The RedZone: Week 9 in the NFL

While this week featured some great offensive performances, there was less to write home about of defense. Particularly if you are Ndamukong Suh of the Lions, who stepped up and missed a crucial PAT after their regular kicker was hurt a couple of plays before. Apparently the DT had played football (association) before - you wouldn't know it by looking at him. Anyway, that was all very amusing, but here's the rest of the action from Week 9:

Ryan's Top 5

5. James Jones - 8 catches, 123 yards, 1 TD. When your offense is blowing hot and cold, Dallas is the team to be playing. Green Bay quite literally beat the crap out of them to end Coach Wade Phillips' tenure in Arlington. Cowboys CB Mike Jenkins was made to look like a fool all evening by Jones, who had a big day for a depleted Packers receiving unit. Aaron Rodgers didn't even need to be at his very best to put up impressive numbers as he led his side to a 45-7 victory.

4. Philip Rivers - 17/23, 295 yards, 4 TD's, 1 INT. Here was a game of inevitabilities. First, we all knew the Chargers would cock up on special teams again. Second, Ryan Mathews would fumble the football. Third, the Texans secondary would continue to be abysmal and the NFLs leading QB would run riot. No Gates, no Naanee, no Floyd and no V-Jax, yet still Rivers dominated this 29-23 victory for San Diego.

3. Jacoby Ford - 6 catches, 148 yards; 94 yard kickoff return for a TD. Who knew the Raiders would be quite good this season? Actually, I did but that's not the point. 3 wins on the spin has genuinely put them in playoff contention in an admittedly shite division. Rookie WR Ford was the key man here. I'll admit I'd never heard of him before Sunday (he was a 4th round pick owing to his lack of size) but apparently he was a sprint champion in his time at Clemson. This was pretty evident in a 23-20 OT win aginst the Chiefs - the lad is like lightning.

2. Brett Favre - 36/47, 446 yards, 2 TD's, 2 INT's. A career day after 20 years in the business is generally pretty significant. Especially when you wear No.4 and advertise Wrangler Jeans. After all the criticism levelled at Favre and Vikings coach Brad Childress, this was the perfect riposte. Never mind that their opponents from Arizona can only be described as average at very best. A 27-24 OT comeback when all hope looked lost in the 4th quarter showed there is still a little bit of life left in the old boy.

1. The Browns' rushing offense - Colt McCoy: 14/19, 174 yards; 3 carries, 20 yards, 1 TD; Peyton Hillis: 29 carries, 184 yards, 2 TD's. No-one saw this coming. For everyone who ever described Hillis as a mere FB, too big to ever cause any real impact in the backfield - you're wrong (Brady Quinn better than Hillis, Coach McDaniels? Really?). Anyone who thought Jimmy Clausen and Tim Tebow were better QB prospects than McCoy - you're wrong. He was aware of his limitations and played to them against the superior Patriots, picking sensible passes and keeping the chains moving thanks to his capable RB. The Browns won 34-14 and New England got nowhere near them. Credit to the O-Line as well for making it happen.

Graeme's Top 5

5. Antwaan Randle El to Mike Wallace - 39 yard TD pass - You can't accuse the Steelers organisation of lacking balls. In a squeaky-bum time close win over the Bengals they pulled out the same Wide Receiver fake end around pass play that previous coaching staff Bill Cowher and Ken Wisenhunt used to score the only Pittsburgh TD in their Superbowl XL win over the Seahawks in the 05 season. Manly

4. Michael Vick - 17/29, 218 yards, 1 TD, 74 yards rushing, 1 rushing TD - Most importantly, Vick was only sacked by the Colts 3 times while playing behind what is easily one of the worst pass blocking O-lines in the NFL. Kevin Kolb would have had to be scraped off the turf. Vick's mobility is key to the Eagles continuing their division title push against the Giants, whose somewhat better line dominated the Seahawks.

3. T.O. - 10 receptions, 141 yards, 2 TD's - You know what, I like T.O. and I always have. Even though he has played for my two least favourite teams, the Eagles and Cowboys, and even though he is an arrogant jerk who completely polarises every teammate he has ever played with, his talent does speak for itself. Never mind that his Bengals partner in crime Chad Ochocinco was constantly double covered against the Steelers, leaving Terrell to get open more easily; how many soon-to-be 37 year olds could perform the way he is this season. Let's see Brett play wideout.

2. Everything the Browns did against the Patriots - Eric Mangini has had a 'difficult' relationship with former boss Bill Belichick. He has been discredited and embarassed in the past with the Jets, and the Browns were hardly praised for picking him up after his sacking. Yet there is one thing that Eric seems to be great at and it is beating the Patriots. This win was the most impressive yet with Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis, hereby known by his new nickname of White Supremacy (offensive!) schooling the Pats D, and the Browns defenders refusing to budge against Tom Brady.

1. Matt Ryan - 24/36, 235 yards, 1 TD - Now 17-1 in the Georgia Dome, watching Matt Ryan play at home is watching a Franchise QB TM. He looks simply untouchable, as if nothing can shake him or throw him off his game. Even without Roddy White for much of the game, he controlled the Buccaneers and ensured a win that gives them sole possession of the NFC South lead. If they can hang onto it, and hence get homefield advantage in the playoffs, they could well be on their way to the Superbowl.

GM and RM