Oakland Raiders (1-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (0-2): Oakland, 13-10

Here’s proof you don’t need an offense to win a game: the Oakland Raiders totaled 176 yards from scrimmage and JaMarcus Russell completed just 7-of-24 (that’s around 30 percent) for 109 yards. How? No turnovers and a turnover-forcing defense.

Darren McFadden rushed 12 times for 35 yards and scored Oakland’s only touchdown of the game. He added 2 receptions for 20 yards, leading the team in catches; no one on had at least 30 yards receiving.

The 0-2 Chiefs moved the ball on offense when Matt Cassel was throwing passes but his two interceptions proved very costly. Both times he was in Oakland’s territory — the first time at the 49 and the second time in field goal range at the 33. In a game in which Oakland scored just 13 points, 7 of which in the fourth quarter, those turnovers were the difference.

Larry Johnson’s numbers weren’t outstanding and Oakland contained his running to 3.2 yards per carry, but thanks to his impressive number of touches — 27 — he accumulated 119 yards from scrimmage. That was a vast improvement over last week when he picked up 26 yards on 12 touches.

New England (1-1) at New York Jets (2-0): Jets, 16-9

Talk about being close to 0-2. After coming back in a miracle win over the Buffalo Bills last week, the Patriots couldn’t overcome a terrible performance by Tom Brady who completed just under half his 47 attempts for 216 yards and an interception for a 53 passer rating. Wide receiver Julian Edelmen caught 8 passes for 98 yards to lead the team in both categories.

New York’s Mark Sanchez was far more effective for the Jets, completing 14-of-22 for 163 yards and a touchdown to lead the Jets to their second win. Meanwhile, the rushing attack of Leon Washington and Thomas Jones combined for 112 yards on 28 carrries (exactly 4.0 yards per carry), and their numbers were near replicas. The defining difference was Washington’s 2 receptions for 18 yards; he also lost one fumble.

Sanchez’s passes were spread around rather evenly: Jericho Cotchery and Chansai Stuckey both caught four passes, Cotchery’s going for 87 yards (more than twice Stuckey’s 37 yards). Dustin Keller was the only other player with at least two catches, and one of his his three found him in the endzone for Sanchez’s only touchdown.

New Orleans (2-0) at Philadelphia (1-1): Saints, 48-22

If you drafted Drew Brees as your fantasy quarterback you’re probably 2-0 in your league. Brees topped over 300 yards for the second week in a row and tacked on his 7th, 8th, and 9th touchdown passes. On the year he has 669 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions; just as impressive, he has completed 75 percent of his pass attempts.

His top target: Marques Colston, who has 11 receptions for 128 yards and 3 touchdowns; he had 3 receptions for 30 yards week one and this week he caught 8 passes for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns. Only Devery Henderson has more yards at this point (174), averaging nearly 22 yards per reception.

And here’s the kicker: thanks in no small part to the ultra-effective passing game, Mike Bell has turned into a viable fantasy option at running back. He has 229 rushing yards and 1 touchdown this season, and both weeks he has put up at least 14 fantasy points (assuming standard scoring).

On the Eagles side, Kevin Kolb and the Eagles were keeping up with the Saints going into the second half. Unfortunately, then the wheels fell off. Kolb finished with 391 passing yards (!) and 2 touchdowns but 3 interceptions. Both Brent Celek and DeSean Jackson finished with over 100 receiving yards and Celek scored a touchdown. Jason Avant added 7 receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown. Though the Eagles gained a lot of yards on offense, the four turnovers killed them.

Houston (1-1) at Tennessee (0-2): Houston, 34-31

In a shootout in which both teams were tied 31-31 going into the fourth quarter, both teams lit it up on offense and struggled on defense. The Texans couldn’t contain Chris Johnson who rushed for 197 yards and led the team in receiving with 9 receptions for 87 yards, scoring 3 touchdowns along the way.

Kerry Collins completed 21 of his 33 pass attempts for 216 yards and 2 touchdowns and an interception. A significant portion of his passing yards went to Johnson who led this offense to three of its four touchdowns. Collins has been struggling this season, throwing two interceptions through the first two games of the season; last season he threw seven.

On Tennessee’s end, there was no stopping Matt Schaub and the Texans’ incredible passing game. Schaub tossed the football 39 times for 357 yards and 4 touchdowns, 2 of which went to Andre Johnson. Johnson caught 10 passes for 149 yards in all, bouncing back from a disappointing week one performance.

Schaub saw a significant improvement over week one when he completed just over half his passes for 166 yards and an interception. The key could be Tennesee’s porous pass defense that currently ranks dead last in the NFL.

Carolina (0-2) at Atlanta (2-0): Atlanta, 28-20

Matt Ryan again showcased his skills as a passer, throwing for 220 yards and 3 touchdowns in a close win over Carolina. Tony Gonzalez remains the lynch pin in this offense and he caught 7 passes for 71 yards and 1 touchdown. His presence has made the offense much more versatile and effective through the air.

