better for the Tennessee offense under new starting QB Kerry Collins. They capitalized on two early turnovers before seeing few more highlights on either side of the ball the final three quarters. CB Jacques Reeves, starting with Dunta Robinson on the PUP, grabbed a pick on the first play from scrimmage by the Titans that led to a field goal. Later in the first quarter, SLB Zac Diles forced a fumble that MLB DeMeco Ryans recovered and led to another field goal. Ryans led the team with 13 tackles (10 solo). Diles, who has been a pleasant fantasy surprise so far as a new starter, also had eight tackles (five solo). The team got an additional scare when CB Fred Bennett had to leave the game in the third quarter with a shoulder stinger. Demarcus Faggins replaced him, but Bennett later returned. It was a rare game without a sack for DE Mario Williams, as the team never got to Collins.

Indianapolis
Updating last week’s report, FS Bob Sanders is expected to miss four to six weeks with a high ankle sprain. And so Sanders keeps his streak of never playing 16 games in a season alive. Antoine Bethea moved from SS to FS and Melvin Bullitt, a former UDFA, took over SS. Bullitt had eight tackles (six solo), including an assist on special teams. The team cut Keiwan Ratliff and brought S Jaime Silva up from their practice squad to help with depth at safety.

WLB Freddie Keiaho stacked back-to-back double-digit tackles games as he led the Colts with 11 tackles (eight solo). MLB Gary Brackett also had 11 tackles (seven solo).

Jacksonville
As the team dominated time of possession, limiting the Colts to less than 20 minutes with the ball, there weren’t many opportunities for the Jacksonville defense. CB Rashean Mathis contributed to limiting the time the Indianapolis offense was on the field when he took a pick 61 yards for a TD in the second quarter. SS Brian Williams and CB Drayton Florence led the team with five tackles (four solo) each. Williams continues his splendid fantasy performance since moving to SS as he added a pick to his numbers on Sunday. FS Reggie Nelson left the game late in the third quarter after dinging his knee in a collision, but he is expected to play this week.

OLB Justin Durant was inactive with a groin injury suffered in the previous game. Clint Ingram replaced him. Durant is likely to miss this week, as well. OLB Darryl Smith had the only sack of the game.

Kansas City
CB Patrick Surtain was inactive, so rookie Brandon Carr, a fifth-round pick out of DII Grand Valley State, got his firs career start. Carr led the team with nine solo tackles, including one for a loss. Carr and second-round pick Brandon Flowers give the Chiefs the only pair of rookie starters at corner in the league. Surtain could miss this week, as well, and with the Chiefs going nowhere, the team would probably like to see Carr get as much experience as possible.

The team had no sacks and forced no turnovers. DE Tamba Hali couldn’t take advantage of ATL starting LT Sam Baker leaving the game at halftime. Pat Thomas remains the starter at MLB and had five tackles (three solo). Thomas has been unspectacular, but Napoleon Harris (knee) remains inactive and out of favor with HC Herm Edwards, while LOLB Donnie Edwards is being phased out. Edwards, once a top cover LB, is out of the nickel in favor of Thomas and ROLB Derrick Johnson and Edwards rotates with Demorrio Williams in the base defense.

Miami
WLB Joey Porter opined it “shouldn’t be that hard” to beat the Pats without QB Tom Brady and went about proving it on Sunday. He sacked NE QB Matt Cassell three times, his first three-sack game since Christmas Eve 2005 (the last time the Dolphins did it was a week earlier), and forced a fumble on one that rookie DE Phillip Merling recovered. Merling, the starting RDE, also had some other big plays. He got his first career sack after a Porter sack on New England’s second drive deep in Miami territory. Cassell actually broke away as Merling was wrestling him down and appeared to possibly have scrambled for a TD, but the play was whistled dead and rule “in the grasp”. On the next play, Merling brought the pressure on a screen, forcing a poor pass from Cassell that third DE Randy Starks made an athletic grab on for his first career interception.

FS Chris Crocker had recovered enough from his neck stinger in the previous week to be active, but the sting of some big plays he gave up had HC Tony Sparano keep Renaldo Hill as the starter at FS. Hill had seven tackles (six solo). SS Yeremiah Bell led the team with 10 tackles (seven solo).

