• OLB Demarcus Ware, DAL - carted off the field in the second half on Sunday with a neck injury. While a scary scene, fortunately the injury was just a neck sprain. He is expected to miss at least Saturday night's game.
  
  
• OLB Aaron Curry, SEA - the rookie left was a hip pointer Sunday, but it reportedly fine and ready to go this week.
  
  
• OLB David Thornton, TEN - left early with a left shoulder injury and is questionable this week. Rookie Gerald McRath replaced him.
  
  
• S Ed Reed, BAL - was inactive for the second straight week with hip/groin and foot problems. Tom Zbikowski started in his place again and had a pick for the second consecutive game. Reed is expected back this week, so Tommy Z. heads back to the bench with a brighter looking future in 2010.
  
  
• S Louis Delmas, DET - left Sunday's game with an ankle sprain and is questionable this week.

• Look for dinged up Indianapolis' ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to be among the key players the Colts rest down the stretch with home field wrapped up throughout the playoffs. It sounds like HC Jim Caldwell will give starters most of their reps on Thursday night, but Weeks 16 and 17 will be a risky play for many Colt starters.
  
  
• After the notes were published last week, Atlanta DT Jonathan Babineaux was pulled over smoking a blunt and found to have more than an ounce of marijuana, allegedly, so he was charged with possession with intent to distribute. He's out on bond and played Sunday and will play this week, but he has some legal and league problems to deal with next year. Joining Babs with similar worries is Green Bay DL Johnny Jolly, who has had a previously dismissed drug possession charge resurface this week due to new evidence.
  
  
• Washington DT Albert Haynesworth is expected back in the lineup this week.
  
  
• Jacksonville DT John Henderson is expected back in the lineup this week.

Linebacker

• Denver OLB Elvis Dumervil (15.0) was held sackless, as was Minnesota DE Jared Allen (12.5), so no change at the top of the league lead for sacks.
  
  
• Washington rookie tweener Brian Orakpo beat Oakland LT Mario Henderson and chip blocks to rack up 4 sacks on Sunday, tying a team single-game record. Orakpo now has 11 on the season, tying him for fourth in league with teammate DE Andre Carter, who had a pair of sacks on Sunday. Carter has also forced 3 fumbles on the season and already has a career season-high in tackles with 57.
  
  
• After finally releasing the talent of TE Vernon Davis with his tough love approach, it looks like another underachiever is heading toward becoming a success story for San Francisco HC Mike Singletary. OLB Ahmad Brooks has always been an outstanding physical specimen with plenty of upside, but he has struggled to translate to consistent success on the field as he bounced around the front seven since being drafted by Cincinnati in the 2006 supplemental draft. This season, Brooks has focused on OLB, particularly as a pass rush specialist, working behind starters Parys Haralson and Manny Lawson. He finally had a breakout game before a national audience on MNF, tallying 3 sacks and forcing 2 fumbles. He also had a sack in the previous game and now has 5 on the season. Brooks has renewed appeal for dynasty leagues, but remains a risky gamble the rest of the season in redrafts - although he has an appealing match-up against Detroit in Week 16 and at St. Louis in Week 17.
  
  
• The return of Lance Briggs in Chicago pushed Jamar Williams, coming off a career-high 18 tackles, out of WLB, but not all the way back to the bench. Williams rotated with Nick Roach at SLB.
  
  
• After missing three games with a sprained right MCL, a thinner Baltimore OLB/DE Terrell Suggs returned to action on Sunday and posted 4 solo tackles.
  
  
• New England OLB Adalius Thomas secluded himself deeper in HC Bill Belichick's doghouse by being one of the four players late for a team meeting last week due to snow in what has infamously been dubbed "LateGate". Thomas, who was benched previously, was a healthy scratch on Sunday. OLB/DE Derrick Burgess and LB Gary Guyton, two of the others involved, played on Sunday, as did WR Randy Moss (sort of). Expect Thomas to be out of New England in the off season, although they are unlikely to cut him because they would be on the hook for almost $9 million in bonus money.
  
  
• San Francisco ILB Patrick Willis retains the league lead in tackles with 132, while Carolina MLB Jon Beason and Washington MLB London Fletcher have caught Atlanta MLB Curtis Lofton for a big tie at second with 118 tackles on the season.

Defensive Back

• Impressive Buffalo rookie S Jairus Byrd recaptured the league lead in interceptions on the season with his ninth on Sunday.
  
  
• Jacksonville CB Rashean Mathis (groin) is due back in the lineup this week, despite the short week.
  
  
• Dallas S Ken Hamlin (ankle) is due back in the lineup this week.
  
  
• San Diego S Eric Weddle (knee sprain) is due back in the lineup this week.
  
  
• Pittsburgh SS Troy Polamalu will miss his fifth game this week with a strained PCL in his left knee. Best case scenario now is he returns Week 16, so he's probably done for the season.
  
  
• Finally back from his foot injury, Minnesota CB Antoine Winfield returned with a bang. He had 9 solo tackles and forced a fumble.