$.01--The Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles staged quite a duel in the desert. The Cardinals prevailed 24-20 to improve to 6-1, handing the Eagles their second defeat in a penalty-plagued game brightened by a thrilling finish.

The contest featured over 900 yards of offense, none more impressive that rookie John Brown’s 75-yard basket catch behind two Eagles defenders to put the Cardinals ahead late. The play was the result of Arizona’s relentless aggression. Instead of trying to dink and dunk down the field for a tying field goal attempt, Carson Palmer aired it out on Arizona’s first play. The Eagles blew the coverage, apparently not expecting the quick challenge down the field.

The Cardinals defense also kept attacking once Philly had the ball. It didn’t look promising for them when Nick Foles moved the Eagles within striking distance, but Defensive Coordinator Todd Bowles never took his foot off the gas. Blitzing in a situation where most teams fall back into passive “prevent” coverage is something many football aficionados clamor for, and Bowles proved them correct.

On the final play, Bowles brought the house. Foles actually got off a decent throw under duress, but rookie Jordan Matthews couldn’t stick either foot inbounds one play after a player half a foot shorter than him outleapt him to swat a pass away.

The aggressiveness can cost the Cardinals at times, but it’s a great way to inspire the fans. It’s also a great way to inspire the players, who are clearly excited about going for the throat instead of trying to simply hang on. Other teams don’t see it very often, and it causes problems…just as it did for Philadelphia on Sunday.

$.02--At the other end of the spectrum, the New York Jets lost their seventh in a row. Buffalo massacred the hapless Jets 43-23, thanks to four touchdown passes--in just 10 completions--by Kyle Orton and New York’s quarterbacks taking that position to new depths.

Geno Smith threw three interceptions in the first quarter, all within six Jets offensive plays of one another. Rex Ryan yanked him in favor of Mike Vick, and the move initially validated the raucous MetLife cheers. The Jets stormed back into the game with 17 second-quarter points, and that includes a drive Vick fumbled away.

The shot in the arm soon aimed lower down the body. Vick’s final line wasn’t much better than Smith’s:

After the game, Ryan seemed resigned to his fate. He couldn’t offer any thoughts on who will start at QB next week, Scylla or Charybdis. His team sorely lacks impact talent, nowhere more glaringly than at the most important position. GM John Idzik sat on piles of cap room instead of giving Ryan more tools, though it’s hard to know if Ryan could do much better with more talent. He’s a good coach, at times a great coach, but his shelf life in New York has expired. Both sides will be better for his departure after the season, but I believe Rex has done enough in the past to merit surviving the season.

$.03--Every team in the AFC North has a winning record. Every team in the NFC South has a losing record. While you ponder that inequity, consider how they’ve arrived at this feat…

The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Baltimore Ravens in a back-and-forth affair. Andy Dalton came up clutch for the Bengals, who desperately needed a win. Now they’ve swept the Ravens, thanks to a controversial offensive pass interference call on Steve Smith on what would have been a game-winning touchdown bomb. Smith clearly pushed off, but safety George Iloka did his best Vlade Divac impression in selling the contact to the watching eyes of the officials.

Pittsburgh bombed the high-flying Colts 51-34, with Ben Roethlisberger becoming the first QB in NFL history to have two 500-yard passing games. Big Ben threw for 522 yards and 6 TDs, while the Steelers defense picked off Andrew Luck twice in the statement victory. They’re not normally regarded as one of the league’s most explosive offenses, but the Steelers rank in the top 10 in yards per play, first downs per game and plays per game. Their defense isn’t good, but it’s good enough when the offense is humming.

Cleveland struggled for most of its game against Oakland, but some clutch throws by Brian Hoyer (love the pitch-and-catch with Gabriel) and an opportunistic defense allowed the Browns to pull away late. Confidence in Cleveland was shaky after losing to the previously winless Jaguars last week, but the Browns righted the ship and stayed firmly in the AFC playoff mix.

Carolina lost an offensively challenged 13-9 decision at home to Seattle. The final play, a 4^th-and-25 situation near its own goal line, saw Carolina attempt a screen pass. Cam Newton bounced it behind the running back, and the ugly game was over. The Panthers defense was impressive in bottling up the Seahawks, but Newton threw for just 152 yards as the heretofore weak Seahawks pass rush harangued him all afternoon.

