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The Saints and Colts grind toward perfection. The Texans once again come up painfully close to joining the kids at the big boy table. The Giants lose the cover of the Yankees. The Packers continue their passive aggressive quest to see Aaron Rodgers maimed. On to the national types:

—Don Banks, per usual, to the head of the class with this thought amongst many others in Snap Judgments at si.com:

I’m starting to think Carson Palmer owns the Ravens. He’s now 8-3 in his career against Baltimore, and the Bengals quarterback looks like he’d love to play the Ravens every week. No fear. No hesitancy. Just execution. Palmer was even better than his 20-of-33, 224-yard day would indicate.

Hey, thanks for belatedly noticing, Don Banks. Coming into yet another week where for some reason that kind of seemingly pertinent stat was widely ignored, under Palmer, yes, the Bengals have been very tough against the Ravens. I am kinda hoping that might be remembered when those teams take the field again in 2010. When Palmer is healthy, the Bengals have a chance against most any team in the league. As for Ced Benson’s continued resurgence? His second 100+ yard day of the season against Baltimore makes him the first back to do that against the Ravens in a season since Jerome Bettis in 1997.

—Clark Judge at sportsline with Judgements and this thought:

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why Tom Coughlin says he was “misunderstood” when he termed his team’s meeting with San Diego a “one-game season.” If you take that stand, then lose — which the Giants did — what does it mean for what follows? It means you’re toast, which is why Coughlin sought to clarify those remarks.

He did what now? I missed that quote heading into Sunday’s game. Good luck spinning that in the aftermath. As for the loss, Coughlin and his offensive coordinator earned it. 1st and goal from the four with a three point lead and two minutes to go, and three uninspired play calls later they settled for a field goal. One, you may want to throw it there. Two, the we-pound-you-regardless meme took a hit when they couldn’t pound it in while not throwing it. And that against a Chargers front who has not been all that stout this year. The heat in NY will be high today. As it should be.

—John Clayon at espn.com with Last Call and this note:

The Wildcat seems to have run its course in Miami. The formation is effective at times, but it doesn’t produce victories. The novelty is over. The Dolphins lost to the Patriots 27-17, and once again, the Patriots contained the Wildcat. The Dolphins tried to confuse the Patriots by putting quarterback Pat White in an option formation. That worked for 52 yards on four plays — including a touchdown — in the first half. In the second half, it produced 8 yards on four plays. Over the past three weeks, defenses have found ways to keep up with the Dolphins’ imagination. The Dolphins’ worst moment of Sunday’s loss came on a second-and-8 at the Patriots’ 44. Quarterback Chad Henne was split out at wide receiver. Ronnie Brown took a direct snap and got the ball to Henne, who was sacked for an 11-yard loss, which put Miami out of field goal range with the Patriots leading 24-17.

The problem with the Wildcat is that it takes a quarterback out of his rhythm when he’s being shuttled between quarterback, wide receiver and the bench. Henne was 19-of-34 for 219 yards and two sacks. The NFL is a game dominated by quarterbacks who get into a rhythm. The Dolphins continue to lose to those types of quarterbacks. Tom Brady was 25-of-32 for 332 yards. The Dolphins are 3-5. It’s time to rethink the strategy. To win against the good teams and the good quarterbacks, the Dolphins need more than a running game that revolves around the Wildcat.

I don’t know that I agree with this. In fact, I don’t. How were the losses to the Colts and Saints late the fault of that offense? Seems to me that the Wildcat helps mask some real deficiancies in Miami’s receiving corp and gives them a chance to win games they might otherwise not. Hell, even while shoveling dirt on the offense, Clayton notes it got Miami to a score early. Miami wants to fix what ails it? Start with their defense.

Vinny Iyer at Sporting News with his Checkdown column and this note:

Fresh off their second loss to Brett Favre and the Vikings, the Packers couldn’t hold a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and lost to the previously winless Buccaneers by 10. For Aaron Rodgers, sacks continue to be a problem, and Green Bay’s poor protection boosted Tampa’s struggling defensive line. After allowing six more sacks, the Packers are on pace for yielding 74. On defense, they have produced only 13.

Packers fans want to be mad at Ted Thompson? Go right ahead. But make sure the focus of the anger is targeted correctly. Keeping Aaron Rodgers and making him quarterback? The right move. Although points off for trying to control the end of Favre’s career. Putting the line from Unneccessary Roughness in front of Rodgers to block? Simply cruel. With games left at Pittsburgh and home to Baltimore, Rodgers may have traction in his future.

Bucky Brooks at nfl.com with capsule looks at each game including this:

The inability to stop the deep pass continues to undermine the Chiefs’ chances of winning. Kansas City allowed Mike Sims-Walker and Jarett Dillard to slip behind the defense on bombs. Sims-Walker, in particular, delivered two game-changing plays (a 61-yard touchdown reception and a 45-yard catch-and-run) that helped the Jaguars jump out to a 24-6 lead that was ultimately too much for the Chiefs to overcome. The Chiefs have allowed a league-worst 12 completions over 40 yards this season and rank as one of the worst pass defenses. Until defenders stop allowing balls to fly over their heads, Kansas City will continue to have a tough time winning against top teams.

Perhaps. Seems to me that all that little problem needs is a motivational poster…

As for my thoughts, trademarked n.t.y.c., read on:

—Tough ending to what started out as a good day for Matt Stafford, but there remains no question in my mind that Detroit is finally off the quarterback merry-go-round. They have theirs. And if he can stay on the field for these last eight games, he will get the valuable learning season out of the way and Detroit can start to focus their rebuild elsewhere. Like defense.

—Hey! Vince Young! Or, perhaps, more correctly, hey! Chris Johnson! No shock to me that with consistent carries to Johnson the Titans have won two in a row. Young has managed a nice game, but Tennessee’s puzzling refusal to consistently build offensive gameplans around Johnson cost them games in their six-game slide to start the season. At the least, it didn’t help. I still am befuddled over Johnson’s just getting nine carries when Tennessee faced Indy earlier this year. At any rate, focusing on Johnson is a good way to help fix what was ailing the Titans.

—Andy Reid clearly owns David Akers on his fantasy squad. And, as a fellow Akers owner, I am glad he does. Kicking a 52-yard field goal when down by seven with four minutes left in the game rather than trying to get the tying touchdown? Great moments in fantasy entrant. And a dumbass moment in real life coaching entrant.

—One more Bengals note (because I can reminder), the key to their defensive resurgence has been the maturation of the two former first round corners Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph. The ability to leave your corners on an island is a wonderful thing. And, in case you have not noticed, and you probably have not, Leon Hall is crossing over to shutdown corner status. He should be in Hawaii (er, South Beach) this year.

—If Pittsburgh takes care of Denver tonight, we have a race again all of a sudden in the AFC West. A Broncos loss would put them at 6-2 just one game ahead of the Chargers with a return game to Denver for the Chargers looming. And it says here that Pittsburgh wins tonight, 21-10.