The RedZone: Week 10 in the NFL

Apologies for the lack of productivity this week - I've had exams and Graeme has been in the high court... working, obviously! With Week 10 being so full of top-drawer performances, this is the perfect opportunity for us to get back on the horse:

Ryan's Top 5

5. Patrick Willis - 8 tackles, 3 assists, 1 sack, 1 FF. The 49ers are finally beginning to turn their season around, thanks to a combination of their big names (Willis and Frank Gore) and an unlikely hero under centre (Troy Smith, succeeding where namesake Alex continually failed). Facing a resurgant St Louis Rams side, Willis had to marshall the defence, whilst staying at the top of his own game. Sam Bradford threw the ball 42 times, Steven Jackson played like a wrecking ball and yet the 49ers still came away with a 23-20 OT triumph and are two games off the lead in the NFC West. Don't write them off.

4. Santonio Holmes - 5 catches, 76 yards, 1 game-winning TD. Guys like Holmes are special for their sense of occasion. A Superbowl MVP knows when to step up and make a play. His first TD for his new franchise, the Jets, was enough to see his side past a battling Browns outfit 26-20 in OT, with just seconds left until a rare NFL tie. This 37-yard catch was neither a hail mary nor a spectacular long bomb from Mark Sanchez - it was a quick dump off and Holmes did the rest. After missing the early season with a ban, he's back and here to play some serious football.

3. Paul Posluszny - 11 tackles, 2 assists. The Bills have won a game! Yes, their opponents were a travelling Detroit, but no matter. Fred Jackson will be remembered as the hero of the hour for his 2 TD's, but it's hard to forget the effort that Posluszny and his defence put into this one. The Lions are renowned more offensively, even with Stafford again nursing a hurt shoulder. They barely troubled the scoreboard as Buffalo finally got over the line 14-12, despite a late scare where Shaun Hill overthrew what would have been a game-tying two point conversion.

2. Roddy White - 12 catches, 138 yards, 2 TD's. There is no doubt that the Falcons are a genuine Superbowl contender and that White is now one of the very best receivers in the game. Matt Ryan improved to 18-1 in the Georgia Dome, seeing off a confident Ravens side 26-21. White managed to bust so many Baltimore coverages through the game and it was his 33-yard grab late on that sealed the Atlanta victory.

1. Michael Vick - 20/28, 333 yards, 4 TD's; 8 carries, 80 yards, 2 TD's. A few years ago, sat in a jail cell, Michael Vick would never have dared dream he may one day be a viable candidate for the NFL's MVP. But the reality is that he would deserve it. He is still to throw an interception this season, even with a frankly crap O-Line in front of him. Only one man could make good of that line! The Eagles destroyed the Redskins, who weren't even that bad in a 59-28 defeat, mainly because the right QB was on the field throughout this week! A massive game against the Giants looms next week for Philly - the winner will be well fancied in the post-season.

Graeme's Top 5

Firstly, Michael Vick was clearly the best performing player this week but as Ryan has already summed up his stats, and because he humiliated my Redskins in putting them up, I'll pick some different players for the sake of variety. I will say, though, that Vick is playing at a higher level (as an actual quarterback instead of an occasional deep-ball throwing sprinter) than he ever did with the Falcons. Irrespective of his new-found direction in life, or his new coaches, this suggests that his previous boss with the Falcons Jim Mora Jr. did one hell of a bad job of maximising his talent...

5. Rob Gronkowski - 5 catches, 79 yards, 3 TD's - This is as much a tribute to New England's coaches and their ability to utilise their players. They fleeced the Vikings in giving them Randy Moss, and they have simply adapted their offense to compensate for his absence. Basically, they are leaning even more on Wes Welker and the short passing game (if that were possible) and using Grondkowski as the big endzone target. A player I liked the look of in the run up to this years draft, the big former University of Arizona tight end could be the new Jason Witten. He can sprint away from any linebacker and blocks with the strength of a grizzly bear.

4. The Bears' D Line - allowed Minnesota 70 yards rushing, pressured Favre into 3 INT's - Chicago is a wierd team. They look like at any minute they might fall apart, and there are so many parts of their team that raise doubt in your mind. And yet, they are now tied for the NFC North lead and have effectively deposed the Vikings in the process. Adrian Peterson couldn't get going, and Brett got hit a lot. The addition of Julius Peppers has added so much to this unit, whether it shows on the gameday stats sheet or not. The other end, Israel Idonije, is just naturally gifted; a superb motor and great practical strength (as opposed to fairly useless, Combine bench press strength. Cough, Brian Cushing).

3. Bengals D - gave up only 70 rushing and 180 passing yards versus the Colts, prevented Peyton Manning from throwing a TD - And yet, still lost. The Cinncinati defensive effort this weekend was much more like last years impressive form than this seasons dreadful implosion. Old warhorse Dhani Jones at Mike linebacker and newcomer cornerback Rico Murray stood out. The defensive side of the ball cannot be blamed in any way for this loss. It all came down to terrible play from QB Carson Palmer, who has lost all the great stuff that he once had. I used to really like him, and there was a time when he was the third best QB in the league. Now, there is only his philanthropy and charity work to admire. RIP Carson, we still don't really know which of your numerous injuries put paid to your throwing arm and career.

2. Matt Hasselbeck - 22/34, 333 yards, 1 TD - Considering he has been battered about behind an injury hit and generally awful O-line, and has been doubted and at one stage benched in favour of Charlie Whitehurst and his ridiculous Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers style hair, Hasselbeck's best performance of the year was against the Cards (sorry, awful pun). Seattle, in their West Coast offense, used to rely on him to gain the yards that most teams use their running game for. It seems that Pete Carroll, who has tried to change things and utilise his own modified West Coast scheme from his USC days, has found out that Hasselbeck is more successful when in the previous offensive system. It got them to the Superbowl after all.

1. All the Denver linemen (I have just decided that if I ever start a band, it will definately be called "All The Denver Linemen") - pounded Kansas City to crap - Not much more to be said here really! The Chiefs did not 'play to win the game', the Broncos certainly did. The Kansas rushing attack, the backbone of their success this year, was completely dominated by the Denver front 7, and Kyle Orton cruised to a 4 TD day behind his O-line. Hell, even Tim Tebow scored twice.

GM and RM