Somehow some way Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme finds a way to get the ball in the hands of his opponent. Sometimes he does that a little too often, like he did Sunday when he threw four more interceptions and was a miserable 14-34 for a mere 130 yards. He looked about as lost as a kitten in a dog pound. He got absolutely no help from his running game either as DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for 75 yards on 25 carries. There was also the problem of 11 first downs to go with 179 yards of total offense and three sacks of Delhomme. Head coach Jack DelRio is already on the hot seat and must now decide if its time to bench his quarterback. Then add the fact that Delhomme broke a finger which will make the decision easier. He had a passer rating of 12.7 and appears to have lost all confidence in himself. He now has 18 interceptions and that is his career high for a single-season. The worst part is that alot of his picks have resulted in scores too. When they had an oppotunity to score they could not. They had just intercepted Jets QB Mark Sanchez and Delhomme quickly hit Steve Smith in the end zone for a touchdown. Jets head coach Rex Ryan did not believe it was a catch and challenged the call. He would wn and the Panthers would have to settle for a field goal. It has been a season to forget for Carolina and Delhomme and it isn’t over yet. The question is not whether Matt Moore will start next week. The question is will Delhomme ever get his job back. Speaking of jobs, what about DelRio? Can he last the season and if he does will he be here next year. Highly unlikely at this point so please stand by. One thing is certain and that would be that this team has to make alot of changes if they hope to compete next year.

Atlanta 20 Tampa Bay 17

It has not been a kind season for either of these teams. The Falcons had high expectations coming into this season but were 5-5 coming in. The Bucs, playing under new head coach Raheem Morris, have had one of those years you already want to forget. Still they have played hard for their coach and rookie QB Josh Freeman is showing that he can be an NFL quarterback. On this day he was sacked six times but was 20-29 for 250 yards and two touchdowns. His counterpart Matt Ryan was hurt early when his foot was rolled on and he could not return. Also injured for the Falcons were running back Michael Turner, linemen Harvey Dahl and Sam Baker, The question is when will they return because they are so key to the Falcons success. So Chris Redman came in and saved the day when he hit Roddy White for the winning score with 23 seconds left. The Bucs had a chance to win but like usual found a way to lose it. Atlanta finds itself still in the playoff hunt but will need to keep winning and get some help from the rest of the NFC. The Bucs find themselves at 1-10 and need help badly. They could only muster 13 first downs and had just 73 yards on the ground. Penalties continue to haunt them and they added eight more on Sunday. They appear to have their quarterback of the future and have Cadillac Williams in the backfield. They will need to shore up the offensive line to protect Freeman better and their defense needs to improve dramatically. Redman was not bad in going 23-41 for 243 yards and no picks with two touchdowns. Tony Gonzalez is the only thing they have to count on as he addded nine catches for 83 yards. The Falcons are still in the playoff hunt but need teams like Philly and Green Bay to lose as well as continuing to win themselves. Three of the last five games are at home where they are 5-0 this year and one of those are against Philadelphia. They also go to the Jets and Tampa where they have a good chance to win those games if they are healthy. If Ryan and Turner do not return soon it won’t matter because Atlanta needs them if they have any chance at making the postseason.

New Orleans 38 New England 17

Wow would be a word to describe this Saints offense I would say. Another could be explosive or plain and simply terrific. It was the showdown of the week and it was not supposed to disappoint. Drew Brees against Tom Brady is all the billing you needed to sell this one but it was Brees who made the statement. He was as accurate as you can be and finished 18-23 for 371 yards and five touchdowns. It was the first time a quarterback has thrown for that many scores against a Bill Belichick defense. They had no way of stopping Brees especially in the second quarter when he threw three scoring passes to three different players. Yet, as much as the offense has done the real story is the improvement of their defense. Darren Sharper sent Brady to bench for good with one of two picks the D had and the Pats looked lost and confused. It was a sight to see when Brady walked off the field each time he was stopped. He had a look on his face rarely seen during his career. His offense could not move the ball and his ground game did not help. They got two touchdown runs from Laurence Maroney and that was all they could get. Brady was harrassed and knocked around the whole game. So now the Saints are 11-0 like the Colts and are looking to run the table. It is games like this that can define a season and the Saints can use this win to propel them all they way to the Super Bowl. Saints receivers had a ball as Marques Colston had only four catches but that was good enough for 121 yards and a touchdown. Devery Henderson chipped in with only three catches but he finished with 116 yards and a nice 75-yard strike from Brees. So with their offense in sync and their defense playing ferociously the Saints have a good chance of running the table. Of course we all know that will be a moot point if they end their year the same way these Pats did when they went 16-0 only to lose to the Giants in the Super Bowl. Now we will see if they can win out and with games at home against the likes of Dallas and Tampa and roadies at Washington, Atlanta and Carolina, an undefeated season is looking better every week. I have a question for all of you. Give me a reason for Brees not getting the MVP this year.

With Tom Brady making minced meat of the Colts secondary on Sunday night, you know opposing offensive coordinators were taking notes. With Joe Flacco (12 touchdowns) and Matt Schaub (17 touchdowns) next on the teams slate, the Colts look hard pressed to keep their unblemished record in tact. In the teams last two games the secondary has allowed 686 passing yards and four touchdown passes

LT and San Diego Charging Fast

After falling to the Broncos on Monday night about a month ago, the Chargers have reeled off four straight wins and are now tied with Denver at 6-3. Their most recent win on Sunday over the Philadelphia Eagles will set up a Sunday showdown with Denver at Invesco Field. The Chargers have been using a potent passing game led by quarterback Philip Rivers who has thrown nine touchdown passes during the streak.

