Brandon Meriweather and the Player Safety Paradox

Brandon Meriweather knocks himself unconscious on this helmet to helmet hit.

It's no secret that the NFL has made player safety a top concern. In the wake of the findings on concussions and mental health of former players, the league has gone as far as to blatantly advertise this fact.

However, their efforts have in many ways changed the way the game is played. Defensive players frequently complain that the league is merely making it easier on offense because fans (read: paying customers) prefer exciting scoring displays. Shut-down defenses just aren't as sexy.

Efforts have been made to protect defenseless players and prevent helmet to helmet contact. Advocates in the union (along with many who never have played the game) feel like its a simple solution: establish a legal "hitting zone" (much like an MLB strike zone) that defensive players must abide by. However, enforcement of these new "targeting" penalties has been inconsistent at best, as it is difficult for an official to judge the intent of the defender. It is also very difficult for a defender to pick and choose a spot on a moving target when he is closing at 20+ miles-per-hour.

Despite their reluctance, defensive players have been forced to adapt their style of play to abide by these new rules.

Recently, Green Bay WR Randall Cobb took a hit to his lower leg that left him sidelined for several weeks with a broken fibula. QB Aaron Rodgers immediately took issue with the play, and ran down the field to confront Raven's safety Matt Elam face-to-face.

"I just felt like from my vantage point he had plenty of time to not take out a guy's legs in that situation," Rodgers said. "I think he could have hit him in the proper hitting zone and that's what I told him."

The play rekindled the debate on enforcement of a "legal hitting zone" and many current and former players chimed in.

Cobb's teammate Jordy Nelson sympathized with the difficulty of the issue. "It's tough. Defensive guys are given a small target zone to make plays and make hits," he said. "If they can't go high, there's only one other way to go."

Other receivers, including Tony Gonzales and Keyshawn Johnson, admitted they would rather take a shot to the head than a career-threatening blow to the knee.

Future Hall-of-Fame receiver Tim Brown chipped in some advice about how he used to go about his business. "There were times when I made deals with guys on the field," he said. "'Look brother, if you want to save your knees, you better not take my head off when I come across the middle'... That's just how the game was played." It is worth mentioning that Tim Brown holds the NFL record for most consecutive games played by a receiver, and is fifth all-time in career receptions.

"The bottom line is football is a hard game," he finished. "You can tell very quickly who is playing dirty and who is playing hard."

This week, Brandon Meriweather chose to weigh in on the issue.

Meriweather leading with his head.
Eddy Lacy was concussed on this play.

The Washington safety has been flagged multiple times this season for illegal "helmet-to-helmet" hits. He was fined $42,000 just last month for one such hit on Green Bay RB Eddy Lacy, and was finally suspended after committing two such penalties in the same game, a recent contest against the Chicago Bears. An appeal reduced the suspension to one game, sending mixed messages about the NFL's toughness on repeat offenders. More questionable, however, were the comments he chose to make on the first day after returning to practice.


"I guess I just have to take people's knees out," Meriweather said. "You just have to go low now, man. You've got to end people's careers. You got to tear people's ACLs and mess up people's knees. You can't hit them high anymore."

It is clear that Meriweather feels frustrated by the rule changes that prevent him from doing what he was taught to do: propel himself at high-speed into opposing players in an attempt to jar the ball loose. However, any credibility to his point was obliterated by his remorseless attitude and his troubling history.

His reputation off the field is as concerning as on. He has been arrested once for suspicion of DUI, and he was involved in a separate incident in which he was shot in the buttocks. In college, he was also suspended for his involvement in an on-field brawl after he was caught stomping on players from the opposing team.

This year he has repeatedly committed vicious helmet-to-helmet hits. Not only that, but the remorseless and deferential attitude he displayed during the interview makes you wonder whether his warnings, suspensions, and fines have taught him anything at all.

"I guess it's better other people than me getting suspended," he concluded.

