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Let's go around the league a little bit, shall we? This week's NFC 411 video features Mike Sando on the 49ers' offensive struggles in the red zone, Kevin Seifert on the Lions' favorable matchup against the Raiders, Pat Yasinskas on the value of the Saints' multifaceted run game and yours truly on Eli Manning's value to the New York Giants, which is also something about which I'll be writing later today as we look ahead to the Giants-Redskins game. Not only does this weekly video feature broaden your horizons beyond the division about which we always obsess — it allows you to see what the various NFC division bloggers have hanging on the walls of their home offices.

Each week my NFC blog colleagues and I engage in a little something we like to call the "NFC 411" -- a video project where we go around the conference and each pick one thing we're looking for in this weekend's games. I think they do it in the AFC, too, but who pays attention to that, right?

Anyway, this week's NFC 411 video is here, and if you click on it you can see and hear Kevin Seifert previewing Packers-Vikings, Mike Sando discussing Kevin Kolb's chances for a breakout against the Steelers and Pat Yasinskas talking about why coaches are calling Detroit "the Seattle of the Midwest." (Personally, I always thought Seattle had much better restaurants.)

Me? Oh you know what I talked about. I talked about John Beck. What else is there?

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Cowboys blew a 24-point lead, the second time this season a double-digit second-half lead was blown resulting in a loss. Detroit 34, Dallas 30.

What it means: The Cowboys head into the bye at 2-2 and missed a chance to take momentum into the game against New England in two weeks. It was a bad loss, possibly worse than the Week 1 loss to the New York Jets. The Cowboys were booed when they walked off the field. This was terrible.

Romo's screwups: Tony Romo's three second-half interceptions led to three touchdowns for the Detroit Lions. The last turnover was on a pass to Jason Witten that came with 4:13 to play in regulation, and the Lions took the lead on the ensuing drive. In Dallas' Week 1 loss to the New York Jets, Romo committed two turnovers in the fourth quarter. You can't have that if you're trying to be an elite quarterback.

Johnson's day: He didn't have a catch in the first quarter, but as the game picked up, Calvin Johnson turned into Megatron. Johnson finished with eight catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 1:49 to play. The Cowboys' secondary struggled to cover him in man and zone coverage. The last score was a jump ball over Terence Newman. Rob Ryan said Dez Bryant and Miles Austin were better, and Jason Garrett said Johnson was the best player in the NFL. Looks like Garrett may have been right.

Where'd Dez go? After catching three passes -- including two for touchdowns -- in the first half, Dez Bryant was shut out in the second half. Bryant played with a bruised thigh but still was effective, catching touchdown passes of 25 and 6 yards. But with the Cowboys turning the ball over and running the ball, it made Bryant ineffective on the day.

What's next? A bye. The Cowboys take four days off and will get ready for a trip to New England in two weeks.

As you get ready for today's game against the Detroit Lions at Cowboys Stadium, here's one reason for Dallas Cowboys fans to feel good and one reason for concern:

Feeling good: Making the Lions' offense one-dimensional

The Lions haven't run the ball well this season, but they've made up for it by using top running back Jahvid Best as a receiver out of the backfield and, in last week's case, running screens to the tight end as well. But the way Cowboys inside linebacker Sean Lee has been playing, Dallas should be able to handle the Detroit screen game and force quarterback Matthew Stafford into longer drop-backs and looks down the field. And that plays right into what the Cowboys really want to do on defense, which is get after the passer with DeMarcus Ware and deliver hits that rattle Stafford into mistakes. The Lions are still dangerous downfield with star receiver Calvin Johnson, but if the downfield passing game is all that's available to Stafford, that could benefit Dallas as the game moves along.

