• MIN DE Jared Allen continues to bring relentless pursuit and great fantasy results. He had 7 tackles (6 solo) with an impressive 3 TFL, as well as a sack to maintain his league lead in sacks with 13.5 for the season. DT Remi Ayodele was replaced by rookie Christian Ballard in the starting lineup next to Kevin Williams. Ballard had 3 tackles (2 solo) with a TFL.
  
  
• STL DE Chris Long remained hot, getting his team-leading eighth sack of the season, his fifth in the last three games. He is a half-sack away from matching his career high, set last season.
  
  
• After losing TB DT Gerald McCoy for the season in the previous game, the Bucs wasted no time making a drastic move to try and replace him. The team claimed DT Albert Haynesworth off waivers from the Patriots and immediately installed him in the starting lineup. By not waiting to see if he cleared waivers, the Bucs assume Haynesworth’s contract, which has a significant roster bonus next year. He’ll have to be extremely impressive to be back with the team in 2012. In his first game with TB, Haynesworth had 5 tackles (4 solo) and blocked an extra point after Houston scored a long TD on the first play from scrimmage of the game. Haynesworth started next to Brian Price, bumping Roy Miller back to a reserve role. Price had the team’s only sack, his second of the season. Promising pass-rushing reserve DE George Johnson is was placed on the IR after suffering a knee injury on Sunday.
  
  
• PHI DE Trent Cole got his fifth sack of the season, second in the last three games since returning from a calf injury after their bye. On the other side, DE Jason Babin was unusually quiet. He was shut out of the box score despite seeing a full workload. He remains tied for fourth in the league with 9 sacks on the season.
  
  
• DEN DE Elvis Dumervil shared a sack with rookie SLB Von Miller for the second straight game. He now has two on the season, all in the last two games. After missing last year with a torn pec, he has been plagued with shoulder and ankle injuries this year, impeding his return to form.
  
  
• CHI DE Julius Peppers bounced all over the front four and was a problem early and often for the Lions. He swung the momentum early when he forced a fumble on DET WR Calvin Johnson on the first drive of the game that was converted in to a TD for the Bears. He also had 3 solo tackles, his team-leading sixth sack of the season, and batted down a pass. A think Chicago front line brought in veteran former Falcon DE Chauncey Davis to help their pass rush.
  
  
• TEN RDE Dave Ball was inactive after a concussion suffered in the previous game. Derrick Morgan replaced him the starting lineup opposite LDE Jason Jones. Jones had his third sack of the season, while Morgan sits on a pair for the season and continues looking for his first since Week 4.
  
  
• An unusually quiet game for the NYG front four. DE Osi Umenyiora and DT Linval Joseph each had a sack, the only ones for the team. It was the seventh of the season for Umeyiora.
  
  
• DET DE Cliff Avril had his team-leading sixth sack of the season on Sunday and forced a fumble on it. He has four sacks and three forced fumbles in his last three games.
  
  
• Apparently CIN DE Carlos Dunlap had more than the self-diagnosed cramps he said he suffered in the previous game. His hamstring kept him inactive on Sunday. LDE Robert Geathers had his first sack of the season and split another with DE3 Michael Johnson. RDE Frostee Rucker had his fourth sack of the season. DT Geno Atkins also had a sack and leads the team with 4.5 on the year.
  
  
• The injury woes continued for JAX DE Aaron Kampman, who was inactive with a hamstring injury suffered over the bye. As usual, Matt Roth (LDE) and Jeremy Mincey (RDE) were the starters. Mincey had 2.5 sacks, forcing a fumble on one. He leads the team with 4.5 sacks on the season.
  
  
• NE DE Andre Carter was turned loose and racked up 4.5 sacks on SNF, doubling his previous total for the season. DE Mark Anderson shared the half sack. Carter now has 8.5 sacks in the last four games.
  
  
• KC DE Glenn Dorsey was carted to the locker room in the fourth quarter. He suffered an unspecified leg injury. HC Todd Haley said in his Monday presser he is “day-to-day”, so it doesn’t sound too serious.
  
  
• WAS reserve DE Kedric Golston is done for the season with a torn MCL and ACL in his knee. The team signed Darrion Scott to take his roster spot. Kentwan Balmer moves up to the third DE.
  
