• After going sackless the previous two game, MIN DE Jared Allen had the pass rusher trifecta on Sunday, recovering the fumble on his own strip sack. He also tackled DEN RB Willis McGahee in the end zone on Denver's first play from scrimmage for a safety. Allen remains second in the league with 14.5 sacks this season. On the other side, DE Brian Robison was knocked out with a concussion in the second quarter. Everson Griffen replaced him and a solo tackle. If Robison can't go this week, Griffen would be in line for his first career start.
  
  
• PHI DE Jason Babin had a pair of sacks and DE Trent Cole had one. Babin is tied for third in the league with 12 sacks on the season. Cole, who missed two games and most of another with a calf injury, has 6 sacks. It's only his third sack since coming back from the injury after their Week 8 bye and it came only as he cleaned up after others got their first and didn't finish the job. Unfortunately, Cole's most notable play was more or less a hip toss he executed on SEA OT Russell Okong that was a blatant personal foul in frustration away from the ball and after the whistle. Cole wasn't flagged and Okong's season is over with a torn pec he apparently suffered as a result.
  
  
• DEN DE Elvis Dumervil continued his great play in the second half of the season. Dumervil had 4 tackles (2 solo) and another sack. He is up to 6.5 on the season, all in the last five games.
  
  
• CHI DE Israel Idonije had his first sack since Week 6, his fourth of the season. On the other side, DE Julius Peppers didn't register a sack, but continues to bring disruption lining up all over the front four. He had 4 solo tackles, 1 TFL and batted away a pass. Peppers once again went to the locker room during the game, but shortly returned. He has been battling a left knee sprain for a few weeks, but it might have just been bathroom-related. I realize the Matt Forte injury was the main focus of the day, but how do we not get an update from the sideline reporter when one of the biggest defensive stars in the league goes to the locker room? DT Henry Melton had a sack for the second straight game and has 6 on the season. He is second on the team to Peppers' 8 sacks.
  
  
• It looks like BUF rookie NT Marcell Dareus won't get many breaks in games the rest of the way. After losing Pro Bowl NT Kyle Williams earlier this season, back up NT Torell Troup, a second-round pick last year, went on the IR last week due to a lingering back problem. The team brought up journeyman DL Lionel Dotson from their practice squad for depth.
  
  
• ATL DE John Abraham had a sack, his second in the last three games, and leads the team with 5 on the season.
  
  
• OAK DT Richard Seymour was ejected in the third quarter on Sunday for, sort of, punching MIA LG Richie Incognito. Prior to that, in the same series, DT John Henderson left with a knee injury. He had 7 tackles (6 solo) and a QB hit before leaving. DE Desmond Bryant got his fourth sack of the season.
  
  
• The IND DE tandem of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis were shut out by the tall NE tackles on Sunday. The duo combined for 2 assists, both by Mathis. Newly acquired reserve DE Mario Addison outperformed them with 5 assists. Apologies to those who read my "Waiver Wire Recommendations" for DL last week where I said Freeney and Mathis may be worth a gamble. The inconceivable domination in time of possession by the Colts didn't help their numbers.
  
  
• NE DE Vince Wilfork led the team with 10 tackles (5 solo) and had a sack. He has 2.5 sacks on the season.
  
  
• PIT reserve NT Chris Hoke is done for the season, needing neck surgery.
  
  
• CIN reserve DE Carlos Dunlap remained inactive with a lingering hamstring injury. He has missed three of the last four games due to it. DE Michael Johnson had his fourth sack of the season, a new career high. He took over the starting RDE job last year and began the season in it, but lost the role to Frostee Rucker in Week 6 and has been relegated to a pass rush specialist since.
  
  
• CAR DE Charles Johnson has sacks in back-to-back games and leads the team with 8.5 this season. Rookie UDFA DE Thomas Keiser had another sack and his first career pick. He has been a find since being promoted from the practice squad. In the four games since, he has 3 sacks and an interception. The starting third-round pick DT duo of Sione Fua (hamstring) and Terrell McClain (knee) were both lost for the season. Sophomore Andre Neblett, who had 2 TFL on Sunday and had 1.5 sacks in the previous three games, and veteran Frank Kearse take over inside.
  