Cause for concern: Ndamukong Suh and the Detroit defensive front

Suh is the Lions' second-year monster at defensive tackle, and the centerpiece of what's quickly become a fearsome Detroit defensive line. That line will be keyed on getting to gimpy Dallas quarterback Tony Romo and shaking him up. The Lions can be run on -- they're allowing 113 rush yards per game and 5.0 yards per rush -- but Felix Jones is banged-up too, and if the Cowboys can't attack the middle of that defensive line with the run, they could find Romo in trouble early. Protecting Romo is a big key to success for Dallas right now, as riddled with injuries as they are on offense, and there are some strength mismatches up front with the Cowboys' offensive linemen against Suh and Co.

I like reading the Dallas Cowboys blog on ESPNDallas.com. We have so many people covering that team for that site that it's a constant cacophony of voices and insight and information. I'm on there 12 times a day if I'm on there once.

One thing they do every week that I enjoy is their "Five Star Question," where they pose a question about the upcoming game and five different writers post their answer to it. It's on there now, though you may have to scroll down a bit to find the posts. This week's question is, "Will the Cowboys hold Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford under his average of 325.6 yards passing per game?"

Four of the five panelists said no. Only one -- Todd Archer -- said yes:

If we learned anything from 2010, it is that pressure makes a secondary better. The Cowboys will pressure Stafford, who has been sacked five times this season, into quicker throws. Left tackle Jeff Backus struggled last week vs. Minnesota’s Jared Allen, and the Lions have not seen such a diverse pass rush yet.

Stafford might throw for big yards with Calvin Johnson having an advantage on the Cowboys’ cornerbacks, but he will not reach his average.

I think it's fair to make both points Todd makes in his post -- that the Cowboys will be the best defense the Lions have faced thus far and that the Lions' offense will be the stiffest test yet for the Cowboys' surprisingly strong starting defense. But it's the latter point on which I'd like to focus, since this is the NFC East blog and Kevin Seifert is better qualified to evaluate whether the Lions are for real.

Pressure is one thing, and it's something at which the Cowboys are very good. But the Lions' offense isn't just about Stafford-to-Johnson. They use the screen game well. They like to get running back Jahvid Best out on the edge and throw it to him. Stafford has games where he throws like crazy to tight end Brandon Pettigrew. They throw and throw and throw in a million different ways, and their goal is to find the one that works. If the pressure is too intense to give Johnson time to get open downfield, Stafford has other, closer options and the wherewithal to find them.

That means Cowboys outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer, so outstanding at getting into the backfield, are going to have to showcase their underrated run-stopping abilities Sunday. It means more reliance on NFC Defensive Player of the Month Sean Lee and his ballhawking ability. If the Cowboys' defense stops the Lions Sunday, it will have been because of those one-on-one battles at the second level, where Stafford's safety valves operate. Those are the matchups I'm watching in this game. I know they can't stop Calvin Johnson, because no one can. And I know they can get pressure on Stafford, because other teams have. What I don't know is what will happen once Stafford sees the pressure and reacts to it. That's where the Cowboys need to be focused Sunday, if they want to stop the 3-0 Lions.

Mike Sando and Matt Williamson took a look back at the first round of the 2009 draft and ranked the picks, division by division. Mike's focus is on the NFC West, since that's his blog, but it was nice of him to make this an all-encompassing post from which the rest of us could steal liberally. Thanks, Mike. Your check is in the mail.

The NFC East did pretty well in this survey, ranking second among the eight divisions for return (so far) on its investment in 2009 first-round picks. The Cowboys didn't have a first-rounder that year, but the Redskins took Brian Orakpo 13th overall, the Eagles took Jeremy Maclin 19th and the Giants took Hakeem Nicks 29th. All three have been strong contributors at least and outright stars at times, and all three look poised to get even better in the short term and the long.

The only division that fared better in these rankings was the NFC North. The Packers had two picks in the '09 first round and spent them on B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews, whom you may have enjoyed watching win the Super Bowl a couple of months back. The Lions picked Matthew Stafford and Brandon Pettigrew, two key cogs in their offense when Stafford is healthy. And the Vikings got Percy Harvin. The Bears didn't have a first-rounder that year, but I think it's safe to say that the North's haul beats the East's in terms of volume and because of the aforementioned Packers Super Bowl title.

