$.01--I have to start with my Lions, who finally snapped the losing streak dating back to 2007. What made it even sweeter was that the Lions actually played like the better team all day long and that the victory clearly was not some fluke or stroke of luck. These Lions were composed, prepared, and just the right amount of confident, reflected in the play of rookie QB Matt Stafford. I have to give a lot of credit to Jeff Backus, a perennial fan whipping boy that has been with the Lions since the beginning of the Matt Millen catastrophe. Backus has played extremely well this season and played as strong a game as he?s had during the victory. I see some pundits taking cracks at the Lions coming out and making a victory lap, mingling with the fans and celebrating with the faithful. My message to you blowhards: Unless you live in Michigan, with our 3rd world economy, crumbling infrastructure, and culture of hopelessness, you cannot understand what impact this victory has for us. Good things so seldom occur, and when the Lions rise up from the primordial ooze and give us reason to smile and feel some sunshine, you?d better believe we?re going to savor it. This group of players is acutely aware of the suffering--they?ve been a major contributing factor after all--and their sincere gratitude to the crowd means a lot to the city and the state. $.02--For a team playing under a brand-new (to them) coach, the Cleveland Browns sure play like a group that is sick of their head man and trying to get him fired. It?s already abundantly clear that the players have little confidence in themselves or the coaching staff, an absolutely lethal combination. Even though they had little chance of upsetting the rival Ravens, the effort the Browns players brought on Sunday was simply not professional. To say they quit would imply that they ever actually started. That comes one week after another embarrassing effort in Denver where the team clearly wasn?t prepared to play. Three games in, three bad losses in, and already the buzzards are circling more than just Hinckley, OH. Another game in the same vein and I wouldn?t have a problem with ownership pulling the plug on Eric Mangini after just four games. It?s that obvious he just isn?t the right coach for this team. It doesn?t help that Brady Quinn apparently isn?t what they wanted and needed him to be, either, but as a Cleveland native and long-time Lions fan, I know the difference between not being good enough and not trying. That falls squarely on the coaches. I?ve seen this before with Randy Wittman?s Cavaliers and Bill Callahan?s Raiders, among others. The coaching staff simply does not have the attention or the trust of the players. That?s not something that changes as the losses keep mounting. $.03--We do a kind of interactive chat on the NFL general board here at RealGM during the games, and much of the focus in the early games was on the Minnesota/San Francisco contest. The Vikings fans greatly outnumbered the Niners fans, and when the 49ers defense held strong with a little over two minutes left the tone turned distraught. I even went so far as to post, ?Can?t believe SF won this game?. Ahem. For anyone who still doubts that Brett Favre isn?t worth the August headaches, let this game serve as notice that you are wrong. No way does Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels or Gus Frerotte or about all but a handful of QBs pull that game out for the Vikings. I?ve maintained all along that Favre is more likely to lead the Vikings to wins like this, perhaps at the expense of a couple of losses, and this game had a playoff atmosphere to it. This is the type of emotional win that will cement the team?s trust in Favre, one that they can draw upon come January. Here?s hoping ESPN stops the idol worship before about Thursday, but I kind of doubt that. $.04--It?s still too early to anoint any of the 3-0 teams as playoff locks (see Buffalo, Denver, and Dallas last year all starting 3-0 and missing out), but it?s pretty clear that four of the 0-3 teams have zero chance of winning more than about four games apiece. The aforementioned Browns have been pathetic, but they have not been alone. Tampa Bay, St. Louis, and Kansas City will be lucky to combine for 10 wins this season. For all the talk about parity and how quickly teams can turn around from despair, the gap between the good teams and the bad teams has widened. There is a chasm of talent between these four teams and the rest of the league, one that won?t be filled quickly or easily for any of the bottom dwellers. All four have new coaches and GMs this year, so some of the losing was expected. But to be as far behind as they are is staggering, especially when you consider that the Denver Broncos are 3-0. Denver fits the same bill of overhaul and was widely panned as perhaps the weakest of all these teams. I can?t really explain the Broncos? unexpected success other than an overzealous negative impression of their talent that focused too much on what they lost rather than what they imported. $.05--I live some 500 miles from Pittsburgh in the heart of NFC North country, yet I can find you hundreds of Steelers fans here in West Michigan, including several good friends. They all want to know what?s wrong with their beloved team, as the reigning champs are 1-2 and looking way up at the Ravens. The obvious answer, and it?s not the wrong one either, is that the defense badly misses Troy Polamalu, who would have broken up the Kellen Davis TD pass in the loss to Chicago. His absence takes away the wild card factor that keeps offenses off balance. But there?s more to it than that. The offensive line is subpar, and I get the inkling Big Ben is tired of running for his life every single attempt. That giant bull?s-eye on Pittsburgh isn?t helping either. Relax guys, it?s still early and the running game showed a little life. But unquestionably there does appear to be a bit of a Super Bowl hangover, one that they need to chase away soon or else they?ll be further back on the anatomy than just the hair of the dog. $.06--Highlight of the week goes to Bears rookie wideout Johnny Knox for his amazingly elusive end zone scamper at Seattle. The open-field moves were as awesome as the Seahawks jerseys were gaudy. It was his only catch and only went