1. New Orleans Saints (6-0)

Don’t call it a comeback, call it a curb stomp. Drew Brees feels no pressure with the ball in his hands, and it showed when he dove across a pile of linemen for the touchdown. The defense was definitely confused by the wildcat offense in the first half but good coaches like Sean Payton and Greg Williams make good adjustments.

Glaring Stat: The Saints have out gained their opponents by 724 yards (2564 to 1840).

2. Indianapolis Colts (6-0)

The defense played really well this week, I mean it was the Rams but still. Indy is playing some real good football this year but not really against anyone. The rest of their season is a little bit harder with games against Baltimore, New England, and of course Denver.

Glaring Stat: Peyton Manning didn’t throw for 300 or more yards for the first time this season, yet they score the most points they have in one game all year (42).

3. Denver Broncos (6-0)

Great time for a bye week with (at) Baltimore, Pittsburgh, (at) Washington, San Diego, New York (Giants), (at) Kansas City, and (at) Indianapolis in that order.

Glaring Stat: The Denver Bronco defense has allowed 6 touchdowns all year, whereas there were 10 in the New Orleans, Miami game.

5. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)

Thank you Cincinnati for a higher draft pick! Carson Palmer was in true form this weekend and Cedric Benson ran with authority. The defense also was a force to be reckoned with. Leon Hall grabbed himself a pair of Jay Cutler interceptions. This is definitely the way to go into a bye week. The Bengals could breathe easy in the NFC North race if they win their next two games which are against Baltimore and Pittsburgh respectively; since afterwards they have gimme games against the Raiders, Browns, Lions.

Glaring Stat: Carson Palmer had more touchdowns (5) than incomplete passes (4).

5. New England Patriots (5-2)

The Good: Tom Brady seems to be back in sync.

The Bad: This weekend the Pats will face the hardest team they’ve played in weeks… as a bye. The Titans and Bucs are that bad.

Glaring Stat: The Patriots have outscored Tennessee and Tampa 94-7 in the past two weeks.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

Brett Favre mistakes or Steeler dominance? I’ll meet you halfway. The Steelers proved that if you shut Jared Allen down the defensive line isn’t as dangerous. The Vikings did tally three sacks against the Steeler’s lackluster offensive line but Big Ben is having too good of a year for that to stop him.

Glaring Stat: Lamar Woodley and Keyaron Fox may have had big play touchdowns, but James Farrior deserves the game ball with 15 tackles and a sack.

8. Minnesota Vikings (6-1)

Brett Favre stumbled, let’s see if he falls. Jared Allen stared at a brick wall all game. Adrian Peterson was held to 3.8 yards a carry. That is how you beat the Vikings, everyone is asking for that game tape.

Glaring Stat: The Vikings secondary is acting as an achillies heel to the team allowing 7.7 yards a carry. Karl Paymah carries a curse wherever he goes.

8. Arizona Cardinals (5-2)

Defense wins games and especially this one. Defensive tackles like Darnell Dockett make the lives of talented defensive backs like Antrel Rolle, Adrian Wilson, and Domique Rodgers-Cromartie a lot easier. Karlos Dansby was flying around the field stopping the screen pass and the run. It also helps to have receivers like Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. The Cardinals are scaring the Niners.

Glaring Stat: Before Sunday night Eli Manning had thrown only three interceptions all year, the Cardinals secondary helped him double that.

9. New York Giants (5-2)

Get it together man! The Giants are a talented team that needs to take a breathe and focus. Osi Umenyiora needs to step up to fill in that old Michael Strahan spot. Eli is guaranteed a couple multi-interception games a season and he usually turns it around.

Glaring Stat: Brandon Jacobs is averaging 3.9 yards a carry. What’s the problem big guy?

10. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)

Jerry Jones must feel very foolish for giving up all those picks for Roy E. Williams. Miles Austin is doing Monmouth University proud this season. The defense really shined against the Falcons offense. Now that DeMarcus Ware was signed to six year, $78 million dollar contract, he might want to start acting like the DeMarcus of last year. However, Ware has grabbed two sacks in each of his last games.

Glaring Stat: In Austin’s first two games started he has caught 16 balls for 421 yards. Roy Williams has caught 12 balls for 230 yards all year. That’s right, Miles Austin caught for more yards in his first start than Roy Williams has all year.

Coach of the Week

Sean Payton – That’s how you adjust at halftime. The Saint’s scored 36 points in the second half of the game… on the road.