  
• TB rookie DE Da'Quan Bowers got another start with DE Michael Bennett missing his second game with a groin injury. Bennett is not expected to play this week. Bowers shared his first career sack with fellow rookie DE Adrian Clayborn and Bowers then had a solo sack. He had the best game of his young career, also posting 8 tackles (7 solo) and breaking up a pass. Clayborn has at least a half-sack in three consecutive games and leads the team with 5.5 sacks this season. DT Brian Price played on bad ankle, but was thrown out of the game by HC Raheem Morris after a personal foul in the third quarter. Roy Miller replaced him.
  
  
• WAS DE Stephen Bowen was active despite suffering a slight PCL tear in his knee in the previous game.
  
  
• BAL DE Terrell Suggs had a sack, giving him 4 in the last two game, and a team best 10 sacks on the season. Suggs made it back-to-back seasons with double-digit sacks, the same way he started his career, before not achieving that milestone for five years. Rookie reserve DE Pernell McPhee continues to thrive as a pass rusher out of the five technique. He had a pair of sacks, giving him 6 on the season.
  
  
• CLE rookie DE Jabaal Sheard made it back-to-back game with a sack and leads the team with 5.5 on the season. The second-round pick is having a solid first season and his future at RDE is one of the few promising situations on the team.
  
  
• AZ DE Calais Campbell took sole possession of the team lead with his 6th sack of the season.
  
  
• NYG RDE Osi Umenyiora was inactive, as expected, with an ankle sprain. He is expected to miss at least another game. DE Jason Pierre-Paul replaced him opposite LDE Justin Tuck. Tuck had his first sack since Week 8 and has just 3 on the season, but also posting 5 tackles (4 solo) made it a positive game for a player who has battled a number of injuries this year.
  
  
• After being a game-time decision with an ankle sprain, STL DE Chris Long had a pair of sacks, boosting his total to 12, tied for third in the league. Long has at least one sack for six straight games and nine total in the span.
  
  
• DET DT Ndamukong Suh spent the weekend at home in Portland, Oregon for the first of his two-game suspension and unfortunately still found his way in the headlines after a minor car accident, hitting a tree early Saturday morning. Despite some disputes over the cause of the accident and version of events from two female passengers, the Portland police have ended their investigation and it looks like a non-issue from a football disciplinary standpoint. With Suh out, Sammie Lee Hill got the start in his place next to DT Corey Williams. The duo shared a sack. Rookie DT Nick Fairley was knocked out of the game with a left foot injury, the same one that kept his out of the first half of the season with a stress fracture. X-rays were negative, but it is a bit of a concern with his history. Fairley got his first career sack before leaving.
  
  
• JAX NT Terrance Knighton returned after missing three games with an ankle injury, but the team remained without LDE Matt Roth (concussion) for the second straight game and DE Aaron Kampman (hamstring0 for the fourth straight game. Once again, DL Leger Douzable got the start for Roth. Former CFL star John Chick is done for the season with torn patella tendon in his knee.

Linebacker

• OAK MLB Rolando McClain was active on Sunday despite being charged last Wednesday with charged with discharging a firearm within city limits, third degree assault, menacing, and reckless endangerment. All the misdemeanors were related to a him allegedly pointing a gun at another man, making him beg for his life, and then firing a shot over his head. Apparently investigation by the Raiders led to contradicting stories (certainly including McClain's recollection of events) and they were comfortable playing him. The league will likely let the legal process play out and this story is not over. On the field, McClain led the team with 8 tackles (7 solo).
  
