maurice jones drew block

Anything you can do, New England can do better.


Hours after Dallas' Terrell Owens caught four touchdown passes against Washington, the Patriots' Randy Moss caught four in the first half against Buffalo. The Cowboys scored 28 points in their victory over the Redskins. The Patriots, 56-10 winners in Buffalo, scored their 28th point with more than six minutes remaining before halftime.

The two best teams in the NFC -- Dallas and Green Bay -- combined for 59 points in defeating their Week 11 opponents. New England scored its 56th point against the Bills barely a minute into the fourth quarter, enough for coach Bill Belichick to sit quarterback Tom Brady.

Only the Patriots are good enough to run up the score in the second and third quarters. Their victory, featuring the most points by a road team since 1973, drove home a point that needed no more driving home. In 2007, there's the Patriots, and then there's everyone else.

At 10-0, the Patriots could lose twice and still secure home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. But they won't need more than 12 or 13 victories, if Week 11 was any indication.

While the Patriots cruised in Buffalo, AFC mortals Indianapolis, Cleveland and Pittsburgh lived -- and died -- by high-drama kicks.

Phil Dawson needed a ricochet and an officiating reversal to help Cleveland get past Baltimore, while the Jets' Mike Nugent stunned heavily favored Pittsburgh with a 38-yarder in overtime -- the game's seventh field goal without a miss.

We couldn't fault Indianapolis for calling a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1 from the Kansas City 3 with two minutes remaining in a tie game. Anything to forestall the drama of another Adam Vinatieri chip shot.

Vinatieri got his chance eventually, and this time the NFL's highest-paid kicker earned his $61,000 game check, lifting the Colts to a 13-10 victory over the Chiefs in the RCA Dome. Vinatieri's 24-yarder with four seconds remaining ended two unlikely streaks. The Colts had lost two in a row following a 7-0 start, while Vinatieri had missed four consecutive field goal attempts for the first time since 1996, his rookie season.

The Colts still aren't the team they were before a wave of injuries struck key players. New England, meanwhile, seems to be better than ever.

Ten more observations from Week 11:



1. Jags flatten Chargers
Jacksonville has the toughness San Diego lost when management fired no-nonsense coach Marty Schotteneheimer. The Chargers have the offensive talent the Jaguars need to become a championship contender.

Toughness prevailed over talent when the Jaguars took down the Chargers, 24-17. One third-quarter play was particularly symbolic. Diminutive Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew flattened hulking Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman to foil a San Diego blitz, giving quarterback David Garrard time to find tight end Marcedes Lewis for a 1-yard touchdown.

Jones-Drew set both feet, crouched and launched his 5-foot-7 frame into Merriman's upper body. The impact sent the 6-foot-4, 272-pound Merriman onto his back. Lewis' touchdown stretched the Jaguars' lead to 24-10.

The Chargers still are the best team in the AFC West, but that isn't saying much.



2. The better team won in Baltimore
Cleveland needed a fortunate bounce to force overtime during the Browns' 33-30 victory over the Ravens, but the Browns were the better team most of the way.

Baltimore converted only two of 12 third-down chances. Kyle Boller took six sacks and tossed two interceptions.

The Ravens' defense continued to do its part, and then some, but it's looking like coach Brian Billick might never field a dynamic offense.

Baltimore has thrown six more touchdown passes than interceptions (151-145) since Billick took over as head coach in 1999. The Ravens have finished with more interceptions than touchdowns in three of the six previous seasons, a trend that is continuing in 2007.

It gets worse. The Ravens have 27 touchdown passes in 26 games since the start of the 2006 season. Cleveland's Derek Anderson has 25 during the same span, despite starting only 12 games.



3. The worse team won in the Meadowlands
New England won't need any help securing home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, but Pittsburgh is lending assistance, anyway.

The Steelers' stunning 19-16 defeat at the hands of the Jets was remarkable on multiple fronts:

• The Steelers allowed a 100-yard rusher for the first time since Edgerrin James gained 124 yards for Indianapolis on Nov. 28, 2005.
• The Steelers lost even though Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens completed only 14 of 31 passes with a 58.8 rating.
• The Steelers allowed seven sacks to a team that had managed a league-low nine all season.