Rookie of the Week

Shonn Greene – It’s okay Shonn Greene doesn’t spell his name conventionally.  Greene rushed for 100 yards in every game he played last season in college. On Sunday he reminded the Raiders of that by posting 144 yards and two touchdowns on only 19 carries. Now that Leon Washington is out for the year he’ll see a lot more action, and he’s proved that he doesn’t need a lot to produce. Pick this guy up in fantasy if you haven’t already.

Offensive Player of the Week

Carson Palmer – Like I said before, Carson Palmer had more touchdowns than incomplete passes. Whenever you score 5 touchdowns in one game you deserve offensive player of the week.

Defensive Player of the Week

Will Witherspoon – Goodbye St. Louis hello 8 tackles (6 solo), 1 pick-six, and a force fumble. Witherspoon is proving that the Eagles were very smart to trade him for rookie wide receiver Brandon Gibson and a 5th round pick in 2010.

Rookie of the Year Watch

1. Hakeem Nicks –Brandon Stokley isn’t the only tip drill master anymore. Nicks is also a great player to pick up in fantasy if he’s available.

2. Percy Harvin – Harvin put the Vikings back in the game for the win, but Brett Favre had other plans.

3. Knowshon Moreno – Can Knowshon make it three straight 100 yard rushers against the Ravens?

4. Mark Sanchez – Playing in the nice California weather again was good for Sanchez.

5. Johnny Knox – He’ll have a hard time winning this award if Jay Cutler doesn’t get adequate protection upfront, because we all know he’ll throw them picks.

Defensive Player of the Year Watch

1. Elvis Dumervil – Elvis still leads the NFL in sacks even after the bye week.

2. Darren Sharper – One more pick-six and Sharper ties hall-of-famer Rod Woodson for the NFL record. If Sharper grabes one or two more with a Super Bowl win this year he could be heading to Canton as well.

3. Jared Allen – The negative is that Allen was shut down by a mediocre at best offensive line. The good is that his team really struggled without him, in regards to his candidacy for DPOY that is.

4. Darrelle Revis – Revis rebounded, but it was JaMarcus Russell and then Bruce Gradkowski.

Offensive Player of the Year Watch

1. Peyton Manning – He could have played that game blindfolded.

2. Drew Brees – Drew Brees can even make throwing three picks look good.

3. Cedric Benson – In one game Benson got his revenge and the lead for rushing yards.

3. Kyle Orton – Another mistake free week for Kyle Orton.

5. Adrian Peterson – He has game breaking ability, however AD seems to stand for any day now.

Coach of the Year Watch

1. Josh McDaniels (6-0) – McDaniels overall record as a player, front-office assistant and coach, from 1992 to 2009, is 187-46-2 (.79). Thanks to some research by Woody Paige.

2. Sean Payton (6-0) – Like I said, that’s how good coaches win games.

3. Mike Singletary (3-3) – Could Alex Smith put the Singletary’s Niners back in the race for the NFC West?

4. Rex Ryan (4-3) – Ryan got his team back on track, too bad it was the Raiders.

Who Needs a V8?

Richard Seymour – Still guaranteeing the playoffs Mr. Seymour?

Movie to watch this week

Management – Steve Zahn is awkwardly awesome, Woody Harrelson is a great tool, and Jennifer Aniston is still hot. This movie is definitely worth the $1 Red Box rental.

What do you think Nation? Any more deserving teams in the Tentative Ten? Air it out!

It was too late to cancel and I will miss my first Broncos game since the late ’90′s. What does this all have to do with the scouting report? It means that I won’t get to see if what I’m talking about actually happens until long after it’s actually happened. That makes me a bit reserved for some reason, that’s right- the man that predicted the Broncos would make the playoffs (and go 13-3 in the meantime, but hey, I picked them to lose to the Raiders once) is playing it a bit reserved. I will hit on every point that Denver will need to focus on in order to beat the Jets though.

Let me start with this, if you’re in New York you would see that the press is already predicting a New York/New York Super Bowl. One paper has already drawn up position-by-position match-ups. With the win over the Tennessee Titans the New York (East Coast) Press has taken the Cinderella Jets, led by Brett Favre and anointed them King of the AFC- normally I take a shot at the Denver media, but today I’m going to hit closer to home…

Dear East Coast Media Bias,

Your golden children have lost to the: New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers. Oh and they barely squeaked by the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs.