New Orleans matched Carolina at three wins by blowing away the Packers 44-23 in the Sunday night game. It didn’t hurt the Saints that Aaron Rodgers hurt his hamstring and was clearly hindered the rest of the night, allowing a 16-16 game to evolve into a beatdown. Mark Ingram ran like a man possessed, thrashing a cheesy Packers defensive front for 172 yards, including 8 runs of at least 10 yards. The Saints offense appeared to finally find its stride, and at 3-5 they’re the team with momentum.

I’ll cover the Falcons in a moment, but suffice to say Atlanta is in real trouble. Yet they’re still better than Tampa Bay, which barely topped 200 offensive yards in an overtime game. Their win over the Steelers, the only victory the Bucs have and perhaps the only one they get all year, stands as firm evidence of “Any Given Sunday”.

$.04--Those of us in the East woke up to actual football on Sunday. Atlanta and Detroit kicked off in London at 9:30 AM ET. And befitting the Dickensian location, it was a Tale of Two Halves.

Atlanta dominated the first half, routing the punchless Lions 21-0. Matt Ryan was sharp, picking apart the top-ranked Lions defense with a flurry of precise short passes and smart play calls. Atlanta’s offensive and defensive lines controlled the line of scrimmage, a shocking development. The Lions were playing without Calvin Johnson, Reggie Bush, all three tight ends and their starting right tackle, and it sure looked like they were content to absorb a loss and limp into the bye week at 5-3.

Whatever Jim Caldwell told his team at halftime, it must’ve rivaled William Wallace in Braveheart. Matthew Stafford, awful in the first half, dramatically improved his play. The Lions had five possessions in the second half and scored on all of them, alternating field goals and touchdowns. The defense smothered Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense, holding them to just 75 yards on four drives, none of which produced points. Detroit’s furious rally capped off when Matt Prater made a 47-yarder as time expired, bending it like Beckham inside the left upright.

The Falcons played a major role in their own demise. Ryan threw one of the worst interceptions ever, hitting a wide open Cassius Vaughn with no Falcon within 10 yards in any direction of the Lions backup nickelback. Coach Mike Smith woefully mismanaged the clock, opting to throw when the Lions had no chance to stop the clock and then calling timeouts to help Detroit catch its breath on the final drive. Two dumb penalties, including a blatant defensive holding call, helped the Lions immeasurably.

Smith might not deserve to have his job when the Falcons land back in the states. On the flip side, Caldwell’s calm perseverance has helped the Lions overcome two double-digit 4^th quarter deficits in a row. Stafford is doing his best Andrew Luck 2013 impression with his flair for digging a deep hole for his team, only to triumphantly lead the team back to the shocking comeback victory. It’s a remarkable turn of events for a Lions team with a long history of finding ways to lose games like these.

$.05--Thursday night brought an AFC West showdown between the Broncos and Chargers, both of which entered with legit claim to best team in the conference. Denver emphatically snared that designation with an impressive 35-21 home throttling.

Peyton Manning leapt ahead of Philip Rivers in the battle for MVP in the process. Manning was magnificent, completing 25-of-35 for 286 yards and three TDs. Rivers was no slouch, going 30-of-41 for 252 yards and three TDs of his own. But he made two mistakes, one of which came on San Diego’s first possession of the second half when the score was 14-7 Denver. The Broncos capitalized on Chris Harris’ interception when Manning found Emmanuel Sanders for his third touchdown catch of the night.

This is the beauty of Denver’s attack. San Diego did a great job focusing coverage on the Thomases, Julius and Demaryius. Manning simply shifted his focus to Sanders, and the Chargers--with injury issues in the secondary--had no answer. Sanders had just 6 catches for 79 yards in the prior two games. Yet when Manning looked his way, he delivered. Ditto running back Ronnie Hillman, now with 283 yards on 58 carries in the last three weeks after taking over for the injured Montee Ball. The depth of their skill position talent is overwhelming.

Yet the biggest reason why I place the Broncos atop my mid-year power poll (see the next cent!) is their improving defense. Von Miller is a terror, and with Demarcus Ware on the other side there is balance. Malik Jackson deserves more attention for his improved play up front, while Brandon Marshall (not that one) has emerged as a good cover linebacker. The AFC is clustered, but there’s one clear team above all others and that’s Denver. 