Perhaps least surprising was the renewed interest in running the ball this week. Ryan attempted just 27 passes this week, while Michael Turner handled 28 carries and Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood tacked on 7 more. Turner effectively rushed for 105 yards and 1 touchdown to lead the offense, but Snelling took his 6 carries 37 yards, too.

The big stat to take away from this one for Atlanta: Ryan completed much more of his passes to his wide receivers this week. Though Gonzo led the team with 7 receptions, Roddy White caught 6 and Marty Booker and Michael Jenkins combined for 5 more. In all, 12 of Ryan’s 21 completions were to wide receivers versus last week when over half his completions were to Gonzo and the running backs.

Meanwhile, the Panthers slipped to 0-2 in spite of a near comeback. Jake Delhomme was significantly better this week and he finished with 308 passing yards, 1 touchdowns and 1 interception. His favorite target was, not surprisingly, Steve Smith who caught 8 passes for 131 yards in a big performance. The rest of the completions were spread between 7 other players, none of whom had more than 5 receptions. Tight end Dante Rosario caught 3 for 31 yards and 1 touchdown.

But though Carolina was very focused on passing the football, the running game was very effective: in all, the team ran the ball 25 times for 144 yards. DeAngelo Williams led the way with 16 carries for 79 yards and 1 touchdown, while Jonathan Stewart chipped in with 9 carries for 65 yards. Overall, the offense showed much more promise than last week and in a turnover-free game, this will be a tough team to beat.

Minnesota (2-0) at Detroit (0-2): Minnesota, 27-13

The Vikings struggled early on against Detroit and the Lions had a legitimate shot to win the game — and the lead — going into halftime. Unfortunately, Brett Favre’s efficient passing — he was 23-of-27 — and Adrian Peterson’s rushing put the Vikings on top and put the game out of reach. This was the second week in a row that Favre didn’t put up a great yards per attempt average — he only passed for 155 yards — but he’s not making mistakes. This is not the Favre we’re accustomed to seeing and many of his completions are underneath, especially — and this is surprising — to Adrian Peterson, who caught 4 passes for 8 yards.

The emerging star in Minnesota’s offense is Percy Harvin. He accumulated 58 yards and scored 1 touchdown last week, and this week he improved put up similar numbers: 55 yards and 1 touchdown. His speed makes him very dangerous, and his versatility (he has 4 carries for 36 yards this year) will keep defensive coordinators up at night all season.

As for the Lions, Calvin Johnson remains a huge part of the offense. Without him the team would struggle even more than it has to this point. He caught 5 passes for 51 yards and 1 touchdown in this game, fighting for yards and using his physicality to gain a big advantage.

Unfortunately, Matthew Stafford remains an erratic rookie. He only passes for 152 yards, despite 30 attempts, while throwing 2 interceptions to 1 touchdown. Most tellingly, Calvin Johnson was one of just two receivers in this offense to get a catch; the other, Dennis Northcutt, caught just one pass. In other words, about 67 percent of Stafford’s completions are checkdowns. He needs to find his wide receivers if he wants to improve his overall passing numbers.

Cincinnati (1-1) at Green Bay (1-1): Cincinnati, 31-24

In an upset at Lambeau the Bengals managed to contain the Packers offense enough to come out ahead with a win, though Green Bay did have a slim opportunity to win down the stretch. Cincinnati is this close to 2-0 at this stage in the season, and much of the credit must go to the defense. It’s better than most might give credit, and it’s something to keep in mind for the rest of the season.

On offense the passing game was effective, but Carson Palmer’s two interceptions could have cost the Bengals the game. Both were throws he must have wanted back immediately after making them, and in neither case was he under immense pressure. He’s a somewhat erratic quarterback at this point and he probably won’t totally hit his stride for another few weeks. After he does, watch out: Cincinnati has a lot of firepower on offense.

The big key for Cincinnati in this one was Cedric Benson. The underappreciated running back carried 29 times for 141 yards and even though he didn’t find the endzone, he was the key to the Bengals burning down the clock and moving down the field. Palmer passed for just 185 yards, and though he threw all three of Cincinnati’s offensive touchdowns, without Benson’s success the offense would have been lost.

Green Bay wasn’t so lucky. Ryan Grant took his 14 carries just 46 yards, struggling to make an breaks in Cincinnati’s defense. His longest carry moved eight yards and it seemed more often than not he was held at the line of scrimmage or just past.

This issue led to a lot of passes for Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers was under constant pressure for the second week in a row, and in a crucial loss left tackle Chad Clifton injured his ankle. He might not be ready next week, and that will put the team at a significant disadvantage against pass rushers. Unless the team can find an answer to blitzes and powerful defensive ends, Green Bay is going to struggle all season.

Arizona (1-1) at Jacksonville (0-2): Arizona, 31-17

The Cardinals bounced back in a big way this week. Jacksonville could hardly prevent Kurt Warner from throwing an incompletion, and the 39-year old quarterback  completed a record 92.3 percent of his pass attempts. The Jaguars couldn’t pressure him and the defensive backfield was torn to pieces. When the dust settled, the ultra-efficient Warner had 243 passing yards and 2 touchdowns.

