It was a cold day in Nashville as the game began and the Titans started the same, as Vince Young’s first pass, on the first play of day was picked off. It set off a chorus of boos from the crowd that knew how important this game was. These were two teams playing for the playoffs and the Dolphins had been on a roll lately. Miami stood at 7-6 and Tennessee at 6-7 with the loser falling another notch in the wild-card race. So on the possession set up by the interception, the Dolphins were able to get a field goal for a 3-0 lead. Now it was time for Young to make up for that mistake. The thing that has been so noticeable about Young has been the improvement in his decision-making. Last year and before he would quickly throw the ball away or run when it was not beneficial to his team. He was unable to find the consistency to keep defenses honest. This year he was put in a situation unlike he ever faced in his life on the football field. He had to prove himself and earn the trust of those around him. So the Titans found themselves needing to win out and needing Young to continue his evolution into an NFL quarterback. What he showed on this Sunday was just that as he made some of the prettiest throws of his career. He hit Justin Gage on touchdown passes of 22 and 21 yards that were unlike any he has ever thrown. His third touchdown pass was another beauty to Nate Washington but the 24-6 lead from that play would not hold up. Now critics will come up with reasons as to why they let the Fins back in the game, but it was simply because they took their foot off the gas pedal. They got complacent with the lead and let Miami back in and tie the score when Ricky Williams ran in the two-point conversion. So it was 24-24 and the Titans got the ball back but had to punt it after a three-and-out. Punter Brett Kern came in did his job putting the ball on the two-yard line with little time for the Dolphins to get down the field. What they did was run the ball so they could run out the clock. At that point the Titans had three time outs and the fans let the boos fly as Fisher allowed the clock to run. He said it was a gut feeling of his not to use the timeouts. Lucky for him he was right or the media would have eaten him alive this week. In the game Chris Johnson’s pursuit of 2,000 yards took a hit as he once again had a tough second half. Last week he had 16 carries for 30 yards and this week had 15 for 33 in the second half.  Teams are keying hard on him now but he said that he might have a 200 or 300-yard game left in him. He will have to average 135 yards per in the last two to get to that elusive mark (2,000) and needs 376 yards to pass Eric Dickerson’s NFL mark of 2,105 yards. He wound up with 104 yards on 29 carries. He will continue to get the ball in the last two games so hang on for the ride. In the game the Titans lost the heart and soul of their defense when Keith Bullock hurt his knee and he must now have season ending surgery. Also gone for the year is LB David Thornton, as he will go under the knife for a shoulder problem he has had. So there are two more games left and Tennessee needs a lot of help from other teams. They must also win out as well. One thing ought to be a sure thing and that would be votes for Jeff Fisher for coach of the year. No matter how the season ends you have to give credit to this coach and team for coming out of a 0-6 hole to .500 after week 15.

Indianapolis 35 Jacksonville 31

Even when it looks like the Colts are going down in defeat, they find a way to win. Peyton Manning continued to stake his claim for MVP as he went 23-30 for 308 yards and four touchdowns. He started early on this night as he hit Dallas Clark and Austin Collie in the second quarter for a 21-17 halftime lead. It was a first half that also saw Maurice Jones-Drew score twice, when he caught one from nine yards out and ran another in from three in that second quarter. The teams had traded scores in the first half and the theme would continue in the second. Jacksonville was sharp as was QB David Garrard and they came out and scored at the 8:32 mark of the third to take the lead back. Just like the sun rising is a sure thing so is Manning as he directed his team down the field and hit Clark again for a 27-yard touchdown. That made it 28-24 and it looked like that would all the Jags could handle. Well they forgot to tell Jacksonville and they answered the Colts right back when Mike Thomas pulled in a 13-yard pass from Garrard to make it 31-28 Jags with 47 seconds left in the third. Jacksonville just wishes there was that much time left in the game because a whole quarter is too much time for Manning to do damage. So the fourth quarter got underway and two teams that had not punted in the first half punted five times. No one could get the advantage until Manning finally put the dagger in the Jags when he hit Reggie Wayne down the left sideline for 65-yards and the winning score. So now the Colts are 14-0 and the only undefeated team in the league after the Saints lost to Dallas. Manning now has thrown for 4,000 yards or more in a season 10 times. The closest one to him is the great Dan Marino with six. As for the Jags, well they have now lost control of their destiny and will need help to get into the postseason. At 7-7 they find themselves in the pack with other 7-7 teams. Jones-Drew finished with 110 yards on 27 carries and Garrard was 23-40 for 223 yards, three scores and a pick. They are still in it but have to hit the road for their last two games of the year. They will first go to New England where the Pats are fighting for their division crown and playoff positioning. Then they finish at Cleveland against a Browns team that has been playing inspired ball and just come off two of the best single-game performances in NFL history. Kick returner Josh Cribbs returned two kicks for touchdowns and running back Jerome Harrison ran for the third best total in history with 286 yards and three touchdowns. The Colts finish by hosting the Jets and then going to Buffalo so their chances at 16-0 look good.