$.06--Since every team has now played 8 games, save Dallas and Washington on Monday night, I finally feel comfortable enough to do a legit power poll. Here are my rankings:

1. Denver Broncos

2. Arizona Cardinals

3. Dallas Cowboys (assuming they win Monday)

4. New England Patriots

5. Philadelphia Eagles

6. Green Bay Packers

7. San Diego Chargers

8. Detroit Lions

9. Indianapolis Colts

10. San Francisco 49ers

11. Baltimore Ravens

12. Pittsburgh Steelers

13. Seattle Seahawks

14. Cincinnati Bengals

15. Kansas City Chiefs

16. Buffalo Bills

17. New York Giants

18. Miami Dolphins

19. Carolina Panthers

20. Houston Texans

21. Cleveland Browns

22. New Orleans Saints

23. Minnesota Vikings

24. Washington Ethnic Slurs

25. Chicago Bears

26. Atlanta Falcons

27. St. Louis Rams

28. Tennessee Titans

29. Oakland Raiders

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. Jacksonville Jaguars

32. New York Jets

I know, I know…how can I rate Indy above Pittsburgh, or Baltimore above Cincinnati after their Sunday outcomes. Easy. It’s a cumulative ranking in an Any Given Sunday league.

$.07--The NFL trade deadline comes this week, and we’ve already seen a couple of moves, notably Percy Harvin to the Jets. While there will be speculative articles written by every major publication trying to drum up rumors, there likely won’t be more than a minor move or two for a conditional, late-round pick.

It’s a shame, really. NFL teams should be much more active in making deals. Teams decimated by injuries but still harboring playoff run aspirations ought to try. Here are some teams with pressing needs and some players from likely non-playoff teams who should be available:

New England needs a running back. Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin should be available for a warm shower, but another NFC South team could offer something a little more intriguing. How about Steven Jackson in Atlanta, a team heading in the wrong direction and in desperate need of future depth?

Green Bay needs an inside linebacker. The Jets have David Harris, a quality player in the final year of his contract who at 30 shouldn’t be part of New York’s future. The Jets make an interesting trade partner because they can absorb a bad contract or two in return…perhaps Brad Jones, a decidedly inferior player to Harris? Green Bay could sweeten the pot by offering a 3^rd rounder to rid themselves of Jones instead of the normal 5^th-6^th Harris would cost them.

Carolina could use a wideout. Don’t snicker, they’re a first-place team at 3-4-1. Anyhow, Tennessee’s Nate Washington is withering away in Nashville in the final year of his contract. He’d make a quality mentor for Kelvin Benjamin, but more importantly is a player who can reliably get open quickly for Cam Newton.

The Dallas Cowboys could use some reinforcements along the defensive line. The Rams can offer either William Hayes or Kendall Langford, either of which would make a great third tackle for the Cowboys. St. Louis has so much invested at that position it makes sense for them to sell one off for a 4^th-5^th round pick. Dallas would have to do something to absorb a new contract, however.

None of these will happen, unfortunately. That’s too bad because some teams could really help themselves by making a move or two. 

$.08--NFL Quickies

--Oakland attempted a fake field goal, which morphed into backup QB Matt Schaub lined up in the shotgun. He fumbled the snap and proceeded to throw a panicked strike directly to Tashaun Gipson…who plays for Cleveland. It didn’t quite end in a pick-six, but no matter. Schaub should never see the NFL field again.

--Tennessee started 6^th-round rookie Zack Mettenberger at quarterback against Houston. He led the Titans to one drive lasting more than 6 plays in a 30-16 loss that looks closer than it was thanks to a garbage-time TD pass. He was 10-for-17 or 78 yards and an INT when the game was still competitive.

--As ineffective as Mettenberger was, check out what the Rams did…

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Between opening TD drive, and garbage time yards on final two possessions, Rams had exactly 65 yards over three-quarter span.</p>&mdash; Jim Thomas (@jthom1) <a href="https://twitter.com/jthom1/status/526482482229956610">October 26, 2014</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

--Wembley Stadium in London was packed to the gills and enthusiastic, but the playing surface was horrible. Large clumps of long turf repeatedly flew up as if Phil Mickelson was hitting flop shots instead of NFL players cutting and planting.

--Minnesota took some heat for drafting Anthony Barr with the 9^th overall pick last May. Their gumption paid off Sunday, as Barr stripped Austin Seferian-Jenkins and ran back the fumble for the overtime game-winner. The UCLA product has been impressive all year, even more so considering this is just his third year playing defense.

$.09--College/Draft quickies

--spent Friday night watching South Alabama vs. Troy, with the spotlight on Jaguars (that’s USA) QB Brandon Bridge. The 6’5” Canuck by way of Appalachian State is getting major buzz and Colin Kaepernick comparisons. His first TD throw easily calls Kaep to mind, extending a play with his long legs but keeping his eyes down the field and firing a cannon shot behind the defense.