for seven yards, but I haven?t seen that kind of slalom move since Eric Metcalf embarrassed two Bengals on MNF all those years ago. Bears fans have been overbearingly waiting for a viable receiver to emerge for Jay Cutler, and they have latched onto young Knox--for good reason. Although he?s not built like an NFL player--he?s a skinny 6? with little muscle tone--Knox has great quickness and great speed, which don?t always come packaged together. He also has reliable hands and clearly has Cutler?s trust. The Bears escaped with a nice road win, aided greatly by Seattle?s injury woes and Olindo Mare getting the shanks, and stayed in the hunt in the increasingly tough-looking NFC North, which just might be the best overall division in football. $.07--College time. If ever there was a season that exposed the ridiculous nature of preseason rankings, it?s this one. The networks go overboard talking about all the top-five upsets, with at least one team going down every week this year, including two this past week. I have long advocated no rankings be done before every team has played at least one conference game, which means the first polls should come out this week. It is abundantly clear that the preseason polls reflect nothing except the bias of some narrow-minded voters with little real clue about any teams other than the most recognizable. My initial Top 10 1. Alabama, for winning at Virginia Tech and destroying Arkansas 2. Texas, starting to hit their stride at a good time 3. Florida, which still hasn?t played a team that will finish in anyone?s top 80 4. LSU, after the most exciting goal line stand I?ve ever seen preserved the win over Mississippi State 5. Virginia Tech, easily the best of the 1-loss teams 6. Cincinnati, which has the best chance of any of the top seven of running the table 7. Ohio State, back to back shutouts and the best defensive line in the country 8. Oklahoma, playing well despite missing a lot of stars 9. Boise State, which should be embarrassed if they don?t run the table by at least 20 points per game 10. USC, even the Trojans must have a rebuilding year every so often $.08: Non-football thought of the week--I?m leaving the sports world entirely here. There is an event this week that leaves me quite conflicted on how to react. On Tuesday, Alice In Chains releases their first new album without deceased lead singer Layne Staley. Their music holds a very important place in my life, helping me through difficult times and providing the soundtrack for most of my college years. It means so much that my four-year old son is named Layne for a reason. Staley?s overdose death closed the chapter on not just this great band, but on that entire period of my life. Now they are back with a new singer that sounds a great deal like Layne Staley, and Jerry Cantrell still has the magic in his guitar and lyrics. It sounds awesome and I really want to embrace it, but part of me feels like some things should be left to rest. Would Beatles fans really have wanted Julian Lennon to team up with Paul, George, and Ringo and tour around like nothing ever happened? I can?t help but think of Lynyrd Skynyrd, which has been embarrassing itself for well over a decade trying to carry on after their tragedies. I don?t want one of my favorite bands to dishonor something so special to me and so many others in that manner. Tread carefully, Jerry. $.09--Four random NFL opinions: 1. Anyone throwing dirt on the Titans at 0-3 is a damned fool, though there are some serious problems in Nashville. Two weeks in a row the safeties have been lousy, and the left side of their OL hasn?t been much better. Jeff Fisher has been in this position before and made the playoffs, but it?s not going to be easy. 2. It?s time for Oakland to pull the plug on Jamarcus Russell. 41% completions and just 375 yards in three games, with a QB rating that isn?t even half of any other passer--that?s killing the Raiders. No way could Bruce Gradkowski be any worse. 3. The Bengals are one fluke play away from being 3-0, with wins in Green Bay and over the Steelers. The O-line has looked very strong, Cedric Benson is running free, and the defense is aggressively effective. Find some wood, Cincy fans, but this team finally looks and plays like a real legit team. 4. New Orleans flashed the defense this week, which is bad news for the rest of the NFC South. The 27-7 final belied a game that was very much a defensive struggle, precisely the type of game these Saints are supposed to lose. Buffalo has a pretty good offense, too. $.10: Scouting Report--Eric Decker, WR, Minnesota. 6?3.5?, 215, 4.5ish 40. Positives: Strongly built with good height. Very high football IQ. Exceptional hands, catches everything near him and secures it quickly. Great footwork on his routes. Not afraid to go across the middle, very tough (see Northwestern game). Great all-around athlete, drafted twice in MLB draft. Uses his hands and size very well. Quick off the line for a bigger guy. Very well liked and respected by his teammates and coaches, a natural leader by example. Very good student. Negatives: Average speed with no higher gear, though he hits top speed quickly. Needs lots of work on his blocking; he?s willing but uses lousy technique. Not much of a runner after the catch. Development has been hindered by playing baseball. Has accumulated a laundry list of injuries, none of them severe. NFL Comparison: Kevin Walter or a smaller Joe Jurevicius Forecast: Late 1st-early 2nd round who could really blossom by committing to football full-time. Jeff.Risdon@RealGM.com Catch me every Monday at 5:05 ET, 2:05 PT with Papa Joe Chevalier at papajoetalk.com

Greg Lewis caught Sunday's game-winning touchdown pass from Brett Favre and let Peter King know that the quarterback quoted 'Last of the Mohicans' in the huddle. "Just before we left the huddle,'' Lewis said, "Brett told us, 'Stay alive.' [Meaning, if he leaves the pocket, try to find an opening in the coverage where he could find one of them.] Once he breaks the pocket, we're free to go within our landmarks. So I saw him leave the pocket and I just floated toward the back of the end zone, following him as he moved to the right.'' Favre picked out Lewis because he had two steps on his man, and because desperate times call for desperate decisions.

