Ryan Williams will become the unquestioned featured back of the Arizona Cardinals as Beanie Wells will be out for at least eight weeks.

Williams gained 62 yards in the fourth quarter against the Eagles last week.

“I’m going to go into this game with a focus and a determination to make plays,” Williams said of Sunday’s game against the Dolphins. “I know what’s expected of me, and I plan to be at my best because I know what I wasn’t doing the first couple weeks. I wasn’t running fearless.

“I was still thinking about my knee and I wasn’t trusting myself or all the rehab I did. But that was a mistake and I figured that out this last game.”

Joe Flacco's Ravens won 44 of 64 regular season games from 2008 to 2011.

An average NFL quarterback with a similarly effective defense, according to a study done by Grantland's Bill Barnwell, would have won 42 games with that same defensive output.

Flacco's performance were worth about a half-win per season.

The Ravens have yet to commit to Flacco long-term.

Anthony Davis is having a breakout season in his third year for the San Francisco 49ers.

"He always had the 'dogness' in him," Frank Gore said. "I knew he was going to be all right his rookie year because of how mean and nasty he was."

Davis was the 11th overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft.

"In my opinion he's one of the premier right tackles in the game," Ryan said this week. "You've got a guy who's got all the athleticism you look for: a power player, he finishes, he's good in pass protection and a tremendous athlete."

"I've got a long way to go. I'm 22 now," Davis said. "I don't take praise well, because I feel they're trying to make you complacent. Because I'm not near where I want to be."

Ryan Mathews is averaging a fumble every 42.5 times he touches the ball, losing a fumble every 78 touches.

“I am very concerned, and it has to stop,” said Chargers' general manager A.J. Smith. “I believe you can improve in ball security. And no one works any harder in trying to get better than Ryan. However, if it continues he will play less.”

Smith traded up 16 spots in 2010 to draft Mathews, which came two months after the Chargers parted ways with LaDainian Tomlinson.

“Extremely talented players like Ryan get multiple opportunities to improve,” Smith continued. “What happens to fumblers is, first, they play less. Second, if it continues while they’re playing on a limited basis, then you don’t play for a while and you get to sit and think about it.

“Third, when you get the call to go back on the field and the fumbling continues, then you will be somebody else’s fumbler.”

Aaron Rodgers' average depth of throw is significantly down this season.

Rodgers is averaging 9.4 yards per attempt, down from 11.3 in 2011.

From 2008 until 2010, Rodgers' averages were 11.5, 10.9 and 11.4 yards.

Rodgers has been sacked in 12.2% of his attempts, which is nearly double his average in 2010 and 2011.

Rob Gronkowski's season averages are down across the board so far in 2012, with nearly one less reception and 30 fewer yards per game.

"It’s a team game," Gronkowski told reporters this week. "Whatever plays are called, just going out there and doing my job. Whatever is asked of me, I’m just going to go out there and perform my routes based on how I’ve been coached that week."

Gronkowski has had fewer opportunities, as Aaron Hernandez has been sidelined and the Patriots' pass protection has been inconsistent. Gronkowski has been asked to assist more in pass protection to give Tom Brady more time to throw.

Also, Brady has been struggling with his downfield accuracy and that has led opposing defenses to focus more on the short and intermediate routes.

Devin McCourty has been a weak spot in the New England Patriots' secondary.

McCourty was switched from cornerback to safety toward the end of last season, which gave way to a marked improvement though he is back at corner now.

But McCourty continues to make mistakes with too much frequency. McCourty dropped two potential interceptions in the Patriots' 31-30 loss to the Ravens.

The Patriots, however, don't have quality depth at cornerback behind McCourty as continues to be one of the top corners with Kyle Arrington.

“I always want to perform well. No matter if I had a great game or a bad game,” McCourty said. “Each week is a new week. My teammates depend on me, and I count on myself to try to go out there and play well each week.”

Of Alex Smith’s 92 pass attempts, only four have traveled 20 yards or more downfield to a wide receiver.

Smith has also targeted Vernon Davis with three deep balls.

Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Buffalo Bills is the only other quarterback who has attempted fewer long balls than Smith.

The 49ers' new additions of Mario Manningham and Randy Moss was expected to stretch the field vertically.

“We’re still trying to get on the same page,” said Manningham, whose 9.4-yards-per-catch average is well below his career mark (14.1). “We’re not fully on the same page like we want to be – me and him, or him and the other wideouts. But I feel like we’re getting there.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers running game is off to its worst start in 62 years, with 195 yards rushing and a 2.64-yards-per-carry average.

Isaac Redman has started the first three games as Rashard Mendenhall recovers from a torn ACL.

“We’re looking for him to come in and be the feature guy,” Redman said Thursday.

“We’ve got talented receivers, we’ve got a Superman at quarterback, and it’s easy to say that the pass is doing better,” left guard Willie Colon said. “To kind of sum it all up, we’ve got to put in more work.”

Redman and Jonathan Dwyer are inside runners, while Mendenhall is a turn-the-corner back capable of breaking a big run.

“But I don’t think (the running game) is too much different than it’s been,” Mendenhall said. “It might be perceived that we’re struggling, and it’s not the case. It’s a different offense, we’ve got some different guys, and we’re trying to figure out how to put it together.”

Oakland Raiders' general manager Reggie McKenzie has parted ways with six players selected by the team from 2005 through 2011.

DeMarcus Van Dyke Cornerback 2011/3rd Waived
Joseph Barksdale Offensive tackle 2011/3rd Waived
Chimdi Chekwa Cornerback 2011/4th Waived
Bruce Campbell Offensive tackle 2010/4th Traded
Louis Murphy Wide receiver 2009/4th Traded
Stanford Routt Cornerback 2005/2nd Waived

Barksdale was released by the Raiders on Wednesday.

The Raiders have also let Chaz Schilens, Trevor Scott and Michael Bush depart via free agency.