Minnesota
With the Panthers leading 10-3 late in the first half, CB Antoine Winfield came off the left edge on a safety blitz. He should have been in CAR QB Jake Delhomme’s line of vision, but Winfield blasted Dehomme for the sack and forced a fumble, which he picked up and returned 19-yards for a TD. It was one of five sacks for the defense. DT Kevin Williams got two, DE Jared Allen got his second in as many weeks, and SLB Chad Greenway forced a fumble on his sack. WLB Ben Leber recovered a fumble on an aborted snap.

MLB E.J. Henderson led the team with 12 tackles (11 solo), including three for a loss. CB Charles Gordon continues to fill in at nickel while Marcus McCauley was inactive again as he recovers from a knee injury. Rookie FS Tyrell Johnson had five solo tackles. He continued to replace Madieu Williams who remained out with a neck injury. Williams is out of the neck brace, but no timeline has been shared. SS Darren Sharper continues to play through a shoulder injury.

New England
The defense had no answer for MIA RB Ronnie Brown and some single-wing trickery the Dolphins inserted in the game plan. Brown rushed for four scores and throw for another. Rookie Jerod Mayo (eight solo) and SS Rodney Harrison (six solo) led the team with 12 tackles. Harrison also forced a fumble. CB Ellis Hobbs had four tackles (three solo) and set a team record with 237 yards in kick returns. The team is struggling with quality and depth after Hobbs at corner after the departure of Asante Samuel. The team brought in several street free agents for work outs this week, so some changes could be coming in the secondary.

New Orleans
An injury-riddled Saints defense continued to shuffle parts in and out. SS Roman Harper returned from a hamstring injury and was back in the starting lineup after missing the previous game, posting six solo tackles and breaking up a pass. CB Randall Gay returned from a lingering left hamstring injury that left him inactive in Week Two, but he aggravated the injury in the first half and left the game. He was replaced by Mike McKenzie, who was active for the first time this year as he returns from a torn ACL in 2007. McKenzie worked in the nickel package early before replacing Gay at LCB, opposite rookie starter Tracy Porter, in the second quarter. McKenzie was in good form, making four solo tackles and grabbing a pick. SLB Scott Fujuta remained inactive with a bruised right knee and is day-to-day. UDFA rookie Jo-Lonn Dunbar got another start. The highlight was DE Charles Grant and rookie DT Sedrick Ellis ganged up to stop DEN RB Andre Hall late in the first half.

New York Giants
The Giants posted six sacks for the second straight week, led by DT Fred Robbins who had two sacks for the second consecutive week. Fellow DT Barry Cofield, DE Mathias Kiwanuka, reserve DE Darrell Tollefson, and CB Corey Webster each had a sack. Webster forced a fumble on his. CB Aaron Ross left the game in the fourth quarter with a left shoulder injury. Sam Madison, who briefly replaced Webster earlier in the game when Webster cramped up, replaced Ross. Kevin Dockery remained the nickel CB. Kiwanuka, who has been playing on a sore ankle, and Ross, whose injury doesn’t look serious, should be healthy after the team’s bye this week.

MLB Antonio Pierce led the team with 13 tackles (10 solo). Gerris Wilkinson and rookie Bryan Kehl continued to alternate each series at WLB, but neither posted a tackle. First-round pick S Kenny Phillips continues to work as the third safety.

New York Jets
CB Dave Barrett continued his strong play with a pick returned for a TD and just missing another, but he left early in the first half with a shoulder injury. Justin Miller replaced him, but Barrett would return in the second half. It was the only turnover and the team had no sacks. ILB David Harris led the team with 10 tackles (nine solo). DT Kris Jenkins left in the second quarter with a back injury and didn’t return.

Oakland
The Raiders brought good pressure and forced turnovers, but fell apart late in the game. Third DE Kalimba Edwards and DT Gerard Warren each had their second sack of the season in as many weeks. Edwards forced a fumble on his sack. DE Derrick Burgess shared a sack with CB DeAngelo Hall. Hall also had his first pick as a Raider. Warren left the game in the second half because of a neck or chest injury and Burgess missed some time due to a lingering shoulder injury and a new triceps problem. Warren’s injury turned to be a partially torn left pec. He will be out for a while. Key an eye on the status of Burgess.