They may not be headed for the postseason, but the Detroit Lions stole headlines in Week 3 of the NFL season by recording their first win since December of 2007. In case you missed any of this weekend?s action, we?re here to provide you with a rundown of each game. We also calculate each team?s Trench Counter*. N.Y. Jets 24, Tennessee 17 Team Trench Counter: Jets +0.2, Titans -0.2 The New York Jets (3-0) played great defense in the second half as they downed the Tennessee Titans (0-3). Mark Sanchez went 17-for-30 with 171 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while also scrambling four times for 10 yards and another score. New York?s defense shut down Tennessee in the first and fourth quarters, handing the Titans their third loss of the young season. They had three total losses in 2008. Sanchez?s top target was Jerricho Cotchery, who caught eight passes for 108 yards and a score. Tennessee took a 17-14 lead following a 9-yard touchdown pass from Kerry Collins to Nate Washington in the third quarter, but the Jets rallied to score the final 10 points of the game. Collins finished the afternoon with 170 yards, a score and two interceptions on 15-for-37 passing. Chris Johnson rushed 22 times for 97 yards in the loss. N.Y. Giants 24, Tampa Bay 0 Team Trench Counter: Giants +21.8, Buccaneers -21.8 The New York Giants (3-0) shut down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3) and former backfield threat Derrick Ward at Raymond James Stadium. Eli Manning went 14-for-24 with 161 yards and two scores, while Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs dominated on the ground. Bradshaw had 104 yards on 14 attempts and Jacobs tallied 92 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. New York?s defense held Tampa Bay to just 86 net yards on the afternoon and intercepted Byron Leftwich for the game?s only turnover. Steve Smith was Manning?s top target, catching seven passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. No member of the Buccaneers? offense had more than 36 yards in the embarrassing defeat, quarterback Josh Johnson led the way with 36 yards on 4-for-10 passing. Leftwich, the starter, was pulled in the fourth quarter after going 7-for-16 with 22 yards and the aforementioned interception. Ward, starting against his former team, managed just 9 total yards on seven total touches. Green Bay 36, St. Louis 17 Team Trench Counter: Packers +17.8, Rams -17.8 The St. Louis Rams (0-3) hung around, but the Green Bay Packers (2-1) ran away with the game in the fourth quarter thanks to both the arm and legs of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers had 269 passing yards and two touchdowns in the win, while also rushing eight times for 36 yards and a third score. Ryan Grant just missed the 100-yard mark with 99 yards on 26 carries against St. Louis. Greg Jennings bounced back from a catch-less effort in Week 2 to post 103 receiving yards. Donald Driver and John Kuhn were the recipients of Rodgers? touchdown strikes. Rams starting quarterback Marc Bulger left the game in the first quarter with a shoulder injury following a sack. Kyle Boller came on and played respectably, finishing the game with 164 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on 16-for-31 passing against Green Bay?s improving defense. Steven Jackson led the team?s offense with 163 total yards (117 rushing, 46 receiving). Fullback Daniel Fells was on the receiving end of both St. Louis touchdowns. Philadelphia 34, Kansas City 14 Team Trench Counter: Eagles +20, Chiefs -20 The Philadelphia Eagles (2-1) were without Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook and Kevin Curtis, but still dominated the Kansas City Chiefs (0-3) at Lincoln Financial Field. Kevin Kolb went 24-for-34 with 327 yards and two touchdowns (three total) in relief of McNabb for the second straight week, while Michael Vick was 0-for-2 on his pass attempts. Rookie running back LeSean McCoy had 84 yards and a touchdown on the ground and Vick rushed once in his debut for seven yards. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson (149 yards and a touchdown) and tight end Brent Celek (104 yards and a score) were Kolb?s favorite targets. Kansas City was held to fewer than 200 yards of total offense by Philadelphia. Matt Cassel, who was sacked three times, went 14-for-18 with 90 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. Larry Johnson had a rough afternoon, tallying just 38 yards on 19 carries and losing a fumble. Mark Bradley and Bobby Wade hooked up with Cassel on touchdown passes of 13 and 9 yards, respectively. New England 26, Atlanta 10 Team Trench Counter: Patriots +15.2, Falcons -15.2 It wasn?t pretty, but the New England Patriots (2-1) avoided a second straight loss with a gritty victory over the Atlanta Falcons (2-1). Tom Brady had 277 yards and a touchdown, while attempting more than forty passes for the third straight game. Fred Taylor had the best game of his young Patriots career, rushing 21 times for 105 yards and a score. After failing to score a touchdown against the Jets in Week 2, the Patriots reached the end zone twice in Foxboro. Matt Ryan, a former Boston College standout, had 199 passing yards on 17-for-28 passing against New England?s defense. Michael Turner scored Atlanta?s only touchdown on a 2-yard run in the second quarter, tying the game at 10 points apiece, but the Falcons wouldn?t score again. Michael Jenkins led the team in receiving with five catches for 78 yards as Tony Gonzalez (one catch for 16 yards) and Roddy White (four catches for 24 yards) were non-factors. Minnesota 27, San Francisco 24 Team Trench Counter: Vikings +3.8, 49ers -3.8 Brett Favre snatched a win away from the San Francisco 49ers (2-1) as the Minnesota Vikings (3-0) were victorious on a last-second touchdown strike. Favre found Greg Lewis in the back of the end zone on a 32-yard connection to give the Vikings a lead with just two seconds left on the clock. Favre had 302 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on the afternoon. Adrian Peterson didn?t reach the end zone, but did rush for 