The Skinny: This is getting to be old hat for the Bills -- Doug Flutie drives the team the length of the field in the last two minutes to set up Steve Christie's game-tying or game-winning field goal. Against the Patriots, Christie did both.
Studs: Down 13-10, Flutie dodged and carried tacklers as he scrambled for 11 yards on a third-and-10 play to keep the Bills' final regulation drive alive. Then Christie drove a 48-yard kick through the drizzle and wind, just barely clearing the crossbar and sending the game into overtime.
Stiff: Patriots QB John Friesz, who entered the game when starter Drew Bledsoe suffered a hand injury, drove his squad to the Bills 1-yard line in search of the tying TD in the third quarter. Then, he inexplicably panicked, and threw a poor pass to a double-covered J.R. Redmond, and John Holacek made the interception for the Bills, saving seven points.
By the numbers: Flutie is now 12-1 at Foxboro Stadium -- 5-0 with Boston College and 7-1 in the NFL.
Next week: The Bills (5-4) host Chicago, while the Patriots (2-7) travel to Cleveland.
The Skinny: Steve McNair drove the Titans 63 yards in 3:14 to set up Al Del Greco's third field goal of the game, a 29-yarder with four seconds left in the game, giving the Titans their eighth straight victory and sending the Steelers to defeat for the first time in six games.
Stud: Titans WR Derrick Mason finished with eight catches for 92 yards, but he was huge on the game-winning drive. The first two plays were passes to Mason for 14 and 16 yards that put the Titans over midfield. Then on fourth-and-eight, Mason and McNair connected on a game-saving 17-yard hookup that put the Titans safely within Del Greco's range.
Stiff: Steelers QB Kordell Stewart might not be long for this league. On Sunday he was just 7-for-22 through the air and generated only one score on a day when the Steelers defense put the team in a position to win with just 10 points.
By the numbers: After rushing for 100 yards in three straight games, Steelers RB Jerome Bettis has now been held to a total of 107 rushing yards in his last two games.
Next week: The Titans (8-1) host Baltimore; the Steelers (5-4) host the Eagles.
The Skinny: The Dolphins cashed in on one of the fastest starts a team could imagine, jumping ahead 14-0 before the Lions offense took the field, and held on to the win that gave them sole possession of first place in the AFC East.
Stud: Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt, whose Bears teams were 1-5 in the Silverdome in the 90s, authorized an onside kick after the Dolphins scored a touchdown on the first possession of the game. The kick was recovered by the Dolphins, who went on to add a second Lamar Smith touchdown and virtually put the game away before the Lions ever touched the ball.
Stiff: Lions kickoff returner Terry Fair fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half, leading to an Olindo Mare field goal and a 20-0 Miami lead, and further sealing the deal for the Dolphins.
By the numbers: The Lions had gone 34 games without allowing a touchdown on the game's opening drive, but after a long kickoff return, Smith rumbled 46 yards for a TD on the game's first play from scrimmage.
Next week: Miami (7-2) travels to San Diego, while Detroit (5-4) hosts Atlanta.
The Skinny: Chicago stormed out to a 27-0 lead, then hung on for its life, getting a turnover on the Colts' final drive to clinch the upset of the year in the NFL.
Stud: Bears rookie LB Brian Urlacher made 11 tackles, many that rattled the fillings of Colts ballcarriers and receivers, as the Colts were scoreless at halftime for the first time all year.
Stiff: The Colts recovered an onside kick with a minute and a half to play, but as they tried to drive for the tying field goal, right tackle Adam Meadows allowed Rosevelt Colvin to blow past him and slam QB Peyton Manning to the turf, forcing a fumble that the Bears recovered to clinch the game.
By the numbers: Colts RB Edgerrin James passed 2500 rushing yards in just his 25th career game -- tying him with Jim Brown as the second-fastest to 2500 in NFL history. Former Colts and Rams RB Eric Dickerson reached 2500 in 23 games.
Next week: Chicago (2-7) travels to Buffalo; the Colts (6-3) host the Jets on Sunday night.
The Skinny: A week after throwing a career-high four TD passes against the Vikings, Bucs QB Shaun King riddled the Falcons for three more TDs as the Bucs offense stayed in high gear.