Sincerely,
Reality

What makes New York a better team than Denver? Denver has beat two of the teams the Jets have lost to. The Jets are 1-2 against the AFC West, the Broncos are 0-2 against the AFC East. To me, really, the most striking difference in quality of wins is that Denver pulled the NFC South (Tampa, New Orleans, Atlanta and Carolina) and New York pulled the weak NFC West (Arizona, Seattle, St. Louis and San Francisco). Let me point out specifically Tampa, as that is the best defense either team combined has faced. Tampa is fourth as a team in defense, Tennessee is seventh.

Denver must score on their first-drive
I don’t get it either, but you know on the first-drive Denver generally scores and when they don’t they usually lose. No turnovers, a nice, time consuming drive for a touchdown. Sounds easy, and it is… At least in the Broncos first drive.

New York scores on their first-drive too
The Jets have scored 78-points in the first quarter, that’s 45 more than their opponents and second best in the NFL. Favre is also perfect with TD passes inside the five-yard line this season. Denver’s defense must find a way to let their defense get ahead early. Thomas Jones is leading a very poignant rushing attack and I don’t see them passing until we stop the run.

Turnovers: Jets aren’t perfect either (they’re medium)
The Jets defense is in a four-way tie for 18th place in the NFL for interceptions, but in a three-way tie for 3rd in fumble recoveries. If Denver’s Jay Cutler can manage not to throw an interception or at least keep it to a minimum, the Broncos will win. Actually, I might even settle for the receiving corps catching the balls that they should be catching. The Jets defense is 26th in the league against the pass, by the way.

Dre Bly’s revenge
I bring it up on the NYT’s Fifth Down Blog, but during last season’s Denver vs. Green Bay game when Bly was beat by Greg Jennings for an 82-yard, Favre bomb to lose the game in overtime- that’s the type of thing a player gets known for. It’s not necessarily what a player wants to be known for. Bly may not ever get another opportunity to make good with the legendary memories, unless he attacks this Sunday.

Dewayne Robertson has something to prove
Not just to the Broncos, but he’s got to show why the Jets made a mistake in letting him go. He hasn’t been the saviour that Mike Shanahan had hope he would be for the defensive line, but he hasn’t been the headache that say Sam Adams was last season. The fourth-round pick the Broncos gave up for Robertson, may have had something to do with the one that got Favre to the Jets in the first place.

Denver must own the first-half
Favre has never won a game in which his team has trailed by 14-points. As I stated above, the Jets have scored 78-points in the first quarter so far this season. Short of a meltdown, Denver will see time in the playoffs this season and if they can shut down a team like New York- they may stand a chance against the Steelers or the Titans.

Royal’s due
Eddie Royal is the only kick returner, amongst the top five, who hasn’t scored a touchdown in the last four-weeks (including Leon Washington (4th)). Royal is gold, if the Jets are to score, Royal can setup the Broncos marvelously by omitting the need for offense all together. He’s due and has already tied the Broncos record for longest kick return in history (95-yards, now shared with Vaughn Hebron, who did it in 1998 against the Dolphins). Now, let’s just hope that he ::knock on wood:: can play Sunday.

Thomas Jones is great, but…
In the last four-weeks, Jones is tied for second in scoring amongst NFL backs. Guess who is fourth? Rookie Peyton Hillis, who wasn’t even starting four-weeks ago. Jet fans like to point out how well Jones is doing this season and he is, New York is the fourth best rushing team in the NFL, Denver is the fifth. New York has 1,443 yards on 321 carries averaging 4.5 yards per carry, Denver has 1,204 yards on 272 carries averaging 4.4 yards per carry.

The Jets secondary is kind of like Denver defensive line
Tyler Thigpen, Ryan Fitzpatrick, JaMarcus Russell and Matt Cassel have all had career games this season against the Jets. Kurt Warner damn near pulled off a comeback on a 35-point deficit a few months ago. What does that say for Denver’s AFC leading passing offense? Well, let’s just say either they stop the pass and we run or they stop the run and we pass, they won’t be able to do both.

To fear or not to fear the 3-4?
We’ve seen Denver play against the 3-4 defense several times this season, most recently (New England) without great results (to say the least). Well, the Jets 3-4 is almost the same type of 3-4 as the Patriots run. They lack the talent up front, but are as good as anybody running the 3-4 as a whole. Force the ball up the middle? Just ram it down their throat? No, let’s get around the edge, seriously, we’ve got it in the playbook and I expect to see it here against the Jets… Sweeps or reverses, whatever it may be, let’s gete outside and go for eight or nine-yards every time.

Overall though Nation, what we’re looking forward to is your comments. So let’s have them, what do you think it will take Denver to beat New York?