85 yards on 19 carries. The 49ers played valiantly without Frank Gore, who left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury. Rookie running back Glen Coffee entered the game for Gore and tallied 54 yards on 25 carries. Shaun Hill kept San Francisco in the game, going 15-for-25 with 195 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Hill?s strike to tight end Vernon Davis with 8:12 remaining gave the 49ers a 24-20 lead. Davis was the offensive star of the game at the Metrodome, catching seven passes for 96 yards and two scores. Jacksonville 31, Houston 24 Team Trench Counter: Jaguars +4.6, Texans -4.6 The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) surprisingly outgunned the Houston Texans (1-2) at Reliant Stadium. Maurice Jones-Drew dominated offensively, rushing for 119 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching four passes for 28 yards. David Garrard, who had 214 passing yards against Houston, scrambled five times for 29 yards and a score. Jones-Drew?s score at the beginning of the fourth quarter turned out to be the game-winning touchdown. Matt Schaub went 26-for-35 with 300 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. The Texans had a chance to tie the game near the end of regulation, but Chris Brown fumbled the ball in the red zone. Steve Slaton rushed for 76 yards on 12 carries, while Kevin Walter (seven catches for 96 yards), Owen Daniels (five catches for 38 yards) and Jacoby Jones (23 yards on two receptions) caught scores from Schaub. Detroit 19, Washington 14 Team Trench Counter: Lions +3.1, Redskins -3.1 The Detroit Lions (1-2) recorded their first win since Dec. 23, 2007 with a defeat of the Washington Redskins (1-2) at Ford Field. Matt Stafford, the first overall pick in April?s NFL Draft, had 241 yards and a touchdown as the Lions ended their 19-game losing streak. Kevin Smith rushed for 101 yards before leaving the game with an apparent shoulder injury. Bryant Johnson was Detroit?s leading receiver. He hauled in four balls for 73 yards and a score. Jason Campbell had 340 yards, two touchdowns and an interception against Detroit. He found Rock Cartwright for a 4-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter that gave Washington some life, but they had dug themselves too big of a hole. The Redskins nearly abandoned their running game, rushing just 14 times for a total of 65 yards. Santana Moss exploded offensively with 10 catches for 178 yards and a touchdown, but ground was lost in the competitive NFC East. Baltimore 34, Cleveland 3 Team Trench Counter: Ravens +25.8, Browns -25.8 The Baltimore Ravens (3-0) remained undefeated with a sound defeat of the struggling Cleveland Browns (0-3). Joe Flacco had 342 yards and a touchdown, while Willis McGahee and Ray Rice combined to rush for 115 yards and three touchdowns. Derrick Mason, who nearly retired this summer, led Baltimore with five catches for 118 yards and a score. The Ravens? defense had two sacks and recorded four interceptions. Brady Quinn, who had just 34 yards and an interception, started the game, but was benched at halftime in favor of Derek Anderson, who finished with 92 yards and three picks on 11-for-19 passing. With Jamal Lewis out, Jerome Harrison led the Browns in rushing with 52 yards on 16 carries. Cleveland has just one offensive touchdown this season. Chicago 25, Seattle 19 Team Trench Counter: Bears +0.8, Seahawks -0.8 Jay Cutler connected with Devin Hester for a game-winning touchdown with 1:52 left to push the Chicago Bears (2-1) past the Seattle Seahawks (1-2). Cutler finished with 247 yards, three touchdowns and an interception on 21-for-27 passing at Qwest Field. Matt Forte rushed for 66 yards on 21 carries, while Hester (five catches for 76 yards), Greg Olsen (five receptions for 44 yards) and Johnny Knox (one catch for 7 yards) found the end zone through the air. Seneca Wallace, filling in for the injured Matt Hasselbeck, got the Seahawks out to a strong start with a 13-0 lead in the second quarter. However, from that point on Chicago would allow just six more points while putting 25 on the scoreboard. Julius Jones starred for Seattle, rushing for 96 yards and catching three passes for 36 yards and a score. Nate Burleson was Wallace?s top target. He hauled in nine receptions for 109 yards in defeat. New Orleans 27, Buffalo 7 Team Trench Counter: Saints +13.8, Bills -13.8 The New Orleans Saints (3-0) were slowed a bit offensively, but still handled the Buffalo Bills (1-2). Drew Brees had 172 yards and no touchdowns on 16-for-29 passing. That?s right; Brees didn?t throw for a score. Pierre Thomas dominated on the ground, running 14 times for 126 yards and two touchdowns. New Orleans? improved defense recorded four sacks and held Terrell Owens without a single reception. Trent Edwards went 20-for-35 with 156 yards and a touchdown, while punter Brian Moorman completed a 25-yard scoring strike to Ryan Denney on a trick play in the second quarter. Fred Jackson continued his strong play in relief of Marshawn Lynch with 71 rushes on 18 carries. Josh Reed led Buffalo in receiving with six catches for 60 yards in the loss. San Diego 23, Miami 13 Team Trench Counter: Chargers +8.2, Dolphins -8.2 Philip Rivers threw for 303 yards and ran in a 5-yard score to help lead the San Diego Chargers (2-1) past the Miami Dolphins (0-3) at Qualcomm Stadium. With LaDainian Tomlinson out for the second straight week, San Diego struggled to move the ball on the ground. Darren Sproles had just 41 yards on 18 carries. Vincent Jackson led the Chargers in receiving with five receptions for 120 yards. Malcolm Floyd (two catches for 65 yards) and Antonio Gates (five grabs for 64 yards) also displayed great chemistry with Rivers. The Dolphins were slowed on offense all afternoon, but the loss of starting quarterback Chad Pennington to a shoulder injury was a huge blow. After Pennington went 8-for-12 with 54 yards, Chad Henne came on to go 10-for-19 with 92 yards and an interception. Ronnie Brown rushed for 75 yards and Ricky Williams had 55 yards and a score, but Miami didn?t find the end zone until