It was the type of mid-season drive that can change a season for both teams, and depending on what happens in the remainder of the 2009 season, it just may. The Chargers had come to the Meadowlands with a 4-3 record, winners of two straight after a very mediocre start to their season, looking to gain on Denver in the AFC West, and also keep pace in the very competitive AFC wild-card picture. The Giants meanwhile, were looking to get back on track after following a 5-0 start with three consecutive losses. So, a big game for both sides, and a bigger finish for San Diego and quarterback Phillip Rivers. Five years after being traded from the Giants for Eli Manning, Rivers got revenge on both, with a brilliant two-minute drill to win the game. Bouncing back from an interception that looked to seal the Chargers’ fate on their previous possession, Rivers and San Diego caught a big break when the Giants couldn’t score after a first-and-goal at the Charger 4-yard line, and New York had to settle for field goal. Rivers took advantage, completing 6 of 8 passes, taking the Chargers 80 yards in 8 plays, in just 1:44, throwing hid third touchdown pass of the game, an 18-yarder with just 21 seconds left, to upset the Giants, 21-20.

#4:  CINCY ‘D’ RIPS RAVENS

In a big AFC North showdown, the Bengals, normally know in past years for their offense, have stepped up the defense this year, and they were all about the ‘D’ in beating the Ravens, 17-7. Shutting out Baltimore over the first three quarters, Cincinnati finished the game with six sacks, while forcing three turnovers, and allowing just 215 total yards. Instead of letting the Ravens tie the Bengals at 5-3, a game behind 6-2 Pittsburgh, the Bengals’ dominant defensive performance allows them to play the Steelers for first place next week, with both teams at 6-2, while Baltimore fell back to .500 at 4-4.

#3:  TURNER TURNS IT UP

Atlanta running back Michael Turner was turned loose against Washington and he made the Redskins pay with a game-high 166 yards on just 18 carries, for a 9.2 ypc average. He also rushed for two touchdowns. His second came in the fourth quarter, on a 58-yard run, just 1:42 after Washington made it a game at 24-17, early in the fourth quarter. Turner accounted for all but 15 of the Falcons’ 181 rushing yards in helping Atlanta get to 5-3 at home.

#2: WARNER’S HUGE TURNAROUND

Talk about a change! Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner threw five touchdown passes one week after throwing five interceptions, in the Cardinals’ 41-21 win in Chicago. Warner led first-half drives of 81, 74, 70, and 86 yards the first four times Arizona touched the ball, with all resulting in touchdown passes. The Cardinals built a big 31-7 halftime lead on the strength of those scoring drives, and Warner finished the game 22 of 32 for 261 yards, and this time, no interceptions.

#1:  IN THE OLD THREADS, THE BUCS STOP LOSING

I know a lot of people don’t like them, and I do like the new threads, but I still have a soft spot for the old light orange Tampa Bay uniforms and the old logo. The Buccaneers might like them better this season now, too. It took wearing their throwbacks, giving 2009 first-round pick, quarterback Josh Freeman his first start, and comebacks from 14-7, 21-14, and 28-17, but Tampa Bay finally got their first win of the season and broke the league’s longest losing streak, which stood at eleven games, dating back to least season. Freeman was only 14 of 31 for 205 yards in his NFL debut, but he threw just one interception and three touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter to rally the Bucs to a 38-28 victory. Tampa Bay also had a blocked punt returned 31 yards for a touchdown which tied the game 14-14 in the second quarter, and iced the game, returning a touchdown 35 yards with 35 seconds left.

So once again grab a cold one (better make it two) and tae a lot of notes, and just remember Wayne is working hard, so you don’t have to and because he’s got nothing better to do!

Week Seven
After spending the first five weeks of the season dormant, the Saints wide receiver Lance Moore has awaken from his slumber. Slowed by injuries, Moore has played very little in 2009 missing a few games and being limited, but on Sunday it was a different story. Finally looking healthy Moore resembled more of his 2008 self catching six passes for 78 yards, including a 12-yard score. With the Saints flying high and Brees getting the ball to everyone, Moore looked very good on Sunday and could be one of those options down the road with a big game here and there. He’s definitely going to figure into the Saints passing attack and if available needs to be on someone’s roster.

With the Panther’s return to doing what they do best, run the ball running back Jonathan Stewart will figure into this equation. Last week against the Buccaneers Stewart saw his fair share of carries with 17. He gained 110 yards on the ground and scored a rushing touchdown. With the inconsistent play from the passing game it's safe to expect the Panthers to run the ball. As long as Carolina is committed to the run, expect Stewart to have good value always with plenty of chances to score. Coming off the injury bug Stewart should be available and would be a good bye week fill-in.

The Raiders have had more than their share of offensive woes in this young season, but just last Sunday there was a ray of some hope. With injuries sidelining Darren McFadden, running back Justin Fargas has had opportunity this season. This past week Fargas earned 23 carries and totaled 98 yards. In one game Fargas doubled his carries for the season and with the Raiders in search of any kind of offense, expect head coach Tom Cable to start with Fargas. The former SC Trojan running back is not going to blow up, but he's a solid runner and a decent fill-in to cover a bye or injury.