MLB Kirk Morrison led the team with 10 tackles (nine solo) and also forced a fumble. SS Gibril Wilson was ejected in the fourth quarter for a retaliatory head shot at BUF WR Josh Reed. Rookie Tyvon Branch worked with the first unit after Wilson’s ejection. Branch, a fourth-round pick out of UConn, is flexible player who has moved up the depth chart quickly.

Philadelphia
You need to look no further than the pressure the defense brought on blitzes to see how the Eagles won. The Eagles totaled nine sacks, led by 2.5 from DE Juqua Parker. Parker forced a fumble on one that DT Brodrick Bunkley recovered. Bunkley had a sack of his own. WLB Omar Gaither shared a sack with Parker and got one of his own. FS Brian Dawkins had the trifecta when he recorded a sack, forcing the fumble, and recovering it himself in one play. DE Trent Cole had his first sack of the season and was robbed on another, as well as a safety, when PIT QB Ben Roethlisberger flipped a pass out of the end zone as Cole was dragging him down in the fourth quarter. The play was ruled intentional grounding and a safety credited, but not to Cole. DT Darren Howard and reserve DT Dan Klecko shared a sack on the Steelers final play of the game.

CB Asante Samuel had a pick for the second straight game. SS Quentin Mikell led the team with nine tackles (seven solo, including one on special teams).

Pittsburgh
ILB Larry Foote isn’t going to give his job up to Lawrence Timmons without a fight. Foote got after PHI QB Donovan McNabb, sacking him once alone and sharing another with DE Travis Kirschke. Kirschke started in place of Brett Keisel who is expected to miss up to a month with a calf injury suffered in the previous game. The DLine took another hit when NT Casey Hampton aggravated a groin injury. He will miss at least this week and Chris Hoke will start in his place.

ILB James Farrior led the team with seven solo tackles and forced a fumble on the first Eagle drive that CB Bryant McFadden recovered after replay reversed the original down by contact ruling. McFadden continues to start while Deshea Townsend (heel) is out. Townsend could return to practice this week, but it is uncertain if he’ll play this week. SS Troy Polamalu made an incredible diving, one-handed pick off a ball tipped by McFadden. OLB LaMarr Woodley got his second sack of the season.

St. Louis
MLB Will Witherspoon led the team with seven solo tackles, including the only sack of the game for the Rams. RDE Chris Long had seven tackles (six solo). LDE Leonard Little missed another game with a hamstring injury, giving James Hall another start. DT Adam Carriker had a nice effort, bringing some good pressure from the interior. While he didn’t finish a sack, he had six solo tackles, including three for losses. Little reportedly made some progress last week, practicing in a limited basis, but he should be questionable and a risky play again this week.

San Diego
CB Antonio Cromartie dropped a pick in the first quarter, but made up for it in the second quarter by grabbing his first of the season on a fantastically athletic play and returning it 52 yards for a TD. He added another later in the game. He also led the team in tackles with nine (seven solo). SS Clinton Hart played with a broken bone in his hand a dropped a pick in the end zone. FS Eric Weddle also had a pick.

OLB Jyles Tucker did his Shawne Merriman imitation with two sacks among his six tackles (five solo). On the other side, Shaun Phillips got his first of the season. DE Luis Castillo left in the second quarter with what looked like a serious knee injury, but he would return.

San Francisco
DE Justin Smith is not having a problem with adjusting to a tweener role. He had his second sack of the season, after two all of last year, among his four tackles (three solo). He forced a fumble on the sack and also picked off an attempted screen on Detroit’s final play from scrimmage. Part of the ease of adjusting has been that the 49ers have scaled back the 3-4 they play. Between mixing in a 4-3 look regularly and their pass packages, Smith spends a lot of time in a four-man front. OLB Manny Lawson just hasn’t turned out to be the pass rusher they expected, although he has been strong in coverage. However, this looks like a possible breakout year for OLB Parys Haralson. He tallied his third sack of the season. Another surprise on Sunday was a two-sack game from pass rush specialist OLB Roderick Green.

The 49ers dominated time of possession, leaving decreased tackle opportunities. ILB Patrick Willis led the team with six tackles (four solo). Jeff Ulbrich continues to start inside with Willis, but Takeo Spikes is seeing more reps. Neither player is worth much with a job share going on. With Shawtae Spencer (knee sprain) and Donald Strickland (lingering knee problems) inactive, Tarrell Brown played the nickel and grabbed his first career pick. Strickland is expected back this week, Spencer is done for the season and will be put on the IR. SS Michael Lewis is playing through an elbow problem.