Looking Under the Microscope

It’s hardly rocket science figuring this one out, but last week when running back Ronnie Brown went out with injury his backup Ricky Williams stepped in. For most of the year it has been a one-two punch with Brown (648 yards, 8 touchdowns) landing most of the big blows. With Miami missing one phin, Williams powered the running game with 20 carries and 102 yards on the ground. As early as Wednesday afternoon it was reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Brown was placed on the injured reserve.

With Brown out, Williams nows moves into the number one position and for some fantasy owners a huge stroke of luck. Williams is hardly a second rate back and this season has shown he’s got plenty left. When he gets the carries Ricky is averaging more than five yards a pop and his seven touchdowns show he’s still got a nose for the goal line. This Thursday owners will get a big taste of what Ricky Williams will be cooking in the second half of the season when he faces the Panthers 25th ranked run defense.

More Fantasy Notes

With Clinton Portis ailing it appears fantasy owners can place their bets on the Redskins backup running back Ladell Betts. Last Sunday starting in place of the injured Portis, Betts carried the ball 26 times for 114 yards and a score. With Portis again highly doubtful and the Redskins traveling to Big D, expect to see more of Betts doing the same against a shaky Cowboys run defense. Although the Boys are ranked 10th against the run, they are allowing more than four yards a carry and Betts looks like he could be a beast heading into this one.

Over the past couple of weeks the Cardinal’s potent passing attack has been getting healthier. With Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner now starting to look more in sync the passing attack looks unstoppable. In the past two weeks Fitz has caught 16 passes for nearly 200 yards, while Warner has averaged 300 yards passing with seven touchdowns. Add to the mix a healthy Boldin (eight catches on Sunday) and the Cardinals are ready to fly away with the West.

After winning three straight, then losing three in a row, the Baltimore Ravens needed a good win and a solid all-round game to get back on track, particularly from a usually good defense which had often underperformed this season. The Ravens got both. The good victory was a 30-7 rout of previously unbeaten Denver. The solid performance was in allowing just 200 yards of total offense, stopping the Broncos running game (held to just 66 yards) and passing attack (just 134 yards) very well. Offensively, Joe Flacco only threw for 175 yards, but he was a very accurate 20-25 including a fourth quarter touchdown pass which put the game out of reach at 23-7, as the Ravens scored 24 points in the second half to pull away after leading by a slim 6-0 margin at halftime.

#4:  McNABB MAKES MOST OF GIANTS’ MISCUES

The Giants, for the third straight week, played careless, unfocused football, and Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb made them pay before the Giants could even blink. After the Eagles were already up 7-0 less than two minutes into the game, McNabb needed just two passes after a Giants’ turnover to throw a 17-yard touchdown pass for a 13-0 Philadelphia lead just 3:45 into the game. After New York made it a game at 16-7, with under two minutes left in the half, McNabb again struck like lightning with two touchdown passes in the final 98 seconds of the half to break the game open, 30-7, by halftime. Starting at the Eagles’ 54-yard line after a good kickoff return, McNabb needed just one play, a 54-yard touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson, for a 23-7 Eagles lead with 1:38 left in the half. After another Giants’ turnover, McNabb needed only two plays –- a 20-yard completion followed by a 23-yard touchdown pass –- to give the Eagles that 30-7 lead, 46 seconds before halftime.

#3:  FAVRE’s HAPPY HOMECOMING

He already had beaten his former team once this season, with 3 touchdown passes, and returning home to Lambeau Field for the first time as a visiting player, Brett Favre helped his Minnesota Vikings complete the sweep of the Green Bay Packers. Favre was a rather pedestrian 17 of 28 for 244 yards, but he didn’t throw an interception, and he tossed four touchdown passes –- three in the second half, two in the fourth quarter –- to help the Vikings take a 24-3 lead and then hold off the Packers and Favre’s Green Bay successor, Aaron Rodgers (who had three touchdown passes of his own, all in the second half), 38-26, to help the Vikings take a commanding lead in the NFC North.

#2:  MOATS RUNS AROUND BUFFALO

Houston statistically dominated its game in Buffalo. The Texans had nearly twice the time of possession (39:08–20:52),

almost three times as many first downs (24-9), and more than double the yardage (439-204) as the Bills. Yet, for the second week in a row, the Bills were poised to win even after being outplayed. That is, until RB Ryan Moats took over in the fourth quarter, with three touchdowns to help Houston turn a 10-9 deficit into a 31-10 win with a 22-0 fourth quarter. Moats finished the game with 23 rushes on 126 yards and the 3 TD’s… special note on this game: rookie safety Jarius Byrd’s two interceptions made him the first player since San Francisco’s Dave Baker in 1960 to have two or more interceptions in three straight games.

#1:  GINN SAVES THE DOLPHINS

The top spot on this week’s list really ought to go to the New York Jets’ defense for allowing just 52 yards rushing and 52 yards passing. So, how DO you lose a game at home in which you score 25 points and hold your opposition to just 104 total yards on the day? Well, when you don’t cover kickoffs well, it can happen. Miami’s Ted Ginn not only blew by the Jets’ kickoff team the entire length of the field once, but he did it twice –- in the same quarter, just 6:44 apart! After the Jets’ Jay Feely kicked a 55-yard field goal to give New York a 6-3 lead, Ted Ginn returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown with 10:10 left in the third quarter. Later in the quarter, after the Jets scored a touchdown to cut the Dolphins’ lead to 17-13, Ginn struck again, going one more yard then before, just for good measure, this time, taking it 101 yards to the house, with 3:26 left in the third quarter, for a 24-13 Dolphins’ lead that they would not relinquish. When he crossed the goal line the second time, Ginn became the first player to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same quarter since Green Bay’s Travis Williams, back in 1967.