In no surprise, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald were his two favorite targets. Boldin led the team in receptions with 8 for 69 yards, while Fitz contributed with 4 for 34 yards and a touchdown. Interestingly, only Steve Breaston — who took his 5 receptions 83 yards — averaged at least 10 yards per catch and caught at least 4 passes.

Last note on Arizona: Tim Hightower (who also rushed for a touchdown) had twice as many carries as Chris Wells (15 to 7) and they combined to average 5.3 yards per carry. In other words, Jacksonville couldn’t stop anything.

On offense, the Jaguars scored 3 points through the first 41 minutes of the game. David Garrard was forced to pass 43 times, and though he had 282 yards and 2 passing touchdowns, it was a struggle throughout. He turned the ball over twice and fumbled three times; not good.

Mike Sims-Walker was the big shocker in this one: the 24-year old receiver caught 6 passes for 106 yards and 1 touchdown. Mercedes Lewis caught the other touchdown and finished with 3 receptions for 62 yards.

Jacksonville’s typical strength — running the ball — had to be abandoned after the team found itself trailing by 14 after a blocked field goal was taken 83 yards by Arizona in the second quarter. When Jacksonville did run, Maurice Jones-Drew was mostly ineffective, carrying 13 times for 66 yards. Though that number looks good at first glance, when adjusting for a 36 yard carry, his yard per carry average is just a tad over two.

The Jaguars must limit turnovers and focus on the run in future games if they hope to have more success on the field.

Denver Broncos (1-0) at Cincinnati Bengals (0-1): Denver, 12-7

Notes on Denver: The Denver Broncos caught a miraculous break at the end of week one as a pass intended for Brandon Marshall was tipped by Leon Hall and caught by Brandon Stokley who took it to the house, 87 yards down the field.

Prior to that pass, Kyle Orton had just 155 passing yards and Denver had zero touchdowns. The Broncos attempted a west coast, short pass offense throughout the game resulting in Orton’s paltry 5.7 yards per attempt (again, prior to that big completion) and limited scoring. Stokley hadn’t caught a pass in the game and, surprisingly, Eddie Royal was held to just 2 receptions for 18 yards.

Another surpise: Tony Scheffler was outdone by Daniel Graham. Though Scheffler did pick up 29 yards on his sole reception, Graham was on the receiving end of 3 completions for 40 yards.

As the running game was concerned, Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno both carried 8 times, Buckhalter getting the most mileage out of his attempts with 46 yards. Moreno finished with a disappointing 19 yards, including an 8 yard run. (Without that run he averaged around 1.6 yards per carry.)

Denver Stud: Brandon Stokley – 1 reception for 87 yards and 1 touchdown

Denver Dud: Eddie Royal – 2 receptions for 18 yards

Notes on Cincinnati: Though the Broncos struggled on offense, the Bengals weren’t any better. In fact, they were worse when you consider Carson Palmer’s two interceptions and zero touchdowns. Palmer was pressured and sacked three times; he finished with 247 yards passing, 89 of which went to Chad Ochocinco.

The Bengals did have a semi-successful running attack, though; Cedric Benson rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. His rushing average was boosted quite a bit by a 20-yard carry in the fourth quarter. Recalculating without that carry, his average was just 2.8 yards per carry, nearly a full yard less than when including it. All-in-all, he picked up 108 yards from scrimmage – a very good week.

Perhaps the most important thing to take away: Benson did get over 20 carries in the debut. Oh, and Palmer is off to another horrendous start against a defense that doesn’t figure to be great this season.

Cincinnati Stud: Cedric Benson – 20 carries for 76 yards and 1 touchdown; 4 receptions for 32 yards

Cincinnati Dud: Laveranues Coles – 1 reception for 11 yards; 3 drops (leads NFL)

New York Jets (1-0) at Houston Texans (0-1): New York, 24-7

Notes on New York: Mark Sanchez’s debut was a relative success; he got his first win, but he also completed just 58 percent of his pass attempts and threw his first (and only) NFL interception. As could have been guessed before the game, one of his favorite targets was tight end Dustin Keller who caught 4 for 94 yards. Jericho Cotchery led the team in receptions with 6 for 90 yards, while the only other wide receiver to catch a ball, Chansai Stuckey, finished with 4 receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown.

But the real source of firepower on offense was the running game. Thomas Jones was outstanding and is off to another great start this season after he rushed 20 times for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Jones’ change-of-pace and the “hands” of the group, Leon Washington, carried 15 times for 60 yards and added 24 receiving yards on 4 catches. The two combined for 191 yards from scrimmage and should be an integral part of the offense in every game this season. Rex Ryan wants to run the ball a lot this season to keep Sanchez’s reps relatively low and the offense balanced; this was a great start to that end.

New York Stud: Thomas Jones – 20 carries for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns

New York Dud: David Clowney – N/A

Notes on Houston: Where exactly was the aerial attack we expected from Houston? In fact, where were the points? Houston’s offense was shut out as Rex Ryan’s blitz packages took the Texans by surprise. Matt Schaub was barely able to complete half his pass attempts (18-of-33) while throwing one to the defense. Andre Johnson and Omar Daniels led the team in receptions with four each, but in a twist Daniels led in yards – 44-35.

