Quote of the Week I

Joe Gibbs called two straight timeouts, costing the Redskins a 15-yard penalty before Buffalo kicked the game-winning field goal Sunday. Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

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"We realized you can't call that second timeout right away. Not a lot surprises me in this league. But I do have empathy for Joe. He is one of the giants in our game, one of the great coaches of all time. It's unfortunate.''

-- Buffalo coach Dick Jauron, on the extra timeout called by Gibbs, which reduced the distance of the game-deciding field goal by Lindell from 51 to 36 yards.

Quote of the Week II

"I think the thing that everybody keeps missing is that walking away is not the hard part. The hard part is that they've got you in this fish bowl, so no matter what you do, your contract is in the paper, everything is always publicized. You're in a fish bowl.

"Is it hard to walk away from your past? I just think a lot of things that this business creates keeps your past around. Your business isn't your business. I don't walk around the locker room and show off my paycheck stub with everybody because that's my business... You realize it isn't you that keeps up with your past. It's everybody else that wants to keep your past going.''

-- Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis.

Quote of the Week III

"I thought he could have been the best safety in the history of pro football. He was 6-foot-3, fierce, a hard-hitter, a great cover guy, great speed for a guy his size, great ball skills, incredibly instinctive and had a great passion for the game. Teams didn't challenge him deep. It's no secret why we've given up so many explosive plays in the middle of the field the last two weeks -- it's because Sean wasn't there.''

-- Washington linebacker London Fletcher, on Sean Taylor.

Quote of the Week IV

"You can't be scared of death. When that time comes, it comes.''

-- Sean Taylor, in the last known interview before he died, with radio station WTEM in Washington in September.

Stat of the Week

Those of us who vote on the Pro Football Hall of Fame had an interesting list to pare down this week. Bylaws prevent me from disclosing my ballot of the final 15, but I did spend quite a bit of time thinking about the candidacy of Terrell Davis, who played four full seasons before knee injuries forced him to play 20 games in his last three years. Comparing Davis' career to another back whose career was cut short by a knee injury, Hall of Famer Gale Sayers:

The big difference between the two: Davis wasn't a return specialist in his career, while Sayers, an electrifying return man the likes of whom the league has never seen, is the all-time NFL kickoff-return leader (30.6 yards per return) and averaged a remarkable 14.5 yards per punt return.

It'll be interesting to see if Davis makes it to the finals, which would mean he'd be a candidate for this year's class during the Feb. 2 selection meeting.

MVP Watch

1. Tom Brady, QB, New England. Nine percent more accurate than Peyton Manning so far, 1.4 yards better per pass attempt.

2. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas. In the six Cowboys games since the loss to New England, Romo has six 100-plus rating games, has completed 73 percent of his throws and has 18 touchdowns and five interceptions.

3. Brett Favre, QB, Green Bay. I understand the downfield throws early on Thursday night were meant to loosen up a secondary cheating toward the line of scrimmage. But the Pack tried to execute the wrong game plan, and Favre tried to force two or three balls deep when the plays weren't there.

4. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis. Manning ran the Colts' record to 2-0 against the best team in his division, Jacksonville, with Sunday's win. He's put up 54 points against the rock-ribbed Jags defense this year and threw four touchdown passes Sunday.

5. Randy Moss, WR, New England. Good for Ron Jaworski. You've got to call 'em the way you see 'em, and Jaws saw Moss loafing against the Eagles. What's he supposed to do? Say nothing? Lots of analysts would -- we all know that -- but not Jaworski.

Factoid of the Week That May Interest Only Me

I was in Cleveland last Monday night, researching a story for SI, waiting for my ride to be brought around at a parking lot next to the House of Blues downtown. Derek Anderson, the Cleveland quarterback, happened to be eating at the same restaurant and was leaving at the same time. He drives off in his SUV, but right away he pulls over at the behest of a fan, who opens his trunk and asks Anderson to sign some autographs. This Anderson is just too nice. My last memory of him that night is motoring past him while he stands there signing a couple of balls for a guy out of the back of his trunk.

Book Corner

Greatest Team Ever: The Dallas Cowboys Dynasty of the 1990s, by Norm Hitzges, with photo by Ron St. Angelo (Thomas Nelson Books).

A coffee table book that's more than a coffee table book. It's actually got some interesting nuggets. Like this one: Late on the night when the sale of the team to Jerry Jones was complete in 1989, Jones went to Texas Stadium. "I had them turn on all the lights and walked out to the 50-yard line and laid down on my back in the middle of the blue star.'' The photos are insiderish, with a couple shots of Troy Aikman looking 17 and Jerry Jones looking 44. You'd think that Dallas fan in your life would already have every Cowboy thing he'd ever want, and you're probably right. But if that person insists on a nice tome, he'll be able to spend a couple of informative hours with this book.

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