Unfortunately he is wild with the ball. There is very little touch, and his ball placement is often reminiscent of none other than Tim Tebow. Even his completions, and his percentage while playing in the lowly Sun Belt hovers around 52%, often require great effort and concentration from his receivers. Bridge got hurt late in the first half, but did return. I need to see more of him than this and the one other game I’ve watched, but at this point he’s not anywhere close to NFL ready and should be drafted as such.

--when USA/Troy was on, I was also watching Gunner Kiel and the Cincinnati Bearcats. Kiel is much more pedigreed and a more accomplished passer even though he’s just a redshirt sophomore. He showed his downfield accuracy and polished mechanics, and also flashed some agility. Unfortunately he too left his game early, suffering a rib injury before halftime. If he declares--and there are some hints he will--Kiel could very well be in the top 25. NFL coaches will love his arm, style and total-package talent.

--thought it was weird when I heard Kansas State scheduled Texas for its homecoming game. The Wildcats shut out the Longhorns thanks to another strong effort from stud CB Danzel McDaniel, yeoman DE Ryan Mueller, and just enough offense from Jake Waters and the offense. They’re not pretty but they’re also not a team anyone wants to play.

--one week after West Virginia WR Kevin White staked his claim to the top wideout spot, Alabama’s Amari Cooper answered. Cooper had 6 catches for 194 yards and two TDs…with about 7 minutes to go in the first half. He flashed his open-field ability on his 80-yard TD catch and run, something I believe he has improved from last year.

--TCU hung 82 on Texas Tech. 82. Nothing more needs to be said.

$.10--Since the NBA tips off this week, I’ll provide my brief thoughts on what I think happens in my second-favorite league. Frequent readers will note I’m a Cavaliers lifer with a son who loves his Houston Rockets, and we are salivating at the possibility of a Cleveland-Houston finals…

That’s not going to happen. I think the Cavaliers will make it, under two conditions:

1. Kyrie Irving can handle being Lebron’s accomplice and not the featured player

2. Anderson Varejao stays healthy

There’s an awful lot of guys in Cleveland who need the ball. Nobody handles that better than Lebron, and I’m optimistic that Irving & Love’s USA National Team experience helps out.

The team that worries me the most is Chicago, which nicely addressed their horrendous outside shooting. Derrick Rose is the key; if he’s close to his old self, they can beat Cleveland in a 7-game series. Can. Doesn’t mean I think they will, however.

Toronto is the only other team in the East that wins more than one playoff game against either of those top two if the Cavs and Bulls are healthy. As is their annual lot in life, the Atlanta Hawks will win 43 games and capture the 7 seed before falling in five in the first round.

Detroit will chase after Miami and Brooklyn for the 8^th seed but winds up 9^th, just ahead of the Knicks. The Bucks will lose at least 58 and still be 8 games better than the 76ers, who will threaten the worst record in NBA history. I can’t name more than two Sixers and I’m a pretty big NBA fan.

The West is more competitive. San Antonio’s age makes them vulnerable, but no team plays better together than Duncan, Parker & Co. Oklahoma City will remain a top contender, but I’m quite concerned at how they integrate Kevin Durant back into the lineup once he’s recovered. Russell Westbrook will have full control of the team in his absence and I’m not sold he will relinquish that happily.

Golden State and the Clippers will be fun to watch. I think the Warriors defense will help them pull off a first-round upset, perhaps the Thunder if it’s the 3-6 matchup. Portland always has a chance with Lillard and Aldridge, though their depth isn’t strong enough.

My son’s Rockets will fall back. They’re going to miss Chandler Parsons more than expected, and until James Harden at least tries to play defense or run an offensive play that doesn’t end with him going to the free throw line the offense will have major stagnant patches.

Houston and Dallas will be the 7^th & 8^th seeds and quickly dismissed. I can see Goran Dragic--the best player you’ve never heard of--sneaking the Suns into the playoffs if anyone in Phoenix can rebound or protect the rim. The Lakers…nope, not gonna happen.

My prediction: Lebron leads our hometown Cavaliers to the first major sports title in Cleveland in 50 years, taking MVP honors as the Cavs beat the Spurs 4-2. And that sound you hear will be me bellowing in pure joy as I sprint around my neighborhood with tears of joy pouring down my face.