Meanwhile, the team’s running game was far from impressive. Steve Slaton carried just 9 times to rack up 17 yards while Chris Brown took his 3 carries 15 yards. All told, the offense rushed for 38 yards. Slaton’s saving grace was his contribution as a receiver where he added 35 yards on 3 receptions.

Houston Stud: N/A

Houston Dud: Steve Slaton – 9 carries for 17 yards; 3 receptions for 35 yards

Before the Bears and Packers took the field on Sunday night, I recall thinking that I didn’t expect to see as much offense as the experts were projecting. Both teams have solid defenses and after watching the Packers in preseason, I thought they had played better than they had been credited.

That said, I didn’t expect to see the game I watched Sunday.

The score at halftime was 10-2 after Jay Cutler had thrown three interceptions – one of which was nearly returned for a touchdown – and Aaron Rodgers had been sacked in his own endzone by Danielle Manning. The scoreboard prompted the ever-optimistic Lovie Smith to comment before halftime, “We’re down three takeaways but only one score.”

Overall, the game was characterized as a defensive battle. Despite Jay Cutler’s many errant throws, the Bears had a legitimate shot to win the game in the fourth quarter. It was a heckuva football game to watch; if you were a fantasy player, however, there was no doubt some serious frustration.

In case you missed it or want some analysis, here are some important notes I took during the game.

Chicago Bears

• Jay Cutler was the worst of 2007-2008 in the first half. He wasn’t comfortable in the pocket (or “standing tall”, as Chris Collinsworth noted), and his throws were rushed. His movement in the pocket had all the markings of his having “happy feet”; furthermore, when he was running away from pressure, he tried to force throws, which led to two of his three interceptions.
• The Bears need help at wide receiver. Sign someone, trade for someone, do something. This is not a good group of players, at least when based on this game. Players were dropping passes, cutting routes off, and, at least from an outsider’s perspective, running poor routes or the wrong routes in some cases. Not making these mistakes could have been the difference for Chicago in this game.
• The Bears offensive line struggled throughout, but especially in the first half. The Packers brought a lot of good blitz packages, but the amount of pressure Jay Cutler was under overwhelmed him. Chicago must do better to pick up blitzers and recognize blitzes.
• The game-plan in the first half was alarmngly run-heavy. I don’t know if Lovie Smith wanted to show off his new quarterback or whether he wanted to take the Packers by surprise; either way, it didn’t work. Chicago has a great running attack, and Matt Forte is a back who gets stronger with more carries. Balance the approach and set up the run with the pass; the Bears did that to open the second half and wound up scoring a touchdown in under five minutes. Better yet, Cutler had better protection (because Green Bay couldn’t pass-blitz with confidence), and he was able to complete two big passes that accounted for 60 yards and a touchdown.
• Earl Bennett is going to be a very big part of this offense. The Packers focused on keeping the ball out of Greg Olsen’s hands and were successful, but they struggled to stop Cutler from throwing to Bennett, who finished with 7 receptions for 66 yards.
• Devin Hester is for real as a wide receiver. He was at his best when the team threw him the ball with at least five yards separating him from a defender. His speed and agility in the open field were awesome to watch and he made the Packers pay on several occasions, finishing with 90 receiving yards and a touchdown. He’s the playmaker of this offense.

Green Bay Packers

• The 3-4 is looking great. Green Bay brought blitzes that Chicago wasn’t ready to defend and forced Cutler into making throws he shouldn’t have attempted. The defensive line and linebacking corps were outstanding, especially at tackle where Cullen Jenkins demanded attention. The Packers were saved by the defense in this game.
• The offense sputtered out of the gate, but finished well. Aaron Rodgers was under tremendous pressure throughout most of the game, but after Brian Urlacher went down with an injury, the team was able to run the ball effectively and balance the attack. Expect a better game next week – if not, this could be a long season.
• Right tackle Allen Barbre needs to get better or get replaced. Adewale Ogunleye made him look foolish throughout the game, dominating him in every situation. He doesn’t have the athleticism to deal with an elite pass rusher like Ogunleye, and that weakness was on full display in this game. Green Bay needs to find an answer to this huge question mark.
• Greg Jennings is going to light up defenses all season long – again. He was relatively quiet in the first half, but he exploded onto the scene in the fourth quarter, catching 3 passes for 69 yards and the go-ahead touchdown; in addition, he made a diving grab in the endzone to give the Packers two more points.
• Donald Driver didn’t look as solid as in recent seasons. He had 4 receptions for 39 yards in the game, but his drops were much more telling. He wasn’t hanging onto passes as he should have, and the Packers missed some opportunities because of it. Was it an anomaly? Probably. He’s one of the most sure-handed players in the division; he should play better in the future.
• Jordy Nelson wasn’t a receiving target often. He didn’t have a catch in the game, despite being thrown to twice. Both times he had a shot at catching the ball, but he didn’t make the play. He’ll need to prove he’s more than a punt returner and kick returner, though, as a side note, he looked pretty good in that capactity.
• Ryan Grant looked more explosive than last season. He didn’t look like he would outrun a host of defenders, but he moved with a purpose and looked very good in the game. Despite just 16 carries, he finished with a respectable 61 yards and 1 touchdown.