The book on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says to keep him in the pocket and force him to read defenses. The Jets limited him to 5 yards on two rushes.



4. Another close call
The Dolphins fell to 0-10 after a dismal performance against Philadelphia in John Beck's first start, but they kept the final margin to 10 points or fewer for the seventh time. Miami has lost by three points five times this season, an indication the Dolphins probably will break through at some point.

That elusive first victory probably won't come at Pittsburgh in Week 12, but four of the five final games are against flawed opponents: the Jets (home), Buffalo (road), Baltimore (home), New England (road) and Cincinnati (home).

The Dolphins already have lost by three-point margins against the Jets and Bills. They'll struggle against the Ravens' defense, but the Bengals are flighty enough to lose any time, any place, under any circumstances.

Beck will have to show he's worthy of the coaching staff's trust. He completed only nine of 22 passes against the Eagles.

Trailing 17-7 midway through the fourth quarter, the Dolphins opted for a running play on fourth-and-goal from the 1. The play lost 13 yards. Philadelphia had to know the Dolphins wouldn't trust their rookie quarterback in that situation.



5. Sure-handed Packers
Brett Favre tossed three more touchdown passes on his way to another glimmering passer rating (126.8) as Green Bay pounded Carolina, 31-17.

Favre's unlikely revival at 38 has provided the NFL with one of its leading story lines for 2007, but his little-known receivers also deserve credit. The Packers had dropped a league-low 3.2 percent of on-target passes heading into Week 11. They had no drops against the Panthers.

With Bubba Franks and his slippery fingers safely on the injured list, the Packers are getting consistent play in the receiving game. Donald Lee caught two touchdown passes against the Panthers. Greg Jennings and Donald Driver combined for 12 receptions and 131 yards.



[+] EnlargeStephen Dunn/Getty Images

By wreaking havoc against the Saints, Mario Williams made the Texans look smart.



6. Williams steps up
Houston's decision to draft defensive end Mario Williams over running back Reggie Bush has forced Williams to answer a seemingly unending supply of questions about his relative worth.

Although only time will tell whether the Texans should have made Bush the No. 1 overall choice in 2006, Houston wasn't regretting its decision Sunday. Williams finished with six tackles, one sack and a forced fumble during a 23-10 victory over Bush and New Orleans.

The stats told only part of the story. On one play, Williams pressured Saints quarterback Drew Brees after running through Bush's attempt at a chip block and decking guard Jahri Evans. The Saints, playing without injured left tackle Jammal Brown, had no answer for Williams.

Bush carried 15 times for 34 yards against the Texans. He caught 12 passes for only 70 yards, a 5.8-yard average.

New Orleans and San Francisco are the only teams without a 100-yard rusher this season.

Drafting a running back first overall isn't always a wise move. George Rogers went first overall in 1981, ahead of Lawrence Taylor. In 1995, Ki-Jana Carter went first overall, ahead of Tony Boselli.



7. Aging Eagles
Brian Westbrook's 148-yard showing against Miami carried Philadelphia to victory, but Donovan McNabb's latest injury reminded us of the Eagles' advancing age at key positions.

Seven of the team's 10 players with Pro Bowl experience are at least 30 years old. Six are at least 32. One of them -- 31-year-old defensive end Jevon Kearse -- wasn't even active against the Dolphins.

McNabb's injury (sprained right ankle) ended one of the worst performances of his career. He completed three of 11 passes for 34 yards, with two interceptions and a .4 rating. McNabb turns 31 this month, but injuries have aged his body at a faster rate. Coach Andy Reid said McNabb will remain the starter if his right ankle allows him to play, but backup A.J. Feeley was better against the Dolphins.



8. Holmgren wasn't blowing smoke
Coaches generally avoid tipping their hands to reporters, but Seattle's Mike Holmgren meant it when he talked about relying more heavily on the passing game.