Meriweather drew a penalty and a suspension for this hit,
but managed to break up the touchdown. 

Brandon Marshall, the victim of one of Meriweather's latest brain-busters, spoke on the hit and displayed some remarkable maturity for someone who has had his own share of off-the-field issues.

"I understand big hits, that is part of our game," said Marshall. "But when you have a guy that does it week in and week out, that’s when it becomes a problem... Guys like that really don’t understand that there is life after football. I respect the league trying to better our game and guys like that, maybe he needs to get suspended or taken out of the game completely."

Meriweather evidently did not appreciate the opinion. "He feels like I need to be kicked out of the league? I feel like people who beat their girlfriends should be kicked out, too," he responded. "You tell me who you’d rather have: Somebody who plays aggressive on the field, or somebody who beat up their girlfriend."

Marshall has been involved in numerous domestic disputes but has been acquitted of all charges each time. His handling of the debate, like his play on the field, simply goes to show the progress he has made.

Sleeping in the bed he made. 

"I told him that I was more concerned about him and his health, because I think a few weeks before our game I saw him lying on the field just out cold. It was a scary situation. I never want to see him or any player lay out like that," Marshall continued. "As far as what he said today, you can only pray for someone with those feelings. So that's all I have to say about that."

So today, when I learned that DeMaurice Smith, the executive director of the NFL Player's Association, had spoken with Meriweather about his comments, I was hardly surprised.


"I spoke to Brandon," Smith said in a statement. "He is passionate about the game, and I know he is sorry for what he said."

What was not surprising was the conclusion of the ESPN story: "Asked Thursday about Smith's statement, Meriweather said he had no comment."

Brandon Meriweather is not sorry for his actions. He will pay his fine and return to the field none the wiser.

Just don't be surprised the next time you see him lying there unconscious.

Kansas City: It's Your Heart to Break

The Kansas City Chiefs are the only undefeated team remaining.

Mid-way through the season they find themselves standing at 8-0, just a few months removed from finishing a league-worst 2-14. Their tale of redemption, intertwined with the union of embattled coach Andy Reid and discarded QB Alex Smith, form a wonderful narrative for sports journalists to continuously exaggerate. Many Kansas City fans are riding the wave of success and public enthusiasm, and no doubt, all around the Missouri border, people are whispering "This could be our year!"

Be careful, Kansas City.

A glimpse at the Chiefs' resume yields some troubling insight.

The list of the vanquished includes the winless Jags; a Giants team that hung there with them for six weeks; and an Eagles team that has failed to score an offensive touchdown in their last two games. Other mid-grade teams have caught Kansas City at unfavorable times. Three of Kansas City's wins came against teams starting a back-up quarterback-- Houston, Cleveland, and Tennessee-- and were squeaked out by an average margin of less than one score each. Their only win over a team that currently holds a winning record was the Cowboys, and when Tony Romo's propensity for blowing the game is factored, that victory could be declared fool's gold, at best.

Andy Reid has the team ranked number one in the league, and Alex Smith, since 2011, has the highest winning percentage among active quarterbacks-- ahead of Brady, Brees, Manning, and even Rodgers. Both left their former teams with something to prove, and both appear to be flourishing in their new home. But they also share the habit of losing NFC Championships (except, of course, in 2004 when Andy Reid was lucky enough to lose the Superbowl).

Kansas City was also praised for a dominant performance over the Raiders in which they recorded ten sacks. By halftime, every Oakland offensive lineman was playing a position different to the one he started the season at. With a makeshift line, first year starting QB Terrelle Pryor was unable to effectively audible and call blocking schemes, a task complicated also by the fact the Kansas City fans were breaking the Guinness Record for loudest sports crowd at the time. The Chief's defense enjoyed it as much as the crowd did.

If that's not a dedicated fan base, I don't know what is!

Yes I do. 

