Dave Betancourt | Sports Section Manager

Okay, here it is: my review of week four of the National Football League, and boy, is there stuff to talk about. So, without further delay, here it is:

Ravens 27, Titans 7:
Boy oh boy. This has been hyped up as THE big rivalry in the NFL, and past seasons have proved the hype to be right. Remember that, last season, each of these two division rivals won on the other's home turf and eventually met in the playoffs. Don't expect that this year. After a shaky start and an inexcusable loss to the Bengals, the Ravens are back in business. The defense is, as usual, the nastiest in the NFL. Ray Lewis and company just don't give you room to breathe. Running on the Ravens isn't much of an option, and they proved that on Sunday. Eddie George is one of the best and most dependable running backs in football, but against the Ravens' D, he couldn't do much. The only points the Titans got on the game were off a blocked punt, so basically, if not for that, they would have laid a goose egg. This isn't a rivalry anymore. The Titans are finally starting to suffer from not having a game breaking receiver, and it doesn't look like it'll get any better. The Ravens have finally figured out how to succeed offensively without Jamal Lewis, inserting a short passing game to make up for a lack of a running game. These are two teams heading in opposite directions. The Titans will bounce back, just maybe not this year.

Bears 31 Falcons 3:
The Bears are this year's big surprise--but let's be real, people. I know they've got a solid defense after all the free agent signings, and middle linebacker Brian Urlacher is a beast, but they're not playing anybody this year. The schedule is weak, and if they make the playoffs they could be first round fodder. Still, they're fun to watch. This game was over from the start with no Jamal Anderson for the Falcons. With no running game, it's hard to run an offense successfully. Remember all those people who were saying Michael Vick coming into games for a few plays was hurting the team? Well, there's a reason they were doing that--namely because it's a guarantee that once a year Chris Chandler will get the tar knocked out of him as was the case on Sunday. Expect to see more of Vick as time progresses.

Chargers 16 Browns 20:
Mad props to the Browns on their first 3 game winning streak since coming back into the league. Butch Davis has these guys coming to play every week. The Browns' D is more than respectable even though they were playing without Courtney Brown. Tim Couch is playing the best ball of his young career...now, if only he had some weapons. The Chargers were in the game till the end. LaDanian Tomlinson is making a strong case for offensive rookie of the year early on for San Diego. Look for both of these teams to make a push for the playoffs.

New England 10, Miami 30:
Miami is beating the teams they need to beat. The Dolphins' defense looks solid as always. Running back Lamar Smith had a great day at the office with almost 150 rushing. New England is just a team that doesn't have a lot of offensive talent. It could be a long year for the Pats.

Vikings 15, Saints 28:
If Ricky Williams keeps having big rushing games like he had against the Vikings, he'll make Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks' job a lot easier. However, this is the Vikings' defense we're talking about here. Minnesota is just in turmoil. The weapons are there on offense, but with no productive running game it's a lot easier to defend against them. The Vikes may struggle to get into the playoffs.

Redskins 9, Giants 23:
I'm not even going to waste the brain power. The G-men played solid enough. The Redskins just can't catch a break. Cardinals 21, Eagles 20:
Man oh man, did the Eagles blow it. You'd think they weren't thinking about their upcoming meeting with the Giants, whom they've lost to the last billion times they've played each other. The Cardinals caught the Eagles trying to coast through one and Philly paid the price. If the Giants continue their dominance over the Eagles then the NFC east was won this weekend.

Bengals 7, Steelers 16:
Congratulations to the "Bus" Jerome Bettis for reaching the 10,000 yard plateau, and big ups to the Steelers for winning their home opener in their new stadium for their fans. You think people are starting to jump off that Bengals bandwagon?

Jaguars 15, Seahawks 24:
Go figure--the first time Trent Dilfer gets a start, he gets a win and gets the Seahawks' dreadful offense to score some points. Shawn Alexander is the future of running backs in Seattle. The Jags are really up and down right now--they've got talent, but injuries are taking their toll. Jets 42, Bills 36:
The Jets are solid pretty much everywhere. Curtis Martin is a work horse as always. The Bills are just all messed up. Think they wish they would have kept Doug Flutie? Here's a thought: maybe, just maybe, they should have hired Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis. Gregg Williams-- puh-lease!!

Cowboys 21, Raiders 28:
It really wasn't this close. The Raiders are old and good, the Cowboys are young and bad.

Packers 10, Bucs 14:
Big win for the Bucs. Brad Johnson is a good quarterback, but I've still got to question the Bucs' play calling. Don't count out the Pack though.

Panthers 14, 49ers 24:
The Niners could make a push for the playoffs. The defense is young and confident, and the offense looks solid with Jeff Garcia calling the shots. The Panthers aren't going to win a lot of games, but I really like the poise Chris Weinke has shown playing quarterback this year.