Matt Hasselbeck attempted 44 passes during Seattle's 30-23 victory over Chicago, the quarterback's third consecutive game with at least 40 attempts. Hasselbeck hadn't attempted 40 or more passes in a regular-season game since doing it once in 2005. He had two such games in 2004, two in 2003 and four in 2002.

The Seahawks no longer have the offensive line or tailback to run the ball on their own terms.

Hasselbeck has supplanted Shaun Alexander as the team's best option on offense. He's on pace for career highs of 4,220 yards and 27 touchdowns. He'll surpass those numbers if Holmgren keeps calling passes as frequently as he has in recent weeks.

Holmgren also will face pressure to stick with Maurice Morris at running back once Alexander returns from injury in the next week or two. Alexander is the former league MVP, but Morris is better suited for a pass-oriented offense. He finished with 106 total yards against the Bears.



9. Rolle call
Arizona cornerback Antrel Rolle lost his starting job and fell off the NFL map this season, but Cincinnati won't forget him anytime soon.

Rolle returned two interceptions for touchdowns during a 35-27 victory Sunday. A penalty against the Cardinals negated what would have been Rolle's third pick for a touchdown.

Rolle was the eighth player chosen in a 2005 draft checkered with low-impact players. Six of the first 17 players chosen that year were either on injured reserve or out of the league heading into Week 11. Alex Smith and Troy Williamson went ahead of Rolle in 2005, the year Cincinnati selected David Pollack in the 17th spot.



10. The Cowboys are dangerous
Dallas' Tony Romo and Terrell Owens would be enjoying MVP-caliber seasons if New England wasn't racking up even better numbers in the passing game.

Romo already has 27 touchdown passes. Owens topped 1,000 yards receiving with a 173-yard, four-touchdown performance in Dallas' 28-23 victory over Washington.

Owens was a big-game performer the last time he played on a championship-caliber team, in 2005 with Philadelphia. That's what he's become for the Cowboys. Owens, Randy Moss and other high-profile receivers can become disinterested when their teams aren't playing at a high level. The opposite is true when their teams are thriving. Owens could become more dangerous as the stakes grow higher.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Name a phase, any phase, and it was a phase the Steelers didn't play well in Sunday's 19-16 overtime loss to the New York Jets.


"It was a sub-par performance on our part," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "All three phases, we fell below the line of acceptable performance. We didn't block well, we didn't tackle well, we didn't protect our quarterback, we didn't establish our running game at all and we didn't stop their running game."

The Steelers fell to 7-3 on the season and 2-3 on the road, while the Jets improved to 2-8. Pittsburgh hosts (0-10) Miami next Monday night.

Despite all of their shortcomings, the Steelers still held a 16-13 lead late in the game. But the allowed the Jets to move 76 yards on 13 plays and Mike Nugent's 28-yard field goal tied the score with 23 seconds remaining in regulation.

New York won the overtime coin toss, but couldn't move the ball. Neither could the Steelers and Leon Washington basically won the game with a 36-yard punt return to set up New York with a first down at the Steelers' 26-yard line. From there, the Jets ran three plays and Nugent kicked a 38-yard field goal to end the game with 9:57 remaining in overtime.

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"I'm not going to blame the whole game on the last play," Tomlin said of the punt return. "There were way too many other plays to lay it on one of them. Thomas Jones ran the ball on us and we couldn't run the ball effectively. When those two things happen, it makes it tough to win a ball game."

The Jets drew first blood with a 4-play, 68-yard drive with the opening kickoff. Kellen Clemens passed to Chris Baker for a 1-yard touchdown to make it 7-0 after hooking up with Laveranues Coles for 56 yards to the Pittsburgh 1-yard line.

Nugent's 25-yard field goal made it 10-0 with 1:31 remaining in the first quarter. The Jets moved 69 yards on nine plays and drew a 41-yard pass interference penalty against Ike Taylor.

