Studs and Duds: Heroes for the Holidays

Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around pointing skyward, while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's Studs and Duds for Week 12.

Studs

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay (28 of 39 passing, 348 yards, 3 TDs): Since Rodgers got Week 12 started early on Thanksgiving Day (and since Drew Brees can't be on the list every week), he claims the top spot. Packers wide receiver Donald Driver deserves at least half the turkey leg, though, considering he hauled in seven of Rodgers' 28 completions for 142 yards and one touchdown. Rodgers has now topped the 200-yard passing mark in all but two of Green Bay's games, and he has eight multi-TD games. If that Brett Favre guy ever retires for real, people will really start to appreciate the Pack's decision to keep Rodgers.

Kenny Britt, WR, Tennessee (7 catches for 128 yards, 1 TD): To simply say that Britt had a touchdown catch is undershooting it by a huge margin. Britt's leaping, end zone grab with no time left against the Cardinals gave the Titans a thrilling 20-17 win and helped continue shaping the reviving legend of Tennessee quarterback Vince Young. Britt had a fumble earlier in the fourth quarter that nearly help doom the Titans' chance -- but he rebounded in a huge way. He's made the Titans think less about injured wide receiver Justin Gage.

Mike McKenzie, CB, New Orleans (3 tackles, 1 INT): Ok, so Brees doesn't get a spot on the list, but someone from the Saints has to be on here after a dominating 38-17 Monday night win over New England. McKenzie, who fractured his kneecap in November of last season and was making his 2009 debut, picked off Tom Brady early, then had a huge fourth-down pass breakup late while covering Randy Moss one-on-one. McKenzie's only been back on the Saints' roster for about a week, which makes you wonder why no other secondary-starved team tried to bring him aboard.

Duds

Jacksonville's Red Zone Offense (Five trips, 1 FG): The Jags had a chance to take a huge step forward in the AFC playoff race -- instead, their offense tanked. Jacksonville made four visits to San Francisco's red zone, coming up with a FG attempt off the uprights, two turnovers and three total points. Quarterback David Garrard was responsible for both of those turnovers, fumbling twice. Jacksonville lost the game 20-3, but had plenty of opportunities -- the Jags also had a drive stall at San Francisco's 22 with Scobee missing a 41-yard field goal..

John Fox, Head Coach, Carolina: Look, we get it, Jake Delhomme got a huge contract extension in the offseason, and the last thing you want to do midway through the first year of that new contract is bench the guy. But here's the thing: Delhomme stinks. Sunday against the Jets, he was 14 of 34 passing with four interceptions. He's now thrown 18 interceptions to just eight TDs on the year and has a terrible 59.4 QB rating. Even worse is that he reportedly played in Carolina's loss to the Jets with a broken finger on his throwing hand ... and no one noticed. If you're QB is playing so bad that he throws four interceptions and not one person on the sidelines says "Hey, are you feeling OK?", then it's time to sit your quarterback down.

Chad Henne, QB, Miami (17 of 31 passing, 175 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs): Henne's been very solid since taking over for the injured Chad Pennington as Miami's QB, but the secret to his success has been ball security. Henne threw three picks in a 31-14 loss to Buffalo (one, to be fair, came in the closing seconds with the game decided), and the Dolphins suffered a crushing road loss. The worst of the INTs came late in the fourth quarter -- with Miami trailing 17-14, Henne overshot Brian Hartline and was picked. Buffalo scored on the next play to put the game out of reach.