And can you really blame them? The Chiefs have finished in last place in their division 4 out of the last 5 years. They have missed the playoffs 12 out of the last 15 years. So its no surprise that the recent success has Kansas City tasting something extra sweet in their barbecue sauce.

They have a defense that leads the league in sacks and boasts a turnover ratio of +12. They have Alex Smith and his inexplicable winning percentage. And they have other reasons that lead many to see the Chiefs as legitimate contenders this year. But I'm not one of them.


If you want to believe in the Chiefs, go ahead. It's your heart to break.

Just don't cry to me when they lose to Denver in the playoffs.

Mid Season MVP Candidates

We are nearly halfway through the NFL season, and our sample size is large enough to posit some probable candidates for 2013's Most Valuable Player.

Let's Start with the Obvious:

Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning is enjoying one of the finest seasons of his celebrated career in Denver, and is playing as well as he ever did pre-surgery with the Colts. He has already thrown 29 touchdowns and is averaging 364 yards per game; he has thrown only 6 interceptions and is completing 71.6% of his passes; and he has the Broncos sitting pretty at 7-1 (and still in second place!).

He finds himself at the helm of one of the deadliest aerial attacks in the league. The talented receiving core of D. Thomas, Decker, Welker, and J. Thomas bring a mix of size, speed, and precision to a team that also possesses a strong ground game.

Manning is on pace for a record-breaking year, and is in fact already shattering them. After 5 games Manning had thrown for 19 touchdowns, eclipsing the great Daunte Culpepper (no joke) for the most to start the season.

Factor in their strong defensive play and Denver looks to be firing on all cylinders, but many feel they are underperforming. They have the week off to regroup, then will look to continue their success for the remainder of the season. Among others, they will face the Patriots, the Chiefs (twice), and end the season in the Black Hole in a match that will likely have strong playoff seeding implications.

Calvin Johnson

Of all the high expectations for Calvin Johnson, the steepest were those he applied himself, and though I cannot speak for Calvin, he is certainly exceeding in my book.

In week seven Megatron recorded three hundred and twenty-nine receiving yards, falling just seven short of the all-time record. Not only were the catches incredibly acrobatic, but they came in some of the game's most important moments, including an 87-yard catch-and-run, a 54-yard bomb in betwen defenders, and a 22-yard catch to set up the game-winning score.

He is averaging 117 yards per game and has Matt Stafford and the Lions in contention for first place in the division. Though they are currently a game behind the Packers, Detriot looks poised to make the playoffs either way.

Drew Brees

Drew Brees and the Saints are the least-talked about juggernaut in the league. Sean Payton's return from suspension has immediately translated into the success, and they currently sit atop the NFC south at 6-1-- their only loss coming at the hands of Tom Brady and his epic last-minute touchdown drive in Foxboro. However, that sting, and that of Payton's recent suspension, only fuel the fire in New Orleans, and have Brees playing at a level very similar to his 2008 Super Bowl season.

Brees has passed for over 2200 yards and 19 touchdowns, 8 of which went to his favorite target, Jimmy Graham. The Monster tight-end had been battling a sprained foot for the past few weeks, and his health in inextricably tied to the success of this team. However, if the past is any indication, Drew Brees will find a way to keep his team in contention with the best in the league.

Week Eight Recap

Headlines and Notes from Week 8

The Jaguars traveled to London to face the 49ers in an effort to expand the NFL's fan base.
Their offensive line poses for a photo before the game. 

San Francisco 42, Jacksonville 10
The 49ers looked good in London, and the Jags looked as bad as anywhere they travel. This match was one-sided from the start, as the Jacksonville defense was unable to slow the run-game at all, and the Niners were up 28-3 by halftime.
Kaepernick threw for score and ran for two more, and the San Francisco offense clicked on many cylinders, good signs for a team anxiously waiting the return Michael Crabtree.  The 49ers have won five straight heading into their bye week, as the Jags sink to 0-8.