Santonio Holmes scored on a 7-yard pass from Roethlisberger to cap an 8-play, 72-yard drive and cut New York's lead to 10-7 with 9:04 left in the second quarter. The drive included a 14-yard run by Willie Parker and Roethlisberger completions of 25 to Holmes and 9 to Najeh Davenport on third-and-5.

Nugent converted from 19 yards out on the last play of the first half to pad New York's lead to 13-7 at the break. The kick capped a 9-play, 48-yard drive that included 26-yard run by Jones, who ran for 68 yards in the first half.

Jones finished the game with 110 yards becoming the first running back to go over 100 yards against the Steelers in 35 games.

Jeff Reed's 37-yard field goal capped an 11-play, 50-yard drive to cut the Jets lead to 13-10 with 8:24 showing on the third-quarter clock. The drive featured six Willie Parker carries for 14 yards and a 27-yard pass to Holmes.

Reed's 33-yard field goal tied the score, 13-13, with 1:34 remaining in the third quarter. The Steelers had moved to a first down at New York's 17-yard line, but they had to settle for the field goal after a dropped pass and a sack of Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh moved into range with a 25-yard completion to Hines Ward and a 15-yard run by Davenport.

Reed's third field goal, from 48 yards out, gave the Steelers their first lead of the game, 16-13, with 8:41 remaining. The 9-play, 34-yard drive included a 19-yard pass to Heath Miller.

Deshea Townsend intercepted a Clemens pass intended for Jerricho Cotchery on a second-and-2 play to end New York's ensuing possession, but the Jets got it right back when Shaun Ellis knocked the ball away from Roethlisberger and recovered. The Jets gained 17 yards on the exchange.

But the Jets couldn't move the ball and Pittsburgh took over at their own 41-yard line. Pittsburgh, then, couldn't get a first down and had to punt with 2:43 still on the clock.

That was plenty of time for New York to set up Nugent for the tying, then winning field goals.

The Jets, who had only nine sacks coming into the game, got to Roethlisberger seven times.

"You can finger-point all you want," Tomlin said.
Antrel Rolle nearly had a hat trick on a day defenders and special teamers kept scoreboard operators busy.

Rolle was on the verge of setting an NFL record with three interception returns for touchdowns during the Arizona Cardinals' 35-27 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Cardinals cornerback, already with two touchdowns on the day, picked off a Carson Palmer pass and returned it 71 yards for an apparent touchdown with 32 seconds remaining. However, the score was nullified as defensive end Antonio Smith was flagged 15 yards for a block on Palmer during Rolle's return.

Earlier in the game, DeDe Dorsey blocked Mike Barr's punt attempt and returned it 19 yards for the Bengals' final score of the game. But as it turns out, the return touchdowns weren't limited to Paul Brown Stadium.

Ted Ginn Jr. gave the Miami Dolphins an early spark with an 87-yard punt return touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber and Green Bay Packers rookie Tramon Williams had a fumble recovery and punt return score, respectively, in their teams' victories. And in Baltimore, two defensive scores helped set up the day's wildest finish.

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Linebacker Ray Lewis, who has been outspoken about the Baltimore Ravens' offensive issues this season, put his team on the scoreboard with a 35-yard return of a Derek Anderson interception in the second quarter. Cleveland Browns cornerback Brodney Pool topped Lewis with a 100-yard return of a Kyle Boller pass in the third quarter. Yet their theatrics paled in comparison to the final moments of regulation, when an apparent missed field goal by Phil Dawson was overturned and paved the way for Cleveland's overtime victory.

Here are some more winners, losers and other observations from Week 11:

WINNERS

• Not only did the Browns avoid choking away a second straight divisional road win, but they made up a game in the AFC North in the process. And while so much emphasis will be placed on Dawson's kick and the controversial "non-review," not to be overshadowed was Joshua Cribbs' 39-yard kickoff return which gave the Browns the ball at their own 43-yard line.