Coming completely out of left field, I will promote Tennessee Titans RB LenDale White. Surprised? Look at these scenarios that home come together for White this week. The Titans are at home after two weeks preparing for an opponent, after they were embarrassed by a pitiful performance in a blow out loss. Additionally, they are winless against an opponent they usually dominate, who beat them handily earlier this season. Lastly the Titans are starting a new QB this week and they should be leaning even heavier on the running game. As another alternative both Raiders backs could show up as long as the rest of the team can keep it close.

Devin Hester of the Chicago Bears is my WR this week.  For some teams he may be an every week start but for some he is not. Hester is at home against a Cleveland Browns defense that is struggling on all levels. Hester participates on all those levels at least some in every game. Whether it be with a reception, a run, a wildcat pass, or even a return I have a feeling Hester will score at least one touchdown.  The other WR I want to throw out there was almost my main guy this wee but I could not bring myself to do it, Terrell Owens.  Owens has been a secondary option since Fitzpatrick took over for Edwards, but I got a feeling he shows up in a big way this weekend.

Since I’m going on instinct as much as, if not more than, stats this week I’ll throw Dustin Keller’s name into the mix.  Keller started hot, but has dropped off almost completely these last few games.  This weekend Keller’s NY Jets will play a Miami Dolphins team that they have already faced once this season in a tight game. The Dolphins run a ¾ defensive front. As I have stated before most ¾ teams can be hurt by tight ends down the middle of the field.  For my second TE option I leave you with GB’s Donald Lee, If he doesn’t have to sit back and help pass protect, he could be effective.

I will go back to the Detroit Lions and St. Louis Rams game to get my Defense for this week.  One of these two defenses should have a nice game, and because of the extra week of prep time I’ll go with the Lions.  St. Louis’s O-line has struggled, their WRs are consistently hurt, and their QB seems to end up that way. Jim Swartz would like to use this game to give a glimpse into how his defense of the future will play.  The Jaguars Titans game is another game where one of the defenses will show up, I’m picking the Titans but who knows.

Last Weeks Favorite Five

Matt Cassel – 1 TD 97 yards and 3 INTs, Not what I expected

Donald Brown – Injured, but his replacement scored.

Sam Aiken – 1 TD 66 yards, I love it when a plan comes together!

Heath Miller – 38 yards, Sorry.

Indianapolis Colts – 1 TD, 3 Sacks and 2 INTS, also only give up 6 points. Not bad.

1.  A Lack of Commitment to the Running Game

Take Monday night’s debacle against the Broncos. While LT’s yards per carry average was not what it has been when he’s been at his peak performance, against a good defense he was consistently picking up positive yards and moving the chains. He looked fresher and quicker than I remember him in the last two-plus seasons. He had the quickness and explosion we’ve all gotten so used to from LT.

It felt like any play he was about to break the big one. He still had 70 yards, but on only 18 carries. Imagine if he was given carries on the goal-line early in the first quarter when the Chargers settled for another field goal. Say he gets to 25 carries. He gets very close to 100 yards, and I bet breaks a big one and gets well past that mark.

But more important is the effect the commitment to the run has on the Chargers both as a team and an offense. Norv Turner apparently felt he had to call all pass plays when only down by four points with about six minutes to go in the game. When Mike Nolan, the Broncos Defensive Coordinator, figured this out he just started blitzing an overmatched Chargers offensive line. Poor Philip Rivers had no chance to find men down field because blitzers were in his face as soon as he got back in his drop.

If Turner would’ve run the ball even once or twice on that drive, the Broncos would’ve had to respect that and played a little more conservatively, thereby giving Rivers at least a chance to find an open receiver.

As a New Orleans Saints fan I’ve seen how a pass-only offense ends up working out. You may put up great numbers and score a lot of points, but it is so hit or miss that you have as many three-and-outs as you do big plays. And the ball is in the air so much you’re bound to have a lot of turnovers.

Three-and-outs and turnovers kill your own defense because it puts them in horrible field position and makes them play far more downs than they are capable of handling before they break down. Complementary football, as Sean Payton calls it, is what wins football games. Run the football, keep your defense off the field, and give your offense a chance by being unpredictable.

2.  Poor Line Play on Both Sides of the Ball

Again this is hard for anyone to question, but still bears being repeated. It is understandable why Norv Turner shies away from the running game. For the most part, they (the O-Line) have done nothing to reward his confidence in them. Since it is a little bit easier to throw the ball without great blocking, passing becomes your best option.

Part of the O-Line’s issues goes back to Pro Bowl Center Nick Hardwick’s absence. He is responsible for getting the line into its’ proper protections and adjustments. He has done this very well for a good number of years now. Without him the line is somewhat lost. Other injuries to Louis Vazquez have forced the Chargers to start two less qualified players on their O-Line for part of this season.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Chargers are greatly missing the services of two men who are now in other buildings, Igor Olshansky, now with the Cowboys, and Wayne Nunnelly, the veteran D-Line Coach who had been with the Chargers for 14 years and is now doing a wonderful job with…you guessed it the Denver Broncos.

Of course, losing All Pro Nose Tackle Jamal Williams doesn’t help matters either. The Chargers D-Line has become an undersized, minimally talented unit that for the most part does not fit the scheme the team is trying to run. Many in Charger Land are now casting blame on GM A.J. Smith for his inability to find suitable backups in case of a Jamal Williams injury or dropoff in production because of his age.