New York Giants 15, Philadelphia 7
In Sunday's least exciting game, New York emerged with a victory that no right-minded person would feel good about. The one-win Giants handed Philly its tenth straight home loss by kicking five field goals, but failed to find the end zone for the second time this year. The Giants have won two in a row, and incredibly have moved within two games of first in the NFC East with a record of... 2-6.

Meanwhile, quarterback problems have left the Eagles' offense flightless: starter Michael Vick looked miserable and was pulled in the first half due to a "sore hamstring", and with backup Nick Foles out with a concussion, third-string rookie Matt Barkley entered the game to fumble the football immediately. The former USC standout has officially started his NFL career with four turnovers in his first four possessions. Philly managed to score on special teams only when a snap went over the punter's head and all the way to the end zone. Apparently, the Giant's punter is a terrible kicker, because he completely whiffed when attempting to kick the football out of bounds, fell on his behind, and allowed an Eagles defenseman to recover the ball in the endzone for seven points.

Buffalo 17, New Orleans 35
Drew Brees continued to state his MVP case by throwing for five touchdowns and 332 yards, and the Saints improved to 6-1 on the season. Their only loss came last week via Tom Brady's vintage last-minute comeback. Jimmy Graham remains hindered by a sprained foot, but was able to enter the game situationally, and wound up grabbing three catches on three targets for two touchdowns. As the central piece of their passing attack, Graham and his health will be something to monitor closely. Buffalo continues to be... Buffalo, but at least Thad Lewis has looked good after an injury scare a few weeks back.

Miami 17, New England 27
The Dolphins started the season 3-0. Okay, stop laughing. The Dolphins also held the lead in this game for the first half, and held a miserable Patriot's offense to only 59 yards. Then the second half started, some switch somewhere was flipped, and the Patriots become the Patriots again, scoring 24 unanswered points and shutting out the Dolphins in the second half.
Tom Brady again seemed to piece together a passing attack, with the interchaning and movable parts that make up the roster, and inconsistencies in their offense have forced Bill Belichick to search the depths of his roster for a winning formula. Again, the Patriots did just enough to emerge with the win, but against better teams, improbable comebacks will likely not be enough.

Cleveland 17, Kansas City 23
The Chiefs remained unbeaten by another narrow margin, avoiding an upset by QB Jason Campbell and the visiting Browns. Alex Smith and the passing game was inconsistent, but shined when it needed to, and the Chief's defense was able to hold off an impressive Cleveland offense that rallied behind Jason Campbell in his first start as a Brown. Kansas City will next face the last-place Bills, and have a good chance at remaining undefeated as they enter their Week 10 bye.

Dallas 30, Detroit 31
The matchup was hyped all week long as the battle of the NFLs top receivers, Detroit's Calvin Johnson and Dallas's Dez Bryant. It did not disappoint. The Lions were able to score with 12 seconds remaining in the game and relied heavily on their star WR, who came seven yards shy of the NFL record with 329 yards and a score. Matt Stafford threw for 488 yards and snuck the final touchdown across the goal line on a fake spike play to finish off the exciting comeback.
Meanwhile, the Cowboy's added another classic "how could we possibly blow this" game to their resume. Interestingly enough, Tony Romo did not have any late turnovers (he finished with 206 yards and 3 TDs) but could not escape other stories of internal drama. Much attention was given to Dez Bryant's sideline tirades against his quarterback, his tight-end, and his head coach, which he characterized as signs of his "passionate play", but the Cowboy's will need more than passion to hold onto the lead in the NFC East: their 4-4 record has them up only a game in the division.

New York Jets 9, Cincinnati 49
The blowout of the week came at the hands of Andy Dalton and the Bengal's defense. The Red Rifle threw for a career-high 5 TDs to go with 325 yards in the rout, while his competitor Geno Smith had a rough day in the pocket, throwing two interceptions that we returned for touchdowns. The Bengals are emerging as a well-rounded team and a favorite to win the AFC North.