  
• BAL DL Haloti Ngata led the team with 11 tackles (3 solo) as the Seahawks were able to pound it on the ground with success against the Ravens.
  
  
• CLE rookie DT Phil Taylor got his team-leading fourth sack of the season.
  
  
• More of a youth movement up front in Carolina as veteran DT Ronnie Fields was released last week, making second-year DT Andre Neblett the primary back up to rookie starters Sione Fua and Terrell McClain. Neblett responded with his first career sack and 5 tackles (3 solo). Rookie DE Thomas Keiser was brought up from the practice squad to take Fields’ roster spot and had 2 solo tackles, including a TLF, in his NFL debut.
  
  
• Waiver Wire Recommendations: I won’t call it a fluke, because NE DE Andre Carter has proved to be capable of double-digit sacks, but his 4.5 sacks on Sunday was clearly an outlier and he probably won’t get that many the rest of the season. Regardless, he’s the hottest property in the front four this week that has the potential to be available in a number of standard-to-shallow leagues.

Linebacker

• DAL ILB Sean Lee returned from a dislocated wrist, playing with a cast on his arm. He saw a decent number of snaps, including working as the MLB in the nickel package early in the game before being rested a bit as the game got out of hand for Buffalo. Without many opportunities, as Dallas dominated the time of possession, Lee finished with 4 tackles (3 solo). Keith Brooking was ILB2 and run-stopping ILB Bradie James saw little work against Buffalo's spread offense and with them far behind early in the game. Rookie ILB Bruce Carter also continues to be worked in. OLB DeMarcus Ware had the team's only sack, giving him 8 in the last four games. He remains second in the league with 13 sacks on the season.
  
  
• PIT OLB James Harrison had a quieter afternoon in his second game back from a fractured right orbital socket that cost him four games. He had 4 tackles (2 solo) and a QB hit. On the other side, OLB LaMarr Woodley remained inactive with a hamstring injury. He's expected back after the bye this week. Jason Worilds continued to replace Woodley, posting 2 tackles (1 solo) and a QB hit. ILB Lawrence Timmons was a bit more productive than he's been lately, grabbing his first pick of the season and getting 5 tackles (4 solo, including 1 on special teams). ILB James Farrior returned from a calf injury that cost him two games. He had 6 tackles (3 solo) and Larry Foote was back to the ILB3 role, while Stevenson Sylvester returned to work on special teams.
  
  
• The outlook for NO MLB Jonathan Vilma becomes increasingly negative as he missed his second straight game, and third this season, with lingering knee problems. The concerns I had in this column a few weeks ago about the history of his knees are more worrisome now that HC Sean Payton has shrouded the situation in similar secrecy, denying surgery despite multiple reports to the contrary. JoLonn Dumbar started in the middle, with Jonathan Casillas at his SLB spot and Scott Shanle at WLB, as usual.
  
  
• ATL MLB Curtis Lofton led the team with 9 tackles (6 solo). He fell to third in the league in tackles with 85 on the season. A bit of down game for WLB Sean Weatherspoon, who had just 6 tackles (4 solo) and broke up a pass. Both have been tackle machines this year, with five double-digit tackle games each and in the top ten in tackles, with Lofton third overall with 85 tackles on the season.
  
  
• IND MLB Pat Angerer had 7 tackles (3 solo) and still leads the league with 105 tackles on the season.
  
  
• SF ILB Patrick Willis made it back-to-back double-digit tackles games, his third of the season. Willis had 11 tackles (9 solo) and his second sack of the season. Next to him, ILB NaVorro Bowman had his fifth double-digit tackle game of the season, leading the team with 15 tackles (11 solo, including 1 on special teams). He is second in the league with 92 tackles.
  
  
• TEN MLB Barrett Ruud was inactive with a shoulder stinger and groin injury suffered in the previous game, giving fourth-round pick Colin McCarthy his first career start. McCarthy responded by leading the team in tackles with 8 (5 solo) and getting high praise from DC Jerry Gray and teammates. McCarthy was pegged with potential to start as rookie before the team signed Ruud right before the preseason. The team has Ruud on only a one-year deal, so there is no financial considerations or otherwise to stand in the way of McCarthy taking the job over sooner than later. HC Mike Munchak gave Ruud a vote of confidence when asked about the situation for the rest of year.
  