I for one, believed two years ago Kentwan Balmer, a DT out of North Carolina, would have been the perfect man to eventually replace Williams at that nose spot. Smith instead chose CB Antoine Cason, who looks like he’ll be a good player, but seemed to be less of a need pick at the time. Now the Chargers are left trying to fill a couple D-Line positions with career journeymen. Is it any wonder they are struggling to stop the run?

3.  The Approach Has Become Stale

It is not uncommon for coaches to feel as if they are no longer reaching the players on their team after ten years or so with the same team. Well, it hasn’t been nearly that long for Norv Turner, but it is reaching that amount of time for GM A.J. Smith. And under Smith, the approach has been the same. Bring in young talent, sign your core players long-term, but don’t at any cost overpay them, and only sign second-tier free agents who will make your team as backups or role players.

To be completely honest, I generally love this model. It has worked for some of the best franchises in the league, such as Pittsburgh, New England, Indianapolis, and perhaps you could include Philadelphia. But guess what? They’ve all at least been to a Super Bowl. The Chargers have not.

Players will buy into anything if it leads them to their ultimate goal. But when their ultimate goal is not being met, uneasiness and questioning begins to take place. You might say success breeds success, just as losing leads to more losing. In my opinion this has happened to the San Diego Chargers. You could see it in the First Quarter when both Tomlinson and Antonio Gates (both team leaders and core players) showed their frustration after a third down call on the goal-line.

Most people realize San Diego’s real leader is not Norv Turner. He is much more of a puppet to A.J. Smith. Turner is basically just a glorified Offensive Coordinator. Smith chose him after firing Marty Schottenheimer to keep the current offense (which again was smart), but also so he could choose his own defensive coordinator. Most organizations allow their head coach to make such a decision.

A.J. Smith is a wonderful talent evaluator, but he has worn out his welcome with his bold moves, most notably allowing Drew Brees to leave via Free Agency, although in hindsight it worked out okay because Rivers has developed nicely.

The bigger point is that the players know Norv Turner has no power, and therefore they do not respect him. And they do not respect A.J. Smith because he is a pompous, overbearing boss who is doing more than his job description entails.

If the Chargers have any chance at salvaging their season, Turner must retake hold of this team and their psyche. He must recommit to running the football, and find a way to get some production out of his lines, despite their lack of talent and size.

It is a tall order to say the least. It is unfortunate that Turner is in this position because he actually has done an okay job given the situation he’s been given. He’s fighting an uphill battle, and one very few coaching candidates now would want to be a part of. Truthfully, despite San Diego’s talent level, I would say the Chargers Head Coaching job has become one of the least attractive in the league because you are faced with A.J. Smith.

It is no secret what I think the biggest problem is in San Diego.

Code Blue turned into Code Red in Nashville Sunday night. The game started well for the Titans as they played the Colts close. The crowd was into the game but when they had the chance to swing the momentum their way they kicked a field goal on fourth and one. This was a night that fans were hoping the team would turn things around. What they saw is a team that couldn’t run or pass. This is a team that shows no sign of playing with enthusiasm or determination. They were supposed to control the football with their running game and that never materialized. Chris Johnson finished with 34 yards and LenDale White had 51. With the Colts pulling away they had to abandon the run and switch to the pass. Well that didn’t go any better.  Kerry Collins continues his struggles but he is not the only problem. Titan receivers are dropping balls in their hands. They are not finishing routes and still do not have that go to receiver. Rookie Kenny Britt dropped a pass and Collins over and under threw passes too. The defense is a really big mess right now as they are making average quarterbacks look like stars. With Peyton Manning at the table with a carving knife the game went as expected. It’s not like he had a slew of veterans catching his passes. He had the likes of Austin Collie catching eight for 97 yards. There were also names like Donald Brown and Pierre Garcon. We see what is means to have a top tier quarterback who can get the ball to his receivers no matter who they are. The Titan defense has rookies trying to get the job done as well as veterans that can’t at this point. Then there is the argument about Vince Young or Kerry Collins. Head coach Jeff Fisher is still standing by Collins and fans and some media members are starting to ask why. Young finally got some playing time, but if you saw him on the sidelines when he was asked to come in, he looked like he didn’t want to. He looked up at the clock and later said that he was not expecting to come in. Some would say words like that hurt him because you should always be ready to play as the backup. Still you have to wonder when they will decide to play him. Next year he will make almost $15M if he is on the roster. Don’t you think its time to see what your investment can do before you find out too late?

Seattle 41 Jacksonville 0

See, this is the thing about this division after the Colts. You never know what team is going to show up in Nashville, Florida or Texas. Here in this one the Jags showed their low side. Just last week they looked like a playoff team against Tennessee. Ok, it was just the Titans. David Garrard looked nothing like last week and receiver Mike Sims-Walker was a scratch for violation of team policy. Matt Hasselbeck returned for the Seahawks and was fantastic going 18-30 for 241 yards and four touchdowns. He did this with most of his offensive line out and after a hard week of practice. Nate Burleson and T. J. Houshmandzadeh each caught two scoring passes and Nick Reed returned a fumble 79 yards for another touchdown. The Jags looked like they were in shock as they had one three and out after another to open the game. Maurice Jones-Drew had 12 carries for just 34 yards and the Jags were held to 199 yards of total offense. Pretty darn bad for a team that can look so good at times. Garrard finished 18-31 for 188 yards and two fumbles he lost. They had a total of 10 first downs and nine penalties to go with that. At the end of the day you could say they failed in all facets of the game including red-zone opportunities. They now stand at 2-3 and the only thing the other teams are fighting for now is who will end up second behind the Colts.

