Titans being cut down to size
If it weren’t for the start and the finish, the Tennessee Titans would be feeling pretty good right now.

Instead they are 0-3 and taking on water in a hurry after their 24-17 loss to the Jets. They fell down 14-0 before the Titans offense even ran a play, thanks to a game-opening touchdown drive by the Jets and a fumble on the ensuing kickoff that led to another touchdown. That’s a bad way for an 0-2 team to avoid 0-3.

The Titans did rally, going ahead 17-14 after the first drive of the second half. But a parade of three-and-outs and Kerry Collins ending the game with an 0-for-13 passing streak doomed them.

The Titans now play at Jacksonville next week which — until the Jags took care of Houston — looked like a layup. Tough times in Nashville.

Sanchez is Mangini's biggest fan
Every once in a while, Mark Sanchez might want to drop a card in the mail to Eric Mangini and thank him for making that trade with the Jets so that Sanchez could walk into a situation with a positive vibe and competent players. And Sanchez might want to drop that card in pretty soon because, after the Browns’ 34-3 loss to the Ravens on Sunday, the odds of Mangini being at that address indefinitely are small.

Black out any Bucs games
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday were an absolute joke. They got shut out, 24-0 but they could have played until Thursday and Tampa wasn’t going to score. Check it out: 86 net yards. 0 for 9 on third down. Five first downs. This game should've been blacked out. 

Brady gets some blocking

Slideshow   Week 17 action Take a look at shots from the NFL's 17th week of play in 2009. NBCSports.com

That was a big character win for the Patriots on Sunday against a very good Atlanta team. The Patriots offensive line kept Tom Brady sack-free and Brady was much more nimble in the pocket this week than he was against New York (he didn’t face the same level of pressure, either).

Fred Taylor had a terrific game with 21 carries for 105 yards and New England really needed that because they were looking practically incapable of mounting a sustained rushing attack after the first two weeks. Brady still threw it a ton (25 for 42 for 277 yards and a score) and his accuracy isn’t yet back where he needs it to be but the doom predicted after the loss to the Jets has been tempered.

What was Atlanta thinking?
It’s amazing to me that the Falcons couldn’t do a better job of getting Tony Gonzalez involved on Sunday in their 26-10 loss to the Patriots. He finished with one second-half catch for 16 yards as a fleet of Patriots in the New England back-seven did a great job shadowing him.

Still, Gonzalez has shown he’s a physical mismatch with just about anybody even at his advanced age. With Patriots middle linebacker Jerod Mayo out, I figured Gonzalez would feast on Mayo’s backup, Gary Guyton. Didn’t happen.

No sense daydreaming about the Rams
The Rams lost quarterback Marc Bulger to a shoulder injury in the first half and he was fairly capably replaced by Kyle Boller, the former Ravens first-rounder. Boller went 16 for 31 for 164 yards with a touchdown and a pick while in comeback mode most of the day. With the 32-year-old Bulger seemingly at the end of the line and Boller pretty well established as an average player, you wonder if the Rams would like to have their selection of offensive tackle Jason Smith back.

It’s easy in hindsight to look at what Mark Sanchez is doing in New York and wonder if he would have looked good with a gold swirly on his helmet but ... the Rams wouldn’t be able to take care of him like the Jets have and, there is no comparison between the two teams' defenses.

NFL game stories Quick look at Week 9 games STEELERS 28, BRONCOS 10: Roethlisberger throws 3 TDs COWBOYS 20, EAGLES 16: Austin’s TD puts Dallas atop NFC East COLTS 20, TEXANS 17: Indy's 17th-straight regular season win  |    Video SAINTS 30, PANTHERS 20: N.O. now 8-0 for first time in its history CHARGERS 21, GIANTS 20: N.Y. loses 4th straight  |    Video BUCS 38, PACKERS 28: Rookie QB leads Tampa to first win  |    Video PATRIOTS 27, DOLPHINS 17: Brady-Moss connection thrives  |    Video CARDINALS 41, BEARS 21: Warner tosses 5 TDs  |    Video BENGALS 17, RAVENS 7: Cincy cements AFC North status  |    Video FALCONS 31, REDSKINS 17: Atlanta gets into scuffle, still wins TITANS 34, 49ERS 27: Young improves to 2-0 as a starter this year SEAHAWKS 32, LIONS 20: Seattle overcomes 17-0 hole JAGUARS 24, CHIEFS 21: Chargers cast-off Chambers can't save K.C. Byes: Bills, Browns, Raiders, Rams, Vikings, Jets