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1. Forget Chris Simms, New England. Here's a suggestion: Pull quarterback Daunte Culpepper out of retirement and sign him. I know a wide receiver on your team that would love the move.
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| It's safe to say the Falcons are pleased with new RB Michael Turner, who rumbles for 220 yards, two TDs. (AP) |
3. I'm with you. Chad Pennington definitely couldn't have made those throws downfield for the Jets.
4. It figures. One week Cincinnati releases Deltha O'Neal; the next he's making the game-saving play for New England. That tells you something about both franchises.
5. Uh, make that a three-team race in the NFC North, and welcome back, Chicago. I never thought I'd say this, but maybe Kyle Orton is the answer.
6. The clock is ticking on the 49ers' Mike Nolan, and I know because I heard GM Scott McCloughan tell reporters last week he expects the team to go 3-1 or 4-1 out of the chute. Well, let's see, the 49ers just lost to Arizona. So there's the one defeat. So Nolan must win in Seattle ... and in New Orleans ... and against New England? Good luck.
7. And that, folks, is why Atlanta paid the big bucks for Michael Turner.
8. Get used to seeing the Buffalo Bills returning punts and kickoffs for touchdowns. They're so deep, they don't even have rookie Leodis McKelvin returning kicks, and he was the best punt returner in this year's draft.
| Keeping up with Brett, Chad and Aaron | ||||||
| Player | COMP | ATT | YDS | TD | INT | W/L |
| Brett Favre | 15 | 22 | 194 | 2 | 0 | 1-0 |
| Chad Pennington | 26 | 43 | 251 | 2 | 1 | 0-1 |
| Aaron Rodgers | 18 | 22 | 178 | 1 | 0 | 1-0 |
9. Memo to LeBron James: Next time you show up for a season opener in Cleveland, lose the Yankees' hat and don't hover around the visiting bench -- especially when it's Dallas.
10. Look for more of rookie Felix Jones in Dallas. First, Marion Barber has sore ribs. Second, Jones looks like the real deal. On his first NFL rush he carried the Cleveland defense with him for an 11-yard TD; on his second he ran for 18, with the last possible tackler stopping him from going 67. All he did was average 6.9 yards a carry and prove that the Cowboys are as deep on offense as we thought.
11. Memo to Laveranues Coles: It's time to make peace with Brett Favre. Coles had one catch for five yards, and that's not right. Coles is a weapon both Favre and the Jets need.
12. John Fox should be ecstatic. His Panthers just stole a game against an opponent that won 15 of its last 16 regular season games at home, and they did it without playmaker Steve Smith. Fox is on the griddle this season and probably needs to make the playoffs to keep his job. Beating San Diego is a huge step in that direction.
13. Now you know why Arizona started Kurt Warner. Three of Arizona's first four games are on the road, and it can't afford another year of underwhelming play there. So the Cards call on the experienced Warner, and it's no coincidence they made the move for San Francisco. He's 8-1 against the 49ers.
14. Just a hunch: Matt Hasselbeck has more than just a sore back today. I can't recall the last time I saw him hammered as badly or as frequently as he was by Buffalo. My only question: Why leave him in there in the fourth quarter?
15. It doesn't matter what Chad Johnson calls himself. What matters is if Cincinnati doesn't call his number more than it did in Baltimore. Look it up: Johnson had one catch.
Just asking but ...
• Why challenge that Marvin Harrison fumble?
• What happened to Cleveland's pass rush?
• Who's the biggest concern for New England? Buffalo, the Jets or Matt Cassel?
• What's the deal with Indianapolis and injuries?
Five things I like
1. Buffalo's special teams. I count two touchdowns, including a 19-yard touchdown catch by the game's new lonesome end, Ryan Denney. Bobby April, take a curtain call.
2. The new, improved Jake Delhomme. In his last five games he has 11 touchdowns, one interception.
3. Marcus Stroud in the middle of Buffalo's defensive line. The guy makes a difference. Ask Hasselbeck.
4. Joe Flacco's block on Mark Clayton's touchdown run.
5. Matt Forte's debut. Maybe Lance Briggs was wrong about Thomas Jones.
Five things I don't
1. Indianapolis going for it on fourth-and-1 at the 50 with 14 minutes left. Too soon, guys, especially when you're down by only nine.
2. Jacksonville's pass protection. All that was missing was somebody yelling, "Ole!"
3. Anything about the Rams.
4. Washington's hurry-up offense. Yeah, I know, what hurry-up offense?
5. The advice Jason Peters got. Are you kidding me? A summer of sitting ... for this?
Numbers, numbers, numbers
1 -- Ben Roethlisberger incompletions
2 -- Willie Parker rushing TDs in 2007
3 -- Willie Parker TDs Sunday
3 -- 100-yard receivers for Philadelphia
2-0 -- Rookie quarterbacks on Sunday
1-7 -- Matt Schaub's road record
1-9 -- Cleveland in its season openers at home
8-1 -- Kurt Warner vs. 49ers
20 -- Straight regular-season wins for New England
25 -- Seconds needed to produce two Buffalo TDs
35.2 -- Carson Palmer's passer rating, the lowest of his career
33 -- Jacksonville rushing yards
99 -- Carson Palmer passing yards
3-1 -- NFC vs. AFC, with Buffalo preventing the sweep
Rookie Watch
It was months ago that Donovan McNabb said he wanted more playmakers around him, but the Philadelphia Eagles whiffed on trade talks for Anquan Boldin and Roy Williams. So they drafted wide receiver DeSean Jackson, and lucky for them. All he did was lead the Eagles in catches and produce 206 all-purpose yards, including 106 in catches. McNabb, you have your playmaker.
Next Week's Best Three Games
Indianapolis at Minnesota. Jared Allen vs. Tony Ugoh. Uh-oh.
New England at N.Y. Jets. This time the Pats might need the video.
Philadelphia at Dallas. Hallelujah! No more Big-D losses to Philly. That's D as in December.
My Top Five
1. Dallas 2. Pittsburgh 3. New York Giants 4. Philadelphia 5. New Orleans
My Bottom Five
32. St. Louis 31. Cincinnati 30. Detroit 29. San Francisco 28. Miami