Arizona 28 Houston 21

This was a game of two halves, and then a fantastic finish. The first half belonged to the Cards as they jumped out to a 21-0 lead behind the arm of Kurt Warner and his two touchdown passes to Larry Fitzgerald. It was beautiful to watch these two quarterbacks as they threw to some of the best receivers in the game. In the second half it was the Texans turn to score and they did when Chris Brown ran in from one in the third to make it 21-7. In the fourth Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson went to work connecting twice from 11 and 17 yards to tie it at 21. Schaub had a huge day going 35-50 for 371 yards and the two scores. Johnson and Owen Daniels each had eight catches for 101 and 94 yards respectively. So it came down to one last big play. Kurt Warner had fizzled in the second half after a huge first but had one last chance. It failed miserably, and Houston got the ball back, but on third and seven, Schaub missed intended receiver Kevin Walter and Arizona’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie picked off the pass and high stepped it to the house for the winning score. So as was noted before, the teams in this division don’t show up all the time. The Texans sit at 2-3 and share second place with Jacksonville. Not much competition for the Colts at this time huh?

Fordham’s Offense put on a clinic a week ago, shattering school records in total yards. This week it was the defense that stole headlines. The Rams held Bryant to 219 yards of offense without two key starters.

The Fordham Offense strung together its most balanced attack of the year, with 244 yards on the ground and 183 through the air. The Rams racked up 400 yards in total offense for the fourth time this season.

“We finally played a complete game,” said Fordham head coach Tom Masella. “I thought we played well on offense, defense and special teams. The kids played hard and it was nice to see that hard work pay off. Hopefully this is something we can build on for next week.”

Senior quarterback John Skelton piloted the Ram’s aerial assault, completing 18 of 32 passes for the 183 yards and two touchdowns. Both were caught by his brother Stephen Skelton.

Junior running back Xavier Martin kept up his excellent 2009 campaign with his second straight 100-yard rushing game and tenth of his career. Martin rushed for 122 yards on 19 carries and a score.

Quarterback John Skelton didn’t mind the extra help.

“Having the running game get going really helps our offense,” said John Skelton. “The offensive line did a good job blocking, especially setting the edge so the backs could get outside.”

After the Fordham defense forced the Bulldogs on a three-and-out to open the first quarter, the Rams took over on their own 45. Fordham’s two stars in the backfield got down to business.

Skelton completed two straight passes for 15 yards, including two to Xavier Martin and the Rams drove down to the Bryant 28. After an incomplete pass Martin finished off the drive by darting 28 yards for the score and the early 7-0 lead.

After Chris Bird missed a 44-yard field goal, Fordham drove 73 yards on eight plays and Darryl Whiting punched it in from 6 yards out for a 14-0 advantage.

Fordham took over following a punt early in the second quarter on its own 35 they only needed 1:34 to put the ball in the end zone for a 21-0 lead. John Skelton added to Fordham’s lead with a 34 yard TD run. Skelton scampered around the left side and down the sideline, going into the end zone untouched with 10:12 left in the first half.

Bryant gave the Rams a scare later in the half after a Samad Wagstaff interception at the Fordham 45. After the ball was advanced to Fordham’s 15-yard line the Bulldogs went to work and were unsuccessful. A fourth down Croce pass to Kahel Pritchard fell short and the Rams held.

The Rams then hit Bryant where it hurt driving 85 yards on ten plays and ending it with a one yard Skelton to Skelton connection for a 28-0 halftime lead.

A promising opening possession of the second half stalled for Fordham after an incompletion on fourth down.

Bryant appeared ready to get on the scoreboard for the first time but a Jerrell Smith fumble ended those hopes

Bryant was not denied the second time. After Patrick Murray blocked a Ram punt, the Bulldogs moved it to the Fordham 11 and cashed in from 28 yards out courtesy of a Gross to Isaiah Leake touchdown pass in the right corner of the end zone.

After cutting the Fordham lead to 28-7 the Rams didn’t take long to answer. On the ensuing kickoff Zach Crosby darted 57 yards to the Bryant 29. This time John Skelton went to his brother again from 18 yards out to put Fordham back up 35-7.

The Bulldogs had one last harrah on offense late in the fourth but were denied when Fordham’s Jay Jackson sacked Croce on fourth down at Fordham’s 42.

Both Skelton’s controlled the skies for Fordham with John leading all throwers and Stephen leading all receivers with 8 catches for 74 yards and two touchdowns.

David Moore finished with four catches for 53 yards and Running Back Daryl Whiting gained 56 yards on eight carries with the one score.

Defensively Jamal Haruna and Cliff Stuckey led the Rams. Haruna finished with eleven tackles, four solo. Stuckey added ten stops, including six solo and one for loss.

With the win, the Rams improve to 2-and Bryant drops to 3-2.

The Rams will begin a two game road trip up in Ithaca, N.Y. Saturday October 17^th versus Cornell University at 12:30 p.m. The game will be Fordham’s final non-conference duel of the season.

Back to back wins are an encouraging sign as the Rams play the remainder of October away from Rose Hill.

When rookie QB Mark Sanchez took the field he was looking to keep his team undefeated. Well reality set in as well as mistakes and the kid turned out to be human after all. Darren Sharper picked off two Sanchez passes, returning one 99-yards for a touchdown, to help keep the Saints unbeaten. Just two weeks ago he set the team record when he ran one back 97-yards against Philadelphia. He now has 10 career touchdowns and that ranks him second all time behind Rod Woodson’s 12. Sanchez was harassed all day and finished 14-27 for just 138 yards and three picks. Remi Ayodele also had a touchdown when he recovered a Sanchez fumble after he was sacked by Saints end Will Smith. Pierre Thomas had another strong showing with 86 yards to lead the running game. For the second consecutive game Drew Brees did not throw a touchdown pass and he had only 190 yards passing. So Brees has a sub par day and the running game does not have a 100-yards runner but they win by 14. The Saints still showed that they are capable of playing a complete game on both sides of the ball. They have the Giants in two weeks after a bye.  After the G-Men take care of the Raiders next week it will be another clash of the unbeaten.

