Breckunitch: “Nicks” fantasy football in the bud

It was a fairly predictable weekend in the NFL, though some bottom-feeders gave the top contenders a run for their money. Here is what you can take away from the weekend’s NFL action.

All That

There’s no joking about it anymore, the Tennessee Titans really are that good. They used a 17-point fourth quarter to hand a crushing blow to the Colts, who fell to 3-4 on the season. The Titans picked off Peyton Manning twice and rode that strong defense to their seventh victory this season. Who cares if Kerry Collins is the quarterback? If the Titans continue to suffocate opponents with their defense, they’ll be munching on a “Good Burger” on their way to a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Wild and Crazy Kids

That’s how you can view the AFC East division right now. Buffalo lost to last-place Miami on Sunday but still leads the division. The Patriots barely escaped with a slim seven-point victory against the Rams, and the Jets scraped by the Chiefs even though quarterback Brett Favre threw three interceptions. Maybe we can turn to Nickelodeon host Omar Gooding at the end of the season to come up with some crazy contest to decide the winner of the division because chances are, the division race will continue to be tight throughout the rest of the season.

Do, do, do, do you have it? Guts!

Philadelphia running back Brian Westbrook fought back from injury with a vengeance. After missing a game because of a hip injury, Westbrook came out of the bye week blazing. Westbrook carried the ball 22 times for 167 yards and two touchdowns and added six catches for 42 yards to have a stellar performance on Sunday. Westbrook scaled the Aggro Crag with ease and kept the Eagles in a tight division race, helping them chalk up a victory.

Double Dare

Would you like to take the physical challenge and play the Cleveland Browns right now? The Browns have reverted back to its 2007 form after a rough start this season. The Browns have won three of their last four games, which that includes serving the Giants their only loss of the season. Also consider that they lost to the Steelers and Redskins, two elite teams, by a combined seven points. The Browns’ offense has found its stride again and the defense has played well enough to keep them in a lot of games. If the team keeps up this level of play, it could challenge for a playoff spot again.

Legends of the Hidden Temple

The Giants appear to be on their way to the mecca of football after a heated battle against the Steelers on Sunday. The Steelers had problems getting through the physical challenges, as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw four interceptions, and multiple players left the game with injuries, including safety Ryan Clark. Maybe Olmec can give the Steelers some advice on the safest path to the Super Bowl.

— — Edited by Andy Greenhaw

 

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