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Who's Hot Who's Not
Who's Hot
Testaverde
Yo, Vinny. Got a problem? Not this week he doesn't. Two weeks shy of his 41st birthday the QB ran for a touchdown for first time in nearly six years, threw for three others and led Cowboys to their first win since Week 3. All Drew Henson experiments are now officially on hold.
Wisconsin
The Pack is back: three straight wins behind stoic Brett Favre. The No. 4 Badgers are unbeaten and angling for a title. And Green Bay fans gotta love Wisconsin's new quarter back: State coin has cheese on one side, heads on the other.
Eagles
Last of the NFL unbeatens after gutty win over Baltimore takes show on the road for marquee games against Pittsburgh and Dallas. Elsewhere in the fast lane, soft-rockin' Eagles announce 12 U.S. dates in megagrossing tour.
Long-distance Runners
Gobs of passing yards don't guarantee victories--just ask Jake Plummer (499 versus Falcons) and Peyton Manning (472 versus Chiefs). But the seven backs who rushed for more than 100 yards on Sunday? Chris Brown, Priest Holmes, Duce Staley, Shaun Alexander (left), Michael Vick, Willis McGahee and Tiki Barber all went home winners.
Miami (Ohio)
RedHawks racked up a cool 115 points in a recent three-game winning streak, and oh yes, have you been noticing what the school's hottest NFL alumnus, a guy by the name of Roethlisomething, is up to?
Who's Not
Mark Brunell
With Redskins trailing 17-0, en route to falling to 2-5, FedExField faithful booed Brunell from bottom of their broken hearts and called for backup Patrick Ramsey. After Brunell's stab at redemption--a late go-ahead TD--was nixed by a flag, Joe Gibbs said he'll stick by him. May explain why a fan yelled at Gibbs, "Go back to NASCAR!"
Colorado Football
NFL's Broncos (5-3) were upset for second straight week and appear to be in annual midseason fade. NCAA's Buffaloes got trounced 31-7 at home by Texas and maintained their Rocky Mountain low (1-4, Big 12).
Vikings
Uh-oh. Last year Minnesota was 6-0 when Giants whipped them in Metrodome to send Vikes on a 3-7 slide. This year Minnesota was 5-1 when Giants whipped them in Metrodome on Sunday. With Randy Moss (right) sidelined, offense fell flat. Next up? Indy and Green Bay.
Steve McNair
Grounded last week by a bruised sternum, Price Is Right buff had time to catch up on his Barker. He's due back next game, but can the 2003 co-MVP raise the 3-5 Titans? He's got four TDs and six interceptions, and one NFL coach says--gasp!--that Tennessee's "a better passing team" with backup Billy Volek (two TD passes in win over Bengals) in the pocket.
Ghosts
Rough Halloween. Babe Ruth's days of haunting Fenway are over. A horse called Ghostzapper cruised in the Breeder's Cup Classic, and Saints' Boo Williams has been such a bust (just one TD catch), one fantasy football columnist said he's "harder to find than Casper ... drop him."
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JAMES D. SMITH/WIREIMAGE.COM (TESTAVERDE)
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WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (QUARTER)
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ELEKTRA (CD)
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ROBERT BECK (ALEXANDER)
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DAVID MAXWELL/GETTY IMAGES (BRUNELL)
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JEFF GROSS/GETTY IMAGES (MOSS)
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RAMIN TALAIE/CORBIS (GHOSTBUSTER)