Washington 16 Tampa Bay 13

The young Bucs came into this game believing they could win it. After all, the Redskins had just come of a loss to the Lions, ending their 19-game winless streak. Things started well for them in the first few minutes of the game. At the 13:00 mark quarterback Josh Johnson put the Bucs up when he hit Antonio Bryant for an 8-yard touchdown on his first pass of the game. By halftime it was 10-0 and Washington QB Jason Campbell was wondering if he should come out for the second half. Whatever was said in the locker room worked. The Skins came out in the third quarter and scored 16 points to put the game away. Campbell was 7 of 9 for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the quarter. Johnson showed his inexperience and finished up 13-22 for 106 yards one touchdown and one pick. The ground game could never get started and the offense could not mount a drive in the second half. They are now 0-4 and head coach Raheem Morris is still looking for his first NFL win.

The Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers were idle this week. Next week the Falcons go to San Francisco and try to beat a 49er team that is 3-1 and looking better every week. Carolina looks to get into the win column when they host the Redskins next week. They need quarterback Jake Delhomme to get on track as he has had a shaky start to 2009.

Week 4

CONTENDERS:

#1  NEW ORLEANS SAINTS                   4-0              Wk 3:  #1                  Wk 4: Beat NY Jets, 24-10

The Saints remain at #1 for the third straight week, and they’re starting to become more of a complete team each week. We knew they could pass, but they’ve shown a strong running game and a great defense, too.

#2  NEW YORK GIANTS              4-0               Wk 3:  #2               Wk 4: Won at Kansas City, 27-16

Steve Smith has emerged as the go-to receiver the Giants were seeking. Hakeem Nicks showed why the Giants used a 2009 number one pick on him, burning the Chiefs for his first career touchdown on Sunday. And, the D has been strong.

#3  INDIANAPOLIS COLTS           4-0               Wk 3:  #5               Wk 4: Beat Seattle, 34-17

Like a fine wine, Peyton Manning is getting better with age. Four 300-yards games in four games, all Colts’ wins, 9 TD’s and only 3 picks. Very impressive, even by Manning’s standards. Indy can all but end the Titans’ season on Sunday.

#4  MINNESOTA VIKINGS            4-0               Wk 3:  #7               Wk 4: Beat Green Bay, 30-23

Speaking of getting better with age, in his final game in his 30’s, Brett Favre had a terrific game against the franchise that he’ll represent in the Hall Of Fame. As expected, Jared Allen has been a force with 18 tackles and 6½ sacks.

#5  DENVER BRONCOS               4-0               Wk 3:  #6               Wk 4: Beat Dallas, 17-10

Dallas may end up a .500 team this year, but by beating them, the Broncos eased some questions about the legitimacy of their staying power in the AFC, at least for now. And, their defense has allowed a league-low 26 points (6.5 ppg).

#6  NEW YORK JETS                  3-1               Wk 3:  #4               Wk 4: Lost at New Orleans, 24-10

After three impressive weeks, Mark Sanchez and the Jets were dealt a huge case of reality down in the Bayou, but they only fall two spots after losing to #1 on the road, and because the defense for the most part, remains solid.

#7  NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS     3-1               Wk 3:  #16             Wk 4: Beat Baltimore, 27-21

A big jump of 10 spots after beating last week’s #3 team. New England has righted the ship with a pair of solid home wins over Atlanta and Baltimore after raising a lot of early questions with poor showings against the Bills and Jets.

#8  BALTIMORE RAVENS            3-1               Wk 3:  #3               Wk 4: Lost at New England, 27-21

The Ravens have still been pretty good overall, and thus, they’re still in the top 8, but losing a competitive game at New England, Baltimore falls from one of the elite teams down to one notch below the Patriots, for now.

#9  SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS                  3-1               Wk 3:  #8               Wk 4: Beat  St. Louis

The Niners are still that one late Favre-to-Lewis Week 3 Minnesota Miracle pass from being a perfect 4-0. With everyone else in the NFC West under .500, San Francisco clearly looks like the best out west in the NFC.

#10  CHICAGO BEARS                            3-1               Wk 3:  #15             Wk 4: Beat Detroit, 48-24

The Bears have shown some mettle, rebounding from a tough season-opening loss in Green Bay, to win three straight. With 11 fewer first downs, 122 fewer yards, and 13 fewer minutes holding the ball, the Bears beat Detroit 48-24 (?!).

#11  ATLANTA FALCONS             2-1               Wk 3:  #12             Wk 4: Bye

Matt Ryan looked sharp in a couple of home wins against poor competition (Miami and Carolina) but a trip to New England exposed some Falcon flaws. Coming off a bye, Atlanta will be tested again going to San Francisco next.

#12 CINCINNATI BENGALS            3-1               Wk 3:  #10             Wk 4: Beat Cleveland, 23-20 (OT)

The Bengals are one of the league’s biggest enigmas thus far. The blow a game to Denver at home and struggle to beat the lowly Browns, yet they win at Green Bay and beat Pittsburgh. It all adds up to a good 3-1 start at the quarter mark.

#13  PITTSBURGH STEELERS                  2-2               Wk 3:  #17             Wk 4: Beat San Diego, 38-28

If the Steelers could maintain their focus for a full 60 minutes each week, they’d rank in the top five. But, that problem let two road games Pittsburgh should have won get away, and instead of a perfect 4-0, their only at .500

#14  PHILADELPHIA EAGLES                  2-1               Wk 3:  #13             Wk 4: Bye

The Eagles’ bye bought Donovan McNabb the final week of time he needed to recuperate and return to the lineup on Sunday. Games against three bad teams (Tampa Bay, Oakland, and Washington) ease McNabb back into things.