• The Jacksonville Jaguars' blueprint is pretty basic in theory – play great defense, run the ball well and don't take big chances in the passing game. However, coach Jack Del Rio is straying away from convention when it comes to fourth down. The Jaguars went for it twice on fourth down on their second possession – converting both times, with the latter resulting in a Maurice Jones-Drew touchdown in Sunday's 24-17 win over the San Diego Chargers. The Jaguars now have converted 13 of 24 fourth-down attempts this season.

• Either the Minnesota Vikings have the league's best run-blocking offensive line or their running backs have matched up against some of the league's sorriest front sevens this season. With rookie sensation Adrian Peterson sidelined, former starter Chester Taylor (22-164, three TDs) ran all over the Raiders. It was the third time this year a Vikings back has eclipsed 150 rushing yards and run for three touchdowns in a game.

• Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub wasted little time welcoming back his favorite target. Andre Johnson, out since spraining ligaments in his left knee in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers, was on the receiving end of a 73-yard scoring strike from Schaub with 10:44 left in the first quarter during Houston's 23-10 win over the New Orleans Saints.

• Michael Silver's prediction, albeit for a third straight year, that the Arizona Cardinals will win the NFC West no longer looks so far-fetched. The Cards have won two straight for the second time this season, are back to .500 and sit just one game behind the Seattle Seahawks.

• The New York Giants got stung by the injury bug again (Mathias Kiwanuka, Brandon Jacobs), but Michael Strahan (three sacks) and the defense kept last week's loss from leading to a losing streak … at least temporarily.

• Patrick Kerney (three sacks) and Matt Hasselbeck (30-44, 337 yards, two TDs) played major roles in keeping the up-and-down Seahawks in first place in the NFC West with their 30-23 win over the Chicago Bears.

• After all of the Brady or Manning debate prior to the Pats-Colts showdown in Week 9, a similar discussion is starting to brew at wide receiver. Terrell Owens, eight catches for 173 yards and four touchdowns in the win over the Redskins, has 31 catches for 575 yards and eight touchdowns in the past four games. Meanwhile, Randy Moss, already leading the league with 924 yards and 12 touchdown receptions prior to Sunday night's game, matched Owens by adding four more scores in the first half against the Buffalo Bills.

LOSERS

• As the Chargers' losses mount, Philip Rivers receives more scrutiny. Announcer Dan Diedorf raised the question of whether Rivers could consistently deliver when San Diego is forced to throw the ball. Rivers offered mixed results to the query, constantly throwing into double coverage and missing Antonio Gates on a corner end-zone fade earlier, but making a series of great throws during a fourth-quarter scoring drive.

• Carolina Panthers coach John Fox should expect a letter of apology from the NFL this week. Fox threw the red challenge flag in the second quarter, claiming Brett Favre fumbled the ball after being sacked. Upon tape review, the officials determined that Favre indeed fumbled but the Green Bay Packers retained possession because the officials couldn't determine who recovered the ball. As announcer Dick Stockton pointed out: How they missed Julius Peppers coming up with the ball is a mystery.

• Jon Gruden might get one of those same letters, though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could deserve some of the blame for their misfortune. After a wild sequence that included three fumbles and two changes of possession, Gruden challenged that Brian Kelly was down by contact. After multiple replays, it appears that a Buccaneers defender indeed should have been ruled down after an illegal trip by Roddy White. However, the Tampa Bay player was Cato June, not Kelly, so the Atlanta Falcons regained possession.

•The Redskins aren't putting up a lot of resistance when foes reach their 20. Including the Cowboys' two scores Sunday, Washington has now given up 17 touchdowns in their last 22 defensive red zone possessions.

OBSERVATIONS

Bay Area blues: How long before a prop bet (assuming there's not already one) is created in Las Vegas on over/under for offensive touchdowns by the 49ers and Raiders the rest of the season? San Francisco, limited to three field goals during a 13-9 loss to the St. Louis Rams, have now gone 11 straight quarters without a TD. Oakland, which stayed in the game against Minnesota on the strength of five Sebastian Janikowski field goals, has been held to three offensive touchdowns in its past four games.

