Breaking down the best and worst from Week 10 in the NFL: 5. Worst play call: Falcons » Coach Mike Smith opted to go for it on fourth down on his team’s 29-yard line in overtime. His gutsy call backfired, and the Saints wound up kicking a 26-yard field goal for the win and control of the NFC South.
4. Worst snap: Browns » With kicker Phil Dawson lined up for a 22-yard field goal vs. St. Louis with 2:13 to go, Cleveland long snapper Ryan Pontbriand, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, bounced a grounder to holder Brad Maynard. The snap messed up Dawson’s timing, leading to a shanked kick and a 13-12 loss to the Rams.
3. Best statement win: Bears » In a game between two NFC North rivals fighting for a playoff bid, Chicago forced Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford to throw four interceptions — including two returned for TDs — on the way to a 37-13 win that knocked the Lions into a second-place tie with the Bears. After losing to the Lions in Week 5, Chicago has won four straight while Detroit has lost three of four.
2. Worst stat line: Tim Tebow » Going 2-for-8 seems more like a basketball stat, but Tebow’s two completed passes for 69 yards — one of them a 56-yard TD pass — proved to be enough for the Broncos to handle the Chiefs. With Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno leaving early with injuries, the Broncos still stuck to a running game catered to Tebow.
1. Best day for a division: NFC West » While the 49ers picked up a convincing win over the Giants to improve to 8-1, the Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks also won, providing a rare occurrence in the weak NFC West. San Francisco still has a five-game cushion in the division race.
– Scott Gleeson
