Sept. 11
Win a tough game on the road, and you win in the Mort rankings.

This week, yes, the AFC East rules. The two most impressive road wins (in my humble opinion) were delivered by the Colts (45-24 over the Jets) and the Dolphins (31-23 over the Titans). Next was the Rams' 20-17 OT victory in Philadelphia. Then the Raiders overcame a whole lot of things to win 27-24 in overtime at Arrowhead Stadium to spoil Dick Vermeil's debut.

The biggest reward for a road victory actually went to the Carolina Panthers, who jumped from No. 31 to No. 18 after their stunning 24-13 win in Minnesota. Sorry, Panther folks, I couldn't do the 31 to 1 thing.

The new No. 31? Hint: Former ESPN analyst and current Redskins head coach hits bottom. Not to lose heart, Marty Schottenheimer, you still have 15 more games ... and $10 million.