Overall, the Packers squeaked out an important early-season home win and Aaron Rodgers proved he can play very well under pressure. Jay Cutler’s season is off to a slow start, but his play at the end of the first half and into the second half showed a lot of promise.

The biggest thing both teams need to fix before problems are exacerbated: the pass protection, which kept both quarterbacks scrambling and making errant throws.

Were reports of Brett Favre’s cracked rib true?

If so, he remains one of the toughest players in the National Football League. He was an accurate passer who didn’t for a moment look skittish in the pocket. More revealing, after lining up at wide receiver in Minnesota’s version of the Wildcat he delivered a viscious block that drew a flag and pulled the jersey off his left shoulder pad.

In the end it doesn’t matter if he was hurt. On Monday Night Football against the Texans, Favre displayed a side of himself Vikings fans were hoping to see. It was the best of Favre, a more conservative Favre than we’ve sometimes witnessed.

He was unflappable as a passer, buying himself time by moving around and running away from pass rushers before rifling passes to targets who had separated themselves. Favre even took a couple sacks instead of trying to force passes into dangerous gaps.

But this game wasn’t all about Favre. His numbers were impeccable — 13-of-18 for 142 yards and a touchdown pass — but his supporting cast performed admirably, too. Adrian Peterson opened the game with a 75-yard touchdown scamper, breaking the Texans’ defense and giving the Vikings an early lead.

“You can’t start much better than that,” said Brad Childress. “It punches a hole in things.”

Without a doubt he is among a handful of players in the NFL who can singlehandedly set or change the tempo of a game. Peterson the playmaker finished the night with 11 carries for 117 yards, meaning he averaged a respectable 4.2 yards per carry when discounting his 75-yard carry.

Chester Taylor’s performance shouldn’t be overshadowed by Petersons’. Taylor looked very quick and decisive when running the ball, contributing 30 yards on 7 carries, but he’s most valuable as a receiver and he remains a nice fantasy option in PPR leagues. He caught 3 passes for 41 yards and a touchdown against Houston, thanks mostly to a beautifully executed 28-yard screen pass that put Taylor in the endzone after he dodged some defenders. The screen showcased his ability to stop on a dime when he went from a fullblown sprint to a rapid decelleration that resulted in a defensive back flying past him and barely getting a hand on his jersey before Taylor resumed his lightning pace to outrun several other defenders.

Minnesota’s greatest weakness was its knack for committing penalties. Favre threw an illegal crackback block that resulted in a big loss, but it was other, more annoying penalties that frustrated Brad Childress and Brett Favre, who had this to say after the game:

“You can also see how we’ve had some penalties and things that fall back on me. … So there are some things I’m not pleased with. I feel good about what’s in front of us. I think that we can be very productive but we’ve got to get it together pretty quickly.”

The Vikings have been penalized 36 times in three preseason games, and the little yellow flag set them back 13 times Monday Night. This is clearly the team’s achiles heel, and as Favre noted, they need to get it together. John Gruden offered a bit of analysis on the situation when Minnesota commited false starts, noting that cadences are unique to quarterbacks and Favre is bring his own unique spin to the table. If that’s the case, time will prove his theory correct as Minnesota adjusts over the course of the season.

All-in-all, the Vikings performance was a good one. The offense has loads of promise, but don’t expect Favre to finish with gaudy numbers at the end of the season, his conservative play reflecting the expectations and coaching of Brad Childress and his staff. Besides, Favre won’t need to be aggressive with the football if Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor play as well as they did last night.

The storyline of Sunday Night’s broadcast of the Chicago at Denver was focused on quarterback Jay Cutler’s return to his old stomping grounds. As expected he was greeted with loud boos as he took the field, and he began the game a bit shaky.

Jay Cutler’s performance was far from troubling, though. Despite the media spotlight of the game and the expectations put on him, he calmed his nerves early and finished strong. His final numbers were solid: 15-of-21 for 144 yards and 1 touchdown.

The only issue with Cutler’s numbers was his low yards per attempt average. Barring one completion that covered 43 yards, Cutler averaged just a tad over five yards when he stepped back to pass. That’s a pretty low number, but by no means was it a bad performance on his part.

Perhaps most surprising was how often the Bears passed the ball — Cutler had 21 pass attempts while Matt Forte rushed the ball just 9 times. Remember, this was during just one half. Had they played a complete game, Cutler would have easily had 30-35 pass attempts.

When it comes to troubling performances, the biggest question mark was Chicago’s offensive line.

As fans recall, Denver’s defensive line and pass rush were arguably the league’s worst a season ago. No doubt that part of the team was a critical reason the Broncos missed the postseason.

