New receivers are emerging, three teams change quarterbacks, Peyton Manning's top target is hurting and Ray Rice will have a tough test against Denver's run defence.
There's a new number one, as the Indianapolis Colts take over top spot in the NFL Power Rankings this week.
Notes
- Forget Roy Williams as the Cowboys' number one receiver. That title should belong to Miles Austin, who has 16 catches for 421 yards and four touchdowns in his first two career starts.
- Vikings WR Sidney Rice has emerged as Brett Favre's favourite target, catching 16 passes for 312 yards over the last two weeks.
- Giants rookie WR Hakeem Nicks has touchdowns in four straight games, catching nine passes for 194 yards in the last two, taking some touches from starters Mario Manningham and Steve Smith.
- 2005 first-round pick Alex Smith is taking over at quarterback for the 49ers, sending Shaun Hill to the bench, after throwing three second-half touchdown passes against the Texans last week. Smith hasn't shown much in his NFL career to this point, but if he's able to develop chemistry with 2006 first-round pick TE Vernon Davis (who caught all three TD passes at Houston) and 2009 first-round pick WR Michael Crabtree, then the Niners may have some semblance of a passing game.
- The Titans are turning to Vince Young at quarterback, perhaps a last gasp to find out if Young can be accurate enough to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Given the poor play of Kerry Collins this season, though, it's hard to imagine Young hurting the value of Tennessee's receivers.
- Bills WR Terrell Owens' last three games: 10 catches, 94 yards.
- Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco has back-to-back 100-yard receiving games for the first time since September 2007.
- The Bucs have turned to 2009 first-round pick Josh Freeman as they try to figure out an offensive plan. Josh Johnson was too high-risk and there didn't appear to be much of a future with Byron Leftwich, so now it's time to find out if Freeman can play. If he can, that would sure help TE Kellen Winslow and WR Antonio Bryant.
- Also keep an eye on rookie Bucs WR Sammie Stroughter, who has six catches for 128 yards over the last two weeks. Tampa Bay has a bye this week, so the new offence will take the field in Week Nine vs. Green Bay.
- The Saints running tandem of Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas has effectively pushed Reggie Bush into spot duty. Bush has topped 40 yards rushing just once this season and has gained a total of 94 yards from scrimmage in the last three games.
- Cardinals rookie RB Chris Wells had a season-high 14 carries for 67 yards against the Giants, possibly pulling ahead of Tim Hightower in the Cards' timeshare backfield.
- Acquired at the trade deadline from St. Louis, LB Will Witherspoon was an impact player against Washington, recording a sack, a fumble recovery and an interception for a touchdown. That won't happen every week, obviously, but Witherspoon is a playmaker who will be more valuable with a strong supporting cast around him.
- LaDainian Tomlinson has re-established his place as San Diego's starting running back, but he's not quite the same LT, gaining a total of 175 yards from scrimmage over the last two weeks, and those are his two best games of the season to this point.
- Falcons RB Michael Turner has surpassed 70 yards rushing twice in six games this season.
- Steelers rookie WR Mike Wallace is turning into a big-play threat as the third wide receiver, recording a gain of at least 25 yards in five straight games and touchdowns in two of the last three.
- Consider Rams WR Danny Amendola (13 catches for 107 yards in the last three weeks) as a player with potential to payoff as the Rams' lost season goes on.
- Saints FS Darren Sharper has three interceptions for touchdowns in six games, putting him ahead of noted receivers like Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Santana Moss, Torry Holt, Anquan Boldin, Greg Jennings, Calvin Johnson and Carolina's Steve Smith.
- Second-year Falcons S Thomas DeCoud is emerging as a playmaker, recording ten tackles and a sack against Dallas, a week after picking off two passes against Chicago.
Injury Replacements
- Colts WR Reggie Wayne has missed practice this week, due to a groin strain, but can't be ruled out for Sunday apparently. If Wayne doesn't play, look to Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie to get more of Peyton Manning's attention in the passing game.
- With Jets RB Leon Washington out for the season with a broken leg, rookie Shonn Greene will step into a more prominent role in the New York offence. Considering he rumbled for 144 yards and a pair of TDs against the Raiders, it's safe to say Greene can play; it's also safe to say that the yardage won't often come as easily as it did against the Raiders.
- Eagles RB Westbrook is dealing with a concussion, making it likely that rookie LeSean McCoy will see the bulk of the carries for the Eagles against the Giants this week.
- Chargers LB Tim Dobbins had an interception and 11 tackles, starting in place of Kevin Burnett at Kansas City last week and figures to get the start against Oakland on Sunday.
- If Colts RB Donald Brown isn't able to go, because of a shoulder injury, Chad Simpson would figure to get the backup carries behind Joseph Addai.
- Redskins TE Chris Cooley will miss a month after ankle surgery, but Fred Davis filled in just fine against the Eagles, catching eight passes for 78 yards and a touchdown.
Match-ups To Watch
- Coming off the first game of the season in which the Packers didn't allow a sack and the first game in which RB Ryan Grant topped 100 yards, Green Bay's offensive line will face a tough test against the Vikings' front seven this week.
- Arizona's league-best run defence faces off against a Carolina team that needs to run the ball, if only to minimize the mistakes from QB Jake Delhomme.
- Carolina's league-best pass defence will get a test against Arizona's potent passing game.
- Denver's third-ranked run defence squares off against Baltimore's Ray Rice, who has gained over 140 yards from scrimmage in each of his last three games.
- Buffalo has the league's worst run defence (allowing 172.4 yards per game), which could potentially give Texans RB Steve Slaton a chance to rush for 80 yards for the first time all season.
- Likewise, Bears RB Matt Forte, who has rushed for a total of 47 yards the last two weeks, goes against Cleveland's 31st-ranked run defence.
- The Giants have the second-best pass defence in the league, and the Eagles have shown a real reluctance to run the ball, so that makes for an intriguing matchup.
- Tennessee is coming off a bye week, but so is Jacksonville, so Jaguars QB David Garrard has a chance for a big game against the 32nd-ranked pass defence.
Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@ctv.ca