very late in the fourth quarter when the outcome was already determined. Denver 23, Oakland 3 Team Trench Counter: Broncos +24.3, Raiders-24.3 The Denver Broncos (3-0) completely shut down the struggling Oakland Raiders (1-3) offensively on Sunday, limiting them to just 137 total net yards. Kyle Orton went 13-for-23 with 157 yards and a touchdown, a 2-yard connection with Brandon Marshall in the first quarter. Rookie running back Knowshon Moreno rushed for 90 yards and a score, while veteran Correll Buckhalter notched 108 yards on 14 carries. JaMarcus Russell was largely ineffective yet again, going 12-for-21 with 61 yards and two interceptions in the loss. Oakland?s lone scoring play came on a 48-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski in the second quarter. Darren McFadden gained 45 yards on the ground, but he fumbled three times (losing the ball once). Cincinnati 23, Pittsburgh 20 Team Trench Counter: Bengals +1, Steelers -1 The Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to shock the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2). Carson Palmer went 20-for-37 with 183 yards and a touchdown, while Cedric Benson rushed for 76 yards and a score on 16 carries. Chad Ochocinco led Cincinnati in receiving with five catches for 54 yards and Andre Caldwell had six receptions for 52 yards and a score. Had it not been for Brandon Stokley?s tip-touchdown catch in Week 1, the Bengals would be 3-0. Ben Roethlisberger had 276 yards, one touchdown and an interception in Pittsburgh?s second-straight loss. Roethlisberger also rushed for a 1-yard touchdown in the third quarter. The Steelers excelled on the ground for the first time this season, but it ultimately didn?t matter. Willie Parker had 93 yards for 25 carries and also hauled in two passes for 36 yards and a touchdown. Rookie wide receiver Mike Wallace led Pittsburgh in receiving with seven catches for 102 yards. Indianapolis 31, Arizona 10 Team Trench Counter: Colts +16.9, Cardinals -16.9 The Arizona Cardinals (1-2) took an early 3-0 lead, but the Indianapolis Colts (3-0) scored 21 points in the second quarter to grab control in Sunday night's game. Peyton Manning had 379 passing yards, four touchdowns and an interception, and the combination of Joseph Addai and Donald Brown tallied 103 rushing yards. Reggie Wayne (seven catches for 126 yards), Pierre Garcon (three receptions for 64 yards), Dallas Clark (seven grabs of 62 yards) and Addai were the recipients of Manning's touchdown strikes. Kurt Warner was pressured by the Colts' defense all night long, especially in the second half when the Cardinals were forced to throw the ball in an attempt to catch up. Warner had 332 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions on 30-for-52 passing at University of Phoenix Stadium. Tim Hightower was the team's leading rusher with 22 yards on nine carries. Steve Breaston led Arizona in receiving with seven catches for 94 yards. Anquan Boldin had six receptions for 83 yards and a score, while Larry Fitzgerald managed to grab seven balls for 76 yards in defeat. *Explaining The Trench Counter

Brett Favre stunned the 49ers on Sunday, lifting the Vikings to a 27-24 win thanks to a 32-yard touchdown connection with Greg Lewis. Favre found Lewis in the back of the end zone with just two seconds left in regulation. Minnesota's new quarterback finished the game 24-for-46 with 301 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Former Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall passed the NFL's Iron Man torch to Brett Favre on Friday. Marshall missed last Sunday's game, when Favre broke his record for consecutive starts (270). "I told him I admired his career and was really happy that he was the one that is breaking that record," Marshall told the Associated Press. His consecutive starts record stood for 30 years before Favre faced off against the Lions in Week 2.

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson said Thursday that his back injury isn't a big deal. He has been limited in practice the last two days because of the injury. Peterson is expected to face the 49ers on Sunday. "God willing, I will be out there playing," Peterson the Associated Press. "Not a big deal at all." Peterson has 272 yards through two weeks and has already scored four touchdowns.

It?s officially Autumn now, and the passing of the sun over the equator on its way to warm the Southern Hemisphere is very apropos for the NFL. After two weeks, some teams are feeling unnecessarily cold and need a change of season to break the bad weather. Others are blazing hot, but don?t have the water supply of talent to maintain such a scorching pace. Week 3?s in the NFL have a way of bringing equality and order back to the league. Equinox, the meteorological term for the sun being directly over the equator, is a really cool phenomenon. Strange things happen; you can balance an egg on its end. Strange things can still happen this weekend in the NFL too, but by and large this is the end of the flukiness. Last week?s forecast was 11-5, taking the overall season tally to 23-9. That gives me enough confidence to break out the power poll, which is indicated by the number in parentheses following the team name. Game of the Week San Francisco (15) at Minnesota (2): This game decides if it?s really time to drink the 49ers-flavored Kool Aid, or if it?s just some funky punch that starts out tasty, then leaves you hunched over the toilet begging for water. Minnesota is a major test, and the Vikings are licking their chops at the prospect of playing a team that might actually beat them after the appetizers of Cleveland and Detroit are now done. A confident Niners team is starting to believe in what Coach Singletary is preaching, and a road win over a marquee team (see: Favre, Brett) is a great bulls eye. I think the Vikings defense is the key here. Their run defense hasn?t been as stout as in previous seasons, but it?s still quite good. Their completely underrated secondary has the potential to blank out the 49ers passing game when paired with the pass rush. Joe Staley & Co. will