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September 29, 2009 11:27 AM
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Falling
Zorn
1. Jim Zorn, Commanders coach: The loss to the Detroit Lions will be difficult to overcome. The Commanders still have time to right the ship, but Dan Snyder's not a patient man. If you fire Zorn, you also lose your playcaller and quarterbacks coach. I'd like to see Snyder give Zorn a full second season to see if there's any progress, but that could be wishful thinking. If the Commanders head into the division game against the Eagles in late October with a 2-4 record, I think Snyder will seriously think about making a move. It's not going to help but it might make him feel better.
Ware
2. DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys LB: I hate to say it because he's a tremendous player, but three weeks without a sack is pretty amazing. He put the crunch on poor Jake Delhomme once in the first half Monday night, but for the most part, he was handled by Panthers left tackle Jordan Gross. Ware's still an elite pass-rusher, but he's not living up to his lofty standards right now.
3. The Commanders' 'much-improved' defense: So far, the great Albert Haynesworth hasn't transformed this into an elite unit. Rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford calmly picked the Commanders apart at times and the Lions gashed the Skins in the running game. This was supposed to be the strength of the team, but right now it's a major weakness. On offense, it doesn't help that the Skins don't have a viable threat at the No. 2 receiver. I had high hopes for Malcolm Kelly, but he's not doing a lot right now.
Rising
1. Kevin Kolb and LeSean McCoy, Eagles: With veterans Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook out with injuries, Kolb and McCoy got the job done against the lowly Chiefs. Kolb made good decisions all day and showed that he can fit the ball into tight spots. I don't know if he'll ever be the starter in Philly, but he certainly raised his stock around the league with back-to-back 300-yard passing games. I thought he was outstanding against the Chiefs. Showed a lot of poise. McCoy's seeing his holes a lot better and it's obvious he has immense talent. Strong game for him.
Bradshaw
2. Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants RB: The entire Giants defense deserves a nod for their shutout win over the Bucs, but we'll single out Bradshaw this week. He's waited behind Derrick Ward the past two seasons for significant playing time. And now he's showing how dynamic he can be. He's the perfect change-up to the bruising Brandon Jacobs. He has the speed to bounce a run outside and the power to run it between the tackles. Bradshaw is a force to be reckoned with, and he allowed the Giants to eat up the clock against a tired Bucs defense.
Choice
3. Tashard Choice, Cowboys RB: Felix Jones was brilliant against the Panthers before he got hurt in the third quarter. At that point, Choice took over the game. He had the inside handoff for a 5-yard touchdown run and he did some damage in the passing game. He needs to improve his blitz pickup, but he's a huge asset in the running game. You could tell that he became stronger as the game went along. You can already tell that Tony Romo has a ton of confidence in him because he's looking for him when plays break down. The play where Romo scrambled and then lobbed it back across the field to Choice helped put the Panthers away.
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Falling
1. Jim Zorn, Commanders coach: The loss to the Detroit Lions will be difficult to overcome. The Commanders still have time to right the ship, but Dan Snyder's not a patient man. If you fire Zorn, you also lose your playcaller and quarterbacks coach. I'd like to see Snyder give Zorn a full second season to see if there's any progress, but that could be wishful thinking. If the Commanders head into the division game against the Eagles in late October with a 2-4 record, I think Snyder will seriously think about making a move. It's not going to help but it might make him feel better.
2. DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys LB: I hate to say it because he's a tremendous player, but three weeks without a sack is pretty amazing. He put the crunch on poor Jake Delhomme once in the first half Monday night, but for the most part, he was handled by Panthers left tackle Jordan Gross. Ware's still an elite pass-rusher, but he's not living up to his lofty standards right now.
3. The Commanders' 'much-improved' defense: So far, the great Albert Haynesworth hasn't transformed this into an elite unit. Rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford calmly picked the Commanders apart at times and the Lions gashed the Skins in the running game. This was supposed to be the strength of the team, but right now it's a major weakness. On offense, it doesn't help that the Skins don't have a viable threat at the No. 2 receiver. I had high hopes for Malcolm Kelly, but he's not doing a lot right now.
Rising
1. Kevin Kolb and LeSean McCoy, Eagles: With veterans Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook out with injuries, Kolb and McCoy got the job done against the lowly Chiefs. Kolb made good decisions all day and showed that he can fit the ball into tight spots. I don't know if he'll ever be the starter in Philly, but he certainly raised his stock around the league with back-to-back 300-yard passing games. I thought he was outstanding against the Chiefs. Showed a lot of poise. McCoy's seeing his holes a lot better and it's obvious he has immense talent. Strong game for him.
2. Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants RB: The entire Giants defense deserves a nod for their shutout win over the Bucs, but we'll single out Bradshaw this week. He's waited behind Derrick Ward the past two seasons for significant playing time. And now he's showing how dynamic he can be. He's the perfect change-up to the bruising Brandon Jacobs. He has the speed to bounce a run outside and the power to run it between the tackles. Bradshaw is a force to be reckoned with, and he allowed the Giants to eat up the clock against a tired Bucs defense.
3. Tashard Choice, Cowboys RB: Felix Jones was brilliant against the Panthers before he got hurt in the third quarter. At that point, Choice took over the game. He had the inside handoff for a 5-yard touchdown run and he did some damage in the passing game. He needs to improve his blitz pickup, but he's a huge asset in the running game. You could tell that he became stronger as the game went along. You can already tell that Tony Romo has a ton of confidence in him because he's looking for him when plays break down. The play where Romo scrambled and then lobbed it back across the field to Choice helped put the Panthers away.