Atlanta 13, Arizona 27
Atlanta's nightmare season continues as they were beaten in Arizona by a shaky Cardinals team. The offense looked flat without WRs White and Jones. Even with Steven Jackson in the backfield, they were unable to run the ball and ineffective in the passing game. Arizona has to feel good about the win, which featured a breakout game from rookie RB Andre Ellington, and a dominant performance from their defense, which intercepted Matt Ryan 4 times on the day. Arizona improves to 4-4, while Atlanta falls to 2-5, ahead only of the winless Buccaneers in their division.

Pittsburgh 18, Oakland 21
Steve Suisham missed two FGs of under 35 yards, and that was pretty much the type of day it was for Pittsburgh. Terrelle Pryor took the first play from scrimmage 93 yards for a touchdown, setting an NFL record for longest TD run by a QB, and led a potent Raider offense for the first half. In the second, the Raiders were completely unable to move the ball, and went three-and-out on 5 of 7 drives (the other two drives were six plays before punting and two plays before fumbling). It was a sloppy game, and the Raiders did everything they could to keep Pittsburgh in it. But in the end, Pittsburgh was unable to protect their QB, unable to secure important passes, and unable to transfer their efforts into points, and would up falling to 2-5 on the year. The Raiders improve to 3-4 and face a struggling Eagles team in Oakland next week.

Washington 21, Denver 45
At one point, Washington was up 21-7 IN Denver, and looked poised to pull off the upset of the season. Then Peyton Manning took over, and Denver scored 38 unanswered points, including 31 in the fourth quarter, to cap a dominant performance at home and improve to 7-1 on the year. RG3 did not finish the game, leaving to tend to an injured left knee. His status for next week is questionable, but his history of playing through injuries makes me wonder about his availability and the cumulative impact of these traumatic hits. He has already raised eyebrows this season for looking less explosive than last year. I would not be surprised to see him out on the field next week against San Diego, and I would not be surprised to see him exhibiting signs of lingering injury.

Green Bay 44, Minnesota 31
Aaron Rodgers shined, despite the absence of three of his top receiving targets, and the Packers defeated their division rivals in Minnesota on Sunday Night. Christian Ponder temporarily holds the starting job in Minnesota, though for how long is anybody's guess, and was largely ineffective, as usual. Adrian Peterson was held to 60 yards and was out-shined by his Green Bay counterpart, Eddie Lacy, who rushed for 94 yards on 29 carries and has added much needed dimension to an injury-plagued offensive attack. Lacy is averaging 102 rushing yards in the three games since his return. At 5-2, the Packers look poised for another solid playoff run, while the Vikings (who made the playoffs last year!) are putting together a solid pursuit of the number one pick in the draft. They fall to 1-6.

*Thursday Night*
Carolina 31, Tampa Bay 13
I'm running out of creative ways to announce that the Buccaneers still have not won a game. They fell at home to a mildly surprising Panthers team, and yet no one was that impressed with them either. The NFL is pushing to extend their Thursday night market, but even as it stands now, seems unable to deliver relevant games consistently. Carolina improves to 4-3 on the season, but has upcoming games against the 49ers, the Patriots, and the Saints twice. Still, they look like they could emerge as wild card contenders for the first time in a long time.

*Monday Night*
Seattle 14, Saint Louis 9
After losing their starting QB for the season last week, the St. Louis Rams were heavy underdogs against their division leading rivals. However, they played Seattle to the very end, ultimately coming up short and stalling at the three-yard line on what would have been the game-winning drive. A great pass-rush by the Seahawks defense pressured QB Kellen Clemens into an overthrow as time expired, giving Seattle the win and boosting them to 7-1 on the season.
The Seahawks looked mostly unimpressive in the win, and is a bit shocking for a team many consider to be the best all-around contender in the NFL. The defense bent but did not break (arguably disappointing to even bend to a backup QB on a last-place team) but the Seahawks offense struggled to maintain drives and hold the ball. Seattle had possession for only 21 minutes, giving the Rams 39 minutes on offense, and a normally dangerous attack was hampered. Russell Wilson threw for only 139 yards, and the Beast Marshawn Lynch was held to 23 yards on the ground. It was a good effort from St. Louis' defense, but ultimately not enough to earn the victory.