  
• DEN future Defensive Rookie of the Year SLB Von Miller missed his first game after surgery last week for torn ligaments suffered in his right thumb in their previous game. He started all of his first 11 games, producing 26 QB hurries, a18 QB hits and 10.5 sacks, tied for fifth in the league. Miller did make it to a practice last week and was a game-time decision, but the team ultimately decided to hold him out last week. He is expected to play this week and is a must-start in all formats if he does, even though he'll likely have a cast or brace on the right hand. Veteran Mario Haggan replaced Miller and put on an impressive performance of his own. Haggan first got the Broncos on the board with the first INT of his nine-year career on MIN rookie QB Christian Ponder that Haggan returned 16 yards for a TD. He finished leading the team 12 tackles (7 solo) and 3 TFL. WLB D.J. Williams had 9 tackles (5 solo). Wesley Woodyard and Joe Mays continue to rotate in the middle.
  
  
• ATL MLB Curtis Lofton led the team with 11 solo tackles, his sixth double-digit tackle game of the season. He leads the team with 111 tackles, fourth in the league. SLB Stephen Nicholas was inactive with a shoulder injury suffered in the previous game, giving veteran Mike Peterson a start. He responded with a double-digit tackle performance of his own, posting 10 (7 solo) with 2 TFL and he broke up a pass. WLB Sean Weatherspoon remains sitting on six double-digit tackle games this year as he had 7 tackles (5 solo). He has 96 tackles on the season, just outside the top ten in the league.
  
  
• TEN MLB Barrett Ruud remained inactive with a groin injury and rookie Colin McCarthy continues to fill up the box score in his place. McCarthy led the team with 9 solo tackles, broke up a pass, forced a fumble and recovered 2 fumbles. In place of Ruud the last four weeks, he has 37 tackles (31 solo), 2 passes defensed, an INT, 2 forced fumble and 2 recoveries.
  
  
• BUF ILB Nick Barnett led the team with 11 tackles (8 solo), his fifth double-digit tackle game of the season, and also got the team's only sack, his third of the year. He leads the team with 97 tackles on the season and, along with CLE MLB D'Qwell Jackson, a leading candidate for IDP Comeback Player of the Year.
  
  
• KC rookie OLB Justin Houston fell to the third-round for off-field concerns, but was expected to be one of the top edge pass rushers in the class. 12 games in to his career, he was still looking for his first sack, but that all changed on Sunday. Against the Chicago OLine that had been playing well lately, Houston erupted with 3 sacks, forcing a fumble on one, and 7 solo tackles. The team had 7 total sacks, after coming in to the game with just 13 to that point in the season. ILB Derrick Johnson getting his second of the season and OLB Tamba Hali getting his team-leading eighth sack of the season. Hali injured his hand in the game, but didn't come out.
  
  
• PHI MLB Jamar Chaney shared the team lead with 12 tackles (7 solo), his second double-digit tackle game of the season. Chaney appeared to have a few issues in coverage and against the run, including bouncing off SEA RB Marshawn Lynch on a TD run. You can see the inconsistency that explains why he wasn't handed the starting MLB job to start the year after his breakout at the end of last season. The team will likely again be looking for another answer at the position this offseason. The team's most fundamentally-sound LB is rookie WLB Brian Rolle. Despite his size, Rolle looks like the best tackler among their LBs, but because of it, he is pulled in favor of Keenan Clayton in short-yardage situation.
  
  
• SEA MLB David Hawthorne had 6 tackles (3 solo), sharing the team lead with OLB Leroy Hill (6 solo). The knee Hawthorne dinged in the previous game looked fine when took his third pick of the season back 77 yards for a TD in the fourth quarter. Hill also had his third sack of the season and rookie OLB K.J. Wright had the first of his career, forcing a fumble on it.
  
  
• HOU OLB Connor Barwin didn't get a sack in his encore performance after setting a franchise record with 4 sacks in the previous game, but he still brought a strong pass rush, totaling 4 QB hits. On the other side, rookie OLB Brooks Reed had his streak of five straight game with a sack snapped as the Texans didn't record one on Sunday. ILB Brian Cushing left the game in the second quarter after dinging his right knee, but would return and finished the game sharing the team lead in tackles with 6 (5 solo). Tim Dobbins picked up some snaps while Cushing was out.
  