  
• Last week I mentioned OAK OLB tweener Kamerion Wimbley should see his sack production ramp up as the team would need him more with the loss of DE Matt Shaughnessy for the season. Wimbley went out and tripled his sacks on Thursday night, getting to SD QB Philip Rivers four times, largely thanks to the loss of LT Marcus McNeill early in the game. SD replacement LT Brandyn Dombrowski looked like he didn't belong in the league, as Wimbley regularly blew by him. Wimbley also had 7 solo tackles, 5 QB hits and batted down a pass. He leads the team with 6 sacks on the season and in his last two games has 13 solo tackles and 5 of those sacks. MLB Rolando McClain was active after missing the previous game with a lingering left ankle sprain. He had 5 tackles (3 solo) and broke up 3 passes. McClain's return kicked LB Darryl Blackstock back to a reserve and role primarily special teams.
  
  
• CLE MLB D'Qwell Jackson led the team with 8 tackles (5 solo) and is sixth in the league with 82 tackles. SLB Scott Fujita had 5 tackles (4 solo) and broke up 2 passes, grabbing one for his first pick of the season.
  
  
• STL MLB James Laurinaitis had his third double-digit tackle game of the season, leading the team with 10 tackles (6 solo) and continued to fill up the box score with second sack of the season and a pass defensed.
  
  
• After a slow start to the season as a pass rusher, GB OLB Clay Matthews is catching up. With a pair of sacks on MNF, he has four in the last four games. ILB Desmond Bishop had 8 tackles (6 solo), broke up a pass and had his fifth sack of the season, tied with Matthews for the team lead. OLB Frank Zombo was inactive on Sunday with a hamstring.
  
  
• JAX WLB Daryl Smith led the team with 10 tackles (5 solo) and shared a sack with DE Jeremy Mincey. MLB Paul Posluszny shared a sack with DE John Chick, grabbed his first pick of the season, and had 6 tackles (4 solo).
  
  
• CIN MLB Rey Maualuga returned after missing a month with a lateral ankle sprain. He was back in the middle with 7 tackles (4 solo). SLB Manny Lawson had his most productive game as a Bengal, sharing his first sack in Cincy with DT Domata Peko and leading the team with 10 tackles (4 solo). WLB Keith Rivers has resumed practicing and the team has three weeks left to activate him from the PUP. Thomas Howard has been solid in place of Rivers and I wouldn't expect him to necessarily displace Howard when he returns.
  
  
• SD OLB Shaun Phillips was inactive for the third straight game with a foot injury, giving Antwan Barnes another start opposite Travis LaBoy. There are no details on Phillips' injury or timetable for his return. Barnes came through big again, forcing a fumble on the team's only sack and getting 6 solo tackles, including one on special teams. As a starter the last three games, Barnes has 17 tackles (15 solo), 4 sacks and a forced fumble. He leads the team with 6 sacks on the season. Injury issues at LB worsened when ILB Takeo Spikes left with a concussion in the second half. He was already battling a biceps injury suffered in the previous game. Veteran Na'il Diggs replaced Spikes.
  
  
• HOU rookie OLB Brooks Reed had another sack, giving him five on the season and four straight games with at least one. On the other side, OLB Connor Barwin had one for the second straight game and shared another with DE J.J. Watt. Barwin is up to four on the season. ILB Brian Cushing again led the team in tackles, posting 8 solo. He a sack for the second straight game and his third of the season. He continued filling up the box score with his second pick of the season.
  
  
• CAR SLB James Anderson (8 solo) and WLB Omar Gaither (7 solo) shared the team lead in tackles with 10. Anderson leads the team with 76 on the season. He played through a sore ankle he dinged in practice last week.
  
  
• WAS rookie OLB Ryan Kerrigan had a pair of sacks, forcing a fumble on each. He has three in his last two games and is up to 5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles on the season, as well as a pick. Perry Riley got the start over Rocky McIntosh at ILB next to London Fletcher. McIntosh was benched for his performance and Riley becomes the rare intriguing late season fantasy FA. He had 9 tackles (7 solo), an impressive 4 TFL and a QB hit.
  
