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What was billed as the biggest game of the week turned out to be a giant blowout. Thanks to the tough running of Brandon Jacobs (117 yards on 17 carries), as well as three Eli Manning touchdown passes, the Giants cruised to a 35-14 victory over the reeling Cowboys. ZOOM GALLERY: Top performances

Week 9 analysis: Older, wiser, victorious

By John Clayton, ESPN.com

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Week 9 was all about close calls. Eight games came down to the late stages of the fourth quarter, when a quarterback can win or lose a game. In most cases, the more experienced quarterback took control and taught a younger quarterback a lesson.

Titans QB Kerry Collins, 37, takes a lot of criticism for just being a good manager of a running offense, not having passed for 200 yards in any of his seven starts. Aaron Rodgers, the Packers' new $65 million darling, threw an interception early in the third quarter, while Collins was flawless in managing a defensive game, and the Titans escaped with a 19-16 overtime victory over Green Bay.

When Collins needed to excel, he did. With 1:48 left in regulation, Collins started a drive at the Titans' 8. Many thought he'd just run out the clock and wait for overtime. But he completed 4 of 5 passes for 48 yards and set up Rob Bironas for a 47-yard field goal attempt. Bironas missed that attempt, but Collins, confident from that drive, marched the Titans to victory after winning the overtime toss.

Elsewhere, Miami's Chad Pennington, often criticized for his lack of arm strength, outdueled Denver's Jay Cutler in Miami's 26-17 victory on the road.

Cutler threw three interceptions. Pennington had one in the third quarter, but he was masterful when the game was on the line. The 32-year-old orchestrated a 15-play, 80-yard drive that ate up eight minutes of the fourth quarter and culminated with Ronnie Brown's 2-yard touchdown run that put the game of reach.

The Brett Favre-Trent Edwards showdown was another example of a veteran beating a youngster. Edwards committed three turnovers, including an interception that was returned 92 yards for a touchdown by Abram Elam, that cost the Bills 10 points.

Favre had his own troubles. He also threw a "pick-six'' to Bills cornerback Jabari Greer that cut the Jets' fourth-quarter lead to 23-17. But he settled down, executing a 14-play, 65-yard drive that took the clock down to 2:12 and allowed Jay Feely to give New York an insurmountable 26-17 lead with a 31-yard field goal.

Over the past two games, Edwards, who completed 76.3 percent of his fourth-quarter passes in Buffalo's first five games, has been 11-of-21 with two picks and three sacks in the fourth quarter.

Whether it was Gus Frerotte giving lessons to the Texans' quarterbacks in Minnesota's 28-21 victory or Tampa Bay's Jeff Garcia leading a franchise-record 21-point comeback over the Chiefs and Tyler Thigpen, the value of the older quarterback was on display Sunday.

Five things I learned in Week 9

By John Clayton, ESPN.com

The problem with starting 4-0 is every defensive and offensive coordinator wants your game tapes. Over the past month, the riddle that allowed the Bills to jump out to a fast start has been solved. Dick Jauron, a smart coach with an excellent staff, has eight games to make adjustments, or the Bills' playoff hopes could slip away. The Jets used what others learned to beat the Bills 26-17 on Sunday. The process started in Week 5, when the Cardinals beat Buffalo 41-17. Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt, knowing the Bills' defense likes to stack three linebackers and a safety close to the line of scrimmage, used an assortment of quick passes to move the football. Using that formula on Sunday, Jets QB Brett Favre, who averaged a modest 10.6 yards per completion, threw screens, short slants and other quick passes.

On defense, the Jets had the right personnel to diagnose the Trent Edwards-led passing offense. Thanks to the acquisition of nose tackle Kris Jenkins, the Jets could shut down Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson, who were limited to 30 yards on 17 carries. Over the past four weeks, the Bills have averaged only 85.5 yards a game and 3.6 yards a carry. Teams are also taking away explosive WR Lee Evans with double teams, and Edwards and the Bills don't have the big-play weapons to compensate.

Against the Jets, Buffalo's tight ends caught nine passes, but wide receivers Roscoe Parrish and Steve Johnson combined for only four (Josh Reed was inactive). If teams stop Evans and the running attack, the Bills are vulnerable. Next week, the Patriots should follow a similar formula, and Jauron will be forced to come up with solutions.