  
• MIN SLB Chad Greenway had just 6 tackles (2 solo) and "fell" to fifth in the league in tackles with 110 on the season. He had double-digit tackles in four of the previous five games. Greenway suffered a hyperextended elbow in the game, but is expected to be fine this week.
  
  
• IND MLB Pat Angerer had to leave with a right knee injury after the Patriots first play from scrimmage and did not return. He didn't register a stat and fell to a tie for second in the league in tackles with 112 on the season. A.J. Edds replaced him and finished tied for the team lead with 9 tackles (1 solo), including an assist on special teams. Ernie Sims started at WLB and had 8 tackles (3 solo), replacing Kavell Conner with the first team. Conner still rotated in and had 4 (2 solo).
  
  
• NE OLB Rob Ninkovich had a sack for the third straight game and is up to 4.5 on the season. LB Jerod Mayo had 7 tackles (2 solo) and broke up 2 passes, grabbing one for his second pick of the season.
  
  
• PIT OLB LaMarr Woodley returned after missing three game with a hamstring injury and was back in the starting lineup, but he aggravated the injury in the second quarter and Jason Worilds replaced him the rest of the way. Expect a platoon until Woodley is 100%. On the other side, OLB James Harrison seemed 100% as he racked up 3 sacks. He is now up to 8 on the season after a slow start due to offseason back surgery and then missing four games with a broken orbital bone on his face. ILB3 Larry Foote was inactive with a hamstring.
  
  
• NYJ reserve OLB Garrett McIntyre, former UDFA who spent the last few seasons between the Arena Football League and CFL, continues to start opposite OLB Calvin Pace. However, it was back up OLBs Jamaal Westerman and Aaron Maybin who had the team's only two sacks. Maybin, who forced a fumble on his sack, has three sacks in the last two games and now leads the team with 6 on the season and 4 forced fumbles.
  
  
• Despite a lingering ankle sprain, WAS ILB London Fletcher had his sixth double-digit tackle game, leading the team with 17 (9 solo). Fletcher took over the league lead with 124 tackles on the season. Next to him, Perry Riley couldn't make it three straight double-digit tackle games, but still posted 8 (3 solo) and recovered a fumble on special teams.
  
  
• BAL MLB Ray Lewis missed his third straight game with a toe injury and is expected to miss this week, as well. His back up, Dannell Ellerbe, returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous game with a hamstring. He shared the team lead in tackles with WLB Jameel McClain, both posting 7 (5 solo).
  
  
• CLE MLB D'Qwell Jackson led the team with 12 tackles (8 solo) and shares the second highest total in the league at 112.
  
  
• DAL ILB Sean Lee led the team in tackles with 7 (5 solo) and broke up a pass. OLB DeMarcus Ware built on his league lead with his 15th sack of the season. On the other side, OLB Anthony Spencer got his 6th sack of the season. Ware suffered a neck stinger during the game, but he was able to return.
  
  
• GB ILBs Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk were both inactive with calf injuries suffered in the previous game. Rookie D.J. Smith replaced Bishop and former UDFA Rob Francois replaced Hawk, as expected. Smith called the defense and had 8 tackles (6 solo). Bishop and Hawk remain questionable this week. OLB Erik Walden started despite an arrest on suspicion of felony domestic assault, allegedly on his live-in girlfriend, the previous week. OLB Clay Matthews made it back-to-back games with an INT, his second of the season, and returned it for a TD. He also had his sixth sack of the season, taking over the team lead.
  
  
• NYG UDFA rookie MLB Mark Herzlich was inactive with an ankle sprain suffered in the previous game, but the LB corps got a boost from the return of WLB Michael Boley. Rookie Greg Jones started in the middle and Chase Blackburn, just signed last week, saw plenty of work, grabbing a pick. Rookie reserve LB Jacquian Williams still had a significant role too and was the most productive LB with 8 tackles (6 solo, including 1 on special teams) and a pass defensed.
  