have to be at the top of their games all day up front for San Fran, and I just don?t see them being able to sustain long drives. Frank Gore can hit the home run, but can he hit two or three again? Brett Favre is salivating at seeing Dre Bly (who has been quite good so far) playing corner for the 49ers, and I like how the Vikings pass offense has been given time to grow up before really needing to play sharp. I just don?t see San Francisco being able to outscore the Vikings, not in Minnesota with that defense. Vikings 27, 49ers 10. Atlanta (7) at New England (12): One of the 282 ESPN football analysts (Cris Carter maybe?) stated a very keen observation regarding Tom Brady. He said Brady looked like he was playing afraid to get hit, that he doesn?t trust his knee yet. I went back and watched the game (thanks to NFL.com) and while I see merit in that point, it looked more to me to be a function of a lousy offensive line and perhaps the worst RB package in the league. They clearly missed Wes Welker, and they lack anyone else at WR that can take coverage off Randy Moss. In many ways, that?s worse than Brady being a little skittish. The Falcons defense has played well, though they will miss rookie DT Peria Jerry, who immediately became their best run stuffer. This game is going to be decided on whether the Patriots OL can take care of business against John Abraham & Co. I don?t really see how they?ll do it, but I trust Bill Belichick enough that they?ll somehow find a way. Make no mistake: if this New England team makes the playoffs with this porous line and underwhelming rushing attack, this is the greatest coaching job Belichick has ever done. Atlanta is (gulp!) the better overall team, but New England somehow wins 28-27. Green Bay (11) at St. Louis (32): You might be wondering why I have St. Louis rated dead last, what with Detroit, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, and Kansas City all just completely lousy football teams. Why are the Rams the worst? All those other teams have at least one thing that they do fairly well, something that you can point to and say, ?They can win a game or two because of that.? The Rams, alas, have no such visible strength at this time. Maybe Steven Jackson makes that statement look stupid and runs wild, and maybe the Packers league-worst OL is a great way for the Rams anemic pass rush to get going. Maybe my 4-year old son will grasp thermodynamics, too. Green Bay cruises 27-10. Cleveland (31) at Baltimore (1): I firmly believe that one of the worst sports clich?s is the guaranteed victory. It was cool for Joe Namath and Mark Messier all those years ago, but now it?s just tired and meaningless. Having said all that, I?ll guarantee you that Baltimore beats Cleveland. This is my survivor fantasy game pick of the week. Ravens 30, Browns 3. Tennessee (19) at New York Jets (4): I love Jets fans. The complete lack of long-term memory and the inevitable devastation that comes along with it is setting up like a beautiful disaster. Right now Coach Ryan is the toast of the town with his bombastic style, his aggressive defense, his breath of fresh air following Eric Mangini. Flash back a couple of years to Mangini?s first season, when his low-key intensity and hyperactive attention to minute details were lauded and he could do no wrong. Much like Mangini?s stint, I think Ryan is going to have some very good short-term success (probably better), and Jets fans would be wise to savor every last drop while it lasts. When it starts to go, it?s going to be ugly and sudden. The milk gets spoiled a little this week by the desperate Titans, who are simply too good to be 0-3. These Jets have staying power though, and the Titans secondary has to play better to pull this one off. Tennessee 24, New York 16. Jacksonville (25) at Houston (13): I?m very interested to see how the Texans handle their emotional comeback win against the reviled Titans last week. The Jaguars pass rush has been dreadful, and last week proved that when Matt Schaub gets time he can eviscerate any secondary. It?s about time for Steve Slaton to break out against a JAX team that sure seems to be playing uninspired ball for a lame-duck-to-be coach. Texans 34, Jaguars 20. Kansas City (28) at Philadelphia (21): This year?s Eagles are finding the injury bug that plagues Seattle last season. McNabb is iffy, Westbrook is chronically questionable, their line is testing the bottom end of their depth already, and they?re calling Crazy Eddie for more hot tubs. This is a good week for them to get mentally healthy, and I think Michael Vick?s debut gives them a spark at home. The Chiefs are game but just aren?t very talented in too many spots, and Matt Cassel is clearly not right yet. Eagles 31, Chiefs 10. Washington (22) at Detroit (30): My fellow Lions fans, this is the week! Seriously. As long as the turnover margin isn?t worse than -1, Detroit will break the streak at home against a Redskins team that appears thisclose to mutinying their coach. Dan Snyder might make Jim Zorn walk the plank, or at least walk back to Ashburn VA, after Detroit pulls the 20-17 stunner. New York Giants (6) at Tampa Bay (29): These are the two teams that Dallas has played this year, and just a quick study of those two games tells you all you need to know about this one. Tampa ran the ball well and played about as well as they could, but couldn?t pressure Romo, couldn?t cover in the back end, and got drubbed. The Giants struggled running the ball, extensively used their #6 WR, had an injury-ravaged secondary, got outplayed by a talented Cowboys unit...and still won the game. In short, Tampa?s ?A? game wasn?t even close to Dallas, while the Giants ?C? game was good enough to beat the Cowboys. Expect a good fantasy week for Eli Manning in a 36-13 Giants rout. Chicago (14) at Seattle (17): Matt Hasselbeck?s gimpy status seals the deal for this pick. I was already leaning towards the Bears, as their rejuvenated pass rush is a major mismatch against a Seahawks OL that has not played well. Jay Cutler might have found a new Eddie Royal in rookie Johnny Knox, though I?m