Houston 16 St. Louis 13

In a season that has basically gone bad the Texans found a way to keep the Rams in the game. They drove down the field at times but had to settle for three Kris Brown field goals and one touchdown pass from Matt Schaub. Though they had to struggle, Schaub had 367 yards passing giving him eight games with at least 300 yards and his fifth game with at least 350. Andre Johnson had another great game with nine catches for 196 yards but became the second player in the last 10 years to have that many yards and not catch a touchdown pass. The running game on the other hand was anemic gaining just 52 yards total and they were 5-14 on third down. They lost two fumbles as well but the defense did hold the Rams to 237 total yards. So no Houston is at 7-7 and they go to Miami next week in a key battle of 7-7 teams. They finish the season at home but that will be a tall task as the will be hosting the Patriots. There is still shot at the playoffs but hopes are dimming. In the next few weeks we will also get a clearer picture on the fate of head coach Gary Kubiak.

Week 7

THE ELITE

#1  NEW ORLEANS          6-0              –       Week 7: Won at Miami, 46-34

Not even deficits of 24-3 in the first half or 34-24 in the fourth quarter in Miami could lead to a New Orleans loss. The NFL’s best came back to beat the Dolphins with a 22-0 fourth quarter to stay unbeaten. The Saints haven’t scored fewer than 24 point this season and has lit up the scoreboard for at least 45 points in four of their six games.

#2  INDIANAPOLIS           6-0              –       Week 7: Won at St. Louis, 42-6

Peyton Manning was finally “held” under 300 yards for the first time this season, but 235 passing yards was enough for an easy 36-point win in St. Louis. The Colts have allowed 12 or fewer points in four of their six contests.

#3  DENVER                    6-0              –       Week 7: Bye

At 6-0, allowing an NFL-low 66 points on the season, the Broncos enjoyed a well-deserved bye week to ready themselves for a trip to Baltimore, which has been reeling of late, but which will be desperate and dangerous.

#4  PITTSBURGH             5-2              +3      Week 7: Beat Minnesota, 27-17

After a 1-2 start, letting two winnable games get away, the Steelers are back looking like the defending champions they are after four straight wins.

#5  MINNESOTA              6-1              -1       Week 7: Lost at Pittsburgh, 27-17

There were no late heroics this time for the Vikings, who could easily be 4-3, and who finally lost for the first time this season, in Pittsburgh. The big Favre homecoming to Lambeau is up next.

SECOND-TIER CONTENDERS

#6  NEW ENGLAND          5-2              +2      Week 7: Beat Tampa Bay, 35-7 (in London)

After raising some early questions by getting outplayed in a home win over Buffalo and starting a mediocre 3-2, the Patriots and Tom Brady have both answered those questions by beating up on a couple of awful teams (Tennessee and Tampa Bay), first in the snow, and then in London, by a combined score of 94-7 in the past two weeks.

#7  NY GIANTS                5-2              -2       Week 7: Lost to Arizona, 24-17

The Giants went from looking like legitimate Super Bowl contenders during a 5-0 start, to a sloppy, mistake-prone team with several eye-opening flaws in a couple of losses since. That said, beat Philly on the road next, and 6-2 at the halfway point is still on course to achieve what the Giants hope they can this season.

#8  CINCINNATI               5-2              +1      Week 7: Beat Chicago, 45-10

After pulling four wins out of the fire, the Bengals finally has a laugher, and a surprising one at that, as Carson Palmer and the Bengals’ offense were unstoppable in a dismantling of the visiting Bears.

#9  ARIZONA                            4-2              +1      Week 7: Won at NY GIants, 24-17

When most think of the Cardinals, Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and a high-powered passing game come to mind first. But, the Cards have actually for the most part, won with a defense which has been the best in the league at stopping the run, while being opportunistic in getting a lot of key takeaways.