  
• SF ILB Patrick Willis suffered a right hamstring injury in the first quarter and was done for the game after remaining down for several minutes before limping off the field. Larry Grant replaced him and posted 6 tackles (5 solo) and a sack. Willis is doubtful this week, but sounds like he could return before the end of the season. ILB NaVorro Bowman shared the team lead in tackles with Grant, posting 6 solo. He has fallen to sixth in the league with 109 tackles. Rookie OLB Aldon Smith had a pair of sacks and leads the team with 9.5 on the season.
  
  
• STL MLB James Laurinaitis made it three of the last four games with double-digit tackles as he posted 12 (10 solo) and got his third sack of the season. He broke 100 tackles for third straight year.
  
  
• DET MLB Stephen Tulloch had his second double-digit tackle game of the season, sharing the team lead with 10 tackles (5 solo).
  
  
• NO MLB Jonathan Vilma returned after missing two games after surgery on his problematic left knee. He looked fine leading the team with 10 tackles (6 solo) and breaking up a pass. Reserve Ramon Humber continues to have a growing role in their 3-4 looks and pass packages, getting 3 solo tackles, his first career sack and breaking up a pass.
  
  
• JAX MLB Paul Posluszny led the team with 11 tackles (7 solo) and leads the team with 95 on the season.

Defensive Back

• PHI CB Nnamdi Asomugha was back to a starting role on Thursday night, he was limited in the previous game after a hyper extending his knee in practice leading up to that game. However, his night didn't last long when suffered a concussion and neck stinger in the second quarter. CB Joselio Hanson, who continues to replace the injured Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at the nickel, took over for Asomugh. DRC remained inactive with a high ankle sprain. Asomugha has been cleared from the concussion, but was limited in practice this week and remains questionable more around the knee. FS Nate Allen shared the team lead with 12 tackles (6 solo, including 1 on special teams). Special teams ace S Colt Anderson suffered a torn left ACL on a punt return and is done for the season.
  
  
• SEA CB Brandon Browner grabbed a pair of picks and rookie SS Kam Chancellor had one as the team benefit from a desperate PHI QB Vince Young slinging the ball indiscriminately in a second half comeback attempt. The duo share the team lead with four picks on the season.
  
  
• BUF SS George Wilson missed his third straight game with a neck stinger. Rookie Da'Norris Searcy continued to replace him, posting 9 tackles (6 solo, including 1 on special teams). Rookie CB Aaron Williams, who moved in to the starting lineup when CB Terrence McGee was lost for the season three weeks ago, left the game in the third quarter with a right knee injury and didn't return. He is expected to miss just this week. Former first-round pick CB Leodis McKelvin, who has fallen out of favor this year, stepped in for Williams opposite Drayton Florence, and should get the start for Williams this week.
  
  
• Injury-prone CHI S Major Wright was knocked out of the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury and replaced by Craig Steltz, who led the team with 10 tackles (9 solo) and forced a fumble. The team remained without CB D.J. Moore, who missed his third straight game with an ankle sprain. CB Corey Graham continued to replace him.
  
  
• TEN CB Jason McCourty left the game in the first quarter with a concussion. Second-year CB Chris Hawkins replaced him. The team was already shorthanded in the secondary with reserve Tommie Cambell inactive after a left shoulder sprain in the previous game. Safeties Jordan Babineaux and Chris Hope were pressed in to duty at the same time, which the team had refrained from doing previously. Babineaux has remained the starter at SS since replacing Hope after he broke his arm in Week 1, and hasn't relinquished the starting role since Hope returned, but the duo have been in a rotation, hurting the fantasy value of both. McCourty is questionable this week.
  
  
• For the second straight week, ATL SS William Moore was active, but did not play. He missed the two games before that with groin and quad problems, so caution in coming back from that were part of the explanation HC Mike Smith gave in his presser on Monday, but he also complemented the play of veteran James Sanders, who has been replacing Moore, and said the team will have "a decision to make" on who to play when Moore is healthier. I could understand easing him back in one game, but it's odd for a team to have a player be an active DNP for two games related to injury. It makes no sense with limited roster spots, he should have been inactive if he couldn't contribute. Maybe there's more to the story. If taken at his word, Smith's comments at least indicate Moore no longer has a lock on the job. Sanders did his part to retain the role, posting 10 solo tackles and recovering a fumble. The team was also without CB Brent Grimes, who was inactive with a right knee that he had a "minor" procedure on and is expected to miss a few weeks. He has already been ruled out this week. Dominique Franks replaced in the starting lineup opposite Dunta Robinson, with Chris Owens remaining at nickel as Kelvin Hayden missed his second game with a dislocated right toe.
  
