Week 10 in the NFL

A few observations from the most enjoyable Sunday and Monday in a while ... because we didn't have to watch Chicago play.

- My initial reaction to New England coach Bill Belichick's much-debated decision to go for it Sunday night on fourth and short in Indianapolis territory was that he'd lost his mind. The more I think about it, maybe he wasn't so crazy, even though it didn't work out. Punting still gave Peyton Manning and the Colts a chance to beat his Patriots - and a very good chance, given the way New England's defense was playing. Had Tom Brady and the Patriots been able to pick up the first down — you'd expect them to have a very good chance at doing so — they win the game almost 100 percent of the time. Peter King of Sports Illustrated was among those who did a good job of breaking down the pros and cons of the decision. I'm not sure I agree with King, but there's no question that the Colts' 35-34 victory was one of the most exciting regular-season games I've ever seen.

- So much for Green Bay being as bad as the Bears ... I think. One week after losing to hapless Tampa Bay, the Packers bounced back for a 17-7 defeat of red-hot dallas. The Packers looked as strong defensively as they did in their opening-night win over the Bears. I still don't trust Aaron Rodgers to make plays behind his awful offensive line, but if Charles Woodson, Nick Barnett and the defense play like they did Sunday the rest of the way, the Packers could still steal a wild card berth into the playoffs.

- One team that I'm certain is the real deal is Cincinnati. The Bengals' defense was every bit as impressive as the Packers' in their 18-12 victory over Pittsburgh that gave them control of the AFC North. Cedric Benson being out for any length of time could hurt the Bengals, though they signed former Kansas City star Larry Johnson today. Assuming their running game continues to be solid, there is an awful lot to like about the Bengals. Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco are the key components of a capable passing game, and the defense might be the best one in a division that includes the Steelers and Baltimore.