WHO'S Hot / WHO'S Not
WHO'S Hot
Cardinals
They're on a Rolle—Antrel, that is. The cornerback (left) had three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns, to give Arizona its second straight win and its first 5--5 record in 10 years. The Cardinals play four of their last six games at home and could at long last be headed to the playoffs. "Are we jelling?" said Rolle. "Definitely."
Matt Kenseth
Not as sizzling as Chase winner Jimmie Johnson (page 54), but the NASCAR driver jumped to fourth in the standings with Sunday's $350,000 win. That's five straight top five finishes for number 17.
Chester Taylor
Adrian who? Taylor, the veteran Vikings back who was subbing for rookie sensation Adrian Peterson, ran for 164 yards and three TDs. So does he want the ball when Peterson returns from his knee injury? Said Taylor, "I am not the one to start a controversy. I know what I can do when I get in."
Martin Brodeur
The Devils goalie's 500th win puts him in an elite group of two. Under contract through 2011--12, he should pass leader Patrick Roy (551) long before A-Rod nears even the Babe. Brodeur: "It's hard to believe."
WHO'S Not
Ravens
What a comedown! The Browns' last-second field goal on Sunday—officials at first ruled it no good—led to Baltimore's fourth straight loss. The Ravens are winless in the AFC North, QB Kyle Boller (right) is still uneven, and the team seems in disarray. After stud safety Ed Reed erred by fair-catching a punt at the four-yard line, he drew the wrath of teammates who told him, "Nevermore!"
Mike Hart
He's not quite as cold as retiring coach Lloyd Carr (page 24), but the Michigan back ran himself out of Heisman contention with a dismal, 18-carry, 44-yard day in Ann Arbor. He forwent the NFL draft for this?
Byron Leftwich
He got in, and Falcons fans were not happy. In Leftwich's first start since Oct. 24 ankle surgery, the QB played poorly (four turnovers), moved slowly and was loudly booed, then benched, as Atlanta fell behind 24--0 in a loss. Leftwich: "It was tough to deal with."
Mattias Ohlund
What's up with the normally stable Canucks defenseman? His two-handed slash broke a bone in the leg of Wild forward Mikko Koivu. That means a four-game ban—and a loss of nearly $75,000—for Ohlund.
SI PLAYERS NFL POLL
Who is the most courageous receiver in the NFL?
Steve Smith, Panthers 21%
Hines Ward, Steelers 20%
Marvin Harrison, Colts 11%
Chad Johnson, Bengals 9%
Terrell Owens, Cowboys 6%
FAST FACTS
Players couldn't vote for a teammate.... Smith, who has averaged more than 1,300 yards receiving his last two seasons, has just 590 this season and missed Sunday's game with a leg injury.... Through Sunday, Ward needed two TD catches to become Pittsburgh's alltime leader in that category.... Owens was second in the NFL with 1,028 receiving yards this year.
[Based on a survey of 278 NFL players] • For more on the poll, and to comment on it, go to SI.com/players.
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ANDY LYONS/GETTY IMAGES (ROLLE)
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BRENT HOOD/GOLDSBORO NEWS—ARGUS/AP (CARDINAL)
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JOHN SOMMERS/ICON SMI (BOLLER)
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DOUG BENC/GETTY IMAGES (KENSETH)
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LOU CAPOZZOLA (BRODEUR)
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DAVID BERGMAN (WARD)
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AL TIELEMANS (SMITH)
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