The reviews on this could change over the next few years, of course, but for now you have to believe the Giants, Redskins and Eagles are happy with the way that 2009 first round went.

Jon Anik and Cris Carter recap the Philadelphia Eagles win over the Detroit Lions.

What it means: The Philadelphia Eagles overcame a 17-7 deficit to beat the Lions 35-32 on the road. We still don't know what to make of this team, but it was good to see them overcome some adversity to get to 1-1. This offensive line is an absolute mess, so it's not like Kevin Kolb will return to a calm situation. And his backup's solid performance isn't going to make it any easier.

Tomorrow's talker: Kolb remains the starter, but everyone will be talking about Michael Vick's performance. He won this game for the Eagles. Even though the Lions sacked him several times, he extended a lot of plays with his legs and delivered excellent passes. Vick never lost his poise and tried to press things when the Eagles fell behind. He played like the veteran quarterback he is and that's why he'll be a starter somewhere in the NFL next season. Should he remain the starter for the Eagles? I don't think so.

Goat: Once left tackle Jason Peters suffered an ankle injury, the Eagles were in a world of hurt up front. Kolb can move around but he obviously won't be able to race around as much as Vick. I think everyone on defense deserves some blame for Lions rookie Jahvid Best having such a huge day. I noticed Brodrick Bunkley getting stopped at the line of scrimmage a time or two and it looked like Omar Gaither had a tough time shedding blockers on some of those Best runs and catches.

What I didn't like: The Eagles fell asleep at the wheel with a big lead. Good teams don't let that happen. The Lions have enough talent at the skill positions to make some big plays and the Eagles should have shut the door.

What's next: If you can beat the Jaguars on the road to get to 2-1, then you have the huge Donovan McNabb homecoming the following weekend. All eyes will be on Kevin Kolb this week as he prepares to relaunch his season. Hopefully he has put that first half out of his mind.

George Smith reports on the Eagles’ and Lions’ pregame preparations.

The Detroit Lions' Jahvid Best and the Dallas Cowboys' Felix Jones are young and talented but injury prone running backs. Which potential sleeper is poised to make a bigger impression in the league and take a leap toward fantasy stardom: the rookie Best or Jones, who enters his third season as a pro? Matthew Berry and Christopher Harris discuss.

Daniel Jeremiah, a former NFL scout who operates the well-respected Move the Sticks Web site, offered this analysis of the Brandon Marshall trade via Twitter:

Big winner in the Marshall trade is the Lions...further evidence that the Cowboys gave up WAY too much for Roy Williams

You'll get no argument from me. Denver is being congratulated for extracting a pair of second-round draft choices from Miami for Marshall, and deservedly so. (Just three days ago, Pittsburgh settled for a fifth-round pick from the New York Jets for receiver Santonio Holmes.)

Using one version of the trade value chart, NFC West colleague Mike Sando computed the Broncos' bounty into the rough equivalent of the No. 28 overall pick in a draft. In other words, the Broncos got the value of a low first-round pick for Marshall.

As you might recall, Detroit got better than franchise-player value for Williams in the 2008 trade that sent him to Dallas. The Lions wound up with a first-round pick (No. 20 overall), along with additional selections in the third, sixth and seventh rounds.

You would be hard pressed to find an objective reason why Williams was worth more than Marshall. The only thing I can think of is Marshall's precious status under the NFL's personal conduct policy; one more mistake and he could face an indefinite suspension. On the field, Marshall clearly has outdistanced Williams' pre-trade production.

Williams played in 60 games for the Lions before the trade. Coincidentally, Marshall played in 61 for Denver. Over those near-identical time periods, Marshall had 327 receptions to Williams' 262. That's a difference of nearly one full catch per game.

