Wembley wonders

The Saints and the Chargers live up to the hype, Brian's back and Mike goes mad in KC's Picks of the Week.

London loves it, Brian is back and Davis spits the dummy

Week Eight was all about Wembley, where New Orleans and San Diego lived up to the billing and blew London away in a 69-point slugfest in front of the Sky Sports cameras. Back across the pond, Tennessee's perfect start continued, Dallas did the business... just, and Miami and Houston picked up unlikely wins. Week Eight Review Individually Ladainian Tomlinson picked up his first 100-yard game of the season for San Diego, Drew Brees' golden arm shone for New Orleans while Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco turned receiver and Seattle's Randy Moss made it 58 100-yard games in his career. For San Francisco the game was more about what went on off the field as Mike Singletary stole the show and Vernon Davis had the showers all to himself. It's Kevin Cadle's picks of the week...

Team of the Week -
New Orleans Saints
San Diego Chargers

I like what Houston, Tennessee and Miami did, but really you gotta go with what we all saw at Wembley Stadium on Sunday night. Both San Diego and New Orleans made sure that, for once, a sporting occasion lived up to the hype. And don't think for a minute there was any sense of duty in putting on a show, this was all about getting that win - entertaining the crowd don't mean a thing if you end up 3-5 doing it. Putting on a show is the sort of thing that gets coaches fired! If you're being critical both defenses were so bad it made for an exciting game but that is just what the people in England needed after last year. Both teams played offensive football but the hype was there and both teams lived up to that hype.

Player of the Week -
Brian Westbrook (RB Philadelphia Eagles)

It has to be Brian for 209 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns against Atlanta. That was his first 100-yard game of the season, but he's been struggling with injuries all along and to come back all of a sudden like he did on Sunday, says it all. He is the man for Philadelphia, there ain't no questioning that - and if you don't have your man, then you've got problems. He is their playmaker, the guy that does it for them and he is one of the best backs - if not THE best back - in the NFL right now. LT is struggling, Clinton Portis is playing well this year, and if you get any one of them, you're gonna be OK, but Brian Westbrook was back to his very best. To come up with 167 yards rushing, two touchdowns and a couple of receptions shows just how good he is.

Play of the Week
Mike Singletary benches and bins Vernon Davis

I like Mike Singletary sending Vernon Davis to the bench. And then I like Mike Singletary sending Vernon Davis to the locker room! We don't know exactly what was said, but what we saw there was a coach putting his stamp on a team. He was telling everyone one of those 49ers that if you don't want to abide, then you ain't gonna be here - and that is exactly what San Francisco needs right now. Before Mike came along they had a soft touch as a coach and that didn't work, so why is he gonna go and do the same thing? It's not gonna work for him, so he had to go and establish who he is. Benching quarterback JT O'Sullivan also did that, but now the guys now exactly what their coach is about. Mike has to deal with this in the locker room though, make this a team situation. He's said his piece in the press, now he needs to keep these things inside that football team.

Villain of the Week
Vernon Davis benched and binned by Mike Singletary

I guess I gotta stay with San Francisco! We just don't know what Vernon said, but you gotta assume that whatever he said was not quite the right thing to come out with at that particular moment in time to that particular coach! It's one thing throwing his arm at an opponent and costing your team a penalty, but you can do that and deal with it two ways. You can walk off the side and say 'Aw man, that was bad coach, I messed up, sorry', or you can say something else. Like I say, we can't tell what he said, but you have to assume that it had everything to do with Singletary's reaction - and that is why he had the locker room all to himself. OK, it's been a tough season for San Francisco but Vernon's behaviour, punch and petulance, is the last thing they need right now.