MIRED IN MEDIOCRITY:

#15  DALLAS COWBOYS               2-2               Wk 3:  #9               Wk 4: Lost at Denver, 17-10

At 2-2, Dallas looks to be on the path to 8-8. What they do well one week, they may not do the next, particularly with an inconsistent Tony Romo missing Terrell Owens. Dallas gets an easy one in Kansas City next, before the bye comes.  

#16  JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS      2-2               Wk 3:  #20             Wk 4: Beat Tennessee, 37-17

From 0-2 to 2-2. Is Jacksonville better than expected or did Tennessee already quit on the season after three tough losses? Maybe both. David Garrard has played well enough for the Jags to open it up more with the passing game.

#17  SAN DIEGO CHARGERS                   2-2               Wk 3:  #11             Wk 4: Lost at Indianapolis, 34-17

The Chargers reach the bye and will remain in this area of the rankings until they can raise their game to match that of better opponents. So far, wins over the bad Raiders and Dolphins, but missed chances against Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

#18  GREEN BAY PACKERS           2-2               Wk 3:  #14             Wk 4: Lost at Minnesota, 30-23

Sure, Favre won the big showdown, but bigger picture, Jarred Allen has 4½ sacks, and Cincinnati’s Antwan Odom had five sacks in Green Bay’s other loss. Until they can fix their offensive line woes, the Pack won’t challenge in the NFC.

#19  HOUSTON TEXANS               2-2               Wk 3:  #21             Wk 4: Beat Oakland, 29-6

The Texans have been inconsistent week to week, as shown by the L, W, L, W result. The Raiders at home were the perfect medicine for what was a very shaky defense that allowed a bunch of yardage over the first three weeks.

#20  ARIZONA CARDINALS            1-2              Wk 3:  #19             Wk 4: Bye

The Cards would have been wise to use the bye week to work on their defense after Peyton Manning torched them in the desert. Warner and Arizona were great in Jacksonville but they’ve yet to play well at home in two losses.

LOOKING TOWARD THE 2010 DRAFT:

#21 WASHINGTON REDSKINS                  2-2              Wk 3:  #25             Wk 4: Beat Tampa Bay, 16-13

With Redskin-of-the-teeth wins over awful St. Louis and Tampa Bay, and a loss in Detroit, Washington is about as unimpressive a 2-2 as a team can be. The defense has been okay, but the Skins are still waiting on Jason Campbell.

#22  MIAMI DOLPHINS                  1-3               Wk 3:  #27             Wk 4: Beat Buffalo, 38-10

Starting 0-3, looking pretty bad, and losing their starting quarterback to his latest season-ending injury, the Dolphins seemed to be going nowhere. Then, a 38-10 thrashing of Buffalo. That’s the unpredictability of the NFL at its best.

#23  BUFFALO BILLS                             1-3               Wk 3:  #18             Wk 4: Lost at Miami, 38-10

Now the flip side of that unpredictability. The Bills play well enough to win in New England, lose to the #1 Saints (understandable), and beat Tampa Bay easily. So, 0-3 Miami without Chad Pennington? Naturally, a 38-10 loss. Huh?!

#24  SEATTLE SEAHAWKS            1-3               Wk 3:  #22             Wk 4: Lost at Indianapolis, 34-17

Now that we’ve got the NFL’s unpredictability down, here lesson 2: how quickly fortunes can change. After crushing St. Louis, the Seahawks lose three straight and go from #3 on this list all the way down to #24.

#25  DETROIT LIONS                             1-3               Wk 3:  #24             Wk 4: Lost at Chicago, 48-24

Could it be? Two wins in a row after 19 straight losses? Trading touchdowns in a 21-21 half in Chicago, the Lions made that thought possible. But, then that pesky 27-3 second half came and Detroit became the Lions we’re used to seeing.

#26  TENNESSEE TITANS             0-4               Wk 3:  #23             Wk 4: Lost at Jacksonville, 37-17

What is going on down in Tennessee? From the only 13-3 team and a number one see a year ago, to an 0-4 start this season. So, no more Haynesworth, but way too much talent on the field and on the coaching staff to be winless.

#27  CAROLINA PANTHERS           0-3               Wk 3:  #29             Wk 4: Bye

Good news for Panthers fans! Jake Delhomme didn’t turn it over last week. Oh right, Carolina was off. Ever since last year’s regular season ended, Delhomme has not been the same quarterback. At 0-3, he’d better find it again soon.

#28  OAKLAND RAIDERS              1-3               Wk 3:  #26             Wk 4: Lost at Houston, 29-6

Jamarcus Russell has completed a shade under 40 percent of his passes and there’s talk of head coach Tom Cable being arrested for breaking the jaw of one of his assistants. The Raiders are a mess right now, but at least they have a win…

#29  TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS     0-4               Wk 3:  #31             Wk 4: Lost at Washington, 16-13

Which bring us to the winless bottom four, and we start with the Bucs, who early on, couldn’t stop anyone while moving the ball some. Now that the defense has improved a little, the offense has disappeared. Long season in Tampa.

#30  CLEVELAND BROWNS           0-4               Wk 3:  #32             Wk 4: Lost to Cincinnati, 23-20 OT

The Browns nearly got a… well, not a win, but almost a tie. Hey, gotta set you sights somewhere before you get better.

Cleveland did play Cincinnati tough after three bad games, so maybe there’s a some hope for a little improvement.