There was a feeling around the league this week that the Jaguars were vulnerable against the winless Bengals. The thought was if Bengals receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh played well, the Jaguars could go down. They did go down, 21-19, and now they appear to be a total playoff pretender at 3-5.

For weeks, the Jaguars have been showing signs of being a flawed team. Jack Del Rio teams are built around a solid run defense and a power running game. The Jaguars don't have either at the moment. Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew were held to 45 combined yards on 15 carries. Taylor has rushed for 90 total yards in the past five games, and Jones has been limited to 33 yards or less in four of the past five.

On defense, the Jaguars can't stop the run, allowing Cincinnati's Cedric Benson 104 yards rushing. Nor can they pressure the quarterback. The Jags spent big money to improve the secondary by signing cornerback Brian Williams and Drayton Florence. Williams is now a safety, and Florence is in jeopardy of losing his starting job and just being a nickel corner. It's all falling apart.

Because Jerry Jones didn't have the right quarterback to back up Tony Romo, the Cowboys are essentially out of the NFC East race. Since Romo has been out with a broken pinkie, it's been thumbs down for Dallas' offense. The Cowboys have scored 14, 13 and 14 points over the past three games, and twice, including Sunday's 35-14 loss to the Giants, they have been blown out by 20 or more points.

It's no surprise Brad Johnson gave way to Brooks Bollinger after 10 quarters of checkdowns, sacks and interceptions.

The Titans are unbeaten with their backup quarterback, Kerry Collins. The Patriots are still atop the AFC East with Matt Cassel filling in for Tom Brady.

Whether it was their failure to sign Daunte Culpepper or Byron Leftwich, or to trade for Sage Rosenfels, the Cowboys were too cavalier in thinking the 40-year-old Johnson could save their season if Romo went down. Johnson averaged 5.5 yards an attempt, threw five interceptions and was sacked eight times over the past three weeks. Romo should be back behind center after the upcoming bye. If not, the Cowboys' season is shot.

Nothing is official, but it appears the Derek Anderson era is ending in Cleveland. Ravens rookie QB Joe Flacco outdueled DA, throwing for 248 yards and putting up a 109.6 quarterback rating. Anderson threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns, but his lone interception was returned 42 yards for a touchdown by Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs and sealed the loss. On his final 12 passes, Anderson completed only two. For the season, Anderson has a 49.5 completion percentage and isn't getting the ball downfield -- he averages a puny 5.88 yards an attempt.

"We didn't do enough in the passing game," Browns coach Romeo Crennel told reporters after the game. "We tried to mix it up a little like we said we needed to. They have a big defense, and they play well against the run. We didn't get a lot going in the running game and toward the end of the game, they were able to pin their ears back a little."

Anderson, a Pro Bowl talent, has a big-time arm. His receivers lead the league in drops, but one of the league's top stories in 2007 is turning into a major disappointment in 2008.

The Cubs have their World Series curse, but the Bears' QB curse also plagues Chicago. Just when Kyle Orton was developing into the Bears' best -- and most consistent -- quarterback since Jim McMahon, he suffered what is believed to be a high ankle sprain that will sideline him for a month. Rex Grossman, the ultimate tease at quarterback, takes over in a stretch that includes the Titans and a three-week road trip to Green Bay, St. Louis and Minnesota.

Grossman did help the Bears go to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, but fans were frustrated by his untimely interceptions and baffled by his struggles in handling the pressure of being a starter. Grossman lost the starting job to Orton this summer. Now, it's Grossman or bust unless Orton makes a miracle comeback.

"The last couple of months have been tough, but when you have a role, and your number is called to fulfill that role, I was glad to come in and help us win the game," Grossman told reporters after the game. "I felt great probably 70 percent of the time. The other 30 percent, the timing was a little bit off. If I play next week, I will have the whole week to practice and correct the 30 percent."

Grossman completed 9 of 19 passes for 58 yards against Detroit. He had an interception, but he also had a touchdown pass and rallied the Bears from a 10-point deficit to beat the Lions 27-23.