• The New Orleans Saints are having a pretty rough year. Between player suspensions, an ugly contract holdout for superstar quarterback Drew Brees, and head coach Sean Payton being suspended for the whole year, the Saints were hoping the start of the NFL season would be a welcome distraction. The distraction caused by the season so far has been anything but welcome. An opening weekend loss to the Washington Redskins, and a week two loss to the Carolina Panthers, left the Saints reeling as they hosted the Kansas City Chiefs.
• The Chiefs did not have the lead at all during regulation and trailed 24-6 late in the third quarter, but helped by Jamaal Charles's amazing 233 rushing yards, the Chiefs tied the game with a field goal with seconds to go in regulation. Then in overtime, helped by stellar special teams play, the Chiefs were able to stop the Saints and get the ball back, driving the ball down to the 14 yard line to kick a game winning field goal, their 6th of the game.
• The San Francisco 49ers started the season fast, defeating playoff teams the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions pretty handily. Then yesterday, the 49ers went to Minnesota to take on the feckless Vikings in a game in which they were expected to win big. A yeomen’s effort by Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder against the vaunted 49ers defense lead the Vikings to a shocking victory 24-13. Ponder hooked up with tight end Kyle Rudolph twice in the game for short touchdowns to give the Vikings their second victory of the year, only one short of their win total from 2011.
• In the Sunday night game, the Baltimore Ravens' Torrey Smith whose younger brother had died in a motorcycle accident less than 24 hours beforehand, had a monster game, catching two touchdown passes in a 31-30 win over the New England Patriots. Smith said afterwards that he didn't know if he would play but being in the familiar setting of the stadium helped him to cope with the tragedy. The teams observed a moment of silence for him before the game.
•The Patriots, now 1-2, amazingly had not had a losing record since Week 1 of 2003 which is an NFL record not to have done so.
Oklahoma falls, LSU barely wins
• There were multiple upsets in the college ranks as well, the main one of which was #5 Oklahoma losing to #14 Kansas State. Last year Kansas State was unbeaten when they went to play Oklahoma but were obliterated by more than 30 points. This year, they were ready for the task and put a severe dent in Oklahoma's national championship dreams, winning 24-19.
• Other top 5 teams, #2 LSU and #4 Florida State also had tough games with LSU in particular looking very weak in a 12-10 win over an Auburn team that has not been very competitive for the last year and a half (after Cam Newton left). Florida State was losing by 10 to a very good Clemson team but roared back in the second half to win by double digits.
• In other action, Notre Dame used a stifling defense that forced 5 Denard Robinson turnovers to beat Michigan 13-6 and Oregon State defeated #19 UCLA, 27-20.
• Here are the updated rankings for this week
You forgot to mention my undefeated Cardinals :)
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