Nathan Stacken

Welcome to another week of the Stack Attack and a look at five of the biggest stories going on in the NFL. Let’s get right to it:

1. Colts continue their winning ways.

Sunday’s 35-27 win over the Houston Texans set plenty of records for Indianapolis. It was their seventh straight year with at least 11 wins, an NFL record. The Colts also became the first team to win five consecutive games when trailing heading into the fourth quarter. Call it destiny or luck, but Peyton Manning and the Colts have something going here in what could be another magical season.

2. Vince Young’s magic.

The Tennessee Titans have now won five games in a row and running back Chris Johnson is a big reason why, but Vince Young is the biggest reason why. The Titans were trailing the Arizona Cardinals 17-13 late in the fourth quarter when Young orchestrated an 18-play, 99-yard touchdown drive to win the game with no time remaining. He converted three fourth-down attempts. Young also set a career high with 387 yards passing. We are witnessing a remarkable comeback from a man who last year was considering ending his life.

3. MVP race is heating up.

The race is tight; take your pick. Candidates include Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, Saints QB Drew Brees, Vikings QB Brett Favre and Titans running back Chris Johnson. All are playing at the ultimate level. Right now though, I’m leaning toward Favre. When the NFL’s leading interception thrower has 24 touchdowns and just three interceptions, and his team is 10-1, Favre looks to be the leading candidate for MVP.

4. NFL cracking down on concussions.

Concussions are an all-too-common occurrence in the NFL. What isn’t common, though, is how teams today are treating them. With numerous studies linking concussions in the NFL with brain damage in retired players, teams are much more cautious in getting their players back on the field and taking concussions seriously. Last week was a prime example. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and Cardinals QB Kurt Warner each practiced during the week and were expected to play. But after notifying doctors of some headaches and other concussion-related symptoms after they were asymptomatic earlier in the week, Roethlisberger and Warner were both held out of play. Both teams deserve applause for handling the situation with the players the way they did.

5. Saints stomp the Patriots.

I’d be stupid not to mention something about how bad the Saints beat the Patriots Monday night. Drew Brees had a perfect passer rating of 158.3 and threw five touchdowns. He shredded the Patriots’ secondary. And the Saints defense came to the party, intercepting Patriots quarterback Tom Brady twice, and creating all sorts of havoc for the Patriots offense. The Patriots never could get into a rhythm, and that is a credit to the Saints coaching staff and players. This team is great. They’re on the fast track to the Super Bowl.