*On the Bye*
Houston, San Diego, Baltimore, Chicago, Tennessee, Indianapolis

Week Seven Recap

Week Seven Recap

In case you haven't heard, Peyton Manning played in a game this week. In other news, so did thirty-one one other quarterbacks. Here's a look at what we learned from the Week Seven outcomes.

Not Peyton Manning.

San Diego 24, Jacksonville 6
The woes continue for Jacksonville, who has yet to score a touchdown at home this season. San Diego showed some promise and is displaying a surprising number of offensive weapons for a team who has already lost its top receivers to injuries. However, the Chargers will ultimately be judged by how they finish the year, as they rightfully should, and unfortunately find themselves stuck in a division with two top teams in the NFL: Denver and Kansas City.

St. Louis 15, Carolina 30
The Panthers defense is beginning to assert itself as one of league's best, and are holding opponents to an average of 14 points per game. They stifled a Ram's attack that had played well of late but capitulated after losing starting QB Sam Bradford in the 4th quarter to an ACL that effectively ended the young quarterback's season.

Chicago 41, Washington 45
An exciting affair was decided by Roy Helu Jr.'s third touchdown of the day, coming with forty-five seconds remaining in the game. Chicago QB Jay Cutler left the game due to injury but backup quarterback Josh McCown was able to effectively lead the offense, throwing for over 200 yards and a touchdown. Robert Griffin III showed glimpses of his former self and played far better than last week in Washington's post-bye-week loss to Dallas, a good victory for a team with expectations of returning to the playoffs as NFC East champs, and a bitter defeat for a Bear's team aching for a Superbowl berth. Since the bye, RG3 is averaging over 80 rushing yards per game, compared to a meager 18 in the four games before.

Dallas 17, Philadelphia 3
So much for the Nick Foles era. After a week spent debating whether another solid performance by the young QB would effectively supplant Vick as the starter, Foles had a miserable day-- and that was before he left the game with a concussion. The Matt Barkely era began today as well, and was christened with three fourth-quarter picks. Hats off to the Dallas defense for allowing the fewest points of the week, and to Tony Romo for not throwing any game-changing interceptions. Dallas now sits alone atop the NFC East.

New England 27, New York Jets 30
Controversy. That is how this AFC East thriller will be remembered, specifically for a game-changing unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called in overtime on the New England Patriots. A player was flagged for illegally pushing a teammate into a down-lineman during the game-winning field goal attempt. The kick was wide, the flag enforced, and kicker Nick Folk was given another shot from fifteen yards closer. He nailed it, and the Jets can hang their hats having played impressively all-around. Geno Smith threw for a touchdown and rushed for another himself, while the Jets defense kept Brady from throwing a touchdown pass for only the second time in his last fifty-five games. A tough pill to swallow for a Patriots team encouraged by the return of their star tight-end, Rob Gronkowski, who contributed 114 yards (on 17 targets!) but no touchdowns.

Buffalo 23, Miami 21
Dan Carpenter booted the game-winning field goal with less than a minute to go to beat his former team, and the Dolphins, who started the year with three straight victories, have followed with three straights losses. Thad Lewis played well for Buffalo despite lingering injury concerns after his foot-sprain in last week's OT loss to Cinci, and led the Bills to their second-straight victory with Lewis as the starting QB.

Cincinnati 27, Detroit 24
The Lion's defense was effectively tamed by Cincinnati's offensive line, and managed only one sack of QB Andy Dalton, who did not turn the ball over once. The Lion's have looked good at times this season, but skeptics will be harder to convince given their past volatility. Meanwhile, the Bengals add another complete-team victory to their ever increasing resume.