I don't think it was any secret before Wednesday, but now it's more clear than ever: Lions general manager Martin Mayhew absolutely fleeced the Cowboys on this deal.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Redskins coach Jim Zorn said that he thought defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth would be "fine" after the player returned to Nashville to have an MRI and take care of a personal matter. Haynesworth was carted off in the second quarter of Sunday's loss to the Lions but he returned for the second half.

In other injury news, I would be shocked if Marion Barber played for the Cowboys tonight.

	Scott Boehm/Getty Images
	Albert Haynesworth and the Redskins fell to the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

You always hear people talk about how "on any given Sunday" an NFL team can rise up and beat you, but the Detroit Lions had become the exception. On Sunday, the Lions won for the first time since Dec. 23, 2007, and in doing so, have effectively put Jim Zorn's head coaching career in jeopardy.

Week 3 Coverage • Sando: Singletary stays positive • Mosley: Did Zorn seal his fate? • Seifert: GB's bread and butter • Graham: Owens, Evans MIA • Kuharsky: Fisher gets some blame • Walker: Bengals are contenders • Williamson: Broncos have special coach • Chadiha: Vick's modest return • Wojciechowski: Rocky seas for Sanchez • Clayton: Favre has magic touch • NFL Nation: Reactions | Wrap-ups | Live

He appears safe for the moment. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Redskins are not expected to make any moves with Zorn, a team source said Sunday night.

However, with Sunday's 19-14 loss to the Lions, the Redskins are now a team in crisis. This wasn't some sort of fluke in which the Lions received a bunch of breaks. They were, in fact, the best team on the field Sunday -- and that leaves the 1-2 Redskins in a tough spot. I guess the eternal optimist would look at the Skins' schedule and think they'll have a good chance to win against their next three opponents -- the winless Bucs, Panthers and Chiefs.

But after observing Sunday's game against the Lions, I wouldn't feel overly confident about the Redskins completing that sweep. I do think that Zorn, who is 9-10 since taking over in 2008, deserves the chance to at least see how things go during the next few weeks. Can he get his players to rally around him? I really have no clue at this point.

	Andrew Weber/US Presswire
	Jim Zorn’s job may be in jeopardy after the Redskins’ latest defeat.

If the Redskins could somehow rally and be 4-2 heading into an important division game against the Eagles on Oct. 26, then Zorn probably deserves to finish the season. But if the Redskins don't pull out of this tailspin, then I'd expect to see owner Dan Snyder make an in-season change -- perhaps during the bye week after the Eagles game. If you make a change right now, I'm not sure you're helping anything. Snyder hired Zorn to be the head coach, playcaller and quarterbacks coach. For better or worse, he's invested a lot of time and effort in quarterback Jason Campbell. Do we actually think making defensive coordinator Greg Blache the interim head coach would spark this team? I don't think it would make much difference.

The defense should bear just as much of the blame as the offense for Sunday's loss -- maybe even more. It was manhandled in the trenches by a nondescript offensive line, and Kevin Smith surpassed 100 yards on the ground. Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was supposed to transform this defense into something special, but Sunday, Lions rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford was rarely under intense pressure.

It's easy to second-guess Zorn on his decision to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the Lions' 1-yard line early in the game, mainly because it didn't work. I didn't really have a huge issue with that decision because I thought the Skins' defense would've been up to the task. The Lions instead capitalized on the momentum of that play and drove 99 yards to make it 7-0.

You can cry all day about the questionable pass interference penalty on safety Chris Horton in the fourth quarter, but that's not where the Redskins lost the game. From the start, they couldn't match the Lions' intensity. The Redskins also should have been a desperate team, but that's not the attitude they brought to the game.

Zorn is a cerebral guy who will attempt to convince his players this week that all is not lost. But I sense that his methodical approach is beginning to wear thin in the Redskins' locker room. There just seemed to be no sense of urgency from anyone during Sunday's game.