still waiting for a Bears wideout to make an actual block on a running play. Still, the work in progress keeps working, and a nice road win over a Seattle team that doesn?t appear to have found any identity keeps it progressing. Chicago 28, Seattle 17. Denver (23) at Oakland (24): The fact that Denver could open up a 2-game lead in the AFC West by winning here just blows my mind. I think water finds its level here for the Broncos, and I bolster that assertion with how Oakland got thoroughly outplayed last week and still found a way to win. The X factor here is the vastly upgraded Denver secondary, which has perhaps the best 1-3 CB package in the league and a rejuvenated Brian Dawkins rubbing off his savvy to his mates. Raiders fans kvetch about JaMarcus Russell?s inaccuracy, but in this game it might actually be a positive; he?s so wildly off that his errant throws aren?t going to get picked off. Raiders win in the Black Hole 20-17. Indianapolis (5) at Arizona (16): You cannot get a more divergent experience as a defense than what the Colts are getting here. Going from Miami to Arizona--on a short week no less--is as antonymic and difficult as it gets. All that time spent on the field hurts them this week, and those chageups that Chad Pennington threw to Ted Ginn are now laser-armed Kurt Warner gunning to Larry Fitzgerald. And Anquan Bolden. And Steve Breaston. The Cardinals defense has played very well for 6.5 quarters this year and can bring pressure from multiple sources. I would never bet against Peyton Manning, who proved Monday night that he?s the best QB of my football lifetime, which dates back to the late 70s. But there are just too many ways that Arizona can win this game. Cardinals 37, Colts 33. New Orleans (3) at Buffalo (27): I have a sneaking suspicion that Buffalo?s defense slows down Drew Brees & Co. more than expected, but I still think New Orleans finds enough points to outscore a Buffalo OL that is signing guys off Green Bay?s practice squad just to have enough bodies to practice. There is upset potential here but that?s more for the gamblers than the straight-up players. Saints 30, Bills 20. Miami (20) at San Diego (10): In two games this year Shawne Merriman has as many tackles as you and I. I?m not suggesting that going off steroids has anything to do with it--he is coming back from a bad knee injury--but I?m not not suggesting it either. Whatever they need to do to get Merriman his mojo back, they?d better do it quickly. I?m incredibly frustrated by San Diego once again sputtering out of the blocks, because it makes forecasting their games near impossible. On paper they should roll here, as much as anyone can roll over a ball-control team with a decent pass defense. But the Chargers are prone to sleepwalking through too many stretches. Miami tweaked the Wildcat just enough to make it a legit weapon again, and Ricky Williams is running with confidence and attitude. Still, I think home cooking and pride will carry San Diego here, but this would be my lowest value on confidence game picks for the week. Chargers 23, Dolphins 20. Pittsburgh (8) at Cincinnati (18): The early weeks of the season are great for chicken/egg arguments, and last week?s Bengals game brought up a great one. Did Antwan Odom get six sacks because he has dramatically improved, or was it the Packers? patchwork line that led to an awesome performance? No disrespect to Mr. Odom, who has played very well in both Bengals games this year, but he was greatly aided by playing against a sub-par backup guard playing tackle, so the egg wins despite it being a pretty tasty chicken. This week Odom gets another team that struggles in pass protection, and with the way the Cincy secondary has been playing, he and his mates could make a very long afternoon for Big Ben. I like the matchups for the home team, and the Bengals pull off the surprise. Cincinnati 29, Pittsburgh 27. Carolina (26) at Dallas (9): Frequent emailer Jason Butchock presented a very well-conceived argument that the coach of the losing team here will not be employed come Thanksgiving. I wouldn?t go that far, but I?ll boldly proclaim that the coach that loses this game will not be coaching the team next year. Of course, the winning coach here is probably still feeling some flames under his chair too. The Carolina defense has been one of the biggest disappointments of the young season to me, and the Dallas offense is strong enough to continue that, even sans Barber. Jerry Jones gets his inaugural home win in his wondrous palace to himself, as the Cowboys run to a 33-17 win on Monday Night Football. Drinking in the Dorm Room Games 4-1 last week, taking the tally 10-5. Penn State 27, Iowa 13 Houston 41, Texas Tech 33 Virginia Tech 20, Miami 17, and ACC detractors should note that this is the third ranked opponent for each team, or exactly as many as the entire SEC East has played so far. California 30, Oregon 24 Clemson 17, TCU 16, thus ending any non-BCS school argument for the year. Well, except Houston?s...

Two weeks after a federal appeals court cleared Vikings defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams to play the 2009 season and sue the NFL in Hennepin County, the league is seeking to overturn the ruling. The NFL, which faced a Friday deadline to challenge the decision, asked the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday to give it until Oct. 9 to appeal the three-judge panel's ruling to the full court. The move means the league wants all 11 appellate judges on the 8th Circuit to decide the issue before considering an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. On Sept. 11, Judges Duane Benton, Bobby Shepherd and Diana Murphy ruled the Williamses could sue the NFL for allegedly violating Minnesota drug-testing laws in suspending them four games for testing positive for a banned substance. The panel rejected the NFL's argument that its collective bargaining agreement with the Players Association and U.S. labor law supersedes state statutes regulating how and when employers can test workers and professional athletes for drugs and alcohol.