Tampa Bay 23, Atlanta 31
Atlanta's attack was not hindered by the absence of its top-two receivers and star running back, but regular-season home-victories have likely ceased to satisfy QB Matt Ryan. A team with high expectations and unfortunate injury setbacks stills fought for its life and denied rookie QB Mike Glennon, keeping the Bucs winless on the year.

*Sidenote: Both winless teams hail from the Sunshine State, leading me to wonder: What's wrong with Florida? (Apart from their drug and gun control problems, I mean.)*

San Francisco 31, Tennessee 17
The Niners improve to 5-2 on the year, and despite some questionable performances, appear to be building a strong case for contention in the rankings. The return of Jake Locker was not enough to boost the Titans over the NFC favorites, who have won four straight and will continue on their trip to London, where they will face a winless Jags team next week.

Browns 13, Packers 31
The aggressive offense of the Packers did not miss a beat without WRs James Jones and Randall Cobb, and will have to continue to find a way to win without key weapons, as they also lost TE Jermichael Finley to a neck injury in the second half. RB Eddie Lacy led an effective running game that allowed Green Bay 33 minutes of possession, and its Defense allowed only 215 yards of total offense to Cleveland.

Houston 16, Kansas City 17
The Moral Victory of the Week goes to the Houston Texans for their loss in Kansas City. A team in desperate need of a confidence boost threw their third-string rookie QB out in front of an undefeated league-leading defense in one of the most hostile environments in the game, then lost also its star running back and star linebacker, yet somehow this game was close to the very end. Kansas City becomes the only unbeaten team left at this point, and does so again in only moderately impressive fashion. However, despite the ease of their schedule, Andy Reid and Alex Smith continue to enjoy the greatest possible outcome in their unlikely revival of the Chiefs. Houston drops to 2-5 and has now lost five straight heading into their much-needed bye week, but at least their streak of "consecutive games with a pick-6" came to an end at four.

Baltimore 16, Pittsburgh 19
Another Iron Bowl featuring the league's most traditionally vaunted defenses was decided by a late field goal. Any victory of their hated division rival is welcome, but the win has to feel especialy good for the Steelers, as it is merely their second of the season. The Ravens have to feel frustrated, as they fought back all game and found the end-zone late in the fourth to tie the score, only to surrender a large run-back on the ensuing kickoff and put the Steelers in excellent position to kick the game-winner. Somewhere, Jacoby Jones is shaking his head. Live by the sword, die by the sword.

Denver 33, Indianapolis 39
Peyton Manning's much publicized return to Indy was spoiled as his former team ruined Denver's perfect record by beating them at home. The Bronco defense had much trouble slowing QB Andrew Luck, who seems uninhibited by the lack of effective offensive weapons. RB Trent Richardson has yet to break out as a Colt, and veteran WR Reggie Wayne is now out for the season after tearing his ACL. A few costly turnovers and over 100 yards in penalties doomed Denver, who seemed out of character in the Sunday night drama, and the Colts were able to capitalize and improve to 5-2 on the year.

*Monday Night*
Minnesota 7, New York Giants 23
In this battle of the bottom-feeders the Giants prevailed and earned their first win of the season. At best, Minnesota's offense looked incapable in Josh Freeman's first start as a Viking, and for the first time all season gave the fan base of the winless Buccaneers something to cheer about. Adrian Peterson was held to 28 yards on only 13 carries, and Freeman completed just 20 of his 53(!) pass attempts for a measly 153 yards and a pic, while also setting the NFL record for most overthrows in a game.

*Thursday Night*
Seattle 34, Arizona 22
Russell Wilson led a dangerously complete Seattle team to a road victory over their division foes from Arizona. Carson Palmer was sacked seven times and threw two interceptions in the loss, but can hardly be blamed for Arizona's continued impotence. Seattle's defense continues to enforce their position as a top seed of the NFC.

*On the Bye*
Oakland, New Orleans