#10  ATLANTA                  4-2              -4       Week 7: Lost at Dallas, 37-21

The Falcons looked great at 4-1, crushing the 49ers on the road, and getting a solid home win over he Bears on Sunday Night Football, but a head-scratching 16-point loss to Dallas after leading 7-0 early in the second quarter has Atlanta dropping a few spots this week.

#11  DALLAS                    4-2              +5      Week 7: Beat Atlanta, 37-21

Tony Romo finally found some consistency against the Falcons and he seemed to have found a replacement for the departed T.O. in Monmouth College product Miles Austin, who has receiving games of 250 and 171 yards this season.

#12  GREEN BAY               4-2              +3      Week 7: Won at Cleveland, 31-3

After a loss in the big Favre showdown in Minnesota, the Packers beat up on hapless Detroit and Cleveland by a combined 57-3 to tune up for an even bigger Favre showdown, as the former Packer legend returns this week to the place that started it all.

#13  PHILADELPHIA           4-2              –       Week 7: Won at Washington, 27-17

The Eagles shook off their nightmare embarrassment in Oakland with a win on Monday Night Football in the nation’s capital. With all four wins against bad losing teams (Carolina, Kansas City, Tampa Bay, and Washington), how good the Eagles are, is an uncertainty. The upcoming schedule (hosting the Giants and Cowboys before heading to San Diego and Chicago) should clear up that picture, however. It gets tougher, too. After those four, a break with Washington, but the Eagles finish at Atlanta, at the Giants, and then home for San Francisco and Denver, before closing at Dallas.

MIRED IN MEDIOCRITY

#14  NY JETS                             4-3              +3      Week 7: Won at Oakland, 38-0

The Jets became the first NFL team in over 34 years to rush for consecutive 300-yard games, and they lead the league with 184.9 rushing yards per game. A big rout in Oakland was just what they needed to stop a 3-game losing streak to get back on track for a revenge game at home with Miami.

#15  HOUSTON                 4-3              +3      Week 7: Beat San Francisco, 24-21

Matt Schaub has developed into one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, and he was on fire the past two weeks while leading the Texans to consecutive wins, breaking an alternating loss-win pattern at the start.

#16  BALTIMORE               3-3              -2       Week 7: Bye

The Ravens had the bye week to figure out what went wrong after, like the Jets, a 3-game losing streak followed a great 3-0 start. They will try to get back to their winning ways at home while trying to hand 6-0 Denver it first loss.

#17  SAN FRANCISCO                  3-3              -5       Week 7: Lost at Houston, 24-21

The Niners are another team that started strong but which has faded recently, to fall back to the pack as a .500 team, as they search for some consistency on offense. They’ll see if Alex Smith returning to the starting lineup in Indianapolis will make the difference.

#18  SAN DIEGO                3-3              +2      Week 7: Won at Kansas City, 37-7

The Chargers dominated the Chiefs in KC to get back to .500. Now that they’re there, the schedule gives them plenty of opportunities to challenge Denver for the AFC West title. They have very winnable games left against Oakland, another against Kansas City, Cleveland, Tennessee, and Washington.

#19  CHICAGO                  3-3              -8       Week 7: Lost at Cincinnati, 45-10

The Bears had one of the more surprisingly poor performances of the season last week. Even in their two previous losses, they played Green Bay and Atlanta tough on the road, and all of the Bengals wins were at the wire. Yet, the Bears were thoroughly embarrassed in Cincinnati. The alarming thing for them is that it wasn’t a result of losing the turnover battle 4-0. Their defense, thought to be much stronger, allowed scores on seven straight drives over the first three quarters, five of which were over 60 yards.

#20  JACKSONVILLE          3-3              -1       Week 7: Bye

The Jags haven’t really played like a playoff team, but with Tennessee and Kansas City up next, they can be on pace for 10 wins at the halfway point.

#21  BUFFALO                  3-4              +3      Week 7: Won at Carolina, 20-9

The same Bills team which lost a horrid 6-3 affair at home to Cleveland, to fall to 1-4, saved its season for the time being with road wins at the Meadowlands against the Jets, and in Carolina (despite being outgained by the Panthers by 258 yards). Interesting stat from last week: the Panthers had 20 first downs to the Bills’ 9, but Buffalo flipped those numbers for the only ones that really matter, winning by a score of the same 20-9, thanks largely in part to taking the turnover battle, 4-0.