Case of mistaken identity: If for only one game, the New York Jets played like their opponents on Sunday. The Jets established their ground attack (Thomas Jones 30-117) and pressured the quarterback (seven sacks) during a stunning 19-16 overtime win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Lights off: Chargers linebacker Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman was short-circuited by 5-foot-7 Jones-Drew, getting knocked to his derriere as David Garrard completed a 1-yard TD toss to Marcedes Lewis.

Dropping back: Aside from perhaps the Chicago Bears' Brian Urlacher, does any linebacker have more range than Arizona's Karlos Dansby? Dansby, with three INTs in the past two games, nearly had a fourth when he dropped back about 15 yards in coverage and almost came up with another Palmer pass.

Tough times: Has Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning had a worse 10-quarter stretch in his career? Since the Colts took the lead right before intermission in Week 9 against the Patriots, Manning has struggled mightily: three sacks, two lost fumbles, and one INT in second half during the loss to New England; six INTs in the loss at San Diego; and 163 yards, two sacks and one INT in the win against the Kansas City Chiefs. Meanwhile, Adam Vinatieri – four missed field goals combined against the Chargers and Chiefs – actually got booed by the home crowd. This, of course, was before he drilled the game-winning 24-yard field with four seconds remaining.


James C. Black is the NFL editor for Yahoo! Sports.


For an instant, it looked like the Cowboys were going to join the Steelers as a disappointment on Sunday, but Tony Romo and Terrell Owens wouldn't let that happen against the Redskins. Romo hooked up with Owens eight times for 173 yards and four touchdowns. Owens, who once danced on the Texas Stadium star as a member of the 49ers, now is worshiped there even more after bailing out Dallas in a 28-23 victory against the hated Redskins.

Owens set a personal record with four touchdown receptions and pulled even with Randy Moss with 12 touchdown catches for the season. That is until Moss got Nos. 13, 14, 15 and 16 in the first half of the Sunday night game in Buffalo. Dallas must have noticed that Washington safety Sean Taylor was absent from the lineup. It was a great time to exploit the deep middle of the field, and Owens did just that on scoring strikes of 31, 46 and 52 yards. His other touchdown was a 4-yarder.

It's interesting to debate which fantasy receiver, Owens or Moss, will be more valuable down the stretch. And by interesting, I mean it will be interesting for those who own them, not the poor saps stuck with Donte' Stallworth or Terry Glenn. Both Owens and Moss are almost always undervalued in drafts because of their poor attitudes. But as long as their teams keep winning -- and they will -- they'll fall in line like choirboys. I can't remember the last time ESPN sent somebody to Owens' driveway for an impromptu press conference, or the last time Moss talked about his love for smoking pot.

But let's get back to the debate. Owens has four consecutive 100-yard games and has scored at least one touchdown in each of his past five games. Moss hasn't been as frequent a visitor to the 100-yard club lately, but he did start the season with four consecutive 100-yard games and also has scored in each of his past five games.

There are two key factors to consider, though. New England's schedule is pastry-soft down the stretch, while the Cowboys' is a bit tougher. And Wade Phillips seems like a decent guy, while Bill Belichick seems obsessed with getting Tom Brady to break Peyton Manning's touchdown record. Granted, the Patriots might be in position to rest their players earlier than the Cowboys, who are neck-and-neck with the Packers for NFC supremacy and could need to battle to the end, but in this case, the evil factor is to be celebrated by fantasy owners.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE


It's not surprising that Chester Taylor had success against the Raiders in relief of injured Adrian Peterson. After all, Taylor rushed for 1,216 yards last season and was quite the fantasy find before he wore down late in the season. Now, he is fresh, is running behind an awesome line led by Steve Hutchinson and will get the bulk of the action with Peterson sidelined.
And with Detroit and San Francisco on the schedule after next week's game against the Giants, Taylor should do well as your No. 2 back. He might not rush for 164 yards and three touchdowns like he did against Oakland's 29th-ranked run defense in Week 11, but he is a good bet to top 100 yards. He's also a threat as a receiver out of the backfield, which was the role he was performing when Peterson was the No. 1 guy.


