This week's Sunday Takeaway focuses on a reversal of fortunes in the AFC West, a surprising game of the week, the Cardinals' fragile quarterback situation and more.

Reversal of Fortune in the AFC West

It’s hard to believe that the Chargers and Broncos entered Sunday’s game tied for the AFC West lead at 6–3. These two teams are going in opposite directions more rapidly than Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini after a post-game handshake. The Chargers’ 32–3 demolition of Denver in Invesco Field at Mile High only accelerated the Broncos’ descent from the mountaintop.

After a startling 6–0 start, the Broncos have crumbled in every conceivable way during an epic November swoon. In those four losses, their average margin of defeat was 20 points, with ample blame to be go around. Josh McDaniels’ spot-on impersonation of Bill Belichick has given way to a credible rendition of Romeo Crennel. McDaniels’ act is wearing thin; his attempt at pre-game posturing only made the subsequent beating more satisfying to the Chargers.

Kyle Orton is back to being Kyle Orton. He’s gutsy — he hobbled out on a bum ankle to try to save the day yesterday — but ineffective (the day went unsaved). The players are bickering; Brandon Marshall berated Knowshon Moreno after a fumble cost the Broncos a touchdown, and Moreno responded with a shove, the most fight the team showed all day.

The Chargers, meanwhile, have won five straight and are averaging 29 points per game during their recent blitzkrieg. They sit atop the division at 7–3 and have only two games remaining against teams with winning records as they attempt their third straight come-from-behind division title. This time, they’re getting even more help than normal.

Game of the Weak — er, Week

One of the best games of this NFL season was contested on Sunday between two teams whose combined 2–16 record gave no indication that something special was about to happen, and seemed instead to reflect the relentless decay gripping the rust belt. Detroit and Cleveland have spent the better part of this decade defining NFL ineptitude, so the few thousand hardy spectators who huddled in Ford Field had to be stunned when an actual NFL game broke out in front of them.

Detroit’s 38–37 win over Cleveland had everything — great comebacks, clutch plays, wild swings of emotion, and wholly unexpected displays of competent offensive football. But most of all, the game revealed the fortitude of rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford. Facing a 37–31 deficit, Stafford took a blow to the shoulder on what seemingly was the game’s final play, an incomplete Hail Mary. The Browns bailed out their bottom-feeding brethren, though, with a pass interference penalty, then called a timeout, allowing Stafford to gather himself for one more play — a one-yard TD pass to Brandon Pettigrew.

“I almost wanted to cry seeing how tough Matt was at the end,” running back Kevin Smith said, echoing the elation and relief of an entire franchise. “No one knew what his injury was, or how bad he was hurt, but he still came back out there and made a play. No one would have complained if he had let Daunte (Culpepper) take that play, but he wanted to be out there for his teammates.”

Bottom-feeders flex their muscles

I’ve taken plenty of shots at the NFL’s JV division this season, but credit where it’s due — the Chiefs and the Raiders both beat far superior opponents on Sunday. The Bengals fell to 0–10 all-time in Oakland as the Raiders pulled a 20–17 Black Hole shocker. Bruce Gradkowski rewarded his coaches’ confidence with a solid performance at quarterback, and the Raiders took advantage of Cincy’s generosity with the football (four turnovers, including a critical late fumble on a kickoff return).

Meanwhile, the Chiefs shocked the defending champion Steelers, 27–24, in overtime on a field goal from Mr. Irrelevant, Ryan Succop, the last player drafted in April. “It’s nice to get a little reward against a team like that,” said Chiefs coach Todd Haley. “I thought the guys really showed heart and guts.”

Still perfect

They say it’s a mark of greatness to win when you’re not at your best. If that’s true, the Colts have spent the month of November proving just how great they are. The Colts are 4–0 for the month having outscored their four opponents by only 10 points.

Their latest brush with imperfection came in Baltimore, where the Colts sidestepped another land mine, overcoming three turnovers — two Peyton Manning interceptions and a fumble by Tom Santi near the goal line — to beat the Ravens, 17–15.

The Colts have won 19 straight regular-season games, the second-best streak in NFL history, and Manning’s game-winning fourth-quarter drive was the 41st of his career, tying him with Brett Favre for most among active QBs.

Don’t schedule the parade just yet, though. The Colts have had more escapes than Houdini lately, and the next two games — at Houston and home vs. Tennessee — are deceptively difficult.

“It’s really not on anybody's minds,” Manning said of talk of an unbeaten season. “At least not on my mind. We’re relieved we got this win. Obviously, it’s a great team effort.”

Meanwhile, the league’s other unbeaten team, the Saints, coasted in Tampa, beating the Bucs, 38–7. Like the Colts, the Saints know the perils of counting chickens. “It only gets harder,” said Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who threw three touchdown passes. “By no means can we sit back on what we’ve accomplished thus far. Every team we face would love to give us that first loss.”

Don’t get hurt, Kurt

Since laying a five-interception egg in a 34–21 loss to Carolina in Week 8, Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner has been virtually flawless. In his last three games — all wins — Warner has completed 74.2 percent of his passes for 804 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions. Arizona has ridden his steady right arm and wily pocket presence to a 7–3 record and a commanding lead in the NFC West.

Inevitably, though, the Warner era in Arizona will end, and that thought has to temper the enthusiasm generated by another division title. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Warner is durable — he hasn’t missed a game to injury since 2005 — but he’s not invincible, and he is a 38-year-old graybeard playing a young man’s game. Yesterday, Cardinal fans caught another mercifully brief glimpse of life without Warner, and it wasn’t pretty.

Warner removed himself from the game after a blow to the head, having staked his team to a 21–3 lead over St. Louis. In came one-time golden boy Matt Leinart, and the Cards proceeded to sit on an ever-shrinking margin. By the end, the Cards were clinging to a 21–13 lead and had to withstand a Rams drive that ended at the Arizona 7-yard line. Leinart protected the football, but he didn’t do much else, and he certainly didn’t flash any of Warner’s big-play propensities.

Fortunately, the Cards have enough of a cushion in the division to withstand a game or two without Warner should it become necessary. But long-term, the Cards have issues at the game’s most important position.

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