When Fred Taylor went down, the Patriots turned to Sammy Morris, now that Morris is down they'll look to running back Laurence Maroney. In his first extended action of the season or the past decade (injured in 2008) or so Maroney jumped all over the chance and made the most of his time in the spotlight. As the team’s featured snowplowing machine this past Sunday Maroney touched the ball 19 times and totaled 133 yards of offense. With numbers like this the Patriots will more than likely stay with the hot hand and keep feeding the horse. With the schedule sitting right in the middle of the byes, Maroney becomes an appealing fill-in option with the Bucs up next.

“Wayne’s Word”

Enough with the running back theme, looking for a hot tip or just some helpful advice, either way Wayne has the latest insight for this week. Another worthy spot where you can find some good help is the tight end position and with this week’s hottest pickup Wayne offers you these words;

Over the past several weeks the Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe has quickly become quarterback Brett Favre’s most reliable target. Shiancoe is not being heavily targeted, but he’s not dropping many of Favre’s rockets. In the past three weeks the tight end has seen 11 passes thrown his direction and he’s managed to snag everyone; more importantly he’s making the most of his opportunities. Shiancoe has four touchdown receptions in his last three games and has five for the season. With Favre spreading the ball so well, expect him to keep looking for Shiancoe in the critical moments and in scoring position. As long as Shiancoe remains a favorite of Favre’s his numbers figure to improve. His fantasy scoring for the past three games is 7-points, 10-points, and 16-points.

Make sense?

Life can be hard.  Baseball can be really hard.  Succeeding in baseball can be even harder.  and when you fail, you want to quit.  That’s human nature.  But… That’s where people differ.  The strong keep going; they keep trying.  The rest quit.  What’s the difference between the two groups?  Mental toughness.

Put yourself in this situation: Bottom of the ninth.  You’ve gotten two quick outs as a closer.  You’re nursing a one-run lead in a very big game.  You walk the #8 hitter on 10 pitches.  A pinch hitter comes up and smashes a first-pitch two-run home run to win the game.  You have failed.  Add to that 35,000 people saw you fail in person.  Add to that the hundreds of thousands who saw you fail on TV back in your home city.  Then throw in the media who are going to write about your failure and talk about your failure and then, at your locker, ask you about your failure.

Do you quit?  Do you run?

There are guys who hide from what happened.  They’ll go into the deep recesses of a locker room and not come out until the throng is gone.  They will feel the weight of failure, the burden of stress, the personal disappointment and it will take time for them to recover.

It is those with mental toughness, those with their heads turned on straight, who can overcome this short-term failure and understand exactly what it was: a short-term failure.  If they can understand immediately that the next night they’ll have a chance to win and make up for this night, they’ll be winning the Quitting Game.

Look back at the same example.  Remember the #8 hitter who walked on 10 pitches?  Think about his head.  He’s a #8 hitter, so that means he’s no Babe Ruth.  If he’s hitting .250, he automatically has to live with the fact that 3 out of 4 times he walks back to the bench holding his bat in his hands and holding his pride down in his chest.  This guy could have been the end of the game.  He could have gone up and let the closer beat him on 3 pitches.  But if you have a 10-pitch at bat, you’ve got two personalities battling each other.  You’ve got two guys desperate not to fail; desperate to win.  You’ve got an underdog #8 hitter who does not give up on himself, his abilities or his team.  As mentally tough as the closer needed to be in that spot, the #8 hitter had to have equal mental strength.

The pinch hitter?  He’s sat on the bench for roughly three hours watching.  He’s cold.  Sure, he’s stretched out in the hallway behind the dugout, maybe taken some hacks in the cage, but he hasn’t been playing the game at all.  He’s been a third wheel, a spectator.  Now he’s asked to insert himself and succeed.  He’s got one chance that night to not fail.  Generally, he does.  Pinch hitting is hard.  Some guys can do it and some can’t.  This guy did.  How?  His head was in the game.  And he never gave up on himself.

Former 15-year MLB catcher Brent Mayne makes a few comments about mental toughness in his most recent blog entry, Man, This Weather Sucks. Check it out.  You learn a different perspective about the mental game as it pertains to playing in weather that blows, figuratively and literally.  Brent’s main (get the pun?) lesson? “Complaining about the conditions isn’t going to help your cause. Matter of fact, it’ll take you out of the game before it ever starts. Why waste energy on a fight you’re not going to win?”

There are two fights a player can win, the game on the field and the game in their heads.  If you can beat the fear of failure and never give up on yourself, quitting won’t even become an option.  It’ll be something those other guys do.  And it’ll be the reason why you win.

Jimmy Scott is probably the greatest pitcher you’ve never heard of.  Visit Jimmy Scott’s High & Tight to read more from Jimmy and guests Desi Relaford, Eric Valent & Cassidy Dover.  You’ll also hear a new interview every Monday morning with former MLB players, agents, wives and others; giving new outlooks on this great game we call Baseball.  Go there now to hear Jimmy’s latest interviews with Rollie Fingers, Desi Relaford, Brent Mayne and MLB Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt.  You can follow Jimmy on Twitter or Facebook.