#31  KANSAS CITY CHIEFS            0-4               Wk 3:  #30             Wk 4: Lost to NY Giants, 27-16

All you need to know about the Chiefs so far this season, besides losing to three good teams each by double digits, is that when they statistically dominated the bad Raiders at home, they still managed to lose that one as well.

#32  ST.LOUS RAMS                    0-4               Wk 3:  #28             Wk 4: Lost at San Francisco, 35-0

And, bringing up the rear this week, falling four spots to get here after a horrid performance in Frisco, are the Rams. Two shutouts already? Just 24 points in four games? St. Louis is the NFL’s version of minor-league football right now.

LSU 30 Mississippi 26

This game had a little bit of everything with special teams play as well as mistakes. The Tigers of LSU were looking for a pretty easy game against a team that should not have given them much of a test. Chad Jones returned a punt 93 yards and wide receiver Brandon LaFell caught two touchdown passes from QB Jordan Jefferson. The game came down to the last minutes, as the Tigers needed a goal line stand to preserve the win. It would have been easier for them had they not missed an extra point and a chip shot 19-yard field goal. They could not run on the Bulldogs defense all day as holes were plugged up and back could not break tackles. Senior Bulldog running back Anthony Dixon had a great day as he ran for 106 yards 27 carries with two touchdowns. But when his team needed him the most he could not score given two chances from inside the three. Quarterback Tyson Lee went 15-38 for 172 yards one touchdown and three interceptions. He made the first mistake of the game when Patrick Peterson picked off his pass and ran it back 37 yards on the Bulldogs first offensive play. Another mistake he will have a hard time getting over will be the one he made late. There was 1:12 left in the game and it was fourth and goal with the score 31-24 LSU. Lined up in the wishbone Lee ran the sneak and failed to get the touchdown that could have tied the game late. On the ensuing Tiger possession LSU punter Derek Helton killed a few seconds running around in the end zone and then ran out of it for the safety. With the score now 31-26 State got the ball back but Lee threw four incomplete passes ending any hope of a wild finish. LSU made this game harder for them than it should have been. Mistakes in the kicking game and shabby play all day leaves the Tiger head coach Les Miles wondering if his team is ready to take that leap in the polls they are about to take. The schedule will not get any easier and if LSU hopes to play in Atlanta they cannot afford to continue this type of play on the field.

Tennessee 34 Ohio 24

Just when they thought it was safe to get back on the field the Vols nearly laid an egg. It was raining all day and it stopped just in time for kickoff. This was supposed to be an easy win after playing Florida so close to the vest. The defense that showed up in the swamp was mired with injuries to three starters. By games end they lost two more and were unable to stuff the Bobcats. Ohio managed to get 340 total yards mostly on the arm of quarterback Theo Scott who threw for 319 of those yards. The Vols were tough against the run holding Ohio to 21 yards on 17 carries. Vols quarterback Jonathan Crompton threw two touchdown passes but also threw pick number eight on the young season. The running game was a little better with Montario Hardesty rushing for 140 yards on 20 carries including an 11-yard touchdown. Freshman Bryce Brown added 56 yards and 60 receiving to help out. It was still a rather disappointing performance for a team that needs to play with much more consistency to win ballgames. Next week they have Auburn and the defense will be shorthanded. Special teams will have to improve as well. After Hardesty’s touchdown the Vols could be seen celebrating and just like that the ensuing kickoff was run back 95 yards by Ohio’s Chris Garrett for the tying touchdown. Mistakes have been killing the Vols and continued in this game. The defense came in ranked fifth in the nation in total defense but gave up all those passing yards. They must find a way to get better coverage as opposing receivers are still catching the ball a little too wide open. Crompton still has much work to do as he has proven that he cannot be counted on when the passing game is needed. It’s back to the drawing board for the Vols and there is much work to do.

Elsewhere:

Alabama 35 Arkansas 7

Razorback quarterback Greg McElroy has career high of 291 yards and three touchdowns to nine different receivers. The tide is now 4-0 and poised for some votes for the top ranking in the nation. Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett went 12-35 for 160 yards with one touchdown and one pick. Arkansas defense folds once again.

Georgia 20 Arizona State 17

A.J. Green had the game of his young career catching eight passes for 153 yards including a beauty of a 56 yarder for his touchdown but it was his blocked field goal that helped the Dawgz win. The game was not decided until kicker Blair Walsh hit the game winner as time ran out.

Auburn 54 Ball St. 30

Well this was one of those easy ones folks. QB Chris Todd passed for 287 yards and tied a school record with five touchdown passes. The Tigers got nearly 500 yards of offense and are now 4-0. WR Terrell Zachery showed out with five catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores came in the second quarter from 46 and 65 yards.

Vanderbilt 36 Rice 17

This was one the Commodores needed badly so they ran for 216 yards and four touchdowns for the win. Warren Norman had 11 carries for 119 yards and a 58-yard score. Quarterback Larry Smith bounced back going 23-41 for 268 yards and a rushing touchdown. The Dores got almost 500 yards of offense and moved the ball virtually at will. The win snapped a two game losing streak to put them at 2-2.

Florida 41 Kentucky 7

The one thing the Gators worry about is losing AT&Tebow to some sort of injury. It would appear it’s the only thing that could stop them. Well it finally happened when he took a hard hit to the chest and then his head hit the turf. He was taken to the hospital and stayed overnight for observation. The game itself was no contest as Florida jumped out to a 31-0 lead and never looked back. Tebow ran 16 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns. That gives him 48 rushing touchdowns for his career. That is just one short of the SEC record held by Hershel Walker. He also passed for 103 yards and one touchdown before being injured.