Stud: Bucs WR Keyshawn Johnson doubled his season touchdown output with a pair of scores, including a 29-yarder in the fourth quarter that gave the Bucs an insurmountable 24-7 lead.
Stiffs: The Falcons' offensive line was truly offensive, letting the Bucs pressure, pummel, and finally deliver the knockout punch to QB Chris Chandler.
By the numbers: When the Bucs blocked a Dan Stryzinski punt in the second quarter, it was the first time a Stryzinski punt had been blocked in his last 557 attempts -- dating back to 1993, when he was punting for Tampa Bay, against Atlanta.
Next week: The Buccaneers (5-4) host the Packers; the Falcons (3-7) travel to Detroit.
The Skinny: The surging Saints waved at the 49ers on their trip down the NFC West ladder, as QB Jeff Blake roasted the Niners early and often in a convincing victory at the Superdome.
Stud: Blake completed 20 of 26 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns against the worst pass defense in the NFL.
Stiffs: The 49ers defense couldn't get the ball back for its offense in the first half, and it showed -- the Saints grabbed a 28-0 halftime lead as the Niners only held the ball for 8:52 in the first half.
By the numbers: Niners QB Jeff Garcia still leads the NFL with 24 touchdown passes, including his 11-yard strike to Terry Jackson with 47 seconds remaining.
Next week: The Saints (6-3) travel to Carolina; the Niners (2-8) host Kansas City.
The Skinny: The Giants dominated the game on the ground, through the air, and on the scoreboard in a thorough dismantling of the Browns.
Stud: Giants QB Kerry Collins threw three TD passes for the first time since last December, including a pair of picture-perfect strikes to Amani Toomer.
Stiffs: The Browns' secondary -- CBs Corey Fuller and Daylon McCutcheon and safeties Percy Ellsworth and Marquis Smith -- allowed the Giants to run over, around and through them all day.
By the numbers: The Browns are working on a Ravens-like streak of touchdown-less quarters -- 13, or 205:54 and counting.
Next week: The Giants (7-2) host the Rams; the Browns (2-8) host New England.
The Skinny: Eagles K David Akers booted the game-tying and game-winning field goals as Philadelphia swept Dallas for the first time in 10 years.
Stud: Eagles QB Donovan McNabb threw for 228 yards, ran for 58 more, and went 6-for-7 in overtime in leading his team to the winning field goal.
Stiff: Cowboys fullback Robert Thomas carried the ball once all game -- and he fumbled near midfield in overtime, setting up the Eagles' game-wining scoring drive.
By the numbers: Akers, who was a kickoff specialist as a rookie last year, is now 15-for-17 on field goal attempts this season.
Next week: The Eagles (6-4) travel to Pittsburgh; the Cowboys (3-6) host Cincinnati
The Skinny: The Ravens finally broke their touchdown drought with a second-quarter flurry, and they easily handled the Bengals in Cincinnati.
Stud: I can scarcely believe that I am typing these words -- Baltimore QB Trent Dilfer was the main reason the Ravens' offense finally came through. Dilfer was efficient and effective, throwing for 244 yards and three TDs.
Stiffs: How about a Bengals defense that has now allowed seven TDs by the Ravens in two games that bookend a five-game TD-less drought? Any secondary that turns Dilfer into the second coming of John Unitas deserves nationwide scorn.
By the numbers: The Ravens went 322 minutes and 32 seconds without a TD, then scored three of them in a 12:03 span of the second quarter.
Next week: The Ravens (6-4) travel to Tennessee; the Bengals (2-7) travel to Dallas.
The Skinny: The Redskins changed quarterbacks after an injury to Brad Johnson, but Jeff George's first win in Washington was put on hold by Aeneas Williams and the Cardinals.
Stud: Williams, a perennial All-Pro at cornerback, gave the Cards a 7-0 lead when he returned a Stephen Davis fumble 103 yards on the first drive of the game. Two plays later he picked off a George pass, setting up a field goal and a 10-0 Cardinals lead.
Stiff: Redskins K Kris Heppner, the third kicker of the year in Washington, shanked a 33-yard field goal attempt with 5:10 remaining that would have given the Redskins the lead. In fact, the one-point difference was due to a botched snap on an extra point attempt.