Just when you think you have it all figured out, the Steelers lose in overtime to the one-win Jets. For the first time since 2005, Pittsburgh allowed 100 yards to an opposing running back as Thomas Jones had 117 yards on 30 carries. Adding to the insanity, the Steelers gave up a season-high seven sacks and couldn't spring Willie Parker (21 carries, 52 yards) against a defense that entered the game last in the league versus the run.
There were no major injuries on Pittsburgh's offensive line or on the defense that could explain the sudden collapse, so it could have been a lack of effort. Pittsburgh was sloppy, committing eight penalties and two turnovers. You can bet Mike Tomlin will have his team refocused next week against the Dolphins. Look for Parker to be featured as Pittsburgh gets back to basics.


Shaun Alexander's demise isn't hurting Matt Hasselbeck's numbers at all. In fact, the Seahawks have adjusted to life without Alexander, who was inactive for the second consecutive game Sunday, by going to a more pass-heavy attack and making no apologies for it. For the third time this season, Hasselbeck topped 300 yards as the Seahawks beat the Bears. Hasselbeck might not be as flashy as Tom Brady, Tony Romo or Brett Favre, but he'll be plenty reliable as a fantasy option down the stretch. Seattle has the Rams next week, a tasty matchup especially considering the recent returns of D.J. Hackett and Deion Branch give Hass a full complement of weapons.

Andre Johnson couldn't have picked a better time to make his comeback with the Texans. After torching the always-accommodating Saints secondary for 120 yards and a touchdown in his first game since Week 2 because of a knee injury, Johnson gets the Browns next week. Entering Week 11, Cleveland was ranked next-to-last against the pass and had allowed a league-high 22 passing touchdowns. And that was before Kyle Boller -- Kyle Boller! -- threw for 279 yards against them.

I'm still trying to figure out what happened on Phil Dawson's controversial field goal against the Ravens, but at least one thing is certain: Dawson's performance this season is further proof of why you shouldn't spend more than a last-round pick on a kicker. Dawson has had three games of double-digit scoring this season, including 15 points against Baltimore, and is fifth in our current kicker rankings. He began the season undrafted in most leagues.

Hate to keep harping on it, but this is what happens when Jon Kitna has no running game to support him. With Kevin Jones tallying just 25 yards rushing against the Giants, Kitna put the ball in the air 43 times for 377 yards. That's all well and good, but he threw three interceptions to negate some of his fantasy points. Expect more of the same against Green Bay on Thursday if Detroit can't kick-start its running game, which is struggling behind a banged-up Jones (foot).

The Buccaneers' Earnest Graham rushed for 100 yards for the second consecutive game and scored a touchdown against the Falcons. With Michael Pittman healthy again, there was some concern as to how Graham would be used going forward. Graham got 18 touches, which was half of what he had a week ago, but he still was the lead man over Pittman, who had 10 carries and two receptions. Meanwhile, Michael Bennett was deactivated for the game and looks like a lost cause now that Pittman is back.

You might be wondering how the Panthers' Drew Carter managed to have no problem getting 132 yards receiving and a touchdown against the Packers when the man he replaced, Steve Smith, had been struggling to do anything before being deactivated with a shin injury. Well, for one, Carter isn't going to draw the defensive attention that Smith does, and he also had the benefit of Vinny Testaverde having a full week of practice. Plus, three of Carter's five receptions came in the fourth quarter when the Packers were in prevent mode, including a 49-yarder and a 5-yard touchdown.

The Packers' Donald Lee enjoyed his first multiple-touchdown game of the season and has been a consistent performer as a low-end starter in fantasy leagues. He has had three or more receptions in all of his games this year and was among the top 15 tight ends in targets entering Week 11's game against the Panthers. And with Bubba Franks being a non-factor (inactive again), you could do much worse than having Lee as your starting tight end.