In Sunday’s game the Broncos were able to get to Jay Cutler too often, especially when Chicago’s offensive playcall was a drop-back pass. Even when Denver was rushing three linemen Cutler was under pressure. Only when he was on the move, most often on a play action misdirection, did Cutler look comfortable throwing the ball.

In addition, Matt Forte struggled to run the ball. Before being relieved in the second half, Forte had a lot of trouble getting traction and carried 9 times for just 21 yards. He did find the endzone twice, once rushing, but he broke three yards on just two carries that moved the ball four and six yards, respectively. The other 7 carries were responsible for the remaining 11 yards, a paltry 1.5 yards per attempt average.

Whether this game was just an anomaly is something of a question mark. Against the Giants last week Forte averaged 6.4 yards per carry, a number boosted by a 32-yard touchdown scamper. When you average the rest of his carries, the adjusted number is 3.3.

The good news is the team’s passing game did turn around against Denver, and in the second half Adrian Peterson rushed for 68 yards on 12 carries. Cutler’s favorite target of the night was unquestionably Greg Olsen who caught three passes for 47 yards. As expected, he figures to be a big part of the Bears’ passing game and should be a strong fantasy draft pick.

Devin Hester had three receptions for 24 yards in a possession receiver role, while Cutler was forced to dump the ball off to Forte on four occasions; one of those shuffle passes resulted in a touchdown near the end of the first half.

Overall, Chicago’s offense began slow and finished the half strong putting up 14 points in the second quarter. Jay Cutler looked solid and comfortable in spite of the pressure, and it seems he remains at his best out of play action and on the move. The passing game looked solid and Chicago’s receiving corps stepped up the plate in its biggest game of the preseason. Expect good things when the regular season rolls around in a couple weeks.

Disappointment. Disaster. Frustration. Inconsistency. All adjectives which could describe the Kansas City Chiefs this season. Though Herm Edwards’ team wasn’t expected to win the AFC West, two wins was hardly the season any fans were looking for. Larry Johnson is rumored to want out, insiders share conflicting anecdotes concerning Edwards’ future, and the defense was atrocious.

But for all the team’s shortcomings there was a hint of hope. While Kansas City didn’t have a great offense, it was hardly the worst in the NFL. One, it didn’t turn the ball over often, ranking 13th in the league in offensive turnovers and 10th in turnover differential with a +5. How rare is that? Kansas City was one of only three teams with a positive turnover differential and losing record, alongside Cleveland (4-12) and Oakland (5-11).

Two, the team’s running game wasn’t all that bad. Its only weakness was inside the red zone, where the team couldn’t get enough traction to score touchdowns. Consider: While Larry Johnson didn’t crack 900 rushing yards and the team ranked just 16th in rushing yards, which itself is respectable, Kansas City ranked 4th in yards per carry. Perhaps if Kansas City wasn’t constantly trailing, it wouldn’t have finished the 29th ranked rushing offense in terms of rushing attempts per game.

Three, when Kansas City did throw the ball it was relatively effective. Shuffling between three quarterbacks to begin the season, Kansas City did settle on Tyler Thigpen and, to Herm Edwards’ credit, he did pan out. Is he a franchise quarterback? That’s a complicated issue, but at least he’s a young, temporary solution with long-term potential.

Okay, so that was the good news: the Chiefs’ offense was alright this season, at least on the surface. But for all those good points, the team did still finish with fourteen losses, and it was for a couple reasons: defense and third downs. The defense ranked near dead last in nearly every significant category, including points allowed. Worse yet, opposing offenses punted less on less than 28 percent of drives, which was just good enough to place the defense 32nd that category. Kansas City couldn’t stop the run or pass. If Herm Edwards isn’t fired he needs to restructure the defense, beginning with the coaching staff. The defensive line and linebackers could use some serious help, as well. Allowing 5.0 yards per carry is unacceptable.

As for the third downs issue, Kansas City couldn’t convert enough, finishing 21st in the league. And thanks to its poor defense, the Chiefs also started drives, on average, at the 27.82 yard line. Starting in poor position and failing to convert third downs meant good field position for opponents which faced a weak defense.

The Chiefs did show some promise, despite a two win season; it just takes a little digging to find it. Does this mean Edwards shouldn’t be fired? Well … not necessarily. The defense needs a lot of help and the offense wasn’t efficient enough to outscore opponents. There is potential here and it will take the right coaching to realize it.

Top Three Needs Going into the Offseason

Wide Receiver - Dwayne Bowe was a brilliant draft pick a couple seasons ago and he’s producing like a solid number one receiver, but the offense had just two players with more than 30 receptions last season (Bowe and Tony Gonzalez). Furthermore, the team has no veteran leadership at wide receiver.

Defensive Line - Allowing five yards per carry and 25 rushing touchdowns is pathetic. But here’s where it gets really bad: the Chiefs sacked opposing quarterbacks 10 times last season. That’s about 1/6th the number of sacks of the top-ranked Cowboys and seven fewer than the 31st ranked defense. Please, Kansas City, invest in an elite defensive end.