  
• KC FS Kendrick Lewis was temporarily knocked out of the game after dinging his right knee. He returned and finished with 5 tackles (3 solo) and was the first to knock away a potential TD pass in the fourth quarter that was batted around before SS Jon McGraw held on to it in the end zone for his third pick of the season. McGraw also had 3 tackles (2 solo), a TFL, and his second career sack. Sophomore CB Javier Arenas has had a bigger role as a returner than as a DB, but he got his first career pick in the prevent defense on a Hail Mary by CHI QB Caleb Hanie on the last play of the game.
  
  
• MIA CB Vontae Davis had 4 solo tackles, his first sack of the season and broke up a pass. Davis has been on fire since being injured and benched for a violation of team rules, allegedly an altercation with teammate Brandon Marshall at practice over Davis coming to practice hung over, at midseason. In the last four games, right after the start of Miami's current hot streak, Davis has a sack, 5 passes defensed and 2 picks - the total he has all season in each category.
  
  
• MIN RCB Cedric Griffin and SS Jamarca Sanford are the only two starters that remain in the Vikings' defensive backfield since opening day. The injury-ravaged secondary is on their fourth different starting LCB and third different starting FS. Sanford, not the most fundamentally-sound player, was in a platoon early in the season (when they had enough healthy players to do such things0 and missed a game himself with a concussion this year. Griffin is holding his job by default. As previous discussed in this column, he doesn't seem all the way back from tearing both ACLs in the last two season. HC Leslie Frazier made the reality painstakingly clear in his Monday presser, noting his challenges in returning from the injuries for Griffin and that he isn't the same player, summing up the situation by saying, "we're just so depleted depth-wise that we have to have him out there". Griffin had 6 tackles (5 solo) and forced a fumble, so he'll continue to be out there and put up numbers only because the team has no other choice. On the other side, Benny Sapp, who was a street free agent until a couple weeks ago with no interest since being released by the Dolphins after opening day, started at LCB. Asher Allen was inactive with shoulder injury suffered in the previous game. CB Chris Cook remains suspended with pay as he deals with the felony domestic violence charges against him. As previously discussed in this column, it would be a shock to see him play again this year, perhaps ever again with the Vikings. With their top two free safeties put on the IR after the previous game, rookie Mistral Raymond got his first career start. He had 2 solo tackles and likely moves this week in to a platoon, at best, with veteran Jarrad Page, who was released by another troubled secondary in Philadelphia. With their best DB an increasingly-fragile CB Antoine Winfield turning 35 and due $7M next year, this secondary could see 100% turnover from the opening day starters over the offseason.
  
  
• DEN fourth-round pick FS Quinton Carter continues to start ahead of second-round pick Rahim Moore, who was not even active this week and did not travel with the team because he's not offering value on special teams. The team could have used Moore on Sunday when Carter was dinged and former UDFA Kyle McCarthy had to be used at FS.
  
  
• IND RCB Jerraud Powers and nickel CB Terrence Johnson both had their season end on Sunday. Powers, the team's best corner, dislocated his left elbow. Johnson suffered an unspecified arm injury. Both went on the IR this week. Jacob Lacey, who was benched after Week 6, regained his starting job on Sunday with the firing of DC Larry Coyer. With those injuries, his job security seems much safer now, as the most experienced corner, under new DC Mike Murphy. Sophomore Kevin Thomas, who had been starting in place of Lacey, now remains a starter and rookie Chris Rucker will see extensive time as the nickel CB.
  
