Monday Musings.

While we get ready for tonight’s Cowboys-Bills game, here are a few notes form yesterday’s NFL action.

- Bears revitalized, or Green Bay tripping up? I’ll lean more to the latter, even after Chicago ended Green Bay’s unbeaten season with a 27-20 comeback win at Lambeau Field last night.

The Packers were up 17-7 at the half, and 20-7 early in the third. But, one play turned the entire game. And, it was a Favre play circa-2004 or 2005, as opposed to September 2007. He rolled to his right, looked directly into the pressure that was coming directly at him, and instead of throwing it out of bounds, tossed it right into a crowd, where Brian Urlacher picked it off. One play later, Brian Griese threw a touchdown pass to Gregg Olson, and it was 20-17 just like that.

Chicago went three and out on their next possession, but, following a long punt return by Charles Woodson, the ball was knocked loose, and punter Brad Maynard recovered at the Packers’ 41. The Bears would tie it up on a field goal.

From there, Green Bay made mistakes on every possession, and then the Bears won it late with an eight-play, 79-yard drive that culminated in a 34-yard touchdown pass to Desmond Clark with 2:05 left.

- Speaking of revitalization, the Chargers took a huge step forward with a 41-3 annihilation of the Broncos in Denver. It was 17-0 just over a quarter in, and from there, the Chargers ran over the Broncos, who have faded after a 2-0 start. San Diego picked up 484 yards, with 214 coming on the ground. Now that’s more like it, Norv.

- The Giants have rebounded from an 0-2 start to win three straight, including a 35-24 win over the Jets yesterday. Brandon Jacobs returned and ran for 100 yards and a score, and Derrick Ward, who filled in nicely for Jacobs while he missed the last three-plus games, ran for 56 yards and a score.

- However, it’s the Redskins who are in second in the NFC East, after they routed the Lions 34-3. Jason Campbell had the best game of his short career, going 23 of 29 for 248 yards and two touchdowns. The defense harassed Jon Kitna all day, sacking him five times, picking him off twice, and knocking the ball loose three times.

When the Redskins are playing as well as they have so far, you wonder when the slide is going to come. Who knows, maybe the winning tradition is back in the capital city?

- Along with the Redskins, the Cardinals and Texans are much improved over last year. Houston got three 50+ yard field goals from Kris Brown, including a game-winning 57-yarder with no time left, to keep Miami winless in a 22-19 victory.

The Cardinals improved to 3-2, just like the Texans, with a win over a winless team yesterday. Kurt Warner came off the bench again, and then, after Matt Leinart got hurt, stayed in the game to lead the Cardinals to a 34-31 win over 0-5 St. Louis. The Rams finally scored some points, and doubled their offensive touchdown output of the previous four games. But, it wasn’t enough, as two defensive touchdowns helped lead the Cardinals to a victory.

Leinart’s going to be out for an extended period of time, so it’s Warner’s team once again. He seems to be playing like his old (good) self, but will it keep up now that he is the starter, and not just coming off of the bench?

- Speaking of quarterback injuries and winless teams, New Orleans is 0-4 after falling to Carolina 16-13.

The Saints led 13-6, and had ten-minute drive spanning the third and fourth quarters, but a 20-yard field goal by Olindo Mare was blocked. David Carr led the Panthers down for a game-tying score, and then, after Mare missed a 54-yard field goal with two minutes later, Carr led the Panthers down for a 52-yard, game-winning field goal by John Kasay as time expired.

Carr will now be the starter after Jake Delhomme will miss the rest of the season due to elbow surgery. But, the Panthers are one play away from having to turn to our old buddy Matt Moore, and that was very apparent yesterday. Carr hurt his back on a sack late in the first quarter, and Moore came in for the next drive, and completed a 43-yard pass on a drive that resulted in a field goal and a 6-3 Panthers lead.

The Saints, meanwhile, continue to be a turnover machine, after Drew Brees was picked off three times yesterday. Honeymoon’s over, Sean and Reggie.

- The Patriots produced another dominant performance in knocking off the Browns 34-17 yesterday, to go to 5-0. Tom Brady now has 16 touchdown passes in five games.

Will we see Pat Watkins helping to cover Randy Moss on Sunday?

- With the Cowboys yet to play, the Colts are the only other 5-0 team at this point, after Green Bay’s loss. The Colts didn’t have the services of the injured Joseph Addai, but it didn’t matter, as Kenton Keith (who?) rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Now, before you fantasy footballers go and pick up the Keith thinking he’s the next Dominic Rhodes, Addai will likely be back by the Colts’ next game, and Keith likely won’t get too, too many carries from that point.

- While the Colts are intent on running away with the AFC South again, the Jaguars and Titans are trying to keep up. The Jaguars beat Kansas City 17-7 in a laughable performance by the Chiefs. A week after an impressive win at San Diego, the Chiefs bombed at home, and were one second away from a shutout, before Brodie Croyle threw a touchdown pass on the final play.

As for the Titans, they were pretty laughable themselves, but the Falcons were worse, so Tennessee was able to escape with a 20-13 win.

Vince Young (who shouldn’t have to throw it 33 times) was picked off three times, and the Titans fumbled twice more (including one that was returned for a score), missed a field goal, and botched a punt.

But, for all of the chances the Falcons were given, they threw them away by being inept on offense, missing three field goals, and throwing two picks.

Still, Atlanta had a golden opportunity to tie it late. After great penetration on a late punt got the Falcons possession at the 19, Warrick Dunn rushed 18 yards to the 1. Sure score, right? Nope. Byron Leftwich, who came in for an ineffective Joey Harrington, was even less effective, and fumbled on the next play to put the ball at the nine, then was sacked on fourth down to end Atlanta’s hopes.

If you needed any indication to see how bad the Falcons are, you have it. And, if you watched that game yesterday, I feel great sympathy for you.

Meanwhile, the postman has been at Michael Vick’s house for an hour.

- The other two contests were AFC North-NFC West clashes. In a Super Bowl XL rematch, the Steelers dominated the Seahawks offensively and defensively in a 21-0 win. Pittsburgh held the ball for over 40 minutes, and recorded the league‘s first shutout this season.

In the other AFC North-NFC West clash, Baltimore held off San Francisco 9-7. Steve McNair has thrown the ball 96 times in the last two games, but the Ravens had scored only 22 points. As for the 49ers, well, it’s a good thing that Alex Smith’s injury is not as serious as originally thought, though when Frank Gore is barely averaging 60 yards per game and only 3.6 yards per carry, Mike Nolan might as well bring Jim Druckenmiller back.

- One last interesting note, based on something I wrote about in my September NFL report.

After 27 games with 300-yard passers in the first four weeks, there was only one yesterday (Favre threw for 322). On the other hand, there were eight 100-yard rushing performances.