LOOKING TOWARD THE 2010 DRAFT

#22  MIAMI                       2-4              -1       Week 7: Lost to New Orleans, 46-34

The may be 2-4, but don’t take them lightly when you play them. The Dolphins have looked better than most 2-4 teams would usually. They lost their first three games, but nearly won three straight after that, crushing Buffalo, gutting out a great win late against the Jets, and hanging a three-touchdown lead on the NFL-best Saints before finally succumbing to New Orleans to fall back to two games under .500.

#23  CAROLINA                 2-4              –       Week 7: Lost to Buffalo, 20-9

Jake Delhomme was cruising along last year. Then, he threw a bunch of picks in a divisional playoff game against Arizona, and he hasn’t been able to stop doing that, ever since. After an 0-3 start, the Panthers missed a golden opportunity to get to .500, losing a game at home to the Bills which Carolina statistically dominated. Delhomme has thrown 13 INT’s and just 4 TD’s in 6 games this year.

#24  SEATTLE                            2-4              -2       Week 7: Bye

The Seahawks went 2-0, outscoring St. Louis and Jacksonville by a combined 69-0. In their other four games against stiffer competition, Seattle is 0-4, having been outscored 109-49.

#25  OAKLAND                 2-5              –       Week 7: Lost to NY Jets, 38-0

The Raiders had one of those wins by a bottom-feeder over a playoff contender that makes everyone take notice, playing some good defense in an upset win over the Eagles. So, did they build off of that for an encore? Nope. They did what truly bad teams do. They went right back to their awful selves in a 38-0 embarrassment to the Jets at home.

#26  WASHINGTON            2-5              -1       Week 7: Lost to Philadelphia, 27-17

The Redskins’ only wins are against a pair of 0-7 teams (the Rams and Bucs), and by a combined five points, at that. The defense has been okay, as Washington has allowed no more than 27 points in any game while giving up under 20 in four games this season. However, offensively, they have caused John Riggins to speak out against the leadership and direction of the team online, and have been offensively challenged enough to make the old Fun Bunch and John Theismann cringe, while failing to score more than 17 points in a any contest this year.

#27  KANSAS CITY             1-6              -1       Week 7: Lost to San Diego, 37-7

The Chiefs have shown some respectability in half of their losses, hanging in with Baltimore, taking Dallas to overtime, and dominating Oakland everywhere but on the scoreboard. Still, they’re down here because 1-6 is still 1-6 no matter how you slice it.

#28  CLEVELAND               1-6              –       Week 7: Lost to Green Bay, 31-3

The Browns have also hung in at times against Minnesota and Pittsburgh, and they had Cincinnati beat until they gave that one away. On the flip side, losses to Denver (27-6), Baltimore (34-3), and Green Bay (31-3) have shown the Browns at their futile worst.

#29  DETROIT                            1-5              –       Week 7: Bye

The Lions can’t stop anyone… other than Washington, that is. But, a 19-14 win over the Redskins after the above documentation of Washington’s offensive woes isn’t saying much. Other than that lone victory, the Lions, in their five losses, have allowed 45, 27, 48, 28, and 26.

#30  TENNESSEE               0-6              –       Week 7: Bye

The Titans have just become a sad case as they still seek their first win after a 13-win season last year. Their best week over the past month was last week, during their bye week. That says it all. They’ve been outscored 59-0 in their last game, 90-9 in their past two, and 127-26 over their past three games. They’re only above the Rams and Bucs because at least they did play three close games to start the season. But, it’s all fallen apart since then.

#31  ST.LOUS                            0-7              –       Week 7: Lost to Indianapolis, 42-6

The Rams have lost 17 straight games and now, they head to Detroit, to play the Lions, who are 1-21 in their past 22. And, they black out games in Jacksonville?!?! Detroit viewers might need special glasses or something to keep from going blind, if they stare directly at the screen for that one. The Rams have been outscored by an NFL-worst 211-60. They’ve been shut out twice, and have scored just 7, 10, and 6 in three other losses. But, they stay away from the last spot since they at least took the Redskins and the Jaguars to the wire.

#32  TAMPA BAY               0-7              –       Week 7: Lost to New England, 35-7 (in London)

It’s bad enough that Tampa Bay is winless and just awful, but did the NFL have to make them go all the way to London just to get humiliated by the Patriots? They could have done that on their home field, in Tampa. Other than a couple of close losses (by 3 in Washington and by 7 to Carolina), the Bucs have lost by 13 twice, 24, 19, and 28. At least they can enjoy a week without losing yet again, as they rest up from their London trip with a bye this week.

Sound familiar?