Running Back - If Larry Johnson leaves, the team is going to need someone to help fill his shoes because no one knows if Kolby Smith is ready to start. It would be nice to have a good veteran to split carries, in any event. If he stays, he’ll be unhappy and he’s prone to injuries, so depth is still necessary.

I made a New Year’s resolution to be more optimistic in 2009, so with that in mind, here’s something positive about the 2008 Rams: they had a winning streak. Sure, it only lasted two games and was bookended by 4- and 10-game losing streaks, but still. Insignificant as two wins seems, it is infinitely more than Detroit Lions fans can claim this year, so maybe from that point of view things aren’t quite so ridiculously awful.

Taking off my optimist goggles, there are a number of reasons things went south for St. Louis this season. First, Trent Green played quarterback. And though he only started one game and played in two others, he managed to toss six passes to the wrong jerseys while failing in his duty to find a teammate near the end zone. Second, Steven Jackson disappointed again. He barely broke 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season and rushed for just seven touchdowns while catching just one additional score. Those are hardly numbers we expect from him in the prime of his career. Third, points one and two can be traced back to the offensive line. Marc Bulger and everyone else who tried to throw a pass were pummeled again this season and Steven Jackson didn’t have a lot of room to run. The Rams’ front five was the biggest reason the offense scored an average of 14.5 points per game (31st) this season.

Of course, the offensive line wasn’t the only reason Bulger and Green couldn’t find a passing game. Lack of talent at wide receiver is seriously holding back the offense’s potential. Once considered one of the best corps in the league, the Rams’ wide receiver pool is looking rather pathetic. Torry Holt is still a very good wide receiver, but he isn’t the elite player he once was, especially when he’s fending off several defensive backs. Donnie Avery played opposite Holt this season and struggled to hold his own, but that was mostly due to the almost complete absence of depth beyond the two starters. St. Louis can get its offense back on the right track by addressing the line and receiving corps in the offseason.

Unfortunately, the Rams have needs to address on both sides of the ball. Though the offense was certainly dreadful, the defense didn’t exactly live up to its end of the bargain. Allowing opponents almost 30 points per game (31st) - actually, a tad more than twice as many points as the team scored - the Rams, like many other teams in the bottom tier of the league this season, failed to contain opponents’ running games. Fixing the weakness starts with evaluating the defensive line which seems to grow feebler every season. Leonard Little was one of the best ends in the league in his prime, but at age 34 he doesn’t have the same ability to either rush the passer or stay healthy for an entire season. The rest of the line lacks depth and talent, two necessary ingredients for a fully functioning defense.

No doubt the Rams were one of the worst teams in the league this season, but it certainly isn’t irreparable. Overhauling a franchise takes time, and turning a franchise that was caught aging with Mike Martz and designed exclusively around his system into a more flexible team will take seasons. The sad news is, it’s been three full seasons since Martz was let go and the team has shown zero promise.

Top Three Needs Going into the Offseason

1. Offensive Line – Orlando Pace is a phenomenal tackle but the Rams seem to need help everywhere else. In truth, it would be nice to see the team start by drafting Pace’s successor. Though he is admittedly among the best in the league at his position, he’s missed 25 games in the last three seasons because he is prone to injuries.

2. Defensive Line – No one had more than six sacks and the Rams struggled mightily to stop the running game, allowing nearly five yards per carry. That’s an absurdly high number for any defense, and the Rams will need to add some talent to prevent the problem from worsening.

3. Wide Receiver – Two wide receivers had more than 23 receptions last season. Though Donnie Avery did a pretty good job as a rookie, the team would be wise to add some more depth this offseason, especially considering Torry Holt turns 33 in June.

Pro football fans from Ohio were left downcast this season, with the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals combining to win eight games. It made fans of the AFC North’s two contenders happy, but fans of these two franchises were left speechless, especially those in the Cleveland area who were stuck scratching their heads and wondering how this could have happened.

If 2007 season which left fans excitedly looking forward to ’08, the present year provided them with little more than disappointment. Derek Anderson reminded fans he was human – and a bit more like the fans themselves than an NFL quarterback should be. His decision making was flawed beyond comprehension and Brady Quinn was in the starting lineup by week weak ten. Unfortunately, an injured finger sent him to the IR after just three starts, the first of which showed a lot of promise.

Abysmal as the passing game seemed, however, it may have been a bit overshadowed by the team’s pathetic attempt at running the football with Jamal Lewis. Though he showed a glimmer of potential in 2007 when it looked like his career may have been back on track, all hope was lost for a continuation of the rebound this season. He barely broke 1,000 rushing yards this season (he managed 1,002) and his 3.6 yard per carry average was well below average for a starting running back. It’s also worth noting the Browns rushed for just six touchdowns during the course of the season

So just how bad was the offense? In its final six games, Cleveland scored in the double digits just once, when they put up a whopping 10 points against the Eagles week 15. Improbable as it seems, the Browns offense didn’t score a touchdown during the drought and, fittingly, closed the season with back-to-back shutouts against division rivals Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

The Browns had, without a doubt, the worst offense in the NFL last season – not a good thing for a team that won on offense alone the year before. There was a little glimmer of hope, however, and that was the defense. Though it wasn’t spectacular on paper (it ranked 28th against the run), the Browns were able to keep opponents from lighting up the scoreboard. The defense ranked 17th in the league in scoring (21.9 points per game allowed) and, in fact, the Browns had a .667 winning percentage when they scored more than twenty points. All other things being equal, if the Browns had scored just twenty points every week of the season, the team would have won five more games.

