WHAT'S TRENDING
Remember when turnover margin used to be a key statistic in determining the success of a team? Well, that was yesterday and it remains true today and will remain true tomorrow. Currently, the top six teams in turnover margin are Kansas City (plus-10), Tennessee (plus-8), Seattle (plus-7), Indianapolis (plus-6) and New Orleans (plus-6). Together those teams combine for a record of 21-4. Now consider the bottom six. They are: New York Giants (minus-11), Pittsburgh (minus-11), New York Jets (minus-9), San Diego (minus-8), Houston (minus-7) and Jacksonville (minus-7). Combined they are 7-22. As far as those somewhere in the middle, there doesn't seem to be an indisputable relationship between turnover margin and record. Buffalo (2-3), Oakland (2-3), Minnesota (1-3) and St. Louis (2-3) all have positive turnover margins. Cincinnati (3-2), San Francisco (4-2), Baltimore (3-2) and Green Bay (2-2) are all at even or below. So, if you want to know if you're team is headed in the right direction, keep an eye on its turnover margin.
ON DECK
The number of teams not playing with the quarterback they started the season with or prefer as their starter this weekend is seven: Buffalo, Cleveland, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville and Tennessee. Aside from Philadelphia and Tampa Bay - which just happen to be playing one another - it's hard to predict any of the teams are going to win a game this weekend. The Vikings, behind Matt Cassel, stand a chance against Carolina at home provided RB Adrian Peterson can do the impossible and remain emotionally composed after the tragic death of his son. And the Browns, with Brandon Weeden at the helm, might pull it out against the Lions if receiver Calvin Johnson (knee) doesn't play. But the Bills face a tough Bengals defense, Tennessee won't survive a minute at Seattle with Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Jacksonville, with Chad Henne in the lineup, will have to play lights out just to cover the 27-point spread.
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
The Lions have a good chance to bounce back against a punchless Browns offense featuring Weeden, but if they don't have "Megatron" back, they'll be in the same offensive predicament they were in a week ago against Green Bay. There's a better chance Johnson will play this week, but the Lions will undoubtedly hold that information until 90 minutes before kickoff. One thing the Lions do know is that their defense will show up. No one would blame Peterson for not showing up in the Vikings game. But perhaps those 3 hours will give him a brief respite from the unimaginable grief he must be going through. You would guess the Vikings would support him the same way Brett Favre's teammates supported him when his father died. The Bears get the weekend off after beating up the pathetic New York Giants, and they could use it. They have a number of players who are banged up, the most important, cornerback Charles Tillman, who did not play against the Giants.
GAME OF THE WEEK
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-0)
at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (4-1)
When: 3:25 p.m. Sunday
Broadcast: Fox (Ch. 6)
Key injuries: Saints - S Roman Harper (knee) and DT Tyrunn Walker (knee) are out; DT Brodrick Bunkley (calf), LB Ramon Humber (calf), RB Mark Ingram (toe), S Malcolm Jenkins (neck), CB Keenan Lewis (knee), WR Lance Moore (hand) and T Zach Strief (ankle) are questionable. Patriots - DT Tommy Kelly (knee) and RB Leon Washington (ankle) are out; WR Danny Amendola (groin), RB Brandon Bolden (knee), TE Rob Gronkowski (back, forearm), RB Stevan Ridley (knee), WR Matt Slater (wrist), C Ryan Wendell (concussion) and S Tavon Wilson (hamstring) are questionable.
Player to watch: Saints TE Jimmy Graham leads the league with 593 receiving yards and is averaging 16.0 yards per catch. He has four straight games of 100 or more yards receiving.
Recent history: The Patriots have won three of the last four, but the two teams haven't played since 2009 when the Saints won 38-17 at home.
Key statistic: Patriots leading receiver Julian Edelman is averaging 9.8 yards per reception.
Bottom line: QB Drew Brees is 3-0 against the Patriots, but only one of those victories came with Tom Brady at quarterback. His career passer rating against them is 148.3. The Saints have been far more potent at home than on the road, but their defense is considerably better and that has allowed them to pull out some close ones. This will be their toughest challenge, although this Patriots team is not what it used to be. With TE Rob Gronkowski (arm) still out and NT Vince Wilfork (Achilles) not in the lineup, the Patriots are without two of their most important players. New England is going to have to sustain long drives and keep the Saints' offense off the field as much as possible. After their 13-6 loss to the Bengals, the Patriots aren't in trouble; they just need to continue making do with what they have until they get healthy.
PACKERS
33 Goal-to-go plays the offense has had this season, more than double (16) of its opponents.
23 Accepted penalties through four games, seven fewer than were committed in the first four games last season.
3 Consecutive games in which the same number of turnovers were committed as their opponent.
13 Points the offense has scored on its eight opening drives of the first and second halves this season.
7 Touchdown drives of between 80 and 89 yards the defense has allowed.
NFC NORTH
9 Sacks the Chicago Bears have allowed in their first six games, 10 fewer than they allowed in the first six last year.
1 Touchdown pass Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has thrown that has not come inside the red zone. He has 12 touchdown passes this season.
4 Running backs in the division who have had 100-yard rushing games, two of whom play for the Packers (James Starks, Johnathan Franklin).
98.6 Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford's passer rating in two losses, 6.1 points higher than his rating in three victories.
4 Touchdown passes Minnesota quarterbacks have thrown, second fewest in the NFL.
NFL
55.5 Combined pass rating of Jacksonville's quarterbacks, lowest of any team in the NFL.
13 Career touchdowns scored on turnover returns for Charles Woodson, tied with Darren Sharper and Rod Woodson for most in NFL history.
10,467 Passing yards Denver's Peyton Manning needs to tie Brett Favre's all-time career mark of 71,838.
102 Dallas quarterback Tony Romo's career fourth-quarter passer rating, the highest of any active player.
230 Points the Broncos have scored, the most by any team in NFL history through the first five games of a season.
