Over in the NFC there’s a bit more power. The Giants remain undefeated, but they’ve had a bye week and have four wins, the same number as Washington and Dallas, which also have one loss each. Carolina is also 4-1. The first three of those teams are in the NFC East, the NFL's premier division. Carolina leads the NFC South. In the West, the Cards lead with a 3-2 record, the same as the North division-leading Bears.

The people who want dominant teams will look at all this and bewail the state of the game. Most fans, though, are delighted to still be in the playoff hunt, no matter how flawed their teams are.

A Season saved
The Colts were on the verge of digging themselves an enormous hole before scoring 21 points — six on a fumble return — in less than four minutes late in the fourth quarter. Had the Colts lost to Houston, they would not have been utterly dead, but they would have been in desperate straits.

Now, they have as much life as almost anyone else in the AFC. But they have to start playing like the Colts.

Are the Chargers really this bad?
San Diego is 2-3 after a 17-10 loss to the Dolphins.

What should be cause for alarm in San Diego is LaDainian Tomlinson’s rushing totals: 35 yards on 12 carries. Even that number isn’t as good as it looks. Tomlinson gained 20 of those yards on two carries. On his other 10 carries, he totaled just 15 yards.

If Tomlinson isn’t getting big yards, the Chargers aren’t going anywhere.

Dallas dodges a bullet
I’m not talking about pulling the game out late against Cincinnati. I’m talking about Terrell Owens scoring a big fourth-quarter touchdown on a 57-yard pass from Tony Romo.

Before that, Owens had one catch for 10 yards, and he finished with just the two catches. If he doesn’t score that touchdown, it could have been ugly in the post-game interviews.

Eagles grounded
Philadelphia is 2-3 after losing to Washington, but it’s not the loss that should bother Eagles fans as much as the way the offense disappeared after taking a 14-0 first-quarter lead.

The Redskins can play defense. We’ve learned that much. But after those 14 first-quarter points, half of them coming on DeSean Jackson’s 68-yard punt return, the Eagles got only a fourth-quarter field goal. Everything was supposed to get better when Brian Westbrook returned. He did, but it didn’t.

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

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