Certainly, after a mere two NFL starts, no in his or her right football mind would equate Chad Henne and his potential ceiling as an NFL starting quarterback with the accomplishments of New England Patriots’ legend Tom Brady.

However, there are already some similarities between the backgrounds of Brady and Henne, how each got their chances to shine, and how Henne, like Brady early on, has already made the most of that opportunity.

And, Henne’s also accomplished something that the two-time Super Bowl MVP Brady couldn’t do so far: play well enough to beat the New York Jets and their Rex Ryan-led defense this season.

There are some differences in how each quarterback got to the NFL. Brady had to prove himself, not getting a real shot at Michigan until his junior season, and not being drafted until the sixth round, as the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft. Henne meanwhile, guided the Wolverines from the time he was a freshman and was taken a lot higher (in the second round) by the Miami Dolphins in the 2008 draft.

But, both quarterbacks set passing records by the time they graduated from Michigan, and both took over an AFC East team surprisingly well after being thrust into a starting role by necessity, with very little expected of them.

Brady got his shot after first-round draft pick Drew Bledsoe was injured. He of course, turned used that opportunity into three Super Bowl victories, a league MVP, and four Pro Bowls on the way to what will someday conclude as a Hall of Fame career.

What he does with his own opportunity from here remains to be seen, but Henne similarly got his chance after Miami was reeling at 0-3. The Dolphins were looking like a bad team headed nowhere in 2009, after coming off the biggest turnaround in NFL history, from 1-15 in 2007, to 11-5 and an AFC East title last season under the direction of former firs-round draft pick Chad Pennington –- whose season ended in Week 3 this year, with a shoulder injury, opening the door for Henne. And, at least so far, the other former Michigan star has busted through.

Sure, it’s only been two starts, but Henne has helped saved the Dolphins season while going 2-0 as a starter.

Henne wasn’t great, but efficient, going 14-22 for 115 yards, throwing his first career touchdown pass and no interceptions in his first start two weeks ago, a 38-10 Dolphins’ victory over Buffalo.

But, on Monday night, Henne was brilliant, carving up a Jets’ defense that Brady had a lot of trouble with, in a 16-9 loss, earlier this season.

There are two ways to look at that: a skeptic would say that Henne had the advantage of a very effective wildcat running game to help set up his throws, a benefit which Brady lacked against the Jets.

Conversely, a pro-Henne advocate would declare that much to his credit, Henne, in only his second start, in a big divisional game before a Monday Night Football national television audience, was able to stay remarkably poised and in rhythm despite being shuffled in and out of the lineup on an inconsistent basis due to the wildcat’s unconventional offensive sets which often don’t employ the use of a quarterback on the field.

Either way, Henne was terrific, going 20 of 26 for 241 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions for a 130.4 passer rating. And, Henne’s performance went far beyond those statistics. The truly impressive part was leading three fourth quarter drives, each with his team down, and each time, getting the Dolphins in the end zone, and coming away with his second win in as many starts in the NFL. Still, it wasn’t even THAT.

No, it was the throws that Henne made and the tools he displayed at the most crucial moments: Henne sold a play-action fake perfectly on a beautifully thrown 53-yard touchdown bomb to wide receiver Ted Ginn, who beat the Jets’ entire secondary, for a 24-20 fourth-quarter lead. Including that score, Henne, who was used to running some play action at Michigan, was a perfect 7-for-7 for 140 yards and two touchdowns when faking a handoff against the Jets on Monday.

Later, leading the game-winning drive, Henne, with the coolness of a seasoned veteran like Brady, converted consecutive third downs in the final two minutes. First, with an all-out blitz and defenders in his face, Henne lofted a great pass over the shoulder of Greg Camarillo for a 14-yard gain and a huge first down to keep the drive going. Then, faced with a 3rd-and-10 with 1:06 left in the game, Henne, again facing a Jets’ blitz, rolled right and fired an absolute bullet low and straight, again to Camarillo, who went to his knees to coral the ball for another big first down at the Jets’ 4-yard line. That play set up the eventual game-winning touchdown by running back Ronnie Brown.

Suddenly, the Dolphins season isn’t in shambles after losing their original starting quarterback.

During the post-game press conference, Ryan (maybe overdoing it), compared Henne’s performance to that of many turned in by former Dolphin and all-time NFL great Dan Marino.

Was that one game a coming of age for Henne the way Brady’s first season as a starter was?