By Christopher Reina The scoreboard is where games are officially won and lost, but they are largely decided by the team that wins the battles of yards per pass, yards per carry, penalty yards lost, first downs, and turnovers. For this reason, I created the following formula called the ?Trench Counter? to look at which team truly controls the game: (2x Yards per pass) + (2x Yards per carry) + (.5 First downs) - (Penalty yards/10) - (2.5 Turnovers) - (Opposing Team's Trench Counter) Click here for more information on the Trench Counter For the 2009 season, our weekly team rankings will be based solely off this formula. 1. New Orleans Saints: 20.8 The Saints rank first in passer rating for (132.9), as well as against (53.4), which goes a long ways in placing them atop our rankings. 2. Denver Broncos: 12.9 Denver is somewhat flukishly ranked second after Week 2, but they have only allowed 27 first downs and opposing offenses are 8-for-29 on 3rd down. The defense has been shockingly effective with just 13 total point allowed. 3. Minnesota Vikings: 9.4 Adrian Peterson is averaging 13.9 yards per rush during the 4th quarter. 4. New York Jets: 8.8 The Jets have allowed just 4.8 yards per pass and are the only team to have not allowed a touchdown. Rex Ryan has also protected his rookie quarterback by running the ball in 57% of their plays. 5. Baltimore Ravens: 8.3 Willis McGahee is one of three players (Frank Gore and Peterson are the others) with four touchdowns. 6. Indianapolis Colts: 8.0 Dallas Clark is the NFL's early leader in receiving yards with 222. 7. Buffalo Bills: 7.2 The Bills have allowed just 65 yards per game on the ground. 8. San Francisco 49ers: 6.5 Shaun Hill's 87.8 passer rating is plenty acceptable so long as the defense continues its stinginess, though he has the lowest rating amongst undefeated quarterbacks. He is one of five QBs (including Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers) to not have an interception on the books yet. 9. New York Giants: 5.4 The running game hasn't gotten off the ground yet for the Giants, who are averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. Mario Manningham is averaging 16.0 yards per reception. 10. Green Bay Packers: 3.3 Aaron Rodgers cannot become an MVP quarterback when he is so frequently horizontal. Antwan Odom recorded five sacks in Cincinnati's 34-24 upset at Green Bay. He has already been sacked 10 times this season, compared to 34 all of 2008. Rodgers also hasn't been helped by the eight drops from his receivers. 11. Tennessee Titans: 3.3 Despite the Tennessee loss, Chris Johnson had 284 total yards on Sunday, which was 52 yards shy of Flipper Anderson's record. The Titans are 0-2, yet had a positive Trench Counter in each game. 12. Atlanta Falcons: 2.7 Michael Turner's yards per carry average has dipped from 4.5 to 3.4, though he did rush for fewer than 4.0 yards per carry in nine 2008 games. 13. Arizona Cardinals: 2.1 Betrand Berry has two sacks and two fumble recoveries. 14. Seattle Seahawks: 2.0 Justin Forsett has proved to be an excellent secondary running back, rushing for 52 yards on eight attempts, while also catching six balls for 57 yards. 15. Philadelphia Eagles: 0.9 Even though Correll Buckhalter has been largely successful in Denver (7.2 yards per carry), the Eagles haven't had trouble running the ball effectively, with a team average of 5.1. 16. Washington Redskins: 0.8 There have been some rumbling complaints on Clinton Portis, but his 4.0 yards per carry isn't dreadful, though Ladell Betts appears done as a viable alternative. 17. New England Patriots: -0.4 Julian Edelman filled in nicely in the Wes Welker role, with eight receptions for 98 yards against the Jets. 18. Pittsburgh Steelers: -0.9 With Willie Parker averaging 2.4 yards per carry in his 27 carries, it might seem wise to give more carries to Rashard Mendenhall (6.4 average). But 39 of his 45 carries were on one carry. 19. Kansas City Chiefs: -1.4 The Chiefs are just 7-for-25 on third down, but they are a surprisingly prolific 3-for-5 on 4th down. 20. Dallas Cowboys: -1.7 The Cowboys have recorded 11 rushes of over 10 yards and easily lead the league in yards per rush with 7.0. 21. Oakland Raiders: -2.5 While many are ready to write-off one Oakland first rounder (JaMarcus Russell), his predecessor in 2006, Michael Huff, has recorded two interceptions in each of the first two games and also made the game-clinching breakup on 4th down. 22. Chicago Bears: -3.2 Matt Forte has struggled badly through the first two weeks with a yards per rush average of 2.2. 23. San Diego Chargers: -4.5 Darren Sproles has logged 183 yards after the catch, contributing heavily to Philip Rivers' total of 357. Rivers has thrown for more YAC than seven teams have thrown for total yards, including the Vikings. 24. Cincinnati Bengals: -4.5 Carson Palmer has an NFL-best 131.8 passer rating while in the red zone. 25. Jacksonville Jaguars: -4.9 With Troy Williamson out for the season, the Jaguars will rely on rookie receivers Jarett Dillard and Mike Thomas to round out their receiver corps. 26. Carolina Panthers: -6.7 Thomas Davis is the current leader in tackles with 28. Jake Delhomme also leads in interceptions. 27. Houston Texans: -7.3 Steve Slaton is fully engrossed in the sophomore slump and the Texans have averaged just 50.5 yards per carry, though they have played two good run defenses. 28. St. Louis Rams: -9.6 The Rams are 0-2, but the offensive line has improved substantially. 29. Miami Dolphins: -10.4 The Dolphins had 13 more first downs and 178 more rushing yards, but giving up 12.3 yards per pass eventually made the Colts the victor on the scoreboard and with the Trench Counter. 30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -10.9 Raheem Morris has been riding Gaines Adams hard, who has yet to come close to living up to the billing when he was a top pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. 31. Cleveland Browns: -15.3 Braylon Edwards isn't officially back yet, but the drop blues have seemed to fade through the first two weeks. 32. Detroit Lions: -18.2 Maybe it's because they played each other in Week 1, but the Lions are the bizarro Saints, with a passer rating of 40.5, while their defense has allowed a passer rating of 134.9, both of which rank last.

Vikings coach Brad Childress knows that people want to see quarterback Brett Favre throw the ball down the field. "I know just from reading the clips there's a clamoring for the throws down field," Childress told the Star Tribune. "There's a taste for it right now. There's an appetite for it." Favre's longest completion on Sunday went for 13 yards. "If you could describe [the West Coast offense], it would be a high completion percentage, low interception percentage [system]," Childress said. "And it is typically a run-after-the-catch offense. It used to be termed extended handoff and extended sweep. ... You're typically looking to see, are they going to give you something up the field and then you are bringing it down to the intermediate check down."