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NFL Gameday

The List

Punts blocked by opponent in a season:

1. Harry Newsome, Pittsburgh: 6 – 1988

2. Bryan Wagner, Cleveland: 4 – 1990

2. Frank Tripuka, Chicago/Dallas: 4 – 1952

2. Ernie Lewis, Chicago: 4 – 1947

5. 30 players tied: 3

3 Things to Watch

Observer News Services

1 OCHO CINCO IN DALLAS: Cincinnati might lose by 30, but there will be great theater. On Wednesday, Bengals receiver Chad Johnson riffed on a hoped-for trade to Dallas to join Terrell Owens: "They would have to put all the games on pay-per-view," Johnson said. "Because you can't just watch a show like that for free; 81 and 85? Come on, now. Please."

2 BRIAN GRIESE IN DENVER: Brian Griese won an NFL passing title with Denver in 2000. But that was three teams and eight years ago. He returns to Denver today as starting quarterback for Tampa Bay. "It will be a lot of fun for me personally to go back and compete in that environment," he said. The Broncos and the Bucs are 3-1.

3 KERRY COLLINS IN BALTIMORE: Tennessee takes its perfect record to Baltimore, where Kerry Collins will be the quarterback for the Titans -- his first start against the Ravens since the 2001 Super Bowl, when he was with the Giants. "I still have vivid memories of that game, most of which were not so good," Collins said. The Ravens lead the NFL in defense.

Power Rankings

By Charles Chandler

It might be time to change the name of the league's strongest division to the NFC Beast. Every team is in the top 10. The NFC South is much better than expected.

1. N.Y. Giants

2. Tennessee

INSIDE LOOK: Titans' defense is the real deal.

3. Dallas

4. Buffalo

5. Washington

6. Pittsburgh

7. Carolina

INSIDE LOOK: For the first time since the 2002 season, Carolina will start a game without Jordan Gross.

8. Tampa Bay

9. Philadelphia

10. San Diego

11. New England

INSIDE LOOK: After a bye week, it's time for quarterback Matt Cassel to show whether he can run the offense with at least marginal productivity.

12. Denver

13. Jacksonville

14. Green Bay

15. Indianapolis

INSIDE LOOK: Colts hope the bye week helped them get offensive kinks worked out. Injuries remain an issue.

16. New Orleans

17. Baltimore

18. Chicago

19. N.Y. Jets

20. Minnesota

21. Seattle

INSIDE LOOK: The receivers are back, so Seattle should start climbing. However, the Giants await today.

22. Arizona

23. San Francisco

24. Oakland

25. Atlanta

26. Miami

27. Cleveland

28. Houston

INSIDE LOOK: Since 1970, the Texans are the first team to open a non-strike season with three away games against playoff teams from the previous season.

29. Kansas City

30. Cincinnati

31. Detroit

32. St. Louis

INSIDE LOOK: Interim coach Jim Haslett's fiery leadership should breathe life into this listless team.

This Week's Big Thing

By Jason Reid, Washington Post

Washington's Moss back in form

WASHINGTON -- The thought occurred to Jason Campbell long before the current buzz began. It came to him back in March.

When the Washington quarterback began to work with the receivers in the privacy of a closed practice field at Redskins Park in Ashburn, Va., Campbell became encouraged about the return of a familiar sight. Santana Moss was doing things effortlessly again.

“You could just see the way he was moving, the stuff he was doing, that he was feeling good again and he knew it,” Campbell said.

Slowed by numerous injuries the previous two seasons, Moss is physically sound and has re-emerged among the league's top deep threats in his eighth season. More importantly for the Redskins, he has played a key role in Campbell's emergence.

The Campbell-Moss tandem has contributed to the fast start of coach Jim Zorn, Washington's play-caller, who saw the spring in Moss' step and made him a big part of his spread-offense scheme. Moss, 29, took significant time off during the offseason in an attempt to heal, and the experiment was a success.

Philadelphia (2-2) will host the Redskins (3-1) today in a huge NFC East matchup, and Washington plans to lean on Moss again.

Moss leads the Redskins with 27 catches for 421 yards (a 15.6-yard average) and three touchdowns. Among NFL receivers, he is tied for second in receptions and second in yards. He also is tied for second with six receptions of at least 20 yards and tied for third with two of 40 yards or more. Only two receivers have more first-down catches than Moss' 18.

The increased production has coincided with the Redskins' three-game winning streak. In Week2 against New Orleans, Moss caught seven passes – including the go-ahead 67-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter – for 164 yards. He had seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown in a win against Arizona, and was superb last Sunday in Dallas with eight receptions for 145 yards.

Four games into the season, Moss prefers not to look ahead “because you never know what's around the corner,” but the Redskins are excited about where he could be headed.

My 2 Cents

By Charles Chandler

Al Davis owns the Raiders and has the right to run the team however he pleases. Apparently, that includes running it into the ground.

His news conference last week announcing the firing of Lane Kiffin was one of the most bizarre things that has happened on a public stage involving upper management in league history.

Imagine if you're quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the No.1 overall draft pick from 2007. For the first time, he's told (at the same time as the rest of the world) that his former coach, Kiffin, didn't really want him.

Yet, he doesn't know whether that is true. It could affect the man's confidence and especially his desire to be in Oakland.

Whether it's true or not, was it wise for Davis to say that publicly?

Does it serve the Raiders' best interests, or simply the best interests of his personal feud with Kiffin?

Davis said he wants to win and doesn't care about public opinion. However, that seems contrary to the entire news conference.

Unfortunately, a franchise that used to be known for winning Super Bowls is now home to dysfunction and losing – despite the fact that roster has plenty of promising young talent.

That's just a shame, baby.

Notes

Green Bay QB's Status uncertain

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers has a sprained right shoulder, and it probably won't be known until warm-ups whether he can start. If not, Matt Flynn will get his first NFL start.

There have been 39 100-yard receiving games this season, and 28 have been by NFC receivers. There have been 18 300-yard passing games, and 13 have been by NFC quarterbacks.

Under Mike Shanahan, Denver has carved out the best home record in the NFL at 79-45 during the past 14 seasons.

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