• While JaMarcus Russell has had a few good series in key moments late in games this year, close observers of the Raiders say the team is very concerned that he doesn't seem to be improving much in terms of putting touch on his passes and has been locking his eyes on receivers he intends to throw to, giving defenders a chance to read his eyes and make a play.

• The Raiders ultimately opted to move Erik Pears from tackle to left guard as a replacement for Robert Gallery, who has been the team's best and most consistent offensive lineman since he moved to guard before the 2007 season. Gallery fractured his left fibula in Week Two and could be out until close to midseason. Sources say the team decided not to move starting center Chris Morris over to guard because they were not willing to risk starting Samson Satele, Morris' backup at center. Satele is still learning the line calls, even though he had basically the entire offseason to get them down.

• With roster space limited and head coach Todd Haley interested to see what he has in some of his offensive players, it could lead to some interesting game-day decisions by the Chiefs. In Week Two, both RB Jamaal Charles and TE Brad Cottam were shockingly deactivated so Haley could get a look at RB Dantrell Savage and TE Jake O'Connell. It's likely not the only time that sort of thing will occur this season as the new regime attempts to identify the team's top talent.

• Besides poor execution at times on both sides of the ball, another reason the Chargers are off to a slow start is penalties. Through two weeks, they are the league's most penalized team, drawing 21 flags for a loss of 145 yards. Correcting that is something head coach Norv Turner has been heavily focusing on in practice as of late, as it was a major reason San Diego lost to the Ravens.

• Buffalo's offensive rookies have been a far bigger benefit to the team thus far than their counterparts on the defensive side. ORG Eric Wood and OLG Andy Levitre have been particularly strong in the running game and have shown good hustle on downfield blocks. DE Aaron Maybin and S Jairus Byrd, meanwhile, clearly have a lot of work ahead of them before they can be counted on.

• After looking great during training camp, Jason Taylor hasn't been nearly the force that the Dolphins were hoping he'd be as their starter at strong-side outside linebacker. He brought down Matt Ryan for a sack in the opener and then was able to accomplish little in the Week Two heartbreaker against the Colts.

• Nobody in Foxborough is deluded enough to think that interim starting MLB Gary Guyton - although Guyton starts at inside linebacker in the 3-4, the Pats are now operating mostly out of 4-3 looks - will be as proficient as Jerod Mayo, who's likely out for another couple of weeks with a sprained knee. But the Pats are quite high on the second-year player out of Georgia Tech, largely because of his incredible chase ability in the open field. The primary cause for concern is how he handles his zone coverage responsibilities.

• After a tremendous showing in the preseason, David Clowney had many believing that he could be a dangerous force for a Jets team still trying to figure out exactly what they have at wide receiver. But it's become clear that all Clowney can really do at this point is fly down the field for the home-run ball, which has all but rendered him null and void in the young season.

• RB Rashard Mendenhall's talent is tantalizing, but the Steelers have been slowly working him into the offense to this point. Just 22, Mendenhall lacks experience, and starter Willie Parker is less prone to make mistakes. In other words, Mendenhall's ascension to the starting lineup probably isn't as imminent as you might think, even with Parker struggling somewhat early this season. But Mendenhall is going to get more work as time goes on, head coach Mike Tomlin has indicated.

• The Ravens signed ex-Eagles TE L.J. Smith in the offseason with designs on him being a key part of the offense, but his inability to stay healthy has frustrated the team, a source close to the club tells PFW. Smith missed the first two games with a hamstring injury, and the Ravens signed ex-Cowboys TE Tony Curtis to improve their depth at the position, which was stretched in Smith's absence.

• Keep an eye on the Bengals' situation at right offensive tackle. Reserve Dennis Roland stepped in for starter Anthony Collins for part of the Week Two win at Green Bay, and head coach Marvin Lewis noted that the club is "trying to continue to see what the best mix is" at the position. First-round pick Andre Smith, who was expected to start at right tackle, has missed the first three games with a broken foot, and the way we hear it, his return appears a few weeks down the road.

• One of the few bright spots the Jaguars can point to is the strong play they've seen from Justin Durant at middle linebacker. The smooth-striding Durant had previously manned an OLB post in Jacksonville, but coach Jack Del Rio shifted him inside to allow his most athletic linebacker to make more plays.

• Dallas Clark's brilliant 80-yard catch and run on the opening play from scrimmage in the Colts' dramatic win over the Dolphins affirmed what many in Indianapolis had been saying for a while - that Clark's receiving skill, from route running to catching to open-field running, is as good as it gets for a tight end. Interestingly, he began that play on the line, not from the slot where he does most of his damage.

• The Texans have an unsettled situation at strong safety, with John Busing and Dominique Barber both expected to get regular playing time for the time being. Barber began the season as the clear-cut starter but has struggled early on, and Busing has begun to play more snaps. "He's really sharp on the game diagnosis, notices things very early," head coach Gary Kubiak said of Busing. "Everybody in the secondary trusts him to get them in the right spots. With that is going to come more responsibility; we'll see how he handles it."

• The Texans worked out seven defensive linemen in the week leading up to the Week Three game vs. Jacksonville, most notably former Lions DE Ikaika Alama-Francis, but did not sign any of them.

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