  
• NE CB Devin McCourty was returned from a reported shoulder separation and was active and in the starting lineup for the first time since Week 10. He had 4 solo tackles. On the other side, CB Kyle Arrington didn't add to his league-leading 7 interceptions, but helped his fantasy owners with 5 tackles (4 solo) and a fumble recovery. The team remained without S Patrick Chung for the fourth straight game with a foot injury. It was Nathan Jones, just added last week, who saw most of the work in place of Chung, instead of Sterling Moore, who had been starting in his place. Jones had 9 tackles (6 solo) and broke up a pass. Converted WR Matt Slater rotated with Jones and had 7 (6 solo) and forced a fumble.
  
  
• PIT SS Troy Polamalu started despite be knocked out of the previous game with "concussion-like symptoms". He had 4 tackles (3 solo) and forced a fumble. CB Ike Taylor had his second pick of the season.
  
  
• CIN CB Nate Clements was inactive with a hamstring injury suffered in the previous game. Kelly Jennings replaced him and led the team with 7 tackles (5 solo). On the other side, CB Adam Jones remains the replacement for Leon Hall, who is done for the season. Jones had a pair of tackles and broke up a pass.
  
  
• CAR SS Charles Godfrey led the team with 11 tackles (9 solo, including 2 on special teams). Fourth-round pick CB Brandon Hogan is yet to play despite being activated from the PUP a month ago. His bad knee has been giving him problems in practice.
  
  
• TB CB Aqib Talib left the game in the first quarter after aggravating a hamstring injury he's been battling for a few weeks. He is questionable this week. E.J. Biggers replaced him. SS Sean Jones led the team with 10 tackles (9 solo).
  
  
• WAS SS LaRon Landry was inactive after suffering a groin strain in the previous game. Despite his lingering left Achilles' tendon issue, and the associated injury problems he's had this season, and the team being out of playoff contention, the team apparently still doesn't plan to put him on the IR. Reed Doughty started in his place. FS Oshiomogho Atogwe was back in a full-time role after being limited in the previous game with a knee and toe issues.
  
  
• CB Lardarius Webb returned a punt 68 yards for a score. He also had 2 solo tackles.
  
  
• CLE SS T.J. Ward remained inactive with a right foot sprain that is expected to keep him out at least another week. Usama Young remained his replacement.
  
  
• DAL CB Mike Jenkins returned after missing the previous four games with a right hamstring injury.
  
  
• GB CB Charles Woodson was forced out of Sunday's game in the fourth quarter with a concussion. HC Mike McCarthy expects him to play this week, but he has to go through the third-party tests required by the league to be cleared. Sam Shields gets the start if Woodson can't go.
  
  
• NYG SS Kenny Phillips suffered a left MCL sprain and is expected to miss at least this week. It is the same knee that he had microfracture surgery in two years ago that almost ended his career before it started. Deon Grant will start in his place.
  
  
• STL SS Darian Stewart was inactive after suffering a concussion in the previous game. Veteran Craig Dahl got the start in his place and led the team with 13 tackles (11 solo, including 1 on special teams) and forced a fumble. SS Amari Spievey shared the team lead with 10 tackles (9 solo).
  
  
• The DET secondary was without CB Chris Houston and FS Louis Delmas, who suffered knee injuries in the previous game. No update yet on their status for this week, both were listed as doubtful last week. Aaron Berry replaced Houston and veteran Chris Harris replaced Delmas.
  
  
• SD FS Eric Weddle had his 6th pick of the season, tying him for second in the league.
  
  
• A decimated JAX secondary took another hit when CB William Middleton suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice this week. Middleton replaced Derek Cox, who went on the IR the week before. UDFA rookie Kevin Rutland is expected to replace him opposite Ashton Youboty, who replaced Rashean Mathis, lost last month for the season to a knee injury. Back up SS Courtney Greene also went on the IR, unable to overcome a hamstring injury. The team brought back CB David Jones, who was released in September after seeing starting work previously with the team, added CB Morgan Trent and versatile former Dallas fourth-round pick Akwasi Owusu-Ansah for depth, due to all the injuries.