Cowboys, Redskins step up in Week 5 showdowns

Following the Titans' getting nipped in Miami, I was sure, after a conversation with Jeff Fisher, that he'd wait till the bye week -- after games against good pass-rush teams Dallas, Indy and Washington -- to insert Vince Young at quarterback. He didn't wait, and Young looked awful against Dallas. I still don't know why he didn't wait.

If I trusted the Giants' defense right now, I'd pick them 10 out of 10 times in this matchup. But there's something missing there. The pass rush that was so much a part of New York's game last year has been missing since opening day.

The last two weeks, when the Browns' defense grew up, were no fluke. When the running game can start doing something, Cleveland will be a threat every Sunday. But it doesn't look like that'll happen this year.

"This is a biiiiiig game," cornerback Al Harris told me the other night. "We haaaaaave to have this one this week." Memo to Harris and the rest of the Ahmad Carroll-less secondary: In order to win this game, you must not mug Torry Holt the way you mugged Donte' Stallworth and the Eagles wideouts the other day. Shadow them; don't tug and pull them.

Mike Martz, we await the miracle.

I will bet you a venti latte that Bruce Gradkowski, the Toledo Rockets rookie starting his first NFL game, will acquit himself very well on Sunday. Just not well enough.

The nice story would be Dick Jauron going back to Soldier Field with his plucky Bills and engineering the upset of the young NFL season. Too bad for Buffalo that Rex Grossman is playing well and J.P. Losman still has his training wheels on.

I don't know why I think this will be so close, except that Nick Saban is royally embarrassed right now, and you do not want to embarrass Nick Saban.

Matt Leinart is the right man to lead this team, and a 70-percent passing day shows it.

Noses will be bloodied in northeastern Florida. IV bags will be plentiful. In the end, Maurice Jones-Drew will make a play only he can make in the fourth, rambling through and around the Jets D to win it.

Roger Goodell will attend this game. My gut tells me that at some point during the festivities, he'll turn to one of his minions and say, "You sure this isn't an NFL Europe game?"

From what I hear, four ticket-holders dressed as nurses behind the Dallas bench will attempt to throw aspirin at Terrell Owens at some point Sunday. Oh, yes. There is a football game planned as well.

Nate Kaeding, the San Diego kicker, signed through 2012 a couple of weeks ago. Rightfully so, because he's going to be one of the best kickers in the league over the next few years. And on a brutal night for strong safeties and assorted other Polamalus, and with the desperation the Steelers are going to show, the Chargers are going to be lucky to have a good kicker.

On the plane ride west, Brian Billick will turn to Jim Fassel and ask: "Will Steve McNair ever give us a complete game?" He'll come close at Invesco, and he'll need to. Denver's rush defense stifled the Chiefs and the Pats, so the Ravens will need a classic McNair -- preferably for more than the final two minutes of the game -- in this one.