Seattle
Former second-round pick CB Josh Wilson got the start with Kelly Jennings nursing a cracked rib. Wilson had seven solo tackles. Jennings played a limited role, despite the injury, posting a solo tackle and breaking up a pass. He is expected to be back in a starting role this week.

OLB Julian Peterson had the only sack, on which he forced and recovered a fumble. OLB Leroy Hill led the team with 11 tackles (10 solo). The Seahawks released former first-round pick (of the Texans) reserve DE Jason Babin.

Tampa Bay
The defense brought great pressure in the first half and forced some key turnovers to contribute to the OT victory. No turnover was bigger than DE Gaines Adams grabbing an ill-advised lob from CHI QB Kyle Orton on a busted screen. Adams raced 45 yards and dove in to the end zone for his first career TD and give the Bucs 14 unanswered points late in the first half after falling behind 6-0. The strong play from the front four included a sack by DE Kevin Carter and one by third DE Greg White, giving him 2.5 in the last two games.

CB Rhonde Barber had six solo tackles and notched his 22nd career sack. MLB Barrett Ruud led the team with seven tackles (six solo) and juggled a pass that fell in his hands in the end zone before securing it for the pick. Rookie CB Aqib Taliq was inactive with a hamstring strain suffered in the previous game. He practiced in limited fashion last week, but his status is still in question for this week and he is likely to be a game-time decision. WLB Derrick Brooks started despite a lingering right hamstring strain and is expected to continue playing.

Tennessee
CB Cortland Finnegan put an exclamation point on the victory with a 99-yard interception return for a TD in the final minutes of their win over the Texans on Sunday. It was the fourth pick of the year for Finnegan, who leads the league in interceptions. FS Michael Griffin had two picks in the game, giving him three on the season. SS Chris Hope led the team with six solo tackles. Finnegan (three solo), LLB David Thornton (four solo), and MLB Ryan Fowler (five solo) also had six tackles. CB Nick Harper is battling a strained quad and his status for this week is in question.

The front four brought good pressure, contributing to the interceptions. DT Albert Haynesworth returned from a mild concussion last week and got his third sack of the season. Ends Jevon Kearse and Kyle Vanden Bosch each had a sack, as well. Vanden Bosch forced a fumble on his. Kearse is off to a solid start, with 1.5 sacks already after just 3.5 total the last two seasons. However, he’s a risky play any given week and more of a nice bye week filler than regular starter like Vanden Bosch.

Washington
Nickel CB Leigh Torrence is still looking for his first career interception, but his tipped pass across the middle early in the fourth quarter landed in the arms of CB Carlos Rogers and led to the game-winning score after a 42-yard return to the Arizona 15-yard line by Rogers. Torrence saw more work in most pass packages with usual nickel CB Fred Smoot limited by a hip injury. Rogers was also involved in Washington’s other turnover in the game. WLB Rocky McIntosh and SS Reed Doughty converged on AZ RB Edgerrin James on the last play of the first quarter with McIntosh freeing the ball. Rogers recovered it and it led to a field goal. Rogers also had four tackles (three solo). McIntosh led the team with 10 tackles (seven solo), including sharing a sack with DE Andre Carter. Doughty, who returned from missing the previous game due to illness, had nine tackles (seven solo), including one on special teams. Chris Horton, who was the star of their previous game with Doughty out, returned to a back-up role and posted two solo tackles. It looks like DC Greg Blache will play this one conservatively for now and ignore Horton’s big-play ability.

DE Jason Taylor had just one solo tackles, but he brought some pressure and batted away three passes, including two in goal-line situations. Taylor suffered a lower leg injury after being kicked in the shin during the game. The pain was bad Monday morning and doctors feared the swelling could cause nerve damage, so a medical procedure was immediately done to drain the blood to help bring down the swelling. Taylor is expected to miss the next game, with Demetric Evans and Chris Wilson seeing more time while he is out. SLB Marcus Washington was active and started, returning from hamstring and hip problems. He had six tackles (three solo). H.B. Blades, who replaced Washington, returned to mostly special teams work.