Sunday Storylines

G-Men Embarrassed By Saints (48-27 NO): There's no way to sugarcoat it; the New York Giants got steamrolled by Drew "Scarface" Brees and the Saints, spoiling Eli Manning's homecoming. This game essentially signalled a shift in my ranking of the top 5 teams. The 48-27 scoreline seemed somewhat flattering to the Giants offense, who scored a touchdown late against a Saints defense that looked like it had given up. New Orleans, meanwhile, had seven different players who scored.

Chiefs Pull Out First Win Against 'Skins (14-6 KC): Even at the risk of stroking my own ego, I have to point out that I picked Kansas City to win this game. To be fair, they had considerable help from an awful Washington team. Despite Clinton Portis averaging over 7 yards per carry on his way to a 109-yard performance on the ground, the Redskins offense could not score at all (to be honest, 78 of those yards came on a single run), and starting QB Jason Campbell was benched at halftime in favor of backup Todd Collins. You may remember that Collins led the Redskins to the playoffs several years ago, but don't expect that kind of a miracle this year. Washington is terrible, plain and simple. In the meantime, KC's attack was also anemic; Larry Johnson posted his season-high rushing performance with a paltry 78 yards (3.6 average), Matt Cassel was sacked five times, and most of their points came from Ryan Succop's four field goals.

Lions Fall To Packers In Division Clash (26-0 GB): The high from their first victory in almost two years (over the 'Skins, of course) has worn off, and the Lions are back to their losing ways. Without their two best players in Calvin Johnson and Matt Stafford, no one expected Detroit to stand a chance, but being shut out by Green Bay was still saddening. Backup QB Daunte Culpepper, filling in for Stafford, injured his hamstring and as replaced by Drew Stanton, who threw two picks as the Lions failed to produce a single point. The Packers looked anything but perfect, however; Aaron Rodgers was sacked five times by a lackluster Lions team, continuing Green Bay's woes (they came into the game allowing a league-high 20 sacks).

Panthers Run Over Bucs (28-21 CAR): Coming off a victory over the Redskins, the Carolina Panthers rushed all over the still-winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, gaining 267 yards on the ground. DeAngelo Williams rushed thirty times for 152 yards and 2 touchdowns, shouldering the load for Carolina along with fellow running back Johnathan Stewart. The game also saw Panthers defensive back Dante Wesley get ejected for a late hit on Bucs punt returner Clifton Smith, and the scuffle that followed set the tone for a tough, physical football game.

Pats Dominate Hapless Titans (59-0 NE): Tom Brady threw five touchdowns in the second quarter (becoming the first quarterback to ever do so in NFL history) and 6 for the game as New England absolutely owned Tennessee. When it seemed things couldn't have gotten any worse for Tennessee, they did as they go into the bye week getting hammered by New England in heavy snow. The scoreline at the half says it all: 45-0. The half sent flashbacks through my mind of the 52-7 rout the 2007 Patriots laid on the Washington Redskins, but that result pales in comparison to the debacle that Tennessee put up. After Brady threw his sixth TD to start the second half, backup Brian Hoyer came in after the Titans committed their fourth turnover by failing a desperate fourth down conversion. Stick a fork in the Titans; they're done.

On a side note, I've really been ragging on Washington lately. I've mentioned them (in a negative light, no less) on almost every headline. But what do you expect when you have inconsistent play, poor coaching, and worse management from the ownership?