  
• PHI MLB Jamar Chaney had 6 solo tackles, broke up a pass and had his first sack of the season. He was used extensively on the blitz. Akeem Jordan replaced Moise Fokou as the starter at SLB. Rookie WLB Brian Rolle was dinged up in the third quarter and Fokou replaced him.
  
  
• TB WLB Geno Hayes remained demoted on Sunday, with Quincy Black continuing to play the WLB and Adam Hayward replacing Hayes in the starting lineup and taking Black's SLB spot. Hayward led the team with 8 tackles (7 solo).
  
  
• DEN rookie SLB Von Miller had 7 tackles (4 solo), 4 QB hits, a solo sack and shared another with DE Elvis Dumervil. Miller leads the team with 8 sacks on the season. WLB D.J. Williams led the team in tackles with 9 (7 solo), got his third sack of the season and forced a fumble. Wesley Woodyard was inactive with a knee, giving Joe Mays more work in the middle. Mays had 8 solo tackles and broke up a pass.
  
  
• MIA ILB Karlos Dansby had his third double-digit tackle game of the season, all in the last four games as he remains hot. Dansby filled up the box score, leading the team with 10 tackles (9 solo), broke up two passes - grabbing one for his first pick of the season - and had his second sack of the season. Next to him, ILB Kevin Burnett didn't make it three games in a row with double-digit tackles, but he was second on the team with 7 (5 solo) and broke up a pass.
  
  
• NE LB Brandon Spikes was inactive, as expected, with a reported sprained MCL suffered in the previous game. LB Gary Guyton was active, but DNP, so rookie Jeff Tarpinian got his first career start. OLB Rob Ninkovich grabbed a pair of picks, his first of the season, returning one for a TD.
  
  
• AZ ILB Daryl Washington led the team with 9 solo tackles and picked up his third sack of the season.
  
  
• NYG WLB Michael Boley left in the second quarter with a hamstring injury and is questionable for this week. Rookie LB Spencer Paysinger replaced him.
  
  
• BUF OLB Chris Kelsay missed this fourth game in the last five, and second straight, with a nagging calf strain. Danny Batten continued replacing him on one side, while converted DE Spencer Johnson plays a tweener role at the JACK spot, with Arthur Moats working as the third OLB. Sixth-round pick LB Chris White is done for the year with a torn ACL.
  
  
• Waiver Wire Recommendations: I'm extremely pessimistic about NO MLB Jonathan Vilma's knee, so JoLonn Dunbar in tackle-heavy leagues and Jonathan Casillas in big-play leagues are appealing to me.

Defensive Back

• CIN CB Leon Hall is done for the season after suffering a torn left Achilles' tendon. It's a devastating blow to one of the surprise top defenses this season. Hall hasn't put up the big fantasy numbers this season he has in the past, but is one of the league's top corners in real football terms. Kelly Jennings was his immediate replacement, while Pacman Jones could be the long-term solution, if he can stay healthy. Jones was inactive for the second straight game with a hamstring injury he suffered in his first game coming off the PUP on a punt return in the first quarter of that game. The team promoted CB Brandon Ghee from the practice squad to fill Hall's roster spot.
  
  
• NO SS Roman Harper continues to terrorize opposing QBs on the blitz, and be the team's only consistent pass rusher. Harper led the team with 13 tackles (10 solo), broke up a pass, had 2 QB hits and had their only sack. He leads the team in tackles and sacks, with 69 and 6.5, respectively, on the season. CB Tracy Porter was in the starting lineup with just soreness in his neck after a scary collision had him carted off the field in the previous game. He had 6 tackles (5 solo), forcing a fumble on one of them.
  
  
• CLE SS T.J. Ward is expected to miss at least a month with a right foot injury suffered in the previous game. Details weren't discussed, but Ward reported feeling the foot "pop" around his arch. He has been in a cast since the game. Usama Young takes over at SS. He had 5 tackles (3 solo) on Sunday as he plays through a hip injury. Rookie S Eric Hagg is next in line. Nickel CB Dimitri Patterson missed his second straight game with a knee sprain and continues to be replaced by rookie Buster Skrine.
  
