The Skinny: The Vikings had their perfect record marred by an ugly defeat at the hands of Warren Sapp, Shaun King and the Buccaneers.
Stud: King doubled his previous career high by throwing four TD passes -- none of them terribly difficult as his receivers shredded the Viking secondary.
Stiff: Vikings CB Robert Tate was a wide receiver until last December. He looked the part on Sunday, displaying shoddy tackling technique and getting toasted repeatedly by Tampa Bay's Keyshawn Johnson and Jacquez Green.
By the numbers: The Bucs turned three Minnesota turnovers into 21 points; the Vikings didn't force a turnover.
Next week: The Buccaneers (4-4) travel to Atlanta; the Vikings (7-1) travel to Lambeau Field to take on Green Bay on Monday Night Football.
The Skinny: Peyton Manning threw three TD passes in a turnover-filled game as the Colts held off Detroit and grabbed a share of first place in the AFC East.
Stud: Colts RB Edgerrin James pounded out 139 yards rushing and his 24-yard TD run with less than two minutes left sealed the deal.
Stiff: Lions QB Charlie Batch completed just 18 of his 39 passes (46 percent) and was responsible for three turnovers -- a fumble and two interceptions. The Lions had the ball at their own 20 at the two-minute warning, trailing by just five points, but Batch's first pass was picked off by David Macklin, and the Lions never threatened again.
By the numbers: Colts WR Marvin Harrison and Lions WR Johnnie Morton each went over 5,000 career yards receiving on Sunday. Harrison took just 68 games to reach the mark, while Morton was playing in his 102nd career game.
Next week: Indianapolis (6-2) travels to Chicago, while Detroit (5-3) hosts Miami.
The Skinny: Bills K Steve Christie kicked his third game-winning field goal of the year after QB Doug Flutie put together a successful last-ditch drive for the second time in three games.
Stud: Bills LB Sam Cowart made eight tackles, recovered two fumbles, and made the play of the game when he stuffed the Jets' Richie Anderson for a five-yard loss on a screen pass on 3rd-and-1 from the Bills 13 with 2:40 to play. The Jets had to settle for a game-tying field goal, setting up Flutie and Christie for their heroics.
Stiff: Jets QB Vinny Testaverde had his moments, but in the second quarter he turned the ball over three times. One interception was returned 45 yards for a TD by Bills S Henry Jones, and on the last possession of the half, he fumbled at the Bills 10, squandering another scoring opportunity.
By the numbers: It's no wonder this one came down to the final play -- total net yards, Buffalo 338, New York 337; first downs, New York 19, Buffalo 18; time of possession, Buffalo 30:23, New York 29:37.
Next week: Buffalo (4-4) travels to New England; the Jets (6-2) host Denver.
The Skinny: The Dolphins spotted Green Bay a 17-0 lead, stormed back to score 28 straight points, then forced turnovers on the Packers' last two possessions to hold on for the win.
Stud: With the Dolphins leading 21-17 in the third quarter, Miami's Jeff Ogden fielded a punt on the run at his own 19. He didn't slow down until he had scooted 81 yards for the touchdown that completed the scoring for the Dolphins.
Stiffs: Green Bay's special teams not only allowed Ogden's punt return but they were also burned by a fake punt that kept alive a third-quarter drive that resulted in the go-ahead TD for Miami.
By the numbers: In a span of 38:36 -- from the fourth quarter vs. the Jets on Monday night to the second quarter of Sunday's game -- the Dolphins were outscored by their opponents 50-7.
Next week: Miami (6-2) travels to Detroit, while Green Bay (3-5) hosts Minnesota on Monday Night Football.
The Skinny: It just doesn't seem to matter who is the quarterback in Baltimore, as the Ravens were held without at touchdown for their fifth straight game in losing to Pittsburgh.
Stud: Steelers safety Brent Alexander helped stuff the Ravens with 10 tackles, providing the backbone for a defense that has allowed only one TD -- a garbage-time score at that -- in its last five games.
Stiff: Ravens QB Trent Dilfer was the same old Dilfer from the Tampa Bay days -- 11 of 24, 152 yards passing, and two red zone turnovers on possessions that, had they even been converted to field goals, would have won the game for the Ravens.
By the numbers: Kicker Matt Stover has scored the Ravens' last 46 points -- an extra-point kick, then 15 straight field goals.
Next week: Baltimore (5-3) travels to Cincinnati; Pittsburgh (5-3) travels to Tennessee.
The Skinny: Corey Dillon was the star for the second straight week as the Bengals won their second straight game after starting the season 0-6.
Stud: Dillon, who broke Walter Payton's NFL single-game rushing record last week, rumbled for 137 yards on 27 carries and scored the game's only TD on a 1-yard run in the first quarter.
Stiffs: Browns QBs Doug Pederson and Spergon Wynn combined for some brain-numbing numbers -- 13-for-32, 147 yards and a pick -- against a Bengals defense that had given up 365 yards to Denver's Brian Griese last week.
By the numbers: Dillon's 415 rushing yards in the past two weeks are the third-highest two-game total in NFL history, trailing only O.J. Simpson's 476 in 1976 and Payton's 467 in 1977.
Next week: The Bengals (2-6) host Baltimore, while the Browns (2-7) host the Giants.
The Skinny: The Falcons completed a season sweep of Carolina by scoring 10 points in the last 8:09, with veteran kicker Morten Anderson nailing the game-winning FG from 31 yards out.
Stud: Falcons RB Jamal Anderson might be regaining his form after missing most of last year with a knee injury. He rushed for 90 yards on 25 carries and scored the game's only touchdown on a 2-yard plunge in the fourth quarter that pulled the Falcons to within two points.