And there was one final decision by Zorn that didn't make a lick of sense: With the ball on the Lions' 36-yard line with eight seconds left, he called for Campbell to throw short on the hitch and pitch -- and pitch. It was a clueless play, which fit pretty well with the way the Skins played Sunday.

Just from looking at a couple of different polls, I think it's safe to say that at least 65 percent of Redskins fans would like to see Zorn fired right now. But in this case, I don't think a firing will jumpstart the team. Washington has so many flaws that it's hard to really pinpoint anything.

Stafford, a quarterback who'd barely completed 50 percent of his passes through two games, had his way with the Skins' secondary, and the Lions were able to rush for 154 yards. It's time to admit that the Redskins are one of the worst teams in the NFL.

To single out Zorn at this point is the wrong way to go. But then, Snyder has never let logic stand in the way of a rash decision.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

The Redskins have had some embarrassing losses over the years, but Sunday's has to rank near the top.

The Lions, a team that went 0-for-'08, came out and manhandled the Redskins, 19-14, at Ford Field. In the first half, the Redskins didn't even belong on the same field as the Lions, who hadn't won a game since Dec. 23, 2007. Second-year running back Kevin Smith slashed through the Skins' revitalized defensive line with ease, and rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford calmly led his team down the field.

And even when the Redskins had an opportunity to do something early in the fourth quarter, they couldn't get out of their own way. Quarterback Jason Campbell dumped off the ball to wide receiver Devin Thomas for a 15-yard gain that was wiped out when center Casey Rabach was called for holding.

Wide receiver Santana Moss had a big day for the Redskins, but the lack of a running game was their undoing. The Lions held the Skins to zero yards rushing in the first half, and Clinton Portis wasn't all that effective in the second half, either.

Thus begins one of the longest weeks of Jim Zorn's life. He will be questioned at every turn -- and there will be plenty of Redskins fans calling for his job. I think owner Dan Snyder will hold off for at least another week, but that's just a gut feeling. Snyder's made an in-season change before (Norv Turner), and I'm sure he's disgusted by Sunday's outcome.

Even when the Skins had a last-second chance to go for the win, they made a highly questionable decision to throw the ball short and then try to pitch the ball to other players. Campbell could've easily put the ball in the end zone on those last couple of plays. And they could've even gone for a quick sideline route. It was emblematic of the team's entire performance Sunday.

Maybe the hardest thing for the Redskins to stomach is the fact that they lost to a better team. That's right. The Lions didn't back their way into this win. They hit the Skins in the mouth from the start. And when the Redskins' defense desperately needed a stop in the fourth quarter, Chris Horton was called for pass interference.

Has Zorn lost the Redskins' locker room? Well, the team certainly didn't play like they wanted to save the man's job. I don't think Snyder will pull the trigger, but I wouldn't be shocked if he did. Back with much more analysis in about 45 minutes.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

I'm spending most of the afternoon on NFL Nation Live, but thought I'd slip over and see if anyone was hanging out on the Beast. The Redskins are desperately trying to lose this game, but the Lions may not let them.

Quarterback Jason Campbell scrambled for 21 yards on third-and-9 early in the fourth quarter. Now, both teams are making horrible mistakes. A Casey Rabach holding penalty wiped out a 15-yard gain. Then the Lions jumped offside on the next play.

If the Redskins lose this game, all hell will break loose in the D.C. area. There will be calls for Zorn's job, but I don't think it's happening this week. I think Dan Snyder will give Zorn a couple of weeks to see if he can right the ship.

But if this team ends up 2-5 after that Eagles game, then it could be curtains for Zorn. Snyder's made an in-season change in the past. And I think he's probably disgusted enough to be considering that drastic move.

If he makes the move, Greg Blache would likely be the interim coach. Right now, two really bad football teams are trading blows. On third-and-21 from his own 40-yard line, Campbell dumped the ball off to Ladell Betts for 7 yards. I'm sure that thrilled the Skins' fan base.