Beware the second coming of VY
Titans owner/quarterback coordinator Bud Adams is looking like a genius. Vince Young is 2-0 as a starter largely because he hasn’t made any killer mistakes. VY completed two pretty vertical throws to Justin Gage, then watched as Chris Johnson broke open another game.

With Tennessee’s healthier secondary improving, Jeff Fisher’s bunch will be a tough out for contenders down the stretch.

NFC Worst
The 49ers are handing the Cardinals the NFC West. Alex Smith made too many mistakes against Tennessee, and San Francisco’s defense isn’t that special. The Titans might have won by three scores if it wasn’t for linebacker Patrick Willis’ otherworldly play. The 49ers are 0-5 when they play out of the division and have lost four straight games since a 3-1 start.

Redskins still stinking
Redskins safety LaRon Landry had a day to forget. He started a melee after hitting a late hit on Matt Ryan when the Falcons quarterback was already out of bounds, and then whiffed on a tackle later in the game on a Michael Turner touchdown. Clinton Portis was concussed for the Redskins, and quarterback Jason Campbell was in and out of the game with a chest injury. The Redskins defense, which has played well most of the year, was steamrolled by Atlanta.

The next eight games will take an excruciatingly amount of time for Washington fans. The Redskins are unlikely to win more than four games this season.

New playmakers for New England

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

The Patriots are starting to find a new generation of playmakers on defense, especially in their secondary. Leigh Bodden, Brandon McGowan, and Patrick Chung all played huge roles in New England’s 27-17 victory over the Dolphins. Safety Brandon Meriweather has been playing at a Pro Bowl level. With Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker back at full tilt, the Patriots defense only needs to be respectable to win games. It has improved throughout the season.

Jaguars? More like kittens
The Jaguars are the worst team not under .500 and it’s not particularly close. Tight home wins over the Chiefs and Rams sandwiched around blowout losses in Seattle and Tennessee say it all. This is a 6-10 team that could win eight games because of the schedule, but don’t let the schedule fool you.

Kill the coordinator(s)!
Offensive coordinator Ron Turner takes a lot of heat in Chicago, but what about the defensive coordinator? You know, that Lovie Smith character.

With Smith now calling the plays, the Bears have given up five touchdowns in a game to Carson Palmer and Kurt Warner in the span of three weeks. There have been injuries at linebacker, but the biggest problems are in the secondary. This marks the third straight year that Smith’s defense has been mediocre.

Cincy's unsung stud
Bengals cornerback Jonathan Joseph is having a Pro Bowl quality season. The Cincinnati secondary has forced Joe Flacco into his two worst games of the year, and Joseph is the biggest reason why.

The Bengals are still getting plenty of pressure on the quarterback after defensive end Antwan Odom’s season-ending injury. Early in the year, the Bengals were a little lucky, getting all the right bounces after their famous Week 1 loss. They haven’t needed any luck during their last two wins. Combine the defense play with Carson Palmer’s steady improvement and this is a complete football team.

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