The Lions and Bills have fallen off the "Darlings of the NFL" wagon, but the 49ers remain. San Francisco has the second best record in the league only behind the defending Super Bowl champion Packers and can clinch a playoff spot before December. For that, the whole team gets our first game ball.
GAME BALLS
Tony Romo, QB Dallas: Unfortunately for the Bills, "Good Romo" showed up this week. Romo was 23 of 26 for 270 yards and three scores setting the franchise record for single-game accuracy by hitting on 88.5 percent of his passes.
Michael Bush, RB Oakland: With Darren McFadden out with an injury, Bush racked up 157 yards on 30 carries and a touchdown to go with another 85 yards on three receptions as the Raiders upended the Chargers.
John Skelton, QB Arizona: Who? Yes, John Skelton, he really is in the NFL. The Fordham (yes, they play football) product threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Early Doucet with 1:53 left as the Arizona Cardinals rallied for a 21-17 victory over the Eagles. Skelton finished with 315 yards and three TDs filling in for the injured Kevin Kolb.
Arian Foster, RB Houston: Foster rushed for 85 yards and a score as well as four receptions for 102 yards and another TD.
Houston Defense: The NFL's top-ranked defense had four sacks, three interceptions and recovered a fumble while missing their best player DE Mario Williams.
Steven Hauschka, K Seattle: Hauschka matched a franchise record with five field goals to lead the Seahawks in a 22-17 upset of the Ravens. Hauschka kicked field goals of 22, 38, 39, 35 and 30 yards.
Devin Hester, WR Chicago: I'm not going to buy Hester a Christmas present because he will just return it. The Bears locked up their fourth straight win thanks to a another punt return for a touchdown by Hester, who ran one back 82 yards. That extended his NFL record for punt return TDs to 12 and combined kick-return touchdowns to 17.
Aaron Rodgers, QB Green Bay: Hands down, the MVP of the league went 23 of 30 for 250 yards and four TDs as the Packers are the only undefeated team in the league.
PENALTY FLAGS
Philadelphia Eagles: The defending NFC East champion Eagles were expected to be Super Bowl contenders after a host of big-name signings in the offseason. They now have lost seven of their past eight home games and are out of the playoff hunt losing to a backup QB, blowing yet another 4th quarter lead against the lowly Cardinals.
Baltimore Ravens: David Reed fumbled twice on kickoff returns leading to six points for Seattle. Joe Flacco's lone interception was returned by David Hawthorne inside the Ravens 10 and eventually led to another field goal. To make matters worse, the normally reliable Billy Cundiff missed field-goal attempts of 52 and 50 yards in the first half.
Philip Rivers, QB San Diego: With the Chargers looking to tie the game, Rivers was intercepted in the end zone by Oakland's Matt Giordano with 3:22 left. It was Rivers' league high 15th INT. Rivers was sacked on consecutive plays near midfield to end the game. He fumbled on the final play, giving him a league high 19 turnovers.
Rex Ryan, Head Coach New York Jets: Ryan's yap gets him in trouble once again. The NFL is looking into an Internet video that shows Ryan using an obscenity while angrily responding to a fan at halftime of the Jets 37-16 loss to the Patriots. On the video, a fan yells, "Hey, Rex, Belichick is better than you," Ryan looks up and tells the fan to "shut up" while also using an obscenity.
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