The Cardinals' Antrel Rolle had a career day by intercepting Carson Palmer three times, returning two for touchdowns. Rolle, who was the second cornerback drafted in 2005 behind Pacman Jones, had two career interceptions before today's game. This could be a breakout game and a sign of things to come, but IDP owners know how rare a three-pick day can be. Still, Rolle is doing a lot better than Pacman, isn't he?

This has little to do with fantasy, but for a good laugh, rewind your TiVo and check out how Maurice Jones-Drew lights up Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman on a goal-line block on David Garrard's third-quarter touchdown pass to Marcedes Lewis. Merriman found out the hard way that it's real tough to get a lower center of gravity than Jones-Drew, who has relatively the same shape as a bowling ball.

This is where I'm supposed to say something about the Rams-49ers game, but I can't bring myself to do it. OK, St. Louis is a different team when Steven Jackson (23 carries, 92 yards) is healthy, and by different, I mean capable of 6-10 instead of 1-15.
INJURY REPORT


Donovan McNabb, QB, Eagles. Nearly a year after his ACL tear, McNabb sprained his right ankle and had to leave in the second quarter against the Dolphins. Besides being further proof that you can't count on McNabb for a full season, the injury also served as a reminder to pick up A.J. Feeley as insurance. X-rays were negative for McNabb, who also injured his right thumb and was having an awful game even before he left (3-for-11, 34 yards, two interceptions). Side note about the Dolphins' defense: Since being torched by Tom Brady for six touchdown passes in Week 7, Miami has held Eli Manning, J.P. Losman and the combo of McNabb/Feeley each to less than 200 yards.

Brandon Jacobs, RB, Giants. Jacobs limped off the field in the third quarter against the Lions with a hamstring injury and did not return. It's too early to call Jacobs injury-prone, but he did miss three games earlier in the season with a knee problem and is a large back who doesn't shy from contact and never has carried the full load before. Prior to leaving, Jacobs had four receptions for 49 yards and 54 yards rushing. Reuben Droughns took over in Jacobs' absence because Derrick Ward (groin) was inactive.

Mike Peterson, LB, Jaguars. Peterson, the team's top tackler, broke his right hand and is sidelined indefinitely. Coach Jack Del Rio said the hand is broken in several places and the question is whether Peterson will be able to return in four or five weeks and play while wearing a cast. Peterson missed 11 games last season after tearing a chest muscle, and his loss is another tough one for a defense that is without Marcus Stroud for two more games because of a league suspension.
For more injury updates, click here.

FIND OR FLUKE?

Shaun McDonald, WR, Lions. McDonald topped 100 yards receiving for the first time this season when he had seven receptions for 113 yards against the Giants. But McDonald also lost a fumble to negate some of his fantasy value. You might be wondering which way to go with him. In the nine games previous to this one, McDonald was averaging nearly seven targets per game, which was more than Calvin Johnson or Mike Furrey. If the Lions are forced to pass a lot down the stretch -- and we think they will be -- McDonald will be worth having around as a No. 3 receiver each week. Ruling: Find.

Devard Darling, WR, Ravens. Playing in place of injured Demetrius Williams, Darling doubled his career total in receptions when he had four for 107 yards and a touchdown against the Browns. But as the Ravens' third wide receiver in a passing game that has had few bright spots this season, Darling is not a reliable option. Also keep in mind that tight end Todd Heap was inactive and Baltimore was facing Cleveland's 31st-ranked pass defense. It won't get any better than this for Darling. Ruling: Fluke.

HE HATE ME

Peyton Manning, QB, Colts. Having Peyton mentioned down here might be a first for the Sunday Blitz, but he deserves it after he went 16-for-32 for 163 yards and an interception at home against the Chiefs. There are plenty of excuses for Manning, including being without Marvin Harrison (knee) for the fourth consecutive game and seeing his battered offensive line lose another player to injury (tackle Ryan Diem). But we expect the great one to rise above it, and this makes two consecutive subpar outings. Thank goodness the Falcons are next on the schedule.

Senior Editor George Winkler is a fantasy football expert for Sporting News.


"We all accept blame for this one. We win together and we stink it up together. We did that today."