Well, Henne will have to have a lot more games, even seasons, like he did against the Jets before he can remain the starting quarterback throughout the rest of this season, and into 2010 and beyond, let alone even contemplate approaching some of the many things which Brady has accomplished in the NFL.

But, after just two starts, Dolphin fans are already hoping Henne is the quarterback to lead their team into a successful future.

Still, there are some early signs that the final 2009 NFL standings could look drastically different than they did a year ago.

Only two (the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings) of last year’s eight division winners thus far are leading those same divisions this year.

And, three teams (Miami, Tennessee, and Carolina) that captured division titles a season ago are each still seeking their first win in 2009.

Last year’s AFC East champions, the Miami Dolphins have run the wildcat successfully enough to rank third in the league in both rushing offense and time of possession, but as we saw in their 27-23 loss to Indianapolis in which the Colts set a league record for having the ball for the least amount of time in a victory, that formula doesn’t necessarily translate to enough points (Miami is averaging just 14.3 per game) or wins (the Dolphins are 0-3). Throw in starting quarterback Chad Pennington’s latest season-ending injury, and Miami might be poised to go from the best turn-around in NFL history (from 1-15 in 2007, to 11-5 last season) right back to where it was two years ago.

The Tennessee Titans meanwhile, have been in every game they’ve played so far this year, and they’ve had some tough-luck losses, two by a field goal (one of those in overtime), and a third by a touchdown. However, last season’s AFC South champions have remarkably gone from the NFL’s best record (13-3) after a 10-0 start in 2008, to already matching last season’s loss total with an 0-3 beginning this year. Tennessee has a lot more talent and thus hope, than Miami, to turn things around, but NFL history has been unkind to 0-3 teams making the playoffs let alone winning a division.

And then there’s the Carolina Panthers, last year’s NFC South champions, also starting this season at 0-3 after going 12-4 a year ago. The Panthers were thoroughly embarrassed against Philadelphia in their 2009 season opener at home, a place where they went a perfect 8-0 in the 2008 regular season… that is until they were upset in a blowout loss to Arizona in last year’s NFC divisional playoff game –- which also marked a sharp turnaround for quarterback Jake Delhomme and the Panthers’ offense. Over Carolina’s last four games, Including last season’s playoff loss plus the Panthers’ first three games in 2009, Carolina has lost as many games (4) and Delhomme has thrown as many interceptions (12) as the Panthers and Delhomme had respectively, throughout the entire 2008 regular season. Carolina has already been outscored by 50 points (87-37), averaging a measly 12.3 point per game this season. That’s a huge departure from the team that was the number two seed in the 2008 NFC playoffs.

Meanwhile, last season’s Super Bowl participants, Pittsburgh and Arizona, the only teams to navigate through their respective divisions with perfect 6-0 records in 2008, are each just 1-2, and each has already lost its first game within its division.

Of course, if some of last year’s division winners are struggling now, there must be others which have stepped up and taken their place, and that’s been the case so far this year in nearly every division in the league.

In the AFC East, the 9-7 Jets of a year ago have begun 3-0 to lead that division on the strength of one of the NFL’s best defenses thus far in 2009.

In the AFC South, the Baltimore Ravens were already good last year, but they fell short to Pittsburgh by a game for the 2008 division title. This year however, they look to be one of the NFL’s most complete teams en route to a division-leading 3-0 record.

A similar situation for Indianapolis in the AFC South. After losing the division by one game to the Titans in 2008, the Colts have again ridden quarterback Peyton Manning’s arm to the top of the AFC South –- for now –- where they sit at 3-0.

And, to round out all AFC divisions with new leaders at 3-0, the undefeated Denver Broncos, albeit against a soft schedule to this point, have played well, allowing an NFL-low 16 points (just 5.3 points per game).

In the NFC, the only stability from last season can be found in the NFC East and in the NFC North.

But, with the Panthers and Cardinals faltering, last season’s 8-8, last place New Orleans Saints look like the NFL’s best team so far in 2009, storming their way to a 3-0 mark, crushing their opponents by a combined 120-56 so far; and the first-place San Francisco 49ers, just 7-9 a year ago, have already won at Arizona this season, and are a Minnesota Miracle pass (a Vikings’ game-winning 32-yard touchdown pass with just :02 left) from also being perfect at 3-0.

There’s a lot of football left, and November and December in the NFL often look a lot different than September. But, so far, it looks like we should be forgetting all about 2008 and possibly getting ready for a lot of new faces as either division winners or at least, playoff contenders, in 2009.