Stiff: Carolina QB Steve Beuerlein turned the ball over four times, including two critical gaffes in the fourth quarter. After Anderson's TD, he was intercepted by Ray Buchanan at the Panthers 20, which led to the go-ahead field goal; on the ensuing possession, he was sacked and fumbled the ball back to the Falcons.
By the numbers: Panthers K Joe Nedney might have to change his nickhame -- the man sometimes called "Captain Hook" kicked four field goals for the third time this season.
Next week: Atlanta (3-6) hosts Tampa Bay, while Carolina (3-5) travels to St. Louis for a Sunday night game.
The Skinny: The Rams got back on a winning streak with backup QB Trent Green at the helm, as he leaned on some of the team's proven stars to help knock off the feisty Niners in San Francisco.
Stud: Rams RB Marshall Faulk has been possibly the best player in the game over the past season and a half. Sunday, he confirmed that reputation by scoring four touchdowns -- two rushing, two receiving, one in each quarter -- to keep the Rams afloat. Each of his TDs either tied the score or gave the Rams the lead.
Stiff: 49ers C Jeremy Newberry was flagged for holding, which wiped out Charlie Garner's 75-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter that would have put the Niners on top 31-24. The Rams scored on their next possession and never looked back.
By the numbers: After losing 17 straight to the 49ers, the Rams now have a four-game winning streak against San Francisco.
Next week: The Rams (7-1) host the Panthers on Sunday night; the Niners (2-7) travel to New Orleans.
The Skinny: The Giants used a surprisingly balanced offensive attack and dominated the time of possession as they completed their fourth straight season sweep of the Eagles.
Stud: Giants WR Amani Toomer had a rare 100-yard game for the home team, their first of the season. Toomer grabbed nine balls for 108 yards and a TD that gave the Giants a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.
Stiffs: The entire Eagles' offense can wear the goat horns this week. Their running backs only carried the ball seven times for 15 yards, QB Donovan McNabb completed just 10 of 31 passes and they only mustered eight first downs.
By the numbers: The Giants held the ball for 43:41, the most by any Giants team since 1983, when they held the ball for 45:43 against -- you guessed it -- the Eagles.
Next week: New York (6-2) travels to Cleveland; the Eagles (5-3) host Dallas.
The Skinny: The Saints weren't pretty, but they turned two second-half turnovers into 14 points to beat the Cardinals for their fourth straight win.
Stud: Saints LB Keith Mitchell had seven tackles and he stepped in front of a Jake Plummer pass in the third quarter and returned it 53 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.
Stiff: Trailing 14-10, Cards punt returner Mac Cody fumbled a punt on his own 13-yard line early in the fourth quarter. The Saints recovered, punched it into the end zone two plays later, and the 21-10 score held up.
By the numbers: The Cardinals actually outgained the Saints by nearly 150 yards and put up 397 yards on the league's No. 1 defense, which had allowed just 229 yards per game.
Next week: New Orleans (5-3) hosts San Francisco, while Arizona (2-6) hosts Washington.
The Skinny: Elvis Grbac threw three first-half touchdowns and the Chiefs held onto their early lead as they nipped the Seahawks in Seattle.
Stud: Chiefs WR Derrick Alexander hauled in two of Grbac's bombs -- from 59 and 50 yards -- for touchdowns, and he finished the day with 137 yards receiving, the third time in four games he has topped the 100-yard mark.
Stiff: Seahawks QB Jon Kitna's three interceptions were killers for the Seahawks -- one killed a drive in the red zone, and another came just after the two-minute warning, when the Seahawks were trailing by five and had a first-and-10 at their own 28 with all three of their timeouts.
By the numbers: Grbac has thrown a TD in 14 straight games, tying Len Dawson's team record, and he's thrown at least two TDs in his last six games.
Next week: The Chiefs (5-3) travel to Oakland; the Seahawks (2-7) host San Diego.
The Skinny: Mark Brunell's third TD pass of the game came on the opening drive in overtime as the Jaguars snapped a five-game losing skid.
Stud: Brunell showed flashes of the form that made him one of the game's most dangerous quarterbacks, completing 20 of 24 passes for 231 yards, with three TDs and no interceptions. He also rushed five times for 41 yards.
Stiff: The National Football League, for its ridiculous overtime rule that doesn't give each team a chance to play offense. The Cowboys kicked off and their offense never saw the ball as the Jaguars wore down an exhausted defense that had been on the field for much of the fourth quarter.
By the numbers: Each team had a 100-yard rusher (Fred Taylor and Emmitt Smith) and a 100-yard receiver (Kyle Brady and James McKnight).
Next week: Jacksonville (3-6) has a bye; the Cowboys (3-5) travel to Philadelphia.
The Skinny: Sebastian Janikowski booted five field goals, including the game-winner with 13 seconds remaining as the Raiders posted their second comeback win of the year over the winless Chargers.
Stud: Janikowski, a No. 1 draft choice in April, is finally paying big dividends to a Raiders team that struggled with its kicking game last year. The rookie from Florida State connected on five of six attempts, including a career-long 54-yarder in the first quarter.
Stiff: Chargers QB Ryan Leaf. Hey, maybe it's piling on, considering that he didn't even play, but if he weren't such a stiff, the Chargers might not be 0-8 and mired in the AFC West basement for the foreseeable future.
By the numbers: The Chargers rushed for just 29 net yards, well below their season average of 64.6 yards per game, which was already last in the NFL.
Next week: The Raiders (7-1) host the Chiefs, while the Chargers (0-8) travel to Seattle.
