Patriots: The Patriots continue to draw big TV ratings. On Sunday, they faced the Steelers,

Patriots: The Patriots continue to draw big TV ratings. On Sunday, they faced the Steelers, considered a team that could derail their march toward an undefeated record. The 4:15 p.m. game on CBS — which was Pittsburgh-New England in most of the country — earned an 18.4 overnight rating and a 33 share in the nation’s 55 largest markets. The comparable time slot at this time last year on CBS received a 13.7. The rating is the percentage of all homes with televisions watching the game, while the share is the percentage of TVs in use at the time that are tuned in to it. National ratings are expected Tuesday. The three games that have earned the highest overnight ratings this season all involved the Patriots: a win over the Indianapolis Colts drew a 22.5, and a victory over the Dallas Cowboys received an 18.5, all on CBS.

Panthers: The quarterback looked like the 44-year-old that he is. The running back fumbled again. The star receiver again couldn’t get involved. While the offense has been downright offensive since Jake Delhomme was lost for the season, Sunday’s 37-6 loss to Jacksonville set new highs for Carolina ineptitude. With Vinny Testaverde missing open receivers and having an interception returned for a touchdown, DeShaun Foster losing his fifth fumble and Steve Smith mostly a non-factor, the Panthers (5-8) virtually ended their already-slim playoff hopes. And it left embattled coach John Fox with a decision to make at quarterback. With high-priced David Carr so far down the depth chart he’s out of the equation, does Fox stick with Testaverde or go with rookie Matt Moore for the final three games? For Fox, it’s deciding between the second-oldest starting QB in NFL history with a 65.8 passer rating, and an undrafted rookie, signed in September, with a 21.1 rating. “We weren’t as consistent throwing the ball as we needed to be,” Fox said. “When we have been, we’ve been in games. When we haven’t been, we’ve not.”

49ers: Quarterback Trent Dilfer is unlikely to play against Cincinnati on Saturday after incurring a concussion. Dilfer, the 14th-year pro running the 49ers’ offense while Alex Smith sits out with an injured shoulder, was taken to a hospital after a hard hit from Minnesota’s Charles Gordon shortly before halftime Sunday in the Vikings’ 27-7 victory. Dilfer was released from the hospital later in the day, but coach Mike Nolan declared him doubtful for the Bengals. Shaun Hill is likely to start for San Francisco (3-10), but Nolan also hopes to sign a veteran quarterback. Practice squad member Drew Olson, who joined the team just two weeks ago, is the only other quarterback on the roster. Hill, a six-year veteran backup who had never thrown a pass before Sunday, went 22-of-28 for 181 yards against Minnesota, leading a touchdown drive despite playing with a bandage on the index finger of his throwing hand.

Texans: Here’s something new: Vince Young and Reggie Bush criticized, while Mario Williams flies happily under the radar. The almost universally panned top pick in 2006 has shaken off a rookie year marked by a painful foot ailment, constant criticism and disappointing statistics to quietly emerge as a force on Houston’s young defense this season. Last year, many declared Houston’s decision to draft Williams a huge mistake and believed the team would be better off with Bush or Young, who were drafted second and third. Now, while people complain about Young’s touchdown to interception ratio (7 to 16) and Bush’s questionable on field decision-making and lack of big plays, Williams is evading critics with increasingly solid performances. “I’m just playing,” Williams said. “I’m just more comfortable. It’s getting later on in the year and just settling down finally.” Williams was strong early, but has been better than ever in the four games since Houston’s bye. He had a sack in Sunday’s win over Tampa Bay; his fourth straight game with at least one sack tied a team record. He also has 46 tackles and has forced two fumbles, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He’s had 51⁄2 sacks in the last four games to push his season total to 91⁄2, a single-season team record and fourth in the AFC.

Bengals: Ten months after Carson Palmer won the Pro Bowl’s MVP award, his numbers and his team have become downright average. Are the Bengals’ woes dragging down their franchise quarterback? Or, is there more to it? The first suggestion fits best. Palmer had another so-so game Sunday in a 19-10 victory over the Rams, leading the Bengals to one touchdown and four field goals. When it was over, he was ranked in the middle of the pack of NFL passers. “At this position and with where we are as a team, I need to play great every week, and I haven’t been great every week,” Palmer said. “As far as I’m concerned, I just want to give us a chance to win. Of course, I want to throw a bunch of touchdown passes and throw the ball all over the field, but at this point in the year with where we’re at, we need wins.” At 5-8, the Bengals are out of playoff contention. They need to win their last three games against San Francisco, Cleveland and Miami to finish 8-8 for the fourth time in coach Marvin Lewis’ five seasons.

Jaguars: Jacksonville sent a message to left tackle Khalif Barnes: get better or get benched. The Jaguars took Barnes out for several series Sunday against Carolina, giving second-year pro Richard Collier his first action of the season. The move was partly designed to reward Collier for showing strides in practice. But it also served as a warning to Barnes, a former second-round draft pick. “Wherever we can make a situation competitive and continue to strengthen ourselves, even throughout the course of the season, we’re going to look to do it,” coach Jack Del Rio said Monday, a day after his team’s 37-6 victory over the Panthers. Collier played well in place of Barnes, helping create holes for Fred Taylor (132 yards rushing and a touchdown) and generate time for David Garrard (20-of-36 for 230 yards and two touchdowns). “He’s an improving player, an ascending player,” Del Rio said. “He did a solid job. It wasn’t perfect. He played with good energy. He was excited to be out there, did his assignment and competed. It’s a start. It got him some game-time exposure against some very talented people. It’ll be good for him and it’ll be good for us going forward.”

Associated Press