Bayer Leverkusen ended the weekend three points clear at the top of the Bundesliga as they hammered Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0 on Friday night and their three nearest rivals all failed to respond.
Leverkusen extended their lead at the summit to four points with their impressive win and then saw Werder Bremen, Hamburg and Schalke draw later in the weekend.
Werder finished the weekend where they started it - in second - as they extended their unbeaten run to 19 games with a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.
Mesut Ozil gave Bremen the lead after 36 minutes only for Lucas Barrios to equalise nine minutes into the second half.
Thomas Schaaf's team were not at their fluent best but were able to extend their impressive streak domestically and in Europe.
Hamburg also missed the chance to stay on the heels of Leverkusen after being held to a 2-2 draw at Hannover.
Marcell Jansen put the visitors ahead after 15 minutes before Didier Ya Konan equalised in the 28th minute.
Eljero Elia restored Hamburg's advantage just before half-time only for Jiri Stajner to convert a late penalty for the second equaliser of the afternoon.
In Sunday's other game, Hertha Berlin slumped to a 10th defeat of the Bundesliga season as Milivoje Novakovic's second-half goal gave Cologne victory.
Novakovic struck the winner with 11 minutes remaining to heap yet more misery on the capital club, who had dominated for much of the game.
The defeat kept Hertha, whose fortunes looked like they might be improving after they won 3-2 away to Heerenveen in the Europa League in midweek, bottom of the standings on four points.
On Saturday, Schalke claimed a 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich but the point wasn't enough to see them move into second.
Daniel van Buyten put the home side ahead in the 31st minute, but Marvin Matip equalised for Schalke just before the break.
Wolfsburg and Mainz moved a point behind fourth-placed Schalke on the back of wins.
Two goals in five second-half minutes from Zvjezdan Misimovic and Grafite earned Wolfsburg a 2-1 victory at Hoffenheim.
Vedad Ibisevic had given the hosts a 23rd-minute lead.
An Elkin Soto strike seven minutes before the interval secured Mainz a 1-0 success at home to lowly Nurnberg.
Bochum remain stuck in the bottom three after a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Freiburg.
Stefan Reisinger netted a last-minute goal to snatch the points for Freiburg, who had earlier seen their opener from Heiko Butscher cancelled out by Diego Klimowicz.
Borussia Monchengladbach played out a goalless draw with Stuttgart in a clash between two Bundesliga strugglers.
On Friday night Leverkusen claimed an emphatic 4-0 victory over Eintracht.
Goals by Stefan Kiessling, Stefan Reinartz, Toni Kroos and Lars Bender ensured Jupp Heynckes' side claimed their seventh win of the season and remained unbeaten after 12 games.