By the numbers: The Redskins outgained the Cardinals 430 to 183, ran 77 plays to 44 for Arizona, and rushed for 163 yards compared to 45 for the Cards.
Next week: Arizona (3-6) travels to Minnesota; the Redskins (6-4) have a bye.
The Skinny: The Raiders rolled to touchdowns in four of their five first-half possessions and grabbed the AFC West by the throat by opening a three-game lead in the standings.
Stud: Raiders QB Rich Gannon threw his hat into the NFL MVP ring with another clutch performance against a division rival. He threw for 242 yards with four TDs and no interceptions as the Raiders dominated the clock with a strong running game and Gannon's precision passing.
Stiff: Raiders K Sebastian Janikowski's strange rookie season just got stranger. Sometime during the week he developed a bacterial infection in his foot and he was scratched from the lineup after pregame warmups. His replacement, punter Shane Lechler, was 7-for-7 on extra points but missed his only field goal attempt, a 33-yarder that was wide left.
By the numbers: Chiefs QB Elvis Grbac threw for 504 yards on 53 attempts, the highest yardage for an NFL QB since Boomer Esiason piled up 522 yards for the Cardinals in 1996.
Next week: The Raiders (8-1) travel to Denver on Monday Night Football, while the Chiefs (5-4) travel to San Francisco.
The Skinny: The Broncos stormed out to a 17-0 lead, watched the Jets score 20 of the next 23 points, rallied for a 30-20 lead, then made a dramatic goal-line stand to beat the Jets in the Meadowlands.
Stud: Broncos QB Brian Griese bounced back from a drunken driving arrest during the team's bye week to post one of his best games of the season. He threw for 327 yards and connected with WR Ed McCaffrey for a pair of scores, including a 47-yarder with nine minutes to go in the game that broke a 20-20 tie.
Stiffs: The Jets' offensive coaching staff -- head coach Al Groh, offensive coordinator Dan Henning, and any of the other mental midgets in Motorolas who called four pass plays with the ball on the Broncos 2-yard line and the Jets trailing by a touchdown in the game's final minute. Star RB Curtis Martin was used as a decoy, but QB Vinny Testaverde misfired on four straight passes, giving Denver the victory.
By the numbers: Broncos RB Terrell Davis' 115-yard rushing effort was his first game over the century mark since the Broncos' second consecutive Super Bowl victory in January of 1999.
Next week: Denver (5-4) hosts the Raiders on Monday Night Football; the Jets (6-3) travel to Indianapolis for a Sunday night battle.
The Skinny: The Chargers dominated every aspect of the game but remained winless after Rian Lindell's field goal on the last game's last play.
Stud: Lindell, a rookie from Washington State who had never attempted a game-winning kick in the NFL, drilled a 48-yarder right down the center with plenty of distance.
Stiffs: Chargers C Roman Fortin and QB Jim Harbaugh botched two snaps in the first half -- the Seahawks recovered both fumbles and drove 28 and 33 yards for their only touchdowns of the game.
By the numbers: The Chargers had a 2-to-1 advantage on the clock and outgained the Seahawks 397-129.
Next week: Seattle (3-7) travels to Jacksonville, while the Chargers (0-9) host Miami.
The Skinny: The Panthers put a perfect capper on Upset Sunday in the NFL by dealing the defending Super Bowl champs their first home loss in two years.
Stud: The Panthers had a number of gutty performers on the night, but give the game ball to head coach George Seifert for having the stomach to go for it on fourth-and-two from the St. Louis 42 with two minutes left and the game tied at 24. He was rewarded when Tshimanga Biakabutuka rambled 10 yards with a pitchout, setting up Joe Nedney's game-winning field goal.
Stiff: Rams coach Mike Martz had a similar decision to make on the previous possession, but he elected to punt from the Panthers 35 on fourth-and-six with 6:31 to go. But the decision backfired when rookie punter John Baker shanked an eight-yard kick out of bounds at the Panthers 27.
By the numbers: The Rams hadn't been held under 30 points in an NFL record 14 straight games.
Next week: Carolina (4-5) hosts New Orleans, while the Rams (7-2) travel to the Meadowlands to face the New York Giants.