  
• PHI FS Nate Allen remained inactive with a concussion suffered in the previous game. Rookie Jaiquawn Jarrett, who replaced him in the previous game, got his first career start. Jarrett had 7 tackles (6 solo) and brought great pressure when used on the blitz. SS Kurt Coleman led the team with 11 tackles (8 solo, including 1 on special teams). In more examples of confounding scheming by DC Juan Castillo, Jarrett was alone on AZ WR Larry Fitzgerald numerous. Jarrett missed his first career pick in he third quarter when a ball bounced off his hands and was secured by Fitzgerald for a long completion. When CB Nnamdi Asomugha was on Fitzgerald, he mostly shut him down, but Castillo seemingly continues to refuse to scheme coverage to Asomugha's strengths. Asomugha grabbed his third pick of the year in the game. CB Asante Samuel got the team off to a good start when he returned his second pick of the season for a TD. Samuel battled cramps in his legs and was in and out of the game. CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie suffered a high ankle sprain on Sunday and will miss a few weeks. He got his first career sack before leaving. Another player miscast in Castillo's system, DRC's deep speed is usually negated using him on the slot receiver.
  
  
• TEN SS Chris Hope returned, as expected, from a broken left forearm, but Jordan Babineaux, who as discussed last week has done very well in Hope's place, remained the starter at SS. Hope made his case to regain the job, grabbing his first pick of the season in limited snaps in situation pass packages. Babineaux had 6 solo tackles and broke up 2 passes.
  
  
• BAL SS Bernard Pollard remains the starter and had another solid game. He had 8 tackles (3 solo) and forced a fumble.
  
  
• SD SS Steve Gregory was a late scratch last week after suffering a thigh injury in practice last week. Paul Oliver got the start at SS and posted 7 tackles (5 solo) and broke up 2 passes, grabbing his first INT of the season on one. As expected, CB Antoine Cason regained his starting role opposite Quentin Jammer, who had a tough night getting lit up by OAK rookie WR Denarius Moore.
  
  
• OAK FS Michael Huff was inactive with a right ankle sprain, giving Matt Giordano the start. Giordano had his team-leading second pick of the season in the end zone late in the game to preserve the win. The team once again brought back S Jerome Boyd up for depth from the practice squad after parting ways with S Chinedum Ndukwe, who saw action in two games before getting dinged up again. The team with also without CB Chris Johnson and rookie corners DeMarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chekwa, all out with hamstring injuries. That left team starting Lito Sheppard, just signed two weeks ago, opposite Stanford Routt.
  
  
• ATL SS William Moore was inactive with a thigh injury. Veteran James Sanders replaced him in the starting lineup and posted 5 tackles (3 solo).
  
  
• DAL CB Mike Jenkins remained inactive for the second straight game with a right hamstring injury. Orlando Scandrick continued to replace him. CB Terence Newman grabbed a pair of picks, including returning the second 43 yards for a TD to add insult to injury in the blowout of Buffalo. It was his team-leading fourth of the season and his third in the last two games.
  
  
• JAX CB Rashean Mathis is done for the year with a torn left ACL. Drew Coleman replaced him and grabbed his second pick of the season. William Middleton move up to the nickel role. The team signed CB Ashton Youboty to fill Mathis' roster spot.
  
  
• IND FS Antoine Bethea had 9 tackles (1 solo). He is tied for fourth in the league with 84 tackles. SS David Caldwell led the team with 11 tackles (4 solo), including an assist on special teams. CB Jerraud Powers grabbed his first pick of the season.
  
  
• WAS FS Oshiomogho Atogwe was active, but did not play for the third time in four games with a lingering knee problem. He was only suited up in case of emergency. Once again, Reed Doughty started in his place and performed well. He led the team in tackles with 9 solo. SS LaRon Landry had 7 solo tackles. Landry is playing through some pain in his bad left Achilles' tendon. As the team's season continues spiraling down the drain, Landry becomes more of a risk to finish the year out.
  
  
• The Chicago secondary had a field day on a struggling DET QB Matthew Stafford after jumping out to a big lead early. CHI SS Major Wright returned his second pick of the season for a TD and CB Charles Tillman returned his first of the season for six on the next drive. The underrated Tillman had a dominating performance on DET WR Calving Johnson. He broke up 2 other passes and had 5 solo tackles. CB Tim Jennings led the team with 10 tackles (9 solo), grabbed his first pick of the season, and recovered a fumble he forced after missing a tackle.
  
