WHO's Hot WHO's Not

WHO's Hot

Joe Flacco

Winner of theNFL's run, pass and catch competition. The Ravens QB (interview, page 27)threw a 70-yard TD, rushed one in from 12 yards out and--get this--caught a43-yarder to set up a field goal. ("I just didn't want to make a fool ofmyself," said Flacco of his receiving foray.) That sunk Oakland and quietedteammate Terrell Suggs's chirping that Troy Smith should start at QB.

Kevin Faulk

Nice numbers (107total yards, 4.6 yards per carry), and the Patriots back (right) augmented themby snaring the game-winning TD pass versus St. Louis. Not bad for athird-stringer elevated because of injury. Coach Bill Belichick: "Whateverhe can do to help us win, he'd do. Mop the floors? He'd mop them."

Pujols

What a legacy he'sleaving in St. Louis. Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols (right) won MLB'sRoberto Clemente Award not just for his latest monster season (.357, 37 homers,116 RBIs) but also for his foundation's work helping kids with Down syndrome.Winning the award, said Pujols, is "one of the most humbling experiences ofmy life."

Panthers

Feelin' fine inCarolina, after rallying behind Steve Smith (right) and the rest of the guys tobeat Arizona. That makes the Panthers 6-2 and alone in first heading into aweek of rest.

WHO's Not

Vernon Davis

If you think new49ers coach Mike Singletary got fed up, imagine Davis's fantasy owners. The SanFrancisco tight end has just 16 catches in eight games and nary a TD. And yethe pounds his chest after inconsequential receptions, a habit that irksSingletary. After yanking Davis on Sunday, the coach exploded, saying he can'tstand "players who think it's about them."

Matt Jones

Forget the goodnumbers (eight catches for 117 yards), the Jaguars receiver bobbled and droppedwhat would have been the game-winning touchdown against Cleveland on Sunday.Far worse than that: He's facing a three-game suspension stemming from anoff-season arrest for cocaine possession.

Palin on Ice

Beware the promopuck dropper. After Sarah Palin's boo-strewn Oct. 11 turn in Philadelphia, theFlyers went 13 days without a win. Now look at the Legace the wannabe veep hasleft in St. Louis: Blues goalie Manny Legace slipped on a carpet put out tohelp Palin get to center ice last Friday, then had to leave the game with a hipinjury.

Chargers

What rot! All theway to London, and the lads from San Diego got bloody pounded by the Saints.That left the Chargers at 3-5 and so many miles (about 6,000 of 'em) fromhome.

SI PLAYERS NFL POLL

Which current NFL coach would you most like to playfor?

Tony Dungy, Colts 46%

Wade Phillips, Cowboys 9%

Bill Belichick, Patriots 6%

Mike Tomlin, Steelers 5%

Herm Edwards, Chiefs 4%

FAST FACTS Titans coach Jeff Fisher tied Edwards at 4%.. . . Of the top six all have career winning percentages of well over .500except Edwards, who was at .445 after Sunday's loss to the Jets. . . . Dungy,the first African-American coach to win the Super Bowl, seriously weighedretirement after last season. . . . Both Tomlin and Edwards were NFL assistantsunder Dungy.

[Based on a survey of 320 NFL players] • For more onthe poll, and to comment on it, go to SI.com/players.

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ILLUSTRATION BY FRED HARPER

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DAVID DRAPKIN/GETTY IMAGES (FLACCO)

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JOHN PYLE/CAL SPORT MEDIA (DAVIS)

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CJ GUNTHER/EPA (FAULK)

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JOHN BIEVER (PUJOLS)

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BOB DONNAN/US PRESSWIRE (SMITH)

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ERIC ESPADA/CAL SPORT MEDIA (DUNGY)

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MATTHEW EMMONS/US PRESSWIRE (PHILLIPS)