Players, schemes that stood out in Week 5

Week 5 Stars

The Redskins' Andre Carter celebrates one of two sacks in a 34-3 win over Detroit on Sunday. Win McNamee/Getty Images

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Andre Carter, DE, Washington: The Redskins were able to derail the Lions' high-powered offense thanks to the pressure of their front four. Carter sacked Detroit quarterback Jon Kitna twice, including once for a safety.

Jason Campbell, QB, Washington: Quickly connecting a series of short and intermediate throws to Antwaan Randle El, Campbell got off to a hot streak that sparked the fast Redskins' start. Though his statistics were impressive (23/29 for 248 yards with two touchdowns), his ability to connect with eight different receivers allowed the Redskins to keep the Lions off-balance

Aaron Ross, CB, N.Y. Giants: The rookie starter came down with two critical interceptions to lead the Giants' surprising comeback. His insertion into the starting lineup has added some much-needed playmaking ability to the Giants secondary.

Colts offensive line: The Colts' offensive line lives in the shadow of their outstanding skills players, but Sunday's performance deserves special mention because of the absence of two key weapons (Joseph Addai and Marvin Harrison). Kenton Keith's 121-yard rushing performance against Tampa Bay, one of the league's top defenses, is a reflection of the front five's dominant play. And they kept the Bucs' potent pass rush at bay. Tony Ugoh, Ryan Lilja, Jeff Saturday, Jake Scott and Ryan Diem may not be household names but are the backbone to the Colts' offensive attack.

Week 5 Busts

Broncos' front seven: The Broncos continue to have difficulty stopping the run. Against a Chargers team that was struggling offensively, the Broncos front seven allowed LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner to rush for more than 200 yards on 31 carries.

Chad Pennington, QB, N.Y. Jets: The Jets' signal-caller threw critical interceptions for the second consecutive week. His lack of arm strength is beginning to cost the Jets games, and Eric Mangini will have to consider playing Kellen Clemens, if Pennington's struggles continue.

Mike Solari, Offensive Coordinator, Kansas City: The Jaguars' run defense has been tough in recent weeks, but the decision to not test a unit that surrendered more than 260 rushing yards against the Titans in Week 1 is questionable. K.C.'s Larry Johnson was held to 12 yards but only had nine carries, which is clearly not enough for a runner with back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons on his resume. The Chiefs offense has expanded to include more weapons, but leaving Johnson out of the mix is ridiculous.

Seahawks offensive line: The Seahawks' O-line was completely dominated by the Steelers' front seven, as complex zone blitzes disrupted their run blocks and pass protection. Unable to solve the scheme, the Seahawks were shut out and held to only 144 total yards. While there is plenty of blame to go around, the offensive line must shoulder most of the responsibility.

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