  
• BUF rookie CB Aaron Williams has been cleared to return to contact from a broken collarbone, but remained inactive on Sunday. FS Jairus Byrd and SS George Wilson led the team with 8 tackles (6 solo). Byrd also forced a fumble. Wilson leads the team with 79 tackles, among the top ten in the league.
  
  
• The hits keep coming to the St. Louis secondary. Veteran CB Al Harris, whose comeback this year from a devastating left leg injury two years ago has been an inspirational story, tore his right ACL and is done for the season, and likely his career. The team has already lost four corners this year, including opening day starters Ron Bartell and Bradley Fletcher. Former UDFA Josh Gordy will now start opposite CB Justin King with 2010 seventh-round pick Marquis Johnson in the nickel.
  
  
• CAR rookie CB Brandon Hogan was activated from the PUP over the bye, but inactive on Sunday. CB Chris Gamble had his second pick of the season.
  
  
• HOU FS Danieal Manning remained inactive with a broken left fibula. He is three weeks in to a 4-6 week window for recovery. Troy Nolan continues to start in his place. SS Quintin Demps had his second pick of the season, both coming in the last two games.
  
  
• NE CB Devin McCourty left SNF with a right shoulder injury, reported as a separation. Antwaun Molden took his spot and should get the start this week. The secondary was already without S Patrick Chung, a surprise inactive with a foot injury, and S Josh Barrett, who was put on the IR with a calf injury. James Ihedigbo remained the starter at one safety and Sterling Moore, signed off the practice squad last week, was the other starter over Sergio Brown. Ihedigbo led the team with 7 solo tackles. The team waived S Ross Ventrone (again), which could be a sign Chung is ready to go this week.
  
  
• DEN UDFA rookie nickel CB Chris Harris continues to put up numbers in his third game with a full-time role. Harris had 8 solo tackles and broke up a pass. In the last three games he has 27 tackles (23 solo), 2 passes defensed and an INT. Rookie Rahim Moore was active, despite suffering a head injury in the previous game, but fellow rookie Quinton Carter remained the starter at FS.
  
  
• KC SS Jon McGraw was returned after missing the previous game with a shoulder injury. CB Brandon Carr left the game with a leg injury in the first quarter, but retuned in the second half and played the rest of the game.
  
  
• MIA CB Vontae Davis was healthy and, as promised by HC Tony Sparano, back in the starting lineup after being suspended the previous game for disciplinary reasons, despite the fact he wouldn't have played due to a hamstring. Davis grabbed his first pick of the season.
  
  
• SF CB Carlos Rogers had a pair of picks, adding to his new career best with 5 interceptions on the season. Rogers has been an excellent surprise for the 49ers secondary that was expected to be a weak spot.
  
  
• SEA SS Kam Chancellor suffered a concussion and his back up, Atari Bigby, also left early with a hamstring injury. Former UDFA Chris Maragos is the next man up.
  
  
• NYG rookie nickel CB Prince Amukamara remained inactive, despite returning to practice and some expectations he was ready to return from a broken foot.
  
  
• After missing four games with a neck strain, MIN CB Antoine Winfield was finally active on MNF coming out of the bye. Unfortunately he didn't make it through his first game back. Winfield suffered a broken clavicle in the game and is done for the season. CB Asher Allen replaces him in the starting lineup across from CB Cedric Griffin, who has struggled to regain form returning from having blown ACLs the last two years. CB Chris Cook remains suspended indefinitely, so former UDFA Marcus Sherels becomes the de facto nickel and rookie CB Brandon Burton, who hasn't been active yet this season, enters the picture. The team brought in former nickel CB Benny Sapp for a workout, so he or whoever takes Winfield's spot could be an immediate contender for the nickel role. The secondary took another hit with FS Husain Addullah suffering his second concussion of the season. Tyrell Johnson replaced him.
  
  
• Waiver Wire Recommendations: Defensive backfields across the league took a lot of hits on Sunday. New CLE SS Usama Young edges out picking the name of a St. Louis Rams corner out of a hat for most appealing this week. For riverboat gamblers in deep leagues, CIN CB Pacman Jones could get a prominent role with the lost of Leon Hall for the season.