FOXSports.com senior NFL writer Alex Marvez weighs in with NFL news and notes  every Monday

* The severe spine injury suffered by Buffalo tight end Kevin Everett in the season-opener greatly affected one of his teammates.

While not using it as an excuse for his early season struggles, outside linebacker Angelo Crowell said he needed time to block out the memory of Everett getting hurt making a special teams tackle.

"It really slowed me down," Crowell told FOXSports.com. "Linebackers have collisions all the time. What happened weighed on me mentally because I had never thought about those types of injuries. When you play linebacker, you can't think about those types of things."

Crowell returned to form with a team-high 11 tackles in last Sunday's 17-14 upset of the New York Jets. Crowell must play at the same high level Monday night for Buffalo's injury-plagued defense to have any shot at slowing down Dallas.

"Tony Romo is really the key," Crowell said. "We've got to get to the quarterback and rattle him. You can't give him time to throw because with his arm strength and accuracy, he'll pick you apart. As a whole on defense, we're going to have to do the small things right. We have to create turnovers and keep their offense off the field."

* Despite Sunday's 34-3 loss at Washington, Detroit left tackle Jeff Backus doesn't expect this year's team to tank like the 2004 Lions did after a 3-1 start. Such confidence stems from who is -- and isn't -- on Detroit's roster.

"We have a lot of high-character guys who know what to do and how to do it," Backus told FOXSports.com. "We're a different club than what we've been in the past even though we had a handful of big-name guys before. Maybe some of our guys are a little less talented but they give more effort and have more passion. That sometimes outweighs the extras."

Backus singled out wide receiver Mike Furrey as an example while taking a swipe at Charles Rogers and Mike Williams, two top 10 picks who never proved worthy of such lofty draft status. The undrafted Furrey played in two other football leagues (XFL and Arena) and even on defense before last year's 98-catch season.

"We've spent a couple high draft picks on guys who were all-world in college but didn't know how to translate that to the pro game," said Backus, a Lions first-round pick in 2001. "Sometimes you see it not just at wide receiver but with real talented guys where everything comes natural to them. They don't know how to work.

"It's not really their fault but they never had to push themselves to earn a spot. The guys we've got now, most of them never had a big name or were the most talented on their team. They've always had to fight and claw for what they've got."

* Replacing one drug-addled running back with another wouldn't make sense in Denver if Travis Henry is suspended for a positive marijuana test. But a Ricky Williams comeback would make sense in Tampa Bay, which needs depth after losing Cadillac Williams to a major knee injury.

A scenario that makes sense: Miami sends Williams' rights to the Bucs before the October 16 trading deadline. Compensation could be based on whether Williams is reinstated and how much he plays if given the green light to return by commissioner Roger Goodell.

Despite not having played since last fall in Canada, Williams has more upside than any other running back options the Bucs have explored. And considering Miami coach Cam Cameron has shown no signs that he wants Williams on his roster, the Dolphins would be getting something in return for a player likely to get released anyway.

* Speaking of headaches, Dolphins quarterback Trent Green's benching seemed imminent even before suffering another lights-out concussion Sunday against Houston. Green entered this weekend's games leading the NFL in interceptions and had clearly slipped from his heyday in Kansas City. Cleo Lemon (15-of-27 passing for 151 yards and one interception) was decent in relief but should look better when starting next Sunday at Cleveland.

* Is there anyone else who didn't envision Oakland leading the AFC West and New Orleans being winless five weeks into the season?