Now, with Romeo Crennel out of the picture and the front office changing hands, Browns fans may be able to look ahead to brighter days. If the franchise is able to bring in an offensive-minded coach while maintaining the defense, there’s real potential for vast improvement immediately. Yes, the team does have some critical gaps at certain positions, but better coaching could be a quick remedy that pushes the team to a .500 level.

Top Three Team Needs Going into the Offseason

1. Running Back – Jamal Lewis turns thirty before the ’09 regular season and probably won’t be showing too much improvement over his 2008 numbers. The backs behind him haven’t revealed a lot of promise, either, meaning this position needs both depth and a new starter as soon as possible.

2. Offensive Line – When an offense fails as miserably as Cleveland’s did, the source can usually be traced back to the o-line. At left tackle, Joe Thomas has been brilliant, but the rest of the line could use some help, especially the other side.

3. Linebacker – While one can argue there’s a lot of depth here, having a top linebacker, especially one effective in run support, would go miles toward improving the defense to an even greater extent.

More often than not, setting a record is cause for celebration. When the 2007 New England Patriots became the first franchise in NFL history to win 16 regular season games, they were praised as one of the greatest teams in league history. When Brett Favre broke Dan Marino’s mark of 420 touchdowns, talk was raised as to whether he should be considered the greatest quarterback to ever play professional football. But when the Detroit Lions lost 16 regular season games, the only noise heard was groans and chuckles.

It’s one of the few negative records kept which fans actually remember, perhaps because the rarity of a team failing to win one measly game in a league as grinding as the NFL is incalculable. Whether due to weather, an off (or under-prepped) opponent, or pure luck, every team has garnered at least one win or one tie. Perhaps most disturbing is the fact the Oakland Raiders, constantly criticized as the worst managed franchise in the NFL, won five games, which is (literally) infinitely more than Detroit.

The question now is, where do the Lions go from here? It isn’t that the Lions have no talent; every team in the NFL has talent. But there comes a point when coaching and talent in the right places means more than having the most athletic player on the field. Perhaps Detroit thought it could get away with drafting an incredible wide receiver in the first round every season, but unless a quarterback can throw him the ball, his worth is decimated.

Detroit has had, for some time now, one of the poorest front offices in professional sports. The Lions have spent draft picks at skill positions in every draft, while ignoring or placing far less value on the team’s foundation: it’s offensive and defensive lines. It’s fine and wonderful to have a lot of speed on the field elsewhere, but if there is no protection on offense or penetration on defense, teams will suffer.

A lot of fans expect the Lions to draft a quarterback, either Sam Bradford or Matthew Stafford, with the first overall pick this season, and perhaps they will. But doing so might be the dumbest move the Lions make.

I understand Detroit’s desperate need for a young “franchise” quarterback, but drafting one now before surrounding him with a strong offensive line is a little like fixing a transmission-less car with a new paint job. Sure, it looks pretty on the outside, but it’s still not going anywhere.

Teams can get by without a franchise quarterback (see Tennessee this season), but they can’t survive without an offensive line able to open running lanes and keep the quarterback protected. If Detroit drafts a quarterback this season in the first round, he’ll get killed in the pocket. I don’t know whether the Lions will lead the league in sacks allowed, but the rookie is going to be peeling himself off the ground after almost every snap while promising running back Kevin Smith fights for a 4.0 yard per carry average.

The defensive line, meanwhile, needs a complete overhaul. This season Detroit allowed opponents to rush for an average of 172.1 yards per game while failing to create turnovers. The Lions forced four interceptions this season. Four. That’s less than one-eighth the number of Baltimore. Fixing this issue starts with the defensive line, which clearly isn’t getting enough penetration. Opposing offenses have too much time in the pocket when passing the football and too many lanes open when running it.

The Lions have a lot of issues which need to be addressed this offseason, but the new management should begin by re-assessing the value it has placed on offensive skill positions.

Top Three Team Needs Going into the Offseason

1. Offensive Line – 59 sacks allowed this season is an outrageous number. Detroit also only managed to average a little more than 14 first downs per game. Both those numbers should see improvement if the Lions can find a way to address their issues on the offensive line in the offseason.

2. Defensive Line – The Lions defense was atrocious this season, ranking dead last in points per game allowed, yards per game allowed, and rushing yards per game allowed. It’s an insult to allow more than 400 yards any given game, yet the Lions averaged allowing more than that each week of the season. The defensive line is the biggest source of problems.

3. Linebacker – Boss Bailey went to Denver before this season, leaving a sizable gap in the defense. The Lions need a